I Used To Be a Sunbathing Fool

Yesterday. Was. Excellentay.

Oh. My. Gosh.

For the 1st time since Grady was born 5 1/2 years ago, I laid out by a body of water...all by myself...without a nursing baby waiting on me somewhere. It was heaven. Ahhhhh!

I used to wear my bikini as underwear every year from May-September. I kept a blown-up raft in the trunk of my car...just in case I was to happen upon a lake. Of course, Saline lake was always my preference, but Lake O' The Pines (Brushy Creek!!) and Lake Cherokee were great too...or any of the other lakes in the great Louisiana/East Texas area.

That all ended once I got married actually...no lakes around us in Phoenix (the desert!). And then, of course, the babies started coming. So, yesterday was just SO GREAT!! I read and read...and laid out and laid out. And just did NOTHING!! Stupendous I say!!

Of course, now I'm paying for it. I think I overdid it in the sun. What used to be no big deal for me (as far as time in the sun), is now WAY TOO LONG!! Ha ha ha. For whatever reason, I just neglected to remember that I was about as white as the whitest newborn you can think of as of yesterday since I hadn't been in the sun hardly at all in many years. Of course, I had somewhat of a farmer's tan, just from hanging laundry...it looks like I have flip-flops on even when I have no shoes on at all...ha ha ha. But, now...I am a total lobster. And SO OUCHIE!! Misery!! But, it was worth it. It was so much fun and so relaxing.

So, this came about because we took Danny and Joel to Salto Corumba. The kids stayed at home with our babysitter. The guys hiked all around the place while I just stayed by the pool. Heaven.

We also went to Pirenopolis this week with them. Fun. Last Saturday Joel had a flight scheduled with some people, so we all went to the airport and were able to all fly with him. It's the first time I'd flown with him since I was pregnant with Eissa. Eissa really enjoyed her first flight with Daddy. Cass didn't go this time, but maybe next time.

John Carter happened to be there too. He said he was on his way to fight some squatters on his land (his life fascinates me) when he looked over at Danny and told him he was welcome to come along. Before John headed off into battle he was going to be stopping over at his 'fishing camp' to meet up with a team from none other than...Massachusetts. So, with just the clothes on his back and his camera, Danny headed off for a Brazil adventure.

Danny spent Saturday - Tuesday with them, traveling around Brazil a bit. We met up with him in Pirenopolis on Tuesday to retrieve him and enjoy the sites in that cute little town (that does NOT smell like crap, Joel!). ;)

In other news, Asas just got back from their HUGE mission trip that they go on every year, Projecto Ide (Project Go Ye). Every July, they bring together many teams from all over Brazil from many different churches to go into a less fortunate/less evangelized area of Brazil to share the love of Jesus and just 'do their thing' in general. They all meet for a couple of days of training and then split off into their assigned groups...evangelism, children's ministries, Jesus film, medical/dental outreach, etc. in several different areas of the region where they are. Joel went last year. I want to point you to a couple of different blogs that are doing excellent series of posts about the trip this year. So very cool to hear about the work of our mission here. So, take a look at Stephanie's blog and Kristin's blog. Really exciting.

Things get going again around here on Monday. Joel has been going to Asas every day like usual during July. But, Monday is when the school starts back up for the students. We will probably start back with homeschooling as well. We've had a nice little 2-week break with Danny and Joel here.

Danny and Joel will be here until Friday, then they will leave (boo hoo hoo), taking a bus to Belo Horizonte and Rio for a bit of traveling. Then some other visitors will be here on Saturday to stay a few days. More on that later.

For now, here are some great shots that our visiting photographers have captured in the last week. And as usual, you can visit their blog recording their Brazilian experience here.

Painting with Joel C.
Just a couple of cute Cass pictures from downtown last week.

Cass getting some help from Uncle Danny.
A typical downtown scene. Danny and Joel have gotten some great shots of just the world around us here. I'll be sure to do a post sometime showing them to you. Very interesting.
After checking out downtown, we went to the mall for supper. Here the girls are window shopping. Cass seems to be pointing out just what she wants. ;)
;) What cute passengers.
Me and the girlies.
The plan was for us girls (me, Hadley, and Eissa) to go up and then the boys (Danny, Joel C., and Grady) to go up. But, since Danny took off with John Carter, Eissa got to go twice. ;)

And our faithful, favorite pilot. We like him.
I love Eissa's face in this picture...as Cass tries on Joel C.'s glasses.

