Anyway, here are some shots of Jonathan and I at the monument. Also, we were there one night right when they turned the lights on. It was a sweet surprise to see the light show.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Our Eiffel Tower Pics & a Video of it lighted up!
So, one of the first places we visited when we arrived in Paris was the Eiffel Tower. It's still an awesome monument, but it doesn't ball me over the way it did the first time I saw it in 2009. I was utterly overwhelmed and almost brought to tears by its gorgeous presence. It just emerged out of nowhere. I thank God that I came up from behind it. If you walk toward it from the front, you can see it from various parts of the city. When I saw it in 2009, I literally turned a corner, and BOOM! there is was. Just amazing.
Anyway, here are some shots of Jonathan and I at the monument. Also, we were there one night right when they turned the lights on. It was a sweet surprise to see the light show.
Anyway, here are some shots of Jonathan and I at the monument. Also, we were there one night right when they turned the lights on. It was a sweet surprise to see the light show.
Christmas in Paris
Christmas time in Paris starts almost after Halloween. Pretty much like in the states. Decorations start going up in restaurant and store windows, lights get strung along major shopping streets and the Christmas Markets start to appear, with the major one along the Champs Elysee in the 8th district. Sadly, I was never able to get a good shop of the street with the booths. It's quite beautiful. Here's a stock image pic that gives you a bit of a idea of how the booths look:
The weekends were always crowded, barely enough walking room. I found myself there during the week a few times, when it was much more manageable. Never bought anything but churros (those long, sugar coated fried donuts) and sausage and fries from this one vendor that really knew what they were doing. However, you could buy just about anything. There were also cute rides for children and even ice-skating (though the rink was pretty slushy).
Here are a few images of Jonathan having fun at some Market activities and a cool pic of Santa in a bubble:
Since 2013, I've been leading a small online life group through my church, Liquid Church (liquidchurch.com). I recently sunset it because it was too hard juggling the time differences. However, one of the members lives in the UK with her husband and daughter, who is Jonathan's age. They stopped through Paris on their way home from a trip to Germany, so we got to meet in person for the first time. Jonathan and I met them at the Gare de l'est train station and walked the short distance with them from there to Gare du Nord station. We took some good-bye shots in Gare du Nord:
On December 14, Jonathan participated in a Christmas sing-along during the contemporary church service at the America Church in Paris. Here's a shot of him all do'd up and a video of the children singing with the band:
Finally, managed to get a small Charlie Brown Christmas tree:-), and enjoyed spending Christmas Eve Service at the American Church. Here are some shots of the Christmas Tree, Jonathan on the bus ride to church, a balcony view of the service and a shot of Rue St. Dominique, a major shopping road, where you can see a view of the Eiffel Tower at night. Unfortunately, we never got to the tower for the Christmas lights.My next post will contain pics from October when we managed to see the lights get turned on one night!
The weekends were always crowded, barely enough walking room. I found myself there during the week a few times, when it was much more manageable. Never bought anything but churros (those long, sugar coated fried donuts) and sausage and fries from this one vendor that really knew what they were doing. However, you could buy just about anything. There were also cute rides for children and even ice-skating (though the rink was pretty slushy).
Here are a few images of Jonathan having fun at some Market activities and a cool pic of Santa in a bubble:
The American Church in Paris also had its own little Christmas Market where Jonathan got a pic with Santa. The American Library also had a nice Christmas afternoon with games, crafts, singing and time with Frosty that Jonathan enjoyed:
Since 2013, I've been leading a small online life group through my church, Liquid Church (liquidchurch.com). I recently sunset it because it was too hard juggling the time differences. However, one of the members lives in the UK with her husband and daughter, who is Jonathan's age. They stopped through Paris on their way home from a trip to Germany, so we got to meet in person for the first time. Jonathan and I met them at the Gare de l'est train station and walked the short distance with them from there to Gare du Nord station. We took some good-bye shots in Gare du Nord:
On December 14, Jonathan participated in a Christmas sing-along during the contemporary church service at the America Church in Paris. Here's a shot of him all do'd up and a video of the children singing with the band:
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Something about Jonathan
Bonne Annee, everyone!!
So, it's been ages since I posted. I have a lot to talk about and loads of pics to upload, but I wanted to add an entry today about Jonathan and how things have gone at his school. It sort of dovetails with much of my silence these past couple of months, as I've been dealing with a lot of confusion and tumult about either staying or leaving. Anyway, I'm gonna just copy and paste info from a long email to a friend about my meeting with his two teachers, Miss Elsa (I've been thinking it was Esla all this time) and Miss Valentine, the School Director, Mr. Coote, the school Psychologist and a translator.
Here's a pic of his teachers (Miss Elsa is holding Jonathan's hand on the left (probably so he can stand still; clearly by how his head is leaning he was moving around:>); Director Coote is standing next Elsa; Valentine is the shorter girl on the right and the tall woman is the sweet class Aid, Miss Aida).
