Love, Laughter, and Life

May 18, 2009
by Angie Leave a comment

Present in Paris

count 3 & 4 from the left...very top floor...those are our 2 windows

All along the way, it seemed like we would not actually ever really travel to Paris. But we are finally here! We are in day 3 of trying to get settled and adjusted to big city life with a 9-hour time difference. We have the cutest little (28 sq. meters) apartment in the Latin Quartier, very near Notre Dame and the Pantheon. The apartment is on the 6th floor, top of the building, and occupies 2 of the adorable dormer windows common in Paris buildings. Despite the pint sized accommodations and lack of storage, the address is very cozy and adequate for our needs (a washer is even included – with a drying rack which sets up in the middle of the kitchen floor). Kevin and I will live in this apartment for about 2.5 months while we attend Institute Catholic to study language.

what you can see, from edge to edge, is the length of the kitchen

The address is 27 rue Lacepede, between rue Monge and rue Mouffetard for those who have a map of Paris and wish to see exactly where we are. If you know how to use googlemaps you can actually find our street and walk along it.

Sundays may become a favorite day (besides being the day of our Lord). Our community area has a very neat market day. Not only is there an excellent market square set up with fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats, breads, flowers…there is also the length of rue Mouffetard arranged with individual flea market tables. The streets are closed to vehicles, and pedestrians take over the narrow road. It seems to be the thing to do on Sunday afternoons. Everyone is out with their wheeled carts or shopping bags, bartering (I’m guessing on this one, as it was all in French) and purchasing household items or food stuffs for the upcoming week. Kevin and I ventured out with bag in hand and managed to communicate enough to purchase bananas, a red pepper, broccoli (yes, Kevin wash helping me, the lover of veggies), green beans, delicious radishes, and carrots with greens on top. I found an old individual coffee brewer to put on top of a cup and add fresh grounds from our family stash (thanks Peeps, for the markouts).

what a view!

We did one load of sheets (ok, one sheet plus 2 pillow cases). It has taken 2 days to dry. Humidity is pretty high right now. Doesn’t matter how long it takes, but the kitchen is pretty crowded with the rack up. We just push it back and forth as we move around. The windows stay open when we are in the apartment for fresh air. But when we leave, they are closed to prevent the roving rain showers from sprinkling our rooms. You just have to be prepared for rain…it comes as quickly as it goes.

the drying rack

Chad & Amy, our new friends, met us at the airport with a station wagon. They have helped us tremendously – taking us to our apartment, explaining how things work, keeping us awake the first day, going out for a meal, dinner at their apartment (in Massy, where we will be in August), helping us find the stores with items we need…Thank you, God, for friends and helpers.

The only thing missing is our family. Hurry, get your passports!

And for dessert, madeleines avec Nutella!

madeleines with Nutella

Bienvenue a Paris!

the main doors into our building, on rue Lacepede

May 14, 2009
by Angie Leave a comment

Bon Anniversaire, Hayden Dean!

He’s here! Baby Hayden Dean Aucutt made his arrival on Saturday, May 2 at 12:44 PM. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 11 oz, 21″ long, 14″ head circumference…He’s a handsome boy! Nana and Poppa are so proud of Hayden and his parents, Chelsie and Collin. Braggin’ rights go to the grandma. 🙂 Yes, you can tell us how cute he is.

Now you also know one of our biggest prayer requests. His parents will not let us take him as carry-on when we leave for France…Sigh. They are mean mean parents. (JUST joking). They are not mean. They are very loving for baby Hayden. 🙂

Awwww, he's so cute

Poppa, Nana, Mommy and Daddy with Baby Hayden

Kevin loving Baby Hayden

awwww

Baby Hayden's cute little feet

May 14, 2009
by Angie Leave a comment

A List of Events – Too Much Too Fast

~move out of a house~clean a house~build crates~pack crates~ship crates~Pt. Defiance Zoo~Mall walking with son~Send son to CA for military training~prenatal appointments with daughter~3 baby showers~Dad’s birthday~clean house~move storage stuff (twice)~help son move stuff to storage~Seattle zip trip~Mom’s surgery~Dad-in-law’s surgery~Mom-in-law’s surgery~inventory lists (ug)~more passport photos~move into a spare room~live out of suitcases~stomach flu~belly watching~sew baby quilt~sew school satchels~thank you cards~BABY being born~no sleep~changing diapers~house repair~meals out~skype-ing everyone~dr. appointments~shopping~sanity drives~final paperwork~closing accounts~prayer~Bible reading~goodbyes…

