Demoiny Journal

Renovations: Phase 3 of 100

2012-01-26T22:07:00.000-05:00

After a year and a half, we are starting our 3rd phase of renovations. (1st Phase: Trees , 2nd Phase: Guest Bathroom and Hallway Bathroom) A few months ago, Sebastien began tearing down our deck, which was 40 years old. Sebastien got the deck down in a few days. We spent one whole weekend (12 hours a day) burning the wood. Then, we had a huge concrete pad poured. Next month, the work should begin to add a sun room/dining room, and decks on either side. We can't wait!

Original Deck

Sebastien starting to take the deck apart.

My Dad came to help out one afternoon.

Last of the destruction

The squirrels always hung out on the corner of our deck eating nuts. They just couldn't let it go, as they were doing the same on the debris.

New concrete pad

This is our current dining room. When the project is finished, there will be a room straight off this one, which will be 16 X 16 ft. The new sun room will act as our dining room with a small seating area.

Our friend, Lisa Denlinger, came down from Philly to draw up plans for the future projects that we have. This is her rendering of the back of our house once this phase is done. In this drawing, it shows a new door that will be replacing a window in our guest room. Guests will have access to a small deck/balcony from their room (Does this make any of you want to come? I believe the Ludemans will be the first to use it:) Eventually underneath the deck, we will have an outdoor living room and add the sliding doors (on the right) where our future master bedroom will be.

Hopefully, everything will be done before lake season. Can't wait to have people over for dinner in our new dining room!

Paris

2012-01-16T21:44:00.000-05:00

Here are a few pictures from Paris. We mainly just walked around and enjoyed the "everyday life" of the city.

Arc de Triomphe

Louvre

Notre Dame - It is truly amazing this cathedral was built in the 1100s. Absolutely amazing!

Eiffel Tower

Sacre Coeur

We went on a Catacombs tour for the first time. In the 1800s, there was outbreak of disease around a cemetery in central Paris. They decided to remove the bodies from the cemetery and moved them to a quarry site, which is now in the middle of the city too. Eventually, they moved 6 million bodies. We walked for about half a mile with bones stacked on each side! It was crazy and unreal and peoples homes were just up above!

Our favorite part of the trip was a dinner cruise on the Seine River. Our friends, Marion and Fredric, took us on a dinner cruise on our honeymoon. Sebastien booked a dinner cruise for us on this 10 year anniversary trip (which was supposed to be a surprise, but I ruined that:). It was amazing! We were sitting at the front of the boat, so we could we all the sites along the Seine. When had a four course meal with Champagne and wine. There was a pianist and violinist playing all evening. Truly, it was a magical night, and we would highly recommend it. We used the Bateaux Mouches company.

It is duck confit and foie gras on our plates - delicious!

Tradition on the Arc de Triomphe

2012-01-16T21:03:00.001-05:00

When Sebastien and I got married, we had one semester left in college (aka - we had no money!). Fortunately, we were blessed on our honeymoon to be able to travel to Europe. We stayed with a family friend in Belgium where I met Sebastien's family for the first time. Then, we had friends (Marion & Fredric) in Paris who had lived in Morristown for a few years, so we were able to stay with them for a week. I had always been mesmerized by Paris and couldn't wait to see it. As we came up from the Metro on the first day there, I saw the Arc de Triomphe. I was so excited! We had our picture taken on top of the Arc de Triomphe, which we think is the best view in Paris. We both love Paris and are never disappointed when we go. For our 5th anniversary, Sebastien set up a 3 day trip to Paris. We decided to make this a tradition, went last week to celebrate 10 years, and plan to go every 5 years on our anniversary.

Honeymoon

5 Year Anniversary

10 Year Anniversary

We have got to figure out how to live here someday!

Visiting Family in Belgium

2012-01-16T20:43:00.001-05:00

We headed out to Belgium a couple of weeks ago to visit Sebastien's family. We had a great time seeing them and of course eating wonderful meals everywhere we went. On Monday, January 9th, we had lunch with Sebastien's grandparents. It was their 51st wedding anniversary! What a great day!

Sebastien with Lorien & Bastien

Sebastien & his Grandparents

Always a crazy time with the Bodart boys.

Hope to have these guys in Tennessee again this September.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T19:11:00.000-05:00

We have had a great Christmas with family and friends. It seems like Christmas really came up on us quickly this year. We spent Friday night with my Mom's side of the family (I forgot my camera). Then, Christmas Eve with Sebastien's Mom and the Gilot family. Today, we went to services at Redeemer and then spent the day on the "hill" with my parents and Dad's side of the family.

Last night, we had our traditional reveillon at the Gilots, and this year it was big - 18 people. The Gilots decorated everything really well, and we had a 6 course meal lasting from 7:00 pm - 3:00 am. Yes, there were lots of food and drinks and we were exhausted! I love food, so I thought I would share each course:

Course 1: Variety of appetizers (dumplings, quiche, salami, veggie pizza bread)

with yummy Champagne Cocktail

Course 2: Coquilles St. Jacques (Alain's famous scallop dish)

Course 3: Rillette, Pate, & Fresh French bread

Course 4: Deep Fried Cajun Turkey, Potatoes, Green beans

Course 5: Cheese Platter

Course 6: Buche de Noel (Yule Log Ice Cream Cakes)

Gilot's Place for Reveillon

Heavenly Cheese Platter

Me, Lucie, & Jen

This is probably half way through - we were still holding up pretty well.

Me & Kate Dad & Mom (50+ lbs lighter this year)

Kerri & Donald Chloe

Cousins Chris

Seba, Me, Katie, Darren (Sebastien and Darren always have to feel close:)

So thankful for our time to enjoy family this weekend, but even more thankful to God's gift of Christ who humbly took on human flesh to save a lowly sinner like me.

Joyeux Noel!

10 Years

2011-12-15T20:44:00.001-05:00

Can't believe it has been 10 years since we said "I do." I am truly blessed beyond measure that God placed us together for this life. Thankful for Sebastien's love and provision in my life!

(Yes, we were both skinnier!)

Anniversary trip to Paris in less than a month . . .

Vegas Baby!

2011-12-04T20:02:00.001-05:00

We headed out to Vegas this past weekend to meet Sebastien's godson, Dominic, and celebrate in his baptism. When we got to Vegas on Thursday morning, we headed straight to Hoover Dam. Wow! It was quite impressive, especially that it was built in the FDR era. Then, we enjoyed the rest of the weekend hanging out with our friends, the Colarco's, and seeing the sights on the Strip. We even got to meet up with TN friends, Todd Lacey and Louis and Melissa Hyde. Fun times!

This tunnel in the dam reminded me of Harrison Ford in The Fugitive.

New York, New York

Lights at Night

MGM

Christmas in the Bellagio

Inside Caesar's Palace

Glass Flowers Ceiling in Bellagio

Dominic

Gabriella

Godfathers - Sebastien & Ian

We are so thankful for our friends, Justin and Jessica, that we got to know in Philadelphia. We look forward to being part of their children's lives from now on (at least one trip to Vegas a year!). We pray that Gabby and Dominic come to know the Lord personally at a young age.

Maui Post #5: More Hawaiian Fun

2011-10-23T22:12:00.000-05:00

We truly had a wonderful time in Maui with our friends, Justin and Jessica. Below are some other fun things that we were able to do.

Honokowai Beach

We headed out to a different beach on Monday afternoon. There were much bigger waves here.

Luau

We went to the luau at our hotel on Wednesday night. It is one of those things you have to do if you are in Hawaii. The pork was great, but the show was a bit cheesy. Not necessarily something we would do again.

Digging up the pig

Fire dancer

Helicopter Tour

We went on a helicopter tour of West Maui and Molokai. Molokai is a nearby island. There are about 7,000 people that live on this island. We were able to see parts of the island that were uninhabited.

West Maui

Steep cliffs on Molokai

Our hotel is the u-shaped one

Getting ready to board with our life jackets strapped to our waist.

Jess and I taking a break from shopping in Lahaina.

Maui Post #4: Signs Around the Island

2011-10-23T21:45:00.001-05:00

Sebastien loved all of the signs that we saw warning us of danger. Of course, this didn't stop him from moving beyond boundary points or jumping from cliffs.

Sign says "Caution: walk slowly at this elevation." We were on the Haleakalah Summit at 10,000 feet above sea level.

On the hiking trail

Near the 7 Sacred Pools, yes, this is where Sebastien jumped from the waterfall cliffs. Thankfully, there was no injury or death.

