Paris, Texas

I've spent too much time tonight trying to get some of the pictures from my aunt's birthday party loaded and finally realize it just won't happen tonight.


When the girls returned from Paris, I was anxious to hear their impressions of everything.


Paris, Texas is where we spent most weekends, holidays, birthdays growing up. If you are not familiar with it, it is almost on the Texas/Oklahoma border almost to Arkansas too, with a population of about 26,000. Coming from the BIG CITY of Dallas, we felt like we were way out in the country, but it was where our grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins lived, so we suffered through!


The girls were ready to go when Dad honked the horn so from there I am relying on others' reports of what happened.


Seems like the first thing that happened was both girls slept for most of the way to Paris, which is just about a 2 hour drive.


When they woke up they had plenty of questions. The most important, of course, how long till we get there. From there they expanded to searching for cows, sheep, goats, and the ever present, road kill. Annabel had millions of questions about the cows and then shared a story that they had a cow one time in China that they cooked. Mom asked if I thought that was true, but I personally cannot remember seeing a cow in China, not in the city they lived in. Who knows! Grace knows they had a rabbit in her foster family, which I was told she enjoyed having. When I adopted her I asked about the rabbit. She thought it had died. I think it was probably dinner one night!


They went to church at a congregation that had lots of memories for us too. Our beloved minister, growing up, decided to relocate his family to Paris to that congregation. With that connection, we combined our youth groups for wonderful things like summer camp, Six Flags, friendships, etc. So when we were in Paris on a Sunday then we became part of their "group".

Someone made an announcement from the church about Camp Deer Run. This was the first camp we went to and the beginning of lots of fantastic memories of camp, making new friends, the bugs, swimming, the devotionals, so many important things. Grace asked her grandmother if they could go. I looked it up and it now costs $195 per child per week! Wow! I think when we went it was only about $25 per child.


I am just thrilled at knowing that my girls will get dressed up, go on this trip, visit a new church, and seem completely nonplussed by the whole thing.


After church, there was a visit to Uncle George's house to wait for the party to start. Annabel was not sure if she knew him but needed to know instead what time party start? We had tried to explain that Uncle George was Poppa's didi or little brother. I have a feeling there were tons of questions there too.


At the party, I'm glad to know they can now recognize some of their relatives but Annabel said they all had to kiss her, yuck! Her first question was why does everyone kiss so much.

They made themselves at home with all the "little kids".

When it was time to eat, Annabel found a delicious meal of crackers, only. Grace on the other hand found lots of everything she liked, sat down by my cousin and began engaging everyone in conversation. Annabel sat with Mom instead. They both enjoyed the cake.

See I need those pictures but will have to get them from Dad instead.

Pretty quickly they were on their way back home and Annabel slept most of the way back!

Overall they had a good time and spent time with relatives that we rarely see.

Last night the whole theme of the evening was preparing for the TAKS test. I think this test is just administered in Texas and about the only thing taught in the schools any more. If the students don't pass, the teachers are held accountable, so you can see why it is the focus of most of the teaching during the year. Thankfully for Annabel she is exempt due to her lack of English.

They both were up early and beginning preparation on a very FULL breakfast by the time I woke up. I am still having considerable pain at night and cannot get comfortable, but even worse is the heartburn. I'm eating only the most bland softest items on the list and small amounts but it still kills me at night.

Breakfast consisted of congee, bread (toast to everyone but Annabel), and fresh strawberries. I think we covered every food group with that meal!

Grace thinks she was the third one finished. Last year she got commended on the reading and I hope she does again!

Tonight we were the fortunate recipients of a great meal for the girls. The RECPTA people have been so good to us providing meals at important times. It was nice to give Mom and Dad a break tonight, but we crashed their meal thinking we would share the great lasagna, but Dad tricked us and Mom had made him a giant steak. There is NO getting away from us!