Yep, it's another of those Facebook quizzes. I had fun filling this one out, hope you enjoy...

Can you fill this out without lying? You've been tagged, so now you need to answer all the questions HONESTLY. At the end, choose at least 8 people to be tagged. Don't forget to tag me!To do this, copy this entire message, then go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, delete my answers, and type yours.

(First half written yesterday -- Tuesday -- 2nd half written tonight)

1.What was the last thing you put in your mouth?

My finger.

2.Where was your profile picture taken?

Paris, France

3.Can you play Guitar Hero?

Don't think I've ever played it, but I can play Rock Band. I'm usually the singer, though. It's hard to pry the microphone from my fingers...

4.Name someone who made you laugh today?

I don't laugh easily, but I think I laughed a few times at lunch with Lt. Colonel Burton and Major Panzera. Those Department of Defense guys, they're hilarious!

5.How late did you stay up last night and why?

Until a little after 10 pm. Once I turn the TV on, I find it very hard to turn off....

6.If you could move somewhere else, would you?

Duh... I'm in the Foreign Service. A better question is: If you found a house that you love in a place that you love with a job that you love, would you leave the Foreign Service?

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?

Probably, but I'll bet it was just a peck. Something about public kissing lost its appeal after High School.

8. Which of your fb friends lives closest to you?

Probably Hilda...

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends?

Definitely. I loved them then, for most of them, I still have strong feelings. Some I still love, but life just chose to put us on different paths.... Of course, we all make SOME bad choices.... (and what counts as an ex?)

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?

Don't like any non-diet sodas... but I sure would love to be able to buy Diet Dr. Pepper here in Africa.

11. When was the last time you cried really hard?

Last time I got really exhausted. It's been a tough year, lots of death, and when I get too tired, and have time to think... well... just about any movie with a touching or sad part can bring me to tears, and the tears lead to sobs....

12. Who took your profile picture?

I did, I'm not in it.

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?

Mary Deane Conners, PAO Pretoria this afternoon.

14. Was yesterday better than today?

Hey, what about tomorrow?

15. Can you live a day without TV?

Yep, but again, once I turn it on, I can't turn it off.

16. Are you upset about anything?

Not at the moment, though I could wish a bunch of things to death!

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?

Relationships are what makes life worth living.... I just wish I had more time to maintain all of mine...

18. Are you a bad influence?

Have been, sometimes am, sure I will be again in the future. But I try to be a good influence as often as possible.

19. Night out or night in?

Both are great. Once I get a good night out started, though, I hate for it to end...

20. What items could you not go without during the day?

Diet coke at lunch, chocolate after lunch.

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?

My husband Andrew a few weeks ago for four days.

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?

Something about how much money we're supposed to be giving in a grant to a local film festival.

23. How do you feel about your life right now?

Does perfect with few exceptions ring a bell?

24. Do you hate anyone?

I sometimes say I hate somebody, but that's usually just me exaggerating. I'd rather just stop thinking about them and cease to believe that they exist.

25. If we were to look in your face book in box, what would we find?

Hmmm.... some very nice words from friends about Andrew, some revisiting the past and a confession from my friend who just went to his 25th High School reunion.

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?

Definitely. Maybe it would say that I needed to take a few more???

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?

If they had, I would have laughed... but I know some people think I'm pretty ok!

28. What song is stuck in your head?

I have this song not in english by Josh Groban stuck in my head. It's amazing how that guy grows on you!

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?

My husband would be a nice surprise.... Other than that, I think that "who I want it to be" would not be very kosher for a married woman!!! Luckily Brad Pitt is not likely to rap on my window anyday soon (sorry honey).

30.Wanna have grandkids by the time your 50?

Umm... that would make their parents about 16 or younger, so the answer is DEFINITELY NO!!!

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow?

Meet with the coordinator of the Pretoria HIV/AIDS program, with the Foreign Commericial Service rep, and visit a Science Reading Room among others...

32. Do you think too much or too little?

Hmmm.... let me think about it....

33. Do you smile a lot?

I pretty much smile all the time. I also laugh quietly a lot, and I'm not sure that it's always at appropriate times....

