Counting Down...

Bonjour~

~~~~I never write in French on my blog, because I don't want to take time to figure out the accents, and I hate it when it's not correct...such a faux pas! But since I'm leaving in a few short days, a little French seems appropriate, n'est-il pas, (is it not)? {Please, if that's wrong, don't tell me!}

I am truly on overwhelm. It's not the trip that's putting me on overwhelm...

it's getting my life ready for me to be absent from it, that is putting me over the edge.

So many details to attend to. Scott and I planned this trip last January. Sitting in that cute little restaurant, with our computer, all those months ago, a 2 week stay seemed entirely do-able. Now being gone 2 weeks seems crazy! Some things have changed in our lives, that make the timing a little off. But off we shall go, God willing.

For Paris, all I really need is a passport, a debit card, jeans, t's, jackets, scarves, and I'm out the door (oh, I need Scott too). It's really a no-brainer. I don't stress anymore about what to take.

I know most of you are gasping right now.... JEANS...in Paris? Yes, it's entirely appropriate, and oh so chic when paired with sweaters, jackets, and scarves. Sometimes my nerve gets going, and I even wear a hat. Truth be told, it's more about bad hair and cold weather than fashion...but I try to pull it off as if wearing a hat is an everyday event in my life.

Here are a few hat and scarf hits and misses...

MISS~

HIT~

Can you tell I'm rambling? It's because my life feels like it's going in a million directions, and I have to pull it all together in the next 3 days, so I'll be ready. But here I sit, in bed, blogging about hats!!!!!

HEEEELP.

This might be the last post before I leave, so there is one thing I have to take care of...

Remember when I said I would post my weight, and we will see if I gain or lose after eating and living like a Parisian for 2 weeks? Well...drumroll...I actually had my yearly check up today, and they weighed me. So, as of today, I weigh 117. That is about 3 pounds over my "ideal" weight. Truth be told... my ideal weight used to be 110, but that ship sailed a long time ago, and will never come back into harbor. So there's my weight. I'll report my findings when I get back, and we'll see how I do. Remember, I will not watch what I eat. The food's just too good to worry about such things when over there.

Whew... glad that's out of the way!

I printed out the addresses of the winners from my giveaway, and they are tucked away in my travel purse. We will go to the Eiffel Tower on Monday, and get those postcards mailed! Scott is so concerned about that. He keeps mentioning it, like Price-Waterhouse will come get us if we don't get the winners their prize.

Here's the last thing, and I'm off to watch my nightly episode of Andy Griffith, (hey, it calms me and helps me sleep). I am taking my laptop to Paris. I have no idea if I will blog or vlog or even if the Internet connection will be any good. So check back often, and if there aren't any new posts every couple days, you'll know it's because things aren't working out, computer-wise.

So if you are a praying gal, pray for a safe journey for us. I hope this trip will give me lots of future blog posts... all about the city of light...

Au revoir~

Teri

Dreams Are Made to be Followed

Naysayers :(

Paris has taught me many things about life, love, and dreams. One thing I never expected to encounter before going there on my first trip, were naysayers.  These are people that suck the air out of your balloon, before you’ve even had time to tie it off.

As friends and family heard about our impending trip, we heard all sorts of comments.  Let me list a few:

• Why in the world would you want to go there?
  
• The French are so rude.
  
• It’s way too expensive.
  
• You are crazy, go to Italy.  Italy is so much better.
  
• Paris is dirty.
  
• Don’t order beef, or you will get horsemeat.
  

Why did people want to squash my dream, before I even put head to pillow?  It was maddening!

My favorite was a well-meaning guy at church.  He told me this long, drawn-out story about a friend that just returned from Paris.  His friend had his wife and kids with him, and each day, it costs him $700 to feed a family of four!  

Would I never experience Parisian cuisine??

Even on rare occasions when you could find it, 'to go'?

That night, my head was a calculator.  If we spent only half that, our trip would be over in about 3 days!  I planned to pack peanut-butter crackers, so we could make it. 

Once it was all said and done, we went anyway.  If there’s one thing I want to get across to my friends in blogland, is do not let others talk you out of your dreams.  I have nothing against Italy, and I may go someday, but it was not “my” dream.  Be true to yourself.  I honestly feel God planted the dream in my heart, because of the profound impact it had on both Scott and I.  Could this have happened in Asia? Africa? Australia? 

