Watts Goings-On

Our little vacation was loads of fun! We spent a few days visiting with my family in Belton and then went East. We stayed in a cozy little cabin, surrounded by pine trees, livestock, a nice lake and lots of peace and quiet. We also drove into nearby Tyler a couple of times to visit a wildlife museum/country store/awesome playground and the children's museum. We explored, laughed, ate, played, and relaxed. It was wonderful!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

It was a road-tripping, gas-siphoning, bag-losing, Ranger-riding, deer-spotting, turkey-chasing, campfire-building, tent-pitching, sunset-watching, marshmallow-roasting, s'more-eating, star-gazing, sleeping bag-sleeping, wind-blowing, body-bundling, sheep-herding, rustic-toileting, bath-skipping, gun-shooting, target-hitting, log-rolling, relative-visiting, dutch oven-cooking, book-reading, nap-taking, face-sunburning, ranch-exploring, dirt-eating, camo-wearing, deer blind-visiting, water-freezing, hot chocolate-drinking, flower-picking, treasure-collecting all around good time kind of weekend.

Spring Break #1

Hey, Peeps! We are officially on Spring Break as of yesterday (the first of two we have scheduled). That means we are here and there and everywhere, so I will likely be an inconsistent presence here or possibly out of the blog business altogether for the next week or so. I will tell you that the first part of the break (i.e. yesterday and today) has been great, since we found a house that we love and our offer was accepted. If all goes well, we should take possession in about three weeks. Woohoo! Stay tuned for more on that and tales of our many other adventures .

In a Nutshell

Here are some of the things we did this weekend:

• Dined at a yummy local Mexican restaurant
• Looked at houses online
• Did a little grocery shopping
• Had a Rt. 44 Vanilla Diet Dr. Pepper from Sonic
• Ate a fabulous, gourmet, cooked-at-home (and not by me) prime steak dinner
• Played Rhino Rampage with the kids and had a blast
• Watched an old Gene Autry movie with the kids
• Ate popcorn (and grilled cheese sandwiches) for lunch (in the living room)
• Sat in the hot tub
• Took a nap
• Saw a bird fly directly into the (closed) kitchen window and fly away seemingly unharmed
• Swept glass up off the floor (not from the window, but from another little mishap--Sorry Maxie and Sharon!) and bandaged up a very minor cut
• Attempted and failed to plan a vacation (this was a first for me)
• Got all the laundry washed and folded (but not yet put away)

The three little words I've been longing to hear:

YOU ARE PRE-APPROVED!

We finally got a pre-approval letter for a new home loan and are now free to resume house-hunting. Will keep you posted.

School Update

I can't believe we've already been back in school a month! Time flies when you're having fun, I guess. Here's what we've been doing:

• Started the second grade math book
• Began learning multiplication facts
• Study of human body--cells, skin, hair, bones, skull, muscles, hands, nerves
• Added new vocabulary book
• Still working on word flash cards for Word Wall (11 new words so far: cease, sacred, vow, voracious, unerring, obliged, immense, imitation, concede, prosperous)
• In-depth study of ancient Greece
• Read children's version of "The Odyssey"
• Introduced adjectives, adverbs, prepositions
• Memorized the poem "The Little Bird"
• Did lots of cool projects and had a pretty good time!
  
  

Teeny Tiny question for you

My father-in-law has actually known two people in his lifetime with the names Teeny and Tiny. How crazy is that?! Of people you have known personally, what's that craziest name you've come across? Please share. I think for me it's Snow.

Hands-On (Thumbs-Off) Science

I thought I had come up with a really fun activity for science today that Ruth would get a kick out of. We were studying hands and opposable thumbs. The project was to do certain every day activities like writing your name, unbuttoning a button, twisting off a bottle cap, etc. First Ruth would do them normally and then with her thumb taped down. We were to time how long it took each way, fill in a chart and then answer a few questions that were to make us realize that our hands, and more specifically, our thumbs are uniquely adapted to the activities we, as humans, do. Though she did grin a few times at first, I was shocked and horrified when she burst into tears at one point*. Was the tape too tight? Was she in pain? Not remotely. She was frustrated because she couldn't do things perfectly. She didn't want to participate because having her thumbs taped down made the tasks--not impossible, mind you--but more difficult and less perfect. If I needed further proof that she is truly my child, there it is. I have successfully cloned myself. So much for making science fun, I guess.

*I did finally convince her that it was just for fun, and she was able to make it through the activity and smile once more.

Baby Steps

Max still isn't a full-time walker (though he is still full-time), but he is getting closer!

