School Break

Arianna sits in Andrew's lap to watch TV, which she doesn't actually watch.

Lilia is hungry after swimming.

Micah gets creative with the map colors.

Angie got a good deal on a bread machine at a garage sale.

Arianna gave a little fashion show.

Arianna found Angie's lipstick, and why not put it on the belly.

Once again, things have gone well.  The weekend passed quickly.  Lilia had a swimming competition Saturday. I took her and we had a good time.  She swam the 800 meters race, she knocked over a minute off of her best time finishing at 12 min 40 sec.  She didn't place very high because this competition went all the way to 18 year-olds.   We had a good talk with my parents and enjoyed listening to their church services on Skype.  Angie found some good deals at garage sales over the weekend as well.  Monday and Tuesday she didn't feel well.  Tuesday night she scheduled a Doctors appointment.  Turns out that he blood pressure was high, so the doctor prescribed her a second medicine to take.  We canceled the Bible study Tuesday night since Angie was going to be late getting back from the Doctor, and because three others were not going to be able to make it.  Wednesday, basketball went well. I had 10 in my class, one new boy came.  They are progressing well.  They are an energetic group.  Our practice Wednesday and Thursday went well.  We played a little scrimmage between us, I scored 20 of our teams 48 points, and we won.  On Wednesday after practice, I offered to wash our practice jerseys, because our coach doesn't have a dryer, and they would not have time to line dry by Thursday.  We washed and dried them, and was doing a second load on Thursday when our dryer started making noises.  Turns out that the belt was broken, I got one ordered.  At least the jerseys were clean and dried.  Thursday night, I had meet the teacher night with Lilia.  It was a fun experience.  A lot of waiting in line.  Everyone said Lilia was doing a great job, and that she is well behaved and quiet in class (which is a negative thing in France), and that she needs to speak up a little more.  Friday, I had a good time at the market. I met several people, passed out a Bible and several tracts.  There was one lady interested in the Bible study that we are having.  Angie ate lunch at a restaurant in town with a friend.  This afternoon, I got our expenses turned in, fixed a broken toilet, and helped a friend pick up some fence posts.  Tonight is family night, we will probably watch a movie with the kids when Lilia gets out of swimming class. This was their last day of school, they get a two week break for Toussaints, a catholic saints holiday. We plan to have a good time, spending some time with the kids, and with some of their friends.  Pray that you have a blessed weekend.  JASON 

Fall is here.

The sunrise this morning, from our backyard.

Arianna thought one wasn't enough.

Arianna holding one of the twins.



Angie took this picture in a small village when she went to
have coffee with some friends.

Well let me think, it was Tuesday of last week when I blogged last.  Let me hit some highlights.  Wednesday is activity day, as elementary has no school, and Jr High just goes in the mornings.  Lilia and a friend come over for lunch and we take them both to the pool for their swimming class.  Speaking of which she has a competition this Saturday.  I can't believe that she will soon be 13 years old.  The boys have their basketball at 4:30.  I'm still having a good time coaching the youngest age group, 6-9.  Last week we had ten, busy busy.  Wednesday and Thursday evening is my basketball practice.  My team played on Sunday morning and won 65-30.  We had a new player last night, there were 14, several more that last year.  I'm excited about the team we have coming from the states this summer, and about AC Green coming as well.  The weekend went well.  I gave the kids lesson at Church on Sunday.  As always we enjoying staying and talking with everyone afterwards.  The twins were there. (babies born recently to the australian couple that asked Angie to help translate at the hospital during the birth)  This week has been good.  We have had rain and cooler weather, lows around 50 and highs around 70.  Feels like fall weather has finally arrived.  Bible Study went well Tuesday night.  We had four come and join us.  It is exciting that we all are from different backgrounds and places, but are united in Christ, and in our desire to see a church started here in Limoux.  Been getting a lot of things done this week.  I finished reading the book "Not a Fan" that I would recommend to anyone. I am also trying to get paperwork together for our visa renewal next week.  The kids are all doing well.  Lilia is making good grades, she got 100 recently on a French test (the highest grade in the class).  Andrew is trying to get into the swing of 1st grade, actually having to learn things and do homework is kind of new for him.  Micah, who does homework real fast, usually doesn't have much, but Caleb who does homework slower has a lot.  One evening, he was working on homework all the way until bedtime.  We did get a new cell phone, same model as the old one.  It had been giving us problems for months, thankful to have a replacement finally.  Angie joined a group called the AVF (accueil des villes francaise) that welcomes new people to towns by providing activities for them.  Angie is taking advanced french classes.  She has enjoyed meeting all the new people.  Last Friday night she attended the welcome time, and met the mayor of Limoux.  She had a real good evening, meeting people, many British.  Enjoy the pics and God bless, JASON. 

