We made it safely all the way to Lar on Saturday! It's really a miracle that we can get here so "easily" considering the thousands of miles we traveled. Airplanes, cars, and busses.
We left Thursday evening and had a pretty good flight. My normal routine is to take 2 tylenol PM as soon as I sit down and buckle my seat belt, pop in some earplugs, put on a mask to cover my eyes, and I wake up for breakfast. That was slightly interrupted by a very small child this time, and now to fight swelling in my feet and legs I had to get up once an hour and walk around. It is just marvelous to pull yourself out of a seat at 3:45am after having barely slept and go for a stroll. About 5 or 6 hours into the 10 1/2 hour flight I knelt down to grab my shoes from under my seat and noticed that my legs were definitely swollen, so that encouraged me to keep walking. We had a few moments of turbulence that always freak me out, so I was glad to have a hand to hold and just tried to stay calm. If I'm freaking out, the baby freaks out too! It was in one of those moments that Joaquim felt his first kick from our little one, who was definitely putting on some acrobatics, maybe because of my sudden onset of hypertension, whoops.
When we got to São Paulo, Isaac picked us up and the airport and we left to spend 3 hours in the car. I'm not sure how far Tio Silvio's house is from the airport in miles, but it definitely is NOT supposed to take 3 hours. We were parked on the highway for a good bit, and watched the gas gauge start flashing, knowing an exit and a gas station were a loooong way away. We made it to fill up the car and our stomachs and then headed back out into the parking lot. Isaac picked us up at 10, and after eating and sitting, we were at his parents house by about 2:30. Yikes. We took a shower, took a nap, had some quick coffee, and were off again to the bus station. It took us 2 hours to get there. Then we had a 12 hour bus ride, and I slept for almost the whole thing. Not terribly well, but I was out.
So after lots of driving and sitting and watching the incredible growth of my ogre/hobbit feet, we finally made it to Assis Chateaubriand at 8am on Saturday morning. Phew.
Since then, we have done LOTS of sitting in nice comfy lawn chairs in the new "área" at Pai and Mãe's house. They recently did some rearranging and knocked out a few walls of the entryway of their house, leaving a nice covered area that goes straight through to the back laundry room. They have a nice big wooden table there and some chairs to relax, and the wind goes right through. It is just delicious! We have sat there talking with Pai and Mãe, have had breakfast, lunch, coffee, and dinner there most days, and it is just marvelous.
Saturday and Sunday involved lots of this sitting and talking, and eating homemade bread. I have eaten more bread during this pregnancy than ever before I think! And Mãe, knowing I'd been craving her bread for months, very graciously made 16 loaves immediately upon our arrival. I probably ate a whole loaf by myself when all was said and done. Whoops.
Monday morning we spent the whole morning at the City Hall. Joaquim wanted to see everyone in his department, but seeing as he knows EVERYONE there, we would take about two steps and then have to stop and say hi to someone. Two more steps and there's someone else. And you see how it goes. After lunch, we went to get our Brazilian marriage certificate here, which was a bit of a process, dropped random kids off at random schools in the afternoon, got some ice cream (duh...) and in the evening went to Tia Ivanese's house for some pizza and Guaraná. (Man, I am struggling with caffeine! I have about 1 cup of coffee a day (or two half-cups since it is usually served twice) and then it is sooooo difficult to refuse Guaraná. But I'm doing my best!) We were at Tia Ivanese's house until midnight, chatting the night away, and then slept until 11 the next morning. Ohhhh vacation. :)
Yesterday was a calmer day, with a short morning and lots more relaxing in the afternoon. We ran some more errands and when we were in town we stopped by a few people's houses. All of them had little babies! Joaquim wanted to see a friend of his who had come to our party here in June and that was the last time he saw her. So we drove past her work, went in, and she was nowhere to be found. He asked one of the other guys there if she was around and he said she was on leave. Joaquim asked, "well...is she ok??" because that sounded a bit serious. The guy responded "yea, yea, you know, just maternity leave." Joaquim said "WHAT??" Turns out, she had a baby the day before we left to come here. So we were one of little Fernanda's first visitors. It was funny to see how life will be like with a liiiiiittle newborn baby. Lots of sleeping and feeding of course. She half-heartedly invited us to have dinner there someday, but I have a feeling that would be a bit much...
