Here comes the update, however, I forgot to pack the camera USB cord thing so I cannot download pictures yet! Sorry! Those will come super soon because we are over half way through our trip! Sounds like I’m excited to leave? Well, sort of. Many of you know we left Benson with grandma and grandpa Rueckert (he’s having the time of his life becoming best friends with Coco). Everyday something happens that reminds me of why I left him behind… I do not regret our choice of leaving him, but I miss that beast like the dickens. So that is not too easy for me. However, Paris is FABUlous!!!!

We traveled through Brussels and Amsterdam for four days before taking the train to Paris. Getting our French back was rough… and some days it still is!! We arrived safely in St Nom la Breteche, a small suburb outside of Paris where we are staying. It is a really nice house, chez une famille Americaine, so we feel comfortable, however we are reminded we are not in the States anymore when we have to walk 3 miles to the train station if we miss the TWO busses that pass by the house-- two in the morning and two at night. This means that if we want to stay past 7:00 PM in Paris we have to walk the three miles back home from the station and of course we want to stay late in Paris!! People have told us it is not too bizarre to hitch-hike home so we have done that a few times.

Ben really likes his internship avec Les Petits Freres des Pauvres. He works in a Café some days and goes around visiting people the other days. I also volunteer three days a week at another location in Paris. I do it to keep myself busy. It is also a great way to improve my French as I go visit old people and take them out for the day. As I do this, I am really reminded of my mission… Oh la la! Slowly it is coming out that we are Mormon and that brings up interesting conversations. A lot of things remind me of the mission, of course. Overall I am just amazed that I was actually a missionary in this country and I cannot believe I made it through! People aren’t so nice. Missionaries are truly set apart!

We have seen all the main sites, went up the Eiffel Tower yesterday morning. I bought a season pass to the Louvre, which is incredible. We go inside every church we come across and I love them. We went to the ballet in L’Opera which was beautiful! The 14th of July was great, we strolled Le Champs Elysee in the morning, went to the Centre George Pompidou and watched the fire works by the lighted Eiffel Tower. There is SO MUCH to do and see… if only money didn’t matter!!! Things are quite expensive so that makes it hard as well.

Ben and I have both gained about 10 pounds each, NO joke. I’m starting to regret that, but I think I will still pick out a new patisserie tomorrow morning. The cheese is so SO good, the bread, gummies, les petits pots de crème, the chocolate… oh la la.

Well… again, sorry this is kind of lame without pictures, but I will post everything soon. We are having a wonderful time and feel so lucky to have this opportunity. And the reason why I don't have a title on this is because every time I try the internet shuts down. French computers!!!