Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Our Weekend Plans

Today is Graham's 16th birthday, which is really quite amazing since I am certain that I was 16 years old three years ago. Where does the time go? In the US he would be taking a driver's test  today. In France the minimum driving age is 18--Graham has no permit, and no license in his foreseeable future. It is yet another reminder of how strange our lives have become. But while he may be grieving the fact that he is not having a "normal" 16th birthday in some respects, he is aware of the fact that our abnormal life has its advantages. One advantage is that his FAVORITE band, Skillet, happens to be touring in Europe right now, so Graham's birthday present from us is that he gets to go to Germany with his dad to see Skillet in concert this Friday night. How many American kids get a trip to Germany for their 16th birthday? I'd say that's pretty SWEET! Happy Birthday David Graham--you bless me more than words can say. I am proud of your passion, your generosity, and your desire to do all things well.

While David and Graham are road-tripping to Germany this weekend, Chandler and I will be holding down the fort and taking care of Jack--who is in need of special care at the moment. It seems our cat has (for the FIRST time in his 8 years of life) FLEAS. Jack is an indoor cat, but he has been playing Houdini lately. When we fail to close the front door completely, Jack sneaks out. He doesn't venture very far, he barely leaves the front steps. Nevertheless, he has managed to become the unhappy host of unwanted vermin. It isn't even flea season! And why does finding fleas on my cat make ME itch?

 As if caring for a flea-infested feline wasn't fun enough, I will have the mathematical antics of Chandler to entertain me this weekend. He has taken to creating math problems based on the 12 Days of Christmas. For example, if the gifts were compounding--that is to say if on the second day of Christmas my true love sent me TWO turtle doves PLUS another partridge in a pear tree, and on the third day of Christmas my true love sent me THREE french hens PLUS two MORE turtle doves, plus ANOTHER partridge in a pear tree, etc.--how many birds would I have by the end of the week? OR, again assuming the gifts were compounding, what would I have the most of?  Yes, this is how my second son entertains himself. Should I be worried?

Along with the fleas-a-leaping and the boy-a-counting I will have the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree to keep me company. Today we hope to buy our first ever French Christmas tree. We did not get one last year because, honestly, there was no place to put a tree in our 800 sq. ft apartment. So I am downright giddy with the anticipation of getting a Christmas tree and decking the halls. 

3 comments:

  1. I don't mean to be the barer of bad news but if your cat gets fleas she can get worms, they look like little pieces of rice, they are not harmful to you but gross. Our cat gets them every time she gets fleas. They get them from ingesting a flea.anyway, I hope you have a fun time with your son decking the halls. Two years ago we did not have a tree because we were moving three days before Christmas so we loved last year. I hope your son has the best 16 birthday ever. When we moved to Indiana our girls already their permits and had taken drivers ed in Kansas. Here you have to be 16 , one month and one day old before you can get a permit then 9 months later you can get a license but you can't have anyone but a sibling in the car with you until 6 months later. It has been a bit of a drag. But they really appreciate it when they get it.
    Blessings

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  2. Happy Birthday, Graham! Sounds like you have a fun weekend ahead of you, Aunt Jen! :)

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  3. I still think you may be just over 16. Happy birthday to Graham. Chandler, how many days until the next Christmas, and when will it be? Thanks, Jack, for staying out of the guest room while we were the guests! And, Christmas Joy can be inspired by a lighted tree.

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