France, Day 14

Day 14, Sunday.
Change of plans- the last day.

We had planned to attend worship at the church Jeremy grew up in, hit the grocery store there in town and pack but since our day had been completely derailed on Saturday we decided to return to Paris. The only thing on the agenda? Shopping. The day before had been warm and perfectly beautiful, Sunday ushered in a cold, wet and very windy day. Of course it did, we planned to be walking and shopping, not sitting around over coffee chatting with friends and sharing meals. We’re brave tourists though and it was time for bargain hunting. The promise of warm crepes motivating us we pressed on to find the rows of competing souvenir shops and stocked up on postcards, tiny Eiffel Towers, prints, coasters, t-shirts, pencils and Christmas ornaments. It was freezing and it took all day but it was nice to just be the two of us. Walking hand in hand or huddled together against the wind and rain we gradually added to our bundles, checking off our list as we went. This was first day I really felt like I was in the third trimester with my first experience this pregnancy with sciatic nerve pain and the feeling of a bowling ball sitting on my pelvic bone, I was grateful we could take our time and this was the end of the trip rather than the beginning. As the day wore on I became aware of my pregnant waddle and the feeling that my tail bone was getting bruised from the inside. I took every opportunity to sit and when we got our crepes to warm up I huddled up with mine soaking in the warmth and the rest. We saw Notre Dame for the last time this trip, the Sein looking stormy and grey, the equivilant of the supreme court, the mayor’s office and a few other favorite spots. Even though what we really wanted was to stay here, not as tourists but to live with our family, we both felt ready to go. Nearly every time I saw a little girl I felt on the verge of tears missing my girls so much and though the beauty of Paris can’t really be diminished it also couldn’t replace the ache I felt for my children. And so it was with a sigh we said farewell to this city we feel so burdened for and at home in to head home where 4 little girls who are the highest calling in our lives at this time wait for us. I can’t wait to see and hold them. Au revoir Paris, we will return soon, God willing.