Thursday, April 16, 2015

April in Paris


Eleven Aprils, to be exact.
I've never spoken much in this space about the years we spent in Paris.
Except that almost everything that I share about life with my children
in their early years took place there.
My daughter was nine months old when we moved overseas
and three days shy of twelve when we came back to the states.
My son was born in the city of lights!
And he was nine when we left.
Their whole childhood was lived against the backdrop of this great city.

These photos are from 1988 ~ the April my daughter turned one.
Her birthday was often the reason for a visit from my mom,
so many of our more "touristy" activities took place in April....
which any travel agent will tell you
is a spectacular time to visit Paris.

The first photo {above} was taken at Jardin de Luxembourg...
that place where my kids learned NOT to walk on the grass!

This shot was taken at Sacre Coeur...
I think we loved the tulips and her toothy grin more than the great cathedral!

Here she is with her pinwheel at Notre Dame.

And here's dad trying to sneak her a sip of coke in the Jardin de Luxembourg.


And this...
this is my baby nestled against the grill outside her bedroom window.

So many of our photos are like this one...
they chronicle the milestones and moments of family life
without that much attention to all the history and art that surrounded us.

I have a blog friend Catherine
who's photos of this city that holds so much of my heart capture it perfectly.
You can visit her at her blog home
She's awoken in me a desire to share bits of our Parisian life...
so stay tuned, more of our years there to come!

For now,
know I'm in my office,
working hard...
and dreaming of April in Paris.



Joining Kim for
and Mama Kat for her

12 comments:

  1. I do hope you share more about your time there. I didn't live there for 11 years, but I did do a private exchange when I was in high school and got to spend time in this city on two different trips to France. I dream of going back now that I'm older.

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  2. Wow eleven years! This post made my heart flutter Adrienne... the photos are just wonderful and timeless and fill me with a sweeping nostalgia, the thought that this will be my family one day, looking at our younger selves in Paris... I can hardly wait to hear more and see more from your many seasons here. Thank you kindly for the mention and for sharing your memories and experiences in this magical city, the one we have a shared love for, the one I'm still at times struggling to get used to... xo

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  3. Europe in the Springtime is a beautiful place to be! How wonderful for you to have all those years of treasured memories. I look forward to seeing more.

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  4. Now you know I'm going to cry because I totally get your heart in these. Not only is Paris beautiful on its own (I'm guessing), but the place where we raise our babies in those first years are just even more special. So many memories against a unique backdrop. I love these in film because it adds to the nostalgia and emotion of these. Ugh, big o' lump in my throat now.

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  5. What beautiful memories and photos.

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  6. I'll take Paris anytime! These are lovely photos, such memories to treasure.

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  7. What amazing pictures and memories! Spring in Paris just sounds amazing.

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  8. Can't wait to see more. My son just got approved to study in Paris for all of his junior year.
    May@AchievingClarity

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  9. this is just too beautiful! what sweet, tender memories against such a beautiful backdrop. x and kim's comment gave me a lump in my throat too...

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  10. You can be in Paris and still your main focus is the little ones......that sure does say a lot about mom and dad. They are always the center of our world!!

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  11. Oh gosh I love every single picture here! The irony of you capturing life in front of the grand places and how it seems to make them more grand and your sweet time there even more wonderful looking through the older photographs. I cannot imagine living in a foreign country. It must have been quite an adventure. I do hope you share more.

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  12. Wow! What an amazing journey your family has had. I didn't realize how much of your life was spent living in that beautiful city. Someday I hope to visit!

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