Because one size does NOT fit all

For the last seven years, I have been cyclically pregnant, nursing, weaning and post-weaning. Not to mention aging. Consequently, certain parts of my anatomy have changed drastically. I recently began trying to figure out what size I am currently. One size seemed a bit too big, another too small. And nothing made things look the way I wanted them to look (which, admittedly, could have been another problem altogether). But then, Eureka! I was wandering around in the lingerie department at Target the other day, and found a serious sale on bras. They were cheap enough that I decided I could buy several sizes and brands and figure out which worked best. In the mix, I found a true treasure. It's the genius of the "and" at its best: half cup sizes! Is that not the most logical thing in the world?! I mean, if it works for shoes, it only makes sense to extend it to other-wear. I'm super-happy with my little discovery and thought it might be helpful to share it with those of you who might be looking for a little pick me up as well. ;)

As way of explanation

I think many of you were surprised when you read the post about fear the other day. That's understandable. You see, you weren't ever even supposed to know that I have fears. I'm good at keeping that to myself. I'm good at being strong and carrying on and getting the job done. And, truly, once I decide to do something I will usually go for it with gusto. The fear comes before that decision is made, usually behind closed doors. But I needed that moment of vulnerability the other night. I needed to let my guard down. I needed to face the fear. And I was just so struck by Weston's little pep talk. So simple, yet so necessary. I just needed to remind myself that I can do it (whatever it is) and that I don't have to be afraid. The post was about letting you know (if you ever had any doubts) that I'm not perfect. And you knowing and accepting that I'm not perfect makes it a little easier for me to accept that as well. And let's face it, blogging is significantly cheaper than therapy!

Our Song

Every couple has their song. Maybe the song that was playing on the radio when they had their first date. Maybe the first song they danced to together. Maybe they were just moved by the sentiments the song offered. Jeff and I (mostly I, because Jeff couldn't care less) have been "trying on" songs since we first started dating in a very tongue-in-check manner. (Because, really, I couldn't care less either). Sometimes we will claim a sappy love song. Sometimes something else entirely. For now, this one just seems right: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9zj6d-PgyQ.

"I'm going to do it without being afraid"

This bit of wisdom came from my three-year-old (to himself) at the park today, and frankly, it was just what I needed to hear--even though I wasn't really supposed to. I have spent much of my life doing things fearfully, underscored by an almost paralyzing (at times) perfectionism. Always there are the little (admittedly adolescent) voices in my head: "What will people think?" "How will others react?" "Will I fail miserably?" "Is it safe?" I'm not really much of a risk taker. If I had a mantra, it would probably be "better safe than sorry." But in the last few years (the years preceding, during and following my 30th birthday, if you must know), I have begun to re-evaluate this mantra and this way of being. I have begun to realize that I may have missed out on some neat opportunities simply because I allowed myself to be afraid to take any risks. And, since I'm being honest, I have to tell you that even though I recognize this little personality flaw of mine, and even though I know that the way to overcome this is to jump into things that are a little scary for me and just do them, I still find it difficult to do so. I find it easier to make excuses--"Maybe when my kids are older," "Maybe when I'm in better shape," etc., etc.--than to face the real issues, which are my fear of the unknown and my fear of failure. I have been taking baby steps to overcome these fears (think "moving to Brazil for six months"), because I don't want to look back on my life and say "I wish. . ." or "If only. . .." I don't want to miss (or suspect I missed) any more opportunities. It's time to change my mantra and my way of doing things (or not doing things). "I'm going to do it without being afraid." This will be said by me, to myself, as often as is necessary from now on.

Upside down and backwards

That's the price of independence. I'm talking about underwear and pants here. (And I won't fill you in on the other details). Why Weston feels that he needs to completely disrobe in the bathroom is another issue altogether.

"There's a frog in the toilet"

Plastic, but nonetheless. That's just the kind of day it was.

Appetite Found

Well, my youngest child has found his appetite and is no longer shy about exercising it. While he still has a certain ravenous fondness for canned green beans, he is also consuming just about anything else we put in front of him--and in quantity. That's not to say that there isn't still a nice pile of food on the floor to be swept up after each meal. But the mess is more about only being able to cram so much food in the mouth at one time, with a certain amount of overflow, than it is about just throwing the food on the floor and refusing to eat it.

Getting To Know You

So, you all know me pretty well. I don't have many secrets, and I share pretty openly here on this blog. But, I have to tell you, I'm feeling like this relationship is a little one-sided. I run a "spy" program on my blog, which tells me how many readers I have, how they got to my blog, how much time they spent there and where in the world they are--down to the city they logged in from. Don't be creeped out. This kind of thing can be done for any website out there. I'm not creepy. I'm just curious. I realize some people have probably happened upon this little blog completely by accident. But, I know many of you purposefully log in and read--every day, every month or just every once in while. I think that's cool. I'm thrilled that people have come to this blog from places all over the world, whether they meant to or not. I can guess who some of you are, but I would really like to get to know you--or get to know you better. Leave me a comment. Don't be afraid. The worst that could happen is that we could become friends.

