So Much.

SO MUCH has happened since I went on vacation to Croatia. And for some reason I have been busy and lazy in my blog-documentation of it.
Here are just a couple loose thoughts:
- the littlest, Am, who is so freaking adorable (as any of you who have seen her via skype can verify) that i might just take her home with me, had the chicken pox. Man. I do not remember how gross those things are. I had this lurking fear in the back of my mind that my immune system isn't good enough and that I would re-contract adult chicken pox (shingles) which I read can be fatal (thanks a lot, wikipedia). But then I did more legitimate research and turns out you can't get that from contact with the chicken pox.
(look how gorgeous she is! Louise and Sarah are pretty darn cute too - although they refuse to make a normal face when I take a picture)


 -I took myself on a one-day vacation to Disneyland Paris. Twice. It was awesome! Although by 8 PM I was pretty exhausted. I couldn't count the number of times I heard people around me say "Putain mes pieds!" ("F*/whore my feet!"). But I saw the coolest tarzan acrobatic show thing! And basically did nearly every ride I had wanted to do in 2 parks in only 1 day. Including the tower of terror twice. So, basically, success. And then the second time I went I took it a little easier and didn't feel any pressure to do everything so I just did the things I enjoyed. Like the Tarzan acrobatic show again, and the TOT 4 times. and Big Thunder mountain railroad 3 times. oh yeah. Pictures will come soon :)


 -I get my final exam results on Thursday! (Yes - I have been attending school in addition to working. For some reason people don't know that). Anyway, parts of the 5 hour exam spread over two days were ok (written production), while others were mostly nerve-wracking (oral production in front of a jury), while yet again others were completely stupefying (oral comprehension. Really? I haven't met any french people in real life who talk that quickly with that much background noise...). I would love to have passed (I hate to fail at, well, anything). But there isn't much at stake here. So it wont be tooooo disappointing if I don't pass

- I visited this chateau in May called Beaumesnil and it was awesome. The thought "this is what Elizabeth must have felt like upon seeing Pemberly for the first time" literally ran through my head. I loved the way the grounds were still slightly wild-ish. The place was lovely; it felt like it was made for autumn howling winds and curling up with a good book. Which might be why it had a book-binding museum in the basement. Awesome. Also I took a self-timer jumping picture and it totally worked (on the third try) so I pretty much felt like a winner that day. Picture for my mother... Don't you just want to be buds with this dude? They had a TON of awesome old books. This is a bible from London from the 1600s The library (it had a spiral staircase. swoon) Beautiful sparkling waters Real-life drawbridges are cool FOR THE WIN!!!
 -I don't have many more weekends left. Which is strange because suddenly I feel this pressure to "make them count" which is uncalled for really because I am mostly very happy with the way I have spent my time on the past 9-10 months' worth of weekends. A couple weekends ago it was an all out activity fest with Disney and the Musee Jaquemart-Andre (AWESOME museum I had never been to before) and a nice long walk when I got lost and then a stop by the Paris mosque tea room. The following weekend included me resting all day Saturday (when the kids get sick, I get sick. That rest was needed and did me a lot of good!) the girls' dance recital all day Sunday. Then this past weekend was Disney again and shopping in the Marais. Although it was a bit uncomfortable because of the TOTAL TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR that lasted the entire time I was out. I had an umbrella (I have learned to get over that Oregonians don't use umbrellas thing) but by the end my feet and ankles were soaking and my shoes made really embarrassing squelching noises when I took a step

 -29 days until I go home! I can't believe it.

*Also I just want to put it out there that I am doing really well. I have already told some people, and they might get sick of hearing this, but I think its encouraging. I have struggled SO much during my time here. Its been one of the hardest things I have ever done. And I don't know when this happened, (maybe around mid-April?) but I am finally at a good place. I am HAPPY and enjoying myself, despite the whole awkwardness of the au pair situation. I have finally reached that point where I know I am going to miss things and people and will be sad to leave. And while that is a bit sad, its SUPER GREAT to realize that I stuck with the experience long enough to reach this point! It took a long time - but IT HAPPENED! It feels beyond rewarding to know that I am going to look on the experience as a whole with fondness and not bitterness.