the au revoirs begin...

All month, I've been saying au revoir to my friends. Lunches, dinners, mid-afternoon coffee... at the beginning, it didn't seem like a big deal. I mean, I wasn't leaving until August, right? So the finality of saying "see ya" didn't have much of an effect on me. Then I had dinner with Jeanne, the amazing young woman who taught with me last year. It was a mutual goodbye, because she's seeking new adventures in New York. In fact, she's already there, having job interviews and has jump-started this new chapter in her life. We decided it was, in a way, easier to say goodbye because neither of us will be at Classen this fall, so we won't feel each other's absence in that way. But for the same reason, saying goodbye was suddenly more...emotional.

Last night was an even more difficult goodbye. After moving to Oklahoma City nearly 10 years ago, I joined a French conversation group. Over the years, it has grown from 12 members when I first went to Bill Kruse's house and personal phone calls each week announcing where we'd meet, to an e-mail group of over 40 members. Most of the original members no longer attend, and Bill lost his fight against cancer earlier this year. Through graduate school, National Board Certification and changing jobs, I've still been faithfully attending. For the past 3 years, I have held the role of e-mail queen. This group has been one of the most constant things in my life, so you can imagine how touched I was that my dear friends Dody and Tracey organized a bon voyage party for me last night. I was overwhelmed with the number of people in attendance...people I haven't seen in years were there, as well as many new friends. They armed me with Oklahoma items to take to France: Centennial lapel pins, other pins, flags, teeny-tiny rose rocks and an Oklahoma history book. I also received several travel items, including items to help me be a more organized packer (how did Kelsey know?) and journals to record my adventures. Finally, Eliane presented me with the most meaningful gift: my very first santon that she picked up during her recent trip to the south of France. (I'll include a lesson on santons later). Last night's celebration, complete with an Eiffel Tower cake from Ruth's Sweete Justice, really made my impending departure seem much more real. Telling people I hope to leave in three weeks...THREE WEEKS...has really made the excitement (and anxiety) build!