Girly Girl in a Manly World

There has been much discussion over the past few days about a certain party we would be having today. A certain Super Bowl party. And my daughter does love a good party. (Who knows where she gets that)?! So, this morning, with much anticipation, Ruth dressed herself in party clothes and prepared for our big party. In the middle of the first quarter, with wing sauce and BBQ sauce dripping off our chins, Ruth piped up and asked, "Is there only going to be football during this Super Bowl?! Why are we even celebrating this?!" Clearly, she was a bit disappointed (not to mention a bit overdressed) but she didn't let it get to her. She adjusted very quickly and donned a more appropriate outfit. She is all girl, though, even in her football gear.

Perfect Picnic

In true Texas fashion, the ice of a few days ago has given way to almost Spring-like warmness. The last couple of days have really been beautiful, and we have taken advantage. We went over to Inks Lake State Park today for a little picnic. The day was gorgeous, and we all had a wonderful time. In fact, Ruth proclaimed it "the best picnic ever!" And she later said, in all seriousness, "I'm going to tell my children about this picnic." Now that's a seriously good picnic!

Hot Time on the Old Town

We don't get to town much these days, but today we took a little road trip over to Austin. The original purpose of our trip was for Jeff to have a business meeting and for me to have lunch with my good friend. Both of those events were cancelled at the last minute, but that didn't keep us from really living it up in the big city. Jeff had a health check-up for insurance purposes, we went to the library, the kids got haircuts, we had some lunch and some fancy hot beverages and did some grocery shopping in the local mega-mart. And a good time was had by all.

Wish I was here

Three weeks ago we were living in the Land of (Almost) Perpetual Summer. We were soaking up the sun, living right on the beach, and going to the pool everyday. This morning we woke up to ice covering every outdoor surface. I'm better at summer.

Messes I Have Known

*My in-laws will kindly refrain from reading this post and will think happy thoughts about their once beautiful home*

Here are some of the interesting things I did today:

• Cleaned tee-tee off the floor. Twice.
• Changed the culprit's clothes. Twice.
• Caught my youngest splish-splashing in the toilet after he had clearly gotten bored with unrolling the toilet paper.
• (Tried not to puke).
• Changed the culprit's clothes.
• Caught my youngest emptying the trash can while simultaneously enjoying a snack.
• (Tried not to puke).
• Cleaned trash up off the entire kitchen floor.
• Swept and re-swept the area under the baby chair, and even got down on my hands and knees a couple of times for the really juicy morsels that the broom could do nothing with.
• Attempted to sweep up about a thousand square foot of spilled glitter, creating at least another thousand square foot of the sparkly mess and spreading it to the far reaches of the entire house.
• Used dozens of towels to clean up gallons and gallons of spilled water in various rooms around the house.
• Attempted to keep the toys from completely taking over.
• Mopped up spilled milk like it was going out of style. But didn't cry.

Stinky week behind us

For the last five days we have been plagued around here by a vile little tummy bug, which has wreaked havoc on us but has finally decided to leave us alone. We are all pretty much back to normal now, thank goodness.

Jeff and I received news today that a friend of ours passed away this morning. She had been ill for many years, so we weren't surprised by the news, but still saddened. This was a wonderful lady, who I wish everyone would have had the privilege to meet. She loved life. She loved people. And most importantly, she loved the Lord. I never once heard her utter a word of complaint, though certainly with her medical problems she was entitled to that as much or more than anyone. I did hear her laugh. A lot. She was a beautiful person and she appreciated beautiful things. And she was very sensitive to the Lord. She once told me that as she was praying one morning, she very distinctly heard the Lord speak to her and tell her to change the light bulb in her closet. She said she kind of laughed to herself and wondered why this could possibly matter to the Lord, but she went and got a step stool in order to take care of this business as soon as possible. When she reached for the globe of the light fixture, she realized it was full of water. Upon further inspection, it was discovered that the cause of the light being out wasn't a burned out bulb, but a water leak that, if left unchecked, could have flooded that entire floor of their house. Her sensitivity and obedience to the Lord saved she and her family a ton of heartache. And this was just one occasion. She understood well that the Lord cares about the details of our lives. So, I do not grieve for her, because I know she is now with the Lord, with a brand-new, illness-free body. But I do grieve for her family, because human attachments are so very hard to sever. Unfortunately, we haven't had an opportunity to see this friend in some years, but the memories we have of her are all beautiful, wonderful memories, and we are thankful for the opportunity we had to know her. And, frankly, I am challenged, as I write these words, to live a life like this. A life full of love. Full of joy. Full of peace. Full of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He's not picky; he just knows what he likes

I spent a good portion of my day trying to stuff food into my youngest child, of which he was not the least bit interested. Pretty much the only thing I got for my efforts was a huge pile of food on the floor to sweep up after every attempted feeding. (He is not exactly the eater his big brother was/is--or his big sister, for that matter). But, that's just because I was serving the wrong foods. Turns out what the boy really wanted (and you'll be surprised I didn't think of this sooner) was cold canned green beans and spicy pickled garlic. I'm not kidding. Those two things are the only foods he took more than two bites of all day. And he went after those with gusto. I'm telling you, this kid is a surprise a minute.

