Dedication

Last Sunday at church we had Malachi dedicated.  This is a little different than infant baptism, we believe that baptism is a decision someone makes when they are ready.  A dedication is a time for us to go in front of the church and commit to raising our child the best we can to follow the Lord.  It is also a time to ask the church to come along side us and help us raise Malachi, and the rest of our children.  This is something that we have done with each of our children.  

Malachi was very interested in what Todd had to say.

We absolutely love Todd and Amanda.  They have such a heart for the church here in Paris.  They have made our transition here that much easier by creating such an encouraging place to come and worship. 

It was also very special to have Nannie, my mom, here for this event.

Happy Birthday Ben-Ben!

At the beginning of June we celebrated Ben's 5th birthday.  During the week we celebrated on his actual birthday.  We had his favorite dinner  followed by a Spider Man cake.  Thankfully pre made cakes are easier to find here than they were in Norway.

A family photo before cutting into the cake.

Ben's new Thor mask.

Checking out his new watch, he is super excited about knowing what time it is lately.

A Spider Man shooting glove!  He was convinced that it was real and that he was going to be able to swing from buildings.

It didn't take long for Garrett to take a turn with the Thor mask, you have to have your hammer when you pretending to be Thor.

On the weekend we were able to celebrate Ben's birthday with some friends from his class.

Malachi was tired and not a fan of the noise so he and Nannie had some quality time together.

The birthday boy!

The seat was so fun.

The room was very festive.

The 'juice' the place served was terrible, the green tasted like mouthwash and the red was so watered down you couldn't taste anything at all.  Other than the juice the place was perfect.

Ben was ready to blow out his candles.

After the party and a quick lunch the Birthday Boy was worn out.  

Here is a picture of Ben on the way home from his 1st birthday party.  Some things never change.

Shopping with Nick

Every Sunday I pass by a little shop on my way to church.  For the first several months I would look longingly at this little shop with many little treasures out front, but just getting to church on time was a challenge.  One day Jon said I could leave early, ALL BY MYSELF, and stop at the shop and he would get all of the kids to church.  Having an hour to myself is a real treat, and getting to shop by myself is so nice.  That morning I met Nicholas. Nick is a Frenchman who speaks great English.  He is a cabinet restorer by trade, but he also has a great collection of treasures that people consign with him to sell.  I have always found something to take home with me when I visit with Nicholas.

I have taken a couple of different friends in to this little shop, and everyone I have taken in has found some treasure to take home with them.

This morning I got to take Jon in with me, my mom stayed in the car with the kids while Jon and I were able to run in.  Part of why I enjoy shopping here so much is that Nick can give you some information on the history of the time.

Here are my finds this morning, a great enamelware pot and a vintage metal GIG sign.

"Grands Invalides de Guerre"  "The Injured/Handicapped of War"  This sign would have gone in the window of a car as a kind of handicap sign.  

I love this blue and white enamelware pot, there are a few dings and scratches, but overall it is in great shape.

If you ever want to come visit I will take you to Nick's shop and you can find a treasure of your own.