Our Bon Voyage Party: May 2nd 2010

(Note about the message on the cake to all you Francophiles: you might think it should say, "Bon Voyage and Bon Chance," but the "Bon Jour" is a special shout out to Tiny Flora).

Among our many blessings, we have a very loving group of friends and family who came together yesterday on an unseasonably hot spring afternoon to wish us luck and to say farewell. I haven't felt so much love since my wedding day. There were so many of the people I love in one place, for one reason: us. I felt like Sally Field winning the Oscar; "You like me. You really like me." It was magical, in spite of the fact that I had a wicked case of postpartum sweats, Addy was sleep-deprived and acting like an under-medicated mental patient, and Stefan and I were both at the end of our ropes from having been living out of our car for three days.

I would like to take a moment to directly thank my cousins, Meghan, Fred, Liz and Rob for hosting the wonderful affair. I would also like to thank everyone who drove HOURS to celebrate with us (especially the lovely Mike Brautigan who drove 4 hours each way). We are so touched. Knowing we have this community of people at "home," gives me the confidence and strength I need to raise my family under the unusual circumstances created by the Foreign Service.

More so than saying "goodbye," the party provided an opportunity to take stock of what we have in these people and relationships. It put it all in one place, so we could effectively count our blessings. This village, our village, is one that will keep us going and will keep us coming back. As Stefan and I held each other's hand and made a wish as we blew out the above pictured candles, I felt my heart swell with the knowledge that there was nothing left to wish for. At that perfect moment, I had it all... everything I could ever want.