dear blacksburg: February 2011

Keo and Girls. Not a great mix. Unlike his brother, Keo has this phobia against girls. He'll never talk to one, he'll only make faces at them from afar,and he is a stiff as board when he sits next to them at school. It is so obvious that the teacher told me he has an" issue" with girls. When he brought home his class picture he remembered only the boys names, and when I asked what the girls names were he just said "Je sais pas". He makes fun of Kenji if he speaks to one. Come to think of it, the only girl Keo really got to know was Indestructible Zoe made of rubber, and then if asked about Clara he just says "yeah, like the time she dunked Kenji's face in the snow!" So... I don't know, all I know is he is very uncomfortable standing next to one. During his birthday week we enrolled Keo in an art class in Fontainebleau. It was the cutest place ever. This little french house right across from the chateau park. The teacher was an art teacher from home that ran these little classes from her cozy little french family room. So I dropped Keo off, --only to see a few minutes later that....he was the only boy. And he had to go 3 days in a row. And they made him a cake with pink frosting and sang him happy birthday. And they made beaded necklaces and bracelets. Right up Keo's alley...He was not very happy, but maybe it did him some good to spend hours with cute little french girls?

Morning After Keo's birthday, I'm sure he'd take Legos and Power Rangers over bracelet making any day.

Kenji, a cafe and Harry Potter

The Fontainebleau Chateau, it is truly this color! I don't know if it is the sunlight, the fog or what, but it is breathtaking to look at.

This is the BEST place to have a pastry in Paris. Click here and have a glimpse at this place!!!

A view from the stairs walking down

Me trying to be discreet and proper.

All the while Kenji and papa dancing at home:) JM is really into it eh? That's where Kenji gets all his great moves!

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Well. How about an update on our situation? I so don't want to update because I really like focusing on all the great stuff we are doing right now. But, I need to update. So - JM is due for his operation very very soon. It will be at the end of this month, early April. I don't know what else to say. I'm kind of numb to the idea right now. That's like in what...? 35 days? 40? What does that mean? Ok, well, let's not dig too deep here, instead I will say this: EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE OK! Hey, this is life. And things can be worse, so far so good, we are holding on and getting ready. We are all settled here, kids are good, JM is working and good, all is calm, all is french...it's all good.

I have a babysitter on call the day it happens. Schools know our situation so they know what is going on...you know what? tell me if I'm totally crazy, but all that keeps running through my head is "how the hell am I going to change a flat tire when I get it next month?" WHY????Why am I thnking that stupid thought? and so now I'm convinced I need two extra spare tires in the car and a tire changing tool, and a manual and a charged phone and an emergency number. Other than that I think I am all set to go and take care of our family for the next month. The tire changing thing just freaks me out. I think I will bike everywhere for one month.

JM is doing fine. He has a great outlook and work is keeping him busy so no time for worrying. Kenji and Keo are well aware of papa getting an operation and they are fine too. Are there other things I need to prepare for? Logistical things Im not thinking about other than extra tires?

Anyhow, that is where we are. When we visited the surgeon Paul Brousse not too long ago I asked him what else we needed to bring along (besides JM) and he said "Nothing, just him." I was thinking maybe a bag of clothes, a blanket for me to hang out in,,,slippers a sandwhich?(you know kinda like pregnancy).but no. he said " nope. just bring him, drop him off and go home." and he said it just like that. So...no waiting room? No. Nothing. He said he will call me when JM is out. --And that was that. Ok. But I think Im going to stay right? and so that is what I told him, but he said no need to. But I want to! I can't just go there drop him off and leave!!! So there is no waiting room, no personnel either? no support group? no other people waiting for their people??? :(((AHHHH!-- So I will take JM, my computer instead then. And my phone. And me. and our car.(filled with tires).

Until next time. Until I get the guts to write about all this worrying stuff.