everything's not lost

Okay, so I have driven to Geneva a few times in the past week...and every time,unless I have been following the Fiores, I have gotten lost or mixed up or had some sort of traumatic experience....much to my distress because I have always considered myself good at directions.

Thankfully, Michelle has been encouraging me and telling me that I am doing a good job because she would probably have lost her mind if she got in some of the situations I have gotten in...for instance: Monday I was meeting a girl at the train station to go to a Bible Study in Nyon. I find my way to the train station, no sweat. Try to park: CHAOS ENSUES. I found myself at one point, driving where the cable buses pull in, making about 10 wrong turns, and trying to drive down into the parking deck where the cars come out. I swear this is not all due to my idiocy, it was REALLY HORRIBLY MARKED and very confusing. I about cried. Plus, at this point I was late meeting my friend...praise the Lord, she waited for me.

All that to say, today was a GREAT day, because I drove to Nyon tonight instead of taking the train and I got there and back without any mistakes. I feel like I just conquered the world. Kelly Boswell: Conquering the world one correct map reading at a time!



Now, for the blog you have all been waiting for, an expose on toy figurines!

I realize this is truly dumb, but when I saw these dolls, I had this whole internal monologue about what they were wearing, and then I had a conversation with Michelle about it...so I just couldn't resist.

1. Who is in the world picked out these outfits? Okay, for one, pink knit shirt with green, embroidered pants, mom? Really? And then to add that gaudy necklace? No, no one would do that.
2. Purple shoes dad? I don't get it?
3. Why is the black dad in better shape than the white dad?
4. Why do they have random detailing on the mens' shirts that are different, but they have the exact same colors for everything...except the random purple shoes and pink belt combo on buff black dad?

I just want to know who was designing the outfits for these dolls and thought to themselves, YES, THIS IS IT! Oh, wait, I need some fake embroider on the women, and you know what, all this matching is kind of bothering me, let's have the men have semi-different shirt patterns and different colored belts. That will MAKE it. I am at a loss.

So, other than my frustration with these dolls, life is going REALLY great. Seriously. I love life. Although, I can't see myself screaming over the internet that I hated it, but you can always read through the lines eh.

Look forward to much more interesting posts! I am going to the mountains with a group of other au pairs this weekend!

my hair smells like spit up

My hair smells like spit up.

Never thought that wouldn't bother me. I have really taken to the babies. It is weird at first, they don't talk, or have noticeable personalities, or really do anything. They are cute and small...but I didn't feel a connection with them at first like I did with Sam & Mia.

Flash forward to post-cuddling, and I am completely won over. Lydia and Margot are so different and so precious. I love learning how to calm them down, learning what they like, learning what is different about them, seeing them react to me. It is all such a gift.

I have found that Lydia really likes music, I will put on classical orchestral pieces by Debussy or Chopin and dance with her in the kitchen, and she just coos there in my arms. Margot loves exercising. She is really physical, and she responds when I have her crunched up in my lap and then start to lift her slightly- her whole body stiffens out and she pushes her legs against me and lifts up- like she is lifting dead weight or something. It's adorable.

And Sam and Mia are just so smart. I am so jealous of 4 year old Mia's amazing French accent and her ability to speak so articulately in either language. She is amazed and excited that I am staying a long long long long long long ...time. Which always makes me happy.

Sam thanked God that I got here when he prayed at dinner tonight. He has the cutest dimples and the sweetest smile. When we hold hands praying he puts his forehead down on my hand...and he just LOVES to cuddle. It is wonderful.

I got to experience a bit of Geneva yesterday and today. Yesterday I went to get visa stuff figured out, and open MY SWISS BANK ACCOUNT. Yeah, you can pretend you're not jealous. Geneva is such a beautiful city, I can't wait to see more of it. There are so many historic, beautiful buildings, I feel like I am a part of another time. And the bakeries...did I mention the bakeries?

