Repaving

Angie took the kids to the park.

One of the road work tractors.

Arianna was showing Angie the sugar cube that she
had found and quickly eaten.



We had our first frost and the kids snuggled up to watch a
movie.



Wow, another week has passed.  Our road is still being worked on.  Let me hit some highlights from this past week.  Arianna had a doctors appointment, she is doing fine, a little smaller for her age, but has been that way for some time.  She got a shot, but didn't even cry.  Bible study was good.  We had two present. At the market  I was able to have coffee with the person who came to the Bible study the week before.  We had a real good visit. Friday, Angie dropped me off at the market so that she could pick up some boxes for us, only to find out that they were repaving our road and she could not get back up.  So we hanged out in town all day.  We picked the kids up at lunch and took them to McDonalds, which they really enjoyed.  I guess that it has been over a month since we had last been.  Lilia is doing real well in school and in her swimming class.  She has her first competition November 30th.  Today I helped the Pastor in Carcassonne move their stuff into their home.  I'm going to take the kids swimming tomorrow and Wednesday I am driving to Paris to pick up some friends who just started language schools.  They are also from Texas and are going to be doing church work in France as well.  They have three kids and we are looking forward to spending some time with them.  The kids are enjoying the vacation.  The played outside most of the day.  Enjoy the pictures.  God bless, JASON

Computer Bug

The hallway in our future house.

The view into two bedrooms.

The back yard.

The side yard.

I'm not sure what this is.

Micah playing with some legos that my parents sent.

Seems like Arianna wanted some cereal.

Looks like she wanted to have some milk with it.

As I predicted the road is not finished yet.  I did get to say "hi" to the major a couple of days ago, as he was inspecting the work.  What has got us perplexed, is that it doesn't look like they are going to pave it.  Our neighbor said they should be finished in two days.   On Tuesday we got a box from my parents.  We enjoyed all the goodies.  Tuesday we also went and looked at our new house, we will be moving in the end of November.  We took some pictures (attached above).  I spent quite a bit of my time this week working on computer problems.  My computer locks up at random, more often when it is not being used.  I spent at least a day, trying several different things to get it to work right, but nothing seemed to help.  It seems like it will need to have windows reloaded.  Now it is just a matter of doing it.  Interestingly enough, I am not the only one recently to have computer problems.  Our church was struck by lightening and "killed" several computers, my mom's computer had a serious virus, and several others as well.  Someone at our church said something like, "Steve Jobs dies and all the computers crash".  I also had some troubles with out toilet.  I wonder if another inventor/inovator passed away this week. In other news, basketball practice continues to go well, but I didn't play very well this week.  I might need to find some time to practice with the boys a little.  Thankfully my main purpose is not the playing time or the excercise, it is meeting and getting to know my fellow players.  We have been wanting to invite some people over, but we are waiting for our road to be finished.  Thursday night, the Bible study went well, we had a first time visitor, and he seemed to enjoy the songs, prayer, and Bible lesson and discussion and said he would love to come back.  Friday morning at the market, there was not a lot of activity, but I did speak to a man who has a stand that sells bags and purses.  We talked for probably a hour, if you add it all up.  I also talked quite a bit with Philip, the man who came to the Bible study, we even enjoyed a cup of coffee together.  Friday afternoon we got a call from our landlord saying that someone wanted to some see the house, we got in touch with her and she ended up coming at 4 that afternoon.  That meant the afternoon was spent cleaning.  She came but didn't seem too interested.  I felt bad because she had to walk up our road wearing black, in high heels.  Friday afternoon Lilia was invited to a birthday party by one of her English friends at school.  She spent Friday night with the friends house.  She came back with excited stories involving painting fingernails and having cucumbers, avacadoes, and yogurt on her face.  Doesn't sound like much fun to me, but I am glad that she had a good time.  We let the boys have a friend over to fill the void at the house, so they had a good time as well, they played with legos for a good while.  This morning, I finished preparing for the services tommorrow, I will be leading the singing and giving the reading and devotional, and the devotional for the kids.  I really enjoy giving the kids lesson.  It captures a wide audience, because the kids tend to listen better, and the adults listen as well, so you reach everyone.  I pray that you have a blessed weekend.  JASON

Road Construction

Arianna showing what "joy" is.

Caleb showing the results of his bike accident.

Angie showing us walking down the road.

Showing the construction, the boys liked the big rocks,
they actually has to use dynamite to remove one of them.

Lilia showing some new clothes.

I am trying to show the mud on the car.

Arianna showing how happy she is playing outside.



Arianna showing us her ball.