RUB-A-DUB-DUB

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

Three kids in a tub.

And who do you think they be?

The baby, the big boy, and one little lady.

Look at them now, squeaky clean!

FYI

Flickr has (finally) been updated and organized. In my opinion, the best way to view the photos (to get them in chronological order) is to click on the set you want to see, rather than just viewing the photostream. But, that's just me. You can do it however you want. Happy photo viewing.

Teacher's Pets

What a difference it makes to have access to a library and a printer/copier when preparing for school! It was only our first day back to class, but I can see already that these are some things that this teacher won't be able to live without! Stay tuned for more on our homeschool adventure as the semester unfolds.

First Steps, Second Birthday Party

It was a big day around here. Max took his first steps* and had his second first birthday party. I couldn't capture the steps on camera, but I did get some shots of the party. Enjoy. Max certainly did.

*This was yet another way in which Max surprised us. We were certain he would be our earliest walker, and he has turned out to be our latest. I'm pretty sure he didn't even know that he took a few steps. He was quite surprised when the room erupted in applause and Max-directed praise. But he seemed pretty pleased that something he had done had produced such a response.

The Other Education

Even though we are taking a break from school, we are certainly not taking a break from our brains. On Wednesday we took a field trip to Dallas, where we visited the King Tut exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art. Ruth was fascinated, having just studied King Tut this last semester in her history class. Then today, Ruth had an opportunity to interview an author of a couple of books that she recently read (over and over) and absolutely loved. She wrote her own interview questions and did a fabulous job conducting the interview. This author happens to be a friend of my mom's and lives in the same town, so we took advantage of the opportunity while we are here visiting. It's neat to have these opportunities and a student who is so interested in these kinds of things--even when she's on vacation!

Ode to the Massage Chair

Family and friends I have missed,
Even appliances and laundry bliss.
But there is one that is dearer still,
One of which I can't get my fill.

The one who greets me with open arms,
The one who heals and never harms,
The one who gives my feet a rest,
And makes my back feel its very best.

O, Massage Chair, how I love you,
And the way you do that thing you do.
You make me sigh, you make me smile,
You always go the extra mile.

Here with you I feel at ease.
You work so hard and always please.
Our time, for now, may end as it starts,
But some day soon we will never part.

To My Little F.T. Baby:

I can't believe you are already one! What a fast and fun year this has been! You entered the world 10 days earlier than expected, and you have been surprising us and keeping us on our toes ever since. Since day one, you have marched to the beat of your own drum, refusing to fit into any pattern set by your older siblings. You have despised pacifiers. You decided to stand long before you even thought about trying to sit. When you finally got your first teeth, they were on top rather than on bottom. You do things your own way, and we think that's great. You spent exactly half of your life living in Brazil, which is not something every one-year-old can say. You are smart and serious, sweet and silly. We call you F.T. because you are certainly a full-time baby. You are always exploring the world around you, and you never seem to find an obstacle too challenging. You love pillows. And doors. And any surface you can beat on. You are one of the strongest babies I have ever known and an excellent climber. You have given us so much joy in the past year, and we praise the Lord for the blessing you are in our lives. We love you so much, Sweet Boy. Happy First Birthday!

Love,

Mom

First Birthday Party

And now back to your regularly scheduled program

We arrived back in the U.S. safe and sound, though a little tired, on Tuesday. We went straight from the airport to Chuy's. From there we made our way to Jeff's parents' house at Lake Buchanan. The first order of business was to dig around in our boxes in their barn for some winter clothes. The second order of business was a trip to the grocery store for a few necessities. On Wednesday morning Jeff and I made our way to Kingwood--leaving an extremely large mess and our children behind--to look at houses. On our way, Jeff was pulled over for an out-of-date inspection sticker but managed, as usual, to drive away with only a warning. We saw nine houses on Wednesday afternoon, but none that we just loved. (At least no one that we both loved). We spent Wednesday evening having dinner with our good friends and discussing the houses we had seen. On Thursday, we had lunch with Jeff's brother and then saw four more houses in the afternoon. We were more pleased with those choices, and even found one we wanted to make an offer on. We spent the evening--and into the early morning hours--with our friends. This morning we bought birthday presents for Max and then met with the realtor, only to find out that we have to wait to make our offer until our tax return can be filed, which can't be done until we receive the paperwork from Jeff's last place of employment, which the company doesn't have to send out until the end of January. On our way home, we received one of those phone calls. It was Jeff's parents calling from the clinic to report a traumatic event involving a swing and our middle child. Apparently, the swing decided to let go of the tree to which it was affixed just as Weston reached the apex of his swing. Weston held on for a while but was unable to stop himself from doing a face plant on the gravel driveway, where he seems to have left half of his face. His lip was cut wide open and required three stiches. In fact, his entire face--especially the right side--is in pretty bad shape, and he (along with his grandparents and mother) was understandably traumatized by the whole event, though he still manages to be as cute as can be. So, our return has not been uneventful, for sure. But I'm sure none of you thought even for a moment that it would be. All in all we are glad to be back. We are just hoping things settle down a bit here in the next few days, so we can get all our bags unpacked.

