First Impressions

We live in a family building in a 2 bedroom apartment on the third floor. The Rices (Tim, Kathy, and Nancy- also going to Vanga) live just across from us. When we arrived, a bunch of other families greeted us and helped us carry our luggage up.

We live on the third floor (left two windows). Our classrooms are in the far left building.

The scenery is gorgeous. The school is in Albertville, which, by the way, I didn't know how to pronounce until our first day of class. ALL BEAR (with the R gurgling in your throat) VEAL. It is a "small" town of around 18,000 located in the French Alps. There are lots of hiking and biking places, and in winter a lot of people ski. We bought a used bike from another student with a child seat for Sydney, and Ryan bought 4 pairs of skis at a yard sale for 5 Euro. (I wonder if they even work for that price?) 

Mon, Tue, Thurs, and Fri we have school in the building next to our family building. The lunch break is 2.5 hours! So I have time to go to the local bakery, cook lunch, eat, clean up, and study a bit before heading back to class. 

Bakery, or boulangerie in French

Living takes a lot more time here than working, it seems. Bread is bought almost  daily... or you need to invest in a hacksaw. Food is made from scratch and eating out is rare. In the supermarket, there is an entire aisle for chocolate, another two for cheese, one for yogurt, two for wine (which is cheaper than water), and a couple for everything else. A bit exaggerated, but you get the point. 

Sydney is watched by Nancy Rice during the time we are at school. She naps a lot during those times, but has great fun with her nounou (nanny). Her best friend is Snickers, the community cat. She now has four teeth, two top and two bottom! She can say "mama, dada, nana, and itty!"

Ryan is hoping to play club soccer to learn French sports lingo and has already joined them for several practices, and I've played recreational volleyball to get out into the community. 

The French people are very gracious with our mispronunciations and very helpful. The school has been around for 47 years, so most of the local shop owners know to help us say things correctly. Hope this gives you a glimpse into our daily lives!

Impeccable timing

We went from 2 cars to 1 bike when we moved to France. I'm planning to blog later about the challenge of getting groceries by bike (needless to say, I'm happy for some form of transportation), but this blog is about our former cars. One was a Toyota Matrix with a rebuilt engine and over 250,000 miles, and the other a Toyota Camry with about 180,000. They were trusty cars- the Matrix indispensable at getting large items or bikes transported and the Camry great for road trips.

We used the Matrix for the last few months to transport boxes and trunks as we moved and packed and moved again. We finished packing our trunks to be shipped to Congo just before we left for orientation in North Carolina, and Ryan used the Matrix to haul them to a drop off point. It was the last time we would really need the Matrix. And sure enough, when we got back from orientation, Ryan put it into reverse on his way to run and errand, and CLANK, something happened and the car started sounding like the engine was working hard. If this were Car Talk, the radio show, I'd be more specific. Some dear friends are going to see if they can sell the car to someone who hopefully likes to figure engines out.

As for the Camry, we drove it over 4000 miles in July/Aug from St Louis to Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and back while seeing family, and then St Louis to Tennessee, North Carolina and back for orientation with CMDA (Christian Medical and Dental Association) and Samaritan's Purse. The Camry had never given us trouble, although it seemed to use up oil and the floor was wet when we used the air conditioner toward the end of July/August. We drove to a friend's house the day before we left. It was the last time we would really need the Camry. And sure enough, the day after we left, the Camry died too. It was towed to the mechanic and sold for parts for just a little over the amount I spent on a used bike here in France. 

Perhaps our cars should have died a long time ago. But they stayed running well until we no longer needed them. I can't imagine how much more stressful life would have been with car trouble over the last two months of transition. What impeccable timing! Praise God.

Where is Your faithfulness?

