We have a house! :)

We found out yesterday afternoon that our 'dossier' (our paperwork) was accepted!!  I would have updated this yesterday, but I had a terrible migraine...sorry.  Thank you all sooo very much for your prayers!

We went to see the house again today so that we could take measurements, especially so that we can outfit the kitchen.  We basically have to add everything we want in it, except for the kitchen sink...lol...so the term "everything but the kitchen sink" really applies here.

At first, we weren't going to get the keys until next Tuesday.  Basically, though, since this weekend is Easter weekend, everyone has a long holiday; off for Easter Monday...ironic, huh?!  In a country that doesn't believe God exists...they still acknowledge a holiday celebrating Christ's resurrection!  So, since E.'s off, I was really hoping we'd be able to get in by at least Saturday, so we'd be able to do any painting and such to get it ready.  So I basically had him beg...I actually couldn't understand him, so I don't really know how much begging it took, but we are now getting in to it on Saturday morning!  Yay!!

You wouldn't believe the amount of things one has to sign here just to rent though!  It felt more like a closing on the sale of a house! Crazy.  However, for a good reason, I guess...here, if you go "belly-up" and don't pay, they basically can't kick you out of the house/apartment from like September to March.  Because it's in the middle of winter, and they can't legally kick you out!  So they go to great extents to be sure that they won't be put into that position.

We took all sorts of pics of the house...so I'm going to post some of them below.  Oh, our new town name? St. Pierre de Chandieu.  You can some pics of the town on this website....http://www.mairie-stpierredechandieu.com/.  Good luck with the French...  ;)

Oh, the coolest part of this town!  A couple of weeks ago, one of our coworkers, Cheryl, invited me to attend a craft club.  Clubs are big things here...there's pretty much a club for every kind of activity.  So the craft club meets in our little town!  Like a block from our new house! So I've already started getting to know some of the women from there!!  So cool! I've been to a quilting exhibition with some of them, and they've been very sweet to me.  It's really neat how the Lord orchestrated these relationships already...so cool! Now, I just have to learn how to speak to them!  Ugh....

Thanks again so much for your prayers!  Keep praying!  Especially for our language inability!! Lol...
Love, Jennifer (Enjoy the pics!...Well, you might not enjoy them as much as we do...we're pretty excited!)

Our street

Back Door

Front Door

"La cave" (basically just a tiled room)

Cute street lamp on the corner of our building

Spiral Staircase (with bathroom on left and closet on right)

See the middle section?  That's my "farm" ;)

Left door....ours

Kitchen...seriously

Front Door/Main Living Area

Next door

Our parking (See our van?)

Parking again...other angle

Pretty spiral staircase

Third floor (where all you visitors will sleep!)

3rd Floor again...from the opposite side of room

I just can't keep up with telling everyone what's happening!

I started writing this yesterday, and managed to lose it all, so I was rather perturbed.  Actually, I'm glad that it did, because there's more to the stories I was starting! :)

Ok...first thing...I think we found a house.  We still haven't heard back if we've been accepted or not, but it really is the perfect house! It is really classified as an apartment but it's actually a large 3 story house that has been divided into 3 homes.  Gotta back-track with a story, however...

Two Sunday's ago, one of the elders at the church told the congregation about how amazing it was that E. found a job within 48 hours of being here.  Then he told the church that they needed to pray that I could find a farm, since they all find the fact that I want chickens and a garden rather funny. So that's, in fact, how they've been praying.

So, back to the house...when we went to see it with the realtor, I was getting so excited as we were driving into the town where it is....it is just perfectly "French".  It is located on the outskirts of the town's center and simply adorable.  As the lady is telling us all about the property, she happened to tell us that it used to be an old farm that was renovated.  AND it comes with a plot for a garden which she said I could put chickens on, too, if I wanted.  :-D  So, if this works out, I will have my "farm".  :)

So we got the papers in to the office as soon as we could the next day. One of our main road blocks here for renting is that we have no history here. Even a normal renter here, though, is HIGHLY recommended to have a co-signer before they're allowed to rent.  We didn't have that. So we just gave them what we had.  The next day was Sunday and another of the elders at church told E. that he would be a co-signer for us!  The church here constantly amazes us at how excited they are to participate in what the Lord's doing in our lives.  We were very thankful.  So when the agency opened next on the following Tuesday, this elder actually called the manager of the agency and told them he was going to be our co-signer.  The manager basically said that our paperwork is very "thin"...not much to show for us.  He said it'd be much better if we had at least two co-signers.  :(  So when E. got home from work that evening, he got a call from this elder again, and he relayed all that had occurred.  Then he told E. that since the agency wants 2 co-signers, he was going to talk to the church elders and they were going to provide at least 4!  And he told us that he looked at the house and that it was perfect for us...and that he would spear-head the rest of it for us, and would let us know if he needed us to do anything else! So amazing!!!  We have been completely blown away.

