Christmas season is officially in swing.

So I'm sitting in the salle d'equipier getting quite frusterated with my stupid computer. I have now typed this silly update TWICE...no not once, TWICE. It keeps deleting. This is my last attempt then I give up. Right now I'm watching gilmore girls and eating some yummy Tabole left over from dinner. Ramone is cooking (he's our crazy french chief) who cooks with tons of dairy. Basically I live in the land of cheese and wine and I can't/ don't have either. Horrah!

On another note Christmas is around the corner. Yes it's only the 28th of November, but already we're beginning to celebrate. Yesterday we plastered, sanded, and cleaned the villa to the wonderful music of the Trans Siberian Orchastra. We have been listening to 103.3 everyday as it's begun the seasonal streaming of non stop christmas music. Sure it get's old and by christmas everyone is ready to give a sedative to dominic the donkey, but its still festive. If you didnt know or didn't yet realize I LOVE CHRISTMAS. I love the cheesy holiday stuff, the decorations, the whole message of Christmas, and just everything. Thus the excitment at the premier of the christmas season once again!

Justin...see I mentioned you. Happy?

Right now the DEFI kids are also getting into the spirit of the holidays. They are practicing their christmas pageant thingy in the salle cheminer. It's great. They dress up in crazy middle eastern esque clothing and then prance around singing and talking rapidly in french. Meanwhile Meghan and I sit and watch laughing hysterically. I'll post some videos of the performance later.

Yesterday we had PJ AWANA night. Pretty crazy. Then chorus where we practiced for the last time before the christmas concert. It's gonna be crazy! Tomorrow DEFI leaves for their week of evangelism. They are going to be traveling around performing and ministering and such. Actually I have no idea what they are doing, i guessed. On a really cool note yesterday in chorus Lisa like usual talked only in french...we are in france after all...and I understood everything she said. Kinda weird because I actually didn't think about it I actually didnt realize they were speaking in french. I just understood. Yes for progress. I love understanding something, even if I still don't get the whole morning devo thing I do understand some.

Alright this post has gotten long and random. A sure sign that I need to stop. The end.

A French Thanksgiving.

Today was beyond words one of my favorite days here. Ahhh it was just that good. This probably had something to do with it being the day we choose to celebrate Thanksgiving!

First we began the day later than usual because DEFI was tired . yes for DEFI. so Kristin, Noelle, and I spent the morning hours navigating the Casino nearby for all the supplies necessary for food prep this evening. It took us forever to get everything. My purchases consisted of 2 chocolate santas...because who can pass up dollar santas with cute chubby belly's and little fuzzy beards? not me. there are now two sitting on my kitchen table mocking me for spending 2 euros.

The rest of the day looked like this:
Petite deg.
Cleaning Chartreusse.
Cooking.
Morning Meeting. The funniest one yet.
Chorus. We all had such ADD today.
Painting the apartment and villa. ended with more paint on us than on the walls...nice one mike
Cooking. Painting. Cooking. Painting. EATING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we had chicken (shh he thinks hes turkey...or a hampster depending on who you asked), stuffing, corn casserole, mashed potatoes, green beans with garlic, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and home made wipped cream and gravy. We went all out. After all for half of the group this was the first Thanksgiving dinner they had EVER attended. We sang and we ate and we talked. We had a few guests from staff and from Grenoble. They enjoyed the evening too je pense. I guess Blain has it best when he says that each group is differnet that comes through here. Our group is categorized by two words...well three I guess: family, love, quirky. That's us and I wouldnt change it for the world. Only 2 weeks left. :(

Then cleanup. This part almost needs a paragraph in itself. GREAT music tonight and of course that led to some scottish jiggs performed by none other than team equipier '07. That's right we all had a dance competition in the middle of the kitchen. It rocked everyones socks. Did I mention that I love these kids...well they arent really kids, but I love them still.

