A little bit about what we’re doing. . .

(Disclaimer: I am new to blogging on WordPress, so please bear with me as I learn how to design and manage this blog!)

Exactly two months ago, a coworker asked Mark if he’d be interested in working in France for about a year. A quick phone call to me, and it took us about five minutes to decide that this was an opportunity we just couldn’t turn down.

That decision set a lot of gears into motion. In just eight weeks, we needed to get the house ready for our departure, make sure we understood the policies and benefits of JPL work and travel for both Mark and myself, secure appointments with the French consulate in L.A. (not easy, by the way) to obtain work/spouse Long Term Visas, get our medical, dental, and optometry check-ups, arrange for our sweet dog, Amy, to live with Mark’s parents, understand the best way to store our cars (which included a thorough cleaning and rearrangement of the garage (thanks to Molly for her help!), donate some big stuff that had been taking-up a lot of space, and sell Mark’s old convertible.

Oh, and in addition to that, Mark had two trips out to France for work, we attended a family wedding in Seattle, and took Sam on a graduation-celebration trip to our old stomping grounds of Austin, TX (where Mark went to grad school just after we were married).

AND WE GOT IT ALL DONE! WHEW!

We lucked-out and have a wonderful person who will house-sit. The kids are both set for the year, with Molly starting her 3^rd year at Western and Sam working on three internships in Davis. And plans are in the works for both of them to visit us (probably during Molly’s Spring Break).

So, here we are headed to France for almost a year! Well, we are actually coming back home at the end of the month. For an Alaska cruise that we had booked months ago. I know, right?!

This August trip to France is kind of a scouting mission for me, while Mark will be working. The company Mark will be working with primarily, IPGP, is in a suburb just southeast of Paris. Our hotel reservations are right in the heart of Paris. The Hilton Opéra, where Mark has stayed on previous work trips, is close to the Métro and RER station, so it is an easy commute out of the city. We plan to stay there when we return in September as well, until we find an Air BnB apartment. We’re not sure if we want to rent a place right in Paris, or in Saint-Maur des Fosées.