November 2023 Summary

Thanksgiving Celebration with Centro Agape

Regan and her roommates with some great fall leaves!

Building up some future leaders

The tree goes up at the day after Thanksgiving

We kept hearing seagulls killing some pigeons. It sounded terrible! Turns out that Rome hired a bunch of guys to walk around in hazmat suits blaring a recording of just that, to scare away the birds.

Pretty Girl

Regan and Kai went to a Christmas tree farm

Regan had a great time with Emily and Mamaw

And she went on a hike in the Smokies with her friends

Technically, October 31, but it is in my November folder. Halloween fun at the house

He is my favorite :)

Went to a ladies retreat and hiked a crazy mountain steep mountain, but the view at the top was worth it!

Benjamin playing around with his paints. Nice job, Benjamin!

The girls started teaching Grace some English. She is so gifted in language learning!

Hudson joined his brother in some painting fun.

It's been a lot of prep for the Franklin Graham Noi Festival, but what a good time!

So many people heard the good news! 2 nights, 20,000 people

We went both nights, different people both nights

Night one was Kari Jobe, and night 2 was Michael W. Smith

This. Every. Single. Night. The driving theory test is full of trick questions and most Italians have to take it multiple times before passing. It was definitely a God thing that I passed on the first try. I can't tell you how relieved I am!

The cutest puffer fish at the pet store! 

Almost as cute as these two babies

Silas, Katherine, Lauren, and Ruthie.

Working on her art homework in the car while we wait for tennis to start.

Making apple squares with her dad

Katherine's finished project

Happy Thanksgiving!!

getting started

First ornament on the tree

It's Katherine's turn to put the star on top

selfies with Mom...Katherine (16)

Benjamin (18)

Hudson (14)

Scout

Lauren (14)

My Sweetie

Thanksgiving with friends

Quite the spread!!!

Friends

Katherine, Sara, and Lauren

I love that the chocolate festival sets up by our house each year! it's so tempting though!! Hudson spent some of his money to buy a macaroon 

And Lauren bought 2 pieces of chocolate...one for her and one for me :)

Benjamin giving Shadow some love

Dorcas, one of my SS kids

celebrating the opening of the children's section of our church! Now we can have 3 kids classes!!!

Lois, little sister of Dorcas ;)

Eating pizza with some friends

making Christmas cookies

Hudson was a bit cold ;)

Another Thanksgiving gathering

SO MUCH FOOD!

These 3 cuties :)

These are teh Bible we purchased to give to the kids who come to our afternoon Sunday school.

Katherine playing tennis.
 

Hudson Turns 14!

Happy birthday, HUDSON! (more than 3 months late in posting) For the last 3+ months our lives have been so busy with normal stuff like school and ministry, but we added an Italian driving theory class to the mix, and a host of medical issues with tons of doctor's appointments. I'm MORE than happy to say that I passed the theory test and no longer have to go every night to the school! Which means...I'm in catch nup mode big time!

Hudson asked if he could go bowling with some of his friends. He gets his birthday off in Italy since it's a holiday here. Works out pretty good! Turns out that none of his friends can bowl. After two frames and ALL gutter balls, we asked them to put up the bumpers. It made for a much more fun time.

Group picture

Celebrating with cupcakes at the bowling center.

nuggets, fries, onion rings, and wings to share (they were out of pizza)

Benjamin got a kick out of his onion ring

Hudson wanted a picture with each of his friends and the gift they gave.

Michele 

Daniele

Lauren...with the eraser gift (because we were keeping a BIG secret)

A pen from Benjamin (same reason...BIG secret)

noodles from Katherine (love how happy he is, even when he's getting "filler" gifts)

 

Now. For the "BIG" gift.

Inside the box was a small backpack that he has been wanting. He was very happy! But wait, there was something inside the backpack!

AH! He finally got the phone he has been asking for since he was FIVE!!! he's waited a long time for this gift.

And is SUPER excited

Then he opened the card from Mamaw...she pitched in for the phone and got the sim card...

plus the card with everyone who pitched in to get him his dream phone...Grandmommy, Granddad, Mammy, Mamaw, Mom, Dad, Regan, Benjamin, Katherine, and Lauren

One last group photo!

playing some games while we wait on parents to pick up their kids

We also celebrated with a cake at home that night. We love you so much, Hudson! It's hard to believe that you are already 14!!