It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Last night 2 assistants hosted a Christmas party at their apartment complete with a game of Dirty Santa. There were SO many people there- many I had never seen before... and not just British and American assistants, but also German and Spanish assistants... and a few French people, too!

the dessert spread

new friends

dirty Santa

Jasmine opens Doug's gift (random stuff from our apartment)

Ryan with my gift (sleep masks from the airplane)

Tonight we are hosting a Christmas cookie swap... yum!

Une explosion?!

Last night about 10PM a man was knocking on our door. It was a neighbor and was spreading the word that there had been "une explosion" in the mail boxes. Doug went downstairs to check it out, and he found that our neighbor had been exaggerating a little bit. But there were several mailboxes (including ours) with the door ripped off and then stuffed back into the box.

(our mailbox door)

(our poor doorless mailbox)

Why? Je ne sais pas. I guess the same reason that American teens get a kick out of knocking over mailboxes with baseball bats. Fortunately, our "once a week roomate" was there last night, so she called her mom (our landlady), and she is going to call the building maintenance today. Hopefully it will be fixed soon!!

Fetes des Lumieres!

Every year millions of people flock to Lyon for the famous Fete des Lumieres (festival of lights).

The tradition is that in the 1600s, the whole area was ravaged by plague, and in 1832 there was a cholera break-out, but both times, Lyon was spared, thanks to Mary's protection (don't ask me why credit was given to Mary and not to God...). So, to thank Mary, it was decided that when the new cathedral was constructed on Fouvriere Hill, there would be a statue to honor her. When the statue was unveiled, there was a terrible storm, but the people of Lyon showed up anyway with lanterns to thank Mary. The city put candles in their windows to show their support.

Although people still put candles in their windows, and there are posters everywhere saying "Merci Marie," the celebration has evolved into a huge light production throughout the city. The actual celebration is on December 8th, but the "lights" were going on since Saturday. There were SO many people, but it was worth fighting the crowd to see what we got to see!

Saturday night we saw:

-Place Saint Jean (our favorite!)

-Place Bellecour

-Place des Jacobins

-Saint Nizier

-Place Louis Pradel

-Place Marechal Lyautey

-Parc de la Tete d'Or

Sunday night we saw:

-Place des Terraux... 2nd favorite

here's a short video from Place des Terreaux also:

-Theatre Celestins

-fireworks on Fouvriere Hill (notice the outline of the basilica behind the fireworks)

-Fouvriere Hill (the path up to the basilica and the "Digital Man" on the Metal Tower)

-Gadagne musuem (which was the biggest let-down... didn't even take a picture)

-Gare Saint Paul (also a let-down... the windows just changed colors)

Monday night I got home late, so I just saw:

-La Tour Oxygene

and non-fete-des-lumieres, but... the Christmas decor at Part Dieu

And last night, we saw:

-the very end of the fireworks over the Rhone

-the outside of Hotel Dieu (the line was too long to go in the courtyard)

-the Prefecture (probably the most confusing)

Click here for all the pictures:

fete des lumieres

There was still so much that we didn't get to see... peut-etre l'année prochaine??

You've Got Mail!

Getting the mail has gotten pretty exciting lately! First, we started getting a few Christmas cards from a few families at Northlake... then we got A BUNCH of Christmas cards from families at Northlake! How thoughtful for them to think of us, nearly 6 months after we moved away from Atlanta!
Next, we got a package slip, and when we went to pick up the package, we got a big box of peanut butter and black beans (both are difficult to find here!) AND pecans (which you can find in France, but are REALLY expensive because they are imported from the US) and some brown sugar from Doug's parents! We made yummy black bean and goat cheese quesadillas on Sunday!

Thanks everyone!

Thanksgiving weekend

Here are pictures from Thanksgiving weekend... the dinner with the assistants and visit from Grant and Emily...

Thanksgiving weekend

Heavy hearts

Although I couldn't be there for the memorial service last night, I am thinking of Misty and praying for her family and friends. She was an example and blessing for so many.

God is my Shepherd

And I am his little lamb.

He feeds me

He guides me

He looks after me.

I have everything I need.

Inside, my heart is very quiet.

As quiet as lying still in soft green grass

In a meadow

By the stream.

Even when I walk through

the dark, scary, lonely places

I won't be afraid

Because my Shepherd knows where I am.

He is here with me

He keeps me safe

He rescues me

He makes me strong

And brave.

He is getting wonderful things ready for me

Especially for me

Everything I every dreamed of!

He fills my heart so full of happiness

I can't hold it all inside.

Wherever I go I know

God's Never Stopping

Never Giving Up

Unbreaking

Always and Forever

Love

Will go, too!

Psalms 23, The Jesus Storybook Bible

Visitors!

Thursday Emily came from Heidelberg and Friday her boyfriend Grant came from Florence for the weekend. We stayed out at the Hendrixes, which was wonderful! Pamela fixed us two wonderful dinners and Arlin was a great breaksfast chef! We took them to Bellecour, Place des Terreaux, Fouvriere, Vieux Lyon, and the park! In fact we rode bikes around the park, and although we got there when it was getting dark, they still got to see the giraffes, wildebeests, the porcupine and sandcat, the monkeys, and the deer. Emily and Grant both got to pet the deer and touch the boy-deer's antlers. They couldn't get over how much cleaner Lyon was than some of the other cities they have visited. It is so fun to show people around Lyon- it is such a pretty city. Saturday night we stayed up playing Scrabble in couple-teams. Doug and I won, with Arlin and Pamela close behind... Grant and Emily came in last, but still had lots of fun just relaxing in real home after traveling and staying in trains and hostels the last 2 months.