It was a lovely vacation.

It was so lovely that I have a hard time finding words to describe it. If I was more technologically minded, I would probably put together some sort of video montage with all the photos, because I have to say that the photos turned out great. But let me just describe this vacation through some of the highlights, interspersed with some of the best photos...

(It has become evident since I started this [just after our return] that I will not be able to write the whole thing in one go. This is an account of just the first few days. Hopefully I'll get the chance to write more later.)

July 3: We drove from Maseru to Bloemfontein in the late afternoon. It was very relaxing, since we were able to finish packing in the morning and have lunch before we left. The children were so great, and slept fairly well on the overnight flight from Johannesburg to Paris.

July 4: We arrived in the late morning and caught a shuttle which Andrew had arranged to pick us up from the airport. Directly to Marcella's apartment, where we dropped off our bags and went out for a walk to the bakery and the local playground so that the children could stretch their legs.

One thing that Andrew and I had never realized during our four years living together in Paris, is just how many playgrounds there are in the city. On this trip, Paris went from being a sophisticated place to go to the theater, to museums, and out for fantastic meals, to one big playground wherever you looked. We figured that whatever it took to keep the kids happy, would also keep us happy.

July 5: Sunday was our first whole day in Paris and we decided to stay very low key.

We started out by having our daily ritual of breakfast from the bakery, which was easy since there were more than five bakeries within easy walking distance, all with the quintessential Paris pastries.... pain au chocolat, croissants, pain au raisin (Andrew's favorite).

Then we went for a walk suggested by one of the guidebooks in Marcella's apartment. We didn't have any particular goal in mind, we just wanted to wander a bit and find another place for the kids to play.

Our first choice, a small street near the apartment which I had always wanted to visit, in an area know as the "City of flowers", led to tears from all three children. Tristan didn't want to walk, and Emma didn't want to go the way that we wanted to go. I assume that despite the jet lag, they just didn't have enough rest the day before. However, we persevered, with either Andrew or I carrying Tristan throughout most of the three weeks, but particularly during those first few days in Paris.

From the "Cite des fleurs" we walked on to the Batignolles park, where we found our next playground. This made the children very happy. On the way back to the apartment, we stopped by a bakery for bread, but then we made our way back home, had showers and got presentable, and prepared some snacks and drinks for our "Open House" guests.

We were very happy to see Judy, Claude and Laurent, and our other friend Laurent. I only wished that I had been sure enough of my ability to entertain while on vacation to have sent the invitations earlier. I would have loved to have seen even more of our friends at the apartment. Unfortunately, I forgot to take any photos of what was a wonderful evening.

Another part of the wonderful vacation was having several glasses of good wine each evening, an indulgence I never usually allow myself, as well as lots of different types of cheeses and lots and lots of "magret de canard", one of my favorite meats. I had forgotten just how amazingly beautiful food is presented in the shops in Paris and I have to hold myself back from buying absolutely everything at absolutely every shop!

July 6: This was a particularly ambitious day. We couldn't go to Paris without showing the kids the Eiffel Tower, so we decided to take the RER from the apartment to the Champs de Mars (near my old office at the IEA and the soccer practice grounds where we used to play in full view of the Tower). Then we thought we'd walk from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe. We weren't sure how it would go, but we wanted to try.

The kids loved the RER. However, as soon as we exited, Tristan decided he didn't want to walk at all. We found out later that he was just really tired and needed to sleep, but at the time, it was just one screaming kid who wasn't satisfied if he wasn't being carried. That's pretty tough when the kid is as heavy as he is!! However, Andrew carried him, I carried him, and we had some wonderful photo ops of Tristan really enjoying his vacation. The other children loved it. They were impressed by the Tower, but disappointed that we weren't taking them up.


Andrew and I learned on this day that there is actually a playground at the Eiffel Tower! Again, who knew???? Since Tristan was not able to keep his eyes open and was making Andrew and I miserable, we decided that I would sit with him on a bench and let him sleep while the others went to see the "Peace Wall", a feature of the Champs de Mars that I really love. Turns out that Andrew and the kids never made it to the Peace Wall because they found the playground instead.

