When my daughter Eliza’s third-grade teacher assigned the students a project on a country of their choice, she immediately opted for France. Unable to resist a Mommy Suggestion, I offered to email my gorgeous & super talented friend, Sarah (who just so happens to be an Australian girl living in Paris with her husband and two children). I thought perhaps Eliza could send her a few questions about living in France to add to her report. Sarah was at that time anticipating the birth of her third child and is a very in-demand photographer, so I definitely wanted to keep it low-key and very simple…no big whoop.
Now here’s where it gets good and proves the strength, generosity and beauty of mothers everywhere. The fabulous and amazing Sarah emailed back with detailed answers to the questions AND insisted on sending along a little something in the mail for Eliza to supplement her report. Alrighty, I thought. A tiny trinket of some kind would be a really fun and exciting surprise for her to get in the mail, so I sent Sarah my address. Please keep in mind that at this point Sarah is approximately 47 weeks pregnant.
So anyhoo…last week we get the package (from France!) and it is large (and from France!). Eliza eyes practically pop out of her little blonde head from the excitement. Contained inside is a lovely letter addressed to my girl from Sarah, 3 authentic berets (one for Eliza and also for her brother & sister, as Sarah didn’t want them to feel left out…I’m telling you, the sweetest woman around!), a little Eiffel Tower statue, a French tea towel (printed with a map of France and lots of good info) AND the coolest, sassiest little Paris t-shirt EVER. That fits my baby girl like it was made for her alone and matches her eyes. From FRANCE! You are, perhaps, getting the impression that this was a very exciting and memorable day for the entire Kuhlow family? Yep. You would be right about that.
Eliza went off to school today in her ensemble, ready to blow the roof off the place with her report and returned home about an hour later (having discovered from the 24-hour strep test that she DID in fact have it, contrary to the quick test results we received yesterday in the doctor’s office). Poo. But tomorrow is a new day and she shall again deck herself out the best way any Wisconsin-girl-who-wants-to-be-Parisian can. And she will use her French accent that actually sounds more Ukrainian all day long. You betcha.
Thank you SO MUCH, Sarah, for bringing such joy to my girl. You are forever a superstar in our eyes, my sweet friend. And congratulations on the birth of baby Saskia! I can’t wait to hear all about her. Does she need any cheese or beer?
♥ t.
