(Kami's Birthday was Saturday, May 9th, I made it at 11PM!)
(Silas found his thumb during his naptime!)
(Here are the kids playing with some other kids from the neighborhood) I have been able to settle down after arriving back from my dad's funeral on Saturday evening at 11 PM. Saying goodbye to my dad and seeing him in the coffin was a lot more difficult than I realized. Kami and the kids had the house looking great and fully unpacked. I praise the Lord for my family. Please continue to pray for my mother, Denise, and my younger brother, Marc.
We got to go shopping yesterday at the grocery store called Maxi. There is an IGA but it is much more expensive. The prices are slightly more expensive overall than in the states. However, in the mornings, you can find reduced priced items (meats, cheese, fruits, veggies) for sale. They have been marked down 50% because of shelf-life but are still in good condition. It is fairly easy to get around driving, you just have to try to keep an eye out for stoplights that can be hidden on the street corners. For the most part, the rules of the road are the same as in the states. The major problem is that the lines on the road have been scraped off due to all the snow plowing during the winter, so you don't really know if some roads are one lane or two. Knowing where to stop at traffic lights is sometimes difficult because there are likewise no lines on the road to show you where to stop.
Monday evening we had Bro. Jason Hamby and his family over for supper. They actually provided the meal! Authentic Domino's Pizza! Praise the Lord! Bro. Jason told me he would be bringing over some Poutine, a Quebec dish. He told me not to tell Kami or the kids what it was. Kami somehow got the impression it was a dish made of bugs (where does she come up with this kind of stuff?), she kinda freaked out thinking about eating bugs. She celebrated when the Poutine was uncovered, a dish of french fries covered in cheese curds with gravy. It was delicious! We had such a wonderful time of fellowship and laughter with the Hamby's, they are such a fine missionary family reaching lost souls in Trois Rivieres, Canada (about 1 hour from us).
We have arranged all of the extra boxes of items we do not need in the basement. Today I will set up my office area in our bedroom. We have a desk that we moved into our room. Other than that, I am taking this week to get situated and to rest. It has been emotionally and physically draining over the past few weeks. With packing, preparing, moving, driving 2,000 miles, crossing the border, unloading, unpacking, flying home for my dad's funeral, flying back and getting in at 11 PM on Saturday, and preaching with a translator on Sunday evening, I am worn out.
Spring has just arrived here in Quebec and it is neat to see all of our neighborhood out working on their yards, "Spring" cleaning, and planting flowers. It has been a long winter for them (we are just wanting snow and winter to begin!). The thing that I am most amazed about is the safety, cleanliness, and hospitality of Quebec City. We were told horror stories of the French Canadians here in Quebec, but none of them true. Quebec is a very clean city, no trash and very well kept. Everyone has been so kind, welcoming us to Quebec with a smile. When we try to speak their language, they smile real big and are such an encouragement. We have easily fallen in love (for lack of a better expression) with Quebec and the precious souls that call themselves "French Canadians"! We hope the Lord will greatly use us here!