I could see the theme. But I did not understand until later. The day after we had arrived to France, despite a long night of sleep, I still felt very foggy from jet lag. Wanting to start good habits right away, I found a spot on our couch to spend time with God, reading and praying. Great is Thy Faithfulness  was stuck in my head. I picked up one of the journals I had brought and it said, "For we walk by faith and not by sight." Then, I started reading a devotional and it was about walking by faith. From Pilgrim's Progress: "Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God, and that shall be to you better than a light and safer than a known way." Lastly, just before we left St. Louis, our dear friends gave us rocks with the words 'Remember God's Faithfulness' written on them, paralleling the times when God instructed people to set up a pile of stones to remember times of His intervention.
So where is your faithfulness God? I thought. We had prayed for wisdom in packing for months. On our arrival here, I was frustrated with some of what I had packed as it was provided (like bed sheets of which I had 2.5 sets) and frustrated that I had left towels behind because the towels provided were not good quality. We didn't have a bath mat and I had left that at home at the last minute due to weight issues. In addition, we and many many others had been praying for our travels- that we would not have any bags lost and that Sydney would sleep. In my frustration, I could not understand how 3 bags were left. Or why Sydney had not slept well on our long flight. Or why I had put our toiletries into the checked carry-on at the gate in St Louis. Where is Your faithfulness?
I wrote in my journal. "I think what I am being taught now is that perhaps I need a different perspective.It hasn't even been 24 hrs. Maybe I do need the things we brought. We have been provided so much more than we expected from the plethora of toys to linens and a more spacious apartment. We can certainly live without a bathmat. Our main bags were not lost and our bags are going to be delivered eventually- not truly lost. Sydney is napping well despite jet lag. God is not a vending machine- He will provide for us and be with us. He is faithful. Our prayers are heard."
And that afternoon, I understood.  Tim Rice came running over to our side of the family housing and said, "Guess what? Because our luggage did not arrive in 24 hours and the type of ticket we bought, we have LOST BAGGAGE insurance. We have $500 to replace our toiletries and clothing." So we got a ride to the Geant (like the Walmart of France). Because our bags were lost, I now have big bottles of body wash, shampoo and conditioner instead of travel-sized stuff. I have a few more onesies for Sydney. I have new towels instead of used. New shavers, toothbrush and toothpaste. And a new bathmat!! What a quick answer- There is Your faithfulness!
One last thought- this series of events may have taken place anyway, but because I took time to spend in prayer and devotion, I was able to see what God was up to in a much deeper way. And now I can give Him glory for such a cool answer to all of the prayers being lifted up for us. We should truly be praying for His Will to be done because it was certainly better than my Will. Great is Thy Faithfulness!!

Margins

Imagine this: our family of three with 9 large bags/trunks, two 50lb carry-ons, a heavy diaper bag, an unweighed but probably 40lb backpack, and a 40lb thirtyone bag so full that the baby toys are falling off as we walk. Then add the 21 pound baby in a carrier, stroller, and a carseat. Whew. That was our scene as we traipsed into the airport on Wednesday. Then because each was 0.5-1.5 pounds over the limit, we had to shuffle and leave some towels (perhaps one of our visitors over the next year will be able them!) Thankfully, we arrived at the airport in the morning and had dear friends watching/playing with Sydney to make it much less stressful.

Once at our gate, we were told that it was a full flight and we could check any bags to their final destination for free. That was a relief as we shifted a few things around to allow one less bag to lug around. In doing so, we also took out an extra small bag to allow our overflowing thirtyone bag to better function. In London, it took a bit of time to get through security (as we had in St Louis) and we literally walked on the plane going to Switzerland as soon as we reached the gate. 

The above travel scenario is an excellent example of a lack of margins. (Refer to a book called Margin by Richard Swenson.) In the last few years of residency, I have lacked margins so much that I haven't had time to read the Minute of Margin devotional I had been given. The concept is understood by looking at any book and realizing how annoying it would be if the words were written all the way to the edges. There would be no room to write notes in it. Similarly, if I travel all of the time as I did to France, it is hard to accept any gifts, even a card from someone, knowing I have to find a way to pack it. And then taken a step further, in life, if I arrive just in the nick of time (guilty), I have no time to stop to talk or help someone. I may arrive slightly late to one appointment and then get further behind as the day progresses.
On the other hand, living life with margin decreases stress and increases functionality. Margin allows me to take time to see others, to engage with them, and to perhaps stop and help when it is needed. Hopefully I can put up some boundaries so that I can have margins here in France and also in Congo.