Life, Love, and Living far from Home: October update

29 Septembre

I taught the Anglophone Sunday school again. There are officially 4 kids in the class- my two and two brothers. Nice kids and I am glad to teach, but I am thankful that three other parents - all dads – have volunteered to help too, so this is the last week I will teach until October or maybe November because I decided not to have Sunday School during the school break- with only 2 families, if one is away, it didn’t seem practical. We are learning about worship and what that really means.

After church we decided to go to Beaufort and visit the cheese factory. This was WAY different from the first goat cheese farm we visited. Everyone really liked it. Next time we want to go when we can tour when we can see the cows.

Instead of going straight home we decided to go up to Lac Roseland again and see what it looks like in the fall. It was misting but it was beautiful!

Megan decided to do something in town with Carla. I think she had a good time.

Beaufort

Beautiful!

Lac Roseland

That little island is the top of the huge rock they climbed the last time we were here! The lake is really up!

30 Septembre

I met Megan for lunch at a little restaurant on the plaza. We had escargot and raclette. Yum. And a chocolate milkshake. We were stuffed, but it was the last time for us to go out together. Much fun!

2 Octobre

I met a French friend for tea at her house. Flo goes to our church and asked me to be a conversation partner too. This is wonderful- Sonia, whom we all love dearly, works a lot of hours and can’t meet every week.

Gymnastics for Kristin

Dr appointment. I left my latest thyroid tests in the States. I have to get another one sometime soon.

3 Octobre

Megan made Lapin for dinner! Cool! Don’t tell her sister’s what that is. It is her last night. I would like to do something special, but we share the last chocolate bar with her, reweigh her suitcases (Don’t take close out and replace the space with books! Just don’t. And yes, a pillow weighs more than a pound!)

4 Octobre.

Chris and Megan leave early for the airport in Geneva. Good bye! I miss you! Thank you for all the help. But I am SOOOO tired.

Ready!

Goodbye!

5 Octobre

Up early to meet some ladies from church and drive to Grenoble for a French women’s retreat. So good to hear these ladies praise God in French. What a joy to be there! I understood enough French to get the main idea of the speaker in the morning. It was about Jesus, just after John the Baptist had been killed. He went off to pray by himself, but the crowd followed- then he ended up feeding the 5,000. Later he sent the disciples ahead and he stayed to pray. After he walked on water to catch up. And Peter went in too- You probably know the story Matt 14. The point of the story at this conference was our shame and what it is preventing us from doing. When we broke into small groups and they asked us to share (now everything is in French, but my small group had other English speakers who acted as translators) and began to cry. Slowly at first, but then uncontrollably sobbing. They asked me what was wrong. Nothing. Yes, I am ashamed I don’t know more French, that I can’t communicate, that I am silent when I am bursting to speak because I don’t have vocabulary yet. But not enough for that! I am a crier. No shame in that. But not like this! Is it that Megan left yesterday? Am I just exhausted? Hormonal? Combination?

I gather myself and go back for more worship, lunch and the afternoon session. But the tears keep coming randomly. Do I just miss worshipping with other ladies? By the afternoon speaker I can no longer track in French. The ladies on the ride home were fantastic. But I am still crying on and off. Glad to have a quiet apartment when I got home. The family is out. I cry some more. Feel guilty at the relief I feel not having an extra child at home, even a wonderful, big, helpful, encouraging child.

6 Octobre (Sunday)

Chruch. Someone else teaches Sunday school today. SO glad for the break. I get to stay in the service! Rest and homework today.

7 Octobre

School, meet with Sonia. Tired

8 Octobre

Field trip with school to Jardin Secret and Annecy. Tired

At the garden

Annecy

9 Octobre

Meet with Flo, gymnastics for Kristin. Still fighting lice daily combing Kristin’s hair. Tired

10 Octobre

School. Tired

11 Octobre

It snowed on the Mountains again. Beautiful!

12 Octobre

Celebrated Carla’s birthday! We had dinner at Sonia’s house with several friends. Really fun!

13 Octbre

Church and the Grand Braderie- like a huge local yard sale plus businesses. We found 2 more bikes for the boys! Huge praise! Noah’s Flambeaux group (like scouts + awana) had a booth. Tired now!

15 Octobre

After school we walked to a local fort/castle just for fun! Still tired, but I had my blood test today for my thyroid levels. Should get results Friday. I’m beginning to think that is my problem. Losing hair, not able to concentrate, tired, so tired, dry skin…

18 Octobre Friday

Field trip with Kristin’s class in the afternoon. The class listened to a presentation from a young man who had traveled to India and to hear a drum group. Afterwards Kristin got to read a passage to a large group in a theatre as part of the annual Grand Bivouac festival. She did a great job! Now rest