Headed Home

Well, the bags are packed and everything is in order for us to depart tomorrow (except for all those little last-minute things, of course). What an amazing adventure this has been!! Thanks so much for coming along with us, in spirit if not in person. The blog will likely be silent the next few days, as we travel back to the U.S. and as we spend some time visiting with family and house hunting. But don't worry; there are lots more adventures to be had, and I'll be back to report on them when we've had a chance to get somewhat settled. Until then: "May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from another" (Gen. 31:49).

Going Away Party

Some of our friends hosted a going away party for us this afternoon. The kids played in the pool. The adults sat around visiting in English and Portuguese. And, generally, we all had a wonderful time. We have made so many good friends since we've been here, and we are going to miss them all dearly.

Ringing in the New Year

I wish I could describe for you what New Year's Eve was like here. I will try, but I know already that I will fall woefully short and you will leave still not being able to comprehend what a spectacle it was. The day before yesterday, the city (I suppose) came around and set up tents all along the beach at regular intervals. When yesterday dawned bright and beautiful, people began flocking to the beach in their usual summertime fashion and nothing seemed remotely odd. At 5:00 pm I began to notice cotton candy vendors cruising up and down the beach, which I have never seen before. And before long they were joined by many other vendors of every kind. By 7:00, I could visibly tell the beach was filling up. By 8:30, people were shooting off fireworks and firing up their grills. By 9:00, I knew that this was going to be a party of epic proportions. Ruth and I left the apartment at that time to attend a dinner party, while the boys settled in for a little nap to ensure a peaceful ringing in of the New Year at the New Year's service at the church. We arrived at the church at 10:30 for the 10:45 service, and found the place packed. People continued to flock into the service even long after it had begun, and I think there ended up being about 750 people there, where there are usually about half that many in a really large service. The women were all dressed in fancy after-five attire, the men had on suits and the children were done up just the same, only in miniature. The entire sanctuary was packed and extra seating was set up in a Sunday school room with a video feed. That room was also filled to overflowing, and there was literally standing room only. It was a beautiful service and, as always, a blessing to begin the New Year in the presence of the Lord. The service ended just after midnight, but after many hugs and well-wishes we didn't make it home until about 12:30 or 12:40. On our way home, we ran into a sea of humanity streaming away from the beach and thought the party was probably wrapping up. WRONG! From our eighth-floor perch we could see (and hear) that the party was still very much in full-swing. Honestly, I have never seen anything like what we had going on here. I took some video (around 1:00 am), but still I don't think I captured the true essence of the scene. There was barely a square foot of beach, sidewalk or one lane of the street free. There was dancing, drinking, singing, laughing, screaming and who knows what all else. There were whole families (including very small children) and large groups of friends celebrating with all they had. Once again, I found myself gawking and thoroughly engaged in the people-watching. At 2:00, I thought I noticed a slight decrease in the number of people on the beach, but certainly not in the noise level. At 3:00, I decided to call it a night, though surely I must have been one of the few in all of Praia da Costa to do so, and without a doubt the only mother to have put her children to bed at the very sensible hour of 1:00. At 7:00 this morning, most of the crowd was gone--though certainly there were still a few stragglers--and the the city clean-up crew was out in force. And now, at a quarter to 10:00, the beach is eerily quiet and still, though there are a few out and about. It was a New Year's Eve to remember, for sure. I wish you all could have been here. Happy New Year to all of you. May this year be full of peace, joy and blessings for you all.

End of Semester

Today was our last day of class for the semster. We will take a two week break now, as we move back to the U.S. and spend some time visiting with our family. Ruth has done a phenomenal job this semester and has accomplished even more than we thought she would. We are so proud of her and are pleased to share her progress with you! (I have shared other progress reports here, here, here, here, here, here and here). Here is what she had done in the last month and a half:

• Finished study about animals and moved on to study of human body
• Changed schedule--more time in Math four days a week and less time on Friday; removed Portuguese and Structured Reading from Friday; divided Vocabulary and Spelling (two days of Spelling, two days of Vocabulary)
• Memorized the kings of Judah
• Got up to 132 words on the Vocabulary Wall
• Made a book of the poem "The Year," with original illustrations
• Memorized the poem "The Year"
• Finished the first grade Math book
• Finished the second Spelling book
• Made a picture family tree on the computer
• Planned (and shopped for) a menu for a day based on the food pyramid requirements
• Arranged and drew two original still-life drawings
• Vocabulary and Grammar Mad-Libs
• Finished a third of the second grade Grammar book
• Accomplished math goal--125 additon and subtraction facts in 5 minutes
• Memorized poem "The Goops"
• Made Assyrian battering ram out of Legos
• Made purple dye and dyed cloth and pasta for necklace making

