A year in France: RECAP

It's been over a year since we've moved our little family to France.

Notable things that have happened in that time:

• The kids are fluent in conversational French (and Josephine is quickly advancing beyond that.)
• We have made FRIENDS!!! We have deep connections in our French village that have made the adaptation really, actually, fun!
• I've been learning to cook French recipes from these new friends. And they are yummy and frugal. And ohmygosh I can't wait to share them with you.
• We made an offer on a house...and learned the paradoxical world of French banking. And then were rejected by 8 banks. I am pretty sure that must be some kind of record for rejections.
• We had our first Christmas in France and our first Thanksgiving in France. Our wonderful new friends joined us in our cozy kitchen and we felt abundantly rich with fellowship.
• We have been able to be heavily involved with our village. Jeff and I chaperoned a bike riding field trip for Asher's school and rode 20 kilometers with 44 first through fifth graders. 
• I've learned how to measure kilometers....and kilograms, and Celsius.  
• Jeff has become technically fluent in everything having to do with banking, visa paperwork, drivers license exchanges, school inscriptions, car regulations, and basically everything stressful and overwhelming...in French.
• I have become fluent in....well...I'll come back to that later.

And...I turned forty. I suppose that last bit isn't as crazy as the rest, but still. It happened.

This year was rough, a lot of heartache and really wrestling with the Lord. To be honest, that's why it's been such a long absence from writing. I realize I wanted to put a nice glossy sheen to everything, and honestly, it just wasn't there. There were amazing moments of peace and love and joy. I want to celebrate those things. But the truth is, when things got excruciating, my writing froze. I couldn't bring myself to share the struggles, the questions and the fears.

So, that brings me to today. And every Monday following for the next year. I've quit social media, which is really scary considering it's my lifeline to everyone back home. But I'm hoping this weekly journal writing will keep people updated who want to see the kids and see what living in France has been like for us. I realize, in negating to communicate at all during the hard times, I've failed to faithfully share what it's like to move to a different country. With all the news currently laser-beam focused on immigration, shouldn't I share what it's like to be an immigrant? The complex, exciting, isolating, frustratingly beautiful reality of living in a foreign culture....it's the most humbling thing I've ever had to do.

 And the most rewarding.

So my friends, please let me know the best way to stay in contact with you. Marco Polo? Voxer? Messenger? What's APP? I don't want to lose your lives even though I'm away from facebook and instagram.

A Bientot!