Sadly, but great for her, Miss Elsa did not return when school started on January 5. She got an opportunity to teach in Africa and ran with it! She was a replacement teacher for the regular first half of the week teacher, who is on maternity leave, so I suppose it was easy for her to leave. They are currently looking for her replacement. Here in Paris, however, if a teacher can't come to class due to sickness or quitting, there are no substitute teachers to grab to cover the class - at least at the preschool level. Parents simply have to turn around and bring the kids back home. For working parents that must be painful. I'm not in class right now, so it's no biggie for me. This policy is strange, considering the amazing after-school and vacation program that the public schools provide, virtually free.
Anyway, over the rest of the week, I'll add more info on our activities during the holidays and the cool pics. I promise!
Note: Pasting in blogger can make the text look weird. Apologies for that, but this content is a bit too detailed to retype altogether.:-)
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So, it's been ages since I posted. I have a lot to talk about and loads of pics to upload, but I wanted to add an entry today about Jonathan and how things have gone at his school. It sort of dovetails with much of my silence these past couple of months, as I've been dealing with a lot of confusion and tumult about either staying or leaving. Anyway, I'm gonna just copy and paste info from a long email to a friend about my meeting with his two teachers, Miss Elsa (I've been thinking it was Esla all this time) and Miss Valentine, the School Director, Mr. Coote, the school Psychologist and a translator.
Here's a pic of his teachers (Miss Elsa is holding Jonathan's hand on the left (probably so he can stand still; clearly by how his head is leaning he was moving around:>); Director Coote is standing next Elsa; Valentine is the shorter girl on the right and the tall woman is the sweet class Aid, Miss Aida).
Anyway, over the rest of the week, I'll add more info on our activities during the holidays and the cool pics. I promise!
Note: Pasting in blogger can make the text look weird. Apologies for that, but this content is a bit too detailed to retype altogether.:-)
**************************************************************
I had the meeting yesterday with Jonathan's teachers, the School Director, the school Psychologist and a translator. Though I was a bit nervous, everyone was so helpful and kind. The meeting went well and was productive. They are going to research options for outside school activities for children his age. There is a music school near a metro station that's close to us, which I will check out (Jonathan is very musical, so maybe some lessons would be good for him). I also got a reference to a therapy center in the 17th that has English-speaking therapists. The psychologists thought that they might be able to provide further insight about his behavior. I'm gonna curb video watching, particularly in the morning. That won't be happening anymore. Too much stimulus for early in the day and the images tend to stay with the child all day, so it's best that he not consume such material in the morning. In reality, he has watched too much TV for his age. The primary problem was in my parent's home, where we lived his first 3 years. There are TV's in almost every room, and it became normal to let him watch cartoons while he was eating, starting at 7 months when he commenced eating solid foods and begin sitting in a high chair. A sore mistake on my part. I should have just turned the TV off from day one. Since I'm not much into TV watching myself anymore (save HGTV), I'm not sure why I allowed Jonathan to get sucked into a TV habit. Live and learn. I thank the Lord He is able to reverse the damage by His power and grace.
Jonathan's main issue is that he has a hard time when they are in circle time - sitting together as a class (which they do about 3x per day). He'll only sit still if an Aid is there, who will rub his back, scratch his head, just give him tactile attention like that. When he is engaged in activities, he does extremely well. He's much more advanced academic-wise than the rest of his class (knows all his ABC's and counts to 30 - can identify letters in words and his name). He also doesn't need instructions to do any of his class work - he just takes a cue from what the other students are doing and completes all his work perfectly (which really impresses his teachers). He is interpreting back in English what the teacher says to him in French. He is very sensitive to the feelings of others when they are crying or sad (running to get tissues and such). They got their class pictures back yesterday, and Miss Esla pointed out that unlike how most children (and adults) look for their own face in a group shot, Jonathan was more concerned with identifying the faces of everyone else in the picture.
His sensitive nature has its negative part, though. He will not disengage from activities without crying or upset (he does this at home and when transferring metro trains). He simply does not do good with transitions (so the general anxiety that probably underlies all this is associated with his transition from the US to Paris).
So, generally his academic skills are excellent, but his social skills need a lot of maturing. As an only child who hasn't really benefited from neighborhood children to play with or cousins his age (like I had growing up) or siblings, he just really doesn't know how to engage others in play within a confined environment (classroom). And I didn't have many friends in NJ with kids his age. I'm hoping to improve that here. Pray for me! Outside, however, he loves to play with other children (which I was aware of but the teachers also pointed out). He's really a peculiar study as a child!
I know that when he's doing any manual work (such as in the construction area at this museum here called the Cite Science & Industry museum) he goes into a zone. They say he is the same with any tasks/classwork he is given. He is focused and gets the work done. The Director suggested they look into seeing if he might visit a higher age class during the week to be further stimulated. Maybe that will help. I also discovered, after accompanying his cute little class to a movie at a nice cinema near us (no school buses here - we walked!), that he can sit through a movie and stay still. He doesn't do that with videos at home, which made me nervous about taking him to a theater. However, now that I know he can sit still, we'll be adding that as an activity we can do together.
So, that's where we are at. The Director was so sweet. He said it's great to have a child who is so curious and active - not a bump on the log, which made me feel good. We'll try all of these different suggestions, and prayerfully all of it or some, plus general maturation and Jonathan getting more familiar with the language and Paris, will improve the situation. He really does love school and is excited to go every morning and sometimes asks about going during the weekend.
