My Niece Emily

by Catherine Shaeffer Frodsham. 11 January, 2025

Sometimes things happen for reasons we don’t even understand. When the call from our Area came to move from the Lyon France Mission to the Bulgaria/Greece Mission we were a little confused, but not for long. Tim and I both believe that when we are asked by our leaders we will do it if we can. We took a week to say goodbye to friends, our sweet missionaries and members we loved and moved to Athens Greece.

I wondered if it was to reconnect with my niece Emily who is around the same age of my daughter, Aubrie. Five years ago Emily married a man Thanasis from Greece and lives in Athens. I contacted her right away when I new for sure we were moving to Athens. She was excited and so was I. We even sent a bag of our stuff to her home, not fifteen minutes from our Greek apartment. She and her husband took us out to a Greek restaurant a few days after we arrived. She calls me “Auntie” and I love that!! Thanasis calls me “Auntie” as well.

It has been so fun to see my niece and to have “family” here. She has taken me to lunch and shopping at “JUMBO”! Probably a cross between Walmart and a dollar tree on steroids. It is a 3 story building with moving ramps from each floor. You have to start at the top and work your way down. If you miss something you have to go back to the top and start over – haha! We giggle as we are shopping!!! Greece is very different from France.

When our sweet Apostle Elder Gary Stevenson came to Athens, I invited Emily to come to our church building and hear him. She was baptized at 8 but lived with her dad and was not active. She came out of love for me. I respect that and I love her for it. It was so nice to have her there. I led a choir of about 25 missionaries which I seem to do a lot of in my life and she was there to hear that.

We had Christmas dinner at her home with the Thanasis family. It was like that movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. Although all of them are beautiful people – no over weight ones but me! They were so pleasant and kind and made a beautiful Greek meal. Thanasis’s dad does not speak English and they were all translating for him and then for Tim and I. It was so fun to be with them and to see how they interact and love each other. It was also wonderful to see how much they love my niece Emily. They adore her and she adores them.

I just found out that Emily is pregnant with her first child!!!!! They are so excited. I am excited for them. I want Emily and Thanasis to experience being parents. Being a mom has brought me such great joy I could not have had unless I was a parent.

I am so thankful that Heavenly Father sent us to Greece to serve part of our mission so I could be connected to my sweet niece again. It will be hard to go home and not be able to see my Emily whenever I want….

I LOVE YOU EMILY!!!