It Was A Cold and Wet Night...

Oh, wait.  It has been about a month of cold and wet (or just plain COLD) nights...and days.

So, here is to us and how we dress INSIDE our home sometimes...just to ward off the icey fingers and toes.

After a couple days of frigid hands, I remembered that somewhere stashed at the back of my closet I did actually own gloves.  No surprise that I have not actually used them the almost 9 years I have lived in Brazil...until now.  My kids were enamored with them.  I know, gloves.  Such a novelty!

Okay, so before leaving the subject of how cold it has been (and I am NOT making this up, we have been experiencing record breaking lows, as in the coldest it's been in 22 YEARS!!!), I will just say this.  I felt gratifyingly validated by my cousin who has spent most of his life here in Brazil as a pastor when he said, "There is no way to explain a Sao Paulo winter to someone who has never experienced it!" I said, "That's right because when people ask me how cold it gets and I say 10 degrees celcius is stinkin cold to us, they give me this look like, "okay, girl.  You are a whiner!"  But like he said, imagine homes built to hold in the coolness, no heaters, barely warm water coming out of our less than effective shower heads, no heating whatsoever in the groceries, churches or any other public building you may enter.  So, my cousin, Cameron, said of Chicago winters (where he and his family now make their home), "Give me a Chicago winter over Sao Paulo winter anyday.  At least I can walk five feet and then choose the temperature I want to live at!" You guys rock!  Thanks for leaving me down here to FREEZE!!!

Oh and it has consistently been at 0 degrees recently at night and in the early mornings.  Thank you very much.  That is FREEZING!!!

On to other events in our lives since May.

A fun couple of hours for the children playing with our dear little neighbor girl

Daddy taking time out of his cramming for final exams to play with the kiddos...inside this tiny tent!

Another special visit from my former WJU professor, Fritz.  He comes to work with Restoration Ministries every year and I will never forget the first time he walked in our church.  He had some idea that I moved to Brazil after graduation but had no idea I was connected with the very same ministry he would fall in love with and come every single, blessed year after.  He walked in and I said, "What are YOU doing here?" and he looked at me and said, "No, what are YOU doing here?" I love his visits and meeting his newest WJU students.  I will forever have a soft place in my heart for the university where God did such a deep and lasting work in my life and through my life.

Fritz is a complete goof (I mean that lovingly and with all due respect!) and he wanted a picture with my husband and his brothers, just so he could "feel short!"

One more special afternoon "Tea" with my precious church ladies.  We have a ladies tea about every two months and these get togethers have come to be such a blessing and encouragement as we seek to be more like Jesus in our homes and marriages.

Irma Si gave the devotional last month.

Ah, one of my all time favorites, my precious friend Camila.

More visitors: little Samuel and his brother and mommy came one Saturday morning to bring us a birthday party invite but ended up staying awhile.  So fun to watch my children love on this baby!

One Sunday my sister-in-law and nephew came for lunch.  The men in her house were all out of town so Tati came to spend the day with us.  So, so fun.  My children are absolutely crazy about baby Isaac!

The little raffle items for yet another ladies Tea, this time in one of the communities where RM works.  I was privileged to be asked to participate this afternoon.  It was a joy to worship with our sisters in the slum.

It was a ladies tea but yes we had a few men there to help with the worship.  This kid is amazing.  He is being raised in a home that has almost nothing as far as worldly possessions but he LOVES to play the guitar for worship and is the sweetest child.  I know God has great plans for this one!

Our goody table

Amanda, a pastor's wife from Rocklin, California giving her testimony while my SIL Tati, translates for her.

Another afternoon coffee time with our Juliana.  Noah learned to drink tea from a teacup this afternoon!

Noah, learning to shave!  And yes, this was before it turned bitterly cold!!!

This kid loves to be like daddy!

In more ways than one!

He was watching TV with daddy, cradling his guitar as he watched!

Last week I did something I had never, ever done here in Brazil.  I went out to dinner with a group of friends.  I go to dinner with my husband or sister-in-law on very rare occasions but never with a group of girlfriends.  It was lovely.  Even more so because we went to Outback, a very rare treat for us all.  One of our friends had never been so we took her for a taste of what is the most American place you can experience in the middle of our Latin American megacity!!

We sat and talked and laughed and drank peach iced tea by the tumblers...for hours!

I came away refreshed in every way...and very, very full!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...everyone out except my BIL Wellington!  He kept my children until my husband arrived after work.  Real rip roarin time had by all as you can tell!

Think they were a bit weary??

Last Saturday was party day.  Both of the children's schools had their mid year family day.  This year Chloe danced a country song and they dressed up as "cowboys."  Aren't they darling?! 

Daddy almost never has to work on Saturday but last Saturday he simply had to go to work.  It was disappointing but his parents, grama and two of our dear friends joined us at the parties so that was helpful.

My father-in-law spent his time running after this little cowboy, who is quick and on.the.go!!!

It was a marvelous party and much fun was had by the littles.

Chloe, lined up to do her dance!

Chloe, mommy, Avo Rosa and Bisavo Ruth

Our dear Vanda and Amanda, who took several hours out of their day to celebrate my children with me!

My little cowgirl!

Noah and his grandparents

Chloe and her dear, dear teacher, Pro.Erica!  What a blessing this woman is in our lives this year.

Noah's pre-school is right next door to Chloe's Elementary school but by the time we arrived at his party, we were all done in.  We stayed a little bit, getting our popcorn and juice and playing on the playground for a bit, before heading home to spend the afternoon sleeping!

Two HUGE achievements this month:  Everson passed yet another semester of his college course (he is headed into his 9th semester of a 10 semester course!!!!) and I have nearly completed my FIRST semester teaching in the High School Program at CS (my final class is this Friday).  SUPER, super exciting!  God is incredibly good.

And very exciting news:  I became an auntie again on May 17th.  My parents now have another grandson and he is, of course, beautiful!  Congratulations to my beloved brother and sister-in-law, C & M and baby boy's little sisters, S & F.  Only God knows when I will get to meet him but in the meantime I eat up the pictures on FB!

And that brings us almost to July.  Almost to daddy and mommy's vacations from work and school. We are very, very excited and so grateful that daddy was able to get his 30 day vacation at the same time he will be on winter break from college and the children from school and myself from teaching. Whooohooo!

My next post will, Lord willing, be of our marvelous vacation in the state of Goias, Brazil.  We are overwhelmingly excited about a five day vacation in a nice, warm place with natural hot springs!  We will be gone the first week in July.  Hopefully we will thaw out nicely before returning to spend the remainder of our vacation here in Sao Paulo.  Until next time!

                                                                                    Blessings,
                                                                                               Jama