Visiting a Princess!

 I have the most amazing news to share!!!  Soon, I will be visiting a Princess in England!  That is, our princess or as we've ALWAYS told her....."you are a Princess!"  I adore that line from one of my very favorite films.....Sabrina!  Kara has her own beautiful story that is as interesting as Sabrina's!  Kara studied abroad the first semester of her junior year as a university student!  She was only there a few days when she met a young man and soon he became the love of her life!   After the semester ended, trips back and forth across the Atlantic kept their romance alive until they could part no more! So, after a surprise proposal in Central Park in New York City,  they were married in a beautiful ceremony last May at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel off the coast of Georgia!  It was a beautiful dream come true wedding for Kara and Philip and their families!   I have not had the opportunity to visit her yet, until now......


Through the years of educational pursuits of our own and those of our five children, our gifts to them were travel and dreams fulfilled and accomplished through obtaining their university degrees.  As they each have  had their own dreams, mine has always been to travel abroad to the places that I enjoy reading about and dream about going!  In April, I will be traveling to visit our princess in  England for a week and a half before traveling with her and my sister into France!  We will be traveling together in Paris and then on to the Provence region ~ a place that I only dreamed of going until recently!  What I am most looking forward to is sharing this precious time with our daughter and her husband.  His family lives in the west country of Dorset, England and the beauty of that region has long held my interest due to the famed author, Thomas Hardy of the book and film Far From the Madding Crowd!  During my stay there, one of Philip's brothers will be celebrating a birthday so I look forward to this celebration and seeing the lovely town where Philip grew up. He comes from a very close-knit British family.  My heart if full of thankfulness for this gift to visit my daughter.


Thankfulness is cultivated in an open heart.  One that yields to our Heavenly Father for we are such earthly children most often seeking our own way on our path of life.........the paths' that He leads us on are full of His fragrant blessings.  "You will show me the path of life; In Your Presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  Psalm 16:11   It's interesting to me that Kara and Philip live in a town that is in her words are....."full of beautiful old churches that you will love." (her exact words to me)  And one of the French towns that we've chosen to see, Avignon, where Popes lived when they were exiled between 1309 and 1377.  It was once home to Cardinals and Archbishops. Can you just imagine the prayers that have gone UP from that region in times past.  It must indeed be a special place to see and visit.  Today the shop lined streets of old Avignon are spectacular, according to those who live there and have visited!  Yes, I am thankful to visit these beautiful places where others have walked and lived and enjoyed throughout hundreds of years!  We also plan to visit vineyards and taste the wine of the region and even dip our feet in the Mediterranean Sea!  I look forward to these magical moments shared with my daughter.....I only wish all my daughters' were going but ~one day!!!!! 


 On this path, there will be much to learn and enjoy and  I look forward to seeing the lights and beauty of London and Paris~ but nothing will be as beautiful as seeing my daughter's face posed beside a London phone booth and very soon afterwards.....sipping a cup of tea!   Yes, everyday is a gift!  Enjoy the path that you are on this day...... my friend!!!

"It is said that in order to see France in the most traditional form, you must travel outside of Paris and explore the distinctive charms of each region.  The essence of French savior-vivre is the enjoyment of daily rituals~eating, drinking, talking, dressing, and shopping!  People take pleasure in good  food and wine and conversation with friends!"   Descriptive words from a travel guide..........Sounds amazing!