Our News

November: 2011

Welcome to our site:
le petit jardin de l'âme - el pequeño jardin del alma - little garden of the soul

This site is an experiment in many ways; it is an attempt to chronicle our move
from France - le petit jardin de l'âme - to our new home in Panama.

It is also an experiment in staying in touch with family and friends. After many
years of annual updates in the form of Christmas Letters we are "blogging"
our move to Panama.

After ten years of life in France, we have begun to "let go" of France:

Val has sung his last concert with the choral group Appassionata. On Easter
he celebrated his last Eucharist for the little congregation of Grace Church that
has grown up around us. Transition to new clergy leadership is in progress. It is
a big step in the next chapter of the congregation's life.

Linda ended her teaching English to the group of village women in early June
and has prepared our application documents for immigration permits. In Aprilt
we made a trip to the Panamanian Embassy in Paris (an interesting adventure
in itself)

In August we received notice that our applications for our Pensionada Visas had
been approved. At the end of November, we are off to Panama (our third visit) to
pick up our visas, to continue our search for property, and to learn about our
(eventual) new home.

We have placed our house on the real estate
market, and now we wait!

In these economic times this could be a long
wait. Sine we must sell our home in France
before we commit to new property in Panama.
So this year, the season of Advent and expectation
will have a decidedly Panamanian influence.

What's in a Name?
The phrase "le petit jardin de l'âme" originally came to us while living inChicago as
we prepared to move to France. In deciding to move From France to Panama, we
first decided to simply change the name from French (le petit jardin de l'âme), to
Spanish (el pequeño jardin del alma) or to use English (little garden of the soul).

We have discovered that it has become a life theme for us, not confined to geography
or gardening. Though we both love flowers and nature, and I have enjoyed gardening
as therapy, a relief from corporate stress in Chicago, from ex-pat stress in France, from
church conflict. It is symbolic of our inner life. The pruning, clipping, nourishing and
stretching heavenward is part of who we are.

So for the moment we will continue to use the French name "le petit jardin de l'âme",
and attempt to grow wherever we are planted.