Je Suis En France

Day one in Paris. Bubba and me in front of L'Arc De Triomphe.Bubba and the Eiffel Tower

The Louvre

Notre Dame was just amazing. The intricacy of the carvings is really mind blowing.

Above, Jason and I in front of Notre Dame, and below sitting on the bank of the Seine having a coke - crazy cool!
Smoky, Pinky and I on the TGV from Paris to Angers.
Smoky and Pinky visit Chateau D'Angers. It is a castle smack in the middle of the city - extremely awesome.

This is the church inside the castle.

Then we took a road trip (quite eventful, funny and looong) to Bayeux. This cathedral(below) is in the center of the village. It was a beautiful litttle town. From here we got the tour to Omaha Beach and the D Day memorials.

This is the statue at the cemetary for D Day.

It was windy, rainy and somber.

Then we road tripped again to Pornic, which is on the coast. This is our hotel, and below is the view from the room.

We leave here on Friday morning and take the TGV back to Paris. Friday night we are going to try to book a dinner cruise on the Seine, Saturday we hope to go back to the Louvre and see some old art(: and possibly get to the top of the Eiffel Tower! Sunday we head home.

It has been so fun being here. I have spoken French with French people and it is so cool when they actually understand me and I understand them. When we rounded a corner our first day in Paris and I saw the Eiffel Tower I honest to goodness cried. I really don't know why except that it is something I have dreamed of for so long, and never really thought would happen. If it never had happened I would've been fine - I'm sure heaven holds better sight seeing than this, but for this side of heaven it was just plain neat to see it(: So far I have not found the French or even the Parisians to be snobby. They have all been kind, if not a little amused by us.

The main thing that stands out to me is the godlessness of the culture. It is strange to see cathedrals and church history dating into the middle ages, and yet feel no sense of the Lord in daily life.

I have literally hundreds of pictures , but hopefully this will give you a glimpse of what we are seeing. I'm having a blast, but honestly I am ready to come home. I miss my kids like crazy. I love to get away, not just because I get to refresh and relax, but also because it reminds me how very dull life would be without my kids. M, S, G and D, if you are reading this - I love you so much and I can't wait to see you. I will come in your room and kiss you on Sunday night when I get home(:

Pray and Give

Please go to Licia's blog and read about their struggles since the storms. PLEASE pray for them and then go to Lori's blog and click the paypal button to donate some money. The process they are currently having to use to get clean drinking water is costly. Plus now food prices will go even higher and they have over 70 people in the rescue center to feed on a daily basis - many of them babies who need formula. So please, just go and send them some money. I'm serious. Don't think about it or pray about it - as if God wouldn't want you to. Meet the urgent need. Don't put it off. Just go do it. Yes I am begging, and I'm not ashamed. Give up your latte's for the month or don't go out to eat or something. Anything. And when you are done giving just keep praying. Haiti is in a literal state of devastation right now. As if the food shortage and gas prices weren't bad enough, not crops are destroyed and food will be even more scarce, plus thousands of people have lost what little they had - I mean everything. My heart is heavy right now. There are many people I love in Haiti and many more I have never met who are beautiful, amazing, resilient people. Don't push this out of your mind because they are far away or different. They are just like you. They love their kids - they want to feed them and send them to school. They have dignity and courage the likes of which you may never encounter. They need our help, and we are able.

Here you can see some video of the mass devastation:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7597420.stm




Proverbs 3:27

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it's in your power to help them.

Pics are easier than words right now

I DID get D's first day of school - he started a week later and I was determined not to miss it! Here he is with his teacher. No one will ever be as great as Ms. Stacy, but she'll do.He shares a cubby with "Pida Man" (who you can meet here :http://manymanyblessings.blogspot.com/2007/09/wonder-twin-accomplishments.html). They are great buds now.

This is what D and I do when all the big kids are at school and we get a little punchy(:

And if you get a chance please visit Licia's (new) blog with the link to the right and pray pray pray and then pray some more for her family, the rescue center, the clinic and all of Haiti for that matter.

Can't Do It

Shoot. I can't make this blog political. If you caught the last 5 minutes my political ranting was up I apologize. As I walked away from the computer God asked me if that is what I want this to be about. I said, no I want it to be about HIM and his faithfulness in my life. So, politics is out. It is too polarizing. And God is not about that. The end.