Here's Mariah & Felicie on 7/10 at the amphitheatre. It was 105 degrees and we were waiting for the other french students and hosting families to arrive for the Michael Jackson tribute band. We got there early and secured a shady location for all. Since then we have been BUSY! And you know if I cap "busy" then that is saying something! Eventually I will find the photos and update better, but until then, allow me to just say everything has been going really well. We just returned from a Pigeon Forge vacation where Mariah finally got to ride a roller coaster for the first time in her life. Oh how deprived she was! Felicie, I've discovered, is very brave and likes things spicy. She never ate Mexican food before but loved it. She's not picky and she is unfailingly polite. Unless she is walking past Mariah sitting on the arm of the couch whereupon she just may give a nudge and send her flying backward, going "oooh, so sorry!"
Felicie's English is very good, and we have had very few communication problems. She is a girl of few words unless she is with Mariah, then I hear her quietly speaking more. They have a cute sibling thing going on. Felicie definitely understands much more than she likes to speak. But almost 2 weeks into her stay, she is more comfortable. Expressions like "pretty cool" don't throw her anymore. She still thinks we are "very strange" and I wish you could hear her say that because her accent is the best!
Meanwhile back at the ranch, so to speak....
Indie leaves in the morning for her trip to Armenia. They have an 8hr layover in Chicago so she'll be close-ish most of the day, then on their way again. Her last scan did not indicate a need for a biopsy so she is glad to be on her way without stitches. She is so done with dr's and appts. Not always feeling the best and this allergy to palm oil she's developed is a real pain. She is now armed with lots of antihistamine so hopefully her travel abroad this time around won't be quite so painfully challenging. Safe travels Indie!
Taryn is still at MS & T where she is apparently having so much fun she doesn't have time to call. Maybe she's like me and always on the go until her head hits the pillow. I get to play Words With Friends with her and the occasional text message though. We're tight like that. Hahaha! I am counting the days until I get to see her. That is, when I get told the day she wants to come home, I will. :)
Gib is home from Florida and had a great EFY experience and very much enjoyed his time with Grandpa Fred and Jan. Can't say his mini-golf game improved but ce-la-vie. As soon as he kicks himself off the XBox he can drive us down to the DMV and get his license. He also needs to work on writing up his Eagle Scout proposal.
Mike will be kicking it into high gear for Waterworld any day now. I'm pretty sure he needs the break a ski run at dawn brings.
