Party!

Grandpa Bill and Grandma Jan had a cookout at their house, and invited their friend Cheryl, who they had been at the national humanities center with, and who was living in the same apartment building in Paris, along with her kids. Ben absolutely fell in love with her son Josh. Josh played with him and talked with him all through the dinner. The fact that there was a big kid who was interested in playing with him was just amazing to Ben. Cheryl offered to have Ben over the next night to hang out with her and Josh so Ben's parents could go out to dinner and have an evening on their own in Paris (an amazing luxury, as they had been out to dinner without Ben a total of one time before then). So Jessica and Andy went out on Bastille day to have a nice steak frites dinner at L'Entrecote (where the only questions they ask is how you want it cooked and what you want to drink -- they only serve one dish, which is very yummy) and to take a walk through the 6th with the crowds watching the fireworks, and Ben had a fabulous evening playing cars and drawing and getting to strum Josh's guitar and eating macaroni. We are all very grateful for a wonderful evening. Each time after seeing Josh, Ben kept picking up the phone and asking us to "call Josh." He made a huge impression on Ben, who is probably Josh's biggest fan.