We'll meet again in April to see how things are going. I'm believing things will be going very well!
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Answered prayer - and never leave your window open...
So it's been awhile since I posted. Why? Well, I was without a netbook for a little over a week. Why?
I got robbed.
Yeah, on Sunday, October 19th, on the last day of a seven day period of prayer and consecration with my prayer partner, Winsome, the Lord miraculously brought a caretaker for Jonathan through the American Church in Paris. A young lady named Jacqueline sent me an email that morning - the day that we were believing an answer would come - stating that she would be available for 10/25 and 11/8 and possibly for the dates in 2015 - if things work out that she remains in Paris. She recently graduated from a Grad program in Dance Research and she and her French husband might end up relocating back to her native California. I'll find out for sure in a month. However, the Lord later in the week sent another sweet woman from Morocco who is a nanny by profession, but has weekends free, and if Jacqueline is not available, I will likely employ her for 2015. So, all in all, the Lord moved mightily on my behalf! I'm still numb by how it all worked out.
And then I got even more numb that evening, but not in a joyous way - at least not at first.
In a rush to get to church on this glorious Sunday, after getting that news and having prayer and communion with Winsome to close off our 7 day prayer fest (we're still meeting to pray weekly over our needs and other situations), I forgot to close one of the windows of my ground floor apartment - an absolute no no in my neighborhood. It was a hot day that Sunday, which is why I opened it. How absolutely unnerving it was to arrive home and walk past our apartment to see the window WIDE open and to peer in to see my netbook not on the table. They lifted it. The blessing is that they had to work fast because they did it in broad daylight and in clear view of the neighborhood boulangerie.
I did the slow walk of death to the apartment to open it to see that was pretty much all they had time to get - until I realized later that they also took my $120 travel knapsack that held a lot of my school supplies, some travel books and games for Jonathan, most of my computer, cell phone and Jonathan's Kindle paraphernalia and my mifi - which I hadn't been able to use over here in France, but am still paying for through my AT & T contract (I deactivated it that night, but still need to cancel that part of my plan).
I was depressed, regretful, sad, upset, every emotion under the sun. However, overnight the Lord set my heart straight. I was foolish, this was the consequence, but He IS A GOOD GOD who is able to work all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. So, something good will come out of it - and in a way I am grateful it happened. It set me on a course for some other improvements in my life - not to talk about here - but things in many other areas need to change and I guess this was a motivating influence. So I give Him praise!
Plus, it was also a tool of the enemy to discourage me in light of the amazing answer to prayer that the Lord gave me. I was discouraged for a minute, but did not remain despondent. Thank you, Jesus.
I immediately ordered a new netbook from Amazon - more expensive than the one I had (which the Lord had miraculously put in my hands at a discount from Kmart right before I left IBM and it had been an absolute peach of a little netbook the whole time I had it - that still brings me some sadness that such a gift was taken away). Because I can't seem to order anything from Amazon to ship directly to my Paris address, I had to have it shipped to my parents and then my mom shipped it to me. I got it on Tuesday of this week. And it's not working at all like the previous one, and I'll probably have to anoint it with oil and pray over it to get it to act right - to ward off any creeping up of sadness and disappointment that comes over me when I realize this thing is a shell of what I had. I guess it's like the old folks in Haggai who were sad when they saw the restored temple, realizing it wasn't as great as the original. The original had been torn down as a result of their disobedience. My netbook was taken as a result of my carelessness - maybe even pride, as Winsome had asked me a few days before if it was wise to leave the netbook out with the one window cracked (one of the two windows has a burglary prevention bar on it) and I was like, "oh, it'll be fine. The other window is locked and to get into this emergency locked one that's cracked they would have to make a whole lot of ruckus on this busy street." Foolish me. Okay, let me stop - see how quickly the enemy can get you into negative thinking!
Needless to say, I now make sure both windows are closed and locked and that the metal screens are DOWN!!!
Okay, enough of that. More good news to share. The answered prayers haven't stopped. Here's Winsome's story...
So, we were still waiting for the Lord to come through in regards to finding Winsome housing. This past week I had my first class with the cohort - Financial Statement Analysis. I really enjoyed it. We have this final project that most of the cohort decided to meet to work on together that Sunday. I couldn't go because I have Jonathan and he would not have been able to sit still and play for 2 hours.
Winsome normally wouldn't have attended either, but she decided to go ahead and attend. However, it meant that she would have to go to the earlier 11 AM service at The American Church in Paris.
So, she attends that service. The night before she had hit rock bottom and totally surrendered all the circumstances of her remaining in Paris to the Lord - what the great Christian writer Catherine Marshall calls the "Prayer of Relinquishment". She forgot to turn her clock back so she ended up getting there at 10 AM and the Senior Pastor greeted her and then asked her if she'd like coffee. They chatted and she related her story. He prayed for her and then went his way.
The sermon that day was about tithing and giving offerings and Winsome was really tore up by it for brought to memory how she had been faithfully dedicating her tithes for the whole year in preparation for God's sufficiency and care while in Paris, only to see Him not move on her behalf - at least, not yet...
