Christmas and beyond...

well that wonderful time of the year has now come and gone. For Christmas this year (or Noel in France) we had the eve with Emmanuelle (our cooks) family. Their tradition is fondu and presents as most French families actually do our family version of Christmas on Dec 24th instead of the 25th. On the 25th Kristin and I got up and opened our presents. We bought each other gifts and were given a bunch of others by our families and friends. Plus we bought each other 10 euros of stocking stuffers which provided ample opening entertainment for Christmas. Afterwards we proceeded to make beaded gifts for the Reeves children and read the Christmas story. We did that most of the afternoon inside our warm and cozy decorated house. Then in the evening we hosted a Christmas party with the staff from camp as well as an old friend from camp Charles (some of you might remember him from last Christmas in America...he visited LCA). All in all it was an AMAZING Christmas. It was different than home, but it was in it's own way one of my favorite Christmas' because of how crazy it ended up being. God was sooo good this holiday season. Thanks to everyone for their prayers about this. This holiday has allowed me once again to just see how God pours out his blessings and remains steadfast. What an amazing thought to think he sent his only son to die so that I could really LIVE. I love Christmas and the message it brings to us all.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As for right now. Well we're back to work. We have two groups here. One is another BAFA (counselor training) camp and the other is a large family (about 35) here to ski for vacation. It's kind of crazy with a few added couples on top of that, but we have lots of help and it's been good so far. The best part is that some of our friends from past years have been st0pping in to visit and we have been getting to hang out with some other friends from camps that we have attended. AND the best thing about these past two weeks is that Kristin and I have been skiing. We went on Friday and it was a bit crowded due to holidays, but the snow was great and the weather warm and bright. We're headed back out at some point this week as this minute snow is dumping on the mtns.

With all that's been going on around here I have not had time to update everyone back home much. To sum up life right now I would just say the word joy.

For a long time work here was pretty rough and it was hard to be so far from friends and family. We lacked understanding of French and thus it was also hard to get spiritual fulfillment through church. Wow have things changed recently!

First off we have begun to both understand significant amounts of french. The speaking portion is coming much slower, but we're doing our best. With this understanding we have found that we can now understand our church services and have begun to connect with some of the people we see there each week. We both have fallen in love with french worship songs and I'm on the hunt for a few great french worship cd's...harder than u might realize. There is no French WOW.

In regards to work some of the difficulties have been solved and the staff seems to have really begun to bond. It has begun to feel like we are a family. Please pray for this connection and unity to continue and prosper as it will make these next three months the most fulfilling of our time here! Also please pray for our friend Verena as she is the other roomate in our chalet at the moment. Kristin and I have become pretty close and so far have had no trouble letting Verena into the friendship, but it can be intimidating when you try and break into a friendship as close as ours. Please just pray that we remember this and the three of us continue to bond as we will be sharing the house until April. So far so good!

Life is soo good right now here. I guess to sum it up I feel like France is home. I no longer feel strange when I go out. I've learned to fit in as best as possible, to try and speak my very broken french and they will help me as best they can, to smile and nod and pretend you get everything, and just feel at home here. It is very different and many people have told me that when you move to a different country there is a stage of culture shock. Mine lasted until about last week. yea...thats a long time. I mean parts of it has left long ago, but at the same time I wasn't as comfortable here as I was in America. It felt alien and foreign everytime we went anywhere. There are still some things that throw me every once and a while, but by and large it feels comfortable now. From the architecture to the cars to the liscense plates (we live in 38 for the record...we watch the ski cars to see whos a local and whos visiting...we're locals :) ) A large part of this is due to our ski passes. Because of this we have been getting out of camp much more and meeting people. We have also been exploring more and getting involoved at AWANA's. These outlets have allowed us to see France not just from the inside of the bubble that can be camp and have allowed us to adapt much more to the lifestyle of France. I wish you could all come see this lovely place and meet the amazing people I have come to call my family. I love France and now that I find I can adapt to living elsewhere will probably be back...scary yes, but also a fact. For a while it was hard to come to grips with the idea that my little world that was all I had ever know wasn't going to be all I knew in this life. I was happy with my life and I liked it quite a bit (still do), but God had some bigger plans than I did. I'm still grasping just how big, but I do think France is still going to be playing a role in those plans yet to come. But first of course BIOLA....wouldn't want to forget that!

Probably won't update until the new year so I wish you all the best. For those of you back home may you all enjoy your new year (brians or wherever u find yourselves)! May it be all that your dreaming of. For us here we will be having a little evening soiree with some friends from Froges after we serve the group that will be here. And for those of you still traveling and such may you find people to spend the new year with as well. Enjoy! And God Bless you all!