Cute little Cass on the way to church.
I love this picture of little Miss Hadley...and her tude.
On our way to get Danny in the wild. ;) It was such a bumpy ride...see video below.
We had to cross 2 little streams...see video below for more fun. ;)
The place we came to (kind of like a little rustic resort, minus a place to stay overnight) was really nice. It was a big rustic wood and stone structure with tons of these hammocks on the top deck. There was a great view from up there.
Before we got down to the waterfall, we came to these natural pools. The kids stripped down to their scivvies and had a great time!


The steep hike down to the waterfall...our kids are awesome...they love this stuff.
This was the waterfall where we found Danny.
Me and my 2 littlest. ;)
It was good to see Uncle Danny again.
A sweet picture of the brothers and little man Ebersole...the boys had hiked up behind the waterfall.
Eissa and Uncle Danny.
Our little hiking family.
This toucan was there at the waterfall place.
The cute streets of Pirenopolis.
And some cute shops...the streets are lined with these.
Tired us at the end of the day in Pirenopolis. Love Eissa's smile. ;)
Cass has taken a liking to this one. Funny.
Torching termites in our yard. ;)
Boys and their games. It was actually really, really funny. ;) They've had the opportunity to do it a few nights...and more fun to come before they leave I'm sure.
Joel and Danny...ready for a big hike at Salto Corumba.
On their way to the falls.
A look at the waterfalls from the bottom.
Joel C. and Danny walking on the very top.
The brothers playing in the pools on the top of the waterfalls.
A real photographer. ;)
Me and my sweet husband at the end of our day of play last night.

Lookee Who's Here

There are so many posts I want to do about so many things. But, I don't know...I'm thinking from now until all my children leave home, I probably won't ever have time to do daily posts again. ;) That daily post thing ended about a year ago. It ain't coming back.

So, since there's so much to say, I'm just going to do some bullets here...all random and not really relating to each other...but all important.

**We found out a couple of weeks or so ago that we are going to be staying in this city in Brazil at least until December 2011. WOOHOO!! We really feel settled here and are excited about the things that are going on here.

**We went the other day to talk to the appropriate peeps about adoption. So, we got the list of documentation that they need and will be starting the process as soon as we get all of that together. Of course, with our furlough (again, because someone always asks...yes, we just went to the states this past winter, but it was only for 2 months and was only to see my mom because we were on break from Asas anyway...she even paid our way...so it was by no means a furlough in which we go around visiting all of our family, friends, and supporters and such...just to clear it up for you) coming up this winter and visitors here at our house on and off until we leave, I'm not sure of the timing of everything. But, we'll keep you posted.

**Speaking of furlough, we will be there Thanksgiving - the end of July...8 months. We will be in Arizona, all throughout Texas, Louisiana, Virginia (where Joel has some training), Pennsylvania, and Boston...and all the places in between since we will most likely need to drive instead of fly.

**I love how it's so evident that God and the stories of the Bible are real to my kids. Anytime 'bad guys' are talked about, they are always called "soldiers." ;) Death is most often associated with a cross (anytime it comes up that death is a part of life, Hadley still reminds me that I told her she wouldn't have to die on a cross...we have to go over again that just because you die doesn't mean it will be on a cross...;) ). Anytime the kids have to think long-term...for instance, when Grady was trying to sort out how long it was going to be until we got back to the United States (and to his Granny) the other day...it's just kind of difficult for him to grasp. I tried it in months...then 'a really, really long time'...then, just 'lots and lots of days.' And then it clicked for him...he said, "is it gonna be 40 days and 40 nights?!?" To him, that is like the ultimate of a long time. Cute. I was glad he had something to relate it to...and he fully understood after that. Cool.

