Singing in Solidarity

This past week was a great one. It started on Monday with Benjin’s parents and brother still here. Monday was super rainy, so we took it kinda slow, but we went shopping and then met up with Benjin (who was working) for lunch. We went to our favorite corner café just down the street from his work. It is the cutest little shop with the best mix of classy and casual vibe… oh and the food is top notch! In the evening Benjin and I snuck away for an anniversary date to celebrate 8 years!! Benjin surprised me with flowers from my favorite local floral shop (I always drool over their arrangements on my way to the metro) and we went to dinner at an incredible art nouveau restaurant. The food was pretty good, but the ambiance was incredible!! Then we attempted to go to a 4D movie (with a few unexpected problems) and finally headed home. On the way Benjin said he had one more place he wanted to take me (as if it had just occurred to him.) I assumed he had remembered a great ice cream place he wanted to try, but instead he took me to a swanky hotel! I was so surprised!! He had snuck all our stuff in during work and gotten the place ready with chocolates on the pillow!! It was oh so fun.

On Tuesday we ate a delicious breakfast at the hotel and then headed back home to see the boys. We then packed up and went to check out the Musée d'Orsay. We spent the morning wandering around some incredible impressionist art/trying to keep the boys engaged. We then headed to one of our favorite boulangeries for lunch. We bought some baguettes and some pastries and then headed through the Jardin de Tuileries and on to the Galleries de Lafayette (a pretty remarkable French department store which was all decked out for Christmas.) That night we headed home and had a crepe feast: savory galettes with sweet crepes for dessert.

On Wednesday the Facers had to leave bright and early and the rest of us spent the morning getting our life back in order. In the afternoon I took the boys to a new park and we met two other American moms which was fun. In the evening we all went to the Jardin des Plants for their big light show. It was epic! It wandered you through the Menagerie with giant glowing plants and animals. Our favorites included: the peacocks, crocodiles under the mangrove trees, the color changing chameleon and walking through the gigantic snake coil. 

Thursday I took Pierce to a little story time place. He loved it and I was feeling like such a good mom because I finally figured out a way for Pierce to get some learning/play time focused on him. But, on the way home we missed the metro and ended up sprinting down the street to try and get to Gideon’s school to pick him up for lunch. In spite of my best efforts, we were 10 minutes late and walked up just as they were closing the doors. They said we were too late and walked away. It was all I could do to keep from sobbing, but I said a prayer and up walked one of the schools substitute teachers who I had met the first day of school (one of the few English speakers at the school). I told him I was trying to get Gideon and he helped me get into the first gate. Then after having a few more people yell at me for being late, they brought Gideon out to me. I was so so flustered, but so so grateful.

Friday night we went to the Louvre for the free night (the first Friday of every month is free after 6pm). We brought a sack lunch and ate in the entryway and then wandered around the old foundation of the fortress that was originally where the Louvre now stands. We saw the ruins of King Darius’ (Persia) palace and wondered and the winged victory and Mona Lisa. It just never gets old, being surrounded by history. I love the constant reminders that we have of how many incredible people have lived before us, and how many incredible things they have done. There is just something amazing about feeling solidarity with those who have gone before and living in a 2,000+ year old city like Paris provides lots of moments to feel that.  

One problem we have had this week has been the cold. Poor Pierce spends so much time in the stroller and I have not been able to keep anything on his little hands or feet. He just loves to pull off his gloves and kick off his shoes and then he is freezing and starts to scream. After a few days of frozen fingers, screaming Pierce and hysterical mid-day phone calls to benjin saying, “this isn’t working!,” Saturday, we all traipsed over to Decathalon for some shopping. We got Pierce some epic new mittens with safety loops, zippers and sinched Velcro to ensure they can’t be pulled off. We also got Benjin and Gideon some new shoes (I can’t believe Gideon has such big feet!) That afternoon Benjin let me go on a run to Notre Dame. When I got home we ate pizza and watched the Grinch. So fun! 

Finally, Sunday we had Stake Conference. So, we walked to the RER and then rode the train for an hour and walked to the building. When we got there it was packed. There was only one seat in the whole place. Thankfully a kind gentleman stood up to give me his seat, but Benjin and I were split up, each with a boy on our laps. I was pretty nervous about how this was going to go… 2 hours of talking in French with squirmy boys on our laps and not really able to tag team....YIKES!! But, miraculously, the boys did really well. In part, due to the kind French grandpa next to me who was so helpful at distracting my boys; talking to them, tickling them, holding them, etc. By the end he even pulled out his phone and showed Gideon a tic toc video of a talking potato! Haha. It was so nice to know he was on my team. It also felt good to be gathered witnessing people’s remarkable faith. Every talk was inspiring as people talked about how the gospel had helped them face challenges and keep hoping.

That evening we walked down the street to our local catholic church and went to a Christmas concert/sing along. The high ceilings, stained glass windows and echoing halls made it a spectacular venue. It really did feel like we were raising our voices to the heavens and once again fun to feel a sense of community and solidarity. I loved singing silent night together while considering how many people have drawn peace and strength from those words over the years. Across years, languages, unique situations, etc we were united by the common strength of Jesus Christ.  

Hope your fingers all avoid frostbite this week!!

Lots of love, La famille Facer