Green means Go, right?!

I’m just going to be honest. Today was not great. We went on an excruciatingly long walk. Right in the middle of the kid’s naptime. I thought for sure we’d be back before they needed to nap. But no, I was wrong.

We managed to lose our map after being gone over an hour.

And then there’s the embarrassing alarm incident.

We were in a grocery store and I was going to walk outside and wait for Phil. The kids were getting a bit loud, and if you’ve ever been to France you will see why that’s a problem. In America kids are loud. We try to quiet them, but they get even louder. It’s usually just expected. You may get sideways glances from young people without kids, or old crotchety folks, but for the most part you will just get sympathetic looks from people who know that raising little hellions isn’t always easy.

Well not so in France! Apparently there is something in the milk here that makes children behave ALL THE TIME in public. So for a child to start whining and yelling and carrying on, well…it’s a pretty big deal.

So I decided to take my rowdy duo outside.

I wondered about the door. It didn’t open automatically like all the other ones did. There was green writing on it. But I can’t read French. Naturally I assumed green writing meant it was safe to go through. After all, green means go, right?! So I pushed the door open.

Loud horrendous beeping!!! People gawking awkwardly. I knew my face turned a few shades of red. I could feel it. I looked sheepishly at the cashier standing there. He just shook his head no.

I said sorry. In English. I hadn’t yet learned the word in French. Why didn’t I learn the word in French?!

I turned and tried to nonchalantly walk out the correct exit with the alarm still blaring and people still looking at me like I was a giant blue rabbit pushing my litter of bunnies around in a buggy; not really sure what to make of it, but kind of puzzled by what was happening in front of them.

I walked outside, across the parking lot and to the side walk before the tears started flowing. Phil eventually followed suite (I didn’t even bother waiting for him. I just had to get out of there) and wanted to know why I was in such a foul mood.

I blubbered that I was going home. He seemed to still be puzzled and then I half yelled that I just got really embarrassed and wanted to go home! Ah, he finally got it! The alarm incident was ME!

Phillip has a way of turning sour situations into something much better. I’m not going to say that he is always a glass half full kinda guy, but when it comes to me he always tries looking on the bright side. Or at least helping me to see things from a different perspective. He doesn’t like when I’m upset or sad and always tries to make me laugh.

So the entire walk home he made jokes. Jokes about going through the wrong door. And every time he would say “too soon?” And it was too soon. At first. But by the time we got home, I could clearly see how comical the whole situation was, and I even stopped tearing up when I thought about how embarrassed I was.

I’m grateful for my husband who always has my back. I wouldn’t be able to do this without him. He is my rock and he is my biggest fan. He works so hard to take care of me and the kids and to show me how much he loves me. He goes out of his way to make me laugh and to be sure that I am happy. How did I get so lucky with such an amazing man?!

So while the day started out as not so great, it turned out to be a pretty okay day. And all of the credit goes to my love!

This Guy: The Best thing that has ever happened to me!

Yeah, we are that cute!!

The Hardest Part about This Whole Thing

For the past 2 years I have been blessed to stay home with my kids. It has become my life. I absolutely love it. Yes it gets challenging and frustrating, and there are times when I would like to be alone (or even just pee alone), or I feel like throwing a tantrum like my kids. But overall it is such a blessing to get to be the one to get my kids out of bed in the morning, take care of their needs and wants throughout the day and tuck them into bed at night.

Being a mom and staying home with my kids has always been something I’ve wanted to do. It’s my dream job. I wouldn’t want it any other way (on most days).

So naturally one of the hardest things for me on this endeavor to France to learn French is that I have to put my kids in the nursery. The culture shock is hard, missing people from back home is hard, the unfamiliarity of this country and not knowing the language yet is hard. But it doesn’t compare to how difficult it has been for me to drop my kids off with strangers in the morning and pick them back up in the evening.

I don’t know what they do all day. I don’t know what they eat. I don’t know how they nap, if they cry, or how they are feeling all day long.

What I do know is that someone else is taking care of them. I know that I miss them like crazy and I can’t stand not being the one to tend to their wants and their needs.

