Back to work

After a six week hiatus in the States, in which we met three new granddaughters, we arrived back in Greece just one week before Christmas. While the rest of the world was busy shopping for gifts and baking Christmas cookies, we were busy getting settled back into life in Greece.

The transition has gone smoothly. We had money to collect downtown, bills to pay, government offices to visit and finances to be done at the HM office. Mike has a construction project to finish out at the property for an Albanian family who will be living out there beginning mid January. Peggy continues to work at the HM office handling the overseas finances. We will both begin language school again mid January so we are trying to get caught up with all the other things to get done before the school work sets in again. It feels great to be back to work.

Another blessing: on Monday we finally got our official residence visa after waiting almost one year! We are so thankful since this saves us having to leave Greece every three months for a visa exit,which is both costly, nerve-wracking and exhausting. Thank you Lord.

We have not been disturbed by any of the rioting here except for one day that they had the downtown area roped off due to a demonstration. Some of the results of the violence are still obvious; broken windows, burned up ATM machines, bank lobbies that have been destroyed. It is very sad. There appears to be a spirit of anarchy amongst some of the youth in this country that is alarming. Although as our pastor mentioned at church today, without a thought for God or Jesus, it is as if God does not exist or that He is not interested in our problems. Thus the young people are filling this gap with other things. In fact, in one nativity scene, baby Jesus was replaced with a TV. Please pray for God to use this unrest to bring many to the saving knowledge of Jesus, who gave His life for them.

Praying you all have know the peace of Christ this season.

Hannah days

I (Peggy) have had the privilege to spend this week at home with 5 yr old Hannah and Paul while Missy has been in Guatemala picking up their newest daughter, Amelia, 18 months.

We have had a great week spending lots of time playing outside, cooking, dancing and coloring together. We spent most of today getting ready for the big homecoming tomorrow afternoon when Mom and Amelia come home. We are so excited and have made lots of posters and welcome home decorations.

What a testament to God's perfect timing that Mike and I are here to meet three new granddaughters this month. We feel incredibly blessed!

Amelia is coming home Friday-Praise the Lord!!!!

An excerpt from our daughter Missy's blog this morning:

GOOOOOOOOOOOD NEWS!!

God truly answers prayers... specific ones... and I experienced that this morning!!! GOD IS GOOD!!

We (Missy and Amelia) went to the embassy this morning for our visa appointment, and the first embassy lady (submitting documents) said that since Paul wasn't there, and since we didn't have a specific power of attorney form and his passport, that we'd have to come back the following week and have Paul fed-ex those documents... of course, this was the news I most feared, and I even started crying with that fear. Our adoption agency representative told me to expect the worst.

Then I went into the official interview and the lady was an amazing girl from the States, who's Dad lives in Colorado, and she just amazingly approved us, regardless!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was AMAZING!!! I don't know if I've ever taken that big a sigh of complete relief!!!

When I got out of the interview, our adoption agency rep said that God must like me, because that NEVER happens!!!!!!!!!!!!

GOD IS SOOOO BIG! I love that it was such a true blessing!!

Anyway, we are pooped emotionally, but SOOO thrilled to be done! We pick up our visa tomorrow at 3:30 and get to come home on our flight on Friday morning!!! USA... HERE AMELIA COMES!! :)

Thank you for the prayers... they truly made a difference!!!
~Missy

We are so excited to be here in the States and waiting for Amelia's arrival!

Missy and Paul's blog address is:
http://coloradobennetts.aboutmybaby.com password: bennett

Enjoying Family Times

Hopefully these pictures will tell a thousand words!!

We are loving God's goodness to us in allowing us this precious time with our children and new grandchildren. Treasuring the moments together before heading back to Greece shortly!

Baby Mia is born!

We are so excited to announce the birth of another granddaughter. Mia Elizabeth Weinland was born Tuesday morning, November 18th at 5:50 am. She was 7 lbs, 6 ozs and 20.5 in long. Mom and Dad and baby are doing well and are settling into their new home. I (Peggy)was so privileged to be there at her birth. What an incredible miracle it is, each new life that God gives.

We are loving spending time getting to know her as well as our new 5 yr. old granddaughter Hannah. It has been a real joy to spend time with her at the park and playing games, singing and talking. Hannah is infatuated with her new cousin too and is anxiously waiting for the arrival of her new sister, Amelia, from Guatemala due home by Christmas, hopefully.

The rest of the family, Michael, Nisha, Jackson and Griffin are heading out here to CO for Thanksgiving and we are excited to all be together again.

What incredible blessings!! How great is our God!

Home for MisssionsFest

How exciting it was for us to be home in Wheaton for Missionsfest (Nov 2-8th)at Wheaton Bible Church. Once a year, the church makes global missions and missionaries their main focus for the whole week. We were only able to there for the last half of the week but what an encouraging time for us. The church did an incredible job of providing opportunities for us to be refreshed and challenged and networked with others who can partner with us in ministry. We feel so privileged to be sent from this church to reach others with the gospel. For more info see wheatonbible.org

Lunch with Mehlbergs

If life was always so easy!

We had an incredible day Sunday spending time with Bob and Jeanne Mehlberg, a couple from our home church. It was such a taste of home and an excuse to spend the day taking a long Sunday drive and eating lunch by the sea. The weather was marvelous and so was the company and the view!

If you are ever in Athens, don't hesitate to give us a ring. We would love the company.