The Wedding!

So, this weekend a very sweet friend of ours here in Brazil got married. Jude wasn't feeling very well, so I decided to go the wedding alone. Huh, rookie mistake. Let's remember I am taking Joel with me. All in all I am so glad I went and took Joel (there really wasn't another option: Note to self, find a backup babysitter..... my babysitter was in the wedding.) I guess I could have left him with Jude, but I wanted him to be able to rest. Anyhow, so there we went, off to the wedding. Weddings in Brazil are very fancy and even the people attending the wedding need to dress up. I wore the nicest dress that I have, high heels and some basic earrings since I can't wear dangly earrings due to Joel's need to pull on them. Why create one more situation where I have to say "no" to him. There are already so many things that he can't do. I was one of the least dressed up people there. The wedding started about an hour late, which was good since I was running late getting ready as was my friend who caught a ride with us. I went really prepared, raisins, corn flakes, milk, an extra jar of baby food just in case, the stroller, and toys/books that don't make noise. As I said before, all in all I am really glad that I went, but let me just say that I came home exhausted. I think that I walked/scurried about 2 miles in my high heels. Joel did pretty well for a little guy. He ran around and played, ate almost everything that I brought with us, except for the cookie that I ate to have energy to keep running after him! :) After the cerimony, Joel was the hit. He threw himself into the bride"s arms as well as all of the beautiful bridesmaids' arms. My son is smart! He charmed the photographer, ate some cake, almost touched one of the candle's romantically lighting the cake table and ran some extra laps around the reception area. We had a great time and Joel fell asleep on the ride home.

Blogging blahs & 3 things that I am excited about....

Well, I am definitely not among the best bloggers, I guess because I always want it to be just right, or I think, Oh, I can't write about that, everyone knows I am a missionary. Missionaries need to have everything figured out right. Haha, not sure where we get that idea. A missionary is just someone who has heard God's call, and has been obedient to go where the Lord leads and serve in His name, living out His love, sharing how Jesus is the only way to heaven, and how he changes lives and gives hope. A task we can only do in His grace and strength, not by our own brilliance or in knowing it all. Please don't read that as a theological definition!!! Anyhow, there is a lot to catch up on, since in my blogging blahs has passed 2 months. Right now, I am excited about several things, one being that I am planning a cooking making day for my English class. Our last class will be at our apartment and we will make Christmas cookies and just hang out. They were so excited when I told them! One of the kids even said that he wanted to live at my house. Seriously, these kids are so precious. God has put them on my heart in a way that constantly confirms our calling here. They live in such a hard reality, that something as small as a cookie party, can be a big deal. I can't wait! I will definitely have to take pictures and post them. We are getting ready for Christmas here, with some shopping for the kids at the project (Christmas presents) and organizing things somewhat for our trip to the states in 2 weeks. We can't get anything too organized since Joel would love nothing more than to play in a suitcase filled with presents. :) I am also SO excited about our trip, it is only not #1 on my excitement list, because it is farther away, and I don't want to miss out on what God has for us here before we visit, by focusing to much on our trip. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love and miss my family, so that is not easy, but we have a pretty full schedule before we leave so that is good. I am also so excited about my women's prayer group. It has been such a blessing in my life. It has been some time since I have had a group of women to pray consistantly with and really just share life with. I have amazing friends/family in Texas that I love to pray with, but the distance being what it is, a weekly prayer meeting is not doable. Anyway, so I was really praying about that and just asking God to provide that, and He did in a major way. We meet every wednesday night to visit, share prayer requests, talk, and pray. From the first week I just felt so happy. We have been meeting for about a month, and I already feel that the friendships have deepened, and we have already seen God answer several of the requests put forth! Well, that is all for now, more to come, my new goal may be to blog once a week, we'll see if that is doable. :)

Happy 8th Birthday Projeto Crescer!

