Monday, January 31, 2011

OUR GIRL

Somewhere in the Bahamas


Casey, 22, in Miami.
When our daughter, Casey, graduated from college last month, we gave her a choice: we fly to Asheville for the ceremony or you and your French boyfriend fly to the Bahamas when we get there. She's a smart girl.

She rocked out a Bachelor of Arts with a major in French at University of North Carolina, Asheville, including two semesters at Université Catholique de l'Ouest in Angers, France. We sent her off to France, all of us weeping, a wide-eyed 20-year-old. She came home 10 months later, worldwise, sophisticated and beautifully fluent en Français.

To say we're proud of her sounds trite. To say more risks melting into a maudlin puddle. Let's just say she has grown up into the kind of woman I feel honored to count as a friend, witty, wise, intelligent, spiritual, talented, articulate, thoughtful, soul-deep beautiful, exactly the kind of woman you wish your daughter would grow up to be.

Our graduation gift to her begins today when she flies into Nassau from Miami with her boyfriend Remi to spend two weeks with us lolling around the Exumas, a well-deserved treat after years of study.

To say we were all excited does not in any way capture the moment. This might:

Remi and Casey being escorted to Cara Mia by the fine crew of S/V Malaika.
The entire anchorage rose to the occasion, planning a picnic and bonfire on a private beach for our two honored guests.

Guests of honor: Casey and Remi. Why are you dressed alike?!?!?

Packed parking lot.
Fire.
Just the beginning of two weeks of full-on fun.

Somewhere in the Bahamas




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