Si Deus Quiser!

Trying it Again

2012-01-01T10:56:00.001-08:00

So I am just goig to see if this new format lets me post... I have been unable to since April

testing

2011-10-18T17:13:00.000-07:00

I am trying the blog thing again after so many times it would not let me upload... this is a test...

LUCAS

2011-07-29T17:02:00.000-07:00

I am continualy amazed by this young man and how determined he is. Stubborn ( yes, just like mommy) observant, and always curious to know more. We love you Lucas!

Ahhhhh... water

2011-05-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

Nobody can get a good foto of Lucas´s face. Seriously. This is a friend of ours who is a semi professional fotographer and she was so frustrated that this was the best she got.

Grandpa and Grandma- you have a mission on your visit. One good picture!!!

SUSHI!!!!

2011-05-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

We are proud to announce Max is now the proud owner of a Sushi restaurant. I wish!!!! Max is now reading any and all signs and we found this one in the shopping mall...Lucas is literaly saying "sushi" for the camera. Aren't these boys handsome???

Sadly I did not get to eat sushi this day.

Acai is good

2011-05-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

So if you haven`t heard of it... Açai is yummmy!!! It is a small purple fruit grown only in the amazon and the Brazilians make it into a creamy ice cream like product that is delicious! Here the boys are having their afternoon snack.

Super men!!!

2011-04-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

Max and Lucas being their super selves and Daddy being his super hardworking self with our friend Rafael helping out too. I love these guys and how much energy they have to work and play... they wear me out!

Nadando / Swimming

2011-04-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

We have been learning to swim these last few weeks. Something scared Max though and he will not try again in the adult pool but he is swimming great in the small kids pool.

Color/ Colour/ Cor

2011-02-20T08:22:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been missing color in my life and then two amazing things happened in the same week... a colorful playgroung for Lucas to play in and an art exibit about women in Brazil ... Color!

playing in the dirt / brincando na terra

2011-02-12T15:44:00.000-08:00

We are pure boys! playing in the dirt any chance we can get... I was a bit astonished to see Max literaly laying in the dirt, but he explained it gives him better control of the hotwheels. It has been crazy hot and so these fotos are at 8am as we are inside by the fans at 9am.

Summer is ending

2011-02-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

Busy week here for us as we are ending summer vacation and starting 1st grade at school. Lucas is celebrating by playing in the dirt as often as possible. Max is here with his best buddies Lucas and Sofia. I love that this my life when alll of the other blogs I read are about SNOW!!!!

Os Melhores Amigos....Best Friends

2011-01-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Max and Monique having very cool lollypops that change your tounge various colors and with cousin Breno...the cooolest ever!

Max is 5 and very alive!!!

2011-01-23T07:56:00.000-08:00

Some scenes from the festa #5 ... Tia Cris loves to put on a party because if it were up to me we would have a small cake and ice cream only.....Max had a few friends over and we had lots of relatives for the festivities. Wemerson and Max made the cakes... no lie! The two of them slaved away the day before and made some lovely and tastey creations!. Maybe they have found a new calling.

End of 2010 and begining of 2011!!!

2011-01-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

We are so excited to be moving forward into 2011 because that means one year les

until the world cup is in Brazil!!!! No really, this year was great, but I am sooo ready to be moving on and I feel lighter just thinking about the new possibilities for 2011. Max is a speed demon on his bike these days... Lucas is talking like crazy, and other than the colors it is all in portuguese... sorry English speaking family. We have got to get to the states this year to force these two to be bi lingual!!! Peace and Joy to all in 2011!

A weekend in the country

2010-11-21T14:01:00.000-08:00

We went, we saw, we picked a LOT of fruit.

in the boxes is the haul of atamoya fruit at one of the stops our church group made when visiting a congregation in a small town about 2 hours from where we live in Montes Claros. ( of course it took US four ours to get there as we got lost!)
The town is called Mocambinho but it is so small there isn't even a sign.

Mango orchard.... this is one of 25 rows.

The boys in the vineyard .... delicious grapes .....the area is full of agricultural projects that were started by the government because of the very DRY area they invested lots of money in irigation canals from the nearest river and now many families are able to make a decent living. We visited three different orchards. grapes, mango and atamoya ... and then a bbq lunch on a lime tree orchard... we didn´t pick them though... a bit early in their growth period.

fruit and more fruit

2010-11-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

Lucas liked the big tractors on the vineyard but Wemerson was a Mango Tree monkey boy.....

