Shunta is my friend. I don't know how she found me (how do any of us find each other, really?) but she started commenting on the blog. And I responded to her comments. Then she'd email me. And I'd answer. Then I'd email her. And she answered. And before you knew it, a friendship had grown. It blossomed, like the prettiest flower.
This is what our friendship looks like.
Shunta has helped me cook, she was one of my trusted advisers when I was decorating the nursery, she's offered fashion tips and she's pretty much my go-to chick! And lest you think I just take take take, *I* get to be her natural birth resource! Oh yeah, my chest is a little swole right now.
One day Shunta told me she'd gotten something for the baby. I was so touched - seriously, I'm not worthy. She asked me to pick out some fabrics from the Etsy store it came from, but not to peek at what the lady made. I did not peek because I am an excellent surprisee. However, it was a little difficult picking fabrics for something when I had no idea what the end product was going to be. I thought it might be a patchwork stuffed animal so I picked the prettiest ones and crossed my fingers.
Last week a package arrived from her and it was kind of flat so I was confused. No patchwork stuffed animal?? Then I opened it and it was even better!
A book for the baby's library!! Remember how I did that for the baby shower??
And letters!!
Remember the magnetic refrigerator letters you used to play with as a kid? Well, the 21st century version is handmade, fabric and way more awesome!!
I first saw them - where else? - on Young House Love when they got them for their baby. I thought they were cute, I thought I'd like to have some when I had a kid, and promptly forgot about them.
Until I opened the package and started jumping up and down squealing "OhmygoshtheYoungHouseLoveletters! Sofia look! Shunta got you the Young House Love letters! Aren't they so cute! Oh my goodness! This is so great! How awesome! Aren't they so pretty!" And then I promptly set up for a little photoshoot.
Oops, forgot the book
There we go!
It took me a second to figure out how to put her name and 'thank you' in the same picture. I was going to put 'danke' but 'merci' is so much prettier! Besides, I speak French not German.
Donc, je vous remercie beaucoup pour les cadeux si gentils et aussi pour l'amitié que vous m'avez donné. J'ai beacoup de la chance d'avoir une amie comme vous!
God bless, I'm rusty! I hope that said 'Thank you so much for such sweet/thoughtful gifts, as well as the friendship you've given me. I'm lucky to have a friend like you!
My point is, Shunta is awesome and having her as a friend gets a spot in the column 'things I've done right in my life.'
Thanks girl!
So cute!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
ReplyDeleteAwww that is very sweet of her
ReplyDeleteLOL, well, my French is rusty too, but that's exactly how I'd have written that sentence, so your French is at least good enough for rusty American French speakers to understand. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet gift!
GIRL!! If you trying to get me to tear up at work, job well done!! This is just so nice and too much! I absolutely LOVE the pic of Sofia with the letters!!! I thought it'd be another year or so before I got to see her with them, but look at you! Love it!! This is just too much! Too nice! Thank you!! And!! I met you through YHL actually!! It was this post http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/07/reader-redesign-dresser-deja-vu/ that posted on YHL July 13, 2010 that first introduced me to you! And your blog! I came over here to visit your blog that day and then came back to read more and more and more and then…boom I was hooked!! So, that’s where I came from and I’m not going away! :-) Thanks again for such a super sweet post. I’mma read it at least 10 more times today and tear up again.
ReplyDeletewhen i saw the post title, my first thought was that your trip was to Paris! that would be cool. the letters are cute. where are you going to put them? i started to get some for A, but for some reason the front of our fridge is not magnetized. i may hide a layer of magnetized paint under the paint in one corner of her room so that she can play around with them.
ReplyDeleteHi Desiree!
ReplyDeleteI think I left a comment only once but I couldn't miss this opportunity since I'm French and I LOVE your blog. I found it via youghouselove actually and grew attached to your funny and sweet personality and wonderful writing style.
AND you speak French?!! ;-)
I've been living in the US (Mass) for 6 years now. I came here (from Paris) for love (what else?) and now am married and have a 4 -year-old boy.
Your French sentence is great except that you should have used the "tu" instead of "vous", since you're talking to a friend (don't mean to play the teacher here but couldn't help it) ;-)
Anyway. Your blog is great, I really really enjoy reading it.
Hélène.
See, I was taught that you weren't supposed to 'tutoyer' with anyone but immediate family. I remember my professor telling me about a friend her mom had and they knew each other for like 25 years but not once did she ever hear them use 'tu' with each other.
ReplyDeleteHowever, since I have it from the French authority (you) ;-), then I'll definitely use 'tu!' It sounds better to my ears anyway. :-)
For now, they'll probably go on the fridge. When she gets a little older, I'll definitely do a spot of magnetized primer somewhere in her room.
ReplyDeleteYour hair is so pretty....can I have a hug? :-)
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was in college typing my French papers and my fingers would fly over the keyboard just as quickly as typing English! I used to pride myself on not having to check Word Reference or anything!
ReplyDeleteNow, those couple of sentences had me tripping all over the place! Good thing I kept most of my textbooks, I so need a refresher!
I also just realized that I couldn't have used 'danke' anyway because there's an 'a' in it. So it had to be 'merci!'
ReplyDeleteYOUR hair is so pretty!! Can I have a hug? And touch your hair?! And hold your baby girl?!! :-D
ReplyDeleteDesiree you do such an awesome job of letting your friends know how much you appreciate them. You feel lucky but so do we for getting to know you and you letting us in to your life. I appreciate you. I'm glad I've met you and I hope to continue a friendship with you moving forward( that part sounds hella professional. Forgive me lol)
ReplyDeleteOh, this is BS!!! Of course you can "tutoyer" your friends, and even people you don't really know, as long as they are kind of the same age as you and not in a professional or hierarchical environment.
ReplyDeleteFor example, if I were to address you in French, I would definitely use “tu”.
The only situation where I can imagine your teacher would have been right is if those two friends belonged to some kind of aristocratic families where the tutoiement would not be allowed. Other than that, this sounds totally wrong to me (the French authority ;-)).
Oh well.
En tout cas, j’adore TON (not votre) blog et merci de m’avoir répondu :-).