The beaches had steep banks and strong undertows.

Of course, we looked over the edge.

Maui Post #3: Road to Hana

2011-10-20T14:11:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, we set out on a day's journey traveling the "Road to Hana." This is about a 3 1/2 hour drive along a tiny road with 54 bridges (many of which are one lane) and 617 curves (yes, I was popping Dramamine!) We rented a Jeep, which made this trek much more enjoyable. Once we got just past Hana to the other side of the Haleakala National Park, we hiked along the Waimoku Falls Trail. In many of the pictures below, if you look closely, you can see the cut-out of the road hugging the edges of the cliffs.

As we started the hike

Jess & the massive tree

Half of the hike was through a dense bamboo forest. It was out of this world, and the sound of the wind rustling the bamboo was eerie.

Our friends, Justin & Jessica, who we met as soon as we moved to Philadelphia. Justin and Sebastien graduated the same year from Temple. They have been great friends and are wonderful to travel with.

Waimoku Falls - Yes, the hike was worth it!

At the bottom of the hike, there are "Seven Pools," which are natural pools created by the waterfall. We went swimming in the cold, yet completely natural, pools. Sebastien decided to cliff jump from the top waterfall that you see above. Once he started, many followed as disapproving parents were shaking their heads. If there is a cliff and some water, Seba is going to jump:)

Maui Post #2: Around the Hotel

2011-10-20T13:29:00.001-05:00

Sebastien's conference is at the Hyatt Regency on Ka'anapali Beach. The theme of this week has been - "best conference ever." The resort has lush gardens with tropical plants, a large pool with a very fast enclosed tub water slide, and a beautiful ocean view.

The pathways crisscrossed through the property.

Yes, there is a grotto bar in this cave.

This is the open-roof lobby.

Awesome view

Maui Post #1: Haleakala Summit

2011-10-19T13:28:00.000-05:00

Sebastien and I are in Maui for a medical conference; I am just suffering with him:) On Sunday morning before we picked up our friends, we headed out about 6 am to the Haleakala National Park. We drove from sea level up to 10,000 feet to the Summit. It was amazing and completely the opposite of what you would think of when someone says "Hawaii."

This is looking westward from the park. Here you can see the narrowest part of the island. We stayed on the other side of the cloud-covered mountain you see in the distance. The western portion of the island is very dry.

The Summit looking into a crater. It made us think of the moon.

Sebastien starting to hike up to the top of the summit.

This crater was formed by water erosion.

Visit from Belgian Brothers

2011-09-12T20:29:00.000-05:00

Sebastien's cousins, uncle, and friend came to visit us this past week. Unfortunately, the Belgian weather (rainy and cool) followed them here. The first weekend was great, but the lake wasn't possible much during the week. We had fun together anyways.

The boys waiting to go to Calhoun's, Sebastien's favorite restaurant in Knoxville. Ribs are on the mind!

They experienced a UT football game, which was awesome!

Thomas, Philippe, Nicolas

On one of the rainy days, we checked out Forbidden Caverns. Honestly, I would pass on it. The caves were cool, but the tour was corny.

The jet ski is always a hit!

Cliff Jumping

2011-08-29T17:36:00.001-05:00

We discovered these cliffs on an island in the middle of the lake. They are tucked into a little cove in the island. Sebastien has jumped off of them several times, and I have twice. The water keeps going down though, so the drop is quite a bit longer now - like you have time to think about it while you are jumping.

Approaching the cliffs - Sebastien jumps from the top (probably at least 35 feet high at this point), and I have jumped from where you see the ivy on the right.

Sebastien is getting psyched for his first jump.

Jump #1

Jump #2

Splash! Don't worry, he did come up safely!

New Car

2011-08-11T20:18:00.001-05:00

Sebastien has been talking about getting something to pull our boat, so we did! We found a great deal on this VW Touareg, and I must admit that I like it a lot! I think it is going to be a work horse for the boat, trips to down to the lake, long trips (like the one tomorrow to Philly), and in the TN "snow."

My first car had a sun roof, and I am psyched that there is one in this new car.

Sebastien bought this awesome touch screen radio, DVD player, navigation, etc. to replace the original one. He wired it and everything!

This is Sebastien's favorite part - "off-roading."

I am going to miss the Saab, especially its speed. We have to find it a good home!

My Garden

2011-07-29T21:50:00.001-05:00

My Papaw Sharp is an avid gardener, and as soon as we decided to move back to Tennessee, I couldn't wait to grow some of my very own vegetables. We have some huge flower beds in front of our house and flower beds at the top of a retaining wall that goes along the road. Unfortunately, the soil is not great, but I have managed to plant a few flowers, vegetables, and herbs.

When we moved in, all the flower beds were overgrown and crab grass had completely taken over. Throughout the fall and winter, I spent many days weeding. I have new ideas for next year and hope to start composting this fall in order to have better soil for next year. Below are some pictures that show the progress of the garden. It is hard to take pictures because everything blooms at different times, but hopefully you can see the progression below.

Retaining wall flower bed. Notice the dead crab grass. Imagine every inch of all the flower beds you see covered with crab grass just like this or worse.

Finally finished weeding - early spring.

Daffodils came up first. I planted these bulbs last October and were thrilled to see they actually grew.

This is in late April. There is still some lilac that has bloomed on the bush to the right. I planted some basil and Gerber Daisies in this bed.

The ivy (many different varieties) reign on this side of the flower bed. I did manage to grow some rosemary, oregano, and thyme here.

Mid-May - I just planted my vegetable plants - 3 tomato plants, 3 bell pepper plants, 2 strawberry plants, 2 cucumber plants, 2 zucchini plants, and a yellow squash plant. I tried planting Marigolds, as I read they repelled bugs. I think it has worked on many things but not ants!

The Hydrangeas came in beautifully. There were two mature plants already in the flower bed. They bloomed throughout June and part of July. Beautiful!

Look at these basil plants!

Honestly, my garden hasn't produced many vegetables so far (except for all of my herbs, which are wonderful!), but here is a bowl full of "produce" that I picked today.

I look forward to planting several more vegetable plants next year. If you garden, I would love for you to share any good tips that you have picked up over the years!

Ludemans Become Fans of East Tennessee

2011-07-11T21:28:00.001-05:00

We have known Chad and Courtney Ludeman for about 8 1/2 years. We first met in a Sunday School class at Tenth Presbyterian Church. We have shared many meals and parties together, and Sebastien and I have had the opportunity to watch Chad and Courtney truly grow as a couple. They moved from Center City to Fishtown, where they eventually convinced us to join them. Chad courageously quit his job about 4 years ago to start his own company, Postgreen Homes. (Courtney is an incredibly trusting wife!) They found a local church in which to really get involved. Now, they have two beautiful children who love being on a boat! We are so thankful for their friendship, and we think we have convinced them to make an annual visit to East Tennessee each summer:)

Enjoying life without iPhones

This is Teague. We learned that Teague loves Nutella and yogurt and driving the boat!

Ryker is 7 weeks old. He is a great baby. On Saturday, he literally chilled on the boat all day long!

The jet ski is always a popular toy. Teague even went for a ride!

Please note Chad's swollen face (well half of his face). We had literally been on the lake for 15 minutes when Sebastien took Chad to a rope swing near our house. Chad decided to jump from the platform, even though it was ill-advised. He did a half flip and landed on his face in the water. The next day, we found out that Chad officially broke his cheek bone. So, we made fun of him for the rest of the trip. I mean we have had 10 year olds go off this rope swing, and he broke his face! Just one of the many injury stories that we can add to our list about Chad.

Papaw Armstrong

2011-06-17T22:01:00.000-05:00

"Hey Yank" was the usual greeting I received from my grandfather when I entered Nanny and Papaw's house. I got this nickname when I moved to Philadelphia and started talking like a "yankee."

My Papaw was a . . .

veteran who served in the Korean War

baseball lover

hard-working electrician

fiddler (not in the musical sense, but in the, I am going to make this and build that and always have a little project)

puzzle phenom

daily walker (with his "gang" at the mall)

family man

always willing to help

grandfather who was always there no matter what - whether going to a ballgame or visiting hundreds of miles away

I have been blessed to have Papaw Armstrong in my life for so long! I grew up next door to him for 18 years of my life, and then was able to spend this last year back in East Tennessee visiting him regularly again. I am thankful for the example of faithfulness he showed in "always being there," which reminds me of Christ's promise to always be near to us.