It is amazing how much we can cram into the 24 hours of each day that the Lord has given us. I’m sure He does not intend for us to be THAT busy. I’m sure I have forgotten some things, many things, but the brain slots are too full to overflowing and much has leaked out. Be still, my heart. Man makes his plans, but the Lord God has the final words on each day. (my paraphrase on Prov. 16:1) Whew.

peace. be still.

April 16, 2009
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Good-bye stuff.

He can't believe it all fits...

There it is. Before the door was put on. It’s amazing how much one can cram into an 8x8x4 container. At the same time, it’s amazing how little we are taking with us. And what we will (and already have wished we had) remember and wished we had added to our collection of stuff. It’s just stuff. Things that could make life easier and more comfortable. Months, ok a few years, of making lists and considering and asking what would be best to take…and this is what it boils down to. Yes, you do see TP (it’s a great filler, ok?).

To tell you the truth, by the time we receive these belongings (and haul them up probably several flights of stairs?!!), we will most likely wonder why we packed this, and this, and this…

Kind of freeing, not to have to worry or take care of stuff. 🙂

Collin & Chelsie - the light holders!

Kevin screwing the door closed

Both are amazed at how much stuff fit!

Bye-bye stuff!

Angie plus a permanent marker

March 25, 2009
by Angie Leave a comment

Dorm 37

Look in the way back for the row of windows

If you squint your eyes just right, and look way in the back, behind the front buildings, you will see a bank of tall windows. That is dorm 37. The home of the few couples and the many singles…us being the oldest couple of all. I don’t know what that means, but I’m trying not to read ‘their age will help keep things settled down’ into that thought. This building (aka – the place of the flood, see previous article) is our soon to be former home of the last 2 months. What a wonderful time of meeting and greeting like minded friends – married and single.

Already, I am homesick for the close comraderie of the music, laughter, smells of cooking, singing, doors slamming, shared experiences…but especially the friends. It seems impossible to go so deep so fast in so short a time. But it’s true. Our common bond of belief in Jesus opens doors and hearts quicker than the blink of an eye. Or two eyes.

Take, for example, the numerous offers of wheels (a much-appreciated commodity here on our way-out-in-the-middle of not much campus) ~ even a spare key for use whenever! That is love and trust. Well, methinks pity for the old folks. Open doors, game nights, hanging out, sharing, ”do you have some____? fill in the blank“, mystery foods in the common kitchenettes, group worship, folding each other’s laundry…I thought I would miss being in a quad apartment, but the chance to live with even more family members was awesome. A very excellent thing about the dorm is the lower rate of germ abundance. We had some illnesses, but not nearly as much as the constantly recycling bacteria/virus pool in the quads. Pass the hand sanitizer please.

I hate that our time is over and we are being scattered to the four winds. To my new friends – and family – bon voyage. Until we meet again. With much love and prayers…

And for those of you who KNOW Kevin, he really needed the dorm experience. 😉

January 30, 2009
by Angie Leave a comment

The Flood

Just so you know, it’s not Kevin’s fault. For those of you who know him, this may be hard to believe. But it’s true! He did not cause, accidently or otherwise, our ‘maybe we should build an ark‘ moment. Continuez-s’il vous plait! (Continue please.)

Early Wednesday morning, the first day of OFFICIAL meetings and trainings, Kevin and I woke up and were preparing for the day. It was also a day of extra duties for us, as we had 2 additional meetings for small group facilitators. I was in the shower shampooing my hair, and Kevin announced, calmly, “We have a leak.”

No big deal, I was thinking, other than the shower curtain was loose or the toilet was leaking…I kept washing my hair.

“Honey, we have a big leak. You need to get out.” There was a little more urgency to this announcement. But what’s a girl to do? I had to finish my hair.

