I got sick. It sucks.

As I am preparing for christmas...which I have to pack into a suitcase to take home with me...I keep getting distracted. Studying and hanging out with new friends was enough of a distraction, now I am nursing again. The entire family has come down with some sort of Swiss Flu. Tina swears that it isn't like the flu we get back home, not that it matters because they have all the syptoms as far as I can tell. The baby is fortunate enough to have not gotten this yet, and Roger, since he was working late almost all week. I haven't either, which is amazing because I was taking care of Amandine all week and she has had it for 4 days. Keep them in your prayers. I would prefer not to get sick, and if Chiara gets sick she will have to go to the hospital because she can't go more than a day without eating. I am still hoping to make it to Zurich before I go home for Christmas...I just need to find time one weekend. Looking forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks.

Sorry it has been a while since I posted anything new. The last few weeks have been pretty boring and uneventful...thus very good. German is going well...I am going to start attending a German speaking church to help with my language skills. Friends are good, and the family is doing pretty well despite having colds. I have miraculously been well even though I am around Tina and the baby almost all day. I am heading home in 1 month...which I realized today, and had to start thinking about Christmas presents. I am super excited to get americanized Chinese food, Mexican food, and starbucks that only cost 3 dollars instead of 7. I am also super excited to see Pierry and my friends...I am not use to being without them for months at a time. I head home on the 18th to spend Christmas with my parents and siblings, new years with friends in TN, and a few days with my grandparents. I am excited about coming home for a bit. Although sad that I will miss Christmas in Switzerland...it would be gorgeous.

Well...the baby got the measles. She is almost over them and seems to be doing fine. Jack, the little boy miraculously had the antibodies in his blood from a transfusion, so he was okay. I am really tired...it has been a crazy last few weeks. I am going home in less than 2 months. I will be home in IN for Christmas and TN for most of January. I am so excited to see everyone. I can't believe that it has been 3 months already...it went by so fast and yet, so slowly at the same time.

So, a week ago I was in Nice, now I am tending the sick...more on that later. The weather was perfect, warm but not hot during the day and cool but not cold at night. Our hotel was in a good location considering the price, and although the water smelled in the bathrooms it was really safe and comfy. Erica, a friend from my language class and fellow aupair, and I had a fun time walking, exploring the city, and just relaxing on the beachfront with fresh fruit from the markets. We also visited Cannes just west of Nice. It was even prettier than Nice, but quite crowded due to the Film festival that was going on. We couldn't walk through it b/c we didn't have badges...but it was fun to watch. The trip was almost too short. We had a great time and were both a little apprehensive about returning to work. Which leads me back to the sick. Amandine has had some type of Cold off and on for the last 3 weeks. Tina also got sick...we thought that was just a cold but as it turns out it is...the Measles. Yes, that is right. Apparently vaccines do not last forever. There is a chance the baby has also gotten this, but we can't tell yet. The doctors are hoping that she is immune b/c she should have gotten a little of the virus through the milk...acting like a vaccination. Lets hope so. Even worse, the family friends were around just a few days before. Their son is in the process of major chemo therapy to the point of shutting his entire immune system down. So, it is really quite dangerous that he has been around Tina in the last week. Please pray that he does not get the Measles as well. At this point it could be extremely dangerous for him. So...pray that everyone gets better. Goodbye for now. I will update when I know more.

Nice was fun...I have pictures on Facebook. I will update later...there has been so much to do this week.

This weekend I took a trip to the mountains with some people from my small group. It started out raining, we almost missed the train, had 6 people who tried to squeeze into a European economy size car that sat 5, and it was COLD. The house that we stayed in was amazing. It was a typical Swiss farmhouse, half barn half living space, but it had been redone on the inside. The kitchen was very modern with electric oven, stove, dishwasher, etc. but they left the old wood burning stoves too. The house was huge (I will have pictures on facebook soon). So, that night we had devotions, had a dinner of tomato and mozzarella salad, got a fire going, and went to bed. That morning we woke up to the sun and...bells. There was a field of sheep just outside our window and they all had bells on...I guess to find them if they get lost. It was so fun. Then we had a huge breakfast and headed out to hike through some of the mountains. It was gorgeous, the hills and valleys hiding little villages. Again, pictures will be on facebook. On the way back home, we drove to the highest mountain in the area, it was a terrifying car ride up the winding gravel roads, but it was amazing at the top. Just in the distance you could see the real Alps. Snow covered tops and all. It was picture perfect. That is the first time I have seen the Alps, I wish I could have gotten pictures, but no one was able to capture them on the camera b/c of the lighting. Take my word, it was gorgeous. Now it is just me. I have this week to do whatever I want, then next week I am off to Nice with my friend Erica. I am already relaxing without anything to do.