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!

The Low Down

I'm sure you are all wondering what in the world is exactly going on down here...so here is our situation:

First and foremost, we are in Brazil for an undetermined amount of time. We are working on Sidnei's papers to return to the US, but there is no expected time of when that might happen. All we do know is that Homeland Security or USCIS or whoever is in charge takes their time!

Right now, we living a little city called Ipatinga in the state of Minas Gerais (interior Brazil)! It is beautiful, nestled on the hills of the rolling green mountains here. I don't know why, but the sky seems SO blue here. Some days it is breath taking just how vivid the color is. I try to capture it with the camera, but it is just not the same! I promise to post pictures soon!

Here we are fortunate enough to stay at Sidnei's parent's house, while we get our feet on the ground. It doesn't necessarily sound ideal, but it really is. For myself, I am getting acquainted with my surroundings, trying to get a grasp on the language, and working on bringing out the domestic goddess in me. Living with Sidnei's parents gives me an opportunity to do those things, instead of sitting in an apartment by myself homesick. Life for me has definitely slowed it's pace, but I am enjoying it. There is a LOT going on and I am grateful to be able to have the time to let it sink in.

Sidnei is in the process of job hunting right now. He has applied in a LOT of different places, online and in person. We are hoping that something shakes loose for him soon. This past weekend he attended Escola de Formacao de Vigilantes--which is a Vigilante School. Before he left for the states he was a security guard. Here is Brazil this a good job. Mainly because they use security guards for EVERYTHING. They are in all the government buildings, all of the banks, the shopping mall, they are everywhere. Sidnei, though, is applying for a job with the armoured trucks division since he has a connection there. Of course this requires one more school...gun school B, so he has training on the "big guns" since I don't know the portuguese names!

The past couple of weeks we have spent getting everything set up! We bought our first bed and despite it being a little hard, we love it! We also bought a guarda roupa, or a wardrobe...no closets here! So this is where basically everything goes! Clothes, shoes, perfumes, etc! And of course we had to go buy all the things we didnt think of like sheets, bedspread, towels, hangers, etc etc etc! It was fun for me to go around the city and shop! Poor Sidnei was a trooper! The furniture here is so different and has a very modern look. So needless to say it took me many, many furniture stores (maybe most of the stores in the city) to find what I liked! But I am very pleased with what we bought! Pictures of the set up, soon to come!

When we receive our container shipment (60-90 days from the end of May) and Sidnei is set up in a job, we will be moving to an apartment!

The church here is so wonderful! We are set up in the Ipatinga Branch and the members have been so nice to us! It is really different to hear church, the hymns, everything in a different language, but it truly is by far one of the most comforting things about being here. Different language or not, the gospel and spirit are the same. Elder and Sister Call are our American Missionaries here and they have really been so helpful and have really given me some great advice on how different things work here!

That is really all I can think of for now! But any and all questions please send them our way! We would love to know what you are interested in knowing about Brazil, what is going on with us, or anything that you have in mind!

Embracing the Journey

Oddly enough, I never really thought of myself as much of a planner. I don't think many of us do. I'm not talking about day to day, the minutia of it all. I'm talking about the road map, the direction our lives are supposed to take. I never really thought I had a "plan" until I realized that my life course was changed. Until all the "plans" I didn't know I had made, were gone.

It took me a while to realize this was one of those "life lessons" that everyone has to learn. You plan, life detours. It happens to everyone. Though not all detours are quite as drastic as ours, it happens. In the November 2008 Ensign , Joseph B. Wirthlin said, "...every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result." (Nov. 2008 Ensign, Come What May, and Love It)

So it is with this, that I introduce to you our blog. Before I left for Brazil, I ran across this bracelet from Brighton Jewelry

Every day I wear this bracelet to remind me that its not about the things, the plans...it's about the journey, it's about happiness.

Know that I missing you all every step of the way. But that I am happy, we are happy. Where this adventure will take us, I'm not sure yet. But I hope that journaling our adventure will keep us close with loved ones and friends, that you can experience a bit of our joy through stories and pictures!

Welcome to Brazil!