French Heaven

I have been an aficionado of the French language since the very first time I heard It. So, when I had a chance to study French in high school I jumped on it. I received an A for my performance in class but after graduation and into marriage the pursuit of my French language skills faded, but my love of the language and desire to speak fluently has never faded.

This beautiful French family of 6 arrived via invitation. They arrived at our home in Parisian style, each with their backpack of clothing, homeschooling necessities, personal bedding rolled up in the straps and each child caring a new skateboard. They were happy of heart and expressions when they entered our home, the oldest daughter, 13, expressed enthusiastically, “I love your house, I want one just like this when I’m older.” The children milled around momentarily gazing up our walls at my large Polynesian themed paintings, then the cathedral ceilings and gasped in surprise as they fully saw the looming elk head juxtaposing into the living room; not to be outdone by the sailfish hanging above the French doors. That in itself would become a remarkable memory for them, and they hadn’t even heard the story about the sailfish, but it does make for things children dream about when adventure fills their minds.

 I was in Heaven surrounded by French language spoken by adults and children. The children’s whispers and laughs camping out in the upstairs TV room, and filling up water balloons in the bathroom for the long surprising drop off the balcony to an unsuspecting sibling below was a joy. The happy rolling and scooting on their skateboards upstairs through the kitchen into the dining room and circling the sofa in front of the fireplace and down the long haul to the front door, and the absolutely never-ending adventure of these happy spirited children brought joy to our home.

 

The sweet late-night pleading in French, by the youngest daughter, to watch “a little movie”, as I was told later by the father, made me laugh. The late morning walks down to the beach with their hands full of beach paraphernalia which included two boogie boards, two skateboards and a beach bag full of assorted necessities, was a sight to behold. The beautiful and pleasant tradition of the eight of us praying and eating together around our outside deck or evenings of laughter, storytelling and bonding will be forever sweet.

 Cooking together in the kitchen was so memorable because Malé and Louie prepared their French meals at the kitchen island while ours we prepared at the counter next to the stove. Vegetables galore were cut up tossed and drizzled with a pleasant sauce before they made their way to the oven, careful preparation on the barbecue was also a regular event. The nights were a combination of happy dining and cleaning up, or afterwards bringing out a musical concerto with Tom on his flute, playing the Mexican hat dance, and Jim and I on the guitar singing in accompaniment. Well there were no words to sing but just expressions of happiness. The next song we ventured upon together was La Vie en Rose in French listening to it on YouTube to get the timing right. Oh, we all broke out in an English rendition. Tell me it is not a romantic evening singing with your friends in English to a typical French song. The one daughter made a video of her father singing this song and sent it immediately to his family before he had a clue what she was doing!

 In an old fashion style, we celebrated Louie’s birthday with party hats, balloons and horns! Jim and I experienced tremendous joy with this family as all the children we’re comfortable and happy in our beautiful beach home. We went out for a special night to enjoy sushi together which Louie and Male’ our friends loved. The four of us laughed over silly jokes but I think we realize we were simply happy to be out and eating sushi together, it was a cultural dessert.

 Their youngest daughter expressed to me that when I write her I must do it only in French! She bonded with me and presented me with a beautiful art card she had painted, Jim and I fishing from a boat but only my line had a huge fish on it! Then inside of the card she painted me surfing quite skillfully with long prose in French that was a very dear letter to us. Her father translated it for me, it was quite obvious that I was the apple of her eye with her words sweet and tender. She opened her greeting with, “You took us into your home and we felt just like family. You treated us like friends you had known for a long time.” She went on to express a full-page of happiness in our home and how she had experienced it and it was obvious her heart was a grateful heart, she is only five.

The evening before the family departed for the trip to Nubia, Africa, Louie expressed to me, “Shonda this was providential” in the context of them coming and staying with us for three weeks, it was providential. Louie and Malé extended a very warm invitation to Jim and I to come to Paris and visit them. In addition to this they Face-timed both their parents and introduced us to them. What an extremely warm family.

Yes, I do believe it was God’s plan that we should meet and have the love of God shared among us.

Shonda