 We have been busier recently, with life.  I can't name exactly what has been keeping us busy.  I guess recently the work on our road has been throwing a curve into our routine.  They are widening our road and so we never know throughout the day if we will be able to use it or not.  That means sometimes we have to park at the end of the road and walk up to the house.  The boys really enjoy this.  The distance is not that great, maybe between a quarter to half a mile, but still it is something that you have to factor in.  Last Thursday we got a call that someone might come look at the house.  We spent Thursday getting it ready and packed up a couple of boxes as well.  Friday morning, we called to let her know that the road was muddy because it had rained overnight, and found out that she had cancelled.  We have been having the Bible Study at our friends house in Magrie because of the road trouble.  They are supposed to be finished this Friday, but I doubt they are going to make their deadline.  Just now, I have to straddle a trench going down the middle of the road for a few hundred feet.  Otherwise, things are going well.  Lilia is still enjoying school.  The boys as well.  Micah went and played with some classmates Sunday afternoon, twins who are new to this area.  It was nice to meet them.  Arianna is happily walking all over the house and grabbing for everything that is within her ever expanding reach.  I met a lady at the park yesterday who had a 20 month old little girl that was quite a bit shorter that Arianna who will be 14 months old at the end of the month.  This past weekend, the temperatures dropped down to around 40 degrees, but yesterday it got back up to 80, so looks like the Indian summer is not over yet.  Let me add some pictures and let them tell some more about what is going on.  God bless, JASON

Indian Summer

I took these pictures of Arianna at the party, I don't know why but I really like them.

Birthday surprise party.

We have been enjoying an indian summer.  The temperature has climbed into the 80's everyday, which is abnormally warm for this time of year. Monday we had a surprise birthday party for Angie at our friends house. She had a good birthday and is still younger than I am :)  I was wondering why it worked out that we did not get to have the Bible Study last week. Well, now I know why.  We found out early in the week that some people were coming to look at the house on Wednesday.  So Monday and Tuesday we gathered up some boxes and filled up about thirty of them with items that will not be neccessary over the next couple of months. Angie showed the house Wednesday evening while I took the kids to the store and over to McDonalds.  Seems like both families that came, liked the house.  Thursday night Bible Study went well, we held it at our friends house, here in Magrie.  After promising to redo our road for the last two years, they have started this week, which might mean the road being muddy or partially closed.  Oddly enough, they worked Monday, Tuesday morning, and about an hour on Friday morning.  I do not think that they will make the October 14th deadline.  I did have a few people stop by the booth on Friday morning.  Friday afternoon,  laid down to take a "short" nap, and got up two hours later.  Once again, I was a little down that I had let that amount of time get away.  Of course, God knows all, Arianna, who is still getting over a cold, woke up at 2 in the morning and stayed awake until 4.  So we hung out. We talked, played, sang, ate a donut and two hotdogs, and she even chewed on a raw onion for a while, before going back to sleep.  Today, we had lunch with an Irish family we met last week.  We took a wrong turn and had a nice scenic drive getting there,  but we had a great visit and meal together.  At the end, Caleb had a fall on the bike and got a significant amount of road rash.  It took a good while to get him calmed down (meaning about an hour).  He will be sore for a while and have something to show off to his friends at school at least.  God bless, JASON 

Another Surprise

The boys in brown.

Arianna giving hugs.



Sisters.



It is Satuday already.  The last few days have continued on the theme of surprises (see last blog).  Saturday when I took Lilia to swimming I  met an Irish family that had just moved to France.  I was able to help them with translating.  I then took the boys to basketball practice.   Caleb begged until I allowed him to stay.  He was suppose to be taking it easy since he fell on his knee on Tuesday.  Wednesday night basketball practice for me went good.   There have been a few new players this year. Thursday,  we had everything ready for the Bible study when. . . surprise!. . .the plumbing stopped up again.  We quickly cancelled the study.   I got the problem fixed a few minutes before the time our Bible Study would have started.  I changed real fast in case someone came which was good because we did have one person show up.  We just had a good visit.  Friday, the market went slow, I did give away one Bible in Arabic. Thursday we turned in our paperwork to renew our visa, and afterwards went to pick Lilia up. She did not come out however. The gate was closed and she never came. Angie had to go in and get her. Turns out that she had left her jacket inside and had to go back for it.  Friday Lilia had swimming again, she goes three times a week because she is in competition level this year.  Angie met the Irish family again and invited them over for lunch today.  Friday evening I had basketball practice and went out for a soda afterwards with some of my teamates.  I am considering inviting them over for the Thanksgiving meal that we have.  Our lunch with the Irish family went well.  They have five kids as well. Needless to say, our kids had a great time together! God bless, JASON

Surprises !