Summer Vacation

It's summer here in the southern hemisphere, and that means summer vacation. The schools let out a couple of weeks ago and our peaceful little beach has turned into a madhouse, as people seem to be flocking here from everywhere--especially some of the more interior states of Brazil. There are thousands of people out there, soaking up the sun on just about every inch of their scantily clad bodies. There are more beach venders--with more products--making more aggressive (though still relatively passive) attempts to sell their wares. The water is oozing with all kinds of watercraft, from wave runners and windsurfers to kyaks and fishing boats. The weather is absolutely perfect. (For me, at least. It may be a touch on the hot side for Jeff). And the people-watching couldn't be better. I'm really glad we've had this place more or less to ourselves for the last 5 1/2 months and haven't had to deal with the hordes, but I'm also really thankful that we have a few more days to soak up some summer time before heading back to WinterLand.

All the better to bite you with, My Dear

Max has been working hard the last couple of weeks and has finally presented us with his first tooth. We are expecting the second one to pop out in the next week or so. He wears his new tooth well, and if possible, is even cuter than he was before (if you don't mind a mom's completely unbiased opinion)! Take a look for yourself. (You may want to click on the picture for a larger image so you can truly appreciate the tooth in all it's glory).

House Hunting

We've been looking at lots of houses online latey, trying to figure out what's available, what we can afford, what we want, what we need, etc. We all have our priorites and our own take on the process. Jeff is a stickler to the budget, with an eye for the utilitarian. I want something cute and charming. When we saw one with a pink bedroom and a swimming pool, Ruth saw no need to look any further. Weston seems partial to a house with a familiar feel. (When he saw a picture of our house in Austin on the screen saver the other day he said, "I was thinking we could get a house like this one"). And I think Max will be happy with anything with doors, since the opening and closing of these fascinating objects can keep him occupied for long minutes at a time. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell too much from pictures on the computer, so we are all anxious to get back to the States and start our house hunting in earnest. We are looking forward to getting settled and starting the next chapter of our lives. Won't be long now...

Now, that's how I like to do winter!

Define "Helpful"

Today, while I was washing dishes, Weston announced that he was bringing me a surprise. I couldn't see him from where I was, so I didn't know what he was bringing. The next thing I heard was: "Oh no! I just spilled your surprise all over the floor." At this point, my curiousity peaked and I made my way to where he was. He had been bringing me a box of playing cards, and sure enough, they were all over the floor. "That's o.k." I said, "Just pick them up." He worked for a while and then declared that he couldn't do it by himself. "No. You can. You're doing a great job," I assured him. He beamed at this and replied, "Am I really helpful, Mommy?"

I Want A New Bug

(A parody song based on real experience to the tune of Huey Lewis' "I Want A New Drug").

I Want a New Bug

I want a new bug,
One that won't bite or sting,
One that won't attack my legs
Or any other thing.

I want a new bug,
One that won't make me red,
One that won't make me itchy,
Or bite me in my bed.

One that won't make my foot swell,
Leaving me in pain;
One that keeps to itself
Or at least is easily slain
A bug that's easily slain.

Math Victory

It's only 6:00 am in Texas, I see, but here it's already 10:00, and we have completed our school day. (Fridays are short days). And with this completion, we are celebrating a a major math victory. On October 8, Ruth began a race against herself. She had 125 math flash cards, including addition and subtraction problems, which she was trying to get through in 5 minutes. She has been practicing the facts almost every school day since then and charting her progress. The first time she did her "race," her time was 7 minutes and 30 seconds. Her chart has peaks and valleys, with a general trend toward a lower time. Today, she finally met her goal, when she did her facts in 4 minutes and 45 seconds. There was screaming and hugging and jumping around! She was so proud of herself, and Jeff and I are equally proud!

Feels like home...sort of

When you live in a foreign country, you miss certain things from home. If you are a Texan, two of those things are Mexican food and country music. Today we had both. Our neighbors are constantly playing their music so that everyone in the building can "enjoy" it, and today was no exception. But at least today they managed to come across something we could understand--on multiple levels! Who knows where they got an Alan Jackson CD or why they chose to put it in, but it made us smile. Adding to the general Texas feeling of the day, our friend (and our first Brazilian convert to the real way to eat avocados) asked Jeff to make guacamole for her birthday party, which he did. It was fantastic! When we arrived at the party, we found that they were serving a version of taco salad, and it did much to assuage our Mexican cravings (though thoughts of Chuy's can't possibly be banished from my mind)! Only two and a half more weeks until we are actually on Texas soil, but for now we'll be happy with any bit of Texas flavor we can get!

When I Grow Up...

Weston: Dad, did you know that when I grow up I'm going to have a job?

Jeff: No. What kind of job are you going to have?

Weston: I'm going to work at my house.