Oh, there was more ice cream involved in our life yesterday afternoon.
For the whole evening, we just talked and talked and talked, staying up again until about 12:30am talking with Mãe after everyone had gone to bed.
It has been pretty hot here, and Joaquim keeps saying that it's so loud. I guess he's sort of gotten used to the quietness of suburban neighborhoods. For the first few days I think he was in shock as he got back into a "routine" here, but it has been so nice to be here. We are trying to refresh and recharge ourselves, as well as be a listening ear and a support where we can.
You can pray for both of us are we're fighting pseudo-colds. It could just be our bodies adjusting to the HEAT, but we've got scratchy throats that I hope turn into nothing else. I'm glad to have my super powered prenatal vitamin and lots of oranges at my disposal.
Our little guy is doing well - I feel him moving around every day! Joaquim preached at church on Sunday night and he did two somersaults as soon as he heard his voice on the microphone! We just read that he can now taste whatever I eat, and it seems he's a fan of melon. Yum. :)
That's all for now! We're off to run more errands!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Brazil Bound
I guess it's time to gear up for our trip to Brazil! 2 weeks from today, on the 25th, we will be boarding a plane to São Paulo and will visit our family in Brazil for a wonderful 2 weeks.
I am so looking forward to a break in routine and some time with long missed family members. But it still seems like this trip isn't real! Maybe because my passport is still floating around at the consulate waiting for a visa. Oh well, it should get back in my hands soon. We will soon be packing bags and I will be trying to figure out how to survive a 10 our flight as a pregnant woman. That will be new! No tylenol pm for me, and lots of snacks in my purse. I wish they served passion fruit juice on the airplane because that would help knock me out!
As always, the 2 weeks will go by so quickly but I am looking forward to being together at Lar, where we first met 4 years ago this month, as a married couple! And man am I looking forward to some of Mãe's homemade bread with butter. I have been thinking about it since I got pregnant...it's probably my strongest and least satisfied craving yet!
We are giddy about the promise of a GREAT trip and...I guess we'd better get packing because the clock is ticking!
I am so looking forward to a break in routine and some time with long missed family members. But it still seems like this trip isn't real! Maybe because my passport is still floating around at the consulate waiting for a visa. Oh well, it should get back in my hands soon. We will soon be packing bags and I will be trying to figure out how to survive a 10 our flight as a pregnant woman. That will be new! No tylenol pm for me, and lots of snacks in my purse. I wish they served passion fruit juice on the airplane because that would help knock me out!
As always, the 2 weeks will go by so quickly but I am looking forward to being together at Lar, where we first met 4 years ago this month, as a married couple! And man am I looking forward to some of Mãe's homemade bread with butter. I have been thinking about it since I got pregnant...it's probably my strongest and least satisfied craving yet!
We are giddy about the promise of a GREAT trip and...I guess we'd better get packing because the clock is ticking!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
His Eye is on the Sparrow
I just love this song. For weeks it has been stuck in my head, and my first choice for singing in the shower, the car, while cooking, whatever. It's a beautiful melody and I like to pretend I could duet with Lauryn Hill (further proof that sometimes I'm delusional...) Here are the lyrics:
Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for Heav'n and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Refrain:
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Mostly, I just like to sing that song. It's beautiful, it's expressive and passionate, and I sound pretty good in the shower. But I was nearly knocked over by a "moment" a couple weeks ago during our gospel choir concert. A soloist started off with the first verse and no one knew this song was even on the list. As I stood on the top riser behind her, I was surprised that a song that has been so special to me in the past few months, though I didn't know why, was now being sung right in front of me.
It was then that I remembered a nearly 20 year old "nickname" of mine. When I was in early elementary school, my dad and I joined Indian Princesses. It's a father-daughter group through the YMCA that meets weekly and offers some weekly togetherness time, doing crafts, playing games, and, if I remember correctly, taking a yearly weekend retreat. Your group is a "tribe" and you and your dad choose an "indian name" to be known by when everyone gets together. I remember that some of the girls in our "tribe" had names like "purple moon" or "pink star" and I was always slightly jealous of their girly, galactic names. Why would I be jealous? Well, mine was plain and small. My dad was called "big owl", which seemed pretty fitting to me, but I was just "little sparrow".
