Daydreams

(On the second tier of the Eiffle Tower looking out onto Paris.)

I'm back from France. It's been a month and a half now since I've returned. Is that how long it takes for sweet memories to fade into daydreams? It's hard to believe that I've gone and returned. Yet, my heart reminds me that it is true. What I have experienced is not a lie. My fear if forgetfulness. Will those sweet memories cease to exisit if I forget them?

(Walking around in Senlis, France.)

Tara, my step-mom, bought me European style hot coco. I had my first cup this morning. As I sipped the not-overloaded-sweetness-like-American-hot-coco flashes of memories of being in Paris flooded my gaze -sitting on the Parisian patios watching the passer-byers, absorbing the French words swirling around. These sweet memories bring me to tears. The longing to return is great.

(Walking through Apremont's forest with Claire and Emma. Claire's on my back.)

I wrote a quote down a month ago that has been lingering on my desk, its words speak perfectly to my heart right now.

Faith looks back and draws courage;

hope looks ahead and keeps desire alive.

-J. Eldredge from The Sacred Romance

(On the grounds of the Abby of Chaalis, which is to the right.)

The Empire Disney Strikes Back

Well, it wasn't really the Disney part that struck back, it was the up-chucking flu part. It hit hard on Saturday, 3 days ago. I was fine when I woke up in Compiègne- side note, Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians after trying to free Compiègne during the hundred...and I can't wait to go back to school to take some history classes. Yet after taking a few bites of cereal my stomach was too happy. I had hoped to explore another castle that day or visit with a mutual acquantince in Paris but the gurgling from my stomach overruled all other previous thoughts.

After walking through Compiègne with a terribly queasy stomach, I took the train back to Chantilly. During the uncomfortable train ride, I worked on mastering the art of not thinking about how nauseated I felt. I made it back, crawled into bed, with a trash can at hand, and fell asleep. I wish I could say c'est tout, that's all, and would have been done with it but I'm out of energy and continue to feel queasy.

So I did enjoy my time at Pierrefonds castle. It was a beautiful time and I do have access to some of the pictures I took.

Early Friday morning I head to Taize monastary for the weekend to spend sometime with Jesus. I come back Sunday night to finish my last day as a nanny on Monday. The next two weeks are full of travels across France and England. I won't have frequent access to a computer, as I do now but do look forward to some.

Up-chuck Disney

I went to Disneyland today with the Cross family and another missionary family, whom live in Compiègne. Emma, the second oldest, who explodes life from every pore of her being, wasn't well this morning. We journeyed forth with a van load of 7 only to experience the first round of up-chucking before pulling out of the driveway. We were going to Disneyland with the hope that once was all that was needed.

This was my first time in any Disney amusement park and my first ride was Space Mountain 2. I, literally, giggled the whole time. I sat back relaxed, took in a breath of air and let the ride take me where it whilst. The picture taken of me during the ride revealed a grin. I giggled and grinned without anyone having to know, having to care, having to notice.

Then venturing to the next line poor Emma preceeded to continue her onslaught of up-chucking. I stepped forward taking her hand and the yellow, filled ziploc bag and hunted for a wash room. It hit me several minutes later, still hunting for a wash room, that I could throw away the bag. Who would carry around a bag full of up-chuck around Disneyland anyways? It may sound dégoûtant, disgusting, but en effet, in fact, it was a beautiful moment. I didn't care that anyone could have seen me carrying around a bag full of yellow, floaty stuff or walking with a girl who's face was smeared with slim. I walked forward not even noticing. There was no shame there. No regret. Just compassion for a hurting girl.

The day continued with dancing in the streets with two 9 year old's, Claire and her friend from the other family; noticing the details of the dolls in "It's a Small World"; finding another bag for up-chuck to go; smiling at the la belle au bois dormant, sleeping beauty, castle in the distance; and pretending to play a star wars video game while sitting in a simulator.

It was a good day. Beautiful. Gentle. And may I say...serene.

Side note:
Disappointingly, my laptop is still down. I did take pictures, so the moment has been captured, just not revealed, at present. On Friday I am headed to a real castle, called Pierrefonds. Now that I've practiced being a princess in Disneyland, I'm ready for a grand château, castle.

Running in Paris

Imagine with me, for a moment, walking into Paris with your black slacks and french jacket -mind you it was 10 euros at a marché , outdoor market. Going inside the Louvre, finding the nearest restroom and coming out with shorts, a pink pullover and running shoes. One of the things I wanted to do in Paris was go running. I ran through Paris on the 23rd, Monday. Walking through the Louvre with running shoes and shorts drew some unwanted attention, but what can you do? It cracks me up thinking about when I ran past tourists next to Notre-Dame. Getting soft gasps from people who were shivering under their winter coats. Police officers standing on a street corner on the Il e de la Cit é, mumbling, in french, about runners and winter.

I think it's the best way to sight see, running through Paris, that is. Tasting the Jardin du Luxembourg with the wind in my hair. A spectacular garden, it will only get better when more of the flowers come out. Maybe some of the looks were caused by the smile on my face?

Smiling is fairly uncommon in Paris. Not unless one wants to be pin-pointed as an American. There is a chance that is why the Mona Lisa is so famous. From first glance she doesn't look like she's smiling, it's only when you linger that you realize that her smile has been there all along. Parisians mimic her on the métro.

Don't be surprised if I come home carrying a Mona Lisa smile.