So, still tore up from the sermon, she gets up to leave for the library and the work group, but when she nears the exit, decides to go to the coffee social first, because she had some time to spare.
She heads there and a woman, in a choir gown is standing with a sign that reads "Need Prayer". Well, Winsome thought to herself, what can it hurt - I certainly could use more prayer if it's being offered.
She walks over and the lovely lady engages her in discussion and again Winsome relates her story. The woman starts to tear up and says:
"I want to cry...Winsome, we have a room in our house. Would you like to come stay with us?"
Winsome starts to cry...and cry. They're both bawling!
Winsome moved in yesterday. It's a lovely apartment in the lucrative 15th arrondissment that this American woman shares with her husband and college aged daughter. It will only be till the end of December, but now that she's in a stable place, it will allow her to seek God and be led of Him to secure the funding and additional housing that she'll need until the program ends in July. God will provide.
And yes: God moved. Period. According to our prayer and in such a well orchestrated way that it still astounds me, especially the answer to our petitions for Winsome's housing:
She normally wouldn't do the study group, but decided to go.
She had to go to 11 AM service rather than 1:30 (Jonathan and I attended 1:30 and went to the coffee social, and there was no one there with a sign saying "Need Prayer").
She got there too early and got prayer from the senior pastor.
She then decided not to go immediately to the library after church but to the coffee social.
She sees the woman with the choir gown at the coffee social.
She gets a place to stay.
So, we are rejoicing! If God can do all that - get me a caretaker and get her a home - than all the other incredible requests we're making, well, we're believing He can answer those too.
And WE ARE BELIEVING according to the words of Jesus Himself:
"Again I say to that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:19-20)
AMEN!
I got robbed.
Yeah, on Sunday, October 19th, on the last day of a seven day period of prayer and consecration with my prayer partner, Winsome, the Lord miraculously brought a caretaker for Jonathan through the American Church in Paris. A young lady named Jacqueline sent me an email that morning - the day that we were believing an answer would come - stating that she would be available for 10/25 and 11/8 and possibly for the dates in 2015 - if things work out that she remains in Paris. She recently graduated from a Grad program in Dance Research and she and her French husband might end up relocating back to her native California. I'll find out for sure in a month. However, the Lord later in the week sent another sweet woman from Morocco who is a nanny by profession, but has weekends free, and if Jacqueline is not available, I will likely employ her for 2015. So, all in all, the Lord moved mightily on my behalf! I'm still numb by how it all worked out.
And then I got even more numb that evening, but not in a joyous way - at least not at first.
In a rush to get to church on this glorious Sunday, after getting that news and having prayer and communion with Winsome to close off our 7 day prayer fest (we're still meeting to pray weekly over our needs and other situations), I forgot to close one of the windows of my ground floor apartment - an absolute no no in my neighborhood. It was a hot day that Sunday, which is why I opened it. How absolutely unnerving it was to arrive home and walk past our apartment to see the window WIDE open and to peer in to see my netbook not on the table. They lifted it. The blessing is that they had to work fast because they did it in broad daylight and in clear view of the neighborhood boulangerie.
I did the slow walk of death to the apartment to open it to see that was pretty much all they had time to get - until I realized later that they also took my $120 travel knapsack that held a lot of my school supplies, some travel books and games for Jonathan, most of my computer, cell phone and Jonathan's Kindle paraphernalia and my mifi - which I hadn't been able to use over here in France, but am still paying for through my AT & T contract (I deactivated it that night, but still need to cancel that part of my plan).
I was depressed, regretful, sad, upset, every emotion under the sun. However, overnight the Lord set my heart straight. I was foolish, this was the consequence, but He IS A GOOD GOD who is able to work all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. So, something good will come out of it - and in a way I am grateful it happened. It set me on a course for some other improvements in my life - not to talk about here - but things in many other areas need to change and I guess this was a motivating influence. So I give Him praise!
Plus, it was also a tool of the enemy to discourage me in light of the amazing answer to prayer that the Lord gave me. I was discouraged for a minute, but did not remain despondent. Thank you, Jesus.
I immediately ordered a new netbook from Amazon - more expensive than the one I had (which the Lord had miraculously put in my hands at a discount from Kmart right before I left IBM and it had been an absolute peach of a little netbook the whole time I had it - that still brings me some sadness that such a gift was taken away). Because I can't seem to order anything from Amazon to ship directly to my Paris address, I had to have it shipped to my parents and then my mom shipped it to me. I got it on Tuesday of this week. And it's not working at all like the previous one, and I'll probably have to anoint it with oil and pray over it to get it to act right - to ward off any creeping up of sadness and disappointment that comes over me when I realize this thing is a shell of what I had. I guess it's like the old folks in Haggai who were sad when they saw the restored temple, realizing it wasn't as great as the original. The original had been torn down as a result of their disobedience. My netbook was taken as a result of my carelessness - maybe even pride, as Winsome had asked me a few days before if it was wise to leave the netbook out with the one window cracked (one of the two windows has a burglary prevention bar on it) and I was like, "oh, it'll be fine. The other window is locked and to get into this emergency locked one that's cracked they would have to make a whole lot of ruckus on this busy street." Foolish me. Okay, let me stop - see how quickly the enemy can get you into negative thinking!