The rest of this week will consist of two more days filled with paintbrushes and hammers to take apart tile. AND THEN...ready for this...4 days off!!!!! Saturday night we have our big christmas concert in the alps and we're all heading up there for an awesome all nighter. We've been practicing for months and are excited to worship with some other people now. Kristin has a solo in one of the songs and it sounds soooo sooo good. I'll leave her to tell you more about how the concert goes in our next email update...coming soon. With pictures from tonight. Perhaps a video even!

Um...other than that. Life is amazing. I love this song. Our Love is Loud--David Crowder Band. This is a great song. If you don't know this song than you are no longer my friend until you do. Just kidding. But seriously go get the song and listen to it...it will blow ur mind. Make sure its loud.

I am great at random. I live randomly and so my writing tends to be the same. In keeping with this randomness...

I read this quote in a blog yesterday that I loved and can't stop thinking about. It's from one of the bloggers at BIOLA who's a Junior this year and being paid to write once or twice a week by the admissions office. Here it is (sorry it's so long):

"It seems that in life, we often are living for sometime that we will have freedom. I hear many people, and I myself, have said things like: “I am just holding out for the weekend…for when this test is over…for Thanksgiving…for Christmas break and summer…for graduation…for marriage…” If I jumped to this weekend, how many things would I miss? How many smiles, embraces, moments of fatigue, sleep, good conversations, laughter, thoughts - would I miss? It’s true I am excited for those things, some of them, but I am not ready for them yet. I am ready for today: for a shift in a cubicle, for dinner at six, for another shift in a cubicle, for homework, for a group meeting, and for sleep. I am ready for that. I do have a multitude of things going on in my life right now, but I don’t long for them to end, I desire to enjoy them. I have homework, arguments, tired eyes, emotional issues, bad days, and all sorts of things like that - but that’s life. Why not dig it and live off that stuff? That’s where I am at right now…and where I want to remain."-Andy Pandy Biola Junior

I guess he sums up how I've been feeling and thinking lately. So many times I catch myself thinking wow I can't wait for BIOLA, or for the Christmas season, or for this weekend, or my four days off, or Paris, or just life beyond France even. Because I am thinking ahead like this I tend to miss some things or even if I'm not missing I'm not appreciating the here and the now. Like right now. Life is quiet. Kristin is killing people with Justin on the computer...dont worry the people are villagers from the 1900's, Mike is reading, Verena is reading, Doris is making tea, Megan is talking to her mommy, and I'm writing and talking to friends, meanwhile as we're doing all these things we're listening to a mix of worship songs and when one comes on we all know the room fills with song. It's moments like these that I wish I could freeze time. It's times like these that I can't stop and thank God enough for, for these people, for this place, for everything. Life is very regular and it's these moments I want to remember forever. O and did I mention that we've been having acoustic guitar worship nights...this might be my new favorite thing to do with my time. I dig the acoustic guitar. That said I'm ending this blog to go and enjoy Life in the here and now. Have a good evening all. Or day for those of u silly people in differnet time zones a good afternoon. All my love to ya'll.

What I do with my spare time...when i have some that is :)

Nothing to really report from champfleuri today. A pretty lazy day for everyone, after classes we ALL took naps and then watching gilmore girls in the early evening. Soon we'll have dinner and then we're having a girls movie night of Phantom of the Opera. Yea for girl time!
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But on another note. I have tons of music stuck in my head. In fact thanks to Justin I can now recharge my ipod once a day from the chalet and thus listen to double the music! I'm a little obsessed. I figure I'm getting ready for my concert series that begins as soon as I hit LA next fall. So here's this weeks playlist:

