Our Last View of the Special Care Unit

Our time is running out and we have to go to the airport to fly home. This is the

last photo we took of Justine at left and Lauren at right in their separate "cribs".

Happy July 4th, Everyone!

Lauren's Blanket from Aunt Maryanna

Lauren's blanket is draped over the top of her incubator.

Aunt Maryanna's Quilted Blankets

The nurses raved about Aunt Maryanna's quilted blankets. She made each of the twins a blanket and mailed them to Troy and Connie. In this photo Justine is bundled up in hers.

Mommy and Daddy with Lauren

This is Monday, July 4, 2005 and Troy is feeding Lauren while Connie watches. Look at that adorable little baby!

The Party Ends

Don't know why we didn't take many pictures at the party because we had intended to. But it was pretty dark and people were standing in groups that would have been hard to shoot around. So the evening ended with us going back to the Hyatt with Trent and Amy. The next day we were meeting for breakfast again and then stopping at the hospital before leaving for home.

Stephanie's 10th Anniversary Ring

We had been enjoying Todd and Stephanie's party when Todd announced that he had a surprise for Stephanie on their 10th wedding anniversary. He presented her with the most beautiful square-cut solitare diamond ring! He said some very loving things and the house was in tears! This is a not-so-good close up of the ring on Stephanie's finger with Connie looking over her shoulder.

A Handsome Couple

I loved Amy's dress, and her shoes too. Course Trent looked his dapper self!

All Dressed Up!

Bob and Marti arrived in the skywalk area of the Hyatt to await Amy and Trent.

Time to Leave the Hospital

As much as everyone wanted to stay, we had to leave to get "home" to change for Todd and Stephanie's 10th anniversary party. It was going to be great fun and we were all excited!

Daddy Troy with Teeny Lauren

There were still so many wires and cords connected to Lauren it was hard to

deal with them all. But as you see, neither Troy nor Lauren seem too concerned.

Grandma Marti and Adorable Justine

Another adorable photo of Justine.

Grandpa Bob and Sweet Lauren

Lauren was really asleep - she grows faster when she's sleeping. She's a little more fidgety than Justine and tends to "work off" her calories too much when she's awake.

Precious Baby Girl, Justine

After her bottle, Justine was sound asleep and just as precious as can be.

What an angel!

Lauren Makes A Showing Too

Troy is holding Lauren. The rest of us, Troy, Marti, Amy and Trent are smiling at Justine's antics while Connie gives her a bottle - she keeps stretching and making little grunting sounds!

Justine and the Gang

In the Special Care Unit from left are: Marti, Bob, Connie holding Justine, Trent, Amy and Troy. Missing are: Lauren, who's still in her incubator to the right, and Todd and Stephanie who were at the hospital the following day with Stephanie's parents.

Heading to the Hospital in Chicago

Amy, Trent, Marti, Troy and Connie are walking to the

hospital after breakfast downtown on Sunday, July 3, 2005.

Time to Say Good-Night

It began to get late and since we all wanted to meet the next morning for

breakfast before going to the hospital to visit the babies, it was time to say goodnight.

"Shake, Hobbes"

We all laugh at how motivated Hobbes is by food, but especially

his snacks. Here Todd has him run through all his tricks. He did very well!

Two Cuties!

Stephanie and her mom, Barb,

begin the job of cleaning up the kitchen.

Enjoying a Friendly Chat

Trent and Jim enjoy the delicious BBQ

dinner and some conversation with Bob and Troy.

The New Grandpa & The New Daddy

Bob and Troy enjoy some time to visit and

drink a couple of beers with Trent and Jim.

Time Out to Love Hobbes

Marti and Stephanie give Hobbes some well-deserved attention.

Amy, the Cutie!

Amy was enjoying herself too. And she's also deserving of a break; going to school for her Masters in nursing while also working as a Registered Nurse at the University of Wisconsin Hospital makes for a very busy life!

Connie, the New Mommy

We were glad that Connie had a chance to sit and enjoy herself -

maybe it's the first time since the babies were born on May 16, 2005.

Todd, the Wine Expert

Todd is a wine connoisseur, even though it looks like he's a beer-man this evening. He does have a nice collection of wines in his new "wine cellar", though.