Our friend Jurema and her son and like father, like son...Max monkey boy playing in the back of a pick up with the other country boys. When we were leaving after the long weekend Max asked if we could live in Mocambinho as it was so "gostoso" or nice.

2010-11-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

Grape vineyad

atamohya fruit is a mix between a graviola and a pinha... neither of which I had ever seen b4 moving to brasil

A Night in Mozambique

2010-10-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

Here at the MTC we often have visiting missionaries who tell us about their experiences

and though I have NO pictures of the visiting family, other than their son (above with Max) we had a great night of learning about one of the poorest countries in the world. We ate sitting on the floor (women and children) and the men and women of position sat in chairs!

We ate chicken in a coconut sauce with collard greens in a penut sauce, quite delicious. Although they mentioned the chicken normaly would have been served with the head still on....

Here we have Sara with fellow students, Dani and Neusa and Ann (professor and wonderful lady from Australia origionaly but has been here in Brazil more than 25 years)

you say mango, I say manga....

2010-10-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

mulberries!!!! we call them amoras.... Mangos on the tree... in case you didn`t know... they grow from a long, indiidual stem

This is a mango tree right by our house at the MTC...the weight of the fruit is literaly breaking the branches so they are being proped up! in another few weeks we will be swimming in mango juice, mango jelly, mango pie, mango salsa... well you get the idea.

Fruits of Brazil

2010-10-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

Meet Jabutchicaba! it is the size of a grape and grows directly from the bark of the tree. It is ready when it turns dark purple... you pick it and suck out the white milky pulp or eat it whole (though there is a pit and the skin is very tough) It is found mainly in our state only. Minas Gerais.

Max is turning Green!

2010-10-08T04:50:00.000-07:00

carinhoso..... kind

ajudante.....helper

virando verde? turning green?

It was crazy hair day at school and Max won the competition for his age group as his blonde locks turned green and his mohawk spikes made a big hit... these fotos are after the fact and the do is a mess but you get the idea. It was also inter-school olympics this week and Max won the running competition and was the goalie for his class in the soccer game and blocked them all!! Final score 3-0. He said being goalie was easy because the other team kicked most of the shots outside.

Max loves to help his classmates and is a great addition to the room according to his teacher Tia Rosa... she is amazing and has the patience of Mother Teresa...

Nations

2010-09-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

Sara sporting her two countries at
the MTC 25th Anniversary Celebration. They had flags representing all the countries that had ever been staff or students at the seminary.

Being an ex-pat is such an unusual thing, you are never sure which culture to be loyal to and in the end, are not truly comfortable in either. However, I wouldn't change my life for anything ... I love being a chameleon.

Missions Fair

2010-09-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Our church in Montes Claros had their annual festival for missions last week and our friends from Guinee Bissau were the focus thus year. This is Julio (guitar), Mali , and I'tchambu ( Lucas calls him Boo)singing a gorgeous song about the Trinity in Creole ( common language spoken, though the official language is portugese)
Mail is training to be a nurse and the guys are at the same seminary as us, they will return to Guinee to be teachers at the seminary there. We are so blessed to know these three and are so thankful for all who supportted and participated at the fair!

brothers

2010-09-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Max and Lucas never stop amazing us. They are growing so fast and becoming smarter each new day that I am haing a hard time keeping up. Max is reading and wiriting now!! the pride of his classroom.... and will be representing the interschool olympic games on the bowling team and as the fastest runner for his class! Lucas is strong willed and very creative ( hmmm...who does that sound like?) he makes up words and new games and then gets frustrated easily when no one else knows how to play his way. They both still get way to much attention here and so are afraid of strangers, but we Thank God daily for their brotherly love and protection for one another.

three peas in a pod

2010-08-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

As always, the boys are laughing! We love getting into pjs and playing hide and seek under the sheets, but this time mommy suprised them with the camera! It never ceases to amaze me the stamina and energy Wemerson has... he is a superdad for sure!

streets of Montes Claros

2010-08-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

The streets of our lovely little town got decorated overnight as Montes Claros holds its very own carnival (mardi gras) every year a bit out of season...lots of frolicing going on this week and next!

First Day of School

2010-08-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

Max is officialy going to school! he is starting his third week now and seems to really be loving it! His teacher`s name is Tia Rosa and there are 14 in his class. This is the walkway to his classroom (white door) and the name of the school is "Solido Kids". He wears a uniform every day, which is really fun trying to keep clean! I purchased two at least!

