we made it

...but, of course, with a few minor mishaps along the way. naturally, the day i decide to leave the country, the President is also visiting North Carolina and consequently, Air Force One leaves at the exact same time as my plane to Boston. Once boarded and settled around 3:45 (and at this point, I'm absolutely busting at the seams with excitement), all passengers were required to exit the plane due to a ground delay in Raleigh. We were told that we would re-board in an hour and forty two minutes. Funny how my plane was leaving from Boston to Paris in two and a half hours. There was no way I would make it and went into a semi-freak out mode. Okay, I went into pretty big freak out mode.

Luckily, after boarding and taking off earlier than originally planned after the re-boarding, mom and I landed in Boston at 6:20... with our plane to Paris departing at 6:50. After literally shoving other passengers out of the way, hitting an Indian woman across the face with my carry-on (it was an accident), and sprinting (a full-out, oh my god my chest hurts and I'm wearing Jack Rogers and I can't run) sprint across Boston Logan International Airport, we finally made it to our gate. Actually, we would have never made it in time if we hadn't of heard "last call for flight 3490 with nonstop service to Paris" across the intercom as soon as we rounded the corner and Kay literally let out a "WAIT FOR US" scream. I almost thought it wasn't real life... and I was a little embarrassed that she was my mother at that moment.

Seven, long hours later (Kay basically made my body her pillow and sprawled out while I slept sitting straight up- thanks, mom) we finally landed in Paris. After taking a cab to the cutest apartment in which we shall call home for the week, we decided to grab lunch in a small cafe (it was delicious) and explore the city for the rest of the afternoon.

Our first (and really only stop considering our jet-lag) was Notre Dame... which was absolutely beautiful. The detail and history that were within the church was unbelievable. Not only were areas open for confession, but crystals and crowns were on display, the sound of an organ filled the cathedral, and candles were lit encouraging prayer. Austen and I even signed the prayer book (a dramatic French woman told us to "write all of our dreams" down in the open book). The church itself was almost eery, but so incredibly beautiful and captivating at the same time.

After touring Notre Dame, we decided that, due to a lack of sleep, we would head back to the apartment, maybe stopping for dinner along the way. "Dinner" turned into stopping at Les Deux Magots (one of the most famous cafes in Paris) for a French cocktail called Kir (white wine or champagne mixed with liquor). Surprisingly, it was delicious and it actually made me fall asleep at the table (literally), while Austen attempted to look at all of the pictures she had taken earlier with one eye open and one eye closed... we were beginning to become delusional. Whoops.

Because we were all beginning to lose our minds, and were going on 30 hours with no sleep, dinner was a "French picnic" back at the apartment.

Now it is a whopping ten 'til ten and I am absolutely exhausted. Everyone else is already asleep... here I go to join them. The sun isn't even down yet and light is still shining through the sky lights, so wish me luck in falling asleep tonight without my box fan AND without the pitch black surrounding that I love. Excited for tomorrow, excited for the next week here in Paris, excited for the entire summer. Je t'amie!