La dernière fois

Today is the beginning of many endings that will soon occur for the Fischers' Adventures. It is the end of TTS and the beginning of CT, Celia Time. That's right, Time To Shine is over and after today I'm back to being full time mom. It's been a great run and I have done a lot of great Paris explorations and adventures sans enfants. I have spent time with great friends, had many lunches with a wonderful husband, and spent some great moments by myself reflecting, visiting sites, and being alone. I found a healthy balance of people time with some solitude and I must say, the last 4 months have been pretty amazing. But alas, all great things must come to and end. Or do they....

With Celia's last day at the creche have come some interesting conversations with friends and fellow creche parents. One parent today explained to me that she moved here from Mexico on a 6 month visa as part of a work exchange program. Twelve years later she is married with two children. Every year she thinks this may be the last and they talk about a return to Mexico; however with the economy and dangers of northern Mexico, (where she has family and roots), they keep putting it off. Thus, the twelve years.

I have other friends that have had two years in Paris turn to five or some that are living day to day. It's fascinating to be a part of this world of ex-pats where people have designated deadlines or just live life as it comes and wait to see where it's going to take them. I don't know if I could do it. Just four months ago I did not know where we were going to be in six months and although it didn't drive me completely crazy, it was a bizarre feeling. The unknown.

Now sure, I knew deep down inside that things would work out and we would end up back in the States, but I guess I also knew that at some point we may have needed to have the plan B conversation. The details of that conversation I guess we will never know, (it never came up), but I do wonder.....

We came here with the intention of a two year stay and it turned out to be two years. It was a fabulous two years and in our case yes, all good things are going to come to an end. But we must not forget that when one door closes, especially in the case of the Fischer Family, another fabulous one opens!