[pause] Weston: Also, I'm going to have a lady.

Jeff: A lady at your house?

Weston: Yeah. A lady like Mommy, but NOT Mommy.

Jeff: Why are you going to have a lady?

Weston: To take care of me!

[pause] Weston: Actually, I think I'll have two ladies.

Look, Mom, No Hands!

My little guy has a new trick! He can stand without holding on to anything! (But don't tell him. He thinks that because he has something in his hand, he's still holding on).

11 Months Old

Vocabulary Update

Back in October I told you all about Ruth's Vocabulary Wall. At the time, she had 35 words on the wall, which seemed like really a lot. Today, she put Word #120 up, and I thought that warranted another post. In the last month, we have actually changed up our schedule so as to do more with these words. Ruth was way ahead in Spelling, so we cut that class back to two days a week and have made a separate class just for vocabulary on the the other two days that were previously used for Spelling. Ruth can use all 120 of these words in a sentence. She can also pick out the verbs and nouns and adjectives. She can write stories using these words, and can even use them in every day conversation. Some of the words are pretty simple, but some of them are, I dare say, challenging even for the most versed amongst us. Here is the list of words, in no particular order, going across rather than down to save space:

jostle, chaos, metamorphosis, associate, communicate, intervene, arrogance, diameter, calculations, overcast, inspiring, bolster, abyss, identity, ornament, disgrace, abroad, ruthlessly, spare, recount, alight, abandon, decaying, escort, balk, abuse, swift, considerable, purification, edifice, utilitarian, eerie, hideous, envy, iris, mimic, technically, oppress, communal, perilous, enabling, assuage, utter, thrust, folly, grim, caravan, acquaintance, dignified, pennant, portend, restless, position, companion, outcast, lanterns, extinct, diurnal, lament, observation, odor, amid, distraught, braggart, abundance, fraught, deny, breadth, trek, plentiful, alas, tidbit, plateau, haggard, eject, zygodactyl, infuriate, discomfort, accuse, unique, descent, expedition, bosom, dire, necessary, reluctantly, gradual, intense, immortality, resplendent, frieze, earthenware, intent, enhance, endeavor, estimated, propel, director, treachery, honorary, prosperity, permit, fjords, erect, hewn, buoyant, exploits, records, ecstasy, vulnerable, laboror, sparse, ceremony, chatter, formidable, futile, revolved, bade, ordinary

Unless the Lord builds the house...

We believe that the Lord speaks. And not in vague generalities, but in specific direction-giving ways. We believe this based on what we read in the Bible and based on our own experience. He has spoken to us in many ways on many topics, but the topic I will address today is our move. Many years ago, the Lord spoke, through other faithful believers, that we would eventually move away from Austin. He didn't give us any other details at the time, but we took it on faith that that word would be fulfilled. After a while, Jeff decided he'd like to attend grad school. He took the GMAT and made a stellar score. He then applied to several schools all around the U.S. He was not accepted to any of them, even though his GMAT score was almost perfect. We then understood that this wasn't the Lord's plan for us or the fulfillment of the word He had spoken. Time passed, and Jeff began seeking opportunities within the company he was working for at the time that would move us out of Austin. This didn't work out either. About a year later, he got an offer to work for another company in Austin. We still believed what the Lord had spoken, but this seemed like a good opportunity and another viable option hadn't presented itself. So, Jeff took the job, knowing it wasn't going to be a long-term arrangement. While he was there, he made some contacts that allowed him to start his own consulting business, which he operated on the side. Then, about a year ago, the consulting business began suddenly to blossom. Eventually, it became clear that the Lord had blessed Jeff's consulting business in such a way as to finally fulfill the word He had spoken ,and that he had kept us in Austin for a time to prepare us for something down the road. So, we put our heads together to try to come up with a good place to move. What we came up with was College Station. We went to school at A&M and always enjoyed living there. We began looking at houses there and were discouraged at not finding anything we loved within our budget. In the meantime, an opportunity presented itself for us to move to Brazil for six months. We decided to use this time to seek the Lord for further direction. About a month after we arrived, the Lord gave me a dream, warning me of a difficult situation in College Station. We were sure He was telling us not to move there at this time. A week after that, Jeff attended a church in another part of the city that neither of us had ever been to before, and he asked the people there to pray for him, telling them nothing of our specific request about where to move. The Lord spoke through the people there, showing very clearly that we should not move to College Station. We were very blessed to have my dream confirmed, and we began seeking the Lord for further direction. For the Lord's own reasons, He has chosen not so much to give us the big picture and tell us where to go, but rather to tell us where not to go. So, we continue to seek Him. (Maybe that's part of the reason. With too much information, we become dependent upon ourselves and fail to seek Him as we should). It does seem, though, that He is providing us with an opportunity to serve Him in and around the Houston area, specifically near Kingwood. So, that is where we are planning to go when we get back to the States, unless the Lord shows us something different. Our greatest desire is to be in the place the Lord wants us, and we are learning that “unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.” (Psalm 127:1)