Forty-five minutes later, Tristan was still sleeping, so Andrew went with Emma and Reuben to get some sandwiches, which we later at on the Champs de Mars. The big entertainment at that moment was a Japanese wedding party. Of course, people love to have wedding photos made in front of the Eiffel Tower, so it wasn't surprising, but what I loved was watching Emma take pictures of the photographer taking pictures of the bride! So precious.

And then- you won't believe it - but we actually managed to walk with all the children from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe. Of course, this means carrying Tristan, but between Andrew and I we managed it. It was a lovely walk, and reminded me of all those walks around the city that Andrew and I used to do during the brief time we dated when we didn't have any kids.


When we left the Arc de Triomphe, we took the bus back to Marcella's apartment, because learning how to take the bus was one of my favorite accomplishments of my entire seven years living in Paris. I love how the bus goes through some of Paris' most famous neighborhoods, with wonderful views of the Eiffel Tower and all the other monuments, not to mention routes that run along the Seine. It's a wonderful experience, and anyone that goes to Paris should try to find time to take a bus while there.



However, don't take the route from the Eiffel Tower to the Porte de Clichy. The buses are crowded, there are pickpockets, and there is absolutely nothing beautiful to look at. Just trust me... avoid it at all costs. Take the metro!

That evening we had dinner with the best man from our wedding, who we have not had the chance to see in five years. It was so great to see him, and as the picture shows, it's a bit of a miracle that he survived the onslaught from our children!!!



July 7: Today was walk down memory lane day.

First, we visited our old apartment building, a place where movies and television shows are filmed because it has the most gorgeous elevator in all of Paris. We lived there in a 36 square meter one bedroom apartment with our baby, Emma, who was in the living room with all of her baby paraphernalia.

On this day we visited with the concierge, who, as fate would have it, was leaving at the end of July to move to the South of France. She gave us coffee, we hugged, I left my card in case she ever wants to get in touch, and then later in the trip I bought "L'elegance du herisson" (Sorry, anglophone friends, I tried to find a good English language link, but other than Wikipedia, which just seems so...wrong for this book, I could only find reviews by people who really disliked it, and because I loved it so much, I didn't want to send you there.)

I did love the book, was moved by it, and thought so highly of it that I immediately loaned it to a friend in Kenya who also likes to read French literature. The central character is a concierge herself and the book led me to rethink the whole relationship that Andrew and I had with Christine for the few years we lived in the building - a relationship that would make me want to return and seek her out nearly five years later.

From our old apartment we went to my old scrapbook store. Yes... I'm a paper and photo geek... I can't help it, and then on to the OECD, where Andrew and I both used to work. We met some of our friends and colleagues there for lunch in their beautiful new cafeteria, then spent most of the afternoon visiting the offices of friends who are still there.

Andrew stayed behind to visit more friends, and I went with my friend Sandrine to the Jardin du Ranelagh to watch the Guignol puppet show. Of course, the gentleman who took our tickets found out that I was American, so I was treated to a mild amount of teasing by a marionette during the show. Imagine trying to translate jokes about how there's "one woman in the crowd who is rich enough to buy us all lunch", or something along those lines. The kids didn't really understand much, but they still laughed and had a good time.

OH, and I forgot about THESE CUTIES!!!




This is a picture of Emma with one of her very first friends, Ashley's daughter Annabella. Emma and Annabella had such a good time together that we decided to send Emma to a summer program with Annabella on Friday even though Emma doesn't speak any French. Those two could be such fast friends, it's terribly sad that they don't live closer together. (Emma misses you Annabella.)

After that long and wonderful day, we headed home for dinner with the family.

July 8: On this day we ventured out of Paris to visit "Big Emma".

Andrew and I met back in the summer of 2001, when I was getting ready to go back to work at Lac du Bois in Bemidji, Minnesota. I was getting out of a relationship, and he was single. However, we might never had come together had it not been for our friend Emma's birthday party. One night of good conversation and some karaoke, and the die was cast...