Saw this flower as I was walking to get the boys from school,
turns out it is passion fruit bloom.

First haircut

Arianna shows her hair cut.

Lilia was playing with Arianna and taking pictures.

Lilia made some type of chocolate spread for breakfast.

Someone took this picture of Lilia in Turkey.

 Here I am again.  Another week passed.  Lets see, we did have a good visit with Guillaume, who spoke at the church in Carcassonne the day before.  He will be attending Seminary in Texas next year.  Hopefully we can arrange for him to visit our church.  Tuesday night Bible Study went well.  We covered the women caught in adultery and brought before Jesus by her accusers.  We had more of a discussion, where I tried just to ask questions.  Several good things were brought out that I had not thought of.  Wednesday found me coaching the basketball group again.  This time we had 11 students, and I was very thankful that my helper showed up.  They all seem to be improving.  We had a good practice Wednesday and Thursday night.  At the end of practice Thursday evening, the security guy turned the lights off on us at exactly 10:30, the end of practice, but we were still playing.  You should have seen the reaction and the dressing down that he got right then and there.  Some of the guys that I knew as being cool and calm, showed another side.  Friday market went well.  I had a couple of homeless guys set up around me selling homemade jewelry and twirling batons with sticks.  That kept most of the traffic off my side, but I did talk with some of their friends. Friday night I went to a home Bible study at a friends house in Carcassonne.  I had a good time, and played the keyboard for them.  Saturday, we helped Philippe some clearing a field of rocks.  The boys did a good job working.  That afternoon, I straightened up the yard, and replaced a broken tile on the roof of the garage.  Arianna got a haircut sometime in there, just a trimming of the bangs.  Sunday services went well, we stayed for a meal afterwards and Angie stayed for a business meeting, were their was some discussion about starting a Sunday School.  Last week, I also got all the paperwork prepared for the basketball group that will be coming in June.  I am excited about this opportunity and as well AC Green will be coming.  Monday there was a conference at a church in Toulouse where Guillaume would be speaking.  I went along with three others from Limoux and a couple from Carcassonne.  The conference went real well, and I enjoyed talking with other pastors, several of them being American as well.  Looking forward to the Bible Study tonight.  God bless, JASON 

Caleb and Andrew having some jelly toasts.

Birthdays and visits

Playing basketball at Micah's party.

Rain clouds coming in.

Monday again.  Monday's never really bothered me.  I always seemed to carry the excitement from Sunday over into the work week.  We had another good week.  Our kick off for the Bible study was well.. There were 5 in attendance.  We continued our study through in the book of John and had a good time of updates and prayer for the future of our work here.  Wednesday we had Micah's birthday part, which ended up being on Angie's birthday.  I bought a new rug for Angie's birthday, and wisely enough, I let her pick it out.  I ended up coaching Wednesday afternoon almost all by myself.  There were 8 kids present again.  I had a good time with them.  We had a good number show up for the grown ups practice time as well, 20.  The market was well attended, I had a good visit with a another christian who was there selling matresses.  Also, the pastor from Carcassonne stopped by with the guest speaker who was at their church this last Sunday.  We had a good visit.  He will soon be attending seminary in Fort Worth.  Angie has still been on call to translate for the Australian friend of ours expecting twins.  She is two weeks past the date that twins usually arrive, and so I think they may induce her today.  Saturday, it rained all day.  We were supposed to go to Magrie to their art exposition where a friend of ours had some paintings, but we were rained out.  Angie went shopping instead and I did enjoy a visit from a friend in Carcassonne.  Sunday services went really well.  The visiting speaker did an awesome job sharing his testimony and sharing God's word.  We stayed for the meal afterwards and invited the speaker to eat with us on Monday night.  Sunday, late afternoon I finally made it to the art exhibit.  Our friend won an award and Caleb and I had a good time attending and visited for a little while afterwards.  We are looking forward to another blessed week, and pray that you have one as well. JASON

I might have shared this picture before, but this time I'm
ignoring the sleeping beauty and
pointing out the rug that was Angie's present.