From Batman to Basketball

 We had a good week.  Pictured above is Andrew's face painting from the birthday party on Saturday.  He was invited to a friends house for her birthday and they had a good time.  Angie stayed for the party to help out and was able to meet some of the parents as well.  It took a lot of work to get the paint off afterwards.

I was finally able to get our address changed on the car registration form.  The week before I had made two trips to Carcassonne to try and get it changed but it didn't work out both times. The first time their computers were down, the second they had closed early.  I made it on Wednesday and when I sat down in the waiting room, I was greeted by a "Bonjour, Jason" it was a man from Limoux that I have had contact with on several occassions, so we were able to spend our time waiting, talking.  I also met someone who attends the church in Carcassonne who had just bought a car.  I got it all done and it was free as well.  Thursday night we had a record attendance at the bible study (including Angie and I).  Friday morning it was cold and rainy.  To the right you see Arianna bundled up and sleeping after Angie took her to meet Lilia walking home from school.  There were not a lot of people at the market, I did hand out one Arabic New Testament.  Friday I also got my guitar fixed.  Lilia and Caleb had knocked it over and broke off one of the tuning knobs.

 Caleb has been asking for a hair cut, but we have not found time, Angie straightened it for him and this is how he looks.

 We had some British friends over for Lunch and they gave us some flowers they have grown and bloomed quickly.  The boys would wake up every morning and run to measure them to see how much they had grown.  They have a sweet smell and are called Jacinthe (french spelling).  Angie said that I had bought her some just like them several years ago. 

 Here is the newest member of the family, a dishwasher.  She is four years old and I purchased her Saturday.  We got a good deal and if she lasts us for six months it will be worth it.  The last time we had a dishwasher we only had two kids, so it has been a while. 

 Friday night we had a basketball game.  Pictured below I am the number 6 waiting to go for a rebound as our coach shoots a freethrow.  We lost the game by four points, but it went well and everyone had a good time.  During the game, which Caleb and Lilia attended with me, Lilia walked over to the bench and said that Micah had fallen on his head and Angie had called 15 (911 in the States), he did not show any signs of a concussion, but had a big knot on the back of his head.  I woke him up a couple of times during the night to make sure he was okay.  It was funny because normally when I wakes up during the night he appears completely out of it and says the strangest thing.   this time it was no different.  I woke him up and told him to go to the restroom, which he did, I then asked him a few question to see if he was coherent.  I just got what seemed like random yes and no's.  Just before I put him back in bed, out of the blue he quoted a few lines of a french poem that Caleb had memorized a couple of years ago, "Quatre-vingts moutons, autant de poisson, un peu de pain, et j'ai toujours faim".  I took that as a sign that he was good.   

 Below picture is from our game before on Saturday, I am pictured on the bottom right making a shot.  The boys had a basketball tournament Sunday after church. Lilia was sick to her stomach so after church Angie got a ride home with Lilia and Arianna.  So just us boys had a good time together.  Micah and Caleb won both of the games they played, 3 - 0 and 6 - 4. 

Last Saturday the weather was nice and we even cleaned up the back yard some.  This Saturday is our Thanksgiving meal that we finally got rescheduled.  We are looking forward to it, please pray that it goes well.  God  bless, JASON

Invasion

My view of Arianna

This weekend was particularly busy.  Friday night I had choir practice with the church in Carcassonne.  When I arrived I got a call from Angie that Andrew, Micah and Caleb had lice, an invasion.  There had been signs up at their school since the beginning of the year, so with four kids in school, it was just a matter of time.  Saturday was spent washing laundry, hair, bagging up dolls, combing. . . the whole works.  We did take a break for the kids to practice their Christmas program in Carcassonne.  Sunday we ate after church and then I stayed and attended the businesss meeting.  The church in Carcassonne is searching for a new meeting place.  I made it back home by five, got the kids homework done and ate supper, which left bedtime.  Today I went shopping, worked on my lesson.  I tried to stop by the pharmacy and pick up an ankle brace, but I forgot almost all of them are closed on Mondays.  I got a few groceries and returned home.  Worked on my lesson some and am currently watching Arianna, while Angie sleeps in.  Arianna just lays in her bed next to my computer, as content as can be.  She looks and around, tries to suck on her fingers, and makes noises.  The Christmas song for this time is Petit Papa Noël.  Once again, I could not find one with English subtitles, but here is one sung by an American, Josh Groban, on French TV.  He starts singing about halfway through.  God bless, JASON

Christmas season is here.

