nancy nostalgia

We're back from Nancy (overnight in Paris) and we've had a fulfilling holiday! A friend lent us her flat, which was a real blessing, and it happens to be just down the road from our old flat, so we were back on familiar territory. In fact, we arrived on the Saturday afternoon, went down to the local park for a walk before tea, and bumped into two different people we knew! It's funny to think that Simon spent the first seven months of his life in Nancy, yet to him it was all new.

We were back in our home church for the two Sundays we were there, and Marc preached on the second of them. We spent most of our time seeing friends or visiting our favourite places. It reminded us that as a family, Nancy is the closest thing we have to a home, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to spend time there. We were also very touched by the warm welcome back we had from the church family.

It was great too to be able to be there for the wedding of our friends Pascal and Hélène – a wonderful day, a beautiful bride and a proud groom!

We also went over to Alsace for a day to visit a family who returned in May from a year in Benin with SIM. We had lots of questions for them, and they were able to advise us about what we need to take with us, and what can easily be bought over there. Their third child was born over there, and I'd already exchanged several emails with Rachel, the mum, about her experience of childbirth at the hospital of Bembéréké.

Simon seems to have taken very well to our nomadic lifestyle, which is an answer to prayer. He enjoys meeting new people, especially babies, and has been very excited about all the new toys he's discovered at different people's houses. It's been interesting to see how attached he's got to some Matchbox-style cars we have borrowed from Marc's parents (which used to belong to Marc and his brothers and sisters). Being worried about having to give them back again, we've been out and bought some similar ones for Simon, hoping that with the change in environment he'll accept the loss of the old ones!

time out!

Just to say that I will be off-line during our holiday in Nancy, 9th-21st August. Happy holidays, everyone!

baby talk or "le parler bébé"

It is fascinating to hear the way that Simon's language is developing. He picks up words all the time, some in French and some in English. We're pretty sure that he often chooses between the languages according to which word is easier to pronounce. So we have "car" rather than "voiture", but "pain" rather than "bread". But he understands them in both, so his papa can ask him, "Où est le voiture?" and he'll point, saying, "Car!" and I can say, "Simon, would you like some bread?" and he'll say, "Pain!"

I'm also amazed by how much he understands. Sometimes far more than I expect him to. I have a tendancy to think that he pays attention to intonation and guesses the meaning, rather than going by the meaning of all the words. But his reactions can floor me. This morning he had eaten most of his raisins, and was pushing the others around his tray. So I said, "Simon, if you don't want your raisins then Mummy can eat them for you!" and he immediately started picking raisins up and feeding them to me! Ok, he might not have understood more than "... raisins ... Mummy ... eat" but still!

He likes communication in general, and is going through quite a kissy phase. (Well, he is French, so he needs to learn the correct way to greet people!) He will make kissing noises, and hold his cheek out to be kissed ... which is certainly one way to charm people when you are a cute 19-month old! His parents are not so keen on him doing this with complete strangers at the supermarket!

Simon trying out a local slide near his grandparents' in France:

10 things I love about you...

France:

• Family
• Friends
• The bread
• The cheese
• Croissants, escargots (pains aux raisins lorrains), crêpes...
• Tisane réglisse-menthe (mint and licorice infusion)
• The countryside (especially the Pyrenées)
• When it comes to shopping: Kiabi, Yves Rocher (and the fab free gifts), LaRedoute, 3 Suisses...
• French: the language of lurve ;o)
• The way people are so French!

England:

• Family
• Friends
• The bread
• The cheese
• Marmite, crumpets, Bakewell tart, Bath buns...
• A nice cuppa
• The countryside (especially the Lake District)
• Next Baby, Mothercare, JojoMamanBébé (English, honestly!), Argos...
• English: my mother tongue (thanks, Mum!)
• The way people are so English!

I could write a similar list for Benin, but I've never lived there for long, so I don't think I can compare it in the same way! But I believe God has prepared our place there just as He has always done for me whenever I've moved somewhere new.