Thank you to everyone who sent us well wishes! We are over the moon, both to be having another baby and to be in France!

I can’t stop smiling now that we’re here.  Every time I come back to France, I feel almost as if there has been no time at all between visits.  After an uneventful trip, we landed happily in Paris and were met at the airport by my uncle Kermit.  Driving through the countryside, I was reminded at why I love this country so very much. The beauty is everywhere, and as we wound through tiny streets of their village, the roses are so heavy and lush, they’re falling off the bushes and leaving glorious trails of pink petals. I swear, I have never seen such naturally occurring roses in all my life. Everything in France is beautiful right now.

Several years back, UK & Aunt Cheryl moved to their current town.  I always thought their old house they lived in before was magical and a fairy tale. But now, to see where they are currently, I have fallen in love ten times more. It is the stuff of fairy tales, truly. Flowers are exploding everywhere you look. The smell in the air is heavily perfumed with roses. Aunt Cheryl has the most magnificent peony bush I’ve ever seen in my life.



We sat and ate a late breakfast/early lunch of bread from the boulangerie, a wedge of cheese, some flan, and plenty of other goodies. Simple goodness is all it is here. Get this – they even have a cherry tree in their yard with the biggest, ripest cherries that we walked out and plucked for ourselves. I looked at Kermit and said, ‘Well, that’s it. You live in the Garden of Eden and that’s all there is to it.’  Ahh, but the funniest part was when we pulled up past their gate and something shiny caught my eye from the cherry tree.

“Ermm, UK, is that a CD you have hanging in your tree?” I hedged.

Impish grin. “Well, you know, we just haven’t taken down the Christmas decorations yet!”

I reminded him of his 5-second rule that he implemented with me as a 16-year-old: he has 5 seconds to let me know definitively if he is in fact pulling my leg.  “Noooo,” he laughed, “just gotta keep the birds from eating the cherries!”

We had the delightful opportunity to meet the neighbors who were out working on their flowers along the street. They own several gites de France — vacation rentals — and we were lucky enough to get a tour. Nothing but pure French charm and attention to detail.  My favorite room was the pretty coral-red bedroom where the bedframe was actually a find from their village’s version of Big Junk Cleanup. If only OUR neighborhood had as many good finds!

At dinner tonight I was reminded that there was a reason I fell madly in love with France and it was because of the kindred spirits of Kermit and Cheryl. It was because they let the nervous 16-year-old me come and stay with them that my life has been enriched ten times. Their sensitivity, generosity, and love never ceases to amaze and inspire me. It is easy to be with them.

All right, it’s late & we’re tired — off to bed we go!  Tomorrow we head to Normandy and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t get us horribly lost!

xo,
R