Hurry up and Wait!

Hurry up and wait! That seems like a lot of our life since we've gotten to Brazil. Several different people have said that phrase to me and it really fits.

There were a lot of steps involved in getting set up and it almost seemed like each one was dependent on the other! How are we ever going to get everything done!?!?! Well, it seems we are almost at the end of our "hurry up and wait" stage. We have a car, a house, our visas are registered on this side (well mostly), we finally have everything fixed in the house, and now we are just hurrying up to wait for language school! Lord willing, that will happen right after thanksgiving!

I am learning a lot in this hurry up and wait phase. God had this waiting time for a reason in our lives. I've learned that I'm not quite as tough as I thought. I didn't come to Brazil thinking that I wouldn't have struggles, but I considered myself tough. We had rough situations in America. I've dealt with mice and roaches and ants in my homes in America. I've lived for a week without any hot water in our home. I have even washed my laundry in a bathtub for a while because we did't have a washer. All of that which led me to believe that I was tough and prepared.

Go ahead. You can laugh. I am.

I have come to realize I am not tough. I realized that when it dawned on me that we have to have someone's help to do practically everything. ME... the independent, don't ask for help from anyone, me...

  I realized I'm not tough when we lived for over a week without being able to go in my own bedroom and bathroom because they were infested with bees.

 I realized I'm not tough when I looked up one night and there was a bat flying in my living room... and he came back the next couple of nights as well.

I realized I'm not tough when I woke up one morning to find my five month old like this.

Those are all the mosquito or gnat bites she got in one night. 

I realized I was not tough when I all we ate was chicken soup, chicken salad, and sandwiches for two weeks because I was too scared to try and fail at making anything else. 

I realized I was not tough when I realized that they don't have salsa here in Brazil, and you can't find everything necessary to make it! Who doesn't have salsa!?!? I just feel like that's a crime and everyone should have chips and salsa. 

I realized I'm not tough when I see pictures of my family all bundled up in coats and I remember that it's holiday season. "I'm dreaming of a green and pineappley Christmas"  just doesn't have the same Bing Crosby flair. 

Now that I've had my pity party, I've also realized...

I don't have to be tough.

God doesn't expect me to be tough. He expects me to lean on Him for that strength that I am finding out I don't have.

As hard as it has been to feel like we're here in Brazil and accomplishing absolutely nothing because we don't speak Portuguese, there's been a reason to hurry up and wait. Because for me to be used here, I think I had to come to that realization that I'm not tough, and that I need to stop trying to do everything on my own. 

Now, I'm off to sweep up the bugs that invaded my house in the night.  But before I go, for your baby viewing pleasure!!

Time On My Hands

Since I live with a bunch of males, and since Opening Day of Hunting Season is this week (what do you mean you didn't know that?!?!), I'm finding myself spending more time alone these days.

So while my guys are getting up in the wee hours of the morning to make their way through the frozen darkness to their stands, while they're shivering and changing their socks because dampness worked its way into their boots, while they're showering with "scent away" so the the deer don't sense their presence (HINT: if doesn't add perfumes to the soap, but it doesn't necessarily take care of all of the b.o. either), I've had people ask me what I'm going to do with all my free time.

Well watch out because the guys don't have the monopoly on the fun!

I started the week with an attempted root canal. I say attempted because, after novocain that numbed my jaw and my nose and after spending two and a half hours in the chair, the dentist came to the conclusion that some oral surgery was going to have to take place before the root canal. Blades and lasers were discussed (I am not making this up) and then ultimately it was decided that I needed a different course of action. I was scolded for putting this off for so long, but then told they don't have another appointment for another month so I guess this problem is not going to get fixed any time soon.

Later in the day I read by a cozy fire, watched a little television, made soup in the crockpot and sorted and organized my jewelry. All of that, and I'm only on Day One!

Don't be jealous. Not everyone can maintain the level of excitement that I can.

I have more stuff planned for tomorrow. My plans include dusting and vacuuming and possibly reorganizing the pantry. I'd clean the fridge out too, but I need to pace myself. After all, it's going to be a long week.

So what do you do when you have free time?

