Blowing against the flow.

The weather has changed drastically the last few days. Monday and Tuesday, it was cold and windy. We happend to be parked by the river and the wind was blowing white capped waves on the river, and even more amazing was that it was blowing against the flow of the river. It actaully looked like the river was going in the wrong direction. Now it is sunny and mild. We have been trying to get Andrew nursed back to health. He still is not sleeping well, but has not had fever today. It affects everyone's schedule when he is off schedule. Today I gave the short lesson before the prayer time at the church in Carcassonne. I loved studying, preparing, and sharing God's word. I will attach the lesson later. It was over the prayer of Jabez (I Chronicles 4:9-10). I feel like I have not accomplished some things that I have needed to get down as a result of Andrew's sickness. Angie wakes up with him during the night, and I keep an eye out for him during the day so that Angie can get a nap. I am looking forward to our Thanksgiving kickoff. I am really just looking forward to the holiday season in general. Angie and I want to get the boys bikes for Christmas. I can see all of us riding as a family. We have been keeping our eyes open for good deals. Looking forward to Friday. If it is pretty again I need to do some more work on the yard to get it ready for company. Attached is a picture of the river Aude that runs through Limoux. God bless, JASON

Cat Flu

Andrew was sick all weekend, starting Friday night. He had a temperature and no appetite. Him not being hungry was a real sign that he was sick. I took Lilia and Caleb to church Sunday and we enjoyed the services. Monday we got Andrew to the Doctor. Thankfully it was not the swine flu or any other flu, but most likely an ear infection. He is doing a lot better today. Our schedule was all messed up with Andrew not sleeping well. He ate most of his sandwich for lunch today and I fed the rest to a cat that stops by the house. I wondered if the cat would get sick from Andrew. Angie mentioned that we could end up with a new strain of sickness. Tomorrow is Veterans day in France. There is a small ceremony in every town. If Andrew is up to it, I would like to go to the one in Magrie while Angie takes Lilia and Caleb to their swimming class. Attached picture is one we took last Friday, you can tell Andrew was already starting to feel bad. God bless, JASON

Bi-lingual kids.

A few nights ago while I was washing the dishes, I have a conversation with Lilia, all in French. It was amazing to see her ease at talking. You could not tell a difference in her speed and comfortability. It was just as she was speaking English. We were walking to school one day and I was heading to drop off Micah and then Lilia when we heard a couple of boys say something to each other. Lilia and I could not make it out, but Micah heard what they said. Andrew went to the Doctor a few weeks ago for a check-up. He was a little shy at first, but lightened up and started following whatever the doctor said. Toward the end of the meeting the Doctor jokingly said that it was because he was somean that the kids do what he says. Andrew replied right back and said "Non." He knew what the Doctor was saying and knew from the tone that he was just playing. All that from a 3 year old who barely spoke English when we arrived. Attached video is of Caleb reading - in English. Caleb has never had problems with the French and he reads well in French. Angie gives Lilia and Caleb english lessons, for about 30 minutes a day during the Lunch break. She started yesterday letting Caleb read books to her. So Caleb read his first book in English. He was so excited he wanted to read it to everyone as a bedtime story. Friday night was our family night and we watched the movie "Up" ("Là-haut"). We had a wonderful time watching it together. It was an excellent movie I would recommend to people of all ages. We had to pause and rewind a few times because everyone was laughing so hard. Yesterday we also enjoyed a brief visit with the pastor in Carcasonne when we went there to do a few errands. We need to invite several people over this next week. God bless, JASON

Au revoir aux vacances.

We have said goodbye to the vacation. We had a good visit, I have attached pictures of all our guests. The Columbine family with their two daughters, the Davey Family, and the Williams Family pictured with their five. School started Wednesday for the kids. Angie and I have been getting things back in order. Yesterday was mostly spent grocery shopping. God answered our prayers is a amazing way as the exchange rate lowered three cents in three days last week. It actually had me scared. I had noticed that it was worse everytime I checked it, so . . I stopped checking it. Problem solved. I rechecked three days later and it had dropped three cents so I thougth there must have been something big happen. I was worried a terrorist attach and some major legislation passed. Didn't find anything. Must have just been a market rally. I really need to get working on some French exercises. We had just started a new book at the language school and we have several chapters in it left that we can work on. I need to get caught up in reading my French book and French Bible. God bless, JASON

Lilia's Birthday

Yesterday we celebrated Lilia's 10th birthday with our guests. Her big item was a bike. She had been asking for it for a while. She unwrapped a riding helmet first and didn't put together that it was a bike helmet until I walked in with her bike. She didn't seem to mind that it was black, so it could be passed down to her brothers as she out will outgrow it. Today we enjoyed the services at church. A friend loaned us a car while they were out of town to use so that we could all go. It worked out good, because half-way there Andrew got sick to his stomach and so Angie returned with the boys and I went on in the other car. Services went well. I did the announcements, prayers, and led the singing. I think I was understood. I know that I messed up on the tenses of many verbs. It is bad when you realize right after you say it that it is wrong, but I think it better to continue on as long as the idea is understood. We had Dominos pizza for lunch (Lilia's request) and now we are having a restful afternoon. God bless, JASON

Vacation in full swing.

The vacation has been good so far. Monday Angie got the shopping done. We have managed well to stay in our budget. Tuesday we had the visiting pastor and his family over. We had a real good time with them. Their kids and ours played together all afternoon. Angie left this morning to get our friends from Massy. I had planned on going, but this morning she decided she would like to so she and Lilia have left and will return tomorrow. Attached pictures are Lilia and Caleb reading their Bibles before we left for church (for Caleb's sake they chose French). God bless, JASON

Father/Son hike II

Voici - the pcitures from our hike Saturday. It was cool seeing the fall colors coming through. Got some good pictures looking over Limoux on this hike as well..