oooooooooo vida BOA!

The good life - An official update

Thanks so much to everyone who has supported us as we continue on our adventure as a newly married couple! The biggest support we had was from our families and friends before and during the wedding.

The week before was wonderful, with my parents and I running around like crazy, and Joaquim and his parents enjoying time with their son, and some sightseeing in Chicago! Isaac, Joaquim's best man, was here from Wednesday until the wedding, and that was wonderful too.

The wedding day was just beautiful, and everything turned out perfectly. I woke up to raindrops, which is good luck! By the time the ceremony was starting, the sun was shining, and the rest of the day was gorgeous. Perfect temperature...God is good! We were so stunned at how many people were there to share the day with us. That is probably what meant the most to us! How many hours people drove, flew, how they lost sleep and comfort in order to see us get married and give their support to our union. It was such a blessing.

Another huge blessing was a honeymoon in Hawaii. We went and came back and it was beautiful...but we also know that is a lifetime dream for many people, and we were able to go there at ages 24 and 25. Maybe never again! But we are so grateful that God made a way for that trip. It was everything we could have imagined, and looking back at the pictures already brings back such sweet memories. Spending time alone, walking on the beach, taking 600 pictures, (thanks to Joaquim!) trying new food, finding comfort food, watching tv in bed, sitting on our balcony having coffee in the morning...it was relaxed and quiet, and it was so nice to just pause life for a week and enjoy each other!

Also, the climate and land in Hawaii reminded Joaquim a lot of Brazil, so that was a nice respite from midwestern blues. Keep him in your prayers as fall and winter barrel through the door! And anyone in warm places, think about keeping your doors open in February, March, and April. We may need to take monthly escape weekends from the tundra!

Now that we are back into "life" we are still so blessed and continue to be SO happy. Our apartment is just a big pile of wonderful. God is so good, and I still have to pinch myself when I remember that my parents lived there too...what a special legacy God prepared for us in that! It's a beautiful place, it is now cozy and homey...I love our kitchen especially (which is good because I spend a LOT of time there...which I also love!) It is so great to come home to a warm, loving space, a smiling face, and to make a nice cup of coffee and sit with my husband.

Our adventures with food have been most notable and I feel like I only write about our dinners. But food is a very important element in most cultures! When combining two cultures, it becomes even more so. (I have been reading a wonderful book called Your Intercultural Marriage...very insightful on this subject!) I truly love cooking, and it is a JOY to see my husband smile after every meal. (Well...ALMOST every meal...) It is a new discipline to make lists, plan recipes, and get dinner on the stove around...7pm. Yes, 7:00 is when I start cooking! It's marvelous actually. Spending 8 hours at the office and jumping into the oven as soon as you get home is no fun. This provides a break and quality time with Joaquim before dinner, and less indigestion because we don't eat in a rush. :)

We have also been busy! A few people have mentioned that our social-ness (is that a word?) really breaks the stereotype of most newlyweds. Let it be known that we simply are not most newlyweds! We weren't most dating couples, most engaged couples, and we are still different from most married couples. We love hanging out with people, friends, family, strangers...anyone. We had something planned every evening since Wednesday of last week. Now, it's also true that tonight we are VERY excited to have nothing to do. We'll probably watch The Biggest Loser, and just BE. So, you can call after tomorrow. :)

Prayer requests:
- Pray for Mae and Pai at Lar, as they miss Joaquim and are really feeling his absense. He helped with a LOT there!
- Joaquim's green card application and documentation is in, and we are just waiting for a response in a few months. PLEASE pray that his work permit will come through fairly quicky...we are praying for it by December!
- We are really seeking the Lord for our immediate future...how He wants us to proceed here in the next few years. Pray for guidance, clear direction, and an open door in every situation.