Our Frugal Dream Trip to France! The Adventure Begins…

This summer we traveled to France with our four daughters, ages 2,  4 turning 5, 10, and 12. I am carrying the prayer intentions many of you have entrusted to me in an envelope in my purse, which I bring to the shrines and sanctuaries we visit. I kneel or stand, pull it out and set it before the altar, statue, or relics, or simply hold it up, offering up prayer for all of you.

We have dreamed and talked and planned for this trip for about six years. I’ve been meaning to start blogging for ages and I was inspired to share the trip with you. It is a gift to be here, and I want to share it with you. From puzzling kitchen implements in charming rental houses to what to do when your toddler wets her pants behind Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, I’ll share our highs, lows, faux pas, and surprise once-in-a-lifetime blessings. Such as feeding our girls darling, tasty pâtisseries in a garden of roses at 8:15 am on a Sunday morning in front of the Carmelite monastery where the relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux lie–because I got the Mass time wrong, and we had 45 minutes to kill. Such as showing up to the train station in Paris to pick up our rental car, only to discover we went to the wrong train station! Fortunately, the whole day was saved through the truly chivalrous customer service of the rental car rep. Such as learning, last-minute, that we would be touring the private Parisian residence of Servant of God (future Saint!) Jerome Lejeune, the pro-life geneticist who discovered the chromosomal abnormality responsible for Downs Syndrome. (The tour was led by his wife, Birthe, who lives there still.)

Our first two weeks have been incredible, and we still have five days left! Our trip through France is pure gift. Our journey through life is a complete gift, too. “Tout est grâce” (St. Thérèse). This blog is my thank-you card. Follow along, and bonne route!