My Swiss Family

In French there is a saying:

Loin des yeux, loin du coeur

(Translation: far from the eyes, far from the heart)

You know, "out of sight, out of mind", but more elegantly.

However, it is completely and utterly wrong.

I miss sitting between my two petits escargots d'amour at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
I miss reading stories at bath time.
I miss long chats late at night over cups of tea and apple pie.
I miss the mixture of two languages in every conversation.
I miss "et moi aussi!" and "on fait quoi maintenant?"
I miss the crazy stories of past travels and jobs and people.
I miss long afternoons drawing things and painting pictures.
I miss two blonde heads giggling in the balançoire.
I miss picnics in the garden.
I miss always needing three pairs of gloves to clean the bathroom, because of four extra hands that love to use the cleaning spray.
I miss taking silly Photobooth pictures in our pajamas.
I miss the nightly hunts for Dino the stuffed toy with his chewed off tail.


I even miss the cat.

And I miss this lovely, lovely house.

But most of all, I miss these cheeky grins.

I miss them so much my heart hurts.

I still dream in French.

I still wake up, and in that moment before opening my eyes, hear a noise that makes me think of a little boy clomping up the steps, in soccer cleats too big.  Or a muffled laugh, that makes me think of a little girl who's just climbed into bed with her maman and papa.

Eyes still closed, I turn my head but don't feel the morning sun on my face. Something's off.

And then I remember: these windows face west.  I'm not there anymore.  

Thank you.

Thank you for opening your home and your heart and giving some strange American girl a taste of life in another part of the world. 

Thank you for the laughs, the memories, the recipes, the language, and the life experience. 

Thank you for being willing to let me in and being willing to let me go. 

I miss you.

I love you.

And I hope with every fiber of my being to see you again one day soon.

For all the days until then, toute-bonne!

Bisous xx