Merry Christmas

This year we are going to focus on the true meaning of Christmas... we've said that so many times- that we are going to pare down, to give more, with a joyful heart. That we will stay slow, and lay low so that we can cherish every second of the season and focus more on what really matters.

Each year we start out with the goal, but party invitations and perfect gift ideas that become an obsessed quest for that one thing tend to take over quickly.  Our desire to bless the people we love with a little bit of extravagance takes our eyes off of the most extravagant of Gifts.  We don't say "No" even when we should- and we become frantic, shopping laden, traffic fighters.  The entire season that is Advent turns into mayhem.  We only get one season a year when twinkle lights are hung, strangers smile a little bit wider and sweet songs play in our heads all day long.  We bake our children's favorite treats, and pull tissue-wrapped memories out of boxes.

This year it's all wrapped up in a little tree for us.  We have been blessed to receive so much from the people whom God has brought into our lives during our move to Africa.  But the normal goals of my Christmas season, like waiting until after Thanksgiving to play Christmas music or put up a tree, got chucked out the window when we spent the season in a place that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving.  So- we give thanks daily.  Christmas may not be 'normal' but it will be full of love, and the 'normal' Christmas delights have blessed us every single day leading up to it.  So November had Christmas music and red paper napkins, and one strand of twinkly light that made my smile a little bit wider!

Aaron brought home our little tree while I was cooking a Thanksgiving meal to be shared with dear friends.  Dear people whom we met 116 days ago, as they walked into school fresh off the plane with 2 sweet babies who will be more African than American, even with their blonde curls and blue eyes.  As I was cooking that meal to be shared in Thanksgiving, Jesse came into the kitchen and got the aluminum foil- a precious commodity and I asked why.  He so matter of factly said- I have to make the nail.

So on a day of thanks, when my heart was struggling to say thanks, my 14 year old boy, called onto the mission field by God, only to learn that it would be a 3 year journey to get there- reminds me of the only part that matters.  The tree, which became the cross, into which my Savior was nailed.  His shed blood.  For me. Even under the candy canes and hair bows and the one stray ornament that they found in a box of donations to students at the school, Jesse saw the cross in our tree.  In the U.S, we had a steel nail that was the first ornament hung each year.  It's all that we need on our tree this Christmas-and I had forgotten.

The cross.  The nail.  What makes our heart smile on the darkest days, and what makes the bad dreams and fever that come when we're days from our flight not so bad.

Thank you Lord for giving us your Son.  Thank you for the life that I have received because of Christ, whom I asked into my heart alongside a step-father when I was 6.  A man whom I haven't seen or heard from in 10 years, and yet he led me to the Cross of Christ and prayed alongside me as I prayed a prayer that changed my life forever.  Its been 33 years now that I have been cherished, loved, protected and provided for by my Savior, Jesus Christ.  Celebrating His birth once a year isn't nearly enough.  A celebration of Him, praising Him with music, enjoying the little things that He gives- the twinkle lights and extravagance that is lavished upon us through His Grace.  Tradition isn't happening this year, but celebration is! 
Thank you Lord for giving us your Son, a reason to Celebrate with all that is within us.

In a nutshell...

During our time here, we've celebrated 2 birthdays, seen a rugby game and amazing historical sites!  We've learned about cheese, safeguarding ourselves against thieves, and verb tenses that we never even knew existed!  The metric system and street performers have become more normal parts of our life. 

This is the reality of Chestnuts Roasting on an open fire...

We are so thankful for this opportunity to be on the most extravagant of home school fieldtrips, but I am truly delighted to re-emerge from my little hole and to praise God for His bringing us through... We are just days away from Africa!

What a little encouragement can do!

Thanks for the encouragement!  I received an encouraging note from some friends that I haven't even met in person...and it was such a gift!  It was a reminder that I really can keep people posted on how we are doing and how they can pray for us- and that walking the journeys of life together is so much sweeter than alone.

