I have to say it’s fun sharing my Lourdes pilgrimage journal. Writing out my thoughts has really brought our 2015 trip back to life. In my last column I only got through two days! So I’ll get right to it.

Day 3: We all slept in past noon. So we tried to hoof it (after our oatmeal) and get to the metro. Then we metro-ed to the train and made our way to Chartres.

The countryside is gorgeous, so much character and beauty … and trees and brick houses. Nicolas was thrilled to find a few birds native to France that he recognized. And Andrew took pictures like crazy.

Chartres is hard to describe. I was completely overwhelmed by it. My breath was actually taken away as we entered and walked through this ancient place of adoration. The stained glass was unbelievable, every tiniest nook and cranny was carved out to glorify God, knowing that they might never be seen by man.

Praying in front of the altars was such a gift. We lit a candle in front of the Sacred Heart for all those back home who have loved us. I was just overwhelmed by the awesomeness of this place and how close to God and other Catholics I felt.

Outside the cathedral, Scott offered to take a photo of two German ladies. They were very sweet and ended up following us to a souvenir store to ask if we would come back to the cathedral doors so that they could take pictures of us FOR THEMSELVES!!! Too funny. Then they gave the kids ten Euros to get ice cream.

Most people who see us count “une, deux, trois, quatre…” are kind of confused, but we’ve met a few people who have been very kind, giving me a “Bravo!” and lollipops to the kids.

We stopped for pizza which was delicious, Scott has his first French coffee, and then the manager gave him a free shot of amaretto, haha!

Scott got Madalen a rose from the flower market in the centre of the square we ate in, and she said it was the best thing she’d been given all Easter (I guess she doesn’t realize that we’re back in “ordinary time”). Now it’s 1 a.m. and many of the kids are struggling to fall asleep. Thank you, Shalin, for the melatonin. We hope to get up and out tomorrow morning to take the train to Nevers. Wish us luck.

Day 4: First, before I forget, I want to add in about Day 3: the sound of the men in the metro station, singing and making music together in the early morning and the kids running through the fountains in the city centre. I think I left my heart in Chartres.

Okay, Day 4: Nevers. This was a stressful, crazy day in the boiling sun. We were dazed and confused, missing multiple trains, getting lost, and getting phone calls from our apartment, from the owner wondering why our stuff was still there: “Aren’t we done with it?!!” Yikes. But the good side of missing trains is that we spent more time wandering in Nevers and found the beached part of the river. We all went in and rejoiced at the coolness of the water. The kids were thrilled and had lots of fun. (The walk leading to this beach nearly wiped us out. It really was an oasis in the desert.)

Seeing Bernadette was lovely. She is so tiny. I went in to pray with Isaac and Madalen, and told them that they could leave whenever they wanted. Madalen responded, “I don’t think I could possibly ever leave here!”

Isaac thought it was the coolest thing ever. In fact, any time he’s fallen, or whatever, and I ask him how he’s doing, he say, “I don’t think I’ve ever been better!” (Isaac would have been four. Thinking of him saying this is quite funny.)

We were almost alone at the shrine, except for the grouchy sales lady, and the kind priest who, when Elijah asked him to bless a medal, asked his name and blessed him instead. He asked for all the kids’ names. He didn’t speak any English. We got home late again but had to clean in a panic to leave early in the morning. No oatmeal today – boiled eggs, pineapple and granola. So glad for Lucy’s help. I hope she is glad to be here for her own sake, and not just as a helper. (Lucy was our friends’ 14-year-old daughter.)

Day 5 … I think: Up at 6 a.m. Painful. We got out and made our way to the trains. It was quite nice being out in the streets when it was quiet and empty. The long train ride to Lourdes was tempered by little travel games and cards. It’s mostly Thomas who’s making things tough, poor guy is so tired and out of whack. But he gets pretty hilarious when he isn’t squawking.

The train ride is so beautiful. Every town has its church steeple peering over the little gingerbread houses, and they are like something from another planet. The countryside was so nice to watch.

We got here, found our hostel (not too bad), unpacked a bit and headed out. We looked at some trinkets, got some funny looks, and came upon the houses of St. Bernadette. The lady kindly only charged us for three adults, instead of four. We were all surprised to see that Bernadette’s second home was actually that bad…

Elijah was getting impatient in a giddy kind of way and ran to the basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. At this point, I started to feel a bit overwhelmed. He is so excited to be here, so many hopes. I think of all the things that are possible with God’s grace, and of the great possibilities for a little boy’s confusion and disappointment.

He ran up the stairs ahead of everyone. “I feel the earth shaking below me!” … “Look! It’s Saint Michael, in my honour!!”

When he looked down to discover the actual grotto I thought he would explode with joy. We went down to look, assured him that we would wait in the line-up tomorrow, or Monday, and that he could still get water from the spring around the corner. He filled a bottle and started guzzling it. I can’t remember who told him that that was okay? The basilica can only be seen to be appreciated, I think. I’ve seen pictures before, but it wasn’t the same.

So, now we’re eating pizza and trying to decide how to deal with Thomas who fell asleep two hours before bed time. Andrew is thrilled to see a castle in the background, and Nico has seen a few new birds. Isaac keeps saying, “Isn’t this the coolest ever!?!?!” Madalen is so happy to know that Bernadette had asthma, just like her. So much happiness and hope…

To be continued….