Our Weekend in Strasbourg

I know I haven't posted in over two weeks.   I have a good excuse though.   Three days after we returned from our Memorial Day family trip to Strasbourg, Peter was offered an opportunity at the US Embassy Paris to lead the D-Day Veteran's Support Center in Normandy during the week of festivities that were scheduled to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the landing.   It was an offer way too special to refuse, so we packed and organized in less than 24 hours and were on a train to Paris before we knew it.   We just returned yesterday morning and I plan to post a really long blog with all the pictures and commentary of the trip later in the week.   But as a little sneak peak, I have to go ahead and share this video of the newest celebrity of Normandy.

Now, back to our Strasbourg trip......We had beautiful weather, delicious food, and happy reunions with old friends.    I even got to celebrate Mother's Day for a second time as that Sunday was the French version, La Fete des Meres.   Here are some of the highlights....

We stayed in a great little apartment in our old neighborhood.   Place de la Republique with La Cathedral in the background. 

Susannah is getting pretty handy with the iphone camera.

We had reservations at our favorite lunch spot, a café at the Opera.

Peter had steak tartare of course.

The blue sky with all the green trees made us so happy to be back.

We spent some time at the playground of course.

And then we headed over to visit the Dr. Jeanmougin, so Susannah could meet the guy who brought her into this world.   He was so happy to see us and invited us into his office for coffee.  

The next day we headed to Monkey Mountain, a monkey refuge thirty minutes outside of Strasbourg.   Susannah LOVED it.

She didn't hesitate for a minute.

I think Peter and I were more hesitant than she was.

It was such fun.

All smiles.



Those monkeys love popcorn!

Susannah especially liked seeing the babies. 

Monkey Mountain is located right in the middle of Alsace's wine region, so after a nice lunch, we headed to a local spot to buy Peter his birthday present.  

We had been to this place to taste before and remembered this sweet and ancient dog.  Susannah loved him, of course.

Peter picked out a few reds and whites to bring back to Stuttgart.

 We had dinner that night with our old friends, James and Murielle.   As a surprise, they invited other friends, Andre and Eloise, to join us.   This was extra special because Eloise and I were pregnant at the same time 4 years ago and had our baby shower right here in this apartment.  



It was so fun to watch these two beautiful little girls playing in the same spot where they had been celebrated before they were even born. 

They had so much fun.

Really.   So much.

 

Eloise has already had her second baby, a boy.   So thankful to have the opportunity to see these people again.

Happy 2nd Mother's Day to me!!  ;)   Dressed and ready for church.

After an amazing worship service at Trinity, our old church, we had lunch with some friends at one of our favorite restaurants. 

Pascale and Ruth were as beautiful and sweet as ever.  

They say you can never go home again, but our weekend in Strasbourg sure did feel like going home, and it was wonderful.    We can't wait to go back again.   Stayed tuned for a post later in the week with all the stories from our 10 day French adventure.   We miss you and love you all!