Little did I know that this meaningless nickname that never stuck and that I had never called to mind once in the last however many years would nearly knock me off my riser on February 26th, 2010. As I listened to a beautiful song, I felt the Lord remind me of this name, and it was as if He was saying, "This is for you. I see you and I am taking care of you." Just as my dad was "big owl" and was tall and wise, my Heavenly Father is HUGE and POWERFUL and ALL KNOWING. And to Him, I am still just a little sparrow, and it is He who provides for me.
Why should I feel discouraged,
Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely
And long for Heav'n and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Refrain:
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
Mostly, I just like to sing that song. It's beautiful, it's expressive and passionate, and I sound pretty good in the shower. But I was nearly knocked over by a "moment" a couple weeks ago during our gospel choir concert. A soloist started off with the first verse and no one knew this song was even on the list. As I stood on the top riser behind her, I was surprised that a song that has been so special to me in the past few months, though I didn't know why, was now being sung right in front of me.
It was then that I remembered a nearly 20 year old "nickname" of mine. When I was in early elementary school, my dad and I joined Indian Princesses. It's a father-daughter group through the YMCA that meets weekly and offers some weekly togetherness time, doing crafts, playing games, and, if I remember correctly, taking a yearly weekend retreat. Your group is a "tribe" and you and your dad choose an "indian name" to be known by when everyone gets together. I remember that some of the girls in our "tribe" had names like "purple moon" or "pink star" and I was always slightly jealous of their girly, galactic names. Why would I be jealous? Well, mine was plain and small. My dad was called "big owl", which seemed pretty fitting to me, but I was just "little sparrow".
Little did I know that this meaningless nickname that never stuck and that I had never called to mind once in the last however many years would nearly knock me off my riser on February 26th, 2010. As I listened to a beautiful song, I felt the Lord remind me of this name, and it was as if He was saying, "This is for you. I see you and I am taking care of you." Just as my dad was "big owl" and was tall and wise, my Heavenly Father is HUGE and POWERFUL and ALL KNOWING. And to Him, I am still just a little sparrow, and it is He who provides for me.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good
My last post was about trying to be grateful even while disappointed, afraid, and upset. Last night as I was falling asleep (which is a .02 second process lately since I'm preggers...did I mention that here???) I was singing a song in my head. It's not a new song, as there are so many Psalms with this phrasing: "Oh Oh Give thanks to the Lord for He is good". And that's all the song says.
I was struck by its simplicity. Not just lyrically, but conceptually. The concept of gratitude to the Lord is SIMPLE. Basically, we should just always be thankful. Not just because we're being mandated or because the Bible says so and we just have to get over our junk and be grateful because there are starving children in China, so eat the rest of your dinner...that never made sense to me anyway. No, it's not a guilt trip, it's not a discipline. There is a very good reason to be giving thanks to the Lord. He's good! All the time!
There are bumps in all our roads...
- We are so looking forward to meeting this little baby (currently the size of a lemon and already sucking its thumb...so tiny and yet totally formed, it's just maturing now...amazing) but we have lots of reasons to wonder "how are we going to do this?" God is good, so we are giving thanks!
- Joaquim is still searching for a job, and that's really hard. We have days where I am exhausted and he is bored out of his mind because he's been stuck in the apartment. But God is providing in very intentional ways. Joaquim got his first check in the mail from preaching at a church in Forreston, IL this month, and he is currently working on a project to help translate a cell phone system into Portuguese. These connections have been divinely placed in our path, without a doubt. We thank you, Lord!
- We were blessed with a hefty tax refund to pay for half of our trip to Brasil next month (March 25-April 11). We booked those tickets wondering what in the world we were thinking, but we put it in God's hands because we know He is pleased as we pursue our future there. A month later our bank account evened out! We thank you, Lord!
- We have wonderful friends and family, here in the Chicagoland area, around the country, and across the globe.
Even if we had nothing and no one, I pray that we would still give thanks. Because we have been given the greatest gift of all, which is the gift of eternity with our God. This life is such a "poof" and it's not important. Who cares if you get the newest smart phone! Make sure you have GOD. And if you do...give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
I was struck by its simplicity. Not just lyrically, but conceptually. The concept of gratitude to the Lord is SIMPLE. Basically, we should just always be thankful. Not just because we're being mandated or because the Bible says so and we just have to get over our junk and be grateful because there are starving children in China, so eat the rest of your dinner...that never made sense to me anyway. No, it's not a guilt trip, it's not a discipline. There is a very good reason to be giving thanks to the Lord. He's good! All the time!