Maybe...but I doubt it.  

Paris is Paris, that's all there is to it.  It is full of magic, mystery, and mystique.  In my next post, we’ll at least get on the airplane, I promise!  

Oh, by the way...at some point I will be giving money-saving travel tips.  It can be done for way less than you think.  And no, we never had to rely on peanut-butter crackers!

Paris Wins!

Same Day...Later that Evening

 I had my entire strategy planned.  I would feed Scott a wonderful dinner, and then explain to him that I just HAD to go to Paris.  This plan fell apart however, because I never got to the kitchen.  I was so busy reading, planning, and dreaming, that the time flew.  When I heard the garage open later that evening, my heart skipped a beat.  

This was it...

I was poised on the couch with my laptop, when he came in.  I was going to play it cool, let him change clothes and unwind, before the big presentation.  He walked in to say hi, briefcase still in hand, and with one look at my face, he KNEW something was up.  He smiled, and laughed nervously.

”What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” I said.

“Listen, I’ve known you long enough to know when you’re up to something. What is it?”

Okay. Call me crazy, (it’s been done before) but it was like I had an out of body experience.  I immediately broke into tears.  This was not part of the plan, tears have never moved my husband.  He just stared at me with mouth open, as I blubbered my way through.  I probably went on for about 5 minutes explaining my reasoning, airfare, apartment rental, etc, when he just looked at me very deadpan, and said, 

“Cancel the cruise, and book it.”

It was as simple as that.

Once Scott makes a decision, he moves very quickly. Once I make a decision, I second guess myself. Within a few minutes, he was processing flights on the Internet.  I began to panic.  Yes, I wanted to go, but now things were moving at lightening speed.  Fear began to rear it’s ugly head.

Within 2 days, we had the flights booked, an apartment rented, and deposits made.  How strange to see “Moulin Rouge” show up on my Visa bill.  That was the actual name of the transaction used to pay for the apartment.   The name of the area we chose to stay in is called Montmartre. 

Honestly, we chose that area because it was cheaper than others.  We had absolutely no idea what we were in for. This was a classic case of 'the blind leading the blind'. 

{Note: The last time I had chosen lodging off the Internet, it was a disaster.  I chose a hotel in Puerto Rico, from a 2x2 in. photo online. That night, as we leisurely ate dinner downstairs, our room was robbed of all our suitcases. Obviously, my track record wasn't very good...}

                                             

                                                    

Paris, Italy, or the Caribbean?

Dateline...Spring, 2006

It all began with one simple question from my husband.

“Don’t you think we should commemorate our 25th anniversary in a special way? How about a trip somewhere?”

Immediately, I said, “Yes, Paris!”

To which he immediately replied, “No, Italy,”

...and it went on from there. We talked and talked, and it eventually turned into an argument. Who argues about celebrating a long and happy marriage? We do! On and on it went. After much research and “peace talks,” we came to a decision. A Caribbean cruise. It was cheap, easy, and we could catch the boat about 15 minutes from home.

Deep down inside, I was SO disappointed in myself. I had dreamed of seeing the Eiffel Tower since I was a little girl. I knew Scott would take me if I really insisted, but truly, it was my fear that stopped the dream in its tracks. At this point in my life, "fear of the unknown" was my constant companion. I feared the language barrier, the money exchange, the expense, and the not-so-good reputation of the French.

A few months went by, and my oldest daughter and her husband came over to the house. They had an announcement...they were going to have a baby! Shock is not a strong enough word for my reaction. I blindly crossed the room to hug and congratulate them, but my mind was swirling. It's not that I wasn't thrilled, but my life did flash before my eyes. In bed that night, instead of picturing myself welcoming my new precious grandchild into the world all I was thinking was, “You are old. You are going to die soon. If you don’t go to Paris now, you never will.”

Two days later, I went to see "The Devil Wears Prada." I cried all through the last part, which was filmed all over Paris. Crying in a comedy? Who does that?

I had to get a grip on myself!

The next day, is what I call, ‘The Turning Point.’ I dropped my youngest at school, drove to the bookstore, and bought a Paris travel book. I poured over it for hours, and surfed the Internet. With pencil and calculator in hand, I priced the trip out on a sheet of paper. I had the plan, now all I had to do was convince my husband.

How did he react???? Stay tuned...