Sweet Home Paris

It has been nearly 2 months since Mark and I moved to Paris. The process of moving – as I have said before – is never fun but those trials and frustrations make it all the more sweeter when you finally can settle into your new home.

We moved into our “permanent” apartment on May 7th and we have really enjoyed getting settled and exploring our new neighborhood. We chose to live in the 5th arrondissement which is on the left bank of the River Seine. (An arrondissement is like a neighborhood within a city, like Georgetown in DC or Cloverdale in Montgomery.) We are just two blocks from Luxembourg Gardens and we live on a quintessential French street adorned with a butcher, farmers market for produce, fromagerie (cheese), patisserie (desserts), boulangerie (bread) and wine store. We also have several clothing shops, restaurants, cafes and bars all along the street. When it is time to cook dinner, Mark and I just walk down the street and pick up the ingredients for our meal. It is so much fun!

For everything else, we walk to one of the other nearby markets. It is quite a change from what we were accustomed to in DC, especially since we no longer own a car. Mark and I often have to remind each other that whatever we buy at the supermarché must be carried back to the apartment building AND up 4 flights of stairs. So, only as much wine and Coke Light as we can carry.

We are very pleased with the apartment itself. It has a very Parisian feel to it with the wood beams on the ceilings, hardwood floors and large windows. However, I am happy to say that other than its compact size, our kitchen is not very Parisian. We have an American style kitchen with a 4 burner stove and regular oven, dishwasher and almost standard refrigerator.

Getting accustomed to the 4th floor walk-up was fun, especially when we had to move in our 9 bags of luggage. Lilly hasn’t been too keen on the stairs so I have started a little game with her. Whenever we are coming back from a walk, I race her up the stairs. So far Lilly hasn’t beaten me – even when I take the occasional fall (at which Mark always laughs) - but she gets really excited about the competition. 

The adjustment to living here took longer than I initially expected, but I feel like Paris is starting to feel more and more like home. I really do think living where we do within the city has made a huge difference. The people at the butcher and the farmers market are getting to know us since we come in nearly every day. It is nice feeling like locals in a city we don’t know too well. Mark is even learning more French so he can order the right kind of meat from the butcher, and we are learning to convert our pounds into kilograms. Baby steps...old habits die HARD! Luckily they are all very patient with us.

I really enjoy going to buy produce. Not only is it so nice to finally find good tomatoes but there is an old man that works in the store that always asks in French how I am doing. And if I respond with anything other than très bien, he seems concerned. He is so sweet, and even though I don’t understand him half the time, he makes me feel special.

As far as our adjustment to the new language, I think Mark and I are doing okay. We have learned what we like to call “menu French.” This means we are able to order food and have some idea of what will be served. Earlier this week I enrolled in an intensive French language course that begins on Monday. I will be taking classes Monday through Friday - 20 hours a week of nothing but French – should be fun!

 

Paris is such a special place, and living here is a great experience for us both. Now that we are feeling more and more like locals, we are able to see the quirks of the city. So just for fun, I started compiling a list of things that someone visiting or living in Paris would never say. I hope this doesn’t offend anyone. It might only make sense to a few people, but I had fun compiling it so I wanted to share.

 

Things you would NEVER say in Paris:

I’d like less ice with my soda.

There isn’t enough cheese on my meal.

Parisians don’t smoke enough.

This kitchen is too large.

The drivers here are very courteous to pedestrians.

This phone network works too well.

Man, wifi is abundant here!

I can’t believe how cheap it is to live here.

Could these prices get any lower?

What a bargain!

There just aren’t enough wine choices on this menu.

Why isn’t there any outdoor seating?

I wish there were more tourists.

They really need more museums.

Napoleon was from France, I had no idea!

These buildings don’t have enough character.

Where’s the culture?

The shopping choices are so limited.

This city needs more bridges and lights.  

I have noticed a severe lack of gardens.

