Our Doctor Visit

This morning we went to IASO for a regular check-up. We've been dying to know the gender of the twins since we first learned that Brandie was pregnant with two babies. The past few times, the babies have not cooperated with us....today, they finally did. After a very clear ultrasound, we learned that Brandie is carrying identical twin GIRLS!!!! I couldn't believe it when we saw the evidence on the screen...but it was very clear. Both of us thought that there was at least one boy in the bunch. The doctor is also pleased that the placenta has moved up and the babies have moved down. According to what they were able to see, the placenta has re-attached itself. God is awesome!!!

Computer Crash, Thanksgiving, & Family Day

Last Monday (Nov. 19) our laptop finally gave up and died. It was on its way out for several months though. So, last week, we had no compter for a couple of days until we were able to purchase a new one. We would like to take this opportunity to say "thank you" to all the churches that sent extra Christmas support this year...it will be used to pay for most of the computer!!! Greeks do not celebrate American Thanksgiving...but that did not prevent us from preparing our own and over enjoying it! The day after Thanksgiving has become a family day for the Crabtree's. We wake up and go shopping for a new Christmas ornament. This year, we had to buy a new tree (and we found one that is 7 1/2 feet tall!). We then worked on decorating it and the house for Christmas. It's a little early for the Greeks to think about Christmas...but we do it this early anyway as it's one of our favorite holidays! We still do not know the gender of the babies yet. We will see the doctor in the next week to 10 days to do another untrasound. We're so excited about these new little ones. Brandie is doing good right now. She's still taking it easy...though she is doing more than she has the past few weeks. We'll let you know as soon as we know the gender(s). On Sunday, Brandie's Sunday School class finished their fall promotion. They were learning how to obey. Every time they demonstrated obdience, they could put another piece of their flower together. Sunday we presented them with their completed flowers. With the promotion, they were challenged to memorize two verses of Scripture (a good accomplishment for a 2 and 4 year old): Psalm 54:4 and Ephesians 6:1. Please pray that their little hearts will stay soft and that they will determine to live for God for the rest of their lives.

Our Christmas Tree This Year

Our New Laptop

Melanie & Emily Being Recognized For Learning About Obedience

The Right To Protest

The Greek people have a right to protest. It is actually written in the Greek constitution that all Greek citizens have the right to prtoest (as opposed to something that is only assumed). Last night, Brandie and I had a date--she is actually allowed to leave the house now!!! We got a baby sitter for Emily and we went out. As we drive past the Parliment building, Brandie noticed several news cameras set up. As we drove on down the road, we noticed that there were no cars driving in the other lane. This part of town has cars on it 24 hours a day...so we knew something was up. A few minutes later, the traffic came to a "stand-still" as a group of high school and college students were marching in protest. What were they protesting? Private colleges and universities. Right now, the government does not officially recognize foreign or private colleges/universities. To teach in the school system here or to perform any job for the government that requires a degree, that degree must be obtained from a Greek public university. The government here has been put under a lot of pressure to recoginze the foreign unversities (including several unversities from the U.S.). But the students and teachers do not want this recoginition to happen. Why? One theory is that by accrediting the private universities, the average Greek couldn't afford to attend the private universities where the better professors teach. They would have to "settle" for the State college and for an inferior education. Will the government eventually cave into the pressure and accredit these private universities? Who knows. Until a final decision is made, many more protests like the one pictured here will take place and disrupt the daily lives of the rest of us.

We were not moving when I took either picture.

These protests are not violent...just marches and chants demading a change of policy or chants protesting a change of policy.

Update On Brandie

I know it's been a few days since my last post. Life has kind of slowed down (one one sense) and sped up (in another). Brandie has continued my cooking education and I've been busy around the house with the ordinary, everyday stuff. We went back to the doctor yesterday because of a few more complications. We had another ultrasound and the babies look healthy!! They are very active right now. We tried to see the gender of the babies, but they didn't cooperate. "Next time," said Dr. Dion...a favorite expression of Greek :) Furhtermore, the plasinta has reattached and moved up enough that it no longer poses any threat to the babies. We are eternally grateful to God for answering this prayer. Thank you for praying for us during this difficult time. The doctor asked Brandie to not to move around alot for the next month to 6 weeks. So, the next prayer request we have is for God's grace on Brandie's life...that she will be ABLE to stay put for that long. It is her desire to participate in the Christmas holiday season around Athens...and if she's still on the form of "bedrest," then she cannot participate. We're excited about the prospects of the ministry here in Piraeus and we look forward to a GREAT Christmas season.