My Horrible Day Explained

(This blog has been terribly neglected. I used to post every. single. day. What on earth?!? And how did I manage that...I can't quite remember. I think it had to do with one less child and not yet homeschooling. But, anyway...there are so many things that I want to share with you all, but I just never get around to it. So, I'm going to try something a little different...not sure if it will work or not. But, hopefully over the next couple of weeks, you will have several posts to read on here and not just one or two. So, check back and see. I hope to keep you all better in the loop here.)

If any of you saw a certain Facebook status of mine a few weeks ago, you know that I had a really bad day at that point. Here's why...

Back during the summer, my friend Paul started chatting with me on Facebook...joking around about coming to see us. The joking began to become less than joking and then one day he said, "We're coming!" WOOHOOs all around!

The day came for Paul and Lindsay to depart Phoenix, Arizona and we were so very excited about picking them up 24 hours later. BUT...

He called our house here in Brazil...from the ticket counter in Phoenix, Arizona. I was afraid something was wrong as soon as I heard his voice. But hoped that maybe he was just giving me a fun call to say "We're on our way...this is it!" But no. That wasn't it. Sigh.

Paul said, "Hey Michawn, do I need a visa to go to Brazil?"

My heart sank, and then I thought, no...Paul's a prankster. He's just giving me grief.

But unfortunately, he assured me that he was not joking...and my heart sank again. HORRIBLE. It was just horrible. Horrible.

I don't mean to sound melo-dramatic. I mean, in proper perspective nobody died or was physically hurt, no tragic life-altering events that will require therapy or anything like that. ;) But, 'horrible' is just the only word I can think of to describe it.

Paul and Lindsay had worked so hard to get ready to come. They had bought countless things to bring to us, had maxed out their vacation time at work to stay with us for 3 weeks (!!), and prayed and planned for weeks. They were so excited to come and check out the work we do and were scheduled to go on two outreaches while here. UGH!!

I was so sick to my stomach after I got off the phone with Paul, who was headed back to his house instead of flying through the skies on their way to us. It's a definite understatement when I say that it was a huge letdown.

We all just had to chalk it up to a God thing. I mean, the visa thing just slipped through too many people to think that God didn't have a hand in that. Why on earth did we not think to make sure they knew they needed a visa?!? When Paul went back to check all the websites that he'd read before about traveling to Brazil, only then did he see the visa requirement. They are really intelligent, thorough people...not at all careless or irresponsible, so it was just really crazy how it all happened. But, we had to believe that God had a purpose in it all...as He always does.

And thanks Tanya P.! When I got off the phone with Paul, I went to Facebook and posted asking people to pray (I was praying that somehow, someway, there might still be a way to get them here sometime during the 3 weeks). Tanya reminded me "well, everything happens for a reason." ;) The sick feeling wasn't gone immediately after that, but for whatever reason, those were the exact words I needed to hear at the time...it was matter-of-fact truth that I needed to hear.

Thankfully, Paul and Lindsay had purchased travel insurance and were able to change their tickets to go to Honduras. So, they spent some time there and are now spending the remainder of their vacation time in Mexico. I still feel horrible (you can be sure that we will ALWAYS bring up the visa thing to prospective visitors), but am excited to see what God does with the changed plans (our changed plans...His plans were never changed).

And, thankfully I have some cute little goofballs that live with me to bring me out of a funk quickly...otherwise, I might have needed some prescription medication for that one. ;)

Here's some footage of the goofballs...just in case you are in a funk today.

10-5-09 Grady grabbed the horseshoes (that my mom sent them a while back...thanks again Mama) and called everybody together for a game. You'll hear sweet Grady saying, "You're good at this Hadley, very good." And Hadley saying, "Thank you, Grady." And Eissa saying, "Aww, man!" ;)

10-5-09 The kids love exercising with me. Here is just a bit of Cass "getting extreme, baby." ;) It's so hilarious to watch her...and she says everything that they say..."Squeeze!" Ha ha ha.

10-6-09 Eissa showing off her new talent. ;) Don't worry...she doesn't do it much. Wouldn't want her eyes to "get stuck that way." ;) Grady and Hadley have never done this...and this is the face I woke up to that morning...it was hilarious. (and for all of you Brazilians out there...she's chomping on some jabuticaba)

And then today...Eissa and Cass outside playing. Eissa being a great big sister and Cass being a really cute tag-along. ;)