There are bumps in all our roads...
- We are so looking forward to meeting this little baby (currently the size of a lemon and already sucking its thumb...so tiny and yet totally formed, it's just maturing now...amazing) but we have lots of reasons to wonder "how are we going to do this?" God is good, so we are giving thanks!
- Joaquim is still searching for a job, and that's really hard. We have days where I am exhausted and he is bored out of his mind because he's been stuck in the apartment. But God is providing in very intentional ways. Joaquim got his first check in the mail from preaching at a church in Forreston, IL this month, and he is currently working on a project to help translate a cell phone system into Portuguese. These connections have been divinely placed in our path, without a doubt. We thank you, Lord!
- We were blessed with a hefty tax refund to pay for half of our trip to Brasil next month (March 25-April 11). We booked those tickets wondering what in the world we were thinking, but we put it in God's hands because we know He is pleased as we pursue our future there. A month later our bank account evened out! We thank you, Lord!
- We have wonderful friends and family, here in the Chicagoland area, around the country, and across the globe.
Even if we had nothing and no one, I pray that we would still give thanks. Because we have been given the greatest gift of all, which is the gift of eternity with our God. This life is such a "poof" and it's not important. Who cares if you get the newest smart phone! Make sure you have GOD. And if you do...give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Disappointment...but Gratitude is the Attitude that sets the Altitude for my Life
Feeling really confused about why Joaquim didn't get this most recent really promising job he interviewed for. They emailed him and did a phone interview, then called him for a face-to-face interview all the way in Aurora and then call back a week and 1/2 later saying they chose someone else. My first reaction is "well then why did you call in the first place?" It seemed too good to be true.
Some part of me is telling me it was a learning experience, it was a lesson, and it is continuing to be a lesson in faith...especially for me.
I'm trying to meditate on the lyrics of the song "Gratitude" by Nichole Nordeman. They really capture how I feel about our current situation...dry earth, hot sun and no shade...would you please send a cloud, Lord? And yet it brings home the Choice to be grateful for what we have.
Some part of me is telling me it was a learning experience, it was a lesson, and it is continuing to be a lesson in faith...especially for me.
I'm trying to meditate on the lyrics of the song "Gratitude" by Nichole Nordeman. They really capture how I feel about our current situation...dry earth, hot sun and no shade...would you please send a cloud, Lord? And yet it brings home the Choice to be grateful for what we have.
Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .
We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain
Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .
We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead And if we never taste that bread
Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need
So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .
We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace
But Jesus, would You please . . .
Monday, December 28, 2009
All Will Be Well
Our first married Christmas together was absolutely wonderful!!! Thanks to all for the warm wishes for us. We enjoyed some new traditions for Joaquim and made some of our own. We spent Christmas Eve night and Christmas Day with my family and then the whole family on Christmas Day, which was very nice. Lots of good food (Dad's homemade pizza! and cookies!) and laughter...and of course presents. Joaquim has been enjoying our Wii for a few solid days. And I got maybe too excited about my Cuisinart panini maker/grill/griddle. Mmmm!
One of my favorite parts to the holiday was the Christmas Eve service on Thursday. It was a beautiful evening and the message really touched me.
"Emmanuel: God with us". The whole focus of the evening was how God is present in and involved with our lives. ...or at least that's what I got out of it. At the end, a few people came onstage and shared how God has provided for them or comforted them or cared for them. Then as the band sang, people started popping up throughout the auditorium, holding signs saying "All will be well...God with us". As the music built and hundreds of people stood to their feet with the signs overhead, I was so moved and suddenly it was like God was tapping my shoulder saying "hey, pay attention...this is for YOU. All will be well. I am with you."
That is such a comforting message: All will be well. It will! No matter what circumstances are facing you down right now (and sometimes approaching a whole new year is daunting...) it will all work out. Not because of positive thoughts or karmic justice, but the sole fact that God is with you.
One of my favorite parts to the holiday was the Christmas Eve service on Thursday. It was a beautiful evening and the message really touched me.
