Au Revoir! We are leaving for the airport.

Yay! We are about to leave for the airport. All of our bags are packed and miraculously under the 50lb weight limit. The kids seem to be really excited and pumped up for our trip. Emily is sleeping well and her mood reflects such. Love you all and will update when I can.

11:54am - The night before Departure day

Oh yes, I am aware that it is almost midnight and I should be sleeping. I am too worried that each of our eight suitcases is over the 50lb weight limit and will cost us a mere $150/bag! When did the airlines become so greedy? An extra bag can cost you $100. Good thing we have two more bags we can check but that would total 10 checked bags, 7 carry on bags, 1 stroller, 3 car seats, 3 kids and 5 coats. Are you picturing us at the check-in line yet?

So, we may have to chalk up another disagreement between Freddie and I when tomorrow he tells me we can't take my salt shakers that I don't want to have to purchase again in France or all of the Christmas cards and books and other potentially unnecessary items that I have stashed away. Leaving behind clothes? We won't even go there.

In all of this frivolous mental turmoil, I came across this scripture which always soothes my soul. Thought it may touch you, too.

Zephaniah 3:17:

17 The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

Thank you!

Thank you all for your sweet voice mail messages (all of which are being saved so I can listen to them again when I am really missing your voices and home) and your emails full of well wishes and your prayers. I am so stinkin' excited I can't stand myself. Isn't it funny how on the evenings before the days you need the most rest you can seem to find sleep? I am trying to strategically pack all of our stuff... my goodness how we accumulate STUFF. My obsessive compulsive nature has kicked into full gear as I have layed out (in order, mind you) the clothes we will all put on tomorrow and the change of clothes for those little accidents which seem to happen in the most inopportune times (like at 30000 feet above Earth) and the gloves and hats we will need on the other side when it is freezing and snowing. Hard to plan how to dress when it is 70 degrees at departure and 29 at arrival. Layers, layers, layers, right? My children will look like cute little eskimos waddling out of the airport in their 3 shirts, snow jackets and gloves in Clermont wishing for snow. Freddie and I are holding up.. so far our lone disagreement has been whether to pack their big winter jackets in carry-on or checked baggage. So far so good, right? :)

I have lots of other Page family details (that I am sure you are all dying to know) to blog about but that will have to wait until we get a little more settled. I went on a fabulous ladies' beach trip last week and then my sweet Emily turned one on New Year's Eve day. I can't wait to share that all with you!

For your viewing pleasure (because it is always a good time to show off pics of my darlings):

Christmas in Columbia 2008

Sophia's first Barbie

Joshua

Merry Christmas!

E. Claire

Sophia and Emily Claire

Sweet Aunt Janet with the girls

Emily's First Christmas Gift

Christmas Morning

The Girls

Our gingerbread house and Sophia begrudgingly posing for a picture.

Aunt Sandy Christmas Day afternoon with Josh, Em and Canon

Yes, we are still alive and well. Well, "well" may be debatable but we are still alive. We all had a wonderful Christmas in Columbia which has been our temporary home for the past three weeks. My sweet mother came down for a visit the weekend before Christmas and we had a special time altogether. My in-laws have been the most gracious and helpful hosts since we have crashed into their home with our 10 suitcases, diapers, beaucoup de toys and a plethora of illnesses which we have all passed on to each other. Hopefully, we are all on the road to recovery.

Prayers are welcome for our 10 hour plane adventure to France this coming Tuesday. We will be leaving Columbia around 4:30pm and will arrive in Clermont-Ferrand Wednesday around 4:30pm France time. The time difference is six hours. Please pray that the children will rest well on the plane and that their ear infections will be completely healed before the cabin pressure changes. Also, we welcome prayers for lots of patience and grace for Freddie and me. We miss you all already but are very excited to share the adventure.

The emotional spectrum is broad as we get closer to our departure date. We are anxiously awaiting our departure with much anticipation but at the same time we are a little scared and nervous thinking of all of the unknowns that we will face. Those unknowns bring an element of exhilerating excitement, as well. We have thoroughly enjoyed the mini-vacation away from the responsibilities of a mortgage and bills and cooking (thank you Susan!) and the joy that comes from having family around but we also yearn for routine and being settled again. We miss our friends. The kids have mentioned many of their friends by name and you can tell that they think we will still be able to drop in for a play date. That is heart breaking. Joshua and I had a discussion last night about our upcoming move and how exciting it is. I was trying to be very encouraging. He paused and said 'Yes, but I am a little nervous too'. 'What makes you nervous, J?' I responded. 'Well, I am afraid you won't teach me french and we won't be able to talk to people. I am afraid someone will say 'Bonjour!' and I will say 'Bonjour!' but I won't be able to say 'It's nice to meet you'. Can you find out how to say that in french?'. :) My sweet boy. He also asked us to put in an order for a house that has a yard so we can have our sandbox (which was taken to the dump!). Surely France has the little green turtle sandboxes, right?

Between the blog, facebook, skype, email and web cams... it really won't be much different than us being in Greenville. Not much... right? Wishful thinking, maybe. Lets see what I am writing three weeks from now. Love to you all.