Giving thanks with a grateful heart...

These past few weeks have been a whilrwind. I've hardly had time to get any sleep, let alone keep up with my blog! Sorry I'm behind! I've had the usual tasks of cleaning the church, preparing for the after-school program and teaching the kids on Wednesday through Friday afternoons, helping with the kids or youth group on Friday evenings during our Breaking the Barriers service. Plus we've had lots of extra excitement and activity around here lately with all the A/G missionaries being here in Padova for the week of Thanksgiving. We had meetings, prayer, worship, great times of fellowship, and a huge meal on Thanksgiving Day. What a joy to be able to celebrate with other Americans in Italy, where Thanksgiving isn't exactly one of their national holidays! I had the privilege of meeting all of our missionaries serving here in Italy...Terry & Marsha Peretti, Mike & Loretta Hopkins(Loretta was in the States), Harvey & Maria Skinner, Warren & Laura Van Dolsen, Bob & Lynne Rose, Rick & Angela Forker, Randy & Diane McGehee, and of course Steve & Patti Gray and Kurtis & Amy Denton who I've gotten to know here in Padova. We also were blessed to have Bob & Denise Ryals, who are missionaries to Spain and Assistant Area Directors for the Southern Europe area.

It was wonderful to meet these missionaries, hear their testimonies, and get to spend some time with them.  The missionaries said it was monumental to have everyone there together at one time (except we missed having Loretta there).

I joined some of the missionaries on a little excursion to Villa Pisani, a huge villa outside of Padova. This is the view from the front...I couldn't even capture it all.

Beautiful marble

View from rear of the villa...we weren't exactly sure what that building is in the distance.

The rear view of the villa

Some trails on the grounds

They even had a maze!

This was very interesting...I think they called this an ice house. See how it's up on a hill? I was told they would haul snow in and pack it underneath this building...

I took this picture though the window...the snow would cool what was stored in here though the vent and floor.

This is underneath the building...

They would bring the snow in and pack it in here...

There was a little "moat"/stream around the building where the water drained from the snow melting. Amazing idea, right?!

The garden

Rows of trees growing...

in these greenhouse type buildings

We then had lunch...thought I would take a picture of my pizza before I devoured it! I ended up taking some home...delicious! This is usually how it comes to you, hanging off the plate like that :)

We then stopped at a "bar" (coffee shop). Isn't this quaint? They have an outside seating area, complete with blankets on the chairs for the comfort of their guests.

This was my hot chocolate...thicker than we're used to in the U.S. And richly delicious!

Here I am preparing my contribution to our Thanksgiving dinner...my grandma's Sweet Potato Casserole. I'm still getting used to using our fancy little hand blender.

The finished masterpiece! Pecan topping made with Texas pecans (thanks, Trish!) We can't get pecans here in Italy.  

I was a little skeptical of how it would turn out due to the different ingredients and ovens here, but it was a success! None leftover!  

So many reminders of home :)

The dessert table!

Our turkey

The day after Thanksgiving I went on another adventure with some of the missionaries to Nove, Italy. We visitied a ceramic factory, where lots of beautiful dishes are made...some of which are the Italian line for Tiffany & Co, Williams & Sonoma, Lenox, etc...It was neat to see these gorgeous dishes in such a humble setting. Nothing fancy about how they are displayed here...they are crafted downstairs, brought upstairs and placed on simple wooden shelves. Most of the pieces don't have price tags on them...you inquire about the cost from the workers. They have these stock carts you can take around with you to place your desired items on. They have numerous advertisements around the "store" from magazines or catalogues showing the price you would pay for that piece in America. Quite the difference!

What a week! It was very busy, but such a special time of fellowship with the missionaries. What truly amazing people. I will continue to pray for them and their ministries here in Italy even after I head back to the States. It was such an honor to meet them, listen to their wisdom, and learn from them. I was blessed!

"Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"

Ephesians 5:20

Missing Maira...

Just as the weather has been changing and getting colder here, so has life been changing. Maira moved back to Brazil on November 26th, making my life here a bit different. I miss her bright smile and hilarious comments. I miss conversations with her and discussing things of the Lord. I miss cooking together and strolling through Padova. For only having known her a couple of months, she felt like a sister. She taught me so much, and I had such fun with her. Even though it was hard to say goodbye, I am exceedingly grateful for the opportunity to know her and the time God gave us together. She helped me in so many ways and was such a HUGE blessing in my life. We plan to stay in touch, and hope to see one another again someday! Thank you for everything, Maira! I miss you!!!