Where are all the high carb options?

I’m concerned I don’t have enough fat in my normal diet.

Why are there so many gyms?

This coffee is too weak.

Why can’t I find a good dessert anywhere?

 

I also wanted to share some photos. Please ignore the random pieces of luggage and lack of décor. It is a work in progress.

 

 

 

Looking from the master bedroom to the den. Bathroom is on the left.

 

Master bedroom, I love the built-ins!
 

 

 

View from the den.

View from the den (looking toward our shops).

AND a little Lilly in the city action!

 

  

 

C’est la vie, yall! Thanks for reading!

 

 

Au Revoir DC

Saying goodbye is never easy even when you know it's coming. When Mark and I moved from Montgomery, Alabama to Washington, DC in 2010 I was so excited about our new adventure that I didn't fully understand exactly how difficult the move would be. It's not just the process of moving all of your stuff that is hard but also being in a new place that you don't know.

For our move from DC to Paris, I was determined to approach it differently this time. I mentally prepared myself for 3 months. I took time to really appreciate the city that I love, made sure to see it's beauty. Enjoyed time with friends. Visited some of my favorite restaurants. Got one last haircut with Michael. Worked out a lot with Lana and Juliet. Spent plenty of time at Whole Foods.

When we moved to DC, Mark and I were blessed to both have a best friend in the city (shout out to Josh Knight and Bree Beckham Straessle), and we are even more blessed to leave with many more friends.

When we arrived Mark was beginning business school at GWU, and I was newly unemployed after leaving my job due to the move. Our lives have changed so much since that day in August 2010 when we drove into the city with Lilly for the first time.

I am not going to lie and say everything in DC was perfect; life just doesn't work that way. We experienced many low times, like the loss of family members and one very unexpected diagnosis. But at the end of the day, when I look back on our time in DC, I won't see the sad moments. Sure I will remember those important lessons learned, but that isn't what represents our time there.

These are the things I will think about:

Our first night in DC with Lilly at the Westin

Lots of job interviews (too many at the Chamber of Commerce)

Job offers

Mark's graduation on the National Mall

Meeting Anna Schmidt for the first time

Yoga and Pilates

Bree and Brian's engagement at the Lincoln Memorial

Girls Brunches

Über - I like to ride in style

My special salad at Chop't

Huge purses and walking shoes

Karaoke

Ben's Chili Bowl

The best sandwich in DC - Nobadeer at Jetties

Valentine’s dinners from Dupont Italian Kitchen

Eastern Market

Rock Creek Park with Mark and Lilly

DCA - such an easy and convenient airport

Lincoln - you are the only man I can tell Mark I love and I know he doesn't judge me because he loves you too!

MLK Memorial Dedication on the Mall with Mark, Bree and Brian

Slumber parties with Bree, Brian and Cafe Romeo

Drinking Pink Panthers with Whitney Miller and Anna Schmidt

Being a Juliette Stovall groupie with Lana

Touring the West Wing with Shannon as our guide

Driving back into DC any time I left - such a beautiful city

A Dog's Day Out - They loved Lils!

Rooftop grilling and pool time

Dinner parties with friends

Cocktails at POV and Off the Record

Cookouts at Leigh's

Weekend road trips with best friends

Spading that ace with Josh and Anna

Fist pumping with Todd Stacy – well, this happens anywhere with Todd

Many, many birthday parties illuminated by glow bracelets

Number 9 with Matt, Rick and Harry

Healthy bite (ACC)

Nat's baseball with Audrey and Caroline

Learning the importance of a down coat and UGGs

Hosting our wonderful family and great friends

Granny visiting DC for my 27th birthday

Monday night dinners in Del Ray

Watching Lilly play in the snow

Driving 45 mins for BBQ with Mark, Josh and Anna

Couples tennis matches

Taste of the South

Gold Cup

Lots of shopping

Picnics

Jazz in the Garden

Pole Pressure

Georgetown Cupcakes

And many many more great memories!