Max entrou na escolinha "Solido Kids" recentamente! Ele usa o uniforme toda dia e a nome da professora é Tia Rosa. Ela é super paciente e controla bem os 14 crianças na sala.

Max and Lucas

2010-07-31T06:04:00.000-07:00

2010-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Look at us we are tromping through the forest, picking up the field mice and bopping them on the head! The boys have discovered the forest near by and are loving it! We are almost done with our July vacation and trying to make every moment count....

swinging

2010-07-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

Lucas is a swinger! He is in loove with the park and can`t get enough of the swing. I have to bribe him to get off the thing and almost fell asleep in it today.

gardening with Wemerson

2010-07-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

Wemerson has helpers with everything he does this vacation, gardening included!

Inspired

2010-07-18T03:15:00.000-07:00

I am amazed multiple times a day by the love of two brothers.
Here they are hugging after a fun wrestling session and
laughing until "my belly is going to explode" says Max.
They protect each other, share, get mad but quickly make up in order to play again. They are an awesome example of how I need to remember to treat others, easily forgiven and always ready for more!

Somos sempre impulsionados quando nos vemos o grande amor que Max e Lucas têm um por outro. Aqui eles estam abraçando depois "lutando" e rindo muito e Max falou, " te amo Lucas, você é massa!" Nos lembram como tratar outros... ama com todo nosso ser, mente, palavras e açãoes.

Where in the World???

2010-07-18T03:06:00.000-07:00

We are here.....BRAZIL!!!! Max is Mr. Geography now and loves to show Lucas where everyone we know is from... even the Madagascar penguins.

Estamos Aqui!!! Em Brasil!!! Max está gostando muito estudar e aprender geografia, ele sabe onde moravam todos nossos amigos e gosta mostrar para Lucas! Sorry our blog has been without anything new... we had broken our camera but now it is back and we are very happy. I will be attempting to now write everything in Portuguese as well as we have quite a few followers here in Brazil now!

Brazilian birds are bigger

2010-06-07T16:34:00.000-07:00

Look at the size of that parrot!!!! It is a statue at our local gas station....

Lucas and Andrea

2010-06-02T16:53:00.000-07:00

It doesn`t get any better than this... two friends sharing a bag of chips.
They have both recently learned to "pose" and refuse to be normal in a picture!

Brazilian Squirrils

2010-06-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

I finaly got closer to our little friends this week, we are feeding them bananas as there is no fruit on the trees right now for them to eat.

Grandpa's last day.

2010-05-26T16:28:00.000-07:00

Max and Lucas LOOOOVE helping Grandpa Ron work!

They are very patient waiting for rocks to throw into the creek as Grandpa sifts the sand and cement. Grandpa is also very patient! You will be glad to know that we watered everything this afternoon Grandpa!!! Thinks are just not the same here without you.

family in the tree

2010-05-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

We have so much to be thankful for... a wonderful visit from Grandpa Ron, A trip to Rio de Janeiro and the beach!! Max said this afternoon "Mom, what a great day, I think we should celebrate with a cookie!"

suprise birthday party for lucas

2010-04-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Tia Cris for a suprise 2 year Birthday Party for Lucas!

Max Kept thinking the party was for him becuse it was HIS soccer team Cruzeiro!

Max kept thinking the party was for him!

Happy Easter!!!

2010-04-04T12:21:00.001-07:00

Our Easter weekend was spent cleaning water reservatories here at the seminary as well as other maintanance projects and even Lucas got in on the fun!

Tractor Man and my Grandpa

2010-04-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

So I think I have married my Grandpa Will. Seriously. My husband spends all of his free time now inventing and trying to come up with new ways to better the electrical and water systems here at the seminary. Yesterday I went out on the porch and he and Max had Max`s bike hooked up to a magnetic turning thingy and were making a lightbulb glow ...then they made a windmill from a plastic bottle to turn it... then he started looking for materials to make a full size windmill... and it goes on and on... today he is creating plans for a hydro powered generator. I had to force him to sit down and finish his homework this afternoon when I saw the bike being turned over again. In the foto he is on the newly fixed tractor here at the MTC. I love Brazil because they don`t use a trailor to bring the machinery back to you... he got to drive it home from the machanic ... it took more than an hour and a half in high gear!After 5 years here you would think I wouldn`t be suprised anymore.

