Hello's and Goodbye's......What a week!

Eilidh meeting her cousin Hannah.

My brother Kenny wiith Eilidh.

Abi and Auntie Hayley

Last Monday my brother Kenny, his wiife Hayley and their daughter Hannah, were able to come to Ohio for a flying visit! I have not seen them for two years so it was lovely to catch up with them.  They used to live in North Carolina and for the last few years they have been living in Isreal.  Eilidh has now met all her Uncles,  Aunts and Cousins! It felt very wierd saying goodbye when we have no idea when we will see each other again.  






The Beckwith's and the Linkletter's and Abi and Matthew

After they left mid morning,  it was time to get ready for a special MAF dinner party! Mark and Jenny Beckwith and their two daughters Abigail and Naomi are also with MAF UK and have now completed their training and are due to return to the UK on the 18th of December.  They will spend a few months in the UK before going to serve in a MAF programme in Tanzania.   Geoff and Celia Linkletter and their daughter Miriam are from Newcastle and are also with MAF UK, training at MMS.  Andy will be finished next year and Geoff will be finished in two years so it was wonderful to all be together for a meal before the Beckwith's start the next chapter in their MAF adventure!  We had cottage pie,  and rice pudding for desert.  It is not every day three Brittish families can all get together in the middle of small town America - Abi had the strongest American accent in the house that night :0)  The most humourous part when Jenny and I get together is when we come across words where I have to ask her to repeat what she is saying as I can't understand her accent! I don't struggle with the American accent here in Ohio,  only the English ones ;0)

We have enjoyed living in the country here in Coshocton and being close to Abigail's school is always a bonus.  We are blessed with wonderful land-lords also. This year they are trying to sell their house and wish to move back into the house we are living in at some point.  We were no longer in any contract and it was a little unsettling to know that we may have to move out some time in the year before Andy is finished his exams.  Even after his exams are over we will have lots to sort out in preperation for the next big move.  We felt we needed to look for another house to rent for our last year so we could guarantee we would be settled through this important year. On Wednesday we went to look at three properties and were about to sign a lease for one of them yesterday.  After telling our land-lords about it they have decided to offer us another years contract so we do not have to move after all.   With so many other big things happening in this next year we are so thankful we do not have to think about yet another move during this year.  

Thinking we may have had a possible move in the next few weeks we knew we would need to pursue a second car more urgently.  Andy's jeep is away to the scrap yard and he has been surviving on lifts part of the week and I have been home bound when he has the car the other days. Thursday and Friday evening we were looking at cars! Thankfully we were not due to pay for one un-till Monday.  Now that we are not moving it is not so urgent.  At least now he will still be able to get lifts from our neighbour but we are hoping to have another car for him to drive in January some time.   The lack of public transport makes it impossible to go anywhere without a car and the roads are not geared up for walkers.  There are no wide grass verges to move over to if a car is coming,  you would have to jump into the ditches at either side of the road!  There are no pavements (side-walks) expect those in the town - if we had a field with the house then a horse and cart would be an attractive alternative. lol!
Also this week on Friday evening we had the MMS Christmas get together. There was around 80 people there.  About six families are leaving soon to go to new mission organisations,  return back to their mission in Brazil and other places.   This was the third MMS Christmas get together we have been to and the biggest yet! There must have been about 13 children under the age of 6! Hats off to Dale and Deborah Coats for hosting 80 people at their house!


Some face painting fun on Saturday.

 On Saturday,  Andy took Abi and Matthew to an Amish store in Kidron,  about half an hours drive. The kids had great fun decorating biscuits and getting their face painted (all for free!). 






Today the children led the service at Church.   Kaylee, Abi's friend,  comes to church with us every Sunday morning and her Mum and little sister also came for the first time to hear them play the hand bells.   On a Sunday afternoon we try and rest and after such a hectic week which included three migranes for me and Andy still battling with a cough, as well as all of the above, we enjoyed a much needed nap!