continued

as promised!

So a side note: I'm watching the season finale of Survivor from last season right now as I just painted my nails and am waiting for them to dry. haha. When the finale of survivor aired back in May, I was in China and not able to stream the episode and could never find it online once I got back. I found it today and am being a dork by watching it. What can I say, I have nothing better to do while waiting for my nails to dry, haha.

So on Saturday after my driving lesson I hurried to pack an overnight bag and head out to catch the suburban train into Paris. Long story short, I missed it by five minutes so I had to wait about 20 minutes for an RER (a train that stops at every stop/town on the way into Paris). Luckily my friend who I was meeting was running late also so I didn't end up keeping her waiting for too long. We met up at the train station, hopped on a train and headed out to go run an errand. We ran the errand and then I was to go spend the night at her house with her. She lives barely north of Paris in a more suburban like area in a flat with her parents and sister. I was excited to see what a family life would be like in Paris, in a flat! We decided to take the bus so we could enjoy the views of driving through Paris. It took a long time that way. haha. I will opt for the metro next time. haha. Once we arrived at her house spent the evening doing odd things about her flat, rearranging a few pieces of furniture in her room, cooking dinner, watching a movie, etc. This sweet sweet friend who I am loving spending time with, shares my same love for clothes and shopping and looking as fantastic as can be and I had mentioned to her that I needed to find a jacket to buy. So my sob story is that coming from Texas, not only is the weather 100% different than it is in Paris but I also had no clue what kind of clothes I would need. Well, right now is "jacket" weather and I did not bring a jacket nor do I really own a jacket. I had mentioned this to her and she had said without hestiation that she many jackets and if I could fit then I could borrow a few of hers for the season. Whaaat? So Saturday night once we got to her flat she started going through her closet and ended up pulling out there jackets that she is letting me borrow. And they fit! Perfectly! I am beyond elated to know that I am not pressured to buy more articles of clothing right now. Normally that sentence would send me into a panic, that I said it, but right now, with everything going on financially and realizing just how LITTLE I make, I'm trying (key word trying) to be more conscious about how and where I spend my money. Its not easy. Especially when everything here is way more expensive than in the US, not including the exchange rate. So I am very blessed to have met this girl for more than one reason but feel even more blessed that she is lending me some clothes that are going to make being here for the next few months bearable. The night was great and I thuroughly enjoyed myself and her company! It's great to know that I am starting to build some great relationships that hopefully will last a long time and not that I am looking to replace anyone from back home, but I do wish for relationships like I do have back in Texas. I do miss all my great friends so much and I wish so dearly so have a few girlfriends who I can laugh with about the dumb stuff and enjoy dressing up with but also enjoy doing nothing with.

So this new friend of mine is very involved in my church (where I met her) and she normally has to be at church at 8:45am on Sunday mornings. What? I am a regular attender of the 1pm service and even with taking 2 hours to get into Paris I still don't wake up until 10am most Sundays. Ha, not this Sunday. I was up and at church by 8:45am along with a whole lot of other people. I had been thinking and feeling like I need to get involved in the church as this is my new "permanant" home and with no end in sight, I feel very strongly about everyone being involved somehow at the church you regularly attend. I was still a bit shy and apprehensive as I don't speak French and there are a lot of people who don't speak English (as well, there are a lot of people who don't speak French like myself) and I didn't know very many people. Well, it was a divine appointment I feel that I was there that early as I was pulled into help out because I was there. I was later told that the people who are there that early are there to help so I guess they assumed the same for me, haha. But i was very glad that I was pulled in to help because it was just what I needed, a little push. I am now on the "host" team at church where I help greet and seat people and am working towards getting to know more people and get more involved as my schedule allows. Its crazy what God will do when you let him. I have said this before but I strongly believe it. Through this experience yesterday I was even able to meet a few really great people who I had not met before and was very excited to have the opportunity to do so.

After church I went for a picnic in the park as I normally do each Sunday but this time it was with my newly joined "connect group" that I attended last Wednesday. They have been another blessing to me also. The people in this group have roped me in also and have invited me to join them on multiple occassions already and I only fit met them on Wednesday. How amazing! What I want to say about this connect group is that I love how it is a different group of people than I would normally associate with. I don't mean that in a bad or rude way but they are a bit older than me and they are in different stages of life than me, but I love it! I think it will be good for me to be around different people than I would normally gravitate to to be friends with, but I also think these people can bring a new perspective to me. Also, the Bible study is conducted in French which will be really good for me as not any other areas of my life are done soley in French and I could use some hard introduction to no English and being forced to focus on what is being said and understanding it. Well, we had a picnic for one of the girls in the group who's birthday was sometime near yesterday. I still have no met her, she was in the group yesterday but I had to leave pretty soon after the picnic started so I did not have the opportunity to introduce myself. oops! It was a great picnic and a nice way to relax (for a few moments at least) following a very busy weekend and particularly busy Sunday morning.

So that was my weekend! On my way home I was thinking about how my body was aching so badly and how so very tired I was, but was overtaken with the thought that I am so blessed to be here and to finally feel at home... This weekend was busy and full and all of what I did are things I would have done with friends back home. I thuroughly enjoyed myself at all times and no amount of pain in my body or aching tiredness going on could erase the fact that it was a great weekend! Texas will always be my original home, but Paris is really starting to feel like my current home, and for that I am truely thankful!

I have a lot going on these days, in my head, in my prayers, and in my just plain general life that I would love to share with you so I will make another post about that and save it for another day. Some of which includes job searching, yes, I am job searching only 6 weeks into my current job, haha. But I'll save that for another day!!!

I love y'all and hope you all know just how much i love you!!!!!

Love, Me