Lessons from a Dream Job

Our baby girl is nine months old. 

She has now lived in this world the amount of time the Lord formed her inside me. 

Incredible. 

These last nine months have quickly made me aware of my inadequacies of being a parent and training a child in righteousness. I lack the knowledge and wisdom. 

How am I to train a child as stubborn as her mother? Or simply teach her independence when I am not an independent person? How can I help her learn to tame her tongue when I can't tame it myself? How will she learn to display patience when I have no patience?  I guess in some ways I believed she would be a "mini-me", in other ways I hoped she wouldn't.

So how does a mother do this knowing her own sinfulness? God's Word. Grace. Faith. Though the last nine months have quickly shown my inadequacies, they've also proven my desperate need of God's Word and His grace. I fail many times over, but His grace and His Word preserves me, sustains me and guides me. And most of all it humbles me, knowing I am given infinitely more than I deserve. I still have no idea what I'm doing as a mother, but I constantly need to be reminded God's Word never returns void. Thankfully it gives us all we need for life and godliness. 

Being a mother to Vera was not exactly what I expected. Instead, my expectations were far exceeded. It is the greatest responsibility God has ever given me, yet it comes with the greatest reward. 

Today, through the pain of an old friend losing her precious 4 month old son, I am reminded of the fragility of Vera's little life and the lives of those I love dearly. I am overwhelmingly thankful for the nine months the Lord entrusted Vera to our care and even more grateful she is ultimately under the Lord's hand of protection. I pray I don't take one moment of her life for granted. 

I can't believe she was that small!!

St. Vallier

St. Vallier

This is our home for the next year. Hugging the Rhone and nestled between the hills. We quite enjoy this undisturbed little town. Quaint little cafes, delicious fruit stands, humble markets, quiet paths wandering to nowhere, vineyards that carpet the hills and charming french homes overlooking the river; these are what make this place special.

Life Lately

After taking the summer off in the States, updates are back on the blog. 

We are back in France as the new season begins. New town. New team. New people. New language (sort of). It is always an adjustment, but always an adventure and this time around we have an addition. Life continues to get more interesting!

So here is a recap....

About a week before heading to America from France we spontaneously decided two nights before to buy tickets to Ireland and visit our friends Johnny and Jenny McClaughlin and their 2 little ones.

Little Maisie and Vera, 4 days apart.

Giant's Causeway

 the history of Belfast

    

After getting back from Ireland, we packed up our house in France and headed home to California two days later to visit my family.

We were showered with love the first day home,

 saw dear friends, Brian and Stacie Jeanjaquet, for a fun day at Disneyland,

introduced Vera to America's greatest holiday at the parade,

explored the aquarium with sweet little cousins,

met our newest nephew Oliver and snapped a few shots of him and sweet brother Caleb.

and celebrated his birth with the family

touched toes in the Pacific Ocean,

...and the Atlantic,

spent quality time with family,

shared a soda at Pops on route 66,

gained a new sister,

aaaand enjoyed a delightful breakfast with Vera and Vera at Vera's Country Cafe.

This summer was full of time with family and friends. One thing we do know and are continually reminded of each time we come home is that we are blessed beyond belief.

Vera is now 5 1/2 months. Our lives are overwhelmingly full with her around.

She has been on 11 different flights, 4 of them international.  Quite the little traveler I'd say. She loves to jibber jabber all the time and is extremely active! It won't be long before she is crawling and all over the place.

We are back in Vera's birth country and feeling welcome and at home already. I hope to share a bit on our new little town and the time we've spent here in the next few days.