I hesitate to keep writing because I know some of you are probably ready to be finished but there's just so much more to tell you so I'm going to risk it! :)  We have been waiting for E.'s bonus from his job in the US.  We thought we had plenty of money to get all set up here.  Long story short...the dollar being what it is, it was just enough to cover getting into the apartment (or will be) plus a little extra for a couple of appliances. The kitchens here do not come equipped.  And when I say equipped, I mean, they ONLY have a kitchen sink...nothing else...no cabinets much less any appliances. So we are going to have to get all of that ourselves. I had just been journaling the day before because I was pretty overwhelmed.  I'm going to write down my entry:
         "Lord, I am tired. And all I feel like doing today is crying. You know how overwhelming this whole process is, especially the money right now. I so know that you have provided every step of the way for us. I think I got my hopes misplaced by envisioning what this house could look like and how cute we could fix it up.  Thank you for providing enough. Please help me to be content with enough and not desire beyond what you have for us. Matt. 6:33-34..."But above all, pursue His kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Today has enough trouble of its own."  (These things being food, clothing and shelter...not kitchen cabinets.)"

So last night, before going to bed, I checked our account with the mission...someone has given us an anonymous gift of $5000. Usually you are able to withdraw funds in order to set up your household so I am hoping they will let us use some of it for that!  I am simply amazed at how these details continue to be unfolding around us, all in His timing.  However, I do want to say...if we don't get to use that or if it hadn't even been given, I think I am slowly but surely learning to be content.  With much or with little, as Paul said.  I am trying...and I'm overwhelmed at God's graciousness to me/us as He provides...not just monetarily but just in my soul.

We love and miss everyone!  (By the way....this house has a HUGE area for those of you how want to come stay with us!  But we will have to share the one bathroom!  Lol...)
Jennifer

When 11 days feels like 1 year.....

Wow.  It's really hard to believe we've only been here for a total of 11 days.  It feels like so much longer than that!  In one sense, we've gotten a lot accomplished...but on the other hand, it feels like there is still SOOO much left to do!

I'll start with our list of accomplishments!  (That will at least make ME feel better about the rest of my day!) :)

1. Hubby found a job...we were literally here not even 24 hours and he had a job!  Now...whether or not he will want to KEEP said job is another thing!  First of all, after looking at how expensive life here is, he is not really making enough money.  Second of all, the boss is a very difficult man to work for.  He is very impatient and demanding. Pray for E. to not be discouraged, because it is currently very hard for him to desire to get up to go every day.

2. As of tonight, we will own two vehicles!  Last week, we got E. a car for work for only 750€ (which is roughly about $1000). It is a 1993 Renault 5...a pic is below of one similar...just think really bad gray paint job tho (I'd take a pic, but he's at work.).  Tonight we will pick up an equally old minivan....which we paid only 2000€ for.  It is called a Renault Espace....1993 also. Actual pic is below of that one... So both vehicles are older than all the kids....lol... But both run well and will be paid for so we won't have that hanging over us financially.

3. We have made several trips to set up a bank account, insurance for the cars, social security cards, etc.  It is very funny...our first week, the bank was closed on Monday (always closed then), the post office was on strike on Tuesday, and the social security office was closed on Friday afternoons.  It is so very different than in the states.  One has to be very flexible here as far as getting things accomplished!

Ok...on to the list of "to do's"...

1. FIND A HOUSE!!  Very hard to do, on the income we have... We are looking for something to rent.  Please pray for us to find a large enough place, preferably a house with some sort of yard.  I am having a hard time adjusting to the amount of concrete in the city!  It is a rather suffocating feeling and it would be so much better to have some place that we can have a small garden and some green!  I realize that this is more of a 'dream' but it sure would make it easier to breathe.

2. Keep looking for a job for E.  For now though, pray that he will be able to somehow minister to the young guys he's working with...they are all straight out of school and don't know any better than to accept what the boss hands out.

3. Finish up all the myriad of appointments we still have to do...  Still have to go to another aspect of the social security to set up some other stuff.  Then I have to go to the consulat to register myself since I'm only here on a Visa.  Plus, back to the bank and the insurance...it never ends....

Please be praying for us.  We struggle with moments of intense discouragement.  It is very difficult to not have your own place with your own routine.  I especially crave my own routine to become established again.  Pray for the kids as they also really miss friends and their own space.  Pray too for B. because he's still struggling to get over mono...add mono to jet lag = no fun!  Pray for our ability to learn French...we haven't really had that many opportunities to practice since we are living with an American family.  G. is trying really hard...she learned about 85 words of vocabulary yesterday!  Oh...also, tonight when we pick up the van, the man we're purchasing it from invited us to dinner!  He is an interesting fellow...told E. that he has a 29 yr. old daughter (and grandkids) and a 4 yr. daughter...because "he's committed adultery many times....you can translate that for your wife...."!! So tonight should be fun!  It is VERY unusual that he would invite us to dinner so we shall see how this goes!  It will give us the opportunity to invite him in return, as that is the norm. So hopefully, our first opportunity to minister here.

We miss all of our friends!  You all who want to come visit us...pray extra hard for a large enough house!  ;)
Love,
Jennifer