Monday, September 15, 2014

What's Goin' On In Your World You Ask?

My reply could very well be a question back at you!  "What isn't going on in our world?"

Let's see:
1. I celebrated my 37th birthday.
2. My husband was laid off from his job.
3. The kids and I took a trip with the in-laws to a marvelous, hot city in the interior of Sao Paulo
    State.
4. Chloe fractured her elbow.
5. I lost my only paying student (so that would make me officially umemployed also!)
5. Noah celebrated his 1st birthday.
6. We gave the boy child a birthday lunch of Mexican food for 40 people!

All the span of 14 short days.  Whew!  But you know, my heart is overflowing with G.R.A.T.I.T.U.D.E.  Pure, simple, overwhelming gratitude.  I read this morning that my beautiful 34 year old friend, mommy of 4 small children, is suffering so patiently through her chemo treatments and I thought, "I truly have NOTHING to complain about."  Yes, life has felt a little bit of a roller coaster ride the last two weeks but we are.so.blessed and we are healthy and Chloe broke only her elbow, not her neck in the violent fall she took.  God, THANK YOU!!!!

So, here are a few pictures to update you on our world.  I hope my family is sufficiently impressed I am posting today already!  Noah's party was just yesterday!  And yes, our baby boy is One Years Old already.

We have seriously had one party after another to attend the last few weeks.  This was the 2nd birthday of little Raphael, a little friend from church.  Our nearly 1 year old boy child loved this little white bench.

I included this picture to show some of the ways Brazilian's decorate the cake table.  This was all rented and an extra cute decor, I thought.

Miss Charming!


Made my mommy heart so glad one day to walk into our living area and see both children looking at books! 
Happy 37th to me!  My husband's family loves to come up with creative ideas for the candle as at the last minute, often candles and matches are a bit illusive!!  This one was quite original and I liked it.  This wands had been given out at my brother-in-law's graduation ball a week before!  Hilarious!

My man and I...the kiddos were sleeping.

I chose to spend my birthday at 25 de Marco, where all good Brazilians who want to save a buck or two shop for their big events!  Juliana accompanied me and was the best shopping and birthday companion.  We shopped til we dropped, almost literally, and got everything I wanted for Noah's upcoming birthday party!

While we were shopping and walking and walking some more, Everson called me to tell me he had been laid off.  I had to chuckle.  Of all 365 days God could have allowed that to happen, He allowed it on my birthday.  I clearly do not understand His ways but I don't need to.  I just tried very hard to enjoy the rest of my day with Ju.

For my birthday, my sweet husband gave us a trip to Olympia-SP with my in-laws...all of them, minus the husband.  It was so disappointing he could not get a big college test moved to later in the week.  After being laid off he could have went with us.  But it was not to be...like several things as the week progressed!  This is looking out over the city from our NICE hotel!

Olympia-SP

My little fish of a girl enjoyed the pools for a total of 1 1/2 days!

She continues to work on learning to swim, Aunti JoJo!

Looking out from the balcony on the 4th floor of our hotel

And then the Great Disappointment...a fractured elbow after falling from a structure on the playground early Tuesday morning.  I had taken my early bird children down to play, waiting for the rest of the fam to wake up and prep for breakfast.  How God worked out all the details of the next three hours was beautiful.  All the right people at the right place to serve us and help us through what felt at the time a desperately disappointing crisis.

Noah, bless his heart, full of misquito bites after having ONE misquito in our room the FIRST night, of all things.  Poor child.  The happy thing for him in the Great Disappointment was having lots of quality time with Avo Rosa, who cared for him the last half of our trip while I cared for Chloe.

Obviously a bit out of order here.  Chloe nearly slept in the pool on Monday evening after a full day of swimming and playing.

She always finds buddies to play with.


A very sad, very fussy little girl.  She was so bummed to miss out on two days in the pools and 1 day at the marvelous water park next door.

I was going to spend the day alone with my kids at the hotel but could not face a day inside so decided to join the family at the water park right next to our hotel.  So glad I did.  It wasn't a fun day for Chloe but she did enjoy playing in the sand and watching mommy scream her way through a few crazy water rides!  

Noah just loved everything about it all: his first time playing in sand.  He ate about as much as he played with!

Yum, yum!







My selfie!

And yes, he really is asleep.  Sound asleep.  The little guy did not sleep all day and the water and sand just plum wore him out!!!  The park had untold numbers of pools: all of them warm and bubbly.  It.was.amazing!


Lunch and birthday party preparations!  Once again, I could not have done it without this dear friend's help.  I baked Noah's cake and she made the filling and decorated it for me.  We make a good team: one of our friends yesterday told me I could make cakes to sell.  but I know I could not do it without Vanusa and she deserted me to go live in the interior of SP state!

I really am working on learning how this decorating thing goes!


Funny side note: I had to special order the rice paper for on top of the cake.  Firemen/Firetrucks is not a common theme here...at all.  As in, doesn't exist!  I chose this picture from the internet, sent it via email to the party store and ta da, 10 days later had my cake paper!

THE PARTY!
Pictures courtesy of Tatiane Barros Photography
Thank you Tia Tati!  We love your pictures and love you more!


Not havin slept at all in the morning and less than hour nap in the afternoon, our little birthday boy woke up very.sad.






So we just waited to cut his cake and sing to him until his smile decided to join the party!  And it did...eventually!

Add caption


Kind of thinking she enjoyed his birthday more than he did!









His huge firetruck from mommy, daddy and sissy!




Singing to our little man!


Our special guests...or ate least a few of them!






Chloe asked to do the blowing the candle out honors!

and the part about licking the cake she did NOT ask about!

Prayer of Blessing over Noah's life.


Oh, wow!


Our main pastor praying for Noah

More special friends

Enjoying playing with the pompoms after the party was over!











And he is calling me now to get him up....after not hearing boo from him for over four hours, I think he deserves some lunch!  Think we wore him out yesterday?!!

Have a blessed week.  Pray for my husband as he searches for a new job.  Pray for continued peace. Pray for a good doctor to accompany Chloe's healing process and we will get it resolved before our health insurance ends on October 12th.  Everson is out with her right now, waiting to see an orthopedist.  Pray for proper, thorough healing for her elbow.  Pray that we will just keep our eyes and hearts focused on JESUS!

Waiting on Him,
Jama

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