C'est Vrai! Les McCropders Vivent en France

By Jean-Valjean Cropsey,

The title is my best stab at "It's True!  The McCropders Live in France."  Note, our classes haven't begun yet, college French was a decade ago, and I may be suffering from PTAD, Post Trans-Atlantic Dementia complicated by children x 3; therefore, I take no responsibility for the conjugation of "vivre".

I have been commissioned to retell the tale of our nomadic clan's harrowing migration across the great seas with our innumerable children, nearly overwhelming sums of infant paraphernalia and of course our valiant women to the Alpine oasis of Albertville, France.  

On Thursday, the twenty third day of August, 2012 Anno Domini, 15 out of 16 McCropders instinctively coalesced like bees to the hive in the great city of Detroit (note the French connection already) from their various points of sojourning in the USA.  The 16th McCropder caught our scent and finally joined us in Frankfurt.  

McCropder surveillance was kept tight.  As our vessel was made ready, our security detail kept watch over every move.

   No piece of baggage was left unattended.  The same cannot be said for every child.

Once aboard, the merriment of the clan could not be contained.

It was then that the real test of the will began.  During the overnight voyage to Frankfurt, Germany, some children slept more than others and a few adults got some.  Then the Germans really turned up the heat.  The "family friendly" security line was VERY thorough with the pat downs and they must have fired up the Schnitzel roasters downstairs in order to sap us of any remaining strength via the sweltering ambient temperature in the airport.  Despite the overwhelming odds against them, all the offspring maintained an impressive level of decency and order (thank you for all of your prayers!).  We persevered and arrived in Lyon, France, along with all of our innumerable children, the paraphernalia and our valiant women.   

After carting our cargo to a distant bus, we then enjoyed a two hour nap as we were carried away into the Alps.  We arrived victoriously at our new home in Albertville on Friday afternoon.

All the families are in adequately spacious apartments.  The singles are a bit cozier we might say.

The surrounding beauty is truly breath-taking.

The kids are adjusting to the new time zone quickly and the women are busy nesting.  Stay tuned for more about life so far in France.

Au revoir mes amis.