"Emmanuel: God with us". The whole focus of the evening was how God is present in and involved with our lives. ...or at least that's what I got out of it. At the end, a few people came onstage and shared how God has provided for them or comforted them or cared for them. Then as the band sang, people started popping up throughout the auditorium, holding signs saying "All will be well...God with us". As the music built and hundreds of people stood to their feet with the signs overhead, I was so moved and suddenly it was like God was tapping my shoulder saying "hey, pay attention...this is for YOU. All will be well. I am with you."
That is such a comforting message: All will be well. It will! No matter what circumstances are facing you down right now (and sometimes approaching a whole new year is daunting...) it will all work out. Not because of positive thoughts or karmic justice, but the sole fact that God is with you.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Marching in the tops of the balsam trees
In 2 Samuel 5, David "inquired of the Lord", as he did often, if he should go attach the Philistines and if the Lord would give him a victory. God's response was so awesome, I just had to share it here... He told David that yes, He would go before Him and defeat the Philistines for him, and gave directions as to when David should go out and fight against them. His 'cue' would be when David heard the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees.
"As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army." 2 Samuel 5:24
Can you imagine? They must have been in a forested area, it could have been hard to know exactly where the other army was, and maybe David's victory depended completely on God because He would have no chance otherwise. So he probably informed his army to just sit tight until they heart marching in the treetops. What would that marching be? God's army marching through above them to fight a battle that was just part of a war still raging today? And you have to wonder if at least a few people thought David was totally nuts...or maybe they all just had great faith in God as their deliverer and defender, because they had seen Him prove Himself to them time after time.
God may not make treetops rustle with the sound of boots barreling through very often these days, but He still does make a way for us. Yesterday I was reading my Bible in the morning and I was feeling apprehensive about what else the future could hold. So I just asked God to remind me of his promised plans for us, before I opened His word. I noticed a highlighted page as I flipped through to find where I'd left off, and took a detour into Isaiah. There I saw Isaiah 45:2. "I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron." I clung to this verse during the spring of 2007, when I was graduating from Taylor and wondering how the heck God was going to do everything I sensed He was telling me He would. I was thinking about visas to Brazil, dating Joaquim (we hadn't started yet...) and then an international wedding (yes I had high hopes even before dating him!) and...you know...there were LOTS of barriers when I looked at things. So God gave me this verse and very clearly told me that yes, there are barriers. But He is bigger and stronger than they are.
Now this verse encouraged me again, because it seems obstacles never cease. There will always be something that I think we won't make it through, or somewhere we will never arrive. Oh, me of little faith! Thank the Lord for reminding me... what just happened this Monday? Joaquim got his green card in record time, we are married, we are exactly where we're supposed to be.
And how did we get here? Well, there must have been some balsam trees rustling somewhere...
"As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army." 2 Samuel 5:24
Can you imagine? They must have been in a forested area, it could have been hard to know exactly where the other army was, and maybe David's victory depended completely on God because He would have no chance otherwise. So he probably informed his army to just sit tight until they heart marching in the treetops. What would that marching be? God's army marching through above them to fight a battle that was just part of a war still raging today? And you have to wonder if at least a few people thought David was totally nuts...or maybe they all just had great faith in God as their deliverer and defender, because they had seen Him prove Himself to them time after time.
God may not make treetops rustle with the sound of boots barreling through very often these days, but He still does make a way for us. Yesterday I was reading my Bible in the morning and I was feeling apprehensive about what else the future could hold. So I just asked God to remind me of his promised plans for us, before I opened His word. I noticed a highlighted page as I flipped through to find where I'd left off, and took a detour into Isaiah. There I saw Isaiah 45:2. "I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron." I clung to this verse during the spring of 2007, when I was graduating from Taylor and wondering how the heck God was going to do everything I sensed He was telling me He would. I was thinking about visas to Brazil, dating Joaquim (we hadn't started yet...) and then an international wedding (yes I had high hopes even before dating him!) and...you know...there were LOTS of barriers when I looked at things. So God gave me this verse and very clearly told me that yes, there are barriers. But He is bigger and stronger than they are.
Now this verse encouraged me again, because it seems obstacles never cease. There will always be something that I think we won't make it through, or somewhere we will never arrive. Oh, me of little faith! Thank the Lord for reminding me... what just happened this Monday? Joaquim got his green card in record time, we are married, we are exactly where we're supposed to be.
And how did we get here? Well, there must have been some balsam trees rustling somewhere...
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