**Names: I'll have to do a whole post on this sometime soon, but Miranda (nice to meet you), yes..."field of heather" is all we ever saw for Hadley too. ;) But, while we were pregnant the first time (or before probably actually), we were shopping in Costco and saw a box of dates. The company's name? Hadley. Their slogan? Sweetness is our nature. So, we decided we'd use that. ;) Her names mean "sweet joy." I'll explain in more detail another time. But, all our kids' names' meanings are...Grady - Noble Knight, Hadley - Sweet Joy, Eissa - Peaceful Helper, and Cass - Wise Helper.

**Also, another question from the comments of the last post...I actually think it's just as easy to use the bumGenius diapers for newborns. I did and there was hardly any mess to clean up. I would think that if you use the liners too (we never did...just started this week...am loving them by the way), it would catch any of the bulk (you know how sometimes their breast milk poo is a bit seedy or there is just more poo at times than usual) and whatever is left gets easily cleaned. But, you don't have to use liners at all for breastmilk poo...it's just so minimal usually and hardly anything to scrap out (we'd just take a paper towel and scrape the excess off). I just visited this site for more opinions and there are tons others elsewhere on the web. But, as I said, I used them with Cass from the beginning and we had zero problems. Hope that helps.

**I have a new clock. It is a pretty cool wall clock that we really like alot. Someone brought it to us from the states even. Who? I'll get to that. And why did someone have to bring a 2 ft. wall clock from the states?!? Because I am finally decorating a house...finally staying in a certain place for more than just a few months and in that certain place we can do things like drill holes in the wall and hang things. Anyhoo, the clocks here in Brazil are all institution clocks. Think school room or hospital room...then you can picture the clocks here...ALL of them, I'm not kidding. Um, I don't think so. So, yeah...they brought it and we are so pleased. Amazing the things that make a house a home in your mind. An institution clock wasn't cutting it...and I'm so glad we had the option of having something different.

**Cass is such a big girl. She is now sleeping in the room with the big kids. We moved her crib in last Monday night and she does just fine. She is the BEST sleeper ever. If she gets woken up, she just goes right back to sleep...without any fussing. I'm telling you...so easy, that one. Not perfect, mind you...she definitely lets her opinions be known these days and REALLY definitely lets you know if she doesn't like something. ;) But, she's awesome. She is now repeating lots that we say and also knows what we are saying most of the time. For instance, if I tell her to go get her shoes, she does. ;)

**O.K., so why did Cass move? Who brought our clock?
DANNY AND JOEL!!!! That's who. (yes, they have sites and on Joel's site you can read all about their adventures here and see even more pics) Fun stuff. They got here Tuesday night. Danny was born here, but they moved when he was 5 and this is his first time back. He's really taking it all in. Danny is Joel's (my Joel) youngest brother and also the baby of the family (he has 2 brothers and 2 sisters). Joel (we tried to start calling him Fabio for ease...that's the name he chose...but it just didn't stick...ha ha ha) is from the Boston area, born and raised. We are having so much fun with these 2. They crazy.

And, the bonus? They are both photographers. How much do I love that? So, here are a few of the pics they've taken so far. There are tons more where these came from (and they've only been here 4 days!...they are here at our house for another 2 weeks)...I'm sure I will be utilizing their pictures a lot in the next couple of weeks, so get ready. ;)

Just hanging around the house their first morning here.
I now have an operator for all things (almost) TV related. They are just really growing up. ;)
Notice the fabulous wall clock in the background. ;) Love (the clock and the girl).
My girl flying a kite...with her shorts on backwards. ;) Danny, Joel, and I had gone to a Wycliffe lecture on culture (in English) that afternoon and this is what we came home to. So much fun.
Then we headed out for the kids to show Danny and Joel their fort and big swing.









Now that's a cute boy! ;) Danny and Joel went with Joel (yes, 2 Joels in the house gets a bit confusing sometimes) to Asas Thursday afternoon to get the tour and check it all out. Grady took his camera along for the afternoon too...he has to take advantage of the expertise all around him these next 2 weeks. ;)
Brothers.
Grady and Uncle Danny.

Yesterday, Joel took part of the afternoon off and we took Danny and Joel to experience downtown.

Churros!!
Goodbye, downtown. Our car, straight ahead, in the parking area. Me with all the kiddos in tow.