I also wanted to include some photos from our time in the District. Before we moved, we did a photo shoot with Deb Lindsey on the National Mall to commemorate our time in the city. This was also an attempt to capture some pics of Lilly. Here are some of those pictures and many others of fun times with friends and family.

The Mark Dixon laugh, you know what I'm talking about! Photo by Deb Lindsey

Photo by Deb Lindsey

If you wonder what Lilly is looking at, its water - she is obsessed! Photo by Deb Lindsey

This is us telling her she can't jump in the reflecting pool. Photo by Deb Lindsey

Photo by Deb Lindsey

Still staring at the water but I love this picture! Photo by Deb Lindsey

MBA Graduation Gala

Every now and then you have to Jolie your leg!

WE DID IT!!

Friends and family, always a good combination!

Best friends brave the crowds and hot sun to attend your husband's graduation so you don't have to sit alone.

After what was a very successful picnic!

Easter in DC - croquet anyone?

Memorial Day pool party

 Welcome to DC Todd Stacy!

 Gold Cup

 Open bar, enough said!

Hey Girl, it's Paul Ryan!

After the cocktail competition where Josh became an internationally recognized mixologist!

 

New Years eve moped wreck in Bermuda. Matching hospital gowns. Pain killers already consumed!

My hair looks AWESOME!

 

Donating my hair in 2011

In honor of my amazing big sister Shea

 

MLK Memorial Dedication

 

Great mom and a great view!

 

Sister time at the Newseum!

Mom, Dad and Granny came for my 27th Bday!

You can't see it, but she loves me more!

My boo!

I learned so much about myself in DC. Because of great travel opportunities I was able to realize long term goals for my life. They might not happen until retirement but at least I know where my passions lie.

Dear Washington, DC:

I want you to know that I had a blast. I learned a lot and know... we ARE NOT finished! If it is up to me, the Dixons will be back! DC is the first city I actually felt like I belonged and was understood. I hope our story will have another chapter or two!

Lana - get ready because when I do return, I will need lots of spin class, Vida RX and Body. You're coming with me!

Love ya!

EEHD

C'est la vie y'all! Thanks for reading.

A Whole Lot of Baggage!

Well the move finally happened. I am sorry for the delay in updating, I must admit I have been totally overwhelmed that I haven't been in the right mindset to blog but here goes the beginning of many updates. Lots to share!

For our move from Washington, DC to Paris there were a lot of things we needed to coordinate, especially considering we were moving to a new country. While the bureaucratic process of the move seemed to move slowly - work permit and long stay visas - the actual move happened very quickly. I booked our movers on a Tuesday and they began packing our stuff the next Thursday. For this move we decided to hire people to pack our stuff, this is definitely the way to go. When Mark and I moved from Montgomery, AL to DC in 2010, we tried to do it ourselves which was a nightmare! I have to give a big shout out to the team at Suddath International and United Van Lines, they made a really tedious task much better!

Since we were moving overseas, we couldn't bring a lot of "stuff" with us. GE would only pay for Mark and I to airship a size D container of household goods. I never actually saw the container but I heard it was very small but somehow we managed to ship 475lbs of household goods. Some of the things that made the list were pictures, Cutco knives, tumblers, our favorite electric wine opener - you know the important stuff!

For the remainder of the things we wanted to bring to Paris, Mark and I had to figure out a way to pack it all in checked or carry-on luggage which was a HUGE challenge. Thanks to Mark's status on Delta, we were lucky enough to upgrade to business class which meant we could both check 3 bags at 70 lbs a piece. I actually had one bag that weighed in at 84 lbs, that was fun! Lilly also had a bag, an extra large duffle which brought our bag total to 9!

