Lafayette Galeries (3 Months in Paris)

     I know my blog has not been very good recently. I would blame it on that I have been really busy, but it could just be that my life here has become routine. There are not a lot of firsts or new adventures on a daily basis. I’m sure that is what happens after living in a new place for 3 months.

Cinderella's Carriage in Lafayette Galeries 

     In two weeks I will get to see my family. They have decided to come see me for Christmas. We have had Christmas’ away from home before, but never like this. We always knew that we would go home and celebrate Christmas with the family later. This is the first year that I will not be home for Christmas. I will let you all know how that goes. 

     I feel guilty for being away from my family, and I feel guilty that there is still so much they need to do for me since I don’t have access to many resources here. Despite being away for the holidays and working on some life changing decisions, I am very lucky to have such a wonderful family who will help me with anything, even from so far away.

     Christmas in Paris is beautiful. Many of the streets have lights going up, Christmas trees are being decorated all over the city, and there is joy in the air. One of the exciting things is the Christmas windows at the Lafayette Galeries. It is this really big department store (10 stories!). I didn’t go into the store because it is very expensive, but the Christmas windows are really fun! There was a whole line of windows that were dedicated to Disney Princesses. It had their life sized dresses and the world they come from. Some windows were cute with spinning dolls, and others were really weird with dancing animals.

Dancing and Spinning Dolls in Christmas Windows   

     It has been a hard few weeks with the kids and the mood swings. Even Daniel lost control this week. Thank goodness it is all coming to an end, and the kids are excited about Christmas coming.

     I need to start deciding how the next few years are going to be for me. Cecile thinks that we need to discuss if I will be staying another year or not around the New Year. She says they would take me on all their trips this summer and that I would be welcomed to stay another year. I am thrilled. There is so much in this life that is good and I can't believe it sometimes. So I have some major life decisions to make. Of course I would need to extend my Visa, the family could help me with that, but I also need to think about school. I figure that I can do online classes for another year. I will eventually need to come back home and finish school, but for now I’m going to work and learn French. I can’t let go of this opportunity.

     It has been very cold in Paris. I’m sure it’s as cold as it gets in Utah, but since I am walking most everywhere, it feels a lot colder. Good thing I have been wearing warm clothes! It snowed the other night, and it is supposed to snow more. Yay!

Visiting Santa at the Ward Christmas Party

     The LDS Ward that I am going to here had their Christmas Party on Friday night. I thought that it would be different from what I was used to at home, but it ended up being more similar than I thought. There was music. Marshmallow pudding and Root beer, it was like being at home. Santa even came to visit the party. The church in Paris is different than anything I have ever experienced. In Utah, sometimes it feels like people are LDS because everyone else is, or it is what their family has been for generations. Here I am meeting people who are the first of their generation, or the only member in their family. LDS members in Utah are spoiled, with our 13 beautiful temples and churches on every corner. I am surprised with how comfortable I became within the church here. I’m used to the same three building designs of the churches in Utah, and to come here and find that the ward building is very different, but the spirit is still the same.

     The longer I live here, the most I get used to the way I am living. My weekly stories have gotten shorter, and the routine has stuck. In the next few weeks, Christmas will be here and my family will be coming so that I can have more stories about traditions and celebrations. I also would be really happy if I could answer anyone's questions. It would help me to know what everyone is interested in knowing about me and my life here. It would help me to write a better blog. If you have a question you can email, message me, or write a comment. I miss you all!