Conversations with Myself

Thanks God its Friday,

I mean every word.  The week was full of drama.  In a short notice, our French friends asked us to keep their kids for a good 2 weeks.  After long negotiations, threats from me on how I might forget their kiddos in the mall, they stood their ground and convey their trust in us.  We finally greed.  Mind you we agreed to parenting 2 kids for two week who don’t speak our language not to mention our cultural differences.

I was all solo with kids.  Cullo is coming back tonight, he is working out of town this week.  Let me keep things light and make a random post because its Friday.

• Our little French visitors arrived on Monday.  The very sweet and charismatic Mademoiselle Clara (12) and the strong willed and free spirited Mademoiselle Sera (5).  Thanks to their visit, my French vocabulary has expanded rapidly.  I had grasped some vocabulary urgently because Mademoiselle Sera is very pushy and combined with courageous Mademoiselle Muli I have to be ready with French word  every second of the day.
• Now that we have visitors who speak only French, Muli is completely confused.  They call me Tante – aunty.  Muli calls me Tante too.  I tried to explain that I’m still mommy to her but she prefers Tante.  I hope she will stop once they are gone.  She also speaks French with me and get so frustrated when I don’t understand her.  What a sweet confused pretty face. 
• Kids are control freaks and manipulative.  Yes they are.  They want to tell me what they want to eat at what time and when do they want to sleep.  They do get away with most of the things because its school holidays and sometimes I feel tired trying to express myself in French.  But I’m no push over mom or a yes mom all the time y’all.
• I’m amazed at how Sera and Clara have been accommodating.  Especially Sera (5years old).  I was expecting her to get frustrated when trying to express herself but no, little girlfriend uses signs and gestures to communicate.  She does not mind to go through all this trouble as long as she gets what she want.  If I don’t give into her request she burst into the loudest cry ever.  Another sign of being manipulative ha!.

I never anticipated that I would be faced with this kind of challenge in France.  I argued and refused completely to keep the kids the situation was inevitable.  You know those challenges in life that seem like they were specifically meant for you to go through.  Having to deal with cultural shock and language barrier is fine when you know that at the end of the day you will come back and have all the freedom in your own house.  Its something else when you have to deal with all those daily in the comfort of your home.  I have embraced this learning curve with open arms.  I am learning something new about myself everyday and I am waiting patiently to see what would be the final lesson in all this situation.  I cant be more happier that I am daily surrounded by three cutest girls.

Take care,
Nez