1. Jumper-Bedlight for blue eyes
2. Let's get married-Archie Star
3. Inside Outside-Delirious
4. Iris-Goo Goo Dolls
5. A boy brushed red living in black and white-Underoath (hardcore)
6. Day Late Friend-Amberlin
7. I've always loved you-Third Day
8. Toi et Moi-French worship song? (yea for chorus) woot. woot.
9. Goodbye-Audio Adrenaline
10. Hands and Feet-Audio Adrenaline
11. Boston-Augustana
12. Poor Man's Moody Blues-Barclay James Harvest
13. Stained Glass Masquerade- Casting Crowns
14. 18 Forever-Brand New
15. Lindsey Quit Lollygagging -Chiodos
16. Indescribable- Chris Tomlin
17. Choose the one who loves you- Copeland
18. Lyrical Lies- Cute is what we aim for
19. Our Love is Loud-David Crowder Band
20. Breakfast at Tiffany's- Deep Blue Something
21. No Rain (acoustic)-Dispatch
22. 100 Years- Five for Fighting
23. Hey Kid, I'm a computer, stop the downloading-Five Iron Frenzy
24. Emily-From First to Last
25. Sydney (acoustic)- Halifax
26. California- Hawk Nelson
27. This is who we are-Hawthorne Heights
28. Here in your arms-Hellogoodbye
29. Tell the world- Hillsong
30. Bruised- Jack's Mannequin
31. Banana Pancakes- Jack Johnson
32. Work- Jars of Clay
33. May Angles Bring you in- Jimmy Eat World
34. In the sun- Joseph Arthur
35. Crosses-Jose Gonzalez
36. Je cours- KYO
37. When I come home-Keepsake Summer
38. Can't stop- Leeland
39. I wrote this song-Making April
40. This Time is the Last time-Mae
41. Nothing Left to lose-Matt Kearney ( off that free cd we picked up at soulfest last year...funny!)
42. Jamie all over-Mayday Parade
43. Something Beautiful- Newsboys
44. We are broken-Paramore (we saw this live...yea)
45. Sidewalks- Story of the Year
46. Wonderwall- Phish (better than oasis)
47. An Ocean Between- This Providence
48. Talking about a revolution-Tracy Chapman
49. Drops of Jupiter-Train (regular radio version or live acoustic, either is good)
50. World Spins Madly On-The Weepies (they're from boston originally!)

I guess I'll stop there. They are in no particular order because who's organized to do that. Besides I can only lose so much time to blogging each day :) AND because no one is actually going to listen to all of that, besides maybe my sis. Because she's cool like that. Ha. But either way some good songs, some good bands, some crappy songs, some crappy bands, but what ive been hearing lately. Told you I was obsessed. Poor Nimon.

Dieu vous benisse.

Happy Thanksgiving!

First off I want to wish everyone back there in America a very happy Thanksgiving holiday. I hope you all enjoy your time home and spending every available second with your families and friends :) I miss ya'll a whole lot and wish I could celebrate with you...alas that is not to be. Enjoy the parade and eat some turkey and pie for us!

Today was strange. This is the first holiday I have ever spent One: out of the country, Two: not with my family, Three: didn't actually celerate, Four: not on vacation.

Don't get me wrong it was a fine day here at camp, just really normal. I had today off from work, but with bible classes in the morning, lunch, chorus, and afternoon activity we really didnt have any time off today to cook so couscous and tomato farcies made up our Thanksgiving feast. Tonight we will spend some time saying what we are thankful for, but no meal, no family, no celebrating my parents anniversary, no silly board games with my uncle and cousin, no formal dinners by candlelight in Shrewsbury, no sorting out antiques with the rest of the clan, and of course no sleepover with the cousin and sis tonight. All those things I took for granted. I appreciate them now. Kinda sad. For those of you that are not home today. I feel for ya. For BCD and Beth who I know will spend Thanksgiving without their families and all the others out there.

The day wasn't all bad though. In fact today was a pretty good day. For one thing no dishes, Chorus was great fun, and my roomates and I had a cafe party. Either way in keeping with traditions here's a brief list ( i am terrible at being consice) of what I am thankful for today. I'm sure I'm forgetting things. I lift these thanks to you Lord:

1. My roomates here. i couldnt have asked for any better, nor would i want anyone else. to walking into closets instead of the bathroom. to endless tea parties. to dancing in the rain. to pounding out songs on our thin walls. to german/franglish convos. to cleaning lists. to hairbrush concerts. to running to breakfast. to killing alarm clocks. thank you.
2. peanut butter with oreos...my thanksgiving treat to myself :)
3. not having to work today
4. sleeping in...till 7:40
5. bible classes in english!
6. french worship. i love french worship songs. especially 'toi et moi' when sung in parts by DEFI and the equipiers.
7. BIOLA blogs...and knowing some of the people who are writing them! So exciting!
8. Family
9. Gifts that make dreams possible. Thank you.
10. BIOLA.
11. my friends back home. the old, the new, and those still out there i have yet to meet!
12. reconnecting with old friends. especially those that have been living out in the middle of the mtns camping and i havent talked to in months!
13. I've Always Loved You by Third Day...I have a God who has always loved me and always will, what better news could there be?
14. gilmore girls for reminding me of home.
15. music lists created by my little sis
16. my family redoing my room to surprise me when i went home.
17. the seasons. i love watching time go by.
18. blankets. i have a really pretty soft one deb made for me.
19. good books "borrowed" from blain: the irresistible revolution, blink, blue like jazz, redeeming love. to name a few from this past month.
20. people who have this uncanny ability to make me laugh. even when i really dont want to.
21. DEFI students: for sledding, for laughter, for practical jokes, for late nights of breaking curfew, for snow dances, for chorus, for circus training, for sore thighs, for licking the bedsheets of life, for teaching me french, for being a family when we all needed one the most, for singing, for raiding the costume closet and playing narnia. thank you all and big hugs.
22. for AWANA's. and my boys.
23. for those of you back home keeping us in your thoughts and prayers these past months and those to come.
24. to an amazing chef who cooks me special meals everyday so i won't die from dairy. thanks emmy.
25. for the bible. my lifesource these past four months.
26. for church.
27. for snow. and warm heating so when the weather outside is frightful inside it's so delightful.
28. for packages and letters that make me smile and then die laughing.
29. for such a blessed life thus far and the amazing people and memories we have all made that will stay with my throughout this life.
30. for sunsets and warm days to enjoy being outside under the stars.
31. and last, but not least. for the friendship Kristin and i have. who would have thought we would end up best buds. only God.

So today as you gather with your loves ones just remember God is so good.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Don't You Know I've Always Loved You?

Today we went to class for the first time with DEFI. We are studying Hoseas, one of my favorite books of the bible with the director of a Christian organization from Sweden. He spent the morning going over the history and themes presented in this book. It was so interesting. There isn't much I love more than opening up my bible and just going through and learning about the background for the writing and who it was written to and why. For those of you that don't know about Hosea it's about one of the saddest and yet most compelling love stories in the bible. There is a man named Hosea who is called by God to go out and marry a prostitute and bring her home as his wife. He does this and the story goes on to tell of their very hard life together as this prostitute resorts back to her old lifestyle time and time again and Hosea waits upon the Lord and continues to love her despite her many failings. It is a parable to us about God's unfailing love and yet his manner towards us as we fall throughout our lives. That's it in a basic synopsis. It's actually much more complex and indepth than that, but that's about all I'm going to write on that now. Either way I took 10 pages of notes on one mornings lesson. HA.

In the afternoon we worked and then we slept. Then we worked and had a raqulette party. Now we're finishing up a movie and than heading to hang out withe DEFI for the evening.

O and I also fell sledding and pinched a bunch of nerves in my neck. Pretty painful. Either way if you could keep me in your prayers that would be much appreciated.

Alright and I'll leave you off with our favorite song here at present. It's called I've Always Loved You and is by Third Day.

I don't know how to explain it
But I know that words will hardly do
Miracles with signs and wonders
Aren't enough for me to prove to you
Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
And I always will

Greater love has not a man
Than the one who gives his life to prove
That he would do anything
And that's what I'm gonna do for you
Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
And I always will
la, la, lala, la, la
Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
Don't you know I've always loved you
Even before there was time
Though you turn away
I'll tell you still
Don't you know I've always loved you
And I always will
la, la, la
I've always loved you, oh, oh,
And I always will

Sledding!