Our friend Emma lives in a lovely little Paris suburb about 30 minutes (if memory serves) west of Paris by train. We used to visit her regularly at her last home, which I loved because it was steps from the train station, but now she lives in an impossibly cute cottage in the middle of a garden with a small fishpond in front.

Highlight of the day was just getting to spend time with Emma, Patrick, and her family, but Andrew was also thrilled to get the chance to walk out in nature as we used to do. Thanks to Emma for the good food, great conversation, and the enduring friendship.



This is really all I have time for now, I must get some sleep and will continue the next time I have a chance to write.

We're about to leave for Paris, and I'm thrilled.

However, I know that the grass is always greener on the other side, and I hope that we haven't raised our hopes, or the kids' hopes, too high for this vacation.

At the very least, I know that we'll walk those streets that I love, that we'll see some good friends that I miss every day, and that we'll eat some amazing food, even if it's just from the bakery around the corner.

I'm trying to take deep breaths, keep expectations low, and enjoy every moment for what it is.

Mostly I'm thrilled to take a break from my job, which can be quite overwhelming days, weeks, and months on end...

...but I should say something about where we are now.

We live in Lesotho.

The photo above shows the scene we see everyday when we're driving to and from our home.

Lesotho is a simple place, with the capital of Maseru having only about 300,000 residents. It's dry, it's rocky, and there's no decent bookstore.

However, the people are kind. They're always happy to meet you. I can't count the number of times someone has been "delighted" to meet me, and Ka nete (really), they have made me feel that they mean it each time.

I love fires in the fireplace and a cup of hot chocolate in the evenings. I have to admit, though, that July feels like it should be Christmas, and Christmas in the heat doesn't seem really real. (Thanks to my mom for sending a DVD of Christmas carols by the fireplace. I LOVED looking at that silly DVD during a hot Christmas day.)

I love "samp", the Sesotho version of hominy, one of my favorite southern treats.

I enjoy my book clubs, both of them, and feel like we're making some really good new friends. The kids have a good school, though the director -- who can't have any equal in the world of school directors -- has left us and taken his adorable family all the way to Bangladesh.

Lesotho is a wonderful place to spend years 4 and 5 of the Foreign Service. Andrew is happy here, with the "hashing" every weekend, usually out in the districts or in neighboring South Africa.

It's been a gentle introduction to the "Dark Continent", a new experience that is helping us to grow, and expanding our horizons.

Thank you, Lesotho, for being the ideal place for us at this time. We will miss you while we're gone, and we'll be happy for another year learning from your people and your land....

 

My daughter takes her own pictures. She's five.

This is one that she took of Tristan and I back in Lesotho's summer (which runs from about December to early March). I think she did a pretty good job.

As a person who has always loved children and thought that I would end up being a stay-at-home mom, I'm always torn between my job -- which I'm currently LOVING -- and having more time with my family and children.

One of the main things that keeps me torn is missing the cute things that the kiddos say.

I had a spectacular -- though busy -- day today. The Embassy celebrated the 4th of July early so that we didn't have to work on a Saturday.

(There were probably other reasons, but I'm thankful for the not having to work on a Saturday, and being able to start my upcoming three week vacation this Friday, July 3.)

Again, it was a great day at work!

The speech that I wrote for the Ambassador turned out wonderful. Even I, who had agonized over every line, was touched again by the words that I had written about the values of freedom. Then, when it was time for me to lead the approximately 300 guests in singing (a Cappella) the U.S. National Anthem -- a thing that I had certainly never done before -- I managed to begin on a good note and make it all the way through without crashing and burning.

It was one of those events where I probably did 10% of the work, but because of the crazy emcee role I always have and being up in front of everyone, I got about 80% of the credit. It's a good feeling to have people coming up to shake your hand, telling you what a great program, how it's the first time they've been invited to an Embassy function and they really enjoyed themselves, and all the other kudos that come along with a big to do like this, no matter how undeserved all the praise.

But none of that compares with coming home in the afternoon and speaking with my children.

I can't remember all the cute things that they said and did today, and I'm not all that thrilled about the part where they roar at each other and their daddy and pretend to be monsters and proceed to literally place their feet anywhere on my body they think they can get a toe hold.