In the Kitchen with Marti & Stephanie

This is a great shot of Todd and Stephanie's new kitchen with the beautiful maple cabinets, tile backsplash, stainless appliances and the gorgeous granite countertops and island!

Hobbes, a 5-Year-Old Golden Retriever

Hobbes is the most beautiful blonde Golden Retriever we have ever seen! He's also the friendliest! He did get in trouble when he grabbed a piece of raw chicken off the island . Stephanie reprimanded him soundly and he was temporarily banished from the kitchen. But not for long - everyone missed him too much!

A New House

We arrived at Todd and Stephanie's and were met at the door by Todd and Hobbes, their Golden Retriever. What an adorable house!

Grandma and A Peaceful Justine

It was great to just sit in that Special Care Unit and hold these babies! We didn't want to leave, but had to get ready for Todd and Stephanie's BBQ at their new house and everyone was anxious to get there!

Grandpa and Lauren Ann at 6 Weeks

Bob was beside himself with this darling little bundle of joy! Tiny Lauren at 3 lbs 3 oz. is still attached to oxygen and feeding tubes. She's doing very well, though, and sometimes just needs a little nudge to remember to breath after eating. She has grown from her birth weight of a teeny 1 lb. 13 oz. When we saw her a week after she arrived, she only weighed 1 lb. 9 oz.

Justine Marie at 6 weeks

What a precious, adorable baby! Justine is sleeping with her tiny tongue out just a bit. The tube is for oxygen, but she's doing very well, so it likely will be removed soon. She's a healthy 5 lbs. 1 oz. up from 2 lbs. 9 oz. just six short weeks earlier.

Surprise, Surprise!

Trent and Amy knew that we would be able to hold the babies, but it was to be a secret. We were so surprised and thrilled! Marti's holding Justine and Bob's holding Lauren.

Our Drive to Chicago

We headed to Chicago with our first stop being the hospital to see Justine and Lauren before getting checked in at the Hyatt downtown. Marti had commented that she doubted we would be able to hold the babies, even though Justine was now 5 lbs. 1 oz. and Lauren was 3 lbs. 3 oz. Little did we know what was to happen when we got there.

Breakfast on the Capitol Steps

Marti, Trent and Amy enjoy "breakfast" on the Capitol steps in Madison.

Farmers Market in Madison

The next morning, Saturday, July 2, 2005, Trent and Amy suggested we go to the Farmers Market at the State Capitol square. Trent and Marti pause for a picture.

Out For a Walk, er Pull!

Amy, Marti, Trent and Athena are out for a walk. Bob took the picture.

Time for a Walk

We took advantage of the beautiful summer day to

walk Athena around Trent and Amy's neighborhood.

Trent and Amy's Backyard Garden

The previous owner of this property had created a plant wonderland in the backyard and Trent and Amy were enjoying the results. It was a lot of work to keep up, but they had been doing a great job!

A Summer Porch

As Trent was walking in the front door, we had already worked our way through this adorable house to the wonderful porch and beautifully landscaped backyard.

Athena in the Spring of 2004 - A Puppy!

It's hard to imagine how cute and tiny Athena was just one short year ago. But here she is in the same fireplace where she was lying in the previous photo.

Athena, a Beautiful German Shepherd

Athena is the most beautiful German Shepherd. We had seen pictures of her, but they certainly don't do her justice. Here she's lying in one of her favorite spots in the fireplace. The next photo shows her in the same fireplace, but one year ago when she was much smaller.

We Arrive at Amy and Trent's

We arrived in Madison, Wisconsin to visit Amy and Trent on a beautiful Friday, July 1, 2005. Trent and Amy's home is just blocks away from the University of Wisconsin campus in a lovely neighborhood. We wanted to see their home of two years and meet their one-year-old German Shepherd, Athena.

We're On Our Way!

We're all ready for our July 4th weekend. We will see Trent and Amy's home in Madison, Wisconsin and meet Athena, their one-year-old German Shepherd. Then we'll drive to Chicago with them to go to Stephanie and Todd's BBQ, see their brand new home, see our six-week-old granddaughters Justine and Lauren, Troy and Connie's new twins, and help Todd and Stephanie celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary with 60 other friends and family! This will all take place between Friday, July 1 and Monday, July 4, 2005.