With all the excitement of travel always comes the stress! Yesterday we took the train to Paris from Loches, France. We got lost finding the train station, then the 4:20 train that was on the website was no such thing. The next train was sold out, so we waited 2 1/2 hours for the train. When we finally got off in Paris we found our metro stop and walked what seemed to be miles down into the metro and back out again. This is where true personalities come out. Oh and did I mention one of our suitcase handles was broken, and one of our carry on bags (no wheels) was so jammed full of stuff (ok shoes) that it was really heavy. By the time we finally made it out of the metro we were all sweating, grumpy, and Arch said "we really need to stop traveling this way." What made it all worthwhile was to look back and realize that not once did the kids complain. It is a true milestone when your kids finally get to the age when they can carry their own bags, walk the whole way, and not complain. Arch and I were much grumpier than the kids! We collapsed in our apartment which is directly across the street from the Louvre. It is small but lovely with parquet floors and floor to ceiling windows that open to the very busy street. We walked along the Seine at 11:00p.m. and the city was alive with young people everywhere. I wish I could have captured the look on Lucy's face. She must have said 10 times, "this is the coolest city, some day I am going to live here." I bet she will.