-ERK

Well here's a sum up of vacation thus far:
Monday afternoon:
picked up ski's and boots with Mike and Kritin
went to a fancy fondu restraunt where we were treated by Doris' uncle to an amazing dinner of meat, cheese, and chocolate fondue...mhmm.

Tuesday:
Slept in
Said bye to Mike as he headed back home for break
Headed to the mtns with Kristin, Buan, Blain, Allan, and the pastor of the church in Bringoud for a day of some skiing. It was the most beautiful and epic ski experience I have ever had. There was sooo much snow, no ice, the sun set perfectly over the mountains, and I got to pick up right where I left off last season. Yes for quickly remembering how to ski. Plus they all ski super fast and well and it was sooo much fun. I finally accomplished one of my lifelong (thus far) dreams! We took a bunch of pictures and will be heading back out later this week at some point.
Came back home for the Talent Show AWANA night.
Babysat and watched a movie at the Reeves house.

Wednesday:
got up super late and got an email from Jonny saying he would be here any moment
got groceries and then missed picking him up at the gare so we met he and sam at camp
made crepes

and planned for tomorrow some sledding with Jonny up in the mountains and a little crepe party here. So life goes on beyond DEFI. It's actually been a pretty smooth transition and hasn't been as terrible as I thought it would be originally.

Hope you are all beginning to enjoy your own vacation!

DEFI departs...

Ce matin the last of DEFI headed out. Justin will be back after Noelle for another month of equipier goodness. Other than that we all hope that someday we will be reconnected at some point here on this earth and if not well its gonna be a great party when this family gets to heaven!

It's been a hectic and also pretty sad past couple of days. Not only has DEFI been slowly heading out, but our other equipiers are all headed home for the holidays or are finished working here. It's really over. I guess I need to once again get used to things ending. I hate endings. I need to go dig myself a hole if I ever want to get away from them, they are everywhere all the time. And my other friends back home are all heading back home from their colleges. I want to see them all and my family soooo much. I guess I'm home sick. For one of the first times since I've been here I kinda want to faire ma valisse and catch the next plane home to ya'll. I think I'll go to Boston. Think I need a sunrise, tired of the sunset. Yes I stole that.

I read a quote by Donald Miller in my new favorite book Through Painted Deserts (which for the record I recommend to anyone who is literate). He says "It might be time for you to go. It might be time to change, to shine out. I want to repeat one word for you:
leave
Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It is a beautiful word, isn’t it? So strong and forceful, the way you have always wanted to be. And you will not be alone. You have never been alone. Don’t worry. Everything will still be here when you get back. It is you who will have changed."
I love it. I really love it. I know I needed to leave. I'm not sure I think everyone needs to, but I needed to have my own adventure, see the world a bit. I have. I'm glad I did. I'll never be the same. Yet I want home now too. I guess it's true that home doesnt change, people do, but home doesnt, at least for me. I'm going to go back and it will be mostly the same, it's me that will have changed.

Yea tonight we had another fete this time for the church we attend. We decorated the Grange super fancy and then served dinner there. It was really fun. It's nice to be included in the church body. My favorite part was when we all had to become the manger scene. We had adults pretending to be sheep. It was a great night. Now we're all slowly heading to bed...kinda. Tomorrow is our last day of work before we get vacation until the 26th. Fun Fun.

Well that's about all the news I have right now. I'm gonna go dig a hole or something. Maybe I'll settle for my bed. Our room smells a little like a hole right about now. Our heater basically exploded with water....hmm. I have no idea either. But it did. Nice story right?

On that wonderful note. Sleeeeeeppppp

another night in the french alps...

today i literally painted all day. it was amazing. the apartment we were working on is finally done!!!

on another note tonight was AWANA's so off we went through the terrible rain and traffic to Grenoble. My kids were crazy tonight as everyone is sick and had tons of verses to recite because they have spent a bunch of time sitting at home due to sick days. Also two of our students are leaving saturday for america. It must be really strange to pick things up and leave with a company like caterpillar. They moved here 4 years ago, have learned french and settled it, and now here they go again back to america to another new town. How hard that must be? I never want to be a miliatry brat or move around for work. I realize with how the world works I could end up doing just that, but I really don't want to. I want to live in a community and town and never move. Or move, but for missions and come back someday. Either way they're leaving got me to thinking hoe short our time here is and how this group of kids are all moving around. This place is one that they all call home for such a short period of time and then they are off again. so hard to accept, but then again thats the life nowadays i suppose. alright we're all sick so bed time for everyone is in effect. night.

Another concert. fun fun.