“Ang, you need to get out now!” Desperation was quite evident as well as volume increase. After I turned off the shower, I heard disaster running between the bathroom wall and the bedroom. I peeled the curtain back to see the center of the bath mat the only island of non-standing water. One foot down, and that disappeared as well. Looking around the corner, pooling water stood everywhere! Kevin was frantically dressing and throwing bags, shoes, and items stored on the floor onto the bed.

Talk about an early morning shock. While I was hurriedly throwing on clothes, the ceiling started leaking onto the corner of the bed (onto our very nice mattress pad and lovely duvet, compliments of the Motley’s in Italy 🙂 Gasp! Our voices were quite loud now (it was still early), and 2 female heads poked into the door.

“Can we help?” “Yes, evacuate stuff! And Kevin, dial 0 and call maintenance.” Even as we worked at hauling stuff into the laundry room, yet MORE water began to leak from out of the light fixture and fire alarm. It spread ever closer to the window heat/AC unit, which is quite a long ways from the bathroom. I admit I was a bit panicked about all of us being electricuted and ran around turning off anything electric!

It was only a short while, but seemed much longer, before maintenance, in 3 golf carts, waltzed in to find out that we were in truth, having an emergency. I was very amazed at how little time it took 4 of us to completely strip the room of all our belongings and toss them into the laundry room. Quite a neat look. (I would have taken a picture, but I lost the camera in the rush, and my mind was a bit busy grabbing and shoving things into the suitcases).

Kevin and I had to leave for our first meeting, not ready, totally unorganized and unprepared, but we were on time. 🙂 Due to our extra meetings, we were unable to return and move rooms until the completion of the afternoon meetings…Great news though – we now are upstairs in a clean (DRY) room with a view of the river. Nicey nice. We decided that God wanted us to have a room with a view. He just used a very creative way to get it for us.

We found out it was a rare event where a cap popped off a pipe in the ceiling sprinkler system (right above our bed). We are very happy that we were already up and moving around. What a shock that cold water would have been had we still been snoozin. Sorry to our dorm mates, who did not have water for showers. We used it all up. No, just kidding. It was shut off to fix the problem.

All’s well that ends well. We met our across and down the hall neighbors in a most unusual way. Team work does work! A great big thanks to the maintenance guys who fixed it, the housekeepers who washed the bedding in the big washers and dryers, and the housing people who did not put us back in the same room, where I was concerned we would wake up to a bed full of plaster from a crashed in ceiling.

See – Kevin did not do it this time! AND, not one piece of clothing or any belonging was ruined, and only a few were even damp! Amazing.

December 31, 2008
by Angie Leave a comment

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I seem to be stuck. Not your usual opening Christmas greeting statement! I am in between computers, trying to mesh both mail systems, and get my address book complete to the new mail system (in Vista, does that explain anything?). So, our Christmas email newsletter sits in queue, waiting for someone to fix something…I apologize to those of you who think we have dropped off the face of our beautiful planet Earth. Nope. Still here. Just stalled.

So, in liu of being able to get that email out, we wish each of you a very Merry (late, but heart felt) Christmas and a truly blessed, wonderful, spirit filled Happy New Year! May our Lord reign and rain down on you with seasons of spiritual growth, deepening, compassion, trust, and love.

From our snow covered sage to your landscape of love

December 10, 2008
by Angie 2 Comments

All Hitched

December 6, 2008

Leaving the Church

It’s official. Chelsie and Collin are now married. She was a beautiful bride, the groom was handsome, and the dad (AND -aka- officiator of the ceremony) only cried just a bit. A full church enjoyed the ceremony and dessert reception which followed. It was so nice to see family and friends come together for the happy occasion – even if I didn’t get to visit with them (or even complete one entire thought!). It’s pretty weird that Chelsie is not Quantrell anymore…The mess is cleaned up (we did that part very very well), the presents unwrapped and put to use, the flowers are drying, the cool cake is gone, and Peeps and Collin have begun their new life together.

