Magical Day at Disney. Mom, please send more money, FAST!

Today we part ways with most of the other adults and head out of town on the RER A line with kids that look like kids in tennis shoes, jeans and scrappy t-shirts/sweatshirts. We are so thankful to have today to just turn our minds and schedules off and run aimlessly through Disney. We took the sweetest train ride out of the city center and got to see some of the countryside just 40 minutes outside of Paris. It seems like a whole other experience if one were to stay this far out for a visit so I am glad we are getting to see some of this on our train ride. The kids are starting to slump over a bit in their seats when we sit down on the train. It's easy to find one or two that have eyes closed and leaning over on a friend for a quick nap. But there are an equal number of those that are chatting, pointing, playing patty cake type games while waiting for the big day. I just can't say enough times, how wonderful all of your children are. They have been so patient and kind and polite. We have had many adults tell us time and again how nice they are and it's true. They have smiled and thanked us, hugged us, high fived for everything we do, cheer when told anything good we are doing...they are just so amazing. When we get off of the train, we ascend to the front gates of disney in which all of these kids turn in to 11 year olds (and some adults too!) and start cheering, burst of energy and running towards the gate. I can see immediately that this one park is about half the size of the Magic Kingdom in Florida. It is small but decadent just like Paris itself and therefore a perfect place for the kids to be free of adults and navigate the park in groups of 4-5 on their own. Ms. Satterwhite and I tell them that we will be in front of the beautiful castle every three hours so that if they need us, they can find us there and that at 6pm we will gather at the benches just outside the gate, to go back on the train. They ran through the gates and off they go. When Mr. and Mrs. Satterwhite and I went back to the castle to wait for anyone that needed us (none showed up all day..no surprise there) we could see groups of them going by to something else exciting, but they didn't see us. At one point we see four of our girls, linked in arms, with giant disney hats on their heads and skipping in unison on main street. Every one of them had the widest smiles imaginable. It was really tearful to see them having so much fun. The Satterwhite's and I walked to each area of the park and rode a ride where we bumped in to each group throughout the day and were able to wave to them while taking off on their ride or talking with them about the fun they were having. At 6pm, all students came stumbling out of the gate to meet me at the bench area. I wish each of you could have been there to see them. Almost all of them had spent their wad of money on all sorts of Disney memories but namely the big giant character hats. We were sure to take a picture of them all in front of the mickey mouse hedges at the entrance/exit of the park. So here is where we learned that most kids now only have about 10euros left for the next two days in Paris. Oops...should have had a budgeting talk before we went in. Instead we are having budget talks on the way out about lunch the next two days and how to stretch remaining euros. This is really the first "teenager" mistake any of them have made and to be honest, it's adorable so we half heartedly scold them with a smile and suggest that next time they think a little more about the money they need to last them to the end of the trip. The train ride is very quiet on the way back in to town and most kids are taking advantage of the nap time. Mrs. Satterwhite's nasty cold has turned in to something unmanageable with over the counter drugs so in the next post, you will get to see how the European socialized medicine works. I think you may be impressed, at least in terms of a minor illness situation.....For now, we rest our heads (late) so that we can get up and get to the Orsay and then Notre Dame, St. Chappelle, dinner and then the mall (all begin early). Bonsoir, Mme Savage