A New Routine

I am so thankful that our big kids can ride the bus to and from school each day.  The only problem was the bus stop.  We live on the side of one of the few hills and Paris and our bus stop happened to be at the top of the hill.  Jon is a wonderful dad and takes the kids to the bus stop in the morning so I only have to make the trip once a day.  When I was pregnant I literally cried a couple of times at the thought of having to climb the hill yet again to go get the kids.
Now that Jon is traveling more for work I have had the experience of having all 4 kids up, fed and dressed and ready to climb the hill.  After the first couple times of that I had a thought.  Could the school add a new bus stop for us?  I stopped in at the office to talk to the bus coordinator and by the next week we had a brand new bus stop.  It a much shorter walk and almost all of it flat.
It may not seem like a big deal, but carrying about 18 pounds of love that is Malachi and pushing Garrett in a stroller while herding Ben and Addie across busy streets is stressful enough.
Another plus of our new routine is the view.  The sun is rising as I walk to the bus stop and back right now which is an added plus.

This is La Defense

Sacré Cœur 

and of course, The Eiffel Tower

This morning I took the big kids and I let Jon stay home with the little boys.  After I put the kids on the bus I realized that I was all by myself!  As a nursing mother, and a mother of 4 children that almost never happens.  I was able to walk down a flight of stairs and I was able to take some photos.  I am so thankful for my family, but I realized that I am thankful for a few minutes of solitude as well.