Elbows, Parks, and the glory of a Cheeseburger.

One simple sentence, this week sucked. The culminating event, probably the funniest too was the battle I lost with the stairs yesterday. The girls had gotten home from school and had their snack, but Kristin really wanted them to get some fresh air. We decided a trip to the park was a good idea. After what seemed forever we got them out the door! I lead the with the girl's Razor Scooters in hand. While walking down the stairs, I slip and completely eat it down six plus stairs. When I finally stop tumbling down the stupid staris, I hear Addie yell up the stairs completely annoyed, "Mommmmmmm Morgan just fell down the stairs...." Great I have a 4yr old rolling her eyes at me. The thing is if I had fallen down the stairs on any normal day it wouldn't have been a big deal. In our building we have a spiral staircase that wraps around the elevator shaft and normally there is a carpet runner that is fastened to the stairs. It makes the stairs quieter and muffles everyone's noise. Well they had just taken the carpet out to have it cleaned, leaving just the cement staircase. Not only did I fall on concrete stairs but I drilled my elbow so hard I thought I'd chipped it. Well I'm pretty sure I didn't chip I just have a bruise the size of Texas surrounding my elbow. To make matters even more embarrassing the elevator fix-it man watched the entire scene. I was so mortified I got up (scooters still in hand, the question I'm still asking myself why didn't I freaking drop those things and save myself?) and rushed to the bottom of the stairs. Only to start bawling as soon as Kristin and Caity get down the stairs. The elevator man then walks out the door still staring at the stupid american girl who just fell down the stairs. Pulling myself back together, probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do... not really but it felt that way. We finally make it to the park, and the girls are really excited to play some ping-pong. But as we turn the corner and enter the park, my facial expression changes from bearing pain and pleasant to sheer terror. Never in my life I have seen so many nannies, mothers, children, strollers, scooters in such a small park. Literally worst nightmare; like one of those if you were to take kids to an amusement park and panicked about where they are. Normally in situations like those you have mentally prepared yourself for the task at hand (crowded place keep children safe). No but this park a different story. Needless to say, playing ping-pong was out of the question. Playing on the play structure was out of the question, for being in that park for 15 minutes I got hit in the head with a ball 3 times. I will never go back to that park on a wednesday afternoon.
So after a rough yesterday and just a rough week in general, Kristin decided that we should go out to this cafe that serves all american food. Hoping this will be a more of a highlight of the week, we all ordered burgers and fries. Just hoping for a classic American meal, I have never tasted a better burger. By far the best burger ever! I love how the little things in life are the best. So while you were probably hoping for a better blog entry this is all I've got for now. I'm sure there will be another great adventure some other time, but for now it's about elbows parks and the best burger I've had in ages.
Signing out, Morgan

Better Luck Next Time

An epic failure occured this evening. This week was my fist week of school, and I made some friends! They invited me out with them to some "it" bar and wanting to keep my newly acquired friends I decided I would go out with them.
Throughout the day today, I tried to mentally prepare myself for going to this bar. Act cool Morgan, don't be a dork, try not to dress too scandalous you don't want to attract creepers again, but you still have to dress cute to fit in with the Paris nightlife. All these thoughts and more were running through my head. I finally convinced myself that tonight was going to be fun and that I could go out and be social.
After dinner, I took the metro to meet the girls at a metro stop close to the bar. As I was walking up the metro stairs I get a call that they are at the bar, they had texted me the address and that I would be able to find it if I walked down saint-germain boulevard. Well long story short, I walked around trying to find this easy to find bar, to no avail. I am so lost. Now I had been to this area of the latin quarter before and walked it multiple times before, so I thought I would be able to find it. Nope! I finally mustard up enough courage to ask for directions only to find out the "local" didn't know where it was. So I decided to find another map. When I did I couldn't find the street on the map. Then this other dude approaches the map and asks me if I know where some other place is and I tell him I have no idea, and he was like well I will look for your street you look for mine. In the meantime (the 45 seconds I stood there) he tried to strike up a conversation with me I responded nicely, but I just really don't like being hit on by randos I don't know so after a bit I was like thanks for the help but I think I've got it, and walked the other direction from him. So I continued to call my new friends and continued to search for this stupid bar. An hour and a half later... I gave up got on the metro and headed home. Couldn't find the bar, didn't hang out with my friends, went home and put my pajamas on to watch the breakfast club. Maybe next weekend will be different. As for now I have a really embarrassing story about my first night out. Until next time. Always and Forever, Morgan

Older men...keep 'em comin'...NOT.

