We are out of the soap I brought home with us from Paris! It must mean we left France a year ago...
Today marks one year since we arrived home from Paris. While we emotionally felt this day coming for some time, having it actually here has made us all reflective. We are sad that one year has already gone by since we left our beloved city. We realize the memories and adventures are that much more distant. We know that what was once so familiar is starting to fade away. Yet we know each day that passes we are closer to going back for visits.
We can't begin to explain what an impact our year abroad had on our family. Not only the day-to-day trinkets that adorn our home, but also the way things easily slip into our conversations about our time in France. At times, it causes us all to step back and actually say, "We really lived a year in Paris!"
 |
| Will has the Paris Metro Map framed in his room. |
 |
| Momentos hang on Edy's bulletin board from our year abroad. |
 |
| Above our bedroom door, we have a replica of the sign that hung at the entrance of our building. |
 |
| We finally found butter that tastes "almost" as good as what we had in Paris. |
As parents, Jeff and I continue to be grateful for the year we had together. We know it was a tremendous gift, especially given how busy and independent Edy and Will are now. Gone are the summer days of me planning activities and outings. Both Edy and Will are off each day biking around town to meet friends, go to the pool or golf course, or enjoying treats at the many eateries in town. While this is a new transition for us, it is one that we eagerly embrace, for we know that one of the things we wanted them to take away from this experience, was the desire to be adventurous and independent.
So what have we all been up to? Here is a brief rundown of the past year:
Will (age 12) had a great 6th grade year at Northfield Middle School. While he tolerated the first part of the year hybrid and distant learning, he really excelled when the students returned full-time in February. He joined Knowledge Bowl and the Golf Team. When the four of us took a month to live in Michigan, during distant learning, Will got to participate endlessly in his favorite activity of all -- downhill skiing. This summer he continues to stay busy with trips to Colorado, California, Michigan, as well as a church canoe trip in Northern Wisconsin. Jeff is satiating his love of history by also taking him to Gettysburg, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Hampton Roads, and Washington DC. His love of history has only increased since we have been home. Though Will's most exciting moment of the year came this spring when he hit a hole-in-one! He was fortunate enough to be with his two dear friends when it happened.
 |
| Distance Learning in Michigan. |
 |
| A month of skiing to his heart's content. |
 |
| Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. |
 |
| Exploring Santa Barbara with friends. |
 |
| Golfing with his buddies John and Noah. |
 |
| A hole-in-one! |
 |
Our miracle boy!
|
Edy (age 14) had a very good year as well, made all the more interesting with several hospital and doctors' visits. She returned from France with a toe infection that caused her doctor to be so alarmed that she immediately called in a podiatrist to examine it. It turns out Edy has an incredibly high pain tolerance. Anytime she mentions something slightly bothering her, it is about an 8 on the 1-10 pain scale. This made Jeff and I both much quicker to react when later on she broke her arm snowboarding and got a concussion while in PE this spring. Both she handled with grace, and a bit of laughter, while in the ER. We are learning she is one tough cookie! In addition to several injuries AND traveling to Colorado, California, Michigan, and Northern Wisconsin, she is also off to San Juan Island this week to visit her Great-Aunt Judy and Great-Uncle Bob. Her only complaint this summer is that she is gone "too much" and misses hanging out with her friends. She too had a great school year. She liked hybrid and distance learning because she could work at her own pace. She was able to swim with the High School swim team in the fall and ran track for the Middle School team this spring. We take any moment we can get with her, even if it is waking us up, when she returns home late at night after being out with friends.
 |
| Due to COVID, we were unable to watch Edy swim in person. Luckily, every meet was live-streamed! |
 |
| At the Petoskey, Michigan hospital with a broken arm. |
 |
| Always laughing with Will! |
 |
| Her second ER visit for a concussion. |
 |
| Last day of 8th grade! Off to the high school next year. |
 |
| Hiking in Colorado. |
 |
| Surfing in California. |
 |
| Traveling with her cousin Anna to San Juan Island, Washington. |
 |
| Edy took 3rd place in the San Juan Island 4th of July Log Roll competition! |
 |
| We sure love this girl! |
Jeff had an uneventful return to Minnesota. He quickly settled into working "normal" business hours, compared to the 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm, he was working in Paris. He kept himself busy in January, while we were in Michigan, making me a fire every single day. I think he made a total of 35 fires for me. The two of us were able to get away for an early 20th wedding anniversary trip in May to Arizona. We visited 4 National Parks in 5 days. After not getting away by ourselves for over 2 years, we realized we still really enjoyed each other, and having the kids eventually go off to college won't be such a bad thing. Probably his highlight of the year was being able to share his family's Estes Park cabin with the kids. He was happy that they love it just as much as he does. Jeff plans to head back to Paris this November for 8 days by himself. While we are sad we can't join him, we are sending him with a list a mile long of things to purchase for us from the Monoprix, an art store, and the Military Museum, Invalides.
 |
| Jeff made me endless fires in Michigan. |
 |
| Jeff taught Edy some important life skills. |
 |
| Twenty years later, we still enjoy each other. |
 |
| Hiking Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon. |
 |
| Sedona, Arizona |
 |
| The Estes Park family cabin! |
I had a really great year, despite the huge interruption of COVID. I taught a new grade level (4th grade) in a brand new building this year. I had a wonderful class, who handled the masks and the shift to 10 weeks of distance learning like champs. I was able to coach Girls in the Run with two of my favorite people this spring, and continue my favorite 5 am morning workout routine. I really loved our time in Michigan, because unlike France, it was uninterrupted family time, without any pressure to go and do anything. My sister and I were able to surprise my mom and celebrate her 70th birthday with her in Ohio. Finally, the ease at which we fell back into traveling together this summer, has made me appreciate our year in France even more.
 |
| First day of school! |
I sign off now having zero regrets and even more appreciation for our year in Paris! Thanks for following along on this incredible journey. We felt your love and support all along the way.
Love,
Betsy