Sometimes all I can do it sit back, look at my life, and thank God for each and every little thing. Each breath, each meal, every person I pass on the street, everything. I have been so blessed and love to remember the great creator and God who has blessed my life is so many ways. These past couple days have been filled with laughter, singing, joy, and spontaneous adventures, each better than the last. Once again God is pouring out His blessings here in France. Here's a little update about life lately:

Yesterday we had a red light day. That means that our electric company lets us pay triple the price on everything on these days and tons less than everyone else on every other day. Thus to beat the system we of course use no electricity...or very little these days. So we had a candle light dinner and cooked without lights and the whole deal. Not to mention the chalet decided to have its heaters die yesterday. It was so much fun, although I'm sure I won't find it fun after 30 days of it. They are really random and come without warning, but they could last potentially for a whole week at a time! ahhh.

Today I had no work. I have the weekend off. Nice. I got up about 2 thanks to Mike who was pounding on my bedroom door telling me to come sledding with the group. So up I hopped and went along. We all raided the costume closet for clothing and boots and then found some floor paper to use instead of sleds. We drove up into the mountains to Les Adrets gaining snow as we gained altitude. Weird. Then we all got out and hiked a bunch till we got to a huge hill where we proceeded to sled for hours. My most dangerous sledding experience ever, but my most entertaining also. I think I might have gotten a slight concusion from my first slide as we went over a bump and I landed on my head and then rolled all the way down les adrets haha. So much fun! After sledding we had a snow fight, made snow angles, and went for a most beautiful walk through the snow covered woods. We took some great pictures that I will post as soon as I get my camera back from the students. Came back for hot chocolate and a late dinner. Then game night and some family guy right now. It's really cozy and we're all wrapped in blankets stuffed together on the couch. Strange to think the family will be broken up in a month! AHH that is the worst thought ever. I can't believe these days are going to end and DEFI is going to actually leave. It seems like they have been here forever. Tomorrow we have a presentation at church and then the day off! I have no idea what type of adventure is in store. This next will be super busy for Kristin and I. We're taking the class with the students as it's en anglais. Then in the afternoons and evenings we're working a full day. Gosh it's gonna be insane. I hope you're all enjoying ur time back home and breaks. Have some turkey and pie for us!

Had us another night of dancing. Here's a video of Mike and I learning a Scottish dance. So much fun!

Equipiers breaks alliance, soaks boys with water.

well today consisted of very little time because it was my day off. I slept almost all day after going to sleep the earliest since september, a whopping 9:30!!!!!!! I actually fell asleep at our evening meeting with defi. so when I did get up today I literally didnt leave the house all day. meanwhile kristin worked. then this evening we had a water fight. kristin started it. thats about it. right now we're watching hotel rhawanda. so I'm getting distracted. what else is new.

Annecy with the Ladies

Today was so beautiful here. A perfect fall day. So off we headed to Annecy, a little village about an hour and a half from here. I went with Noelle, Joelle, Lisa and Laetitia all smushed into a little french car. The ride was beautiful, between the clear crystal blue day and the final peak of fall here it couldnt have been a more amazing day for sight seeing. We of course got lost and had to ask for directions...what else is new? We finally got there and spent a few hours just walking around the lake and little village. The lake is absolutly incredible, with the mountains in the background and the leaves littering the ground, the boats, and the golden color of the trees right now. We even paused long enough for Lisa and I to start a most marvelous leaf fight with the others. Sadly for her she was wearing gel in her hair and ended up spending the rest of the day picking leaf particles out of her hair...i think it was worth it! We ate lunch at a petite cafe in the village and had warm chocolate crepes pour dessert....sooo yummy! Plus we got to feed these super cute little birds that were everywhere. Then we did some shopping...I bought tissues haha. They where super cheap so I couldnt pass them up! Plus I thought we could use them eventually! Joelle met up with her friend and we all went for gouter to a little tesan place (tea house) for cafe and pastries. Then I ran into a friend from camp named Diane. I keep doing this. Wherever I go I don't tell anyone I'm going and then I end up running into the only person I know who lives there, in Paris it was Charles and now Diane in Annecy! Guess I'm special like that! We ended the afternoon by a nice walk long the lake again and some singing, plus a carousel we found. Then another car ride where Lisa, Noelle, and I took a lovely little nap, getting home just in time for a warm dinner of quiche, salad, and pumpkin spice muffins from Theresa! I love coming home at the end of a long nice day. It was so nice to come home and have people waiting with dinner and to a warm house and friends. I love that feeling! Alright and I'm already feeling like I'm missing stuff and I've only been typing for a few minutes so it's back to the group pour moi. Salut!

