Paris Week 5: S’mores, Magnolias & Clay

The last day spent in Rennes was my favorite. We went to church there Sunday and I got to see all my friends I met four years ago and have since missed!!

Walking into that building was yet another moment of nostalgia as I saw familiar faces, reconnected and chatted with them. I was sure they wouldn’t remember me as well as I remembered them since there were so many missionaries in that city at once, but was surprised when so many of them did! They even announced over the pulpit that I was there, haha! 

Seeing Old Friends

Church was wonderful, and in classic Rennes fashion, Alex and I were invited to a potluck with some of the families at the church afterwards. It was absolutely perfect. We went home to freshen up and then right back out to head to the Olivier Family’s home to enjoy the evening. Seeing them was the highlight. I spent a lot of time with their family all those years ago. 

As a missionary, their family organized a s’mores night to celebrate my birthday and his as they were on the same day! So flash forward to now, they surprised us with another s’mores night! It was so thoughtful of them. Their little kiddos have gotten so much older, specifically their little four year old who had just been born at the time.

That night was filled with games of tag, red-light green-light…running and capturing that cute little girl in my arms. Endless energy. Endless magic.

Being in Rennes reminded me of the lessons I learned there: how to work through and accept body changes, how to adapt and be flexible, and how to rely on God.

So coming back home was hard, but necessary. 

Versailles 

The next day we ran over to the Versailles Gardens! It was mine and Alex’s first time riding a tandem bike, and thankfully we were a successful team and really enjoyed it! I loved seeing the statues and biking near the water. We grabbed some food at a cafe in the park, then laid out our picnic blanket for a brief rest before going to the temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I loved being there, it felt like home away from home.

Roland Garros & Netflix 

Friday morning I went to help shoot a beautiful elopement in Paris for my internship! It was stunning and the couple was so sweet! Alex had left to go spend the day at Roland Garros, a complete dream for him! He loves tennis, and after explaining it to me I can see why he likes it! It’s “a vibe.” White and cream clothing, a bright clay court, the best tennis players in the world…pretty cool! 

After making my way home from the ceremony, stopping to soak in sights of Paris in the rain—my favorite— I went home and snuggled up in blankets for a long afternoon of sweet nothing! Intense Raspberry dark chocolate bar, Sweet Magnolia on Netflix, and a whole two seasons to binge. Heaven. 

Something I’ve learned during this time here is that it’s important to make time for alone time. I try to have “no touch days” which means I schedule out an entire day a week where no plans could be made, no photos edited, no homework done, and this was one of those impromptu “no touch afternoons.”

It was such a great way to end a busy and energetic week! 

I love you all,

Alexa