Weigel Family Travels: Evan's Birthday/Farewell Party and Paris!!

May 20th was Evan's 8th birthday, and we celebrated in our usual style (grill party in the back yard with family and friends). Since many of our friends and family had plans to soon go on vacation (there's a two week school holiday here for Pentecost) and it was our last chance to see them, it was a farewell party as well. We had great weather and great food--bratwurst, shish kebaps, and a spread of breads, salads and cakes. The adults had a nice selection of beer from nearby breweries and the kids had plenty of Raspa (similar to Fanta, but also from a nearby beverage company) to wash it all down.

Ready to board the TGV

A couple of days after the party, we took a train to Paris. We all were smitten with the city, and the kids were SO psyched that they climbed the Eiffel Tower (700 steps before you board the elevator) and saw the Mona Lisa (eh? way smaller than we expected)! We had a small apartment at the end of a cul de sac in a regular Paris neighborhood, and the kids made some friends with some other children toward the end of the week and played soccer and tag in the street in the evenings with their new French friends! In spite of all of the beautiful things we saw in Paris, this was a true highlight of the trip.

After 6 days in Paris, we headed back to Ansbach. Stella returned to preschool for the last few days in May, and her class had a farewell party for her this past Thursday. We started packing over the weekend and as we continue to prepare for our return, we are sad to part with those we love and also with this whole experience. There were definite highs and lows for all of us over the past 6 months, but all in all this was a magical time. Although we look forward to returning home, our time here was incredibly special. We made so many memories that we will treasure forever, and the quality time that the kids were able to spend with their grandparents was priceless. We leave this Thursday, and it's sure to be a tearful day for all of us.