Although I will deeply miss the baseball talk and pop-in visits, I am grateful for the peace that comes with knowing that he is standing in awe before an amazing God.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him

so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

The Party Barge

2011-06-07T21:02:00.001-05:00

We got a pontoon boat on Friday and then had a party on Saturday and Sunday! The boat holds 12 people, so there is plenty of room to take a crowd out on the lake. We are looking forward to spending many weekends cruising down the lake.

On Saturday, our friend, Thomas, and his parents who were visiting from France came over to our place. We had a great time with our French friends. Then, on Sunday, my parents, sister, and brother-in-law spent the afternoon on the boat.

We love having people over, so come and join us any time!

Luckily, our friend, Wes, let us borrow his truck to transport the boat.

Sebastien enjoying his captain's chair

Sebastien jumping from the rope swing

Still need to work on our tan but having fun

Brussels & Brugge

2011-05-31T22:11:00.000-05:00

If you visit Belgium, there are two cities you definitely need to go: Brussels and Brugge. Sebastien had a medical conference to attend in Brugge, so we were able to stay there for three days. We have been there before, but it was nice to explore new parts of the city. (I must brag for a moment - Sebastien was asked to lecture during one session of the conference as well, pretty cool).

Brussels

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and of Europe (EU). Brussels is a very diverse city, and almost everyone in Brussels speaks Flemish, French, and English.

La Grand Place - One of the best squares in the world. It is iconic to Brussels.

This is a covered shopping walkway that dates back to the 1800s.

Brugge

Brugge is in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. It is a Medieval city with amazing architecture. Brugge is known for its lace and chocolate. There are canals running throughout the city, which is why Brugge is sometimes called the "Venice of the North."

Belgium: Family & Food

2011-05-31T21:44:00.000-05:00

Sebastien and I just went to Belgium to visit his family. We always have a great time catching up with everyone, and of course, love eating great Belgian food!

Nicolas, Thomas, & Seba - We are hoping that they get to come and visit in September!

Sebastien with his Grandfather

Lorien (cousin)

Bastien (cousin)

Sebastien loves any time he sees that I am tolerant of a dog. This is Steph, and this is the only time in 10 days when he wasn't jumping:)

I love food! Every time we are in Belgium, we have certain meals that we MUST have!

Fries (not French fries; fries are from Belgium)

Croque Monsieur - Now, this is a ham and cheese sandwich!

Of course, a great waffle

The stash we brought home - you will always find chocolate at our house!

Weekend in Atlanta

2011-05-15T20:26:00.000-05:00

Sebastien scored free tickets to a Phillies v. Braves game, so we headed to Atlanta for the weekend. It was nice to go to a "real" city! We hit up Trader Joe's, checked out the World of Coca-Cola Museum, and then went to the game. Unfortunately, the Phillies decided not to hit this weekend, but it was still nice to be in a ballpark and see our favorite team. It was Civil Rights weekend, and after the game, there was a free Ludacris concert (Sebastien was excited:)

The last exhibit in the World of Coke Museum was a huge tasting station. There were over 50 different sodas under the "Coca-Cola" brand from different countries. Sebastien tried out almost all of them!

Ludacis & Jermaine Dupri

Porto, Portugal

2011-04-21T20:40:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of lecturing at the Portuguese National Podiatry Conference and also lecturing at the podiatric medical school. I spent my short visit there in Porto, and it did not disappoint! The city was beautiful and historic. I met so many great people at the conference and hope to visit them again very soon. I was only there for a long weekend, but really got to enjoy the sites and food. Here are a few pictures of my stay there.

Overview of the old city

The old boats they used to transport Port wine barrels two hundred years ago

As many of you know, I love Port wine (because of my grandmother). Porto is where it is made, and I had a chance to tour the Sandeman cellars which was great and informative.

Famous bridge in the port was designed by Gustave Eifel's company, ever heard of him?

This is the hospital which the conference was held at. I really enjoyed lecturing there and hope to go back soon! Thanks to my friend Pedro Serra for the kind invitation!!!

April Pics

2011-04-20T21:36:00.001-05:00

We have had some beautiful days over the past month, and everything is coming to life. I think we appreciate Spring more now that we are surrounded by nature instead of concrete. Now, just counting down to Summer although Sebastien did go out on his jet ski last Sunday - he is crazy!!

Bald Eagle - A couple of weeks ago, I saw two bald eagles in our backyard. You may have to click on the picture to enlarge to see the eagle better.

Our backyard on a sunny Sunday

Spring is Here!

2011-03-25T20:41:00.001-05:00

Spring is officially here, and there are finally signs of trees and flowers blooming. This week my mom and I went on a hike in Panther Creek State Park. It is about 10 minutes from our house. It is a great park on the lake with several mountain biking and hiking trails.

We have had a few wind storms in the past couple of weeks, and there were hundreds of trees down along the hiking trail.

The Point Lookout Trail leads you to the highest point in Panther Creek. There were several hawks soaring at this spot. We think they are building a nest.

This is a field on a farm near our house. It is picturesque this time of year.

Lent

2011-03-09T22:23:00.000-05:00

As I sit on the couch with my first ash cross on my forehead, I am excited about observing Lent this year. I didn't grow up in a church that observed Lent, and I became more aware of Lent in Philadelphia at Tenth but never observed it. Redeemer, our church in Knoxville, follows the Church Calendar. Over the past month, I have thought about giving up Facebook for Lent. I visit Facebook several times a day, and it can easily suck me in. In the past couple of weeks, Sebastien and I have talked about what the Lenten season really means. It is not about doing something for God, or earning God's affection, or something to brag about on the surface but that changes nothing in the heart. Lent is a time to intentionally think about our sin, our true unworthiness of God's grace and to draw closer to Him in repentance.

What our Lord wants us to present to him is not goodness, nor honesty, nor endeavor, but real, solid sin; that is all he can take from us. And what does he give in exchange for our sin? Real, solid righteousness. But we must relinquish all pretense of being anything, all being worth of God's consideration. -- Oswald Chambers

So, I plan to refrain from Facebook over the next 40 days and spend all of that "extra" time in prayer and study of God's Word. Oddly, I am looking forward to what God will show me and how He will work in my life.

If you are interested. . .
We have a dear friend, Edie, who has a great blog post about Lent. In addition, our church has a reading and prayer guide for the Lenten season.

Nanny's Surprise Party

2011-02-27T18:27:00.001-05:00

Every year my family celebrates Papaw Armstrong's birthday, which is on July 4th. It is always like a built-in party for him, but my grandmother's birthday is February 24th. I don't remember ever having a party for her, so I decided that when we moved back to TN, we would throw her a surprise party this year. She hates surprises, and definitely hates getting her picture made. Nanny was definitely out of her element having the attention on her, but she was surprised and had a great time.

L'anniversaire de ma grandmere etait le 24 fevrier. Ma famille a toujours fete l'anniversaire de mon grandpere parce que son anniversaire est le quatre julliet, mais l'anniversaire de ma grandmere n'est jamais fete. Donc, quand nous avons demenage au Tennessee, j'ai decide avoir une fete surprise pour ma grandmere. Nous avions eu la fete surprise hier soir. C'etait un bon temps!

Family hiding in the hallway

Katie made the birthday cake. Nanny liked that this view of the cake made it look like she was 47.

Cousins: Katie, Me, Molly, Chloe, Nanny, Chris, & Mario

(Unfortunately, we were missing Kerri and Michael)

The Sons: Dad, Papaw, Nanny, Doug, & Danny

Nanny and I have a picture of each of us when we were about 3 y/o. We look exactly alike. I don't think there is much variation in our DNA:)

Now, if you knew my grandparents, you would know how unlikely it is that I got this picture. My grandparents definitely love each other, but they are not about PDA. I often joke that me and Sebastien are a lot like them because they are always making fun of each other - sound familiar?

Happy Birthday Nanny!

Counting Down Until Spring

2011-02-15T20:48:00.002-05:00

Sebastien and I cannot wait until Spring! Over the past week, there have been several "warm" days for February. Sebastien has been working a lot on our dock. I hope to begin weeding the flower beds and preparing them for flowers and vegetable plants. I don't think I have ever wanted warm weather more than this year. I guess the winter makes us appreciate the lake even more.

Sebastien working on the dock. The top right corner of the dock was in the water before. He replaced the foam, repaired the bridge, and cleaned and stained the dock.