Lucas Did It!!! We are swimming!!!

2010-03-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

Today we have a milestone... Lucas entered in the pool! I do not know what made him change his mind that swimming is fun and not torture, but I am so glad he did because now we can have swimming lessons! Before today Lucas cried hystericaly when even stepping close to water. I went wo get toys for Max and Andrea to swim with and when I came back Lucas was climbing in clothes and all...

Reflections

2010-03-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a week! Tomorrow is Wemerson`s 32nd Birthday and I made him Grandma Joy`s rasin cookies as a pre birthday gift! The man is easy to please! I have been reflecting on the fact that we have been here in Brasil for over 5 years and it is just NOW that I am coming out of culture shock...it really can take that long. We are taking a cultural anthropology class and learning lots about changing cultures, adapting, stress levels and how to control them, how to enter a new place without all your presupositions, judging, etc... I came to this amazing realization that with all the stuff that has happened in the last 5 years I have been operating at an amazingly high level of shock and stress that JUST NOW is starting to lessen. Fellow students have even commented that I seem more smiley and easy going this year and I think it comes from I finaly am feeling able to stop treading water and SWIM... if that makes sense. SO as we celebrate Wem`s birthday tomorrow I am on my way up... the boys have made a few fun surprises and we are going out to lunch ( a very rare treat!) and I am feeling truly Joyful again ( maybe it was Joy`s cookies that did it!) and with a real smile instead of just a fake one so that no one will ask me what is wrong. Such a pain to explain when you don`t even have a clue yourself! Enjoy the pics of the boys... they put real smiles on my face for sure!

Did Picasso have a mommy

2010-03-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

Painting project went bad when the phone rang and the two mischif makers were left unattended and painted their hair green and blue. It was really fun explaining why my kids had punk hairdos for 3 DAYS!!!!

Rock and Roll

2010-03-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

Practicing guitar is difficult for Wem because he always has to entertain the band also. They are a cute all boy band though I have to admit.

Bigger is Better

2010-03-08T15:21:00.000-08:00

Wemerson found this lovely critter at night as he was locking up the seminary...his flip flop is a reference point... and we have seen bigger snails but never have a camera with us!

Our Beloved Tia Aurea

2010-02-18T02:56:00.001-08:00

This is our lovely Tia Aurea who takes care of the kids while we are in class. She is one of the few people Lucas adores!
Aqui está bonita Tia Aurea. Lucas adora ela e nos tambem!

PICNIC

2010-02-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

we had a great snack time on Sunday ...Valentine's Day with a big picinic with all the kids here at the MTC...the other light kids are new arrivals from Switzerland.

resting?

2010-02-15T07:55:00.000-08:00

Brotherly Love

2010-02-10T13:46:00.000-08:00

It is really amazing how one thing can move your mood so drasticaly.... one minute you are cruising along thinking what a beautiful day and then one news report from Haiti can put you in tears.... or while you are crying you son can do something so kind to help another child that you remember the goodness of the heart can be more powerful than the evil. Yea God! Max and Lucas have two new friends with their same ages here at the MTC.. They are from Switzerland, speak only German and are quite lost here in Portugese, hot, really big spiders and frogs, monkey stealing your banana land that we call Brazil. Max never ceases to amaze me and offered a few of his toys and books to the children, took the little one by the hand and showed him where the bathrooms are ( "because it is the most important, Mom!" ) Children are the perfect example of how to accept others without words or lables... just get to the playing and all is right with the world!

Linda Tia Cris

2010-02-06T14:24:00.000-08:00

Beijos e Abraços Tia... nos temos muito saudade de voce.

Beautiful Cristiane

2010-02-06T14:21:00.000-08:00

Wemerson's sister Cristiane is the most beautiful woman inside and out. We are so blessed to have here in our lives.

Tia Cris

2010-02-06T14:18:00.000-08:00

Te amamos muito Ti Tia!!!! VOlta Logo!!!

Tia Cristiane

2010-02-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

Tia Cristiane paid us a visit this last week.

Painting with Mommy

2010-02-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

Max, Lucas and Mommy Sara attempting to have a creative moment. We have been going back and forth about putting Max in preschool this year and have decided not to as we have the chance of being in the states next year and he will need to have more English. So I will be teaching him at home in the afternoons as I have classes in the mornings. If anyone has any websites or materials for a 4 year old I would love the help!!!
In this picture we are making green by mixing blue and yellow! I love that this is an AMAZING thing still in his mind.

