“As I was growing up, I imagined that one day I would be a writer and travel the world covering stories in war zones. My own mother stayed at home with my two brothers and me, and I knew I didn’t want to be like her. I wanted to have a purpose in life, and that did not include children. Things changed though when my husband and I had Sarah. My job ended three weeks after she was born, and I didn’t go back to work. Then our son came along. If someone had told me five years ago that I would be staying at home with two children and volunteering with nonprofits, I wouldn’t have believed them. It’s so natural though. I look back on the great childhood I had, how I was loved and cherished, how my mother cooked such wonderful meals and did so much for our family, and I realize that not every household is that way. I came to understand that Mom wanted to stay home with us; it wasn’t that she had no choice. My husband and I are from France and moved to the U.S. ten years ago, so I only get to see Mom every 2 or 3 years, but I relate to her and appreciate her now more than I ever have. Life has a funny way of changing your mind about what is important.
“Sarah goes to PreK in the mornings, and I teach her in the afternoons. We only speak French at home, so she’s growing up bilingual. It’s very important to us that our children be able to communicate with grandparents and cousins back in France. When we visited for two months last summer, Sarah was so excited. She ran in from playing and said, ‘Mommy, all the kids here speak French!’ She loved it. I think knowing more than one language helps her to be more open-minded. I don’t want her to lose that.”
“Sarah goes to PreK in the mornings, and I teach her in the afternoons. We only speak French at home, so she’s growing up bilingual. It’s very important to us that our children be able to communicate with grandparents and cousins back in France. When we visited for two months last summer, Sarah was so excited. She ran in from playing and said, ‘Mommy, all the kids here speak French!’ She loved it. I think knowing more than one language helps her to be more open-minded. I don’t want her to lose that.”
Gaelle Lespinasse-Llambi's husband's research job with St. Jude brought the family from France to the U.S. in 2005. Gaelle studied both English and Spanish in France and now volunteers with Centro Cultural organizing art, theater, and dance classes for the community. She also helps to organize the annual Day of the Dead Festival and speaks to school groups about the richness of Hispanic culture and heritage.
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