Just an article we read today. Thought it was interesting.

What if you had one year left to live?
Thursday, November 3, 2005
Dr. Michael Seabaugh


Imagine this. You visit your doctor for your annual physical. Strictly routine.
She studies your lab work with her usual casualness; you are already thinking about the dry cleaning you have to pick up. All at once, you notice that wrinkles are appearing in her forehead where Botox had seemed to permanently remove them.
The tapping of her pen on the desk is increasing staccato; it isn't a Barry Manilow song she is drumming.
And then it happens. She looks up at you over her glasses. She tells you what you always feared you would hear but never really thought you would.
"You need to get your affairs in order," she says, delivering the line probably like Meryl Streep would. Only this is no movie. You are going to die.
It is hard to imagine, to really feel. No more sunsets, nor more pina coladas, no more hugs from your loved ones or smelly kisses from your dog.
What if you had one year left to live?
Stephen Levine, a remarkable poet and healer, has pondered this very question up close and personal. Not as someone who has an actual deadly diagnosis, but as someone who has decided to dedicate a year of his life to the prospect of "one year to live."
In his book with that title -- "One Year to Live: How To live This Year As If It Were Your Last" -- he notes that in most cultures and spiritual traditions, it is considered "an act of wisdom to prepare for death throughout life."
One person he talked to, who actually had this death sentence, reported: "I felt not as though my life was being taken away but as though it had been given back to me. I was going to die and my life was completely my own."
If you had only one year left to live, what choices do you think you would make about how to live your remaining life?
I would like to think that I would not worry about paying bills, getting a tummy tuck or figuring out how Donald Trump does his hair. I would hope that I would do something meaningful, significant.
Maybe I would devote myself to all of the good works I have dreamed about doing, but never gotten around to.
Perhaps I would really rather spend my last year blowing all of my sep-IRAs and credit cards on a yacht, sailing around the world with the best wine Santa Ynez has to offer and a few other unnamable pleasures.
In his book, Levine says that the question of what to do with our last year of life reminds us of how much we have forgotten.
"A part of us begins to panic at the thought that we haven't had quite enough time to leave something valid behind. There have been so few moments when life was all it was cracked up to be. So much that might have been different had the heart not been
We tend to become immersed in the flow of our lives, rarely pausing to reflect on how we got so far down the "river of life"... and so fast! We don't pause long enough to really see, to take a hard look at what remains unloved and unloving in our lives.
Why wait for a terminal diagnosis before opening up to the opportunity to heal that which needs healing, to forgive that which needs forgiven, to find gratitude for all that we have to be grateful for?
So few of us can afford to put this work off any longer because almost no one knows the day on which the last year begins.
If you had one year left to live ... what would you do?
Dr. Michael O.L. Seabaugh is a Cape Girardeau native who is a licensed clinical psychologist in Santa Barbara and Santa Monica, Calif. Contact him at mseabaugh@semissourian.com.






and to continue with random thoughts i give you some song lyrics. by copeland. because they are amazing.

Quiet now, your voice seems miles away
Yet somehow, I hear your song resound
A little bit softer each day
And from my tired heart, a little bit farther away
I’ll sing along
The whole day through
Just do your best to hear me
It’s all you can do

You have my attention
Like you’ve had all the while
Since that first day when you made my heart smile
With loving eyes and tired sighs that flow

You have my attention
Like a shout through an empty sanctuary
Speak but a whisper
I’ll hear a sermon
I’ll sing along, the whole day through
Just do your best to hear me
It’s all you can do
I’ll sing along, the whole night through
While you sleep safely
I’ll be thinking about you
You have my attention

No I won't eat an elephant with you--Justin

So we've gotten into learning German. I can now sing head, shoulders, knees, and toes in German as well as say No I won't eat an elephant with you...thank you Justin.

