Mon Arrivée

Don't want to say much right now because I am dead tired. I guess what they say about jet lag is true--also, airport seating is not ideal for sleeping on an overnight flight. Some highlights:

Taking off from JFK at night after the anticipation of the day (and past few months) was probably the most thrilling experience of my life since November 4th, 2008. Iced coffee, packing chaos, iced coffee, driving to Bridgeport, vanning to JFK, and waiting in three different lines 2 hours each (followed by my third iced coffee of the day)... actually may have had very little to do with the disarming glee I felt rising with the plane wings over the NYC grid lights. This made it real.

For the many hours of sleeping I didn't do, I was woken up a lot. Once when I was yet again shaken from slumber at arm's reach, I looked out the window-seat window and was in heaven. White puffy clouds. God hangin' out. Zeus. Whatever you'd like. That was the sky. The sun rising on my first day in Europe.

Dublin. It was green. No time for kitty stickers at the airport in Dublin, but damn was it gorgeous flying down into the world of present-day celtic bull battles on fields of green. Almost straight onto my next flight after immigration, I didn't get a window seat flying into Paris. Whatever. CDG is so far from anything, anyway. Leaves something to look forward to on my way back into Paris after my excursions throughout Europe. I slept another half hour, sitting up in my seat.

My family! I pretty much met them one by one, and it was strange at first. Kids think having an older sister would be fantastic... and then they realize some stranger will be living in their house. I put my belongings in their new homes, stuck out the jet lag, had tea and scones, met three grandparents, went for a walk, played an inventive ball game with the kids, shared dinner, cheeses and desert with the family, read to 2/3 the kids, and chatted with the rents for a bit. I'll blog next about the kids individually, but so far we are definitely getting along.

My room is on the third (last) floor. My bed is against a slanted wall, but I don't feel that I'll be hitting my head or anything. I have a skylight that opens up and looks out onto some distant fields and the most adorable neighborhood you've ever seen (Natick, eat your heart out), and I saw a train pass by a few streets away. I might live out on the roof. I have a standing shower in my bathroom, and since my bathroom might be larger than my bedroom I've dubbed it my walk-in closet.

Ah, ok. That's as much as I can write without feeling too guilty about being on here instead of sleeping. Speaking of guilt, I'm comparing my blog with Daina's and Billy's and Sarah's and trying not to feel inadequate. This year is for inspiration, expansion and responsibility. There are many years to come, and this year is a necessary step for me. Besides, you are so jealous of my skylight. I'll try to keep it wildly entertaining and seething with philosophical goodies, regardless of feeling wrapped in gilt. Opps, fell asleep there for a minute at the screen. Night!