Our house is in the middle. There is a hint of green in the back. Hopefully, we will grow some grass after reseeding in March.

There is an island near our house that becomes a peninsula in the winter. It is amazing how much the lake fluctuates from winter to summer. This island will be perfect for camping!

Sunset Tonight

(These pictures were taken about 15 minutes apart).

My Loving Husband

2011-02-07T09:27:00.001-05:00

When most of our friends and family think of Sebastien and I as a couple, I am pretty sure they don't think "sweet, romantic couple." We are, more often than not, making fun of each other, trying to make each other fall down, or calling each other pet names like "butt face."

Although those that do not know us well may wonder how well we actually get along, there is no doubt of the love that God has blessed us with in our marriage. It's not perfect, and there are definitely those days that we know we are going to get on each other's nerves all day, but God gives us grace for each other and reminders again and again that marriage is a lot more than having personal happiness - that is not the intended goal.

This weekend Sebastien loved me in the way that Christ would have him to. He selflessly served me and took care of me without one moment of complaint. He treated me as he would have treated himself, or really even better!

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. . . In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. Ephesians 5:25, 28

Thank you, Seba, for showing me the love of Christ this weekend! I thank God for you!

Cropseys & Random Facts (Kenya)

2011-01-30T21:24:00.000-05:00

This probably should have been my first post from Kenya. Our whole reason for going was to visit our friends, the Cropseys. We met John and Jessica in Philadelphia at Tenth Presbyterian Church. They were in our Sunday School class, and we had the privilege of seeing their children, Elise and Micah baptized. From the time we met John and Jessica, they had missions on their minds. John grew up as a missionary kid in Togo, and they planned to work as missionaries in Africa. The Cropseys have joined two other couples they knew from their church home in Michigan to form the McCropders Team, which consists of four doctors and two teachers, plus five children. The McCropders have spent 1 1/2 years in Kenya. They plan to return to the States for a year, live in France to learn French for a year, and then start their long-term mission work in Burundi. We look forward to visiting them annually (God willing) in Burundi.

John and Jessica are a great couple! John is hilarious, and Jessica is well grounded. They are welcoming and open and we truly enjoyed getting to know them better over the last couple of weeks. God's community is amazing! I am so thankful that He has blessed us with such rich relationships in Philadelphia and now stretching around the world!

John & Jessica (Unfortunately, I don't have a "posed" picture of the whole family on our camera).

Elise

Micah - wearing Sebastien's glasses

Random Facts About Kenya

(Or least from the Bomet area)

Bomet is close to 7,000 feet above sea level - and you wonder why Kenyans are top winners in the Olympic track events!
Kenyans greet you with a handshake that has a squeeze at the end - no dead fish here!
Chai is very important! Everyday we stopped to have chai around 10:30 am. Kenya is one of the world's largest exporters of tea.
The Kipsigis tribe is a reserved, quiet group of people. Women always wear long skirts, and there is no public display of affection, even between married couples.
Having a cow is like a retirement plan for many Kenyans.
Smoking is not common - how awesome! The entire time we were in Kenya, we only saw one person smoke.
Many Kenyans speak three languages - tribal language, Swahili, and English (at least enough to get by)

Kenya will hold a special place in our hearts!

Safari

2011-01-29T20:26:00.011-05:00

The Masai Mara National Reserve is about 1 1/2 hours from Tenwek Hospital. The Masai Mara is split between Kenya and Tanzania and is about 700 sq. miles. Sebastien and I went to the Fairmont Safari Club for two nights during our final days in Kenya (great discount through Tenwek:) There are about 40 tents at the safari club. The "tents" have stone floors and a full bathroom; we were really roughing it! Each tent overlooks the Mara River where many hippos live. You could hear them throughout the night.

Each day there are two game drives from 6:30-10:30 am and 3:30-6:30 pm. We had the same driver each day, Sammy, and the same group in the Land Cruiser, two Italian couples. The safari was truly amazing! It was surreal to be among the animals in their natural element. It is an experience that we will never forget!

Our Tent

Land Cruiser - There are 3 rows of seats with open sides and roof. We had the ultimate

off-roading experience. You have to watch out for the back seat; it is quite bumpy!

The famous acacia tree

On our first day of the safari, Sammy parked the car and everyone got out. I was not prepared to actually get out of the car, but here we go walking through the bush (I was in flip flops!) Then, we come up on three rhinoceroses. I was a little too freaked out to enjoy this part, but Sebastien was loving it!

Sammy would pull the Land Cruiser so close to the animals.

We were literally 5 feet away from lions!

Elephants are one of the most dangerous animals. Most of the natives do not like elephants because they eat so much, destroy everything, and will charge you and there is

nothing you can do.

One afternoon, Sammy spotted a lion in the forest. When we got closer, we saw that she was eating a zebra! We could hear her crushing the bones. We returned to the area a little later and hyenas and jackals began to surround her trying to steal the zebra. The lion marked her territory and eventually the hyenas and jackals backed down. It was quite intense and National Geographic like.

Sammy, our driver

Eye Unit (Kenya)

2011-01-29T19:58:00.003-05:00

Our friend John is an ophthalmologist. He is the only ophthalmologist for about 10 million people in the surrounding area. He has an amazing Kenyan staff! They are believers and act missionaries sharing Jesus with the patients. Many of the staff in the hospital could have higher paying jobs in government hospitals but choose to work at Tenwek because they want to help people in their community. Each day they had chai, and I had the privilege of partaking in this cultural "ritual" each morning with them.

The eye clinic has a storage room that houses all their medicines and surgical supplies. They receive donated items from the U.S. often and also place orders a couple times a year. With the heavy patient load, it was impossible to have the time to organize this room, so this was my job for the week.

Storage Room

On Thursday, John and I took everything outside, which was daring because it rains everyday in the afternoon. We were working against the weather and pushed off lunch as long as we could.

Medicines

Eye Clinic Staff

This is an amazing group of people - kind, welcoming servants. Richard (kneeling in the white coat) is the lay pastor at the church where we visited last Sunday.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Romans 10:14-15

Area Around Tenwek (Kenya)

2011-01-21T06:27:00.005-05:00

As Sebastien stated before, we are staying at Tenwek Hospital. It is like a compound almost but without any walls. The hospital is near the small town of Bomet about 3 ½ - 4 hours from Nairobi. Surrounding the hospital are beautiful grounds and housing for the missionaries and visiting doctors, as well as, some housing for Kenyan staff. Right beside these hospital homes are a couple Kenyan boarding schools and the homes of Kenyans that live around Tenwek. In contrast to Zimbabwe, there is a real sense of safety here. You can easily walk around and feel very comfortable. I don’t mind walking around alone. The Kipsigis tribe is very soft-spoken and reserved. Sebastien and I have been surprised by how lush the vegetation is around here, but I guess things should be green if there is an afternoon rain shower daily!

These are apartments where the Cropseys live.

On a walk around Tenwek, there is a waterfall which provides electricity to the area. It is partially man-made and partially natural.

When we went for a walk, the schools had a running time. At first there were a few students running by and then there were probably a hundred. We became the famous white people, which was really funny. It reminded us of a post by our friend Jessica Cropsey.

"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." - Genesis 1:31

Mamy (Sebastien's Grandmother)

2011-01-20T14:06:00.003-05:00

I met Sebastien’s grandmother on our honeymoon in December 2001. From the first time I met her, she always welcomed me and tried to make me feel comfortable while everyone was speaking French around me. Below are some special memories that I have of Mamy:

· I was never introduced to Mamy by her first name. The only name I knew was Jean-Louis, which is the name that Sebastien’s dad used to call her when he was a teenager. Anytime I speak of her and don’t say “Sebastien’s grandmother,” I say “Jean-Louis.”

· Mamy always spoke to me directly, which sometimes made me nervous, but she was patient and used as much English as she could to communicate.

· Mamy talked about how she loved to travel and did so when she was younger. I know that she loved the fact that Sebastien has the travel-bug and isn’t afraid to explore new places.

· On our honeymoon, Mamy gave me her 25^th wedding anniversary ring. I was shocked. It is beautiful! It several diamonds in the shape of a “boat.” It meant a lot to me then, and even more now.

· Sebastien relayed many stories to me that his grandmother told of her life during WWII. She was a nurse and part of the resistance movement. She acted as a spy with the Red Cross. There were German soldiers that lived in her home, and she knew German. She would listen to everything that he said and then report it to the Allies. At one point, she was put on the Nazi’s list, and she had to hide in the woods for six weeks. Wow!