I had a good meeting with the pastor in Carcassonne.  The Bible study went well last night also.  It was cold at the market this morning.  We even had some snow falling periodically.  There were not many people at the market and we did not get to make any new contacts, but we did see two men that we had met previously and talk with them at length.  It was cold.  Angie had purchased these hand warmers that are interesting.  Little gelatin sacks with a piece of metal inside, you bend the metal and the sack heats up and stays warm for about an hour.  Afterwards you just boil it to reactivate it.  It says it will work for 1,000 times.  Interesting.  As you can see in the picture my ankle looks worse, but it is feeling much better.  I just have a slight limp.  Tonight we have choir practice in Carcassonne, tommorrow is practice for the kids christmas program.  Sunday afternoon there will be a meeting of the church members in Carcassonne to discuss several issues involving the future of the church.  Remember them in your prayers.  They have been such a help to us.  I will try to attach a Christmas song at the end of these posts in December.  Below is "Il est né le Divin Enfant", one of the most popular traditional French Christmas songs. I could not find a version with English Subtitles, so here is the English version, "He is born the divine Child".  You can find the french version on YouTube as well.  God bless, JASON

Ouch!

If you are like most people, then the first thing that you looked at is the picture to the right.  Yes, at basketball practice Tuesday night, I rolled my ankle and sprained it.  Not the worse that I have had, but I will be limping for a week or two. I hope I recover well, because there is a Saturday game on January 8th that I hope to play in.  I heard/felt two pops when it occured.  It was the ankle that I wasn't wearing a brace on.  A brace will be on the list to buy soon.  The hardest part was pushing in the clutch on the way home.  As a result, Angie has ran all the errands for today.  Caleb to his sports practice, Lilia and Micah to swimming, Caleb's dentist appointment, shopping, and then Caleb's basketball practice.  I did get up and wonder into the garage to help get out the Christmas decorations.  It is just swollen and has not even changed colors like some of the more serious ones have.  Hopefully we will find the time Saturday to set up the decorations.  I am ready for Bible study tomorrow.  We will have a meeting with the pastor of the church in Carcassonne in the morning.  I am going to help get the kids tucked in.  God bless, JASON

My eye.

The week has been another interesting one. Here are a few highlights. One day Micah shut Caleb's finger in the closet door, attached is a picture, can you find the one that was hurt? You can click the picture to enlarge it. Wednesday we had the new pastor in Carcassonne over for supper. We had a scary moment, waking up in the morning, after a few minutes the water stopped working. I had Lilia check the mail and sure enought there was a note from the water company, that had been delivered the day before, stating that water would be cut off today. Quelle surprise! Thankfully it was working by noon. We enjoyed the meal and fellowship with the new pastor and his family. We discussed a lot of good options for the future of the work here in Limoux and the church in Carcassonne. It was nice to see Lilia playing with their one year old and having such a good time. I hope it is a sign of how she will get along with her new baby sister who will be arriving soon. I have attached a picture of Angie that I took at a rest stop on our last trip to Paris. (Do not let her know that I posted it here.) I postponed the language session with Cédric. It has been warm these last few days. Thursday was the warmest, and we knew that with the people that came from the Bible study it would get warm. It was 84 inside before they arrived, but God blessed and there was a nice breeze that came in and clouds as well. The clouds have stayed for today as well. We visited with one of the ladies from the bible study yesterday morning. She was not able to make it to the bible study because she had a job interview in Montpellier. We enjoyed the visit. She ownes several horses and invitied us over Sunday afternoon. Lilia is really excited about that. There were 5 who came for bible study last night. A new couple from Limoux came, who are pentecostal but do not attend church the pentecostal church in town. A pastor comes from Bordeaux and has services with them once a month. Now for the title of this blog. My eye started watering again today. That's right, the same thing that happened a couple of weeks ago. I took medicine and had a nap and it hasn't been bothering since. I hope that it behaves. Tomorrow is the welcoming service for the new pastor in Carcassonne. Many pastors and churches in the area are invitied. I am looking forward to the services and hope that many attend. I would like to meet some more pastors in the area. "Pastors in the area" would mean anyone within two hours of Carcassonne. Churches are more spread out here in France. In the morning, I would also like to get started painting the new room that was added on. I am off to do some reading. I would like to finish reading through the New Testament in the French bible today. The kids are playing good and Angie is taking a nap, so I should be able to get some good reading in, as long as my eye cooperates. God bless, JASON

The weekend already.

It is hard to believe that the weekend is here already. I am not sure what all happened this week. We had the normal amount of homework and tests, but things seemed busier. I think it might have been all the birthdays. Caleb had a friend's birthday party Wednesday. Andrew had a small family only birthday party Thursday. Last night he had a joint party with another two year old from the language school. Friday at school he had one with his classmates in the nursery. Monday we had a joint birthday party and going away part for students in our class. Thankfully this week ended a period of many family injuries. Micah had a huge knot on his head that has finally gone away. Andrew had a cut on the end of his big toe that has healed. Lilia's leg is better and she went to school this week. Angie had a little cold last week that she has recovered from as well. I am looking forward to services Sunday. We pray that you have a good weekend, God bless, JASON