Today was the day of our final Christmas concert. I had breakfast this morning so up I got (it was still dark this morning!) and set up petite deg stuff. Then off to church with defi. We got there early and had a little time to rehearse before the concert. It went uneventfully until about halfway through when Cecil our "import" (she comes for the days and then leaves) left backstage and seconds later we heard a giant THUD. Turns out she had gotten overheated...how I have no idea because in all honesty the backstage area was the size of a closet space and it was frigid! Either way she fainted on stage...we all thought it was part of the sketch. It wasn't. So our three nurses (well ones a widewife, but we'll count her anyways) rushed to the rescue and fixed her up. She's fine now, but she spent the rest of the concert sitting. That was basically the climax of the concert and then we sang some more and were done. It was good, but not as good as our first concert. I think the late night viewing of Runaway Jury and crepe party we had last night could have played a role. Most people were kind of lethargic and so the singing in front of tons of people thing wasnt high on anyones list today. Yet we did it and then come back home. The rest of the day has passed pretty normally. We are all sitting in the salle cheminier and we've turned the couches so we can look our the windows. Hannah is reading a book about how to be a christian lawyer next to me--HAHA--and the others are watching disney films. Crazy kids. Tonight we have another crepe soiree with Juniho and his fiancee. I think Sam and some other friends are also coming up for the evening. And that is a sum up of today.

This coming week is going to be crazy. We have one day off and then we work straight through till next Monday. It's going to be a long week. We're trying to get all the work done so we get a break for Christmas. Then this coming weekend we have a party for defi and than they leave. Sunday is the Brigoud Christmas party and then Tuesday we finally go on break. Basically our last week with DEFI will be caotic. I hope we have some time to spend with them. Lately we've all been staying up till forever all hanging out. A typical bed time right now is about 2 or 3 AM. Not good if you're getting up for breakfast at 7 AM. :( Either way it's almost over.

For Christmas Kristin and I after tons of decisions have decided to stay here. We were debating going to visit a friend, but she lives pretty far by train and its rather expensive and the times of the trains due to holiday travel are pretty terrible. So thus Christmas at camp. It won't be that bad, we're going to the Reeves and we decorated and it will be nice to relax. It's going to be nice to just have a few days to do nothing. I havent done nothing in...ummm i can't remember the last time I did nothing actually. Plus our friend Jonny is coming back from school in Wales and our other friend Matthew is coming home from school in America so we will be visiting with them for a bit as well.

Right now the sun is setting outside the window. It's 4:30 and the sun is setting. It didnt even rise till about 8. Depressing. That's what that is.

We're probably going skiing this Thursday. My first ski experience in the French alps. I have waited for my whole life to accomplish this dream, hard to believe it could happen Thursday!!!!

and on that note...im going to go do something productive. This doesnt count. Bonne soir.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Yesterday I went to the store. AWESOME right? Right now your thinking wow she has such a booming social life. Actually this is of some note because one I was getting christmas gifts and two on a spontaneity buy Mike and I got a christmas tree!!!!!! We were about to leave and saw that they were cheap and since my rents had just sent christmas lights we thought well why not? So an hour later there we where in the chalet setting up a tree in a little wood block the french people put them into. We put on lights and then wrapped our doors like Christmas packages like college kids tend to do. In the evening I made paper chains so basically the chalet is decorated and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Tonight we were planning on going to a lighting ceremony in Lyon, but because some of us got the amazing idea to talk till 5 am this morning we have vetoed that idea. Too bad.

In response to a friend here who says my last two posts have been too depressing I wanted to say that no I am not depressed in the least, life is good. I just love song lyrics. the end.

and now back to hanging out with defi on our day off. nice. i walked into the room a minute ago and totally walked into a fort that they had made with the reeves kids. we're not enfants i promise, we just tend to act like that :)

Rest in Peace Casey

There once was a guy named Casey. He was the guitarist for a band called Hawthorne Heights, but to many he was more than just a guitarist. He is remembered because of his laughter, his quirky personality, and his love. He had a wife and many friends and fans who he left behind. He was a big supported of an organization called To write love on her arms. A group I support. I just wanted to remember this man and the people he left behind and those whos lives he touched. I loved his music and mourn the loss of such brilliancy.

three sleepless nights
this isn't how it's supposed to be
but you're so good at taking your time
to give back to me

i will wait for you forever
if you would just ask me
i thought that i could change you
but you changed me

but it doesn't feel right
holding someone else's hand
together on phone lines
and living at two opposite ends

it scares me to think that you could find takers
other than me
and better than me

but your head is elsewhere
and i'm talking enough for both of us
when will you see it's not so easy for me

but you're careless
and whisper
insulting
and bruising

tied off
and you said
thanks for improving

these laces are untied
but my feet are walking away
away

i never thought that you could say these words
is this really happening?