· Mamy loved a good drink. You could not escape visiting without having a glass.

· As Mamy was becoming less mobile, she requested that the priest bring her communion each week as she wasn’t able to go to mass.

Every time we visit Belgium, we stopped by to see Mamy several times. It will be different next time and sad, but I am thankful that she is no longer in pain and is at peace.

Nous t'aimons, Mamy (Jean-Louis)!

Tenwek Hospital, Bomet Kenya

2011-01-20T09:41:00.006-05:00

Our time so far in Kenya has been great, but I was able to get my Kenyan license which is really great. I have been working with the orthopedic service since Monday and what an experience! Our timing here is perfect because the two main orthopedic surgeons are out of town, so the only person left is a visiting orthopedic surgeon from New Zealand and a resident managing over forty patients. They were really excited to see me! I have been operating pretty much daily some on my own and some assisting Dr. Ngar on bigger cases. This place is special; the hospital is a 300 bed facility in a very rural area of Kenya called Bomet. So, it is a major referral center. On Wednesday, in clinic, the three of us saw 118 patients, - yeah it was crazy! Let there be no doubt that this is a major hospital. There is pretty much every medical service available, and this a major training facility for Kenyan medical students and residents, plus the staff are all locals. There are no private rooms but wards where patients are crammed in sometimes even having to share a bed. Being a Christian hospital, Tenwek is truly a place of physical and spiritual healing. This place makes you see that there is something bigger going on. I feel at home here and have been welcomed with open arms by the staff. The pathology here is not what I expected, it is pretty much all trauma, not the wimpy sports injuries we see in the U.S., but major open fractures from farming, motorbike accidents, and tribal conflicts. I have a new appreciation for “open” fractures. My time working here is ending, but I will be sad to leave. The people of Kenya and Tenwek Hospital will always have a special place in my heart and I hope to return here very soon.

Entrance to Tenwek (lots of construction going on)

This is the orthopedic ward, all the buildings are connected by covered walkways because it rains a little bit everyday. These are all wards meaning no private rooms.

Me fixing an open femur fracture and quadriceps laceration from a machete with Dr. Ngar. This poor guy was attacked by two drunk guys with a machete it went completely through his femur, ouch. Notice all the gowns and drapes are all reusable drapes that are scrubbed and sterilized for every case, this is being "green" out of necessity.

Covered walkway connecting various buildings.

Our friend Dr. John Cropsey in the eye unit organizing his schedule. Sara spent most of her time here organizing his storage room which was a mess!

Welcome to Kenya

2011-01-17T14:03:00.005-05:00

We arrived in Kenya on Friday, January 14^th. Sebastien and I left on separate flights and met up in Zurich.Both flights were on time and we made it to Nairobi at the time expected. Our friends, John and Jessica Cropsey (and their kiddos Elise and Micah), picked us up in Nairobi where we spent the night. On Saturday, we went shopping with Jessica to buy their groceries for 6 weeks (I can’t imagine planning meals that far in advance). Saturday night we drove to Tenwek, which took about 4 hours. Luckily, it was a paved road the whole way. We drove through the Rift Valley (pictures below). As we got closer to Tenwek, the vegetation changed and everything was green. John has said the weather is basically the same everyday – sunny and 70-80 degrees with an afternoon rain shower. It is beautiful!

On Sunday, we went to a Kenyan church with John. One of John’s co-workers in the eye clinic, pastors the church on the weekend. When we arrived, a family greeted us and took us to their home for chai. Then, we attended the worship service. We were seated on the front row, so there were many stares at our glowing skinJ John preached and then we shook everyone’s hand as they left the church. After the service, we were invited to another family’s home for a traditional Kenyan meal. We hopped in the Jolly Green Giant (their van) and started down the dirt road. We made it half way and had to park because the van was going to get stuck. For the meal, we had potatoes, a soup, beans, black---, flat bread, and white rice. The hospitality of the Kenyan people is amazing! They treated us like family, and before we left, each family member stood and thanked/blessed us for coming.

I have never written many personal comments on our blog, but I feel like if I left out our spiritual reflections while here, we would be denying you part of our journey. When we arrived to Tenwek on Saturday evening, I could not sleep. Throughout the sleepless hours of the night, I began missing some amenities from home and began freaking out a bit about my health while here. (I easily get anxious about health issues, and being in a third world country and staying at a hospital compound can really get me nervous).About the second hour of letting my mind wander, I was so convicted. We are here to glorify God and encourage our friends, the Cropseys. How ridiculous of me to already miss a steaming hot shower with lots of water pressure! I first began to compare myself to those around me – the Kenyan people and what little they have and then to the missionaries that have given up so much to come and serve others in a foreign land. Then, I was convicted again. We are not to compare ourselves to others; no, we are to compare ourselves to God’s standard. As I was slipping in to missing my comfortable life, I was reminded of how Jesus Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice of a “comfortable life” in heaven to come down to this lowly earth so that we may have salvation through him. How selfish of me, how embarrassing to even think so highly of myself that I should deserve any of my luxuries of home, but thankfully God forgives and his grace poured over me again. Then, I was blessed on Sunday morning to see a room full of Kenyans praising God, and I was overjoyed to think of how beautiful God’s love is and how thankful I am that he calls people from all over this world into his kingdom. Can’t wait to see what else he shows us this week!

Now to the pictures, which I know is why you even clicked on the blog in the first place!

Rift Valley (Between Nairobi and West Kenya)

Look carefully and you can see some zebra grazing in the fields.

Villages usually have a market day once a week. This is one of the many we drove by on our way to Tenkwek.

As we got closer to Tenwek, everything became green. These are tea leave fields.

Robert and Margaret welcomed us into their home for chai before church.

Church

Jolly Green Giant

On Sunday, we walked through several dirt roads. Wearing a white skirt was not the best choice while walking through the mud and straddling over barbed wire fences.

The family who served us lunch after church.

On our way home, a man was pulling a cable across the road and attaching it to the telephone poll.

First European Visitors to TN

2011-01-01T23:13:00.007-05:00

As you have seen, we have had our first visitors from Europe this Christmas. Philippe and Thomas have been here since December 23rd and will leave on Monday. We have had a great time together. Below are a few pictures from our time together.

Checking out Cherokee Dam (where we live)

Thomas' "Backstreet Boys" Pose

Gatlinburg in the Snow

We decided to go to Ripley's Aquarium in Gatlinburg.

I was a little skeptical, but it was actually quite nice.

On New Year's Eve, we went to the Gilots for dinner. Lucienne is always a wonderful host. She created a lovely table setting. (Yes, she made the white flowers with tissue paper!)

Alain & Anne-Marie

Sebastien, Anne-Marie, Thomas, & Philippe

Christmas Day

2010-12-27T16:44:00.007-05:00

Christmas Day we had our traditional Monkey Bread breakfast and exchanged gifts with Anne-Marie, Philippe, & Thomas. Then, we visited both sets of my grandparents. The pictures below are in order from evening to morning on Christmas Day.

At Papaw Sharp & Sheila's House

Katie (Sara's sister) & Tammie (Sara's mom)

Aaron & Logan counting their Christmas money.

Maddison wearing her new headband from me:)

Donnie, Sebastien, Allen, & Papaw Sharp

At Nanny & Papaw Armstrong's House

Grandkids & Grandparents

The Silly Picture

Sebastien & Darren always have fun together:)

Devah & Danny

Sebastien bought Darren a Superman Snuggie for Christmas!! We have proof that he was wearing it at his house on Christmas night!

Opening the best Christmas gift ever!

Reveillon 2010

2010-12-27T16:06:00.008-05:00

A "reveillon" is the meal that the French and southern Belgians have on Christmas Eve. The reveillon has several courses and lasts until midnight, when typically, families exchange gifts. Sebastien and I usually have a reveillon with the Gilots, a French family in Morristown. This year, they were visiting family, so we did the reveillon ourselves. Sebastien's uncle, Philippe, and cousin, Thomas, came to TN to surprise Anne-Marie, Sebastien's mom. It was a great surprise! She had no idea, and everyone couldn't believe they pulled it off.

*I apologize for so many fuzzy and/or blurry pictures. Some were due to the movement of those I was taking pictures of. Others point to the fact that I am not a professional photographer:) Still some work to do on that:)

Before anyone arrived. . .

Philippe is waiting to open the door when Anne-Marie arrives.