More Order and Progress

Last week I made a post listing some of my observations about Brazilian culture and ways of thinking. Here's the next installment:

• Less is definitely more when it comes to swim wear (for him and her) and maternity clothes—regardless of body size, shape or color.
• Granite is cheap and plentiful. In addition to all its regular uses, it is also used as baseboards, as toppers for cheap metal tables and to pave garages and sidewalks.
• It's not uncommon or unacceptable to refer to your wife as “My Woman.” Jeff was once invited to a BBQ party where the invitation specifically said, “It's okay to bring "The Woman.” I can't tell you how flattered I was.
• Why pay once when you can “passa la” (finance)? If you spend more than about $R 20 and you pay with your credit card, you are always asked if you'd like to divide the payment. It took a while for us to figure out the pricing when we first started coming to Brazil years ago because the prices are preceded by "Something X," showing how many payments of a certain amount are required to purchase the item. You can finance your tennis shoes, your groceries, or just whatever. The clerks are always shocked when Jeff and I opt to just pay the whole bill right then and there, with one swipe of the card.
• Burger King IS king. The line is ALWAYS long, and we never fail to see hordes of people, of all ages, taking pictures of themselves wearing the little paper crown. Clearly, these people aren't as creeped out by the Burger King character in the commercials as I am.
• A little bling is good. A lot is better.
• Everyone is born playing the guitar. Other instruments may be added at anytime.
• Passing zones mean nothing. Not even on twisty, turny mountain roads. Not even at 70 mph. Not even in pouring rain.
• Acceptable ways of answering the phone: “Pronto.” ("Ready.") and “Fala.” ("Speak.")
• There's no wrap like plastic wrap. In case the vacuum seal on the cheese isn't good enough for you, it is also wrapped in plastic wrap. So is luggage. I'm not kidding.
• You can easily fit 9 people in a compact car.
• They wouldn't have put a horn in the car if they didn't want you to use it.
• Cool is: listening to English music and wearing clothing with words printed in English. Even though you don't speak or understand a word. We've got this one covered. We've never been so cool!

Is there something you're not telling me?!

Jeff was signing up on one of those networking websites--where you put in all the things you're interested in, and then they come back to you with groups you might want to look into. The number one group that came up for him was "Ebony: Big, Bold, Beautiful, Black Women." Any one else here curious to know what Jeff's meet-up criteria were?!

Practicing to be wealthy

A couple of months ago we had lunch with a friend, who, upon realizing the relative lateness of the hour, exclaimed, "Well, I guess we are practicing to be wealthy today!" He went on to explain that servants always eat an early lunch, around 11:00 or 11:30, so that they can serve the wealthier people around 1:00. His theory was, the later you eat lunch, the wealthier you must be. So, today we went out to a Portuguese (the country, not the language) restaurant that is owned by a man we know. This place makes no claim about being a fast-food place. In fact, they say right on the menu how long you can expect to wait for certain dishes. They are intent upon making everything fresh and not having any reheating. The special was sort of a codfish chower that was very good. But we did wait for it, and finally ending up eating our lunch around 2:15. Interestingly enough, in the course of our meal, the man we were dining with told us that this fish is very expensive for most Brazilians and that if someone you know sees you putting it in your shopping cart at the store, they will be very impressed. So, today was certainly our day to practice being wealthy. This is good, because I'm sure some day we will actually be wealthy.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Way back in March, we had family pictures made in the bluebonnets (by a professional photographer), with the notion of giving some of the pictures to our moms for Mother's Day. A month ago, I finally received the images, and have just now gotten them uploaded onto my computer for your viewing pleasure. So, Happy Mother's Day!

Potty Talk

This is a family-friendly blog, and I really like to keep it clean. But, frankly, some of the funniest conversations in our house during the last year (since we've been potty training Weston) take place in the bathroom. Here is a sampling of some of our favorites:

Dad: Are you finished?
Weston: No.
[time passes]
Dad: Are you finished?
[Weston begins to violently swing his legs from the sitting position to horizontally out from the potty].
Weston: [grunt] That's hard to do.

**********************************************************
Dad: Are you finished?
Weston: No, I just have a few more things to do.

**********************************************************
Dad: Are you finished?
Weston: No.
[time passes, Weston's face is crimson]
Dad: Are you finished now?
Weston (smiling): Satisfeito. {This is the Portuguese word that people use at the end of a meal to mean they are satisfied and don't want anything else to eat}.
[pause]
Weston: Satisfeito means "all done."

**********************************************************
Weston: What's that old poo poo doing there in my underwear?
Mom: It's just a stain.
Weston: It's just for decoration?

**********************************************************
Weston: Dad, why is it white?
Dad: Probably because you drank a lot of water.
Weston (truly striken): I wanted it to be lello!

**********************************************************

Today's Art Lesson