I hate good-byes!

Well, I left off last week just as we were getting ready to go get a tree and to decorate the house for Christmas. It was fun to do this in America, knowing that I would get to do it again after we returned to Budapest. Doing it twice really gets one in the mood to celebrate the birth of our Messiah!


Chris and Kate find the perfect tree


Kate and I have the same taste. We both feel these are tacky.


Perfectly straight!

They bought a tree that would fit nicely in the corner, and one that wasn't too tall--they have to raise the tree up on something so that Shadow's tail wouldn't swing and knock all the ornaments off the lower branches!!! (Shadow is their dog.)


Kate decorates the tree with childhood ornaments


--while Chris hangs the stockings-notice the one for Shadow?

We had a great time with Chris and Kate. God blesses us daily through our kids! We have a great relationship with Kari and Chris, and we thank God for them and for the spice (which is plural for spouse) that they brought into our family when they married Jonathan and Kate. Indeed, we are richly blessed as a family who gets along so well and enjoys spending so much time together!! Thank you, God!

It was very difficult to say good-bye to Chris and Kate, but our days in America were quickly coming to an end and they needed to get on with their life. It was time to go back to Marietta so that we could pack our bags and return to Budapest. I guess when we left Maryville on Tuesday, it was the beginning of our last good-byes.


My old workplace

As we drove back to Marietta, we stopped by North Cobb Christian School to pick up some books from Beth but unfortunately, I didn't have time to visit with friends there. It was a case of run in and run out!


BFF!

I got into town just in time to meet up with my wonderful friend Kristin (from NCCS days) for dinner. One would think that five hours together would be enough time to get caught up on our news, but no! Next time we will have to plan a full day together! She is one of those people through whom God speaks and blesses, and I sure miss her friendship.


Saying good-bye to my sister and B was tough

Due to falling sick when I first arrived, Glenn and my travel schedule, and then my sister Elizatbeth falling sick herself, we had very little time together, which I really hated! She is the keeper of our records, the reciever of our mail, the one who holds all things together for us in Marietta-and we are so thankful for her and her ministry to us. Thank you, Elizabeth!


Getting the most of our "handicap" parking sticker!

Our last day there, we went out to eat with Glenn's family and a dear friend from MFBC, Anne. It was quite a trip--a slow one, that is! Becky in her wheelchair (broke her ankle before Thanksgiving) and Queenie and Pa with their canes gave us a reason for parking at the front door! Anne gave us some very fresh, plump PECANS from south Georgia and some Peppermint Bark from Trader Joe's that is out-of-this-world delicious! We made sure that they made it in our suitcases!!!


Sam's Club

After lunch, Glenn's brother, Darden drove me to Sam's Club to pick up a few items for our suitcases. I couldn't buy all my heart desired because I wasn't sure everything would fit in the last suitcase to be closed, but I got the most important! Nutter Butter, Oreos, and soft peppermint for Glenn, and chocolate chips, Brownie mixes, and M & M's for me. Can you tell which one of us loves chocolate???


Grandma Whitfield

We had a quick visit with Mary Jean on our last night in town. She "adopted" Kari and Chris when they were 7 and 5, respectively, because they didn't have a "grandma". Glenn's mother has always been "Queenie" and my mother was always "Pooh". When Mary Jean found out that Kari and Chris didn't have a grandma, she became theirs, in every sense of the word! She has always held a special place in our hearts and we wouldn't go to Marietta without stopping to see Mary Jean (just like we wouldn't go without stopping by to see Jo and Ed, our dear neighbors!)


Christian

Even though one of my brothers live in Marietta, we didn't get to spend much time together due to sickness (his and mine), his work schedule, and our travels. Jay and Tanya were both sick the night we stopped by, but Christian (I call him Ethan) was up and opened the door to us. My, how he had grown! He is in second grade now, and is the most polite, articulate little boy I have met. His mom and dad have done a great job! On our next visit to town, we will make sure we get to spend more time with them.


Can you believe it? $5 for a large pepperoni pizza!

Glenn and I said our final good-byes to restaurants and fast food in the U.S. by eating at each one! In the 3 1/2 weeks we were in America, I ate pizza 5 times. My favorite meal. Didn't get Krispy Kremes, but ate Richy Kremes in Tennessee with Chris and Kate. Besides eating with Emogene (next door to my Dad) a few times, we ate at Steak and Shake, La Bella Pasta, Applebee's (3 times), Ted's Montana Grill, Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesday's, La Parilla, Captain D's, Checker's, the Varsity, the Waffle House, Beef O'Brady's, and in Maryville we ate at a Mexican place, Sonic drive-in and a great BBQ place called Boomer's. Can you believe I only gained one pound?


Sorry Tundra, I didn't mean to wake you!

We enjoyed staying with my dad in his new condo and with his dog, Tundra. Thanks, Pop, for letting us stay with you! It was good to be with you. You have a beautiful place, and we were very comfortable. You are a wonderful host.

But let me tell the world about Tundra. Tundra is the most amazing and most spoiled dog I've ever seen. During the day, my dad leaves the door from his kitchen to the garage open and the door to his truck open so that Tundra can get to the front seat of the truck. Tundra is afraid that my dad will go off and leave her at home while he runs errands during the day so after her morning walk, she goes out to sleep in the front seat of the truck and stays there all day. Even if he doesn't go anywhere, she goes out to sleep in the truck-just in case!!!


My Pop and me


It was so hard to say good-bye!

Friday afternoon, Darden and Becky drove us to the Atlanta airport to catch a 6 pm flight to Copenhagen, Denmark and then on to Budapest, arriving at Ferihegy airport on Saturday at 8 am, Atlanta time. (2 pm Hungary time) By the way, Dad...two of our 4 checked suitcases were one pound overwieght according to their scales, so we had to take something small out of each of those two bags and stuff them in our carry-ons and coat pockets, but hey, we made it! No problems, otherwise.


They're everywhere! They're everywhere!

We were scheduled to have a one hour lay-over in Copenhagen, but due to a strike at Ferihegy airport in Budapest, we had 2 1/2 hours in Copenhagen; plenty of time to wander and browse the duty-free shops. We found this 7-Eleven store in the Copenhagen airport! Cool, eh?


Overlooking Budapest

After arriving on Saturday afternoon at 2 pm and safely reconnected with our suitcases, we made the trek across town via taxi. We were soooo tired but managed to unpack all our suitcases before finally going to bed at 10 pm. We made ourselves stay up until then to fight against jet lag! Would you believe we slept through church the next morning, and woke up at 3 pm???? Seventeen hours of sleep!

Well, we're back at home, the suitcases are down in the basement, and we are ready to get back to work. We had a GREAT visit, seeing family and friends, shopping for new clothes, and eating to our hearts content, but it is also good to be back to the real world, our real life. We are thankful for the time in America that refreshed us, and now we are ready to get to work, serving our missionaries and our Lord.

This Christmas will be our first to celebrate without our kids or family, but we will be okay. (Kari and Jonathan will be celebrating Christmas in Spain with Jonathan's brother and sister in law, and Chris and Kate will spend it in New Jersey with Kate's family.) We will have 14-20 Journeymen from throughout Central and Eastern Europe to spend Christmas at the Eden House as guests of the Member Care team, so we will be busy as "mom and dad" to these young college graduates who will be away from home and parents/family, many for their first time. We will miss being with our own family, but we will be focused on being "family" to these folks so that they will FEEL like they are celebrating Christmas with their loved ones.

Please pray for these young missionaries during the whole Christmas season as they are away from parents, brothers and sisters; it will be difficult for them.