I was really excited to come home and blog about my day, with other topics rather than men. However, a turn in today's events leads me to another story to share.
Whenever you tell people you are going to Paris, almost always they suggest something of the following; french romance, finding a lover, or finding a strapping young gentlemen to sweep you off your feet take you on a moped tour of the city which then ends under the Eiffel Tour kissing or up on some secret terrace that overlooks the city kissing. I have to try and not laugh whenever this is brought up because while it is a lovely concept, it's not for me right now... or at least I don't think so.
Today I went to school to make sure I was all set for next week only to be told I should come back tomorrow because they will have figured out some glitches in the computer and it less hectic. Luckily that didn't ruffle me much, and instead of taking care of logistics today I leisurely strolled around the Latin quarter. After my lunch at this greek gyros cafe, I decided I wanted to go to the Notre-Dame de Paris. The cathedral was unbelievable I absolutely loved it, brought me to tears. I will being returning to go to mass, and just to walk around again. As I left the cathedral as was in one of those moods where nothing really seems to matter I was calm and enjoying soaking up all the sights.
As I thought about how to make my way home, I decided to take the RER to the metro. I thought that would be easiest but I wasn't exactly sure what stop to get off at so I was looking at a map when this man approaches me and asks me if I'm lost, I tell him no I'm just double checking what stop I get off at. He explains to me how it all works and the shows me where to go(which I didn't need help with but he happened to be going on the same train so what could I do)He starts talking with me and at first I'm like what harm can this old guy do? He seemed really friendly. I get on the RER sit down, thinking that I'm in the clear and don't have to talk to him anymore but then he sits diagonally across from me. I'm thinking what evs these are the last seats on the train he was tired too wants to sit down. Oh no, he then proceeds to tell/show me where to get off and how to navigate through this particular metro station to the M1 line. He then starts up a conversation that went a little something like this.
"Why are you going home so early?"
I replied with, "Je ne sais pas Je suis fatiguee." I don't know I'm tired
"It is too early to go home."
"That's ok I have things to do at home."
"Est-ce que vous avez visite le jardin Toulleries, that is my stop I get off at."
"What? No" (his French and English was hard to understand.... which is why i think he wasn't from France)
"You haven't been to the gardens?"
"Ohhhhh those gardens yes I have been to them they are beautiful."
"I will take you there it is on your way home. Maybe we can get a drink?"
"Oh no thank you, not now."
Chuckle "What you have American boyfriend?"
Pause... " Ya I do" ...Complete lie
"He is not in France, he is in America! Why not drink with me?"
"He's coming to visit."
"Come come you must have some time before you need to get home, and he will not know he is not here."
"No thanks maybe later I have to go garder les enfants." (watch the kids)
Then he walked the other way. I haven't yet decided if it was me saying no, or the part where I said I had to go watch kids that scared him. I'm hoping I can avoid future experiences like these. Hopefully soon I will not look like an American tourist, but a student who knows her way around.
It's sorta like the other night, when Kristin and I decided that for our nightly walk we would go into Paris so we walked all the way past the Arc de Triomphe. On our way back this older guy(younger than the first one but still too old for me) yells c'est magnifique! and we were like what is he talking about the dog? He yells back points to me and goes you are beautiful tres jolie. AWKWARD. To all you creepy french men out there, thank you for the compliments but keep them to yourselves. For heaven's sake I was in yoga pants and a hoodie, lets be real. Even today jeans and a sweater. Its not like I'm trying to attract htis sort of attention, it's quite the opposite.All I have to say is, I would really enjoy meeting some people my age, not old guys. Thank goodness schools starts in a week! I really look forward to the day where I can say in french, "hey you! stop hitting on girls that are half your age. "
Forever and Always, Morgan