Micah with his 7th birthday cake. He asked for yellow.

Arianna loving on her blanket.

Final goodbye to the aquarium. We had it exactly one year.

Micah and I and Caleb (the mummy in the background)
sleeping in the airport.

Well, we have had a few surprises keeping us busy the last few day.  Last Thursday we had two present for the Bible study.  Friday, things were pretty quiet at the market.  I did get to speak with three regulars.  Friday I placed an online add for our aquarium.  We decided part with it.  It is just a little too big and the kids were no longer interested in it.  We did get the house papers officially signed. So far the official date to move in is November 24th.  We are excited about it and are looking forward to getting closer to town and having a little more space.  Friday afternoon I had a physical which was required for basketball.  The doctor was impressed with my heart rate.  At rest it was 59 beats a minute. I think that is probably inherited more than me being in excellent shape.  Sunday morning I was going to be leading the services in Carcassonne.  As we were getting ready to leave the plumbing stopped up and water was everywhere.  We couldn't really do anything about it then, so we laid out some towels and headed for church.  The services went well, one of the members told me that I seemed more at ease.  The afternoon was spent getting the drain unclogged, which we finally did.  The boys really enjoyed the experience.  Monday morning, we had coffee with some British friends. In the afternoon I went to help a church member in Carcassonne with his internet.  He had recently moved and was having problems with his internet.  I figured out that his phone line was not activated.  Monday we also got a call from someone interested in the aquarium.  They came over to look at it Monday night and said they would take it.  This morning I was working on getting it ready, while Angie dropped off the boys and went to the store.  I got a call from the school saying that Caleb had hurt his knee and was wondering if we could come pick him up.  However Angie did not have her cell phone turned on. I called a friend who drove to the store and let Angie know about it.  She picked him up and went by the doctors office just to make sure that it wasn't serious.  They said it looked fine and gave him an anti-inflammatory and told him to take it easy for a few days (which will be tough for him).  The young couple came by at 2:30 to pick up the fish take.  I have it all ready and surprisingly, even though it was over a meter and a half long, it all fit in their little car.  We celebrated Micah's birthday this evening.  Angie made two cakes today, one for serving at his school this afteroon and one for us this evening.  The 7 year old seemed liked he loved his cake and his new toy, a spinning top. He even let the top fly right after opening it, and it landed on the birthday cake spinning icing all over me and Arianna. Everyone had a good laugh at least.  Hopefully there will not be many more surprise activites for the week.  God bless, JASON

School days return

Arianna playing.

Well we are off and running now.  School has started, the boys enjoyed their first days.  I had no problems with any of them not wanting to go.  They all walked right in.  Micah had a short field trip even.  We went to a birthday party Monday afternoon.  I have been even more occupied with taking the kids to school now.  Lilia's school starts and 8 and the boys start at 9.  Lilia gets out earlier than the boys and at different times on different days.  I have given up trying to keep up with it.  I just ask as I am dropping her off, what time she wants to be picked up.  To shorten amount of trips we make, Lilia is eating lunch at school.  I will be looking forward to moving to town and her being able to walk.  Speaking of which, we will sign the lease this afternoon.  We also have a Doctors appointment for one of the kids and a meeting at Andrew's school to attend, followed by Bible study this evening.  Earlier this week we also had a slight scare.  We got a call from one of our missionary friends in Romania, telling us that there was an explosion at at nuclear waste treatment plant not too far from here (not too far being relative considering that it is a nuclear waster plant, it is about a two hour drive from here).  Thankfully it was not a nuclear incident. Just an explosion in a furnace, causing one death and several injuries.  There was no radiation leak.  Arianna is doing great, I think she enjoys having a little break from the boys while they are at school.  Angie and Arianna are suffering from colds, but I guess that season is approaching.  We are still having beautiful summer weather, lows in the 60's highs in the 80s.  The grape harvest has begun, which means almost every trip we take to town ends up with us stuck behind a tractor pulling a trailer full of grapes.  That is a price we pay for living in the largest grape producing region of the world.  This seasons grape harvest is a large and early one.  Warm weather we had in April caused the grapevines to bloom early, then cool wet weather in July slowed them down.  I heard this morning that my younger sister had her baby.  Baby girl was born at 11:59 during the night their time, 7 lbs 5 ozs, 19.25 inches, Naomi Elizabeth Bachman.  Mom and baby are doing good, my parents are enjoying grandchild number 11.  I will be looking forward to meeting this new addition to the family when we return to the States this summer.  God bless, Jason

Angie snapped this shot of the village where they had the
youth meeting with the church in Carcassonne last saturday.