...: Christmas 2010 :...

The cookies are baked, the house is decorated, the carols are sung, and the gifts are ... almost wrapped...we're getting ready for Christmas! Aimee was a big help with the cookie prep this year...It's that wonderful time of year where we have the joy of writing an update on our blog where we try to summarize all that's happened in a year. We've found that it's nearly impossible. If you take a peek at the side toolbar on our blog, you can scroll through some photo memories of our wonderful European adventure and see some of our "happenings."

This year we are especially reminded of God's goodness in our lives. It's been a year of adventure, traveling, laughter, fun memories, and a time to thank God for His care.

In early fall, Don's mom had a serious fall which fractured two vertebrae in her neck. We are grateful she is at home recovering and that she was able to travel to see Don's brother's family this month. Her continued healing is an answer to many prayers.

If we were to write a long newsie note on the family it would read quite similar to years past, the girls are doing well, by God's grace Don and I are in great health and the Lord has blessed us beyond our imagination.

Instead, we're going to post a link to a message our Senior Pastor, Josh Harris, spoke to us this past Sunday at Covenant Life Church. It is a great message to prepare all of our hearts for this upcoming Christmas. It's entitled, "Simeon's Bucket List." (just click the title to access the message) Simeon and Anna, two faithful servants, teach us what it is like to watch and wait for God's purpose to be fulfilled and how we should see and receive Jesus.

To see Jesus is to see Salvation.

And that is the message of this Holy Season. The reason for this Season of Christmas.

We hope you enjoy the message and it stirs your heart as it has ours.
Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas! (Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2010)

~~~ Americans in Paris ~~~

~ photo credit the wikipedia sight ... photographer unknown... our photos were turning out a bit crooked and with lots of people in them :) ~
Our Paris adventure began at the Arc de Triomphe ... well, really it began in the subway :) which turned out to be a great experience because the wonderful Jean Clark while in Paris, had pre-purchased our metro cards, picked up a metro map, and gave us instructions on how to navigate the system. We found our stop and as soon as we excited, we looked up and saw the Arc! Wow, what a welcome to Paris! What better way to start a long day in Paris than at a cafe with croissants, on the Champs Elysee's by the Arc...It turned a bit cloudy, but we captured Tower d'Eiffel photos before the rain drops fell...

A little family story ... for Christmas Corinne bought her sisters little trinkets to gear up for our European trip. Luggage tags, necklaces with a suitcase charm, and gift certificates for croissants at cafes, and these charming Eiffel Tower earrings for Kendall to wear in Paris ... :)

Don had us walking all over the city ... up one side of the Champs Elysee and down the other ... from the Eiffel Tower to the Musee Du Louver - believe us, that is a long walk ...

Let's just say it was a lot of walking and seeing beautiful sights ... on our way to the Louvre we saw the American Consulate and took this photo for Brie who was taking wonderful care of Aimee the pup while we were gone. What you can't see in the photo is the security team coming to yell at us and tell us "no photos!" ...

We made it to the Louvre ... it is a bit like the Washington Mall. We felt like we walked from the top of the hill of Arlington Cemetery to the Capital ...

We stopped outside the Louvre for lunch at a Cafe. Christiana's friend who traveled with us, popped out of "Eddie" to see the sights. This is another family story ... Have you seen the movie 'Leap Year'? Well in that movie Amy Adams' Louis Vuitton luggage is named "Louie" so we named our Eddie Bauer backpack Eddie and he traveled along with us. We made sure we never lost sight of Eddie! And we knew if he got dirty we could always, "put him in the wash and he'd be grand!"
There she is, the Mona Lisa... yes that is the best shot we could get of her... not because of the camera issues, but because there are about 100 people gathered around her at all times. There is no personal space in Paris!

It was wonderful seeing some of the famous artists work in the Louvre ...

However it is daunting to try to cover more than one of the buildings ... so instead, we set off for the Cathedral Notre Dame

Just a little more walking ... do you see those twin peaks on the far right in the background?

Our wonderful tour guide has an awesome sense of direction. The first night I took them the wrong direction down the Seine ... but he kept us on track the whole day :)

... the beautiful Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris ...

... we were in awe of the French Gothic Architecture...

... rose windows ...

(remember ... squint :)

On our way back up the Seine, we saw the 'Paris Plage' or Paris Beach ... in 2002 the mayor brought in 2,000 tons of sand to create a Paris Beach for the Parisians. It was a funny sight to see right in the middle of the city. But a fun way to end our adventure in Paris. That evening we flew to Dublin!

~ next up ... our last post ... Ireland ~

...: The Normandy Coast of France :...

London's City Airport just started this new air service to the Normandy Coast of France. We flew into Deauville, a small seaside coastal town. It was beautiful! We loved the beach area, the markets, the grand Hotels and the whole area...

The beach was grand ... and the weather was lovely for a stroll on the beach

We stayed at a quaint hotel, Le Patio in Deauville, walking distance to the beach ...

We walked and explored the whole area and had read that you stay in Deauville, but eat across the bridge in Trouville a fishing port. So we walked and saw the beach sights ...My beach bums :)

O.K. - quick story ... so while we were in the UK, the Nikon D40x dropped. It was an accident, but it was not working properly. So, we figured out that it still took very good zoom photos, that the focus was shot on the distance photos, but if we held it just a special way, it worked. So we have some good 'up-close' shots, and from here on out, the distance shots could be a bit blurry and they are definitely a bit crooked ... so just squint and tilt your head a little! :)

Kimberly was the only one who braved the chilly water ... she's my hero for taking the plunge in France! (She's the one in the water :)

Our second day on the Normandy coast we rented a small 'van' - it really wasn't even as big as a station wagon but that's another story ... and we traveled down the coast to the D'day landing beaches. Don did a wonderful job driving, the roads were actually very easy to navigate, everything was really well marked, and we had quite the adventure. With our meats, cheeses, fruit, baguettes, and water in hand, we set-out ...
Our first stop was Pointe du Hoc 4 miles west of Omaha Beach which sits 100 feet on top of the cliffs overlooking the sea. It was the point of attack for the American 2nd Ranger Battalion during Operation Overlord during WWII. --- And that is why we were here. Corinne's dream to see the D'day Beaches of Normandy and stand where the soldiers fought and lost their lives.

We traveled next to the American Cemetery ...

in Colleville -sur-Mer located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach ...

We were sobered and silenced by the sight of over 9.300 white crosses representing those buried and remembered for their bravery and sacrifice ...
... we walked on hallowed ground ...

... sobered and grateful for their sacrifice ...

... "Think not only upon their passing remember the glory of their spirit" ...

A quite ride home through adorable quaint French villages was a perfect ending to our day

.... until Paris tomorrow ...