I don’t even know where to start about describing my day. It was hysterical and full of so many fun things. It’s 11:15pm and I just got home a little while ago. It was a long evening, but so fun, and so worth it. Well, I got up at 10:30 and went upstairs, kissed Noa, and told him Happy Birthday. I then told him that we’re the coolest people in the house because we both have birthdays in August, and that’s the best month in the year. Salome rolled her eyes at me claiming that March was the best, but dropped the subject to give Noa his moment of glory. We had a dance party in the living room because Noa turning 4 means “no more naps” in the afternoons! He’s now a real big boy and that deserved celebrating! We cranked the music, stomped feet, and all around had a fun 15 minutes of dancing. I had breakfast again with the kids and David like yesterday and then headed downstairs to shower.

When I came back up I told them I was heading back into paris today (and was going to try to not spend any money) and they said sounds good because they were all off to the toy store to get Noa’s birthday present. Well I really wanted to go to the other Breakfast in America diner (there’s two in Paris) because they have the cheapest coffee around (and you get refills). So I headed in the direction of the BIA diner and once arriving saw that the line was out the door. I thought “ok well fine, I’ll just go to a park and read” (since that’s all I wanted to do anyway). I walked around the area and came close to “place des voges” but then guess what happened? It started to rain. Well I headed back in the direction of the diner (where there were other cafes to go to) and stumbled upon a wine shop. Needing to buy a bottle of wine as a gift for someone at home (and now being able to transport alcohol legally back to the States…since I’m now 21) went in. I talked to the man in the shop for a while and he showed me his favorites. I bought one of his recommendations and then headed back into the rain. While passing by the BIA for a second time the line had gone down.

I waited in line and was seated 10 minutes later. I kind of felt bad talking up a table for two (being alone and all) but I really wanted to read, so I sat there for a while. I explained to two French girls what cream cheese was (since it doesn’t exist here in France) once they saw me put it on my bagel. There were a lot of English speakers in the place but it didn’t bug me too much today since I was immersed in my French novel. Well after the table beside me had gone through 3 different sets of customers I thought maybe I should leave. The place was still super busy and I was really beginning to feel bad for taking up a whole table to myself. But just then as I was about to ask for the check the waitor came and refilled my coffee cup. Not wanting to waste the coffee I stayed to drink it. While drinking my 3rd cup of coffee, a really good smelling guy came in and sat at the table next to me. Y’all he smelled so good. I was about ready to tell him when another guy came in and sat down across from him. This other guy was was really handsome and I thought “these guys have got to be gay”. I eavesdropped on their conversation a little (while pretending to read my book) and realized that they not only were speaking English, but that the man sitting next to me (the good smelling one) had a funny accent. I could tell it wasn’t French, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

After watching the handsome guy hit on the waitress I realized he wasn’t gay. However, his friend, the one sitting next to me definitely was. At one point I put my book down to check my phone for the time and when I put my phone down the handsome guy asked what my book was about. He asked in French since he realized my book was written in French, and I immediately said ‘I speak English”. Well the funny thing is, my book is called “les garcons qui tremblent” which means “the boys that tremble”. Haha. (The story is about a boy in love with a girl out of his ranking; it’s his boss’ granddaughter. She’s super rich and he’s poor.) The title, I explained to the guys at the table next to me meant that boys in love with girls who don’t speak up about their love are just scardey-cat “trembling” boys. Well, that’s how my conversation started with Joshua and Daniel (whose names I found out later in conversation) and it didn’t end till 9pm.

