Our apartment was built in 1642

It has really been restored beautifully ... And has many electronic advances I've never seen before.

Stairs!

Apartment life in Paris is just like in the novels I've read....

Venus & Mona Lisa

Today was spectacular, and we are beginning to get the gist of being Parisians.. We especially like the crepes! Lots and lots of walking and a subway ride and a taxi ride too! We haven't downloaded the photos yet... Will soon... Btw we now are acclimated to eating late! Paris comes alive at night. Love to all!

In Paris

Can't believe we're actually here... Love our apartment .... Everything is so old! Took the "historic walk", a bus ride, ate at a sidewalk cafe... Saw many famous sites... But definitely feeling jet lag:)

We are so spoiled!

Since Jay works on the House floor, we were treated to a behind the scenes tour of the Capitol! We went into the House of Representatives and he showed us where everyone sits during the State of the Union address. By the way, we were the only ones inside the chambers! It was closed to the public.He took us to his office... It was incredible! We took several photos of his office and the view from his balcony. Jay explained many of the historical backgrounds of paintings, statues, etc. we also went to the National Cathedral and the Library of Congress. We took many shots of monuments and the White House as we were driving. We spent lots of time recounting our days as students of Westmont College in Santa Barbara! What an awesome blessing it has been to be together with them this 24 hours!!!

Princess Belle is 5!!!!!

Talia Rose is celebrating her fifth birthday a bit early with G & G T! That's because we will be leaving on our "trip of a lifetime" this Friday!

An Autumn We'll Never Forget...

On September 2nd, our eleventh grandchild, Alethia Joy Thomasson, was born to Mike and Evelyn and siblings -- Sophia, Nathanael, Luke and Timothy. She's a little beauty who seems good natured and already well-adjusted to being handled and bounced around by her rambunctious admirers. Grandma and Grandpa stayed with the four older youngsters while Mom and Dad stayed in the hospital. It was quite an eventful stay for us seniors!! How'd we ever do this in the past???

On September 17th, Jon's doctor told Jon that he suspected that he had lymphoma. The next day, Jon had a CT scan that confirmed the doctor's suspicions. Suddenly, our lives took on a whole new dimension as we all tried to fathom what this news meant. Never before had any of us faced so personally our ultimate mortality... It shook us all to the core. We realized that God was with us... and since then, God has sustained us all. Prayers have reached our Father's ears, and He has been merciful... Jon has gone through five of his twelve chemo treatments. He's lost his hair, but not his smile. Talia Rose has been a constant joy in the lives of Jon and Erin... It is impossible to not reflect Talia's laughter and giggles and pure fascination with everything in her path. Her new own little kitchen has been the scene of hours and hours of her attention as she cooks us all our suppers and gives us pretend glasses filled with cubes from her ice-maker..