This blog is the story of life as I went from a world traveling pastors wife to a home-schooling mom of 4.

HOT baby!

By Jen | May 1, 2007 | 2 Comments

I am beginning to wonder what a summer in Europe will look like with a baby.  It is easy enough to layer layer layer, but how do you make her cool when air conditioning doesn’t exist except in grocery stores? The other day was a hot one.  I think it was probably in the upper eighties.  We were hanging out in a packed French apartment with about ten kids and their parents.  It was a bit chaotic…to say the least!  Poor Maisie didn’t know what to do with herself with all the noise and heat.  She was probably the most fussy I have seen her.  I think it was more the heat than the noise, since she has been around lots of noise since her birth.  So I went out yesterday and bought her little tank top onesies and a little sippy cup to put water in.  I will also…

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Same issues… and Christian breath mints?

By Jen | April 27, 2007 | 8 Comments

I had a rough night tonight and called my mom in tears.  My mom suggested in her always lovingly way that I journal my thoughts… because she knows that it is a good way for me to connect with God and connect with what I am feeling. So, I did.  I wrote about all my feelings, fears, and frustrations.  After I got all my feelings out, I decided to read back to some of my previous writings.  I was a bit shocked to find the SAME themes throughout the years.  I am saying, two years ago I was writing the SAME THINGS!!!!  Same frustrations, same fears (that have now become reality), same same same!  It is a bit annoying.    On a different note, Justin is listening to cheesy Christian music right now which totally distracted me from what I was writing.  I have always hated (with a passion) cheesy…

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Just some pics and stuff…

By Jen | April 17, 2007 | 4 Comments

Cozy cozy cozy!   Maisie LOVES to nap in our bed!  She’s already been to Notre Dame! Having a little girl is so much fun!  She loves her stroller rides!  She also loves her headband that keeps her hair out of her eyes… Justin and Maisie at our favorite cafe called Place Verte.  It is sooooo great to be able to sit outside in the beautiful weather!  Paris in the spring is the best!!!!

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Weekend outside of Paris

By Jen | April 13, 2007 | 1 Comment

This last weekend we were able to get out of the city!  It had been a LONG time (seven months) since we had been outside of Paris (not counting Versailles).  Maisie hadn’t even smelled fresh air or heard birds singing until this last weekend!  She has only had exhaust blown in her face by the big buses or heard pigeons (aka: flying rats) making their little mating noises.  Ew.  Poor little city baby.  We had the most relaxing weekend in the sunny warm weather!  Read about it on Justin’s blog here!  He also posted pictures of the weekend on the right hand side of his blog!  Look away!

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She is proud to be an American…

By Jen | April 6, 2007 | 6 Comments

We had a WONDERFUL experience today!  We stood on American soil!  Yes, we went to the American embassy to get Maisie’s passport.  Let me just say, I think we had culture shock at the embassy.  The people helping us were actually HELPING us!!!  They smiled, explained things nicely, and were just all around happy people to us!  Yes, they could have been faking it, but that’s ok!  I was thankful for the smiles.  Most of all though, I was thankful for the timely manner in which we were helped.  We were in and out of that place in about half an hour!  I think if it were at the French embassy (no offense Frenchies!!!) it would have taken at least three hours.  No joke.  Here is Maisie being proud to be an American!  They gave her an American flag…to poke her eye out.

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