Happy New Year...and Beyond!

"New year. New opportunities.  But if I am not different, nothing will change!"

Pastor Josival, 1.15.17

My "happy 2017" post quickly became "happy first week of 2017" and then "happy first half of the month 2017" and now is "happy end of January 2017."

Wew.  Wow. Okay.

We had a wonderfully HOT 10 days at the beach December 30-January 8.  Following are once again, only a FEW of my favorite shots because there are too many to share.  My husband shared 4 of our beach days with us before returning to the city to work.   Brother and sister-in-law and little nephew shared 7 of those 10 days and my mother-in-law graciously stayed with the children and I three more days so we could have just a little bit more time!

The first 15 pictures were taken by Tatiane Barros Photography: thank you for sharing with me girl!

Lot of cousin love going on with these two little boys!!!

When we could not take any more sun and heat on the beach, the children just continued their water play in Avo's "quintal" in the little pool!

One evening we enjoyed an outing to a small amusement park nearby.  Riding a motorcycle is serious business for this little man! 

"Mommy, I am going to be a firefighter," he informed me a few weeks ago.

My sunscreen covered girl enjoying fresh "maracuja" (passion fruit) juice with Avo Rosa

And when you simply cannot go on another moment, you have a lovely nap in a hammock bathed in shade!

Making new friends...

This afternoon awarded us with a tropical downpour.  Wow, did it ever rain.  

Headed home.  We stopped for a driving break at the "Black Cow" Restaurant, where they literally have a real cow on display for children to watch her being milked.  You can also buy a cup of fresh, warm milk, which I did OF COURSE!  It was amazing.  

When we arrived home on Sunday the 8th, I lost no time in starting my laundry, of course!  For those of you who follow my blog faithfully, you know of my yearly struggles with laundry after 10 days at the beach with no laundry facilities.  Having no dryer makes my laundry system, well, slow and time consuming at best.  I started my washer on Sunday evening and it literally ran day and night for three days.  I would feel sorry for my machine, but I don't because I still have to do a lot of handwashing, hand scrubbing, soaking and more scrubbing to get stains and odors out.  But I am grateful for my washing machine...as slow and inadequate as it seems at times.  To some extent, I have gotten used to the way we do laundry in Brazil.  You do what you have to do!  Instead of loading up a bag to take to my friends to hang dry in their large outdoor area, I loaded up BAGS at a time.  how grateful I am for my friends Lucia and Juliana who dry loads of laundry for me every week.

Avo Jorge and his little guys...

My in laws have helped me tremendously this month with the children as I have ran like a crazy woman to get a LONG list done before school starts for the children and husband THIS COMING WEEK!!!
I was very near having an all out anxiety attack as I watched the end of the month coming closer by each passing hour...until I found out my classes won't start until MARCH.  Woohoo.  Okay.  Deep breath.  We can do this!

The children start school on Thursday of this coming week and are super excited about not only starting school again but about starting at their new school.  They ask me every morning if today is the day!

I have been in teacher's training (and have two more days to go this coming week).  I have two words to say about the new educational system I am entering this year.

INTENSE and AMAZING.

That is all I will say about that.

My learning curve is high and I don't see it coming down any time soon.

To say that this year will be a challenging one for me professionally is well, putting it mildly.

But with Him Before me, Beside me and Behind me, I got this.  We got this.  HE's got this.
Have a wonderful Sunday!


Be blessed, Jama