i DID IT

brady's here! o my. it was such a relief to see someone that knows you and could give me a real hug. i forgot that i haven't been hugged by someone that loves me in so long. it was so great. i can't wait for a mom and pop hug. mmmmmm it's amazing how you forget how important those little things are. i had someone to tell my stupid jokes to and to share my bread with and to tell me that i smelled when i farted.

i also feel like brady coming is like my trophy for having done this. i did it. i lived in a foreign country in an itty bitty town with a family i'd never met that speaks a language that is not my native and took care of their kids. i did groceries in this foreign place, took yoga, travelled, and took painting lessons. i made friends without having known a single soul. i tried new foods and wines and adopted new customs (brady says i eat more proper now! mom....can you BELIEVE IT?!) i listened to real opinions of americans, regardless of if i agreed with them or not. i saw local news and learned the history of this place that's not my own. i learned how to navigate the bus and train systems, and after being fined 35 euros, learned that it is never okay to get on a train without a ticket. my french is at a point where i can communicate and joke with people on the street and the person that taught me all of this is now my friend. i did it! in two months! don't think it was easy. i missed my mom, my dad, my DOG, walmart, my jeep, my loud family who says what they want and does what they want at our meals. i missed english, i missed my friends, my family, brady, food that was artificially colored, splenda, everything being open at every hour, but too bad. that was two months without it. i can look back and know i did it. YEAH!

so after brady wakes up from napping, im gonna show him around the town. last night we ate awesome indian food and listened to live music for a bit. today, we did a bit of shopping, and being the savy consumers we are, we opted for pizza from the bakery next door to the pizzeria instead of eating at the pricier pizzeria. and we took our 2,80 euro bakery pizza and ate in a park and it was delicious. then brady met perrine, my french tutor friend, and now we're here!

alright. keep it cool kiddies.
chelsea