Parents Visit

Mom and Dad couldn't wait to hold Arianna again.

Angie took this picture from our house, we are those
little dots hiking up the trail.

Mom playing a game with the boys.



Mom and Arianna trying to stay warm
at the beach.


I picked up my parents on Tuesday.  Monday we finished preparing for their arrival.  I also finished reading through the New Testament in French. I pickd up my parents at the airport in Toulouse at 5:15 pm.  It was an easy drive and a small airport, which was great.  We made the trip back no problem and they went to bed soon after supper. Wednesday, Angie and I had an appointment to look at a house, we liked the house and are going to try and get it.  It is in a good location and is roomy.  Wednesday afternoon I had my language session and then we went for a walk. Thursday, us boys went on a hike.  Friday, we went to the market in Limoux.  I set up my stand and everyone else did a little shopping.  I had one stop by and get a Bible and a tract. Friday afternoon we worked on repairing the kids bikes while a thunderstorm rolled through.  It has been different weather than my parents are used to.  In Texas they have not had any rain since May 14th, and it was 110 degrees (46 C) the day they left.  Here it has been cloudy and in the 70s (20c). Saturday we picked up the rental car, visited with the pastor in Carcassonne, did a little shopping.  In the afternoon we headed to the Meditteranean to go swimming.  The traffic was bad but we made it after 2 and a half hours, it was sunny and warm when we left, but when we arrived it was cool and cloudy. We had a good time anyways.  We made the trip back home in the normal hour and a half.  Suday we attended the services in Carcassonne. I resided over the services (led singing, brought the devotion, and kids lesson).  Dad brought the message while the pastor translated for him.  We listened together to the services in Walnut Street.  Tommorrow, not only are Angie and I celebrating our 13th year of marriage we will be making a trip to Normandy with my parents.  We are looking forward to seeing the sites there even though the drive will be long.  I will hopefully blog again at our return.  If you would like more information and pictures, you can check out my dad's blog by clicking here, or the link to the right.  God bless, JASON

The boys liked getting hit by the waves.

Invitations

Hello again. We have had a great week so far. I have been helping with the Bible Exposition in Carcassonne. It is a exposition of antique Bibles and other items of interest concerning the Bible. I will post pictures of the exposition in the next post. Monday evening we enjoyed the aperatif with our neighbors, they are a really sweet couple and I hope that they will start coming to the Bible Study. I sent off some invitations to give out to others with information concerning the Bible Study. I will attach the front page. Caleb was sick with fever Tuesday, Micah joined him Wednesday, and Andrew, Thursday. Nothing serious, just kind of like what happened a few weeks ago, a slight fever for a few days and then nothing. We did make it to the beach with our friends from language school Tuesday. It was a pretty day for it. There was very little wind and so the sand wasn't a problem. Probably for that same reason the beach was crowded. Tuesday and Wednesday morning I was at the Bible Exposition. Wednesday evening we had supper with the new pastor in Carcassonne and his family. Thursday, since the kids were feeling all poorly and several others were out on vacation, we called off the Bible Study. I started moving Lilia and Caleb into their new room, which was finished on Monday. They seem excited to be sharing a room together, and I hope that it will draw them closer together. Today I started painting our bedroom, just one wall to see how many coats of paint it will take. Angie is in Carcassonne, first babysitting so a friend can go to the doctor, and then going to the doctor herself for what could be her last checkup before the baby arrives. She may also do some shopping. We realized recently that we have no baby stuff. This hasn't happened since Lilia was born almost eleven years ago. Andrew was 18 months when we came to France so most of the baby stuff was sold or given away. We have had a lot given to us, but still need to pick up some things. So here I am watching the kids and working on getting several things done as well. Speaking of watching the kids I had better check to see if anyone is playing in a room with a freshly painted wall. Very tempting for young boys. God bless, JASON

Jousting

We had a good visit with out friends. It was enjoyable just to sit and talk about our ministries and how God has blessed. After church on Sunday we had a picnic at the park and then we took them to the walled city of Carcassonne where we walked around, saw jousting (video attached), and had ice cream. Monday we stayed home and let them walk around Limoux while we watched their kids. Tuesday we loaded everyone up and headed to the beach. We had a good time, except for the frequent wind gusts that sand blasted the kids. The water was freeezing. Wednesday, I worked on my lesson and then some friends from Carcassonne watched our kids for us while Angie and I went out. We did some shopping and them went out to eat some chinese food, which was very enjoyable. I am looking forward again to the Bible study this evening. I have news that some will attend. Micah has continued to do crazy things and say strange stuff. After bedtime a couple of nights ago, he got to use the restroom and came out with the kids toilet seat stuck over his head, it took some effort to get off. Yesterday, I asked him how many days are in a week, he answered, "One". Wanting to help out I said, no, days, like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thur. . .How many are there? He answered, "Tuesday". I gave up. Attached is some pictures of good times with out friends at the walled city and battling the wind at the beach. God bless, JASON

The search is on (again).

Sunday – Services went well at church. They had a good number there are several people who drive in from villages further out during the summer. People remembered us and had been praying for us. Monday - We had planned to go to the beach. We had put it off all last week and the kids had been begging to go. The weather end up being perfect for it. It was cloudy and cooler, it had rained a little in the morning so the beaches were not crowded at all. I thought being before the French holiday that it would be packed but that was not the case. The kids had such a good time. They are a lot of fun just to watch. Andrew would just get so excited he would start running down the beach. After we got back home and cleaned up, Angie and Lilia went grocery shopping and to check out the clothing sales one more time. They hit a lot of traffic and so were slow going. They did not make it back in time for supper so the boys and I had hotdogs (yeah!). Tomorrow we are trying to decide if we need to go to the fireworks in Carcassonne or not. It is the French independence day, the fireworks in Carcassonne are popular and famous, but about 10,000 people drive in for them and from what they were saying at church Sunday, it could take up to three hours to find you way out.

Thursday - We decided not to go to the fireworks. We enjoyed the Bastille day activities in our little village, they had some kid games and activities. Wednesday and Thursday was spent by me traveling to Limoux and visiting real estate agencies (immobiliers). We have two prospects in mind for a house, I saw the first today. It was a good size, nice location about 2 miles from Limoux, real nice interior, everything practically new, but no yard. I will see the other one Tuesday. We might take the kids to the beach again tomorrow. With me being gone during the day they get kind of restless at home. We did go for a walk Tuesday and saw a large cross on top of a hill near our house. It was dedicated to J. F. Bousquet who died "for the faith" in the 1700's. He was from the town of Ginestas where we are staying. Can anyone find out anything else about him? Enjoy the pictures from the past few days. God bless, JASON

Our trip (part IV)

Of course the high point of the trip for the kids was the beach. We were only about an hour away. The beach was nice but the water was cold. It didn't bother the kids though. There was a somewhat embarassing moment when Micah decided that he needed to go to the restroom and pulled his pants down right on the beach facing the ocean. He wasn't embarassed though.