Needless to say, I now make sure both windows are closed and locked and that the metal screens are DOWN!!!
Okay, enough of that. More good news to share. The answered prayers haven't stopped. Here's Winsome's story...
So, we were still waiting for the Lord to come through in regards to finding Winsome housing. This past week I had my first class with the cohort - Financial Statement Analysis. I really enjoyed it. We have this final project that most of the cohort decided to meet to work on together that Sunday. I couldn't go because I have Jonathan and he would not have been able to sit still and play for 2 hours.
Winsome normally wouldn't have attended either, but she decided to go ahead and attend. However, it meant that she would have to go to the earlier 11 AM service at The American Church in Paris.
So, she attends that service. The night before she had hit rock bottom and totally surrendered all the circumstances of her remaining in Paris to the Lord - what the great Christian writer Catherine Marshall calls the "Prayer of Relinquishment". She forgot to turn her clock back so she ended up getting there at 10 AM and the Senior Pastor greeted her and then asked her if she'd like coffee. They chatted and she related her story. He prayed for her and then went his way.
The sermon that day was about tithing and giving offerings and Winsome was really tore up by it for brought to memory how she had been faithfully dedicating her tithes for the whole year in preparation for God's sufficiency and care while in Paris, only to see Him not move on her behalf - at least, not yet...
So, still tore up from the sermon, she gets up to leave for the library and the work group, but when she nears the exit, decides to go to the coffee social first, because she had some time to spare.
She heads there and a woman, in a choir gown is standing with a sign that reads "Need Prayer". Well, Winsome thought to herself, what can it hurt - I certainly could use more prayer if it's being offered.
She walks over and the lovely lady engages her in discussion and again Winsome relates her story. The woman starts to tear up and says:
"I want to cry...Winsome, we have a room in our house. Would you like to come stay with us?"
Winsome starts to cry...and cry. They're both bawling!
Winsome moved in yesterday. It's a lovely apartment in the lucrative 15th arrondissment that this American woman shares with her husband and college aged daughter. It will only be till the end of December, but now that she's in a stable place, it will allow her to seek God and be led of Him to secure the funding and additional housing that she'll need until the program ends in July. God will provide.
And yes: God moved. Period. According to our prayer and in such a well orchestrated way that it still astounds me, especially the answer to our petitions for Winsome's housing:
She normally wouldn't do the study group, but decided to go.
She had to go to 11 AM service rather than 1:30 (Jonathan and I attended 1:30 and went to the coffee social, and there was no one there with a sign saying "Need Prayer").
She got there too early and got prayer from the senior pastor.
She then decided not to go immediately to the library after church but to the coffee social.
She sees the woman with the choir gown at the coffee social.
She gets a place to stay.
So, we are rejoicing! If God can do all that - get me a caretaker and get her a home - than all the other incredible requests we're making, well, we're believing He can answer those too.
And WE ARE BELIEVING according to the words of Jesus Himself:
"Again I say to that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:19-20)
AMEN!
Friday, October 17, 2014
Vacances de la Toussaint 2014 (Thanksgiving Holiday)
Tomorrow, October 18th, is the start of the Vacances de la Touissaint - Thanksgiving Holiday - for the schools in Paris. There is a national holiday on Nov 1 that falls within this break called Touissant or All Saints Day - a holiday celebrated in most Catholic entrenched countries like France. It's primarily to remember all of the Christian Saints and Christian believers who have passed. Jonathan will be out of school for two weeks. The first two week break out of four that he'll have in the school year. He'll have a Christmas break in December, a winter break in February and then a spring break in April. It's pretty awesome. How I wish it had been like this for me when I was in primary and secondary school!
The school system is so wonderful here - they really try their best to help working parents by having special activities at the school during these breaks. So, at a minimal cost, you are able to drop your child at school and go to work, knowing they'll be entertained and happy. Also, a lot of the workers work out a schedule where they have long weekends or days off during the break because there are so many family-centric activities that they can do, particularly at all the museums in the city.
I of course am a bit overwhelmed deciding exactly what we're going to do, exacerbated by the fact that I was tied up completing a 4000 word (16 page) paper that God finished on Wednesday. Let me clarify - that God wrote and finished on Wednesday, after staring it on Monday. I take no credit - and am astounded even now that it got done. He's good!
Anyway, I'm still trying to get myself together to figure out exactly what I'll do with Jonathan during the days that I'm not in class and he's off. The days I'm in class next week, he'll be at school (as described above). There are so many museums that I want to hit and parks I haven't gotten to, that I'm gonna try to hit as much of those as possible with him while the weather is decent. I will post as we go along - and hopefully with pictures that you can see. Apparently, my pics aren't showing up and I'm not sure why. I've yet to have time to investigate. It's probably because I simply copied them from my emails to the blog and likely need to actually upload them, which is a pain. I won't be able to get to the fix until the week after next. So big apologies to everyone for the tease of saying "look here" when there was nothing to look at!