Today we had a staff meeting and talked about how much BAFA loved it here. It's a real testiment to the type of community we all create as many of the atendees are not Christians and thus see the image of Christians for the first time through us. I loved them all sooo much and had such a good time talking with them and laughing at all the silly things they did throughout the week.

In the morning and afternoon we stuffed envelopes with our new brochure. We have one for DEFI and for Champfleuri. The best part is that Blain wouldnt let us see it until now and it turns out we're in some of the pictures. Doris and I are in the DEFI one...kinda comical considering we're not actually students, but I guess we fake it well :)

So after 4000 letters had been stamped, stuffed, and addressed we made lunch. It was 2. We had pancakes with everyone. It was a little pancake party here. Plus we have free reign in the kitchen so we had rasberries and fruit and tons of lovely goodness....i.e. nutella! I love pancakes. I'm not ten I can make complete sentences, but it's getting time for dinner so I keep getting distracted. We got a space heater for the salle déquipier and so everyone has moved to hanging out in here. Plus now we're cooking in here for the week so it smells AMAZING! Nimon is such a good chef and Justin and I are such entertaining helpers ;)
Today we made kibbee and salad for dinner so we got to roll out tons of dough almost like we were pizza chefs. Sadly we were lacking in the cool hat department. Anyways now it's time to go set the table and have some dinner. Tonight is salsa night. It is also Sam's birthday! Yea for turning 18.

ooooo and last night we went to the christian college group in Grenoble again for crepe night. I love them because I feel like they live in the real world beyond camp...its refreshing sometimes to get outside. Either way we ate tons and Sam's friends from church (who also happen to be everywhere we go lately) where there so I got to hang out with them. They basically refuse to speak english avec moi so we parle francaise only! Ahhh, especially late at night. After crepes we learned a new game and got a little into it. The Germans in our group at one point where arguing with the french kids in another language! Yes for multiple language games haha. Last we ended the evening talking to Miles (named after miles david, because his rents are that cool). He's an international students at Uni of Grenoble from BU in Boston! He's also going to Sem at Gordon Conwell when he's done and speaks pretty decent french. It was neat talking to him as he not only goes to BU, but also attends Park Street Church's early service and loved HUGIE!!!! Yes for finding a hugie lover across the ocean from Boston. He also told me the process of becoming a member which when I get home if I'm there for any time perhaps I will consider doing...hmm. To end the evening we got lost trying to find the moter way back to camp and ended up driving around Grenoble backroads listening to the who. Yes for Austrians that know their music. :)

On that note...dinner and some salsaing. Have a great evening!

Dance for your food ;)

Today's theme is dancing. Literally. We made BAFA do the cotton eyed joe to earn their meal....and they did. They ended up making a country congo line around the room. It was beyond amazing! Besides dancing we've been getting some new music and going crazzzy in the kitchen. In the words of Noelle, a student here "Life has become a song and we're all dancing along".

DEFI's break began today so Justin and Noelle began working in the kitchen with us, thus the dancing. It's funny what a change two positive people can make in our team. Right now we're all sitting in the salle cheminie on our own laptops tagging the hundreds of photos we put up for champfleuri. It took so long! This afternoon after we've had gouter (which is cake made for us by BAFA) we're going for a walk in wigs. We thought a walk would be a good idea as its an absolutly B-E-A-utiful day here, but we decided that was just too boring, so wigs it is! Mine is pink. Don't worry we'll take pictures.

Now I'm gonna go listen to this amazing cd Mike found and read the new book I found lying around. New books are like gold around here, there is already a waiting list. On that note The Irresistible Revolution is amazing. I read it this past week and have now passed it along, but would recommend it highly to all of you also. Some of the thought is a little new agey...okay a lot, but still pretty good. I loved it. I especially loved the part on community as it talked about some of the things we've been thinking/ working on around here. More salsa lessons planned for this evening :) wicked syched!

