Family Update

It is hard to believe that the Christmas break is almost over already. I know that Noah is ready to get back to school with his friends, and normalcy in one's schedule is always nice. However, the time has gone by quickly and we didn't get everything done that we wanted to do.

Everything has been going well with Noah's school. He likes his teachers this year, just as he did last year. Knowing that in the US kids change teachers every year probably eased our transition a little more than the other parents, but in Italy kids at this level of school usually have the same teachers for the three years prior to elementary school. The teachers' style is more structured than last year's teachers, but things have gone really well. We had a parent-teacher meeting a few weeks back and they gave us a good report on Noah. In particular, the teachers told us about a day when they were singing Christmas songs at school. Noah LOVES singing and is constantly inventing new songs. The teachers said that they had sung some songs in Italian and then a little girl wanted to sing a song in French. When she was done Noah wanted to sing one in English. At that time it was still 3-4 weeks before Christmas and we had not sung any of those songs at home. We are pretty sure that Noah doesn't know any in English. Regardless, the teachers were thoroughly convinced that he sang them a real Christmas song in English, even though they did not recognize the tune. They said it had the words Christmas and toys in it, and it had a tune/rhythm. When I asked Noah want Christmas song he sang at school, he said he didn't sing any. We're convinced that he wrote a song just for them on that occasion. The teachers also commented on his loving nature, and how he spends the first five minutes of every day giving hugs to all those around him. We pray that his gentle and sweet spirit stays alive in him always.

Elaina is starting to step out a little. For the longest time she has clung to our legs and not ventured more than about 6 to 8 feet from us. Now she is willing to go to a few other people, but she is still picky about who that is going to be. She doesn't say much, but she chatters a lot and she usually listens to us when we tell her to do something or to stop. Italian seems to be the more authoritative language for her since she obeys it better. The one thing we have to straighten out is when we say "come here" in English or Italian. Her normal response is to turn and run away. Somehow she must think that it means, "let's play chase!" Otherwise, she is a tremendous encourager. She will applaud anything!

As for me, since the weather has turned a little less pleasant and the sun comes up later, I have been riding my bike a lot less. At the beginning of the holidays, a younger Italian guy that I had been riding with a few times called me to go for a ride and we managed to squeeze in two rides. He has a healthier respect for God than many Italians and the hope is that I'll be able to get some studies set up with him.

Heather has been very involved with the other mothers at school this year: setting up play dates, trips to the library with other families, and even some traditional dinners at our house to give an "American experience" to some of the families we have more interaction with. She has also been taking Italian classes twice a week, improving her Italian, as well as giving her the confidence to communicate with others more freely. If that was not enough, during this holiday season she was also very busy in the kitchen. There were at least five entire days that she spent in the kitchen making cookies and other sweets. She was asked to put together a "desert sampler" as a Christmas gift for each of the teachers for Noah's section. With the religion teacher, speech teacher, and two main teachers, she made four boxes full of goodies. When Heather went to present the boxes to the teachers with the other moms, I told her that she needed to ask exactly what she was supposed to say when she gave it to them, "Vi ringraziamo" or "Vi ringrassiamo." The first means we thank you and the second means we make you fat again.

Our holiday season ends this Sunday, the 6th, for what is called the Befana. It is a holiday for the kids where a good witch leaves stockings of candy and toys for them. In Pistoia, there is traditionally an enactment of the event, which in past years involved fireworks and high wires. We plan on going again this year and I'll try to get pictures this time. The last time I tried it was too cold for my digital camera to work.

With the end of an old year and the start of a new year, we reflect back on our own goals from last year and plan new goals for this year. Your prayers and your support have made last year a success in terms of new contacts and seeds being planted in the community of Pistoia, Italy. We realize that success in this community is dependent upon God and not us, and we pray as this new year progresses that God blesses the church here in Italy abundantly.

As always, we feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to know each of you, to pray for each of you, and to be blessed by each of you. Your generosity of spirit is an amazing and wonderful gift to us. We pray that you all had a wonderful holiday season with time to relax, reminisce and consider a new year for Christ.

Roger, Heather, Noah and Elaina

ps. We'll add a picture update soon so check back every so often, or take a glance after our next update on the work here.