Zzzzzzz...

Spent two days at the Community of the Beatitudes. Got to celebrate their Shabbat dinner with them (every Saturday night, in an attempt at union with Judaism, they recite traditional Hebrew prayers and welcome in the Sabbath day, like a bride welcoming her fiancee...hmm...) was amply reminded of the love of God for all, learned everyone's names, was well rested...

and then spent two days running after a four-year-old.

Moms, how do you do it?

Y'all know me. I'm up for kiddy fun things...but there's only so much shooting of "baddies" I can take. (Ok now, Arnold. We've killed all of them. Everybody, everywhere is dead. What now?" "Oh look! More over there!" [gun noises].)

And fellow girlscouts...remember "Mr. Bear, Mr. Bear, are you sleeping?" We've progressed to "Mr. Dinosaur" and "Mr. Dragon" (the rules are about the same...) and any variation of stealing or hiding items imaginable...anybody have suggestions for ways to occupy an active four-year-old? and if it gets him to talk, so much the better.

I'm not complaining...he and his sister are adorable (she is one, can crawl like nobody's business and walk if she's holding onto something or someone, and I could almost swear she said her uncle's (who was taking care of her today) name today. And shreiks with joy everytime she sees me or Arnold), his mom feeds me real French food (last night was gallettes (think savory crepes) with cheese and olives, cidre, crepes, complete with aperatif, cheese, and this desert (the name means "butter and sugar in Breton and that's pretty much what it's made of with something pastry like holding it together) they brought back when they picked Arnold up at his grandparents' in Brittany), they live in this amazing old house out in the country with a fireplace that must be large enough to roast an entire deer and neighbors who have, among other animals, a donkey named Nazareth and this little lamb who showed me what "gamboling" looks like.

It's lots of fun. It pays pretty well...two days back to back is just a little much for these old bones. Final stop before vacation melts into the continuous attempt to apply to schools and beg for money from them- Lisieux! I'm praying with the Carmelites this time! and hopefully I'll get to do some more sight seeing and pick up a copy of St. Therese's plays.

Take it easy.