I'm back in Houston. Yes, back after only one year.
In Houston.
Maybe for forever.
And, I'm feeling very sad about this. So I haven't been able to come up with a cheery, funny post about some crazy thing that happened to me, like that time when I got lost and walked 10 miles through a couple of towns. There are so many words in my head about this, but getting them on paper is hard.
On or about July 15, Paul was given an assignment back in Houston. I just renewed my visa about 3 weeks before. The girls just finished their first year in a new school, in a new country. We just survived one of the most stressful years of our lives. We just took a breath and bought a new rug. We were really excited about starting the next year in a place where we would know our way around and feel at home. Katherine was finally happy there. Laura had a boyfriend. We were the ones saying goodbye to friends instead of the ones selling all our stuff. We just relaxed for a moment.
Sometimes I feel like it never happened. Did I really sell my house, cars, furniture and clothes and leave Houston? It's weird moving to a place you already lived before. Like when you try to register your kids in school, and you don't have an address any more. It feels so surreal.
Back in 2008, Paul and I took a vacation to Paris. As we stood at Trocadero watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle, I told him I wanted to live in Paris some day. (I know, totally cliche, right?)
But it did happen. We DID move to Paris and we lived there all last year. In spite of what people told us, we liked it. We REALLY liked it. And, yes, sometimes French people are rude, but there are many, many nice French people, too, and it was a great experience for us.
But today, I'm feeling a little like this:
So, here I start another chapter of my big fat redneck life. I don't know if anyone will want to read about my life here in Houston. Maybe it won't be funny or interesting...ya'll will have to let me know.
So I leave you now with this, from one of my favorite musicals, "Dreamgirls" because it is SO hard to say goodbye not only to Paris, but to all the wonderful people I met there.
