Adjusted.

In the last week or so, I have become what I like to consider "adjusted."

I have gotten into a fairly familiar routine, which is comforting and gives me some normalcy. But of course there are some splashes of fun, and I love the independence I get here. I feel like I am growing into a better version of myself. One that is more patient than ever before, who is more adventurous, a bit more daunting, and with more toned calves from all this walking!

Since we last chatted, I met some new friends. We went downtown on Saturday, which was absolutely beautiful, and walked through a flea market, toured a fabulous old church with all the carving, fresco and romance of all the great old churches, and went shopping in a humongous mall that is linked above and underground with the Metro. Definitely a great afternoon. The pictures from that adventure are up on facebook labeled Chatelet.

Sunday I tried my second church. Joelle, who is following this blog, lived here in Le Vesinet and was an au pair for a different family, but as she babysat for the kiddos I work with, I got to know her a bit as the reference Jennifer provided. [And, one of the new friends I made is Kitty, the replacement-for-Joelle au pair.] Well, Joelle recommended her church in Paris, so I tried it out. Props, Joelle. I loved the vibe of this eglise - it was one of those free-flowing, all-out praise type gigs. I think my favorite part was while the instruments played, the people called out their praise and prayer, worshipping fully and wholly. Very cool, and one of the more genuine church services I have been to. We discussed love; Jesus' accepting love that we are called to embark upon. That no-holds-bar, accepting, non-judgemental, deep and wide river of love. As we pulled from scripture in Corinthians, Proverbs, Matthew, Romans... [it did get a little hard to keep up with all of the verses, seeing how the whole service was in French], my cup was refilled. I mean, how amazing and incredible is it that above all else - hope, joy, faith - God is love. GOD = LOVE. So good. We are so blessed to have a Maker who just wants to love us. I am so blessed that even when I am thinking wretched thoughts, forgetting my Bible time, or praying in that lazy half-asleep prayer before bed, that the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE loves me. That's why I am called to keep on keepin' on - lovin' on his children, my brothers and sisters.

That afternoon I had a fun picnic with a couple of other friends [see - I am not a total loner!] on the Champ de Mars under the Eiffel Tower, with a little wine and some good chocolate. [Those pics are the musical-chairs ones also on fb.]

This week has been pretty cool: on Tuesday, I had to run some errands. Probably the coolest errands I have ever had to run, since I was in Paris to do them. :) I needed to 1) get my phone fixed because the email was being incompatible with the wifi and 2) get my books for my classes. So I head on over; I have mapped out my plan for the metro and where to turn for each store. I kid you not I get to BOTH stores and am told BOTH times that I have to go to a different location. It's like going to a Barnes & Noble back home, realizing they don't have what you're looking for and having to go to another location that they tell you has the books you need. EXCEPT AT HOME I KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE. But, the lady was nice enough to let me spread out my map, and tell me where to get on and off the train, and where to turn for the other bookstore. Ok, done. So I head out to find the cell phone store [the 2nd location was somewhere on Champs Elysees]. I don't know if you realize, but this is not only a pretty famous street, but also a really long, and really wide, and really high-traffic one. But, all that time wasted at the first two stores, getting lost and having to make pedestrian u-turns paid off. I got my books, I got my phone fixed, and then I saw Elton John. ELTON JOHN, PEOPLE!!! Dude had the quintessential cross earring, the floppy/frumpy old lady hairdo, the blazer - fabulous. He did tone down on the shades though; I almost didn't recognize him. Ha, right. So, I guess running around in Paris, a little frustrated, a little lost, and a little bit blistered [I swear, even the shoes I thought were the most comfortable at home don't stand a chance here] resulted in a pretty neat surprise. Thanks, God. I needed that one.

Started school Thursday. Classes should be interesting - I feel like I am definitely in the right level, with everyone similarly efficient at speaking. [Which is a bit more than minimally.] I met a neat Dutch girl, Roos [pronounced like the flower], and a couple Mexican girls that I got to speak Spanish with, which is fun. I am much more excited about my Monday classes though, because I am taking a French film course! Hopefully it is great, because Hispanic Film was my favorite class of college. [Little known fact.]

Tomorrow is Nuit Blanche which means that all the museums and galleries and artsy places are open ALL NIGHT FOR FREE! Thus, I will be going out. And not coming back till morning. I need to stop by the grocery store for some Red Bull. :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuit_Blanche

More to come, I am hoping for some great stories from this weekend!

Much love, and thank you so much for caring enough to keep up with me. I want to know what's going on in your life too, so shoot me an email or leave a comment!