Made It

So happy to report that after seemingly endless layovers in weird cities, two separate occasions of emptying the contents of my stomach, a few totally sleepless nights, and a quick jaunt over to Geneva...

We made it to Paris.

I took all these pictures from MJ, my beautiful sister-in-law. She and Brian have been perfectly kind and hospitable to us. Their apartment has windows overlooking the Seine.

It's Katie's first trip to Paris, and it's fun to look over and count the times her breath catches in her throat as she takes in this magical city for the first time.

The weather has been incroyable. I can't believe our good fortune. I also can't believe that all I packed was long pants and sweaters.

I am unbelievably happy. It's been such a long time since we've taken a vacation as extravagant as this (usually our outings are just a drive through the Alpine Loop). This city is extraordinary. I'm soaking in every moment like a sponge and trying not to think about leaving next week.

Trying to take in as much as I can and lock it away so six months from now, on a bitter and cold day in Midvale, Utah, on a particularly hard day with my students where I feel drained of life and happiness, I can recall these moments here with precision - the way Paris looks and feels and smells - and feel grateful that I was lucky enough to go, lucky enough to be enriched by this city, even for just a little while.