8 of the 9 bags

So Mark and I have been living with 9 bags and Lilly's huge sky kennel since we moved out of our apartment on March 29. Everywhere we stay has to be a suite or apartment just to fit all of our baggage. The bellhops want to run when they see us coming. What really cracks me up is that everyone thinks Mark and I are just on vacation. What kind of crazy people travel with 9 huge bags and a dog on vacation? They must think we are the most high maintenance travelers ever.

For all of the things we couldn't bring with us to Paris, we moved to a storage unit in Birmingham. When Mark and I moved from Montgomery we downsized from a 3 bedroom house to a 815 sq ft apartment. We moved over half of our belongings into a storage unit then, I never dreamed we would be downsizing again. So now here we are moving more stuff into a storage unit. One day I will be reunited with all of my stuff and it will feel like Christmas morning! The hardest thing for Mark to part with was "his chair," I think for me it was my cast iron skillet - I'm going to have to buy one in Paris.

As I have mentioned before, I was extremely nervous about Lilly flying. I am very happy to say that everything went well for my little boo. I did cry like a baby when I had to put her on the van that would take her to the airport but somehow we managed. The day we all arrived in Paris, I was on pins and needles waiting to see my Lilly again. When we were all 3 reunited Lilly was obviously confused about what had happened but she was so happy to see us and begin exploring her new city.

Lilly experienced jet lag which I totally did not expect. I assumed (because Mark kept telling me this to make me calm down) that Lilly would sleep during the flight. For the first 3-4 days in Paris, Lilly was on a very strange eating and sleeping schedule. She would wake up at 3:00 or 4:00 am wanting to eat food which is odd for her. It finally hit me, she's jet lagged just like me.

Things are going well in Paris. I am thrilled to announce that after viewing over 10 different apartments all over the city, Mark and I are in the process of signing the lease on a flat in the 5th arrondissement near Luxembourg Gardens. Its a 4th floor walk up with no lift in an ancient building which will be a huge adjustment, but it is absolutely adorable. And yes, it is a 2 bedroom! I'll post pictures once we get settled.

Lilly and I have managed to get over the jet lag and begin exploring during the day. Lilly especially loves our long walks by the Seine. She has actually taken to demanding walks which is a new thing. She will stare me down and jump on the door until I get the message. Silly girl!

My next post will be all about saying goodbye to DC.

C'est la vie, y'all! Thanks for reading and for all of your thoughts and prayers!

Fart Like a Man (Part 2)

Fight like a girl, fart like a man! Part two of my blog all about my sister Shea.

On the morning of Shea's surgery the waiting room was packed with families waiting on news that their individual family member had made it through a successful surgery.

If I am being honest, I was terrified about Shea having surgery, I knew how serious everything was and how long the recovery would take. I love my big sister and the thought of losing her is unbearable.

We knew the surgery could take anywhere from 5 to 13 hours, so I went to Kroger the night before and packed a bit of a picnic (Mark accused me of buying half the store). All morning, our family was eagerly watching the clock because we knew the more time that passed the further the surgery was going.

I will never forget what it felt like when we were called into a small room to speak with the surgeon. He told us regrettably there was nothing they could do at the moment and that the cancer was too advanced. I had prepared myself for so many things, but there is no way to prepare yourself for that.

Over the next 5-6 hours I proceeded to bite my lip, zone out all noise with headphones, and not let anyone touch me, including Mark. I knew if someone touched me or even talked to me about what happened in the room with the surgeon, I would start to cry uncontrollably and in my mind crying at the hospital wasn't an option.

Luckily I was able to see Shea  within a few hours, which lifted my spirits. I know I have said it so many times but Shea has the best attitude of anyone I know. In the face of a huge obstacle, she never goes negative, she only asks "what's next." I LOVE that about her!!

So now for the funny stuff!! Shea is completely crazy on morphine. I am not kidding. The girl acts like a totally different person on major pain killers. She absolutely will not sleep. The medicine makes her itch like crazy - which she calls itchititus - and she turns into a bit of a bossy neat freak. It's funny in hindsight, but boy is it a lot of work in the moment.

