Some Friends Come to Visit the Mendezes

So, if you've checked out CNN you know that Croatia had some VIP visitors this weekend. And being with the Embassy, Joel has had to work around the clock for a while to set up for this visit. So, at 5am this morning, we get up, get dressed up in all our finery and head downtown . . .

to wait. . . .

and wait. . . .

and wait. . . .

for the 15 minutes we got with our VIP visitors to take these:

Here's my old pal Condi (I got my picture taken with her in Rome a couple of years ago).

There are even more pictures (which someone else took on their camera and I'm praying come out) that I don't have right now.

So George comes right up to me, points to my big belly, shakes my hand and says "Hey, good luck with that." And what did dorky me do?? "Umm, thank you." Yeah, uhh-huh, that's what I said. Really profound. Yep, there went all my "I'm too cool and up too early to be excited about being here" attitude.

In the middle of all this there was set photo op with the Pres in front of the crowd of everyone who works at the Embassy. And Joel was standing right behind Bush, on the other side of the rope. We can't wait to see that one either. I hope the Embassy photographers get their pictures out fast.

Then Joel comes around to get me (I was in the kids holding area attempting to keep Abby from getting tackled by the Secret Service - she was a little hyper by now.) We hustle over to the other side of the line, and DH shoves his way into the front to get his picture with George. So, our pal George says, "Oh, what a pretty girl, bring her up here." (PS. You'll notice the hairbow didn't make it for very long.)

And then they were gone. (Laura Bush didn't do the meet and greet today. About killed me. It's the second time I've missed a photo op with her.)

So that was our day. And all before 9:20am this morning.

Love,

Julie, Joel, Abby, and Lily