When Anne-Marie came in, I was taking pictures. She just kept smiling, looking at me and had no idea that Philippe was behind her. It was great!

She finally turned around!

Now comes the food . . .

We had 5 courses, and we ate from 7:00 pm - Midnight. Typically, we would have French cuisine, but since we had family from Belgium, we treated them to a Southern-style meal.

Sebastien has mastered the Cajun Deep Fried Turkey!

First Course: Blue Cheese & Honey Toasts

Second Course: Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Third Course: Deep-fried Turkey, Cheese Grits, & Green Bean Casserole

Fourth Course: Salad with Strawberries, Gorgonzola, & Spiced Pecans

Fifth Course: Butterscotch Molten Cakes

YUM!

Anne-Marie, Philippe, & Thomas

Sebastien & Sara

Anne-Marie & Tammie (Sara's mom)

The Whole Family

After the fourth course, Sebastien decide to play DJ and the dancing and singing began . . .

Using the post off my childhood bedroom suit as a microphone (I did this growing up too:)

We all had a great night and turned in to bed about 2:30 am!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

2010-12-12T21:17:00.006-05:00

When we moved into our house, I couldn't wait to decorate for Christmas. We have put up a 2 1/2 foot tree for the past 8 years in our apartment and house in Philadelphia. We never had room for anything larger. This year I was determined to have a "normal" size tree. To my surprise (and happiness), Sebastien got excited about getting a tree for Christmas too! We had fun shopping the day after Thanksgiving for a tree and lights. Hopefully, next year there will be even more:)

We have high ceilings, so we went for a 9 ft tree! I love it! It is artificial. We decided that we didn't want the mess of a real tree, the risk of fire (ok, that one is just me), and thought an artificial one would be a "greener" option.

I was shocked when Sebastien was willing to put up lights outside!

This is one of my favorite Christmas decorations. We got it at an awesome Christmas shop in Brugges, Belgium. When the candles are lit, the nativity scene spins. Katie, my sister, wants to tip over the top (just like the scene from Christmas Vacation).

A couple of years ago my Mom made these Christmas trees for me and my sister. They are made out of the material and lace from her wedding dress. It will be a thoughtful heirloom to pass on to our children.

Our Temporary Bedroom

2010-12-10T13:54:00.007-05:00

We gave in! At first, I told Sebastien that I didn't want to paint our "temporary" bedroom because we plan to completely renovate the walk-out basement and create a big master suite downstairs. The basement renovation is one of the last phases of the remodel, so we decided we were tired of the little girl's room.

BEFORE

AFTER

Sebastien has turned me on to gray paint. Our friend, Courtney, believes a certain shade of gray is the best color ever:) I am coming around and actually prefer gray to many of neutral options.

The closet doors have been ordered! They should come soon.

A Visit to The Wimberlys in Houston

2010-11-29T22:00:00.004-05:00

Eight and a half years ago, Sebastien and I moved to Philadelphia. The first week that we went to Tenth Presbyterian Church, we met Charlton and Laura Wimberly. They quickly became special friends to us. We spent many nights over dinner (almost every weekend). Charlton and Laura moved back to Houston in 2005. We have tried to visit each other "often." Sebastien and I have no doubt that we will be life-long friends with the Wimberlys.

Me & Laura at The Original Ninfa's. It was the best Tex-Mex food I have ever eaten!

Sebastien & Charlton

Steven

Guest Room is Ready

2010-11-18T21:42:00.005-05:00

Our guest room is ready for visitors! The room itself wasn't too bad, but we needed to paint. Sebastien took down all the chair rail, which was set at a height for giants. Then, he patched the holes and sanded, and we painted. I have had this bedroom furniture since I was 3.

BEFORE

AFTER

This is where the closet used to be.

SUNSET

I had to throw in a couple of photos from a beautiful sunset last week.

Papaw's Fish Fry

2010-11-08T22:53:00.007-05:00

Papaw Sharp turned 73 this past week, and we celebrated with a Fish Fry, which has become a tradition in the Sharp family. Sebastien and I were excited that we got to go to a family function that wasn't Christmas or Thanksgiving.

My uncle, Allen, tested out his balance bracelet that he got in Las Vegas. He swears by it.

Darren & Sebastien

Mike & Timothy

Papaw, Sheila, & Katie

Well, the oil overheated and caught on fire. It was a little sketchy for a few minutes! After about 15 minutes the flames stopped shooting out of the fryer oil, and my aunt, Pam, went and bought a new deep fryer.

New Deep Fryer:)

Yum!!

I have started making bread - not too shabby!

Guest Bathroom

2010-11-08T21:47:00.005-05:00

The guest room is actually the master bedroom in the house. It originally had a half bath. We plan on creating a master suite in the basement (Phase 101:), and we want to make sure that our guests have a comfortable place to stay. The half bathroom was original to the house, with carpet and all! Sebastien had the idea to make the closet beside it a stand-up shower, which was a fabulous idea. We went back and forth on the style for this bathroom, but decided to go with a more rustic traditional-look since the guest room has traditional furniture (pictures coming very soon).

BEFORE

Make sure you check out the carpet too. It was a gem!

This is the closet that becomes a shower.

DURING

The paneled box is part of the air conditioning system, so we built it in as a shelf in the shower.

AFTER

We found the tile at Stover's. If you live in Knoxville and are remodeling, you must check out this place. We were also blessed with a wonderful contractor (Just Keepin' Busy) and tile guy (Kirk). They did amazing work!

Sebastien put in the sink and mirror.

Hallway Bathroom Remodel

2010-10-05T18:57:00.010-05:00

The second phase of our total house renovation has been two bathrooms on the main level. Below are pictures of the hallway bathroom, which is the main bathroom in the house right now. I will later post showing the new guest bathroom. We are still working on it a bit. The hallway bathroom is modern, and I think truly shows our style. The pictures do not do the bathroom justice! (I guess you will have to come and see it in person:)

BEFORE

DURING

NEW BATHROOM

(The color is really a coral; it looks very orange in these pictures).

Sebastien couldn't wait to take a bath!

Phillies v. Braves in Atlanta

2010-10-03T18:27:00.004-05:00

In February, our brother-in-law, Darren turned 30. He is a huge Braves fan (boo), so we decided to take him to the Braves v. Phillies game for a late birthday gift. Although we were hoping the NL East title would be decided this weekend while we were here, it was still sweet to watch the Phillies beat Atlanta 7-0! We had a great time and ate some wonderful BBQ at Fox Brothers today before heading back to TN. Go Phillies!

Turner Field

Bobby Cox - One of the last times he will head out the mound

Victorino

Werth

Sebastien, me, Katie, and Darren

Lucie's Wedding

2010-09-12T21:30:00.004-05:00

Over Labor Day weekend, Lucie Gilot got married. Lucie is like Sebastien's younger sister. The wedding was tons of fun! We danced all night:)

Lucie with Jacque & Karen

Look at that cute couple

Seba & Anne-Marie (his mom)

A New Perspective

2010-09-12T20:57:00.009-05:00

When we bought our house, we knew that we had lots of work to do. Taking some trees down in our backyard was on the agenda, but we were surprised that it ended up being our first project. I did feel bad for taking down old, tall trees, but as you look at the pictures I think you will agree we just had to do it. I now have to wear sunglasses to do the dishes during sunset!

BEFORE

View from our deck

Our backyard (looking up from the dock)

DURING

The guys that took the trees down were amazing! They basically jumped from limb to limb with a chainsaw. Wow!

4 of the 5 trees were down on the first day

AFTER

New view of the back of our house. It makes it a lot easier to find the house when we are on the jet ski.

New view from the deck

Sunset from our deck

It makes me stop and sing praises to God every night. What an awesome Creator!

P.S. Project #2 is underway - hopefully we will have two new bathrooms in a couple weeks.

New Lake Toy

2010-08-23T19:41:00.006-05:00

We have a new lake toy - a jet ski. Sebastien and I got it this afternoon and immediately went to ride for a couple hours. It is great! We both drove and both got it going over 50 mph. I miss the city tremendously, but it does get a bit easier whenever I can look outside and see how beautiful it is. So, one more reason we have for you to come and visit!

New Toy - Yamaha VX Cruiser

Sebastien is happy:)

Yes, I drove it too.

Sunset from our dock about a week ago

Destruction of the bathrooms starts in about a week. Pictures to follow soon.

Belgium (Part 2)

2010-08-05T12:59:00.005-05:00

Here are several more pictures from our time in Belgium.

