It’s day 17 and although it wasn’t the first visit of someone from Liz’s family (her parents had come in October of 2016), it was the first time that a family member was there during Christmas.

You’ll also see our kids’ reaction at receiving treats from home.

Let’s go…

Is this first Christmas Memory post you’re seeing?
You can get caught up by starting back on day 1 to understand this year’s theme.

Extended Family

Around this dinner table is, of course, our family, but also Liz’s brother and his family from Belgium and Sister Jocelyne, one of the ladies from our church who we were glad to welcome to Christmas dinner.

She was someone who didn’t have any family living nearby and was, for a number of years, until her sickness and death, the most faithful member of our church. She was also someone who was only too glad to house-sit for us and look after Pollux if we had to be away for a day or two (she loved animals). We were sorry to lose her.

Liz’s brother & his family were here for a quick visit, but aside from Christmas Day, we were also to take in the incredibly beautiful St. Savin Abbey, located about 45min from us. The multitude of colours in the pillars were made using various mud pigments at the time of construction.

2 Grandfathers & Treats from Home

You See that photo of the kids… they were overjoyed because Sis. Colleen Carter, missionary to Africa, had taken it upon herself to send the kids a care package of very Canadian treats that you typically can’t find in France. It cost her way more to ship than to purchase the items (and one wonders how she packed so much in such a small box, but … “missionary skills” … ‘nuf said!). I think their reaction speaks for itself.

That year I also spoke at a Christmas service in Bordeaux. I opted to wear my Maple Leaf tartan jacket & tie. Not just a nod to my Canadian heritage, this jacket was also a nod to my maternal grandfather, for whom it was part of curling team uniform (yes, he was a curler). I was kneeling beside a chocolate labrador retriever – a seeing-eye dog that belonged to a man in the church. What was cool, however, is that my paternal grandfather raised and sold labs my whole childhood.

… so this photo was a nod to both of my grand-dads… a nice Christmas memory among many others.

Thank you sharing this memory and…