Brand Sparkling New

Well, Miss Amelia would have been new today, because today was her actual due date! We are so happy that she came early!

We've had and eventful 12 days of life so far!

We've had baths, which we don't like.

We've had photo ops with big sisters!

We napped before, during, and after church!

Meanwhile...this was happening! 

We have been enjoying our girls, all four of them!

Thinking on Thankfulness

So, with Thanksgiving coming up, I've been thinking about all that God has done for me recently.

• I'm thankful for a house with a yard. That's not always common here.

• I'm thankful for how God worked out us getting this house. He made it clear without a shadow of a doubt what He had for us. There are normally a lot of steps involved that our landlord passed (which never happens) based on the testimony of another missionary.

• I'm thankful for that other missionary and their family, not only for their testimony and for how they've been such a blessing to our family.

• I'm thankful for my babies and their happy spirit

• I'm thankful for how when we needed a dog, we were given one for free. Which also never happens.

• I'm thankful for friends here in Brazil to help our family adjust.

• I'm thankful for text messaging and vídeo calling because then family doesn't seem quite so far away.

Like this new sweetie that I can't wait to get my hands on and smuggle!! 

What are you thankful for this holiday season? 

Casting Your Vote

As I write this, I don't yet know what the results of Tuesday's elections will be. I've been praying for sometime about the elections, and I'm desperately hoping God allows us to have the results we need and not the results I'm afraid our nation deserves.

I do believe it is our duty as well as our privilege to vote. We vote in every election, and we've also taught our children to do their civic duty as well.

I've seen much (and I'm sure you have as well) on social media lately from people who expressed their political point of view and encouraged others to vote, hopefully along the same lines. I do think it's important to vote, and I have no patience with people who didn't bother to vote, but then complain about how government isn't doing it's job.

Many people wouldn't think of missing their opportunity to vote in an election, but I wonder how many of us realize that we cast votes every single day. We vote what to do with our time, and we vote on what's important enough for us to focus our attention.

Here's a few areas where people cast votes without realizing it:

On the job--when someone makes an inappropriate comment or joke, how do you cast your vote? Do you vote for that sort of thing by laughing at it? Do you realize that staying silent is also a way of voting for those things that are offensive? Or do you vote against that sort of behavior by politely letting them know that it's not acceptable?

At church--Do you realize that every time you decide to stay home from a service, you're voting to close the church? You may not think it's that drastic, but if you are "too tired" or "too busy" to attend, you are sending the message to everyone that church is not that important.

*You're sending that message to those around you that you might have witnessed to or invited to church. Why should they care about it if church isn't important to you?

*You're sending that message to your children. Why should they care about church if you don't? If you're too tired or busy to attend on a regular basis, don't be surprised when they end up not going at all once they're adults.

*You're sending a message to your fellow believers. Your attendance encourages them. It also encourages the pastor and the Sunday School teacher and your fellow choir members and nursery workers and ushers. When you're not there, you're telling them that worshipping with them just isn't high on your priority list.

In the neighborhood--When we were missionaries in Uganda, the leaders of the town we were in told my husband that Christianity brought morals, integrity, discipline and character. That's true whether you live in Uganda or in the United States. With that in mind, if you're not witnessing to those around you, if you're not passing out Gospel tracts, if you're not inviting people to church, then you are voting for a decline in morals, integrity, discipline and character in the area in which you live.

These are just a few of the areas where we cast our vote as we go through our daily lives. So let me ask you, what are you voting for today?

A Special Delivery

Our Baby girl is finally here and we could not be more excited!

Say hello to Miss Amelia Shay!

Big sisters are so helpful already, and Stella said, "She loves her new baby sister with her whole heart".

Daddy is smitten!

She is the perfect addition to our home!

Stayed tuned the next couple of weeks as I will be taking a short break from blogging but will for sure be posting baby picture updates!

Picture picture

I know all you really want to see is the new baby, but I don't have any pictures of her. I have seen pictures and she is absolutely adorable!!! 😍😍😍

  Here is what I do have pictures of, though...

A standing baby.. Shes killing me... 

Amazing coffee

Crazy kiddos

True MK.. You can sleep anywhere 

Stylin dude. Check out those we some shoes! 

So , how was your week?