I was watching a movie with Michelle and Sam (Sr.) last night, and one of the characters said he had never been to Europe, and he really wanted to go and take his family. I kind of laughed and looked at them and said "we live in Europe." It is still so foreign to me that I actually live her...but so far, so wonderful.

finally here!

I arrived in Geneva yesterday morning at about 7:15 Geneva time. I think I slept a good amount on the plane, because it didn't seem that long, and I was able to stay awake all of yesterday...well, I admit, I might have dozed off a little while we were watching Beauty and The Beast.

I am all unpacked and I have my books lining my dresser and my desk, a picture I brought from home on my bedside table, and an angel figuring Lauren gave me for my birthday next to my jewelry box on my dresser. I am hoping to get a picture for my wall and a colorful bedspread to add color, because the walls and duvet are neutral tones- a blank canvas of a room, if you will. My window has a nice few of the town and mountains...as you will see in these pictures.









After Mia got home from school, we walked around the town (pretty much 2 streets) a little bit. Then had a snack, played, dinner, and Beauty and The Beast...and finally some much needed sleep.

I keep looking around and thinking to myself "this is my life now," "this is where I live." It is an odd feeling, and I look forward to the day when I won't have to remind myself that this isn't just a vacation. I look forward to getting into a routine, getting used to the roads and the grocery stores and speaking French. I look forward to going to church and making friends and really sinking my roots in. Here's to that day!

getting it all done

I am taking the GACE tomorrow morning (the certification test to be a teacher in Georgia. I am applying to education graduate programs and I need to have that test score in my arsenal in order to apply to some of them. Something you didn't know I bet? Well, it's a good thing I just took the GRE and the GRE Literature in English subject tests, because I looked through my study book for this one and realized it would be no sweat.

Yet, I still find myself really nervous. I don't mind actually taking tests...I think it is just everything leading up to it: the wondering, the studying, then when it is big tests like these that have a certain ridiculous early hour that you have to be there, and you aren't familiar with anything about the room or the place, it is just unsettling. So, funnily enough, I am just looking forward to the time when I am there, I am sitting at my desk, and I am just depending on my brain. Nothing can get in the way at that point, unless I black out or something; which, let be honest could definitely happen at this point. I feel like I am going to be worthless to this family once I get to Switzerland because my brain is just going to be fried. Remembering everything I have to do before I leave, checking off even little things like going to the dentist or getting things dry-cleaned because you have never actually cleaned them before and you don't know how that works over there, seeing friends who mean the world to you, trying to call your best friends all the time because you don't know when you will be able to talk to them next, wearing all of the clothes you aren't taking, hanging out with your parents, copying pages out of books because you can't take all of them (okay- that one may just be me), getting an international driver's license, finding time to learn how to drive a stick shift... it all really adds up....and it is making my go crazy.

PLUS, all of the emotions coming from every side:
GUILT: for not being able to spend as much time with people (especially family) before you leave, and having people say "we need to hang out before you go" and thinking "not going to happen...maybe because you are just saying that because I am leaving and you don't have anything else to say"...and then there is the added guilt for thinking that when you know they love you and really do have the best of intentions.
EXCITEMENT: I am freaking moving to Switzerland, enough said
SORROW: Leaving people sucks. I wish I could take everyone I care about with me. Thinking about being gone for who knows how long breaks my heart. I feel like if I were to let myself, I would be crying half the day.
CONVICTION: Unfortunately, all of this stress, and emotion + a full time job doesn't leave a lot of time to devote every waking moment to God. SO, yeah, I am kind of sucking as a daughter right now, and I read a snippet out of my Bible every night and feel bad that I am leaving Him for the end of my day when I am tired and grouchy and NOT interested in thinking about my sin and all of the intricacies of redemption and grace. So I just read a few verses, write a few words of thanks and a few prayer requests and check Christ of my list...it's so lame. I am so lame. Sorry for that one God...like I said: CONVICTION.

So this was an extra long post. I think I am just getting more overwhelmed the closer it all comes. 10 MORE DAYS!! And I don't really have a constant person/friend who has the time to talk through all of this with me...which is good I guess...makes it easier to leave.