Congratulations, you 2 of our hearts. Forever keep our Lord Jesus at the center of your marriage and relationship. May He bless you for many years, and as your dad said, FOREVER, FOR ALWAYS, NEVER TO PART as long as you live. 🙂

November 22, 2008
by Angie 2 Comments

Thankful Thursday

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)

This is only one of many references to giving thanks to God in the Bible. He has given us so much – as believers, as His children, as His creation, as a nation of His people…and yet I see America more and more consistently turning their backs on the power, majesty, and holiness of our God. Not only on Thanksgiving, but every day, we need to remember to acknowledge His love, care, and provision for us.

Enough preaching from me. That’s Kevin’s gift. So I am proclaiming this post to “Thanks-for-giving.” Consider it, and then make your own list of Blessed by God and Thankful for…. Go ahead. I dare you.

1. My Salvation. Without this, nothing else matters. Worship and prayer. Add to this a loving, living God, eternity waiting for me, what else can a gal want?

2. My honey. My best friend. Someone I can be myself with (ugh, he even loves me in spite of morning breath and zits and bad hair days).

3. My children. Ahhhh. A boy and a girl, with their ‘significant others.’ And one day grandchildren. Healthy, safe, independent (and I mean INDEPENDENT), believers…A heritage unto the Lord.

4. My family. This includes my birth family, my marriage family, my extended family, my church family, my family of friends…life would be awful boring without any of these. 🙂

5. My health. Granted, I AM getting older, but mostly it’s just aches and pains. Good health to get out there and love and serve…

6. Food. Clothes. Shelter. The basics are all covered. And then some extras are lovingly provided…transportation, entertainment, free time, work time, study time, coffee, tea, music, my cat…

7. Everything else. Freedom in this country, jobs, ease of communication with friends and family, technology, church, hobbies, nature, sanitary conditions, running water, electricity, and the list goes on and on…

October 29, 2008
by Angie 3 Comments

I DID NOT Steal Those Toys!

The Hill Clan

Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I was a child. Not too young, but still the oldest in a family of four offspring plus two parents. We all lived, incredibly, crammed into a single-wide mobile home. You can picture it, lovely white and gold toned, kids and pets crawling all over the place.

As was often necessary, mom did deep cleaning. She had to, in order to keep up with the vast assortment of STUFF that accumulated in our small home. During these times of cleaning (and might I add, my siblings were really not good at keeping track of their belongings, and often stored them on the floor or under the bed or dressers), mom dug out closets, under beds, and behind bureaus. That being said, I was the thrifty type. I also was developing my super organized skills and methods of storing massive amounts of junk. (READ: packrat).

Mom always threatened us. “If you don’t clean it up and put it away, I’m going to through it away.” She was telling the truth. At the last possible moment, just before the dust pan scooped up the garbage stored on the floor by my siblings, I swooped in and rescued trash. I think I may have been one of the pioneers of ‘trash to treasure.’ I pulled out anything that was in good condition, unbroken, cool, or whatever I deemed save-worthy. I transferred my new stash items to my top drawer. Saved from certain garbage burning, I practiced recycling before it became popular to be green.

Occasionally, and my siblings employ much ganging up and coersion to share their twisted side of the story, I opened my top dresser drawer and offered specific collection items for sale (nevermind that it was back to their original owners). Inflation not being what it is today, I charged fair (scavenger rates) prices, ranging from a few pennies to nickels, dimes, or maybe quarters. Great deals, huh? After all, I needed to recoup my time and energy costs. And I had to support my horse. Horses are expensive! It was a win win situation. They got great bargains, I kept the landfill empty of good stuff, and I added the change to my cash flow.

To talk with them, one would think that I stole the stuff and hid it until it was open store time. NOT SO! They are way younger than I am, so they do not remember correctly. I was like a vulture, waiting until mom had her back turned from the pile of soon-to-be-disposed items on the floor, and I played search and rescue. Who can complain about that? I was practicing humanitarian social responsibility plus keep the world green goals.

This is to set the record straight. Back in the dark ages, when I was a kid, I practiced recycling and helping mom keep the garbage can less filled with good stuff. I did not steal the toys and assorted items from my siblings. Really. I believe I even remember a few items being given to me by a brother or sister, and then they wanted them back later. Can’t blame me for wanting to turn a profit. Let’s call it storage unit fees.

So we’re even, right?