The Atomium - This was built in 1958 for the World Expo in Brussels.

Le Grande Place - This is Sebastien's favorite spot, and it is where I got my wedding ring 8 1/2 years ago.

Sophie & Vincent

Now, this is a true Belgian waffle - Yum!

I promise this picture was taken in Belgium (not TN).

Vincent & Sebastien are competing in a Paper Airplane Contest outside of our favorite restaurant in Fleurus.

Theo & Evan (Pascal & Catherine's boys)

Miette & Roger - They lived in TN when Sebastien's family was there in the early 80s.

Yes, Sebastien wants one.

Catherine, Sophie, & Seba

Belgium - Family Time

2010-07-29T11:27:00.005-05:00

Sebastien and I have been back in Belgium for 9 days. We have spent time with Sebastien's family eating dinner, playing golf, and visiting Brugge.

Felix & Lorien (They have visited us in Philly for Christmas a few years ago).

Bastien (Felix & Valerie's youngest son) - A true Demoiny

Valerie & Sebastien

Vincent & Sebastien getting ready to tee it off.

We have played golf with Sophie & Vincent several times at their

country club - Golf du Falnuee.

Loire Valley (Part 2)

2010-07-22T13:18:00.006-05:00

Below are pictures from the remaining castles that we visited.

Angers

This was a Medieval castle from the 13th century. It was through many changes including widening the pathway along the top as weapon technology went from arrows to cannons

Villandry

The gardens at Villandry are beautiful. It takes 10 gardeners to keep the gardens perfect year-round.

Amboise

Amboise was my favorite castle. It is "quaint" sitting on top of a hill with well-manicured gardens. Leonardo da Vinci is buried here.

Blois

There are several sections to Blois, each portraying a different time in architecture.

Loire Valley (Part 1)

2010-07-19T11:44:00.004-05:00

Sebastien and I left Bretagne and headed to the Loire Valley, which is only 2-3 hours west/southwest of Paris. There are all types of castles in this region ranging from Medieval fortification-type castles to hunting lodges to royal residences. Sebastien said over and over "I can't believe they knew how to build structures like this so many years ago." It is amazing how ornate these castles are. We have visited a total of 7 castles in three days. Some are furnished while others are not. Below are three castles that we definitely wanted to see. Others posts will follow.

Chambord - This is Sebastien's favorite castle. It is the largest castle in the Loire Valley. It was built as a hunting lodge for King Francois the First. We actually saw wild boars on the way home one night while we were still on the grounds of the castle!

Chambord

Chenonceau

This castle was given as a gift to the mistress of King Henri II. It was later taken away by the Queen Catherine Medici when King Henri II died.

The Hounds at Cheverny

There were about 50 hound dogs at the Cheverny castle. It was famous for hunting on the grounds, and they still breed dogs here.

Cheverny

This castle was the inspiration for the Tintin comic book series (Sebastien's favorite)! I was amazed that this castle is still owned by a private family who has living quarters in the right wing. The current owners had their wedding here in 1994.

Bretagne

2010-07-16T10:55:00.007-05:00

Bretagne (Brittany) is in northwestern France along the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. This was Sebastien's third and my second time to Bretagne. I have known about the Mont St. Michel since I was in high school French class, and I have always wanted to see it. Le Mont St. Michel doesn't disappoint. It is unbelievable that monks beginning in the 7th century began building this abbey. Amazing!

While in Bretagne, we stayed with Pascal & Francoise. Francoise is the sister of good friends of ours - the Gilots - who live in TN. They were wonderful hosts who truly love their region of France. They took us around all day on Bastille Day to show us around.

Bretagne is one of the best places to visit in France!

Le Mont St. Michel

Along the Coast

Dinan - There is a twin city, Dinant, in Belgium near Sebastien's grandparents.

Copenhagen

2010-07-10T15:56:00.004-05:00

Sebastien and I have found a new favorite city - Copenhagen! We loved visiting here. The city was clean and mixed with modern and old buildings. There were pedestrian streets everywhere with tons of shopping. While we were there, they had a Jazz Festival, so each night there were jazz concerts throughout the city. Our favorite section was Nyhavn, which is a port lined with outdoor cafes. One night Sebastien reserved a dinner at a restaurant which used to be a hidden underground monastery. There was no electricity; it was only lit by candles. (No pictures since it was a "nice" place). We highly recommend Copenhagen for a three day trip!!

This is our hotel. It was a trade warehouse. Each room was different and each had the original beams from the warehouse.

Rosenborg Castle - This was a castle built in 1606 by King Christian IV. The royal jewels, including the crowns, are in the basement of the castle. Beautiful!

Nyhavn - Our favorite part of the city! Hans Christian Andersen lived in this port for over 15 years. Unfortunately, the Little Mermaid statue was loaned out for a display in China.

THE CAR

2010-07-05T10:58:00.006-05:00

As many of you know, we are on this awesome trip because of Volvo's Overseas Delivery Program. Let me just share with you the perks of this program.

2 free round-trip tickets to Gothenburg
3 free nights stay in the Radisson Hotel right downtown. (We got two extra nights for free because we own another Swedish car).
3 free breakfasts
Pick up from the airport and transportation to the delivery sight.
Order the exact car you want - extra colors, interior, wheels, etc.
Pay 6% less than you normally would at the dealership
Tour of the Volvo factory
2 weeks of free insurance while you drive your car around Europe (additional insurance for cheap)
Drop off the car in one of several drop-off points in Europe and have it shipped back for free.

Yes, this is an awesome deal, and anyone can do it regardless of the model that you buy. We would highly recommend it! We are already planning our next trip:)

The Volvo Delivery Center

The first time we saw the C70

Sebastien is trying to hold back his excitement.

More photos with the top down coming soon!

Gothenburg, Sweden

2010-07-05T10:47:00.003-05:00

Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden. It has a large port, several canals, and a large shopping district. Sebastien and I would never have picked Gothenburg as a place to visit in Europe, but it is a nice city and we are glad that we have seen it.

Fish Church: This is a fish market. The architect hired to build the market had only designed churches previously; hence, the market looks like a church.

We went on a Paddan Boat ride yesterday morning. It was a good way to see the harbor.

There was a replica of a Viking ship. It was beautiful.

Move Back Home

2010-07-02T20:00:00.004-05:00

Sebastien finished his four-year residency at Temple last week, and he will begin his "first real job" on August 16th at Health Star Physicians in Morristown, TN. It has been quite a long journey for us to decide to return to Tennessee. When we moved to Philly 8 years ago, neither of us dreamed we would ever return to TN. Over the course of the past four years, God has opened the door (and my heart) to come home. It still doesn't feel real! We left Philly on Monday, closed on our house on Tuesday, the movers came Wednesday, we threw a party for our families at our house on Wednesday night, ran errands on Thursday, and now I am sitting in Chicago waiting to board our plane for Europe. Crazy week! I am so proud of Sebastien for all of the work he has done for the past 8 years to become a foot and ankle surgeon. I am blessed to have such a dedicated husband!

We left Philly with heavy hearts, but each time we said "goodbye" we told our friends that there is a place to stay in TN. So, let me tempt you with a few pictures. There will be many renovations done to our home (which I saw for the first time on Monday). We will post before and after pictures after each phase of renovations.

Our New House

Our Backyard - Cherokee Lake

First Sunset

Go Eagles!

2009-10-15T19:46:00.003-05:00

E-A-G-L-E-S!! Sebastien and I went to an Eagles' game against the Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks ago. We had great seats as you can see and had fun tailgating with friends. More importantly the Eagles won big that day.

Sebastien Turned 30!

2009-10-15T19:19:00.006-05:00

Sebastien turned 30 on September 2nd, and we had a birthday party at Black Sheep Pub with all of Sebastien's friends. Everyone took a quiz about Sebastien, and there were even some embarrassing pictures floating around. It is a birthday that Sebastien will never forget.

Angie, Rachel, & Luke

Sara & Sebastien

Sebastien & his BFF (Brandon)

Sara & Geraldine (New friend visiting from Belgium)

Isabelle & Sebastien - Isabelle was visiting from Belgium. She and Sebastien have known each other since they eight years old.

Jamin, Angie, & Sebastien

Residency Friends

The Marshalls' Visit

2009-08-07T22:42:00.003-05:00

The Marshalls lived in Morristown, TN when Sebastien and I were in college. They now live in Paris, France. They are a wonderful family, and we had a great time when they visited.

