Happy 19th Birthday, Lauren!

Although it's still September 20th here in the U.S., in France it's September 21st, and is Lauren's birthday. She is 19 today and no mother could be more proud of her daughter than I am of Lauren. She's beautiful, intelligent, articulate, compassionate, loving, kind, generous, and downright fun to be around. And her absence is quite conspicuous in our home today.

Happy 19th birthday, Lauren. We love you.