Now as I was writing this, I remembered that I forgot to hand in my form for Jonathan to participate in the vacation activities on next Thursday and Friday, so I can only hope and pray that they accept the form on Monday! Please Lord!
Not that there is any assurance that I can still take the class or remain in the program because, as of today, I still do not have anyone to watch Jonathan for the Saturday class. However, I am praying and believing. Praying hard in fact. And the Lord has seen fit to seal my prayers in agreement with another by knitting me with a fellow prayer warrior who is in my cohort!
Her name is Winsome and she is an Indian heritage South African. A mighty woman of God and we have so much in common! She is 48 - so along with my 47 year old self, we're the two oldest folks in our cohort. She arrived with plans to teach and attend class but has run into a number of issues securing teaching ESL positions (that is her vocation and she has taught in several geographies over the last 20 years). She's also has not found permanent housing yet. Her funds are low and she's desperate. However, we've been praying for both of our desperate situations and believing the hand of God will provide - all to His glory and fame! I have to praise Him now for the confidence that He has given me in His faithfulness. His children shall not go begging for bread - or trustworthy, dependable, energetic, creative and fun babysitters!
Anyway, I believe tomorrow we're gonna head (Jonathan and I) to the Jardin du Luxembourg or the Luxembourg Gardens. I've been trying to get back there (visited back in 2010 with my girlfriend and former colleague, Sandy) since our first week in Paris. The weather is supposed to be quite nice and the gardens has one of the best playground in the city. The gardens themselves are absolutely stunning. Lotsa pics will be snapped - and hopefully seen by our faithful readers! Update: Here they are!
Also a couple of videos:
A GREAT BABYSITTER - PLLLLEEEEAASSSEE!:-)
The school system is so wonderful here - they really try their best to help working parents by having special activities at the school during these breaks. So, at a minimal cost, you are able to drop your child at school and go to work, knowing they'll be entertained and happy. Also, a lot of the workers work out a schedule where they have long weekends or days off during the break because there are so many family-centric activities that they can do, particularly at all the museums in the city.
I of course am a bit overwhelmed deciding exactly what we're going to do, exacerbated by the fact that I was tied up completing a 4000 word (16 page) paper that God finished on Wednesday. Let me clarify - that God wrote and finished on Wednesday, after staring it on Monday. I take no credit - and am astounded even now that it got done. He's good!
Anyway, I'm still trying to get myself together to figure out exactly what I'll do with Jonathan during the days that I'm not in class and he's off. The days I'm in class next week, he'll be at school (as described above). There are so many museums that I want to hit and parks I haven't gotten to, that I'm gonna try to hit as much of those as possible with him while the weather is decent. I will post as we go along - and hopefully with pictures that you can see. Apparently, my pics aren't showing up and I'm not sure why. I've yet to have time to investigate. It's probably because I simply copied them from my emails to the blog and likely need to actually upload them, which is a pain. I won't be able to get to the fix until the week after next. So big apologies to everyone for the tease of saying "look here" when there was nothing to look at!
Now as I was writing this, I remembered that I forgot to hand in my form for Jonathan to participate in the vacation activities on next Thursday and Friday, so I can only hope and pray that they accept the form on Monday! Please Lord!
Not that there is any assurance that I can still take the class or remain in the program because, as of today, I still do not have anyone to watch Jonathan for the Saturday class. However, I am praying and believing. Praying hard in fact. And the Lord has seen fit to seal my prayers in agreement with another by knitting me with a fellow prayer warrior who is in my cohort!
Her name is Winsome and she is an Indian heritage South African. A mighty woman of God and we have so much in common! She is 48 - so along with my 47 year old self, we're the two oldest folks in our cohort. She arrived with plans to teach and attend class but has run into a number of issues securing teaching ESL positions (that is her vocation and she has taught in several geographies over the last 20 years). She's also has not found permanent housing yet. Her funds are low and she's desperate. However, we've been praying for both of our desperate situations and believing the hand of God will provide - all to His glory and fame! I have to praise Him now for the confidence that He has given me in His faithfulness. His children shall not go begging for bread - or trustworthy, dependable, energetic, creative and fun babysitters!
Anyway, I believe tomorrow we're gonna head (Jonathan and I) to the Jardin du Luxembourg or the Luxembourg Gardens. I've been trying to get back there (visited back in 2010 with my girlfriend and former colleague, Sandy) since our first week in Paris. The weather is supposed to be quite nice and the gardens has one of the best playground in the city. The gardens themselves are absolutely stunning. Lotsa pics will be snapped - and hopefully seen by our faithful readers! Update: Here they are!
Also a couple of videos:
Finally, keep us in prayer. I really need to find Jonathan a nice little friend to play with in our neighborhood. The kids in our building do not come out of their apartments and kids in the playgrounds are not always the warmest and friendliest kids. He is so social and really needs to have constant interaction and I feel like He is starved for it outside the classroom. I unfortunately can't enroll him in any activities like soccer or karate, cause that stuff doesn't start till children are at least 4 years of age. I'm gonna look into some of the playgroup info that I got from the Bloom Where You're Planted event at the American Church and there's also a theater group that I think he would enjoy and that starts at age 3, but a cool friend or two in the neighborhood would be nice, as well. He suffered from this same issue when we were in Jersey. It wasn't so bad in NJ cause he was still in that toddler zone and toddlers sort of play by themselves even when they're playing with others. However, he's moving into that social play, little boy zone and I just want him to be able to enjoy it as much as possible - it's how he's built. I wasn't built that way - still not. I'm an introvert with a capital I - and so it's a bit hard for me to give him the extra stimuli that he requires (real hard). He can play by himself for about 10-15 minutes and then he starts acting out and needs attention - someone to play with him, so... anyway, that's the prayer for now, well that and...
