The End and the Beginning

Finally! After a little more than a year of drivers training John Baptiste Sauvé has finally done it. Yesterday afternoon by successfully completing the driving skills test, I ended a 13 month saga of driving classes and hours, that has had its ups and downs. A year ago March, I started segment 1 of drivers training. Unlike some of my sisters I was quite eager to start driving and so it was both with excitement and apprehension that I entered my classes. I was a whiz in the class room and scored top in most all written tests. Yet in the words of my instructor, I had "some rough edges to work out in the actual driving." Unlike most kids in the class I had never been behind the wheel of anything, ever, and the first time out I mistook the sidewalk for the road. =) Thankfully I can say that I have progressed since then and have become quite comfortable behind the wheel by driving 2 hours up to the Lapeer area on Sundays. You don't get practice in parking while driving freeway though, so dad and I had to get creative to practice that for the test. Using my exercise weights with metal poles stuck in them and a cone on top, we made an interesting sight, simulating the parking section of the road test.

So the day finally came and at 1:15 yesterday, dad and I drove over to the testing sight. I was praying the whole time but with my eyes open since I was driving. The instructor was kind, though she continuously used the terms dear and honey with my name and as any of you who know me can tell, that didn't exactly ingratiate me to her. But any ways we got going and started off on the parking. God helped me and I came through without a single point off which was great because as I said this was supposed to be my weak spot. The on roads test went well also, despite my tendency to the disease "heavyfootitis" (DeL's can sympathize) and as I pulled into the parking lot I breathed and smiled for what felt like the first time as I heard the instructors "you passed". So that is the end, and yet also the beginning; the end of all the training and the beginning of new responsibilities that with God's help I will use properly. So, a little encouragement to you who start off your driving careers with a bang (literally); there is still hope. If I did it, then I am sure you can too.

May God bless, and I thank all you who were praying yesterday
John B. Sauvé

P.S. Now you need to start really watching your rear view mirrors for that big blue bus with that big foot boy (I mean young man) behind the wheel.

Healthy Living on a New Level

From the early days of the Sauve family, even B.C. (Before Children), caring for the bodies that God has given us and thus healthy eating has been a concern. White refined, bleached flour and white refined sugar were eliminated from the diet, although there was the occasional exceptions, such as ice cream, which was hard to give up. Through the years, pop and coffee were replaced with water, chocolate with carob, cows milk with soy milk, and food coloring with natural colors. Fruit smoothies were a healthy start to two mornings a week and an occasional vegetarian meal made it to the table. In all, healthy eating was the goal as the family grew from two to nine members.

For the last two weeks we have experienced healthy eating on a new level. Charity has worked very hard to serve more "living foods" and meals with the best combinations to aid digestion; this meant not mixing our starches and proteins. We have had fresh fruit each morning, which included large bowls of mixed fruit, apple-strawberry juice, pineapple-orange-strawberry juice (done in the juicer), mango-peach smoothie or orange-grapefruit juice. A mid-morning snack of apple slices, grapes or banana was available to those who wanted them. The goal at lunch was to be careful not to mix our starches and proteins, so our regular affair of peanut butter and jam, or lunch meat and cheese on bread were out for the time being. Instead, we have had different but tasty helpings of harvest soup, vegetable toasties, tomato sandwiches, etc., all with a large salad. Suppers, having the same goal in mind, included Mediterranean rice, carrot hash browns, fish in lemon dill sauce, pasta in a wok, shepherd's pie (bread stuffing topped with mashed potatoes), or a chef's salad with chicken. Other than the chef's salad, all meals were served with a large salad and cooked vegetables.

The meals have been very good and we are getting use to the idea that you don't have to have pasta or potatoes with your meat; vegetables can taste good with either meat or starches. The challenge has been keeping enough fresh fruits, lettuce and vegetables on hand. Juicing or making a fruit or lettuce salad for nine people has been a lot of work, but Charity has done a fabulous job and presents a pretty hard act to follow for Faith who is the cook for the next two weeks. In any case, we are thankful for the variety of foods God has given us to enjoy and we acknowledge His blessings in giving us such an abundance.