A few weeks before Shea's surgery, Todd and I started planning our hospital schedule. He would spend the first two nights with Shea and then I would spend the next two so Todd could get some rest and Shea and I could have our usual sister slumber party.

Lucky for Todd, his first two nights with Shea, she still had her catheter so I believe he got a little more rest than me. However, I do know she had Todd cleaning her hospital room in the middle of the night. That was not a game I was willing to play. Ahhh the beautiful difference in a husband/wife relationship and that of sisters. I will happily tell Shea no if she asks me to clean at 2:00 am. (OR MARK NO IF HE ASKS ME TO CLEAN ANYTIME)

I knew I was in for an adventure when Shea would close her eyes during the day for all of 2 minutes and think she had taken a 30 minute nap. She would fall asleep doing anything...drinking water, putting on lotion, adjusting a bed sheet...and when she opened her eyes a few moments later she said she was well rested - yeah right! Narcolepsy anyone??

I spent two nights with Shea in the hospital, and they couldn't have been more different. My first night with Shea, I think we got a total of 30 minutes of consecutive sleep. Between Shea repeatedly applying lotion to soothe her itching skin, our middle of the night walks to ward off blood clots, breathing treatments and the constant flow of nurses, techs and surgeons coming in and out of her room every few minutes, we barely got any rest.

As a person that doesn't function well with a lack of sleep, you can only imagine how nice I was when a tech came in to take Shea's blood at 4:30 am. My exact words were "you CAN'T be serious!"

Around 8:00 am the doctors had already made their rounds so we could finally rest. Shea wasn't having any of that. She announced to me that she was ready to get dressed for the day. I quickly asked for 5 more minutes to close my eyes. Well Shea gave me 2 minutes and then decided to get out of bed on her own. I was up from then on. Time to clean the room and get Shea looking fabulous!

Needless to say, with a distinct lack of sleep, some funny things happened. Like when I almost choked Shea with her oxygen cord. I was looking for the TV remote, and what can I say, there were a lot of chords in that room.

And as I mentioned, Shea was like a little kid on Christmas Eve, she DID NOT want to sleep. She liked to go on walks around 2:30 am and had me turning cranberry juice into slushees for her to eat around 4:00 am. On my first night in the hospital, she looked at me around 11:30 pm  and told me she wanted us to stay up all night talking. (Sounds like fun!) She then proceeded to tell me that she wanted me to do all of the talking. Let's be honest, I love to talk, but I can only carry a one-sided conversation so far.

I titled this post, fart like a man, so I should probably get to the point. As most people experience when they have surgery, you wake up thirsty and later just want to eat some food. I would imagine that's usually one of the first questions any patient asks their doctor - following the all important question of when can I get out of here.

Shea's doctors said she couldn't eat anything until she passed gas - well to be more accurate - farted. Who knew doctors didn't use a more technical term? I was with Shea a couple of times when the doctors would visit, and it always cracked me up when they would repeatedly ask if she had farted. One particular doctor said the word fart at least 4 times very loudly on a morning visit. I'm sure I blushed.

I must confess that when Shea and I were growing up, we weren't allowed to say the word fart. In the Harden household, fart was the F-word. Just in case you were wondering, shut up was the S-word and we couldn't say dang, darn, or crap. The word fart wasn't an "allowed" word in our family until Shea started dating Todd. While watching football, Todd would yell at players he didn't think were doing a good enough job and tell them to stop "fiddle farting around," which I think means stop being stupid. Mom thought it was hilarious and from then on fart has been ok in the Harden household.

Shea was finally cleared for a clear diet on Friday afternoon. Poor thing hadn't eaten real food for 5 days. I felt guilty every time I would step out for a meal. The doctors were still waiting on her to pass a little gas, but luckily coffee was on the clear food diet.  I'm not sure how coffee is a clear liquid, but on Saturday morning that did the trick and Shea was back to eating regular food.