A GREAT BABYSITTER - PLLLLEEEEAASSSEE!:-)
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Some images on a rainy day in the 7th
ISM (International School of Management) is located in central Paris, in the sorta bourgeoisie 7th arrondissement. This is where you see a lot of the Haussmann architecture that went up in 19th Century Paris. I learned last week at an expat event offered by The American Church in Paris (Bloom Where You are Planted), that Paris was essentially razed after the revolution, in order to create a more sanitary, organized city. Haussmann was brought in to design the buildings and worked closely with engineers to ensure that the new Paris was clean, easy to navigate, had proper sanitation, schools - all the infrastructure necessary for a city where people could live well. Before the city was razed, it was utterly disgusting. People threw their wastes out of the windows onto the streets which eventually found it's way into the canals and back into their drinking and cleaning water. Before the reconstruction, about 30,000 people died in a cholera epidemic because of the poor sanitary conditions. Buildings were just thrown up whereever there was space and because of the chaos and disorganization - and the poor living conditions - mayhem run amock: The perfect conditions for all the rebellion, crime, and war that eventually took place.
Haussmann designed the city to have main thoroughfares, or avenues, that had housing on both sides, 6 stories high, with the bottom floor meant for commerce or commercial activity. Typically the owner of the main floor business lived on what was considered the 1st floor (US 2nd floor). The very top floor, due to there not being elevators at the time the buildings were constructed, were meant for maids and other help staff. Those apartments these days, now with the buildings updated with elevators, are highly sought after, due to the amazing views of the city.
The speaker also pointed out that if you see buildings with masonry balconies, those were where the REAL rich people lived, since it was costly to create those. Those with iron clad balconies, were for those that were sorta rich:-). Nonetheless, the construction drove out of central Paris most of the folks who had dwelt there during the time of mayhem and poor sanitation - out to the outer rural areas - some of which were pulled into become part of Paris (Paris was much smaller before reconstruction). Our 19th arrondissement is one of those areas that was pulled in to become part of the city.
So, I took a couple of pics, but not really good pics of a street in the 7th. Will do more in the future. This is just a taste:
Haussmann designed the city to have main thoroughfares, or avenues, that had housing on both sides, 6 stories high, with the bottom floor meant for commerce or commercial activity. Typically the owner of the main floor business lived on what was considered the 1st floor (US 2nd floor). The very top floor, due to there not being elevators at the time the buildings were constructed, were meant for maids and other help staff. Those apartments these days, now with the buildings updated with elevators, are highly sought after, due to the amazing views of the city.
The speaker also pointed out that if you see buildings with masonry balconies, those were where the REAL rich people lived, since it was costly to create those. Those with iron clad balconies, were for those that were sorta rich:-). Nonetheless, the construction drove out of central Paris most of the folks who had dwelt there during the time of mayhem and poor sanitation - out to the outer rural areas - some of which were pulled into become part of Paris (Paris was much smaller before reconstruction). Our 19th arrondissement is one of those areas that was pulled in to become part of the city.
So, I took a couple of pics, but not really good pics of a street in the 7th. Will do more in the future. This is just a taste:
Notre maison dans le 19 (Our home in the 19th)
I finally took a few pics of our lovely apartment in the 19th. It's been a rainy overcast morning, plus we are facing West, so the best light into the apartment happens in the afternoon. That has been a bit rough, since we have to get up at 6 am and it's still soooo dark. Jonathan's had a rough time getting himself together for school. He's used to light streaming into his bedroom, which would kick him awake and then, subsequently, kick me and my mom awake, cause he would make his way to our rooms to give us his personal wake up call around 6:30 am every morning. My mother has been sleeping till 8 am and lying in bed till 9 am since we've left. In fact, she's been having the life of Riley since we left. Hanging out with girlfriends, going to the movies, just having a grand ole time. So, I praise God that my prayers for her to experience one of the best years of her life is coming to pass!
My dad is doing well, too. He was experiencing some pain in his back due to the removal of the catheter and subsequent bladder infection. They've addressed it and recommended that, because he's been having to urinate so much at night (a consequence of his bladder having gotten used to the catheter), he should use diapers at night. He hates the idea of that, but... I hate it for him, but.... In any case, overall he is well and my leaving has opened the door for other family members to step in to help out, such as his sister (who is a nurse) and two of her daughters. So, I am grateful for that.