Recap of BAFA week

Well it's been a crazy week. Since I'm tired and still have to serve dinner tonight I figure a short week summary should do for ya'll. Basically this weekend was great as there were 40 extra teenagers our age hanging out here. They also had to be super entertaining as they are preparing to teach camps for little kids. BAFA is a week training camp for future french counselors. Thus they spend the week learning and also putting on plays, playing games, and just dressing up crazy! Each meal was interupted by one of the 6 groups dressed in various costumes and with different dinner theater. Life has been anything but boring lately. I went to the store today with a few equipier and Justin from DEFI and we came back to find all the students of BAFA sitting in a big circle dressed in costumes with face paint surrounding a guy with a huge fake beard and wig stirring a cauldren...AND they were chanting!

Besides the entertainments BAFA has brought us we've been getting into a schedrule we're calling the chalet ladies. Basically we've been taking walks in the alps each afternoon, spending some time working out together, and planning a bible study. We've also decided in the coming week to make some colorful posters to adorn our rooms as we've been inspired by the blessing posters we made with DEFI this week. Anyways all that to say that this week I took a walk with Doris into the mtns. We told the guys we would be fine alone...although they doubted this completly :) haha well it turns out they were correct. Doris and I ended up in the most beautiful area. A little stone bridge with ivy hanging off it overlooking a waterfall and its really close to camp, the issue of course was that we decided to try and continue on the path that ran alongside the river and ended up climbing the side of the mtn with no path, thorns, and mud. It ended with us both tumbling down almost into the river....oops! By this time it was almost completly dark and we luckily ended up finding our way back to camp, but there was a moment or two I think we both doubted our ability to retrace our steps.

Halloween in France was also pretty neat. DEFI decided we all had to dress up for the day so we pulled out our costumes from the camps closet and had everything from a detective to a hippie. I was a dutch maid and Kristin was a milking maid (the equipier decided to go with the theme of serventhood). In the evening we even had a bunch of cute little kids come to the door and ask for candy during dinner service. So Mike and I put out gouter snacks for them! What's better than getting a loaf of bread for halloween anyways. :)

Hmmmm....trying to see if I've forgotten anything else of any consequence. Tons of late nights with DEFI this week. We've been watching a series of Brittish shows, playing some MAFIA, and trying to get through this last week before their pause. Today is the last day before their week long break. This means that the next week will be a ton more relaxed. Sure there's still work around here, but if they are planning an activity we are allowed to plan our days around theirs. We also dont have to have meals served as we will all take turns cooking and eat together in the salle d'equipier. Only 4 or 5 of the students are actually going to be here as the others will be touring around Europe during their time off. That's fine with me. I'm looking forward to hanging with Justin, Joelle, Noelle, and Lisa.

Ahhh I've thought of something else fun we did this week. There were a lot of good times this week so they have a tendency to blend together, especially when I'm tired and really not concentrating all that well due to silly people distracting me ;)

We went to a party at Sam's. He's turning 18 really soon and so he has everyone to his guest house for the night. We couldnt stay the whole time due to petite deg in the morning, but we went for the evening...okay until the morning, but we didnt sleep there! Mike, Kristin, and I went over having no idea what to expect. Turns out it was a bunch of our friends including some from camp STEVE and TED. It was neat to see them again and also neat to see our church friends. Sam has been really good about introducing us to a group of really strong christians from the area...we love them, they make us laugh! So it was basically a dance party complete with lights and a DJ. The best part is it was some of the same dance music from home, just add french kids that are incredible dancers (americans u have no idea how good they are...take any idea you have and multiply it by 10 and u get them dancing). Basically they taught us some stuff and we had such a great night complete with the YMCA and even a pudding fight! Like I said, these kids are crazy cool.

Last but definitly not least we had some missionaries from Hong Kong here for the end of the week. There were 6 of them plus a little baby girl Ava. They were all super nice and very excited about what's happening in Asia in 2008. They are encouraging us to all look into missions in Asia. Sadly I don't think that's exactly where I feel my heart is called. BIOLA is defnitly next in my order of adventures. Still it was really neat to hear about their adventures and get to talk to them a bit about their future plans during this coming year.

Alas I'm having a super hard time concentrating...due to some wonderful people...so im going to go play MAFIA and do dinner service.