Needless to say, being in the hospital is never fun for anyone - well unless that's you're job. However, we managed to have some fun. Shea's friend Sarah sent glow bracelets. So on Friday night I decked Shea out in lots of glow bracelets. She had a bracelet, necklace and crown. When the nurses came to check on her during the night, they didn't even have to turn on the light to find her. Thank goodness for that because we slept so much better!

I am happy to say that Shea is recovering very well from her surgery. I was able to spend the first week with her at home which was exciting/exhausting.

To end this post I just want to say THANK YOU to all of my friends, family, coworkers, and everyone that sent messages, called, or inquired in person. I have been slow to respond, but please know your kind words, thoughts, and prayers have meant the world to me.

Please continue to pray for Shea!

Cancer sucks, c'est la vie y'all!

Fight Like A Girl (Part 1)

To say the past two weeks of my life have been busy would be an understatement, and I know it's not going to change any time soon. I had always heard that people who don't work sometimes stay busier than they did while working. I never believed that until now! I am exhausted but it's the good, satisfying kind of exhaustion.

As I mentioned in my last blog, my sister Shea recently had surgery and I had the pleasure to stay with her for the past two weeks. This two-part blog is going to be all about my wonderful sister.

So a little background, Shea is exactly 2 years and 11 days older than me. She was the first born and was happy as an only child and then I came and ruined her party. Hee Hee!!

I like to say we were too close in age to really be friends. Shea tolerated me and made sure her friends did the same. Just to be honest, there was no love lost and Shea made sure to keep me in my place. In her mind I should see myself as the 2nd child, not the baby.

My parents like to laugh about how when I was born Shea refused to hold me, much less look at me. She was not happy to have a little sister, apparently she loved being the only child.

Growing up, Shea always did her best to make sure I knew she was the superior child. In all honesty, it didn't take much - she is smarter and has much more artistic ability than I ever hoped for. My biggest asset was my gift of gab - I love to talk!

As I got older and Shea moved away to college, our differences lessened and we became friends. I know mom and dad probably wished we had become friends when we both lived at home, but sorry mom and dad, you can't always get what you want. By the time I graduated from college we had become very close. I will never forget how amazing Shea was in helping plan my wedding. We probably exchanged about 200 emails about bridesmaids dresses, flower arrangements and bachelorette party details!

The sister that I had always looked up to and idolized had become one of my best friends - who would have thought?

Shea and I were both very blessed as children, other than having to wear braces we never really had any medical issues, which is why it came as a huge shock when Shea was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in December of 2010.

For a few months Shea had been dealing with some nausea, but being 28 years old, her doctors never imagined it could be a tumor in her colon. Most doctors don't recommend patients have a colonoscopy until they turn 50. Colon cancer wasn't even on their radar.

Just a few days after learning she had a blockage, Shea had a colon resection to remove the blockage which turned out to be a tumor. Just to make things more real, Shea was diagnosed at the exact age I am now - very sobering.

Following her surgery, she went through about 6 months of chemotherapy and was pronounced in remission. We were all so excited that the scary part was behind us.

In May of 2012, I received a package from Shea and Todd with a cigar for Mark and a picture of a onesie that said "I love my (picture of an ant) for me!! Mark and I were thrilled; we were getting a niece or nephew!!

In true Shea fashion, she couldn't have a simple pregnancy. Her cancer returned twice but she kept her wonderful spirit and faith that God had a plan for her and baby Ellis.

Ellis was born early at 28 weeks and he spent 2 months in the NICU. During that time Shea began her 2nd round of chemo and before her surgery on March 12th she was on her 3rd round. I really don't know how she does it!

With consultation from a lot of doctors, Shea chose to have a very intense surgery to rid her body of the cancer. Unfortunately, the surgery was not able to go as planned and the surgeon couldn't remove the tumors. This was not what anyone wanted to hear!