Sara, Heloise, & Marion

Guilliam, Fredric, & Sebastien

Another Day in New York

2009-08-07T22:22:00.004-05:00

Sebastien and I have decided to explore a different neighborhood each time we visit New York. We took a day trip a couple weeks ago, and we walked over the Brooklyn Bridge and then back on the Manhattan Bridge through Little Italy and then SoHo. It was a beautiful day!

Brooklyn Bridge

View from Manhattan Bridge

Little Italy Festival

Papaw Armstrong's Birthday

2009-08-07T22:08:00.005-05:00

I went home for 10 days at the beginning of July. My grandfather's birthday is July 4th, and he turned 77. We had a cook-out, and we got my grandfather to pose with the cake. I always have a great time hanging out with Nanny & Papaw. They have a great sense of humor, and remind me a lot of me and Sebastien.

Me, Mario, Molly, Papaw, Chloe, & Katie

Long Weekend in the Dominican Republic

2009-05-25T19:13:00.006-05:00

Sebastien and I went to the Dominican Republic a couple weeks ago. Tracy, Sebastien's co-resident got married, and we were fortunate enough to be able to celebrate with her and Bobby in the Caribbean! The beach was beautiful, and the resort had wonderful gardens. This was the first vacation where Sebastien and I truly did nothing. It was great!

At the wedding

The water was a perfect blue.

Bobby & Tracy

I was enjoying a drink in one of the lounge beds.

Sebastien hanging out under the cabana. Check out the knees:)

The Grounds

Our first night before any sunshine.

Nicolas' First Visit to the States

2009-05-25T18:46:00.007-05:00

Sebastien's cousin, Nicolas, came to visit us in March. This was his first visit to the United States. We toured around Philadelphia and visited New York.

Nicolas, le cousin de Seba, nous a rendu visite en mars. C'etait son premier voyage aux Etats Unis. Nous en avons bien profiter pour visiter Philadelphie et New York.

Sebastien is dreaming about his future car at the New York Auto Show.

Sixers v. Cavaliers (Lebron is incredible!)

Nicolas was in awe of Times Square.

Cousins

New York at Christmas/Noel

2008-12-24T20:49:00.004-05:00

This weekend Sara and I went to NYC to see the Christmas decorations and to meet up with Sara's aunt and uncle who were in for the weekend. Everything was beautiful and it was freezing outside! The drive home in the snow was fun.

On est alle a New York voir les decos de Noel. Tous etait magnifique et il y avait un monde de fou! On en profiter pour souper avec la tante et l'oncle de Sara qui etait la pour le weekend. Il fasait super froid et le trajet de retour etait eneige.

Sara trying not to kill herself on the icy paths in Central Park

Macy's is overated

Pam and Sara at Rockerfeller Plaza

I love Central Park

Monday Night Football

2008-12-24T20:42:00.004-05:00

On our 7th anniversary Sara and I went to a Monday night football game (I know very romantic). We watched the Eagles play the Browns. The game was great and the Eagles won, but blew their playoff chance the following week.

Nous avons ete a match de football american professionelle. On c'est bien amuse et c'etait assez impressionant de voir le monde et le spectacle.

The Eagles scored on this play

E-A-G-L-E-S

Quick Trip

2008-11-22T19:09:00.005-05:00

My cousin Valerie

My godmother, Sophie

My grandmother is in her nineties and still kicking

My hotel was a couple of hundred yards away from here, nice....

I just went to Paris for an orthopedics conference which was great. I was very fortunate and got wined and dined while I was there. I was also able to get up to Belgium and spend a few days with my family. The trip was very nice except that Sara was not able to come with me. I love going home to Belgium and seeing my family!

Mom's Surprise Birthday Trip

2008-11-02T21:43:00.004-05:00

My mom turned 50 on October 7th, and Katie (my sister), Pam (my aunt), and I decided to take her away for a suprise weekend. We went to Asheville, North Carolina. We visited downtown Asheville and Biltmore. On Saturday, we went to a spa and had different treatments. It was the ultimate girls' weekend!

My mom is so special. She is the mother that everyone would want to have. My mom has always shown me unconditional love, prayed for me in the present and future, and laughed a lot along the way. I am so blessed to have her as my mom!

Pam, Mom, Me, & Katie at Biltmore

Having dinner at a great French bistro in Asheville. (No, I am not drunk. I look like this in all my pictures. Apparently, my eyes can't take a flash.)

Le pays du vin/Wine country

2008-08-17T15:32:00.003-05:00

Biensur la Gironde c'est le pays du vin mais la visite n'est pas complete sans une visite sur la route du Medoc. En passant on vu des belles proprietes et on a pu se promener autour de Chateau Margaux et le Chateau Pichon-Longueville. Magnifique...

Well, this is wine country, and the trip would not be complete without a drive through the Medoc area. There are hundreds of vineyards and castles. Of note we stopped at Chateau Margaux which is probably one of the most exclusive wines in the world. It was the first wine to ever be name "Premier Grand Cru Classe" which is the highest rating possible for a wine. Some of their wines can go for $1500 a bottle. Needless to say, we did not have any wine from this castle. However, Felix and I did tasted some of the grapes off the vines which were pretty soar.

Chateau Margaux

Chateau Pichon-Longueville

Bastien, Felix, Valerie, and Lorien Debusscher

Sarlat/Beynac

2008-08-17T15:03:00.003-05:00

Wine, Foie Gras, and Saucisson, does it get any better?

Sarlat

We had a great lunch and had fun playing with Bastien!

Beynac

Nous avons ete avec Valerie et Felix a Sarlat. Sarlat est repute pour le foie gras, pate, terrine, saucisson en sommes toutes les bonnes choses. On a passe une belle journee et bien sur on a super bien mange! Sur la route on a croise un beau petit village perche sur une colline qui s'appelle Beynac. On a decide de s'arreter et on ne la pas regrete.

We spent the day in Sarlat, France which is this gorgeous medevial city in the Perigord region. This area is none for foie gras, pate, saucisson, etc... We had a great meal with foie gras and duck which was great and we washed it down with some nice wine. On the way there we came upon this amazing little village called Beynac that was perched on the side of a mountain. We decided to stop which was a great decision. Their was a castle at the top of the village which was breathtaking. This is one of the great things about France this great little village wasn't even on our map!

Arcachon/Dune de Pylat

2008-08-15T14:50:00.004-05:00

En allant sur Arcachon on c'est arrete a la dune de Pylat et on etait tous impressione par la taille de cette dune (plutot une montagne!). Pour commencer il faut montrer un escalier jusqu'au dessus (un peu comme le lion de Waterloo mais plus haut). Avec Sara et on a decide d'aller marche jusqu'au bout et puis je l'ai convaincue a decendre jusqu'a plage mais je n'ai pas bien juje la difficulte de l'escalade pour remonter donc pas la joie!!

Before going to Arcachon (a beachtown), we stopped by the Dune de Pylat, the biggest sand dune in France. We were all a bit surprised by the size of this dune/mountain! You start off by climbing a couple of hundred stairs to the top and once you get up there you can do what you want. Well, Sara and I decided to go off on our own to the end of this dune, and then we (I coaxed her into this) decided to walk down to the beach. I failed to realize how far away and how far down the beach was from the top of this dune. So, after much encouraging and some cursing, Sara and I hiked back up the dune from the beachside which did not have stairs! Well, after that test of life we went to Arcachon and had a great lunch and a nice day walking along the boardwalk.

Valerie (my cousin), Bastien, Lorien, & Felix

Bastien and Sebastien
(yes he's wearing a hat and a jacket, it was windy)

If you click on this picture you will see little specks in the back which are actually people.
This is how far away we were from the starting point, and where I talked Sara into walking down to the beach

Sara was not a happy camper at this point. I am not sure she would make it if she were stranded in the desert. The whole time she hiked up the dune she kept saying, "After this I can have the biggest pastery I want." Now that's survival talk! This picture was taken at only about a fifth of the way up to the top.

Arcachon

Biarritz

2008-08-15T14:39:00.004-05:00

En remontant sur Bordeaux on a passe une apres-midi a Biarritz. On a vraiment apprecie tous les chemins pour se promener au bord de l'ocean. On a passe une belle apres-midi et on y retournera un jour si on l'occasion.

On the way back to Bordeaux from Spain we spent an afternoon in Biarritz, France. This is considered a ritzy (sp?) beach town in southwestern France. The English royal family used to vacation here. There are tons of beautiful paths to walk along the ocean.