                     

We moved into an apartment with bare walls and bare floors, but were so thankful to find an ikea with a free bus service, so we made a day of it!  A little bit more homey (and a little bit dorm-like as well!)

Language school has been profitable for our language skills, and challenging in every other way.  We are so thankful that, by God's grace and in His strength alone, we have survived!  One of our teachers who served many years in Africa shared the observation that, for many Americans the culture shock of moving to France is more difficult than the culture shock of moving to Africa!  We have learned the physical manifestations of culture shock- each of us a little bit different- while in 'transition mode'.  As we enter into another season of transition, we appreciate your prayers for health, safety and that the Joy of the Lord would be our Strength!

 

Life in a city full of cultural differences and returning to school full time- Oh La La!

(that's French for Aye-Caramba!)

Living Space

 

 This is where we grocery shop!

 

 

Our living room, with our new rugs and paper lanterns!

 

 Jesse's room, with his engineered curtain to block out the light- we live next to a hospital, so ambulance sounds and lights are normal here...and the ambulances sound like the minions on Despicable Me!!

 

 We shower, brush teeth and wash hands in here... and down the hall is the potty

 

 

 Our view from the salle de bains

 

 View from kitchen window

 Dryer

 ...and washer!!

We were blessed to be in an apartment that gave us a half-mile walk to school.  We have enjoyed the walk, the fresh air and the time to think.  We have a tree just outside that, up until the last few weeks, was leafy and beautiful, so we didn't see the other buildings quite as much...we've been so thankful for that!

Some Pics!

Saying goodbye wasn't easy!

The adventure is on so we dried our tears...and one of our backpacks nearly opened the emergency exit!! Yikes...

 When we landed, we were able to get a taxi that would actually hold all of us, and our 10 pieces of luggage and carry-ons!  We had anticipated needing two taxis, based on the experiences of other students... but were pleasantly surprised to fit into one, saving on the confusion and expense!  We were greeted at the apartment by the director of the school and shown our home~ It is very different and very nice and much bigger than we had expected!

There is a grocery about 200 yards away, so our first morning we walked over to get the basics...we were the only family together in the store, causing quite the congestion in the little aisles!  Shopping is a 'Bring Your Own Bag' experience, and most people shop daily-only buying a few items at a time.  So I bought 1 liter of milk instead of my typical 4 gallons.  There is a bread store and a butcher just outside of the grocery store,  I wonder if anyone buys the bread and meat at the grocery store? 

The next day we went to the 'box' type of store, where they sell literally everything (it's about a mile away).  Back-to-school sales were on, which blessed my heart in any language!  Even the notebook paper here is different!  Yogurt options are incredible... like 4 refrigerated aisles full of tiny containers of yogurt.  
We've walked about 12-15 miles in our first 3 days.  Again, being out and about together as a family seems to be unique.  We haven't seen any other teen-aged kids with their families yet, but this is the month when school is on vacation and families plan their annual travels. 
We are doing well.  Eating lots of bread, adapting to culture, and taking in a lot of new!  We are each writing in our journal daily and praying together in the evenings which helps life to feel normal-ish. 
Thank you for your prayers- We haven't encountered very many english-speakers yet, which keeps us humble...and confused.  Pronunciation is vital- and mine is not where it needs to be!  Classes begin in 6 days, and we look forward to the hard work and progress, which we trust will come, by God's grace alone!

All Are Well!

