Cresco et Floresco
This week we learned that the motto of Saint-Mandé is the latin phrase “Cresco et floresco.” In English this means, “I grow and I flourish.” It seems like such a perfect motto for a little town known for growing lots of flowers, but also a fabulous motto for a family who has been transplanted to a new plot of land. So, we have decided to adopt this as a family motto as well! We have been placed here. Here we will grow and here we will flourish!!
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This week has been roasty toasty!
We have been experiencing a heat wave in France which means temperatures in the
80’s. That may not seem particularly hot to you, but when you consider the fact
that virtually no apartments here have AC, and there are not really any
community pools or splash pads, the 80’s can feel “trop chaud!” Our friend at
the lobster restaurant used that phrase to explain to us why his lovely lobster
display has not been out the past few days. If it is too hot for Lobsters
hanging out in the shade on a bed of ice, it is too hot! But not for the Facer
family, because we are here to grow and flourish!! So, to beat the heat we hit
the subways and explored some more of Paris.
One of our favorite places to explore this week was Le Jardin des Plants. On Monday we went there after exploring Le Bastille metro stop (which is where I lived when I did study abroad in Paris… like 9 years ago!) It was so fun to show Benjin and the boys my old metro stop, apartment, Place de Vosges and Victor Hugo’s house. It was fun to think about how much has changed since then and to consider the miracle that it is that I'm back in Paris with my family!
From Le Bastille we walked along
the canal that connects that area to the seine. Gideon loved looking at all the
cool boats on the docs. Then we crossed the Seine into the Jardin des Plants. The
garden was lovely, but we (especially our boys) were starving. So we booked it
across the gardens and made our way to a little bread shop for a baguette to
share. It was fresh and flakey and totally hit the spot! Then we went back to
the Jardin to explore more. We explored the menagerie (which is basically a
zoo). It was fabulous! Some of our favorites were the fighting ostriches and
the moustache monkey!
Tuesday night we made Gallettes with some amazing cheese that my dad had purchased from a friend we made at the grocery store named Jean-Marc. Our relationship with him started with him behind a deli counter offering a small slice of cheese for Pierce and then my dad asking a simple question, “what does “traiteur” mean.” (Spoiler alert – Traiteur means “caterer”) But for French people food means so much more than just food. So the question inspired a 30 min monologue all about the pride and honor involved in creating good meats and cheeses. He explained the “valeur” (value) of food that was created with the heart and soul of a person compared to the cheap commercialized stuff. One of our favorite quotes was when talked about how we need to listen to the older generation more and said, “grandma and grandpa, they were the original google!” Anyway, the monologue not only involved us listening, but in true French traiteur fashion it involved us tasting as a critical part of his argument. He had us try cheese after cheese and meat after meat to help us effectively understand all that is involved in the true meaning of traiteur. As part of this we tasted “numba one” the cheese which he said was his personal favorite and after tasting it, it quickly became ours as well! Anyway, to celebrate making it through a week without my dad, we made delicious galettes with “numba one” cheese. Then we took Gideon’s scooter and walked around the park. It was a perfect end to the day.
On Wednesday I went for a lovely morning run around the chateau and then we went on a walk to find a French goodwill. On the way home Benjin and I split up and I took the boys home on the metro. I was amazed to watch what a pro Gideon has become at metro riding. He has the system down in just a week! It was so fun to have him listen for our stop and when he heard, “Saint-Mandé” he beamed and said, “this is our stop!!”
We have also started having little French lessons each day (where I lead out in teaching a few things to Benjin and Gideon.” For example we have taught about basic introductions, colors, body parts, etc. Wednesday afternoon Benjin took Gideon and Pierce to the park to play while I made Ratatouille. While they were playing, a little kid asked Gideon what his name was (in French of course). Because of our little family French class, Gideon recognized what was said and ran back to Benjin to tell him and say, “daddy, I forgot! How do I say what my name is again?” He then ran back to his new friend and said, “Je m’appelle Gideon!” After Dinner we took the train to Notre Dame and Gideon played soccer with another little boy in the shadow of the beautiful cathedral while Benjin and I read the signs about the restoration process (post fire).
Thursday we returned to Jardin des Plants to go to their paleontology
and rock/gem museums. It was awesome and way more fun to go with doctor daddy
who could explain all the differences in bone structure, how ribs work, etc. Then Benjin
headed to a lunch date with some of his new coworkers and Gideon and Pierce and
I headed home. After lunch the boys wanted to take a bath (mostly because here
in France we have “chocolate soap” that makes you smell like a tootsie roll and
some bath powder stuff which makes the water super blue. The boys LOVE it!!
Our weekend was a little slower paced because poor Pierce boy
got sick. But, we went on some walks where we met some fun neighbors from
Canada and another couple with the wife from the US. We also explored
Sacre Coeur and had some grocery shopping adventures.
On Sunday Pierce was still too sick to go to church, so, Benjin
stayed home with him and Gideon and I braved the bus/train ride solo. By divine
providence, when we got to the bus station, a lady saw me looking at my phone
and asked where I wanted to go. I told her the church’s name and she beamed and
said, “I knew it! I saw your son’s tie and I just new you were going there! Follow
me!! I’m going there too. God certainly is aware of us!!” So we spent the whole bus ride
chatting. She was oh so patient with my French and super kind to Gideon. As we walked from the bus station we met up with some of her other friends from the ward. So, it felt like a party walking in to church with this crowd of church ladies all chatting with one another.
At church I had been asked to share my testimony. I was
SUPER nervous, but I did it! In my choppy, imperfect French, I talked about how
since being in France I have seen so many amazing creations. Beautiful
buildings, gardens, monuments, etc. And that all these things testify of a
creator. They tell us that there is a God who has the power to make all things
and that we are His children and that like him we can also make incredible things. However, the most important thing we can build is other people.
As parents or missionaries or sisters or friends we can build up other people.
This is such an important work that we cannot do it alone. The words
of elder Uchdorf are true… that Jesus Christ is the strength of parents, but He
is also the strength of missionaries, sisters and friends. Jesus Christ is
the strength of our ward and through him we can build incredible things! (or at least that's what I tried to say...haha).
Afterward everyone was super nice and told me I had good French, but
one little girl said it how it was with her response, “speaking French is very
hard for you, hun?” Why yes in fact, yes it is! Haha. How could she guess?! But I guess
there is no growing in our comfort zone!!
It has been thrilling to watch our family have opportunities to grow and flourish this week in Saint-Mandé! Sometimes growing is tough and takes courage like Pierce having the guts to really embracing walking, Gideon taking the chance to say, “Je m’appelle Gideon” at the park. Oftentimes our efforts to grow are imperfect like my attempt to share my thoughts in French, But I really do believe we are building each other and our family collectively in remarkable ways. So grateful that Jesus Christ is our strength and that as we try and have the courage to grow, He is the one who will help us flourish!
Bisous!
La Famille Facer
P.S. Monday night we walked around the Louvre and Tuileries gardens... inspired by the impressive photo posing going on all around us, we were inspired to give it our best shot... 😆
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