L'Abbaye de Chaâlis

I visited the Abbey of Chaâlis on Saturday with Sarah. It's not far from a small town called Borest -cool fact about Borest is that the countryside, outside of the village, was where Joan of Arc fought- where I stayed with Sarah for a night when she house-sat for a british family. She packed us a very french pique-nique, picnic, with saussion sec, dry sausage; boursin brie; des poires, pears; une baguette, bread; and des fraises, strawberries. The abbey actually isn't standing, the ruins are left. We feasted on some of the ruins of the Abbey. The grounds had a museum, a chapel and a rose garden -it doesn't start blooming until june or so. It was a beautiful time with Sarah. We giggled. We sang our hearts out in la chapelle, the chapel, where the acoustics were incredible, also a camera is tucked in the corner, not obvious until after you've made a spectacle of yourself. I have a number of pictures of the time spent there, execpt I haven't figured out a way to load them from another computer (my laptop is still down, although a friend of a friend may look at it).

That evening, Saturday, I was invited to join Amy and Charles to join their dinner party. After hours of preparation, a few friends came over around 8 -not ending until well past midnight, maybe even 1, I don't recall the time we finished- to share a meal. The repas, meal, starts with a salty appetizer including an apperatif, a strong alcoholic beverage; champagne. Then moved to the table after an hour or so of talking to eat salad, asparagus, fish and rice. Then came the cheese course and afterwards, dessert. It was yummy. I am enjoying the difference in pace in eating compared to the states, I don't feel stuffed to the point of popping.

I'm learning more and more about myself. Learning how to serve, to sacrifice my own needs and wants to honour others. It's different than being in college, being self focused. Each days is a new challenge, a new chance to grow and learn.

Look forward to some pictures once I figure out a solution to loading the pictures.

La Tour Effiel

Tuesday, I went to Paris with Claire, the eldest. We walked up the 700 and something set of stairs to the second tier of the tour, not quite the top. To get to the top you have to buy another ticket. Regretfully, we discovered this after we waited in line for 15 minutes, a LONG time for a 9 year old, for the elevator to go to the top. Afterwards, we took the metro to a creperie shop in the St. Germain region, which is in the 6th arrondisment, neighborhood, in Paris. The shop was cute, quaint, and expensive. Who would've thought 4 crepes and cidre would cost 33 euros. I guess, that's Paris.

From there we found a museum, called Musée des Egouts de Paris, which refers to the sewage system of Paris. That's right I have smelt the sewers of Paris! :) Before we entered, I forwarned Claire that it would smell not so pleasant, so to speak, she had a choice and went willingly. As we entered the depths of Paris, she kept on saying that the air was so thick, translating into I thought she was going to throw up. Let me tell you, it was cool. No really, I'm serious. Wandering around above the dark green water with not so bright lights. I mentioned how this could be a scene from a movie. Can you imagine someone running from a bad guy in the sewers of Paris through the dark corridors?? Someone should pay me for this idea.

As we immerged into the fresh air, with my freshly wavy hair due to the humidity, we wandered around the 1st arrondisment on Avenue Montaigne, which is one of the world's most expensive streets, just now discovering this after I've left. No wonder we had thought the guys in suits standing at the doors looked so funny. How bored they must get just standing there, Claire had said. We passed some famous shops, such as Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren, Chanel and other such high end chic shops, then walked over to the Champs Elsyée. Only I would, after walking the streets of one of the famous shopping areas of the world, discover the grandeur of the circumstance. Oh, causal Colorado what have you done to me.

The Champs Elsyée is great until you're trying to find a cheaper boulangerie, bakery, or pâtisserie, pastry shop, to go to. On to the metro we went in search of a place near the Forum des Halles, which did you know is an modern underground shopping precinct -I'll have you know Wikipedia just informed me. We bought two postcards and then went to the Gare de Nord, main train station in Paris, and went back to Chantilly, it's the closet train station to Apremont. Names are fun to know if you want to look it up on a map. ;)

Oh, the joys of Paris.

Mountains

This past week I've spent in and near the Alps. The first night I spent in Lyon in a little apartment not far from the Rhône River. As I walked past the Rhône on my way to my friend's place I had thought how cool it was to be in a place I had learned about in high school french class. The next morning I got up early to take a train to Grenoble and then a bus to the Bourg d'Oisans, which is a cute little mountain town.

The camp was beautiful. I enjoyed getting to meet some of the Greater Europe Mission (GEM) folks. I stayed for the next few days. The first day that I got to the camp I hiked to the porte de romaine, which means Roman door. It's actually a place where the Romans crossed. You can see and feel the markings in the rock where wagons had crossed. The following day I hiked up this trail called la cheminée, which means the chimney. Parts of this trail were also crossed by the Romans. The third day I was there I went for a run/hike near the camp. While I was gone I saw wild boar! It was incredible.

I arrived in Grenoble on Monday. I stayed two nights in a community christian house not far from the University in town. Grenoble reminded me a great deal of University of Colorado in Boulder, where I've gone to school for the past three semesters. It could be that all college campus' are the same, or maybe it was that and how the city had mountains. While I was there I spent time with some students, going to a French politics class, and eating meals in French. :) Grenoble has been my favourite place to visit thus far. I just wish that my vocabulary was larger so I can understand more.

As a head's up, my laptop is a bit out of commission. I am using the Cross' laptop for the moment, gratefully.

This is a picture above the camp in the Alps. It's looking at the Belledonne mountain range. Don't mind the tree branch in focus, I had to set the camera on the tree to take the pic.

This one below is from a bridge above the Isère River not far from the fortress on the hill in Grenoble. The mountains sure look lovely for a backdrop.