Before and After...

Drum roll, please....the big reveal for Samuel without braces took place this past Thursday. Doesn't he look great?! We are all still trying to get used to seeing him with a pearly white smile.

Two years almost to the day and his orthodontic plan has been completed. We are so thankful for a very competent and excellent doctor our colleagues referred to us here in Italy.  She worked with us very well taking into considering our extended trips to the US and adjusted her plans accordingly. We are delighted that all went well for our child who needed the most extensive work on his mouth. Samuel will return in a week to get his retainer that will only need to be worn at nights for about a year. Yeah!

Congratulations, Samuel!

Published Artist

Today Emma came home from school all smiles because she won 2nd place for her artwork in a city wide school contest for International Women's Day. Both middle schools and one of the elementary schools participated in the contest.

Emma chose to draw a violin to represent a woman because the music that comes from a violin brings joy to those hear. When she thinks of mothers and women they are beautiful and joyful. Her creativity in thought and drawing was honored with a 2nd place award for originality. She received a printed book with all the winning essays and drawings. She was both excited and shy about being recognized by the principal during a school assembly with this honor. We are so proud of her!

Congratulations Emma!

SHARE 2016

One of our family's greatest highlights in 2015 was the SHARE Family Education Conference in Hungary. I don't think we have ever seen our kids anticipate something so much for so long, because from the day the conference ended last year the kids were already anticipating going again in 2016. 

At practically every meal since January all we heard talk about was SHARE this and SHARE that. Even when Jonathan was struggling so badly still with his health early on in the year, we went so far as to research airline tickets for me and the kids if we had to resort to a plan B due to health complications. There was NO WAY we were going to miss this event! Thankfully, we were healthy (enough) to drive the 9 hours to Siofok, Hungary. Our family got hit with a round of fevers and bad colds prior to leaving, which forced us to cancel leaving a day early for a planned site seeing detour. 

Our kids Skype regularly and in Emma's case text daily with friends she made at SHARE last year. These friendships have been a life-line for them over the past year. A breath of fresh air. A source of encouragement. The Lord has provided each one of our kids with a special friend, and that circle is growing for each of them after this year's conference from February 21-26. 

Claire and Emma

Gavin (missed the teen cut off by 2 weeks) and Samuel

Emma and her best friend, Claire who lives in Ukraine worked for months on a dance routine to perform together for the talent show. Claire became Emma's gymnast coach and was teaching her moves via videos and calls. Emma began stretching for 20 minutes a day and was very disciplined in this regiment so she can do the splits, back bends, cart wheels and more. Matching outfits were shopped for, hair and makeup went through test runs all prior to seeing each other face to face. They both worked really hard! 

Samuel also participated in the talent show this year and played Mozart's Minuet on the piano. It was such an enjoyable evening seeing all the various talents from so many kids. Luca had to leave early as he came down with a fever and felt nauseous. Thankfully, it just lasted the night and he got the all clear from the doctor to participate in his program the next morning. Emma was fighting through her cold all week but you could tell it was mostly adrenaline carrying her through.

This year Samuel joined the teen group having made the cut by just days. Samuel's friends from last year did not graduate to the teen group so it was a great blessing when a friend connected us with a family coming to the conference for the first time that also had a teen. Samuel and Gavin connected on Skype prior to the conference and they hit it off right away which was great for them to each know someone in the group of 50+ teens. Samuel had a great experience, made lots of new friends and stayed up to 11pm each night just hanging out with the teens.

Sid, Gavin, Simon and Samuel

Honestly, we hardly saw our kids all week! Emma spent the whole week camping out in Claire's room. We beat Samuel to bed each night and all the kids were ready and out the door to breakfast before us. The weather was great so Luca was outside playing "Fastest Tag of the West" and "Link Tag" during his free time. Between running around outside and swimming in the pool after the sessions it was a non-stop week of activity. 

Claire, Nora, Emma, Emma and Kirsten

Jonathan and I had a wonderful time reconnecting with friends too. Well, technically it wasn't so much "re"connecting as we have maintained friendships and communication throughout the year. But nothing beats face to face time! Seriously, the friends I made have been a life-line of encouragement to me as a mother and missionary wife. I love these ladies!!

Koren, Adele, Angela, Katrina, Noella and Mihaela

Noella, Jonathan, Dustin and Karilyn

Claire and Emma's relationship has made it a family affair of friendships. Luca and Kyle are now close friends and text and chat regularly too. Karilyn and I have had lots of laughs together this past year trying to keep up with our kids. Our current endeavour is to coordinate a meet up during our furloughs this summer. I love the small world connections we have with this family.

Mullenix and Kleis families plus Gabe (intern)

Our mission was represented by the same families as last year. We love these guys and for the growing friendships and bond we share with them. Our vacations are now moving towards who can we go see instead of what to see. We enjoyed our morning's together over second and third cups of coffee, chats in the pool, worshiping together and just hanging out. Here we are all at a local restaurant.

14 kids between us all

The week was full of blessing and enrichment for us, from the morning worship time, to the workshops, to the speakers, to the conversations over meals, and to the counselling sessions for both our educational and ministry needs. The resources of people that are brought to this conference is amazing! SHARE is our safe place where we are understood and where we receive a very particular and much needed time of being ministered to. We were covered in love and refreshment and this week is guaranteed to be a highlight for 2016.

Just a small portion of stuff brought from the US to shower our families with love

We returned exhausted and quickly acquired a relapse of nasty colds. Luca's stomach was off for nearly a week and Jonathan and I both had 3 and 5 days respectively of fevers along with severe sinus congestion. Jonathan was home for a week before he left again for a week of leader's meetings. I was pretty much in survival mode for the two weeks after SHARE, thus the long delay in posting. But, spring is in the air and we are on the mend now!

First and Last

A morning surprise on Saturday - March 5, 2016