Super Students

It is past midnight. Full-length windows open, the sounds and air of Paris are blowing into our window as Charae and I chat and keep telling each other to go to bed. In eight short hours, we have to be packed, dressed, ready for service at Notre Dame, and set to leave Paris for our next destination, Noyon. As I am typing on an iPad (very creative keyboards I've been using, of late!) and have no new pictures uploaded, I find myself rather uninspired to attempt the tackling of all that has passed since last I "signed in". There is so much....

However, I have here a treat that will make up for all that I lack in inspiration, and then some! Have I ever mentioned that I have the coolest music students in the world? Yep. I truely do. In fact, that was the real reason behind this trip: to search the world over and see if there were any students more fun, cool, and amazing than mine. You know what? There aren't. Just to touch the tip of the iceberg in proof, here's a fantastic video that showed up in my inbox the other day:

These girls are super students. Be inspired. Happy Saturday!

A Piece of My Heart

Kaytra, me, and Charae at Chateau Chenonceau

It's hard to believe we have been gone six whole days already.

It's hard to believe we left only six days ago.

I find it nearly impossible to describe our time here. Descriptions do not - cannot - do justice to the last almost-a-week we have spent here.

The three of us at Chateau Montrésor

Were I to sit here deliberating for an hour, I still would be unable to find the words that could generate the sweetest of first-impression-feelings in your hearts that I felt our first morning, when Aunt Jenn gave us a walking tour of this precious town of Loches.

Were I to wax eloquent for paragraphs, I could not make you feel the reaching I feel as I try to grasp the crowds of years that have stretched, the thousands of stories that have been, the lives of the people who were - life & death, blessing & curses, good & evil - in the places we have seen.

We have been here four days, and have one more full day in Loches; I feel tied here. I will hate to leave, even as I look ahead to all the wonderful days to come. I love being here with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I love the way of life here, as I have seen it in these last (albeit few) days.

There is something indescribable, beautiful, and wonderful about this place. And it's not just the abundant roses and window boxes, rich histories, or cobblestone streets. Kaytra put it well this morning: "We love this town because God loves this town, and He is doing wonderful things in this town."

We have toured amazing chateaus, heard incredible stories, and met Christians with whom we share no words, but something - someOne - more beautiful: a Savior. We have marveled at the 11th century architecture, sampled delectable macaroons, and learned much from the wisdom of those around us. We are bound for more adventures, but we leave a part of our hearts here, in a tiny town in France.

I will be back, someday.

Welcome to France

side & top: Portland Airport!

I don't know where to start. Let's begin with the keyboard I'm typing on. In the first place, there's a "Q" where I usually have an "A," a comma where I'm used to an "M," and a "Z" where I want a "W." In addition, the exclamation mark is it's own key (if you capitalize it, it looks  like this: §), the parentheses symbols are keys apart; and you have to capitalize a key for the period.

"Welcome to France."

Side: picture for Maddy, Top: Seattle Airport!

It's a phrase I've heard several times in the last two...or three...days since three little travelers left a quiet airport in Portland, and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. Since three starving American girls journeyed to the back of a plane flying over the Atlantic and begged to be allowed to purchase an $18, airplane-food-meal (bleh).Since las trés amigas (that's us) marveled the never-setting sun over 10+ hours of flying.

"Welcome to France."

Icelandic Airport!

It's a phrase we heard in our heads as we reclined, observing the dawn of an Icelandic (obviously, we were not quite in France yet) morning, waiting for our delayed plane, as the air-traffic-controllers in Paris had apparently decided it was a beautiful day for a strike.

"Welcome to France."

out hotel room

It's a phrase we spoke to each other as we swung up our backpacks in the Paris airport, proceeded to wait in the wrong train ticket line for 30 minutes, crammed ourselves onto several packed metros, and staggered marched down the streets of Paris.

"Welcome to France."

 It's a phrase I felt when we finally arrived at our cute little hotel room and received a hug from Aunt Jenn. A phrase I grinned at when we got up this morning and walked to a bakery for breakfast. A phrase that made me laugh as we stood, shoulder to shoulder, on the hour-long train out of Paris toward Loches. (Why was the train crowded, you ask? Because today it was the rail-workers' turn to go on strike, and there were half as many trains for just as many travelers.)

"Welcome to France:"

We are here. As unbelievable as it seems, I am sitting in a beautiful old house that was used for a short time as a hiding-place-stop for soldiers escaping Nazi-occupied France. I have gone to a French prayer meeting, am typing on a French keyboard, and am making ready to spend my second night abroad.

"Welcome to France."

One Day More

One day more, and I'll be waking up with a mile-long list of all the last-minute items I need to remember. One day more, and I'll be loading my backpacker's backpack into the car, swinging my other pack over my shoulder. One day more, and I'll be hugging & kissing my family goodbye for the next 7 weeks. One day more, and I'll be going to the airport to meet up with Kaytra and Charae. One day more, and all that I've been planning for the last seven months will begin.

Yes, it is here. One more door. One more day. One. Day. More

NOT a Five Minute Friday {Rambling}

"It's really time for you to post something besides 'Five Minute Fridays'," Rachel told me yesterday.

Therefore, in the spirit of obedience, I am pleased to bring you the following announcements:

1. I am pleased to announce that my head has not fallen off and been kicked into the mud by a horse.

Although, several times in the last few weeks, I have had to use super glue and duct tape to keep it in place.

2. I am pleased to announce that exactly 33% of each program is printed for my Studio Recital this Friday.

So much for getting it done early. I went to the print shop Tuesday to print off all the programs and returned with a lovely, thick stack of colored program exteriors (at a mere 4 times the cost of black-and-white). Apparently, the black-and-white printer (and, coincidentally, price) was out of commission. Not to worry. I shall return with my own black-and-white interiors to use the black-and-white printer, at the black-and-white price to copy onto the inside of my colorful programs. Who could really complain about bright & cheery covers, anyway?

3. I am pleased to announce that Rachel's dress did not come apart at the seams while in concert
.

This naturally made her performance more enjoyable.

4. I am pleased to announce that I am leaving in 13 days for Paris!!!!!!!!!!

What more is there to say?

5. I am pleased to announce that Kaytra and I were not the ones who accidentally licked the gum wall in the wonderful, memory-making jaunt to Seattle.

I promise, the laughter in this picture is in no way related to the shrieks of the unfortunate girl who did lick it. That came later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The days are slipping by far too quickly. Everywhere I look, I am reminded of the brevity of life ~ how short a time we truly have here on earth to fulfill the mission our King has for us. When we received our first hive of bees the other day, I learned that worker honeybees only live 28 days. What a minute, seemingly meaningless existence! Yet, without the 28-day lives, there would be no honey. After weeks of watching the mother robin build, guard, and sit on her nest in the camellia bush outside our front window, the babies had flown away a mere 18 days after hatching. What a small sliver of time from helplessness to maturity!
 

{photo}

 "When you hit 40," our Pastor said, in a sermon I listened to the other day, "things start slowing down. You just can't do the things you used to be able to do." I was shocked ~ almost frightened at the thought. Two weeks ago, I turned 22. I am half-way to the place when my body will start trying to slow down, will begin to really die. What have I done, to this point, with the energy I have been granted, that will make a difference in the eternal life or death of those around me? Right now, right now, is the time I have been given to work. Am I?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are my "doings," and my "thinkings," of late. Perhaps, before I leave, there will be more on both. I certainly hope so. Until then (Rachel, don't read this part), there are always Five Minute Fridays. ;)