For the past 10 days we have been processing this information. Emotions are mixed right now. Speaking only for myself, I feel everything from being totally pissed off at God (I have been in a fight with God for a while now), questioning everything - especially my faith, and feeling guilty. I just don't know what to think, but I know that losing my faith and giving up hope for a miracle will not make me feel any better and won't make the cancer go away.

Shea has been so strong through all of this. I have always looked up to her as my big sister, but Shea as a person fighting for her life is a totally different beast- she is so brave. I respect her so much and the decisions she has made and will continue to make.

Shea - continue to fight like a girl because we all know girls fight scrappy and don't play by the rules!!

Cancer SUCKS, c'est la vie y'all!

Sweet Home DC!

Ahhh I'm finally home from 2 weeks of traveling. I don't even want to think about the amount of laundry I have to do between now and Monday.

I started my adventure in Auburn, Alabama for a family wedding (Congratulations Cannon and Emily!) and made a quick stop in to see more family at the lake before taking off with Mark to Scotland for a week. I finished off my time in Atlanta with my sister Shea, brother-in-law Todd and adorable nephew Ellis.

Shea named our time together in Atlanta as "Sister Week" and boy was it. As many of you know, Shea has cancer and is having surgery next week. I have always respected my big sister so much, but watching her over the last two years and seeing how she has dealt with the biggest fight of her life has been inspiring to say the very least. Shea doesn't let her diagnosis stop her from doing anything and she doesn't think having cancer should be an excuse. Her positive attitude has helped her friends and family have hope when they could easily be discouraged. I don't know how she does it but thank God she does! I also have to mention her wonderful husband Todd, he is right there with Shea every step of the way. I am so glad she has such a strong, supportive husband - he is amazing.

To prepare for her surgery, Shea had a long list of things we needed to accomplish before she was out of commission for a while. Luckily her list included eating sushi - one of my favorite things!! I am happy to help anyone eat sushi, just let me know when and where!

Shea and I went to a place called Niko Niko and I convinced her that since we were both really hungry we shouldn't order just 2 rolls, rather we needed at least 4. I had no clue the rolls would be soooo big! I was overwhelmed by the amount of food but we managed to eat it all while Ellis sat patiently in his carrier.

It's safe to say that I absolutely adore my nephew, Ellis. He was born a few months early in September and has changed my life and opened up my eyes to how hard it is to be a parent. On Wednesday when Shea and I were leaving lunch I looked at her and said "Wow, being a mom is hard!"

Ellis is such a sweet little baby and is super chill so sometimes I forget he is even there. I have a feeling when I decide to have a child I won't be that lucky. I know that karma is a b!tch and apparently I have complained about annoying kids too much in my life to actually have one of the good ones. 

Musical Easter Bunny from Mrs. Cristi 

Bath Time..bad bubbles! 

Play hard or go home! 

Thanks to the Snowquester that was supposed to hit DC on Wednesday, my flight was canceled and I was able to spend an extra night in Georgia with Shea, Todd and Ellis. Shea renamed the Snowquester the Snoke (snow joke) because DC didn't get much snow.

It feels good to be back in DC even if it is just for a few days, I love this city and will really miss living here. I think I love DC so much because it fits my personality so well and I have learned so many things about myself while living here.

Quick update on our move. Our long-term visas have been sent from France to the French Consulate in DC. Now we just have to wait for the consulate to schedule an appointment with us. This morning at 7:30 am a relocation consultant visited our apartment to assess the goods we plan to air ship to Paris. This is quite difficult since we don't know exactly what furnishings our apartment will already contain. Ahhhh I'm trying not to stress about this one.