On our lovely couch in our lovely apartment

Vana, Maira, & I on my birthday

In Firenze!

She picked a few Florentine olives

We threw her a big graduation/goodbye party at the church

With the kiddos

Apparently this is a graduation tradition here...to hit and kick the graduate while they run through :)

Another graduation tradition...to write a special "poem" (they have another name for it here) about the graduate and their life. Vana & I wrote one for Maira, and I read it at her party

Everyone watching the slide show Vana made for her

The yummy treats

Notice the orange, her favorite color

There were so many of Maira's friends and church family who came to wish her well and celebrate with her.

We love and miss you, Maira!

Arrivederci!

"...For I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like Me,

Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things that are not yet done,

Saying, 'My counsel shall stand,

And I will do all My pleasure.'"

Isaiah 46:9-10

Favoloso Firenze

I'm not sure that my words or photos can accurately capture or portray the beauty of Toscana (Tuscany). I truly had such an amazing experience during my visit to Firenze (Florence) and the surrounding area of Toscana. It reminded me of home...hills with trees abounding in the changing colors of fall...around every bend and over every hill, fields of grapes and olives...and I was told even sunflowers during a different season! Just seeing the soil, things growing, nature all around me, breathing in that fresh country air...I'll let the following picture speak for me :)

I've gotten ahead of myself...I'll back up to our arrival. Maira and I set off for Florence after church on the Sunday after my birthday. Upon our arrival, the McGehee's were already waiting for us at the train station. Randy was kind enough to take our bags back to their van via the tram, and Diane showed us around the city.

Ponte Vecchio

We browsed the shops of Ponte Vecchio...most all of which sell jewelry

We just happened to be in Florence on the last day of an Olive Oil Festival. There was a tent set up with all these olive oil vendors inside, all offering samples of their treasured oil. It was delightful! It was the first time I had ever seen oil that was actually bright green. Some of them were so fresh, they had just been bottled in November. While Maira and I were browsing through the oils and deciding on a few to purchase, Randy called to tell us that on his way to meet us, he ran into a band playing and a new David sculpture being unveiled. Michelangelo's originial David is at the Accademia Gallery there in Florence....the replica is in Palazzo Vecchio...and there in that same piazza we saw them unveil yet another replica of David. Not sure where the final resting place of this statue will be.

Randy and Diane were telling us the exciting things God has been doing with the new ICF church they are starting there in Florence. They had been making connections with other Christians, meeting in their home for bible study for the past several weeks, and praying over the city. They already had about fifteen people coming to their bible study, some of them college students who had found them online. God has provided them with a building to rent for having a weekly church service right there in the middle of Florence...it even has a piano and is all set up for worship also. They said it's been amazing to see everything unfold...that things have been totally different than they had anticipated or expected, but that it's totally His leading and provision. His ways are higher than ours. I will continue praying for the McGehee's, their ministry, and the people in Florence!

Randy & Diane McGehee, Maira, Sarah

The next day was our "country day". YAH!! :) I loved our country day! We drove all around the Tuscan countryside, taking time to stop at a castle and a walled city.

Castello di Poppiano

Inside the castle grounds, we just happened to be able to take in some olive oil production...

Bless their hearts, they just went about their work while we watched them in awe!

I tried taking pictures of the olive "goo" getting mashed up in this machine, but they didn't turn out very well.

And after making it through all the machines, out comes this beautiful stream...I can't even describe how amazing it smelled in this room!

Waiting their turn...

Crates and crates of them!

Maira and I enjoying Toscana and our time together!

The walled city we went to, called Monteriggioni. Inside were cute shops, restaurants, a church...

And outside, they were harvesting some olives. Interesting to watch them use their little "flapper" to shake them out of the trees into the nets they laid on the ground.  

Il Duomo

I've read it holds 20,000 people. The exterior is made of white, green, and pink marble.

Closer shot to show the detail and colorful marble.

And the Baptistery...a separate building next to the Duomo.

What a time we had in Firenze...the city of EVERYTHING, according to the McGehees! :) They provided us such wonderful hospitality and were so kind to show us around the beautiful area of Italy they live in. Thank you, Randy & Diane! May the Lord richly bless you and your ministry there!