Bon Jour!  We are in a foreign land!  Everything is great, and everything is different ! In place of toilet seat covers, they have a dispenser of sanitizer that you put on a wad of t.p to clean the seat.  In order to use the oven, you must set the timer to get the oven to heat.  The bread is as wonderful as it is said to be, and the weather has been very nice.  Internet and phone-free living is not easy and we hope to re-enter the technologically engaged world soon!  Thank you for your prayers and love, we miss familiarity but hold on tightly to the Lord and His strength! Xoxo

in His strength

When I woke this morning, my mind was processing through the "to-do" list of the day.  Then I attempted to translate my list into French in my mind.  Should I switch my memory work from a poem by Victor Hugo to a passage of scripture?  My brother in law leaves for a mission trip to Costa Rica today.  Aaron's uncle is on a missions trip in the Philippines right now.  Lord, use us today.  Guide us each moment.  Paralysis sets in- the list of things to be done is too long.  I cannot complete most of them.  Are we wasting our French teacher's time?  Will our out-of-country health insurance be issued today?  I forgot to send forks and knives in the totes to Africa. 

It's 6:30 am and I'm hitting snooze for the third time.

Aaron asks what I'm thinking about and I laugh.  He introduced a great plan...  Let's begin thanking God for each thing throughout the day.  I'm so thankful that the night air cooled off. 

Our time in Georgia has been THE perfect preparation for us.  The climate, critters and moisture are similar to Burkina- and we needed this time of acclimation.  Sleeping without bedcovers, a skink in the living room.  A rat on the back porch.  Snakes fighting us for the harvest of eggs from our beautiful hens.  Sweating while sitting still.  The constancy of the drone of a fan while trying to conjugate yet another new verb tense. 

In daring to consider leaving our home in Montana, we had no idea what we were saying Yes to.  Becoming available and willing to leave the comfort zone is invigorating.  It draws us so close to the Lord.  It brings us to our knees- without any padding to comfort our joints.  I whine about the very discomfort I seek.  The strength of my knees, mind and verbal abilities is very small.  I cannot endure much time on my knees without feeling the aches when I stand back up.  the creaking that reminds me that I am not 24 years old is good for me- It keeps me asking the Lord for His strength and His abilities- not my own.

In looking at each day, whether it is full of blending sweet potatoes for new eaters, driving into town to pay a bill, visit someone who is in need or going to work in a place that is difficult and thankless, we can do none of it in our own strength. 
It has taken so long for me to realize this- and I've been largely unaware because I wasn't sticking my neck out very far.  Now I feel as though I am sticking my neck out- as well as placing my children's necks 'out there' alongside my own- and they are children.  If I had a dollar for every person who asked my teenaged children how unhappy they are about being drug to Africa, we could put a new well in the village. 

We all begin our day with hopes of completing the to-do list and maybe even getting some "extra" items accomplished that we weren't brave enough to put on the list!  And then the phone rings, the washer leaks and the neighbors need a jump-start.  The day is half-spent, and we feel failure.  We try, we work, we sweat and we drive.  Toward accomplishment, success, achievement- and even while we seek to do all for the Glory of God, we become a taskmaster and begin to believe that WE are doing it...

Near or far, I don't think it is us who accomplish much.  The Lord has equipped each of us uniquely and we can do all things through Him who gives us strength.  We say it in the tough times,  but I forget daily and begin to operate in our my strength, making much out of little and little out of much.

Living without Air Conditioning is hot.  Hot isn't comfortable.  But last week we had a friend over who grew up in an un-air conditioned place in a hot climate, and she wore a polar fleece throughout dinner.  In Georgia.  In July.  She adapted.  And that gives us great hope!    

All is Well...

We've been able to say goodbye to parents, friends and family- amidst the packing, shipping and studying, we are thankful for every hug, visit and milestone that passes!

A bonus visit from my mom

Goodbyes with dear friends

bathtime with babies

Last goodbyes to my dad and sister

Packing up the Snoopy snow cone maker

Last minute stolen time with cousins!

Catching Lightnin' Bugs

 Everything is nearly set!  We've packed up our "long-term keep" stuff, sold our vehicles and have 10 suitcases lining the living room.  The kitchen cupboard is nearly bare, so it must be time to go to Africa! 

Can't believe that we are 2 weeks away from leaving.

Please pray with us as we have 1 last week of French lessons, and are closing up our online business...harder to do than we had expected, and prayers are appreciated!