Best Friends

Gracie has made a new best friend!!

This is our nephew, Israel. Which is pronounced here as Is-hi-el...or at least thats how I pronounce it. And Sidnei hasn't corrected me (which he does frequently, so I must be saying it correctly...)!

Israel fell in love with Gracie the minute he saw her! He was never afraid of her! And Gracie loves him too...except when he pulls on her hair. She in turn chews on his hand.


This picture below is my FAVORITE. How could you not love that?? Gracie keeps a watchful eye on the traffic outside, with Israel by her side!

This is Gracie and Israel playing. No doubt Israel pulled on Gracies hair and Gracie is attacking his hands. A favorite game of hers...

Me and Israel! My new buddy! My favorite is when he has just woken from his nap and wants to be held. He puts his little head on my shoulder, wraps his fingers in my hair and plays with it. He still calls me (and everyone else) Mae (portuguese for Mom)...we're working on titia (pronounced ch-chia, or aunt)!

The things married people do...

We cook....err...Or at least proceed to tell each other how to cook.

Last week, I decided that I would cook "American" spaghetti for Sidnei's family. I guess I should really just call it, my spaghetti, I suppose spaghetti in itself is not that American. But here in Brazil...at least from what I've had, the spaghetti isn't quite done the same. It has a very tiny bit of sauce and is served as a side, rather than the main course, with rice, and some sort of meat.

So we took the recipe my Dad gave me and did a little more of a spicy spin off! We had to improvise a little because we don't have access to all the ingredients we had at home, but everything worked out perfect! We had a lot of fun telling each other what to do and made quite the mess! I think we spent more time washing dishes than actually cooking! The results turned out fantastic and I think we'll have to do it again soon!

Happy 4th of July!

My patriotism is something that has run strong within me since I was a child. I owe learning my patriotic songs by heart to my first grade teacher, Mrs. Copley. She was probably the most strict teacher I've ever had, but we learned a lot from her. And patriotism was one of them. Every morning we sang the national anthem, My Country 'Tis of Thee, This Land is Your Land,and a few others.

I have fond memories of going on base to the movie theater, and standing before every show with my hand over my heart, singing the national anthem. The same with going to the Richmond Brave games. Standing every day before the official school day started and saying the pledge of allegiance. I have always loved learning American History and more particularly about the individuals that made history for our country.

Fourth of July has always been such a fun day. Growing up, we had block parties, or we grilled out with the neighbors, went to the pool, and we would go to Meherrin to watch the fireworks at the old drive in theater, or the side of the road, wherever you could find a place! There were sparklers and late nights. Running around with the neighborhood friends relishing the fact that we were out late. Sticky, watermelon hands...and truthfully not much has changed. I grew up, but we did the same things on the fourth, though sometimes the scenery was different.

All of these great memories that instilled my patriotism, could have never prepared me for the immense pride I would have as an American living outside the United States. My heart is swollen with the love I have of a country that has given me so much and provided so many opportunities.

Today, I find myself a little homesick, wishing I was celebrating with my family and friends. Today, I find myself, hoping that one day, together, Sidnei and I will have the opportunity to return and live in the United States. Because no matter how well I adjust to living here in Brazil and no matter how much I love it here...I'll always long for a warm summer night on a wrap around porch, watching 24 hours of A Christmas Story wishing for a white Christmas, and 4th of July with the smell of the grill, sparklers, and sticky watermelon hands.

OH, and Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

They love me, they really love me...

Monday, I woke up. It was not a happy Monday morning..and not the usual Monday blues. Nope. I was itching. ALL OVER. Seems during the night, I had gotten hot. So I took the covers off. Which resulted in the blood suckers (and I am not talking about the good kind) hunted my scent down and devoured me. My arms, my legs, my stomach, I am covered in mosquito bites. And I happen to be highly allergic to them so I itch like a mad woman. For weeks.

Through his laughter, my husband said I needed to wear repellent. To which my reply was that I do. Every day. I spray myself with it quite often. When I get up. After I shower. After I eat lunch. Before dinner. Before I go to bed. I am a little worried that it's too much and that I myself will start to be toxic...ANYWAY, after he was finished laughing because I was miserable, itchy, and on the verge of tears , he felt sorry for me.

Because this isn't even the worst of it:

So before my window looked like this:

And when Sidnei came home after work, this is what he did:

And now my window looks like this:

And now this is the picture of a happy girl:


Because now she doesnt worry mosquitos will eat her or that she will eat a spider and she can be cover free!