i never thought that you could say these words
is this really happening?
(don't say...)

i never thought that you could say these words
is this really happening?
(don't say that we can...)

i never thought that you could say these words
is this really happening?
(don't say that we can still be...)

i never thought that you could say these words
is this really happening?
(don't say that we can still be friends)

how can you take
(what is inside me?)
all these things
(what have i done?)
and throw them away
(is this the only way that you'll notice me?)
as i sit here waiting
([?] all this is sung)
for you

and if you're still pretending
(and i'm saying lines)
this is what's right
(until stars hit the sky)
why can't you look at me
can't you only see one side
(knowing what side can't)
your side can't take away

walk away from me
this night is done


we've all agreed it was one of those james blunt, emery, and goo goo dolls days.
i just sat out under the stars wrapped in a blanket for a couple hours. it was amazing. then i warmed up with some tea and talking with the girls. i love girls and talking. and chalets. and space heaters. and that is all...because once again i have gotten into the typical attitude around here that u dont need to sleep...until 4 am. yes bad habit. no wonder im sick and tired. i need sleep. so here i go...actually no. first im going to finish talking to people back home. then bed. maybe. night.

Christmas Concert and exploring the land of european skiing...

Well yesterday was quite interesting. First off it was the day of our Christmas concert in Bourg St. Rice (je pense). So at about 3 in the afternoon we all piled into the van with Buan and Allan (our amazing co-pilot and driver) and headed to the alps. Yes I know we live in the alps, but we live in a valley where we can drive a bit down the hill and see the alps as a nice draping background. The town we drove to was about 2 hrs away from here and is literally in the alps. You are in a valley where you crane your neck to see the tops of the mtns. So no more beautiful view of the outline of the alps like were we live, we got the full affect of being inside them. This town is literally the end of the road, to get out there is only one way...weird. So we arrived in the evening and had a brief stint of waiting for Blain to get together gouter then headed to have gouter avec the students at a beautiful little chalet apartment thing. After we had our snack we headed into town, literally a 2 minute walk, for the annual Christmas tree lighting. It was beautiful, a whole little cobblestone street lined with shuttered houses and shops covered in lights and christmas trees. They even served a heated wine with orange peels...interesting taste. So we walked around looking into shop windows (discovered that the direct translation of that word in french is licking the windows) and drinking our little glasses of wine. Not only was it a quaint little town all lit up and filled with locals, but it was a nice little ski town, so imagine the cute little european ski village and that's basically where we found ourselves.

It was sooo nice to see DEFI again! we all freaked out a bit when we all saw each other after only three days. It was nice to get to catch up and hear about their weeks.

Then off to our concert. We practiced and decorated a little room and then we sang for a bunch of people. We all dressed in black with really pretty christmas colored scarves and sang a series of christmas carols and other french songs. We ended with everyone in the room singing Born Again and He's got the whole world in his hands...complete with hand motions :). A good concert, but the dessert afterwards was by far the best.

We got to serve and eat really yummy french snacks and talk to some of the people at the concert. I met a bunch of teenagers who are in essence being ski bums this year at the resorts in the area. They are through a program in Britian called Masterski and I totally want to do it! They are a christian group that sends teens to either the mediteranean for watersports or europe for skiing. They train you and then you work mornings and ski evenings. Most end up doing a whole year before or after college and they jump chalets working and countries following the weather patterns. SOOOO neat. Anyways I spent the whole evening talking to them and hearing about their experiences thus far. I love how these types of conversations go...a sample here:

Bonjour.
A few seconds of rapid french. Then silence. Someone says something in english. AHHH you speak english too. A discussion about where everyone is from, the languages they speak, the accents we all have, and then usually an agreement on which language we will continue the convo in...strange world of european gapies (the name for gap year kids). The rest of the convo will probably continue in german, english, or french and consist of why are you here, how are you paying for your year, and what kind of work are you doing. Then an exchange of info and probably a new email friend with updates each month as to how the other gapies are doing over there in ski bum land. I love connecting with other gapies.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I finished typing that last bit the bell outside began ringing and the buses pulled in bringing DEFI home. We have this tradition that whenever they get home we all run out and greet with huge hugs and laughs at how funny we all are for missing everyone after only a day!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But back to yesterday. We then piled back into the van and continued with another bus ride back to camp complete with christmas songs and leftover jambon sandwiches. What a night.

..and that was our grand christmas concert. But now I'm off to hang out with DEFI since the family is finally home! Game night tonight!