I've struggled with guilt about leaving (as alluded to in previous comments in other posts), but that's been dissipating. Not altogether gone, but diminishing with each day we are here. I doubt it will ever completely leave. I'm blessed with both parents being alive in their advanced years and both having significant impacts on Jonathan's first 3 years. He talks about Nana and Pop Pop a lot and that part of it - him missing a chunk of time with them at this stage of their lives troubles me. My being blessed with them here and missing time with them - and time serving them as their daughter - troubles me. I can try to clean it up with a lot of rationalizations, but it's probably something I'll always wonder about: What could I have done with my parents and for them during those 10 months away? My only prayer is that the Lord, in His grace and mercy, manages to somehow give Jonathan and I back this time when we return to the states.
Anyway, enough ruminating (I always have to stick a bit of morose in my posts - LOL!) and back to apartment pics. I need to get outside and take pics of the neighborhood, as well. It's urban - as is Paris in general - but the 19th has a mix of old and new buildings, in fact, our neighborhood has quite a bit of new construction going on and we are surrounded by newer, high rise apartment buildings, with big balconies. They're very appealing. While Jonathan and I were walking one day, we came upon a business center that has the canal running through it. So nice. I'll have to go back there next week to take pics and post. That area and the adjacent Parc de la Villete are part of what is considered the Pont-de-Flandre district, an area of the 19th where the slaughterhouses used to be. A lot of the buildings in this business area are rehab'd factories, so it has a sorta downtown, NYC feel to it - actually, reminds me a lot of the Dumbo area in Brooklyn, which is one of my favorite places in NYC. Our apartment building is also a renovated factory, so the walls are thick. I never hear my neighbors and I pray it's the same for them, especially when Jonathan has one of his meltdowns (he had three last week, during that "hard for him to wake up" morning time) and just had one while I was writing this post - primarily because I was NOT paying attention to him (spoiled, spoiled, spoiled:->).
In this business district, Club Med has their headquarters office there. I had not realized it was a French-based company. It's funny, but my first solo vacation that kicked off my travel bug was a Club Med vacation to Martinique in 1990. It was a riot. I had a great time and also realized that rum and I do not go well together!
Anyway, there's so much to love about the 19th and hope to expose more and more of it during our time here...but not too much. I like that it's the Paris that most tourist don't see. It's real, gritty and absolutely lovely...
Here's our place (btw: After I took these pics, I realized that it's best not to have the naked lady artwork in clear view of a preschooler; so they are now under the futon!):
My dad is doing well, too. He was experiencing some pain in his back due to the removal of the catheter and subsequent bladder infection. They've addressed it and recommended that, because he's been having to urinate so much at night (a consequence of his bladder having gotten used to the catheter), he should use diapers at night. He hates the idea of that, but... I hate it for him, but.... In any case, overall he is well and my leaving has opened the door for other family members to step in to help out, such as his sister (who is a nurse) and two of her daughters. So, I am grateful for that.
I've struggled with guilt about leaving (as alluded to in previous comments in other posts), but that's been dissipating. Not altogether gone, but diminishing with each day we are here. I doubt it will ever completely leave. I'm blessed with both parents being alive in their advanced years and both having significant impacts on Jonathan's first 3 years. He talks about Nana and Pop Pop a lot and that part of it - him missing a chunk of time with them at this stage of their lives troubles me. My being blessed with them here and missing time with them - and time serving them as their daughter - troubles me. I can try to clean it up with a lot of rationalizations, but it's probably something I'll always wonder about: What could I have done with my parents and for them during those 10 months away? My only prayer is that the Lord, in His grace and mercy, manages to somehow give Jonathan and I back this time when we return to the states.
Anyway, enough ruminating (I always have to stick a bit of morose in my posts - LOL!) and back to apartment pics. I need to get outside and take pics of the neighborhood, as well. It's urban - as is Paris in general - but the 19th has a mix of old and new buildings, in fact, our neighborhood has quite a bit of new construction going on and we are surrounded by newer, high rise apartment buildings, with big balconies. They're very appealing. While Jonathan and I were walking one day, we came upon a business center that has the canal running through it. So nice. I'll have to go back there next week to take pics and post. That area and the adjacent Parc de la Villete are part of what is considered the Pont-de-Flandre district, an area of the 19th where the slaughterhouses used to be. A lot of the buildings in this business area are rehab'd factories, so it has a sorta downtown, NYC feel to it - actually, reminds me a lot of the Dumbo area in Brooklyn, which is one of my favorite places in NYC. Our apartment building is also a renovated factory, so the walls are thick. I never hear my neighbors and I pray it's the same for them, especially when Jonathan has one of his meltdowns (he had three last week, during that "hard for him to wake up" morning time) and just had one while I was writing this post - primarily because I was NOT paying attention to him (spoiled, spoiled, spoiled:->).
In this business district, Club Med has their headquarters office there. I had not realized it was a French-based company. It's funny, but my first solo vacation that kicked off my travel bug was a Club Med vacation to Martinique in 1990. It was a riot. I had a great time and also realized that rum and I do not go well together!
Anyway, there's so much to love about the 19th and hope to expose more and more of it during our time here...but not too much. I like that it's the Paris that most tourist don't see. It's real, gritty and absolutely lovely...
Here's our place (btw: After I took these pics, I realized that it's best not to have the naked lady artwork in clear view of a preschooler; so they are now under the futon!):
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