Coucou!

Showing off her milk mustache.

Contrary to how it must seem, we are alive and well in Clermont-Ferrand, France. It is almost midnight here and it is so hot that I can't sleep so I figured I would blog on the sofa benefiting from the AC that only cools our living room. Maybe we should just set up a family camp in the den until the weather cools? 4 out of 5 of us end up in the master bed anyways.. and, well, at 80 degrees Fahrenheit that is just HOT.

Beaucoup de chose have occurred since my last blog entry. I will do a quick summary with detailed blogs to follow in the hopefully near future.

Freddie was on vacation for three whole weeks from the last week of July until this past Sunday. We spent the first week in Paris with Susan, Aunt Janet and Uncle Josh at Disneyland. We spent most of our time on the Disneyland Resort but we did take one trip into Paris and finally made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower - one of Joshua's heart's desires ever since we read Madeline two years ago. It was, well, it was like being at the top of any really tall building (after waiting an inordinately long time) but now Joshua can say that he did it and it was a fun experience with them. I can't wait to share those pictures with you. We did see Notre Dame Cathedral and we ate at a très chic Salon de Thé on a side street of Paris. I have oodles and oodles of pictures to download and share of our entire week in Paris and at Disney... so stay tuned. :)

Joshua is now five years old. Oh my. How did THAT happen? It is so cliché but it is so true that they grow up too quickly. If I could stop time at the current ages of all of my children I would. Freddie and I ask them if they will live with us forever and they each respond with a resounding Yes! (Well, except for Emily.. she is advanced and all, of course, but not THAT advanced). Oh how I wish their answers would stay the same. Or maybe I wish that only if they actually could stay 1, 3 and 5? Either way, I think they are wonderful little beings and even on the craziest and most stressful days.. once they are snuggled in bed and sleeping soundly I thank my God that he blessed me with them (and often times even when they are racing through the house throwing pillows at each other almost knocking over lamps and playing hide and seek in the den). We had a little Spiderman party at home for Joshua's big day with two of his friends - a sweet little french girl from school and a new friend who just arrived from Greenville and then the festivities continued into the next week with family in Paris. Pictures from birth to party and nostalgic birth story to follow. :)

About three weeks ago I had a gynecologist appointment and the doctor found that my right ovary was enlarged so she sent me for an ultrasound. The ultrasound found a 55mm cyst on my ovary and I am having surgery on September 2 to have it removed. It is laparascopic surgery so it should be minimally invasive but I do have to be in the hospital for 3 days. That is the stinkiest part of it all... being away from the family for 3 days. Well, aside from the language barrier that exists between me and the medical community here (who have been great and all but we have become waaayy too familiar with each other, if you ask me). Based on the blood results and the u/s, the surgeon says "Ce n'est pas grave" or "It's not serious.". Great news! I will keep you updated on that.

Joshua and Sophia start school the first week of September. This will be Joshua's first year of "real" school as he begins Kindergarten - or la Grande section, as it is known here. Sophia will be in 3K - or la Petite section. We have school supplies bought and they both seem to be excited about Le Rentree (the return to school). Joshua struggled last year with being in a class where the instruction is solely in french. I worried about him and we even contemplated homeschooling him this year. He seems to have progressed this summer though.. not so much in his vocabulary and spoken french (although, definetly some) but his confidence and attitude towards the language has dramatically improved. I am anxious to see how well he does this year. I think both he and Sophia are going to have an explosion in their spoken french this year. Mom on the other hand.. well....

Still my Spiderman.