via queenoftheskies and xjenavivex:

green_knight is seeking clients or aid to help with a cash flow problem.

only registered users will be allowed to comment on my posts. I'm tired of sifting through messages for handbags and Nikes.

If LJ has enough sense to realize something is sp*m, why should I have to receive a notification for the crap?

Because of mischievous hands belonging to a curious toddler in my life, I have not been able to finish telling the picture story I started for J for our 11th anniversary.

I will finish someday, though.  I hope.  Nay, I promise.

I do not wish for the Queen to remain The Lone Queen.

One month ago,* while grocery shopping in one of the biggest supermarkets in St Jean de Luz, my cellphone rings and the following conversation with J ensues:

J:  Hey, Quela, can you help me with something?  Can you tell me who sings this?  You probably know...

J plays this song:

 

M: Easy. That's "Walk Like an Egyptian" by the Bangles.
J: Do you ever walk like an Egyptian?
M: Sometimes. It's been awhile.
J: Would you like to do it in Cairo?
M:  Are you serious?**
J: Yes.
M: NO!?!
J: YES! We've been taken [for the next open embassy post there].  It's not 100% sure yet, but we are first in line!
M: When?
J: December.***
M:  Christmas in Cairo! Ok, get ready for it; I'm going to walk like an Egyptian in the supermarket.
M does the "sand dance" down the exotic foods aisle, with the Sprout looking on like her mom has lost it.

So, here we go: four years in Egypt. Very much looking forward to it. :D
_________________
* I didn't say anything earlier because with J's job, it is better to wait until things are more official.  We still don't have the plane tickets in hand, but things are looking great.

** I immediately knew what he was talking about because Egypt was our second choice for the embassies, Congo being first.

*** The departure date has now been moved up to 24 October, Julien's birthday, meaning that things are very serious indeed and I shouldn't have to post a retraction. :P

Back from holiday.  Tired, oh-so-tired. We will never ever again try to fit in so many visits in such a short time period. In fact, next time we go to the States, I'm pretty much planning on saying:  We will be in X for so Y amount of days. If you would like to see us, feel free to come vacation with us.

That will go over like a lead balloon. But tempting, very tempting....

What have you all been up to in my absence?

11 years ago today, I married the love of my life.

What an adventure it has been so far.

Some gushing about the wonderful restaurant we ate at will be coming your way tomorrow...

If you've got the lesson down well, heck, even if you don't, teach it to your daughters, your sisters, your friends, all those little girls who look up to you in admiration...

Whenever people hear Julien and me speaking to Soëlie in French and English, respectively, they often ask about her learning two languages. At her age, they ask less about which language she speaks and more about which language she *understands.* She grasps both equally well and is starting to have her own vocabulary, a nice mix of both momma's and papa's languages.

Her first word, besides "papa" was bye-bye, which she said at 13 months.

Since then, she's added, in no particular order:
( Baby talk )

bobby (she has a red car called Big Bobby, so all tricycles and such rideable vehicles are "bobbies")

Plus a bunch of other words that she will repeat, but she hasn't appropriated them yet.

ETA: frigg reminded me that the Sprout also knows how to say manana (banana), appo (apple), and weewee (kiwi). :P

Pressed leaves incorporated into sketches.

Love!


See more here.