Well, that is all. Boswell out. I already miss you. Pray for me. I want to come back a woman of God, not just the acne-ridden teenager I feel like I am. Thank you. God Bless you.

looking forward to my new home

These are a few pics Michelle sent me of my new home in Peillonnex, France. The first picture is the neighbor's house. Epic, eh?

what i have to look forward to

And this makes no sleep and missing my friends and fitting all my shoes in my bag matter less and less.

sleep

I haven't been sleeping well. Which sucks...because I still have to wake up early every morning for work. As of yesterday I realized how much I am going to miss my friends and my family. My heart broke thinking about all of the things I am going to miss and just the love and understanding that is going to be so far away from me. I know there are things like e-mail and skype to make the distance seem negligible, but you can't snuggle up to your computer on a cold night, or give your webcam a big hug for saying something sweet to you...and if you know me at all, you know that affection is kind of what I live for.

(Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives. -C.S. Lewis)

So I am kind of in turmoil- half excited about the adventures ahead, half heart-broken at the idea of leaving my soulmates for who knows how long. Therefore, I can't sleep...which is so lame as I am so utterly tired at the end of the day.

On a brighter note, by dad realized that I wasn't "practice-packing" (as I like to call it) with our biggest suitcases. (Not being able to fit all of the shoes I wanted to was also causing me a lot of inner turmoil). So, he comes up into my room with this massive suitcase and the heavens opened and manna rained down from heaven! The earth was restored to peace! Well, it wasn't exactly like that, but I did play the song from little mermaid "ah-ah-ah, a-a-A-a-a, aw-aw-AWW" in my head when he entered. (You know what I am talking about). So, as sad as I know it is going to make Mary Beth, I am taking all of my favorite shoes with me to Europe. There are still a few remaining ones she can pilfer while I'm gone though.

That's all for now. 13 MORE DAYS IN THE COUNTRY! HUG ME WHILE YOU CAN!

Love you all. Have an amazing day.

an old french inn

Okay- I haven't written on this in ages...but hopefully if you know me, you know that I am moving to Switzerland in 15 DAYS!

Honestly, all I can feel is excitement about going. I am going to be an au pair (fancy name for nanny) for a family in Geneva, Switzerland. They have 4 children:
1- Mia 4 years old
2- Sam 2 years old
3- Margot 2 months old
4- Lydia 2 months old

I have talked to Michelle Fiore, the mother, a few times on the phone, and every time I hang up feeling so blessed to get the opportunity to do life with this family. Michelle is wonderful and kind and keeps wetting my appetite with bits of information from life in Geneva. For instance...

* she was describing my room to me and she said my window looks out on the some mountains and a horse farm
* they live in a small French town where most of the people only speak French, but they are only 20-30 minutes from the very international/lots of English-speaking Geneva. So I will literally be getting the best of both worlds.
* the international churches in Geneva and their young adult programs...and the SKI TRIPS they have planned for February and March...which I am more than welcome to attend
* the family lives in an old inn. Yeah, you heard right- AN OLD FRENCH INN!! I mean, seriously, can you get more picturesque.
* she was telling me that Sam's (also her husband's name) family lives in Milan, Italy. So we might be visiting them for a weekend..in Milan..No Big Deal...just going to Milan for the weekend. Have I mentioned that I love my life?

I know I am mentioning all of the very material things about my trip, but if I wasn't excited about the family and the community of believers in Geneva that Michelle has talked about, I don't think any of that stuff would matter. What I am most excited about, is making a life for myself there. Finished college and having the leave the amazing community in Athens was really rough, and I really learned a lot about myself when I am outside of that precious, affirming world. I have been able to recreate it a little back home in Alpharetta, but I didn't really let myself re-root, because I so strongly felt like I would be leaving it...and here I go! I am so excited about experiencing a new world, a beautiful world that holds all sorts of exciting prospects for me. I cannot wait.