Being a human jungle gym is not the most fun thing I've ever done (though I love the kisses I steal when I catch them in a bear hug as they're getting ready to tumble off my shoulders).

However, one scene that happened today and has happened before has been on my mind.

As I was changing out of my suit from work, Reuben said: "Mommy, what's Tristan's number?"

Emma translated: "I think he means Tristan's phone number."

Of course, I had heard this question from Reuben before, and so I answered: "Tristan's number is two."

Emma: "No it's not mommy, it's 2339833 something like that. I'll go look in the book I did for school."

So, I explained to Emma that when Reuben says: "Mommy, what's my number?" or "Mommy, what's Tristan's number?" that he means "How old am I?" or "How old is Tristan?"

Bottom line: Tristan's "number" is two; Reuben's number is three; and Emma's number is five.

I draw the line when they want to know what my number is....

And now, after that heartwarming story from the best moments of my life, let me leave you with the handful of blown kisses that Tristan has started giving to everyone whenever they leave.

Mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah, mwah!

Happy Independence Day to all, and to all a good July!!

Today was a big day for me. One of the first in a long time where it has been just me and the kids. And it made me think...

Emma is five, almost six. Reuben is now three, and Tristan is already two. They are growing up fast. And though I try to write a journal, keeping track of our lives, and especially the cute things they say, I often have very little time to even notice the cute things that they say, let alone write them down.

But this week, something happened that made me really realize how much they are growing up.

On his own, Reuben initiated this conversation.

As I came into the kitchen on the first morning that there was no pre-school, Reuben (who, strangely, was the only child awake), asked if I were staying home too. "No," I said. "I wish I were, but it's still a work day."

Then he said something I didn't hear. And actually, since I didn't write it down, I don't remember it word for word, except for the first part.

He said: "Mommy, I like ______. _____ so ______."

"What Reuben, I couldn't hear all that?"

(It didn't help that I was running around trying to get my lunch and breakfast together, late as usual.)

"Mommy, I like ______. You are SO sweet."

"Oh, Reuben, that's nice, thank you so much, but what did you say you like?"

"I SAID, I like YOU, mommy. You are SO sweet."

(This is where the tears came into my eyes.)

"Oh, Reuben that is so nice."

(Big bear hug, and I noticed that Reuben had one of his most precious grins on his face.)

"Mommy, when you go to work, I'm going to get a piece of paper and I'm going to write: Mommy, I like you, you are so sweet."

Well, of course, I was melting into the floor and wondering how in the world I could ever go to work, but I did manage to make it out the door and through the whole day.

The first thing that happened when I got back home that afternoon was Emma handed me a note that she had helped Reuben to write, complete with enough spelling mistakes to make it obvious that they had not asked anyone for help.

And the note said, "Mommy, I lyk u. U are so swt."

Awww.....

So, today was just a continuation of that love and the heart strings being tugged on. Emma cried this morning when Andrew and I went off to the grocery.

"Mommy, I just want to stay close to you."

"Emma, I'll just be gone for a couple of hours."

"A couple of hours.... That's TOO long!"

Followed by - oddly - Reuben saying: "Mommy, I want you to stay away for 22 weeks?"

"What, you want us to stay away for 22 weeks?"

"Yes, mommy."

"Why?"

No answer, but Emma softly crying in the background, then loudly saying: "Don't stay away for 22 weeks, mommy."

"Don't worry Emma, we'll be right back."

And we were...

...right back.

And the rest of the day was Emma and I scrapbooking, then everyone having leftovers for lunch, then computer time for me while miraculously they all rested, then they all got up, mandatory toilet training practice, downstairs to paint and scrapbook.

The two boys decided to dedicate their pictures to Emma's friend Anna, who will be quite surprised to receive these masterpieces. Then back upstairs to a "mommy special" for dinner, for which I received tons of compliments from Emma.

(I think it was the hot dogs I put on the side of the healthy rice stir fry.)

The boys managed to finish through promises of popcorn, hot chocolate, and a movie, and I built up the fire, washed the dishes, took tea to the night guard, and sat down to a fantastic viewing of 101 Dalmatians.

Now, if that is not the life, I don't know what is!!!