Never Too Old To Play Dress-up

I have recently discovered that even though I am not so much of a “home-body,” I am what someone would call a “family-body.”  I find that the presence of a loving family (even though it may not be my own) has such a comforting and almost addicting effect to which I am constantly attracted.  For example, usually I would be scared to death to go over to Benoit’s family’s house or even to spend the weekend at my host family’s beach house knowing that the whole entire family would be there.  But for some reason, I crave this unique and loving sense of closeness that seems not to be missing, but possibly temporary displaced in my life here in France.  With my own family being thousands of miles away across the ocean and me no longer being a part of a host family exchange program as I was two years ago, coming home to an empty house or finding my beloved Benoit sitting at our kitchen table eating the American junk food I had brought him is not something I would call disappointing in the least, but just different.   Therefore, at this moment in my life, I refuse to reject any convivial invitation (sorry if these are too big of words Aunt Karen lol).

Anyway, last night Benoit called his mother to see if we could pass by and possibly find a hat for me to wear to the wedding this weekend amongst her thousands that she herself no longer wears.  Now, thousands is a bit of an overstatement; however, I have never seen so many hatboxes nor a whole walk-in closet devoted to such beautiful treasures in my life.  She told me to bring along my dress and shoes with which we would coordinate the hat according to its size, style, and color.  Both of Benoit’s sisters, Marie-Alix and Nelowuen, had returned home from their Girl Scout camp and of course were particularly delighted to dress-up their brother’s American girlfriend in fabulous French dresses, hats, and jewelry.  I mean the works.  His mother even had me try on her dresses that she had worn at my age because, ironically, we were the same size.  By nine o’clock, Benoît and I were leaving with my full outfit for Saturday, including a hat, strings of pearls, earrings, a shawl, and a purse, in addition to a dress that I will wear to the wedding in September. 

Here it is, the infamous French wedding hat!