The Start of My Grand Adventure

Well it has been a busy week moving in, cleaning, organizing, but now I feel if for some reason something happened and I needed to leave Paris I would feel good doing so. Since I’ve been in Paris I have seen the Eiffel Tour, Arc de Triomphe, Place de Concorde, Walked the Seine, And I have now seen the inside of the Louvre and walked it’s halls. Today Kristin and I decided to take the girls out because we will be “stuck” in the house tomorrow and Monday because we have lovely new appliances coming and being installed, since we have blown the circuit with converters one too many times. We took the metro from our little stop in Neuilly straight into the heart of the Louvre. We stopped and admired beautiful paintings and sculptures. It was wonderful watching Caity and Addie, eyes and mouths wide open staring at the paintings and sculptures. It baffles me at how young they are but how well behaved they were and how interested they were in all of it. Once we had seen the Mona Lisa, we decided to walk through who knows where really but the artwork on the ceilings of the Louvre were just amazing and breathtaking. It is hard to walk through a place like that and not praise the Lord. I am continually awed by our God and his glory. We continued our journey through the Louvre and landed in Egyptian artifacts, which Addie was absolutely fascinated with we went around the exhibit twice. I am so speechless, I cannot begin to truly explain how great today was. This city is amazing!

The French have my Passport

So as I prepare to head off to Paris, I have found myself more nervous about my visa than anything else that would seem to have my nerves up, like will I make friends? Will I be home sick? What if I can't understand a word of french after studying the language for ohhh so long? But nope it comes down to the visa. If you have ever applied for a french visa, you would know you have to fly to your designated consulate, have oodles of paperwork in order, and then go through an bazaar interview process. Well to say the least once you have finished all of this the response that I kept hearing the officials say to other students and myself was, your visa will start on this blank day and we will notify you of your visa status in 7- 14 days. Inferring that well your visa will start on the day you requested, but we're gonna keep you hangin' a little longer make you sweat it out while we decide if we really want you. Then they send you on your way, you walk out of their office feeling like you did a whole lot of work for nothing. Not knowing if anything is official, but instead placing the next semester of your life in their hands, not knowing if they will kick you to the curb or decide alright fine we'll let you into our country. They also mention something like Oh and by the way we're keeping your passport until we decide what we want to do with you. All I can do now is be grateful, they didn't flat out deny me on the spot, continue to pray for my visa and constantly check online, the self addressed fedex envelope tracking number to see if my visa and passport are on their way to being shipped back to me. Please French visa officials have mercy on me I just want to live in your beautiful country for a little bit!
Patiently waiting and praying for my visa, Morgan

Do you ever have days where you just step out of the picture for a moment and admire how beautiful everything is? Today was one of those days. It started off taking the girls, Caity and Addie, to open gym. I watched them interact with other kids and laugh as they ran around playing on all the equipment. It was so refreshing to see them forget about everything that has been going on in their little lives and just be silly little girls. The day got even better when we wnet to the park. The girls giggled with excitement as they tried skipping rocks on the little lake. But besides that when we went out to the dock they got to watch as fish swam to feed off the top of the lake. The fish were so close and the girls watched them so intently, it was too precious. Its funny I think I like my job because of how much innocence children have. They love life! Nothing really holds them down. This afternoon after I got back from babysitting the girls I had a going away party to go to. One of my dear friends is off to the Naval Academy. I can't wait to hear how things go and I am so impressed by his decision to attend. But also interesting was the conversation I was in at the party. There were only a few of us who were already in college so we stuck together, but it was just interesting to hear the stories of college and the experiences other have had. Listening to all of it and then wishing some one off and of top of that I've been watching the girls as they make the transition from Boulder to Paris. It has all brought so many bittersweet feelings. A feeling of change. Not the change that I have always been so fearful of, but good change. Change that is bound to occur as people grow older. I watch everyone leaving although they are sad to leave family and friends, you can also truly see it in their eyes that they know there is so much ahead. Then I wonder do I have that twinkle of excitement in my eye when I talk about leaving for Paris? I truly am blessed to be able to have the opportunity to go live with a wonderful family in Paris. Not only is this a testament to God's GREATNESS but so much of His faithfulness. I look back on the past two years and can see exactly how He has been preparing me for this journey, this new adventure. Lord, I praise you. I sit hear without words to express is it my gratitude towards my Savior or is it my love? Those are two completely different words but I am speechless in His presence. And this is what I mean I feel as if today was jsut sureal not in any extravagant way but in a simplistic beautiful way. I am constantly reminded of how belssed I am to be leading the life I am living.
Always and Forever, Morgan