Happy Birthday Projeto Crescer! (The Growing Project) This weekend, we celebrated the 8th year of the project! (if you want to learn more about the project, keep your eyes out for an update in the next few weeks about the new website! It is coming soon and looking great.) After doing a unit focused on Brazil and it's 5 major regions, each class picked a region and the respective teachers made a booth and foods from their regions of Brazil. It was an awesome party and a huge testimony to what is God is doing and continues to do in Cafuba! There was pizza from Sao Paulo, bar-b-q from the south of Brazil, and fish from the North-east. The cake was bigger than any cake I have ever seen and there were also items for sale that the kids made ie. vases, bookmarks, placemats, various painted boxes, etc. Everyone turned out for the celebration. There were vollunteers from our church and students from years back. We count it a privilidge to be a part of such a great organization and to see how far God has brought things. Pictures from before it ever existed reveal an empty lot, which now holds classrooms, and so much more for 80 kids Monday through Friday. A big hit at the party were the prizes that were raffled off. Everyone sat anxiously looking at their numbers waiting to see if they had won. I will brag on my husband a bit, and say that the raffle was his idea! He is such an amazing director. He has poured his all into things this past year and it was a blessed day to get to see everyone celebrate the continuation, growth, and hope for even more in the future! God is SO good! MMMMMMM, this cake was soooo yummy! Thank you Deisy! She is the cook at the Project and she did a great job on the cake! Anxiously awaiting cake!

I know that this picture is a bit blurry, but I just had to put it on here..... Near the end of the party, Pastor Claudio gave a word of encouragement and incentive, to look for healing for whatever is hurting us physically, spiritually, or emotionally, in Jesus. After that he prayed for the community, everyone present, and the project! It was such a precious moment and one that I believe states strongly why the project exists and what God hopes for in this community. People healed by the power of Jesus! To God be the glory!

Joel is 1!

I am a little late with this post but I couldn't go without posting a few pics from Joel's 1st Birthday! We had a frog birthday party with my parents, and some friends from church and the Project (the before and after school program that we work with....FYI a new website will be up and running soon with lots of info on "Projeto Crescer" and we will update you on that when it is good to go! ) Anyhow, here are some pics.

Everyone says, "I can't believe that my child is _____ years old." I am not sure if I can believe that Joel is 1 but enough has happened in the past year to make me feel like he is one. He has changed SO much, as have I. I think that I have learned more as a mom than in any other role ever in my life. It is such a huge responsibility and one that in my opinion requires such humility, a servant's heart, a selfless spirit constantly (all of this I am still working on by the way) and a love that is beyond ourselves-thank You Jesus for providing this in my life without limit! I owe my life to you, yet you are the One that gives me life daily. I love Joel more each day, if that is even possible, and I wouldn't trade the adventure for anything!

So, here is to my son, Joel Deron Geroy.

Congratulations Son, I love you and am so proud of you!

Oh well.....

I think that I need to learn how to say, Oh well, much more often. Today I went to the grocery store. We are trying to eat all together as a family with Joel every night around 6 or 6:30, yes I know that might be late for a one year old, but Jude gets home around 5:30 or so, so sometimes it can't be before then. Anyway..... I have been really homesick today and was a little extra emotional. I tried a different grocery store because all my friends have been telling me that the grocery store that I go to is really expensive. (Oh well, much more to come.) So, with good intentions, I thought well I can at least give another grocery store a try and see how it goes. On my way, Joel was in the back seat very peaceful and I was listening to my Watermark cd, very peaceful..... The peace ended there. Out in front of my little car, pulls this lady with giant sunglasses in her giant fancy black car, talking on her cell phone, I honked like any good brazilian, and she gave me a dirty look (which I of course like any good missionary, did not give back, hahaha, ya right) then she pulled in front of me more and turned right on her happy fancy way. (Oh well) Go ahead lady! Then I missed the turn to the cheap grocery store parking lot. (Oh well.) Then I went to turn around at the next street. when I was turning around, two bikers biked in front of my car on a very busy street. I have nothing against bikers by the way...... (Oh well.) then I found the parking lot , of the cheap grocery store, what seemed like an abandoned dirt lot behind the grocery store. I entered with Joel, wiped down the cart because of swine flu among other things, which Joel then proceeded to chew on, (Oh, well, at least I wiped it down first.) I found a few things, then moved on through thinking, it is dirtier than our grocery store. (Oh well.) then when I went to check out, I discovered that Joel's diaper had leaked..... (Oh well.) I wiped down the seat where his diaper had leaked, checked out and thankfully an angel of a lady pushed the cart out to my car where I changed Joel etc. then I came home unloaded the groceries and cleaned Joel off better, fed him his snack, put him down for a nap, and washed and put away the groceries. We had a great dinner, and have really been enjoying Joel sitting down with us and eating and being content to just be with us and eat and all be together. He is quite the mover and the shaker, so to find something that works for us has been great. Not to mention that he likes eating some of what we are eating. Since I started typing this update, I have killed 4 or 5 mosquitos with our mosquito racket, and taken out the trash because the ants, who love our apartment almost as much as we do, were eating a few strands of spaghetti in the trash bag.(Oh well.) I am thankful for today and for all that God has given me in, Joel, Jude, family, friends, and mostly in my relationship with Him. He has saved me from so much, sin, death..... and even beyond that He has shown me His amazing love in more ways than I could have ever dreamed of. Not only am I saved, I am loved. Thank you Lord. No matter how many oh wells happen in my day, at the end of it all I have SO much to be thankful for. Somehow it just helps to get things out there, so there you go.

