Welcome to France

The early morning sunlight filled the small hotel room. The summer breeze carrying on it the sounds of a city slow to wake, came through the open window. As I came slowly out of a jet-lagged sleep I realized an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. 'This is it' I said to myself, 'I am finally living my dream'. I had made it, finally, I was in France, not just on a vacation or a student exchange program, but my dream to live abroad had finally come true. I could only imagine the adventure and romance that lay ahead for me. For a few glorious minutes I revelled in them, dreaming but still awake. I could see the misty vineyards on a crisp early morning, feel the tingle of the creative energy hanging in the air of a Parisian cafe. All of this was mine to discover. Still lingering in my half dreaming state I absorbed the sunlight and the romance of what was to come on this next big adventure in my life.
Suddenly a sharp pain, something pushing me, pulling me by force out of my soft reverie...
"Mommy...I'm hungry"
"Mommy where are we?"
"Mommy...Mommy...Mommy?"
"Daddy, is Mommy dead?"
Somehow I had failed to check the "fulfill before family" box on my original 'dream application'. At 30, married and with three kids under the age of 6 this is not exactly how I had originally imagined it. Now here I find myself in the most romantic place on earth looking not for the creative energy of a sidewalk cafe but the safety of a McDonald's with the ten glorious minutes of quiet that only a Happy Meal can provide.
So here I am living the dream with a twist that only a God with a sense of humor could have thought of. There is still romance and adventure they just aren't what I was expecting. There is romance in a sloppy bissou from my two year old and romance in singing a Christmas carol with my kids in the vaulted chamber of a 12th century castle. And as for adventure, well that's why I'm writing this. There's gotta be a book in here somewhere! Life with three kids all 24 months apart is going to be an adventure anywhere, add trying to figure out life in a new country to that and believe me, it's exciting!
So sit back, stay tuned and watch God work...