Well, Joshua, (the handsome one) turned out to be 27, though he looked younger, and was American. His family’s from Virginia and he’s been living and working in Paris for the past 4 years. He’s a pastor’s son, though he doesn’t claim to believe in God anymore. Daniel, the gay one, really is gay, 24, and is from South Africa. He is working in Paris as well and the two guys are friends through other friends. Well, I told them all about me too and we really did talk for hours. They were both really nice guys and a breath of fresh air for me in comparision to all the French I’ve come in contact with this summer. We sat at the diner and continued to drink coffee till after 6 talking about everything from God, to religion, to evolution, to the Church’s perspective on gays, to living in France/America/Africa, to school, to reading (Daniel loves to read like me and Joshua just published his first book 4 weeks ago), to work/jobs, to purity, to birthdays, to growing up and getting married (Daniel has agreed to design my wedding dress for me….you know, years from now), etc. We talked about everything from here to the moon. I really think God kept me in that diner reading my book just so I could talk to both of those guys this afternoon. The funny/ironic thing is that Daniel was more open to talking about God than Joshua was. They thought it was cool that I was an outspoken Christian and so firm in my beliefs. It was funny too because normally I’m hesitant to talking about God. Especially to complete strangers. Knowing that Joshua was a pastor’s kid made me think that I wasn’t alone being the “christian” at the table, especially because he noticed my “true love waits” ring and told me that he had a TLW tshirt back in the day. But then, he told me that since college he hasn’t really had a relationship with God. It was really sad and I wanted to keep talking to him about it but finally around 6:30 we left the diner. We didn’t part ways though. I felt so comfortable with these guys; they were kind of like my big brothers for the day.

Daniel made me (not that I had anything better to do) walk a few streets over to show me where he works. He really is a fashion designer (and really does want to design my wedding dress) and while at his work I met some of their friends. He introduced me as Miss America and the girls looked at him seriously for a second thinking “really”? They then looked at me and I just said “today’s my ugly day”. Both girls laughed and then realized we were joking. I just kept thinking “man, I wish I had met these two guys back in May” (I wish I had had more friends in Paris). After seeing his work we decided to go walk along the Seine. While heading that direction we passed by this one restaurant and Daniel said “hold on one second”. He ran in to find a friend (who happened to just be getting off work right then at 7) who joined us for our walk. Once again I was introduced as Miss America. She, her name was Ruth, was also an English speaker and was from England. She was really sweet and the four of us, after walking for a little while went out for drinks. No one was hungry, so we went to this one bar that Joshua knew of where all drinks were 5 euro. It was great.

While walking there Ruth and I talked for a while. She like me, is studying French in University and has to do 6 months abroad. That’s why she’s here, though she plans to come back next year too. She was really surprised to find out that a semester abroad wasn’t a mandatory thing for my French minor. When we got to the bar I sat next to Joshua, and since Daniel was the only one that knew Ruth (prior to tonight), he sat next to her. The two of them left after finishing their drink and though Joshua and I had also finished our drinks around the same time we decided to stay and talk. It’s really funny because our conversation was all about how when we were little our parents sent us both to church camp every summer. Though his was in PA and mine in NH we both has similar memories. I felt like he really really wanted to talk about God (to another Christian) and for having just met him today, he opened up to me a lot about his reservations about really letting God back into his heart. It was an intense conversation. When Ruth and Daniel left, though I wanted to leave too to head home and eat I stayed to listen to Joshua. He asked if I wanted another drink, but knowing I’m a lightweight, I stopped after the one. He said “you’re in good hands. if you want another drink order another”. It was really sweet of him (like I said I swear these two guys could really be my big brothers) and I totally believed him, but I knew I shouldn’t drink another. Well, he walked me back to my metro and while passing a sign for a restaurant that said “best fondue in France” he asked me when I was leaving again. I told him bright and early Wednesday. He said “You have to go out for Fondue with me before you leave Wednesday, I know the best place!” I hesitantly laughed and he said “I know you’re thinking you shouldn’t because you have a boyfriend (whom I had told both boys about) but I promise it will be an unpromiscous low key night”. I laughed when he said that and said I’d think about it and then send him a message on Facebook. Well, we departed ways there at the metro and when I got home I ate a sandwich and then came downstairs to blog. I found both of the guys on Facebook (since they had given me both their last names) and I now am friends with two really cool French guys. Overall it was a great day: I met two new Parisian friends, got to witness to two unbelievers about God, and had “drinks” with friends for the first time ever (cause I’m an “adult” now that I’m 21)!