Plunger Anyone?

Funny story. So, my parents and niece came to visit us a couple of weeks ago. The project was going on a two week winter break and we were holding our annual Vacation Bible School so it was a good time for my folks to visit seeing as how Jane and I were going to have some down time. Their journey from Texas to Rio was a long one...San Antonio to Dallas, Dallas to Miami, and then a 1o hour overnight flight from Miami to Rio, not to mention the hour long car ride from the airport to our apartment. So, when we got home they were in need of a little rest...and a bathroom. Well, in my excitement to have my family making their first visit to Brasil, I failed to mention a few basic house rules: don't leave the windows open at night (mosquitos), don't drink the tap water..oh yeah, and don't put toilet paper in the toilet!! OOPS...too late. Does anyone have a plunger? You would think that Jane and I would have a plunger considering the size and frequency in which I make a deposit, but as hard as it may be to believe, we don't. So, I make a quick trip downstairs to talk to the maintenance guy from our building. He doesn't have one either. However, being a typical Brasilian, he is certain he can find a way to fulfill our plunging needs. The picture below was his solution...a broom handle and a coke bottle. Don't laugh...it worked!!!!

Mom, Dad, and Trinity at Camboinhas Beach.

Trinty trying coconut water.

Blogging Behind

Well, after 4 months who knows where to start. We are feeling more at home in Brazil than we have since we got here. I remember reading that missionaries have to really be in a place for 3 years before they know how it will be. As this is our third year here I see how true that really is. Just now do I feel as if we are getting used to some things, and figuring out other cultural things, and realizing that other things will never change, we just have to get used to them. The last months have been good, but we are glad to have some things behind us..... such as the process of getting a drivers' liscense, and the months of nightime feedings. Joel is sleeping through the night better than he ever has, praise God. Who knew that I needed sleep SO much. We are looking for a car, and I believe that when God opens that door, it will be a weight lifted off of us. Waiting for the bus and counting on public transportation with a baby (and all of his belongings that come with us in the baby bag) is not as easy as it was when it was just Jude and I, not to mention that there are some places, relatively close by car, that we can't get to because the bus doesn't go there, or we would have to take 2 buses and walk a long ways just to get somewhere 15 minutes away or less by car. Side note- the bus is a $1.10 each way, so that adds up and I am always amazed that the bus is so much in a place where the majority of the people make so little. So, that is in God's hands, and for the mean time, we are thankful that Niteroi has a great bus system and that we have friends who don't get tired of giving us rides. Praise God! As always, we enjoy seeing how Joel is growing up, and here are some pics of him at 7+ months, the more recent ones are still on the camera. He is almost 9 months! More to come later. Joel loves bath time, and I love playing with his Alfalfa hair, which sadly I just got the courage to cut off, now he looks like a little boy. Picture time with Mommy....

Back In Brasil

We had two new bathrooms installed at the Project while we were on Christmas break.

We also had 6 new sinks put in for the kids to be able to use to wash their hands and brush their teeth.

Here's Big Boy enjoying his walker that we brought back with us from the States.

Bia is one of Jane's former students that she has been discipling. She stayed over one night and she and Joel had a blast together.

We've been back in Brasil about three weeks now and already so much has happened. I have started full time as director at the Project and there is ALOT to be done. Jane has been taking care of Joel at home and will go back to teaching English classes at the Project twice a week here in the next couple of weeks.

Bath Time!

While we were back in Texas, bath time turned out to be one of the most anticipated events of the day. This is Jane's mom and sister, Michelle, taking turns cleaning up Big Boy.

Texas Trip 2

My sister Ginny with her new baby girl Kendal.

Jane's Aunt Nancy and sister Julie with Joel.

My aunt, uncle, cousins and grandmother came in from Louisiana.

My sister has the cutest kids doesn't she?

Date Night! Our first night out without Joel!

Texas Trip 1

Cousins!

Checking out the Sports page with RP.

Great Grandma

Hangin with Mama on Christmas day

Chattin' it up with Papa

Our trip to Texas was just what we needed...time to relax, time with family and friends, and the chance to show off our little (ok, not so little) Joel.