A Long-Overdue Update From Patrick

Well, at long last you have a post from yours truly! Let me apologize at the outset, particularly to those who have been actively looking for new posts on our blog. Between working part-time while in Virginia, taking care of Luke (who requires 300% of your attention at all times), spending time with so many family members and friends, having and caring for Miriam, and dealing with the multitude of details involved in preparation for leaving the country (French Visas, Samaritan’s Purse paperwork, airline tickets, international drivers licenses, events to share about what we will be doing in the DR Congo, vaccinations, packing…and packing….and more packing—the list goes on and on), it has been hard to find the time and space to sit down and write.

All the details and trip preparations aside, the past several months have been an enormous blessing. We spent two months with Anna’s family in the mountains north of Charlottesville, Virginia. It was a joy to see Luke running through the woods, occasionally falling on his face on the trails but getting up laughing, throwing the tennis ball over and over to Sophie (Anna’s parents’ border collie), visiting Baba’s cabin, making play-dough with Nana, spending time with Elijah, Lydia, Jude, Aaron and Nicole, and catching up with so many friends. Miriam was of course born on October 9, which has been a wonderful life change for us. On November 11, we moved ourselves down to Signal Mountain, TN, to my parents’ home. Again, to have so much time with grandparents (Nonni and Pop Pop) and aunts and uncles (Joseph, Susanna, Maggie and Adam) has been amazing. Highlights of the past two months include Miriam’s baptism on December 21, Luke learning to swim, a surprise visit by my sister Maggie with her new daughter Evelyn Marie, a week in North Carolina for Thanksgiving where Luke and Miriam got to spend time with two sets of great-grandparents (Mama Carol/Papa Ben in Black Mountain and Great-Gramma/Great-Grampa in Davidson) among many other members of Anna's extended family, and most recently a week in Sarasota Florida celebrating Christmas with my extended family, including Luke and Miriam's Great-Nonni and Great-Poppi Stottlemyer. On December 29, we departed from the Sarasota airport for France.

 

Great-Gamma and Grampa Butt with Luke and Miriam in Davidson, NC

Hutcheson, Pickard and Butt family Thanksgiving

Luke with cousins Elijah, Lydia and Jude

Luke and Miriam with Papa Ben and Mama Carol in Black Mountain

Pop Pop and Nonni (LaRochelle) holding Miriam and her cousin Evie Marie

Great-Nonni and Poppi Stottlemyer with their 4 new great-granddaughters and a somewhat squished appearing Luke.

Miriam and Evie Marie

Luke being buried by his aunt Susanna and uncle Jofus (Joseph)

Miriam is now smiling, cooing and starting to laugh.

And here we are now, in Albertville, France, at the Centre Chretien d'Enseignement du Francais (http://www.cef-france.org) ringed by snow-capped peaks. Our underwhelming accommodations are easily forgotten whenever we look out the window. If you do want to write us, we can be found at: Larochelles, Centre Chretien d'Enseignement du Francais, 50 Rue de Gallibouds, Albertville 73200, France.

View from our apartment of our language school with Alps peaks in the background.

Our living room (not shown is the duct-taped linoleum on the floor!)

Albertville downtown from across the river

Between jet lag, Luke getting a bad virus, and Miriam’s nap/feeding schedule our explorations have been limited, but from what we've seen on the little the excursions we've taken every day, we are very excited about the next 6 months! More details to come, including details on the school (classes start on January 5).

As a final note, we are so grateful to all the friends and family members who have partnered with us, whether financially or in prayer and encouragement, as we move towards the Democratic Republic of Congo. While we are very excited about following the Lord’s call to work with Samaritan’s Purse in Nyankunde, it is with very heavy hearts that we leave you all, and there are certainly moments where we wrestle with anxiety and uncertainty about what lies ahead. Especially in these moments, your partnership is a tremendous blessing and encouragement to us. Thank you!