Marc’s off to Paris this morning to take the Au Pair Who Is Better Than Yours to the airport for her trip back ‘home’. As with all things, we’re both left with mixed feelings about the whole thing.

I’m sad to see her go, and not only because she did the dishes, the floors, the laundry for the kids, changed diapers, ran baths, chased after the screaming banshees and quite a few other things that gave me time to breathe, heal, and relax (can you believe it!), but also because she’s a sweet kid and there are too few of them out there, or at least it seems that way. And once she got used to us, she gave Marc no end of shit, and we all know I puffy heart anyone who does that.

But on the flip side of it all, I think we’re both breathing a little easier because 1-we don’t have to worry about getting dressed to go pee at night; 2-we no longer need to worry about dressing in the hot, steamy bathroom because we can now wander around naked again, and 3-did I mention we can wander around naked? Crappy reasons, I know, and honestly I’ve given up all modesty lately and am guilty of running around barely covered anyway because I Just Don’t Care—having three kids IN FRANCE kind of gets rid of any traces of modesty one holds so dear. So yes, back to running around barely or not at all covered and just in time for summer as well.

Oh, and I’ll be able to leave the WC door open again, much to the delight of the Monkeys who think it their God-given right to play with the roll of John Wayne Paper while I do a #2. (Yes, all you future mothers, THIS is what you have too look forward to!)

I feel that the young lady we’re sending back is a little wiser, a little worldlier, and even a little more mature than the one who stepped off the plane in Paris a while back. I know she’s able too look life’s hard decisions in the face and do what’s best for her, and hell, in this world, isn’t that just about the best we can hope for?

A big thank you to everyone who helped make her time here interesting and exciting and fun, especially the blister-inducing Miss Kylie Mac who is the queen, no GODDESS even, of budget, see-it-all-in-no-time Parisian sight-seeing. (The APWIBTY managed to do ALL of Paris in two days for a mere 30€—a price, and apparently a pace, that makes even Marc interested in seeing a bit o’ the City of Lights—but then he probably just wants to hang out with the pretty lady who made it all happen, hoping for a bit of FwaB-type action-although not with the Frog. The APWIBTY did say Marc was gay, but not quite that gay.)