Lilly's travel kennel has arrived and it is ginormous! We are supposed to let her get acquainted with the kennel so she is comfortable with it when she flies. In the process of acquainting Lilly with her sky kennel, Mark and I both climbed in with her. So there was our little family all ready to be shipped. I can actually sit up in it with my legs straight in front of me, so I'm quite certain she will be more comfortable than me on our hop across the pond.

As I have said before, Lilly flying alone below deck is what makes me stress the most. Don't think I haven't begged Mark to let me charter a private jet to fly us over to Paris so Lilly can fly in style. I'm sure GE has a spare jet we could use for a few hours. Don't ya think?

I bought a little sign this week at a cute boutique in Atlanta that says "Choose Faith Over Worry," I need that reminder more and more everyday for so many reasons.

C'est la vie, y'all! Thanks for reading!!

Keep Left, Look Right and Avoid Meat

When you're in Scotland the grass is always greener. Scotch isn't Scotch; it's whisky. Fries are known as chips. Chips are crisps. Cookies are biscuits. Trout tastes like salmon. Pounds are currency and not a thing on a scale. Looking right when crossing the street isn't just a suggestion. And, thank the Lord, diet coke does exist!

That's a long introduction to say I have been in Scotland since Monday. Mark is working on a 100 day project in Aberdeen, Scotland, and I decided I would accompany him on his 2nd trip.

Aberdeen is on the northeastern coast of Scotland. When I was growing up, I always pictured Scotland with its rolling hills but I never thought about the expansive beaches. Lucky for me, our hotel is just across the street from the beach. So while Mark is hard at work, I can walk across to stroll along the beach.

I am not going to say that Aberdeen has been the most exciting place to visit. I can guarantee the next time Mark says he is traveling to a small town in the UK I will likely say "have fun, see you when I see you" and will very happily stay home. However, I am glad I decided to come on this visit. If for nothing else, I have a new found respect for what Mark does for a living.

I always knew Mark was a hard worker; it was one of the first things that attracted me to him. But seeing what he has to do on a regular basis and how little time he gets to himself is crazy. When we arrived on Monday morning after traveling overnight, he showered and went straight to the office without lunch. In comparison, I ordered room service, showered and then slept for a few hours. Ahhh the life of a lady of leisure...

While Aberdeen isn't the most exciting place, it also isn't the best place to visit for two people who can't eat meat. For Lent this year I decided to give up meat. For a few weeks prior to Ash Wednesday I contemplated whether I should give up meat or chocolate and finally decided on meat. As the "nice" wife that I am, I told Mark if I was going to give up meat he should probably do the same because my rule with cooking is if I don't or won't eat it, I definitely won't cook it.

Last year for Lent I gave up Facebook which I thought would be difficult but it really wasn't bad at all. I actually ended up staying off of Facebook until my nephew was born in September because I liked it so much. Giving up Facebook was freeing, I recommend trying it for a few days or weeks if you haven't.

Let's just say that giving up meat has been MUCH more difficult. Last summer I was so sick of meat that I was practically pescetarian already so I foolishly thought this wouldn't be too big of a challenge. On the contrary, since giving up meat and being left with veggies and fish I have a new found love and craving for beef, chicken and pork...let's not forget my good friends duck, quail, rabbit and lamb. I can't believe I am saying this, but I have never craved a hamburger so much in my life!

I know this sacrifice is nothing compared to God's sacrifice but man it takes commitment, especially when room service "accidentally" delivers a chicken bacon club sandwich to your room when you ordered a tomato and cheese sandwich instead. Thank goodness my Mom drilled into me at an early age that God was always looking, I could have easily devoured that awesome looking club sandwich on a very empty stomach.

I will say that despite our Lenten diet we have had some good meals in Aberdeen (thanks Musa and The Sand Dollar Cafe). Our restrictions have forced us to try new things like seafood pot pie and veggie bean burgers from Burger King. As always, my favorite part of each meal is still dessert - preferably sticky toffee pudding!

Well I'm off to check my mercury levels. C'est la vie, y'all! Thanks for reading.