We live in an extremely picturesque place. With in an hour or two there are wonderful and amazing things to do and see. And we have a car. So, a 30 minute drive on a Sunday for a swim in a lake is really nothing. An hour drive to see a canoe and kayak competition (and another half hour to the border of Italy), really not a big deal. We will be here a year and we want to enjoy what God has created here. It is beautiful and God is good!
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| European World Jr. Kayak and Canoe Finals - about 45 min. from Albertville |
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| Sunday afternoon after church |
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| A new thing to see |
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| Snow in Italy- 30 min. further up the road |
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| Catching Grasshoppers. That's what boys do- |
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| Beautiful place to enjoy God's creation! |
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| View in Italy |
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| Most beautiful place yet! |
But it is not very interesting to write about a typical day. 'Got up, took a shower, made breakfast, got the kids reviewing math, cleaning, doing laundry, etc.' Pictures of me studying notes or reviewing vocabulary on memrise.com is not fascinating or fun to look at. I will put some up, but when I'm not studying, its not what I think about or look at!
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Swimming at the lake 30 min. from home.
Hottest part of the summer! |
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| Boys finding shells |
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| Cold girl |
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| 30 min. the other way. A show- |
So now, we have 20 days until classes begin again. If we were in the States, we would go on a trip in the summer. Is it okay for us to do that here? Drive and visit friends or stay in inexpensive hotels and eat sandwiches. Is it bad to spend the money we have been given on pleasure? Or should the time here be purely French study and library type activities? I do not believe life is healthy when it is all work. I know our family has not had a real vacation in a very long time, so we are choosing to go. To take a vacation and see these things God has created.
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| Still giving haircuts - just like at home in the States.... |
Monday we drove to Zurich Switzerland. Wow. Beautiful. And as we drove, I did not read my book, study, or write thank you notes. No, I was simply astonished at God's handiwork in mountains, flowers, clouds, children, bugs, lakes, rivers, waterfalls. I looked with wonder also at the things man made- castles, churches, bridges, trails, bikes, a truck moving a house (?!) down the street... My kids looked, mostly, but at some point they all (and Megan) settled into their books. I love to read, but wow! I didn't want to miss this! We might never go back this way...
We are staying for a few days with the Breutsch family. They have been the kindest hosts, tour guides and friends we could have imagined. We went to a glass factory, Burn, toured an IKEA (I know these are everywhere, but we had never been) and Zurich. We have eaten well and rested. I am overwhelmed with kindness and generosity and so thankful for being here.
Tomorrow we leave for Germany where we will look around at the town the Gassler family was from a century or two ago. I will write again.
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| Mt. Blanc, 90 min. from home |
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| Another view of the glaciers |
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Playing Pooh sticks in the last town in France.
Switzerland is next.... |
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| Noah and Ben picked me flowers |
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| Switzerland |
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| The other side of Lake Geneva |
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| Our first squaties- not in Africa, in Switzerland at a rest stop (the picture above is the view) |
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| Ben found this bug at the rest stop |
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| More beauty in Switzerland |
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| Glass Blowers |
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| More Glass |
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| Part of the glass went into machines for finishing |
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| The Ball maze for your marbles |
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| Playground at the glass factory (Lucerne) |
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| The Musician is happy.... |
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| Megan and Julia |
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| Our Hosts- Julia and Pam |
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