Indeed it is good that they are there, because it gives me the opportunity to learn French in an intensive classroom setting. I get hours a day to study and learn and practice. It’s useful and it’s beneficial. The kids are also getting acquainted with someone else taking care of them, learning some French, playing with other children. It’s all good. It’s all nice. But I still don’t like it one bit.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. And much sooner than a year from now when we are done with language school and making our way to West Africa. In January I am going to be having baby #3. And because of that, I have the option to stay home with the kids and hire a language tutor.

This is great news! And for more than my selfish reason of wanting to be the primary caretaker of my babies; Saving!

Not having to pay for 3 kids to be in the nursery is going to save us quite a bit of money. And we’ll be able to use that money to hire a great tutor (as well as save up for baby/children's expenses! Apparently children can get a bit pricey...especially the whole processes of delivering one!) that will help me continue to learn French well.

But in the meantime, I’m struggling just a little bit with missing my babies.

Once a Month DIY: Homemade Diaper Wipes

Today starts my brand new Once a Month DIY Projects. Now, I’ve never really been the type of person to do it myself. I much prefer someone else doing it for me, or just buying things that are ready for me. I have a patience problem. A commitment problem. An energy problem. Lots of problems. My biggest problem though is that I’m a dreamer. I will come up with awesome ideas and plans, I will buy the materials and be motivated to accomplish it…for about a day. And then reality hits. I have to do this? Oh jeese…that looks hard. I’d rather [insert any other activity here].

And then the materials sit. And then the guilt ensues. I wasted my money on that! Why did I buy that? I should have known I wasn’t going to do that.

But alas! Things are changing around here. The dreamer that I am is slowly…ever so slowly, turning into the doer. It’s probably because I’m really just out of alternatives at this point. I’ve got to get creative because I’m living in a place I’m not familiar with at all. Heck, I don’t even speak the language yet! It’s hard to find the things I want or need. It’s hard to do a lot of things.

And so, I’ve decided that once a month I will share my DIY projects.

"Projects" is a loose term. Some of them aren’t projects at all. More like….ways of doing things. So it’s not much, but it’s a start.

This first one is a project though!

Once a Month DIY: Homemade Diaper Wipes

Diaper wipes can get downright pricey! We seem to go through a lot. Our potty trained toddler uses them, our diapered toddler uses them. Sometimes the kids will sneak and just plain ol destroy them (Why? Why do they do that?!) so that they aren’t usable at all. Pricey.

So I got out my handy dandy google machine and learned how to make my own wipes.

Here’s the list of things we use:

-Roll of paper towels

-Baby Oil

-Water

-Baby soap (whatever kind you so desire)

-Sharp knife (to cut the paper towel roll in half)

-Container to put them in

It’s so simple it’s mind boggling. I also love that there is soap on them- it just seems to make cleaning up diaper messes so much easier!

Here what to do:

For half a roll of paper towels (that’s what fits into our container. Plus, it’s easier to have half a piece of paper towel than a whole one) I use:

·         1/2 cup of water

·         1-2 tbls of baby soap (I like mine a little more soapy because I feel like it cleans better)

·         1 tbls of baby oil

• Mix it all together.

• Put the entire half of the paper towel roll into your container (I often use a round tupperware container that fits it perfectly).

• Pour the water mixture over the paper towels and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

• Turn the paper towel roll over and let sit another 10 min.

• Remove the cardboard from the middle and pull up the paper towel from the center.

• Viola! Ready to use!

 

(This is the container that I regularly use)

What I LOVE about making my own is that I know what’s in them, they are softer, and I can use whatever scent I so desire.

When the kiddos are sick I like to use soothing vapor baby wash. I don’t know why. Maybe I believe it will help. And maybe it does help?! But it doesn’t matter. I get to choose!

Maybe someday I’ll be brave enough to use cloth diaper wipes. But for now….I’m sticking with my homemade paper towel ones!

You can put your homemade diaper wipes in a round tupperware container like I often use, in a plastic zip lock bag or an old wipes container (I also use an old wipes container. I just fold my paper towels accordion style until no more will fit into the container, and then I pour the mixture over it like that. Takes a bit longer that way, but then it makes it easier in the long run because they come out of the container quite easily).

Also, because there are no preservatives in the homemade ones, only make enough to last about a week or so (which half a roll usually does for me). The fresher, the better!!