Talking with Max

2010-01-30T06:56:00.000-08:00

So, Dad took us fishing last week and we caught nothin... but it was funny becasue my friend Lucas Grande ( because Lucas Pequeno is my brother) kept getting leaves stuck on his hook. I dropped the cup with the worms and they all escaped so Dad thought it best to stop fishing because we wernt catching nothin and the sun was really hot. Papai (dad) thinks we scared all the fish away because we talked too much and didn't stay still. Also I took off my training wheels on my bike because I wanna go fast like my friends but now the bike makes me fall the time and i don't like it so this morning I convinced my dad to put the little wheels back on!
We have a birthday party for Lucas grande this afternoon- whooo hoooooo! I am going to eat lots of cake and pizza. My brother lucas is sleeping. so is daddy. come back Grandpa.
( This is actual conversation with Max about what he wanted to put on the blog...but I translated as he still converses mostly in Portugese)

Mom Sara Report

2010-01-23T06:01:00.000-08:00

I put so little about Wemerson and I on this thing so I thought today I would talk about one of my favorite subjects... ME!
I am here trying to do my morning excersises...but my little goofball keeps joining in wanting to cuddle. Cuddling is definitly more inviting! My news is in the health arena ... as it effects (or afects?) everything else! I am on a major diet and exercise revival! I must loose weight because I have a bad case of sore feet ( plantar fasciitis) I am now buying only ortho shoes and trying to eat lots of Flax seeds...experts say it helps to loose weight.
After 5 full years here in Brazil I am still suprised at the amount of cultural misunderstandings and language problems that occur, however the flip side is that I feel so at home here now that I am actualy scared, or I suppose anxious is a better word, at the prospect of visiting the states for an extended period. Let's not count our chickens before they hatch though.
I love being a mom ...no question ...but I do have to admit that sometimes I get very frustrated at the lack of independance I have now! Just to go to the bathroom I must make sure no one is in a position to hurt themselves and then I musn't linger becase within 2 minutes someone will come looking for me! This doesn't seem like such a big deal except that our house is built so that when the front door is open the view is directly into the bathroom (WELCOME to how things work in Brazil) so as someone is looking for me normaly they come from the outside leaving both doors open and me exposed to the many people who live here at the seminary and pass by my front door regularly!
This is my only complaint really so that must mean life is gooood, God is amazing to us and we are hoping to continue learning and serving HIM!

Sleding??

2010-01-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

Is it considered sleding if there is no snow and no sled?? Cardboard and high grass is all we need here in Brazil!(Aqui e diversão em surfar na caixa de papelão na decida de grama.)

Mangos a Plenty

2010-01-20T15:23:00.000-08:00

Lucas is a true Brazilian, he can't get enough of the mangos!The season is ending but he and his dad still find one or two everyday to enjoy.(Lucas e papai saboreando uma deliciosa manga.)

Now I know my ABC's...

2010-01-18T15:54:00.000-08:00

This is Max singing the number one sesame street hit... ABC... he is really working on speaking English and is very proud that he is the only one here that knows this music. Maybe I should get a recording contract for him!?!? Hee hee Well at least I know Grandma will be proud.(Este e o video do max cantando o ABC em ingles, cada dia ele me surpriende com mais e mais palavras em ingles, o garoto e bilingue mesmo.)

Brotherly Love

2010-01-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

There is always a moment in every day when I remember why I love being a mom. Max and Lucas actualy play really well together and when no one else can make Lucas stop pouting his brother Max swoops right in and makes the world right again in a jiffy. I have no idea what they were even laughing about but itmade my day right again to see the two of them laughing so much. Thank you God for this moment.(So de ver esta foto me faz sentir o pai mais feliz do mundo, eu glorifico a Deus pelo presente de ser Pai.Vale a pena investir em ter filhos.)

Lunch Date

2010-01-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

Lucas and Lois having lunch on the front porch while the adults are inside!

Football...American Style

2010-01-16T14:56:00.000-08:00

So Max and his Brazilian buddies Gabriel and Rafael were trying to teach our new Korean friends about Down, Set , Hike... Max was the only one that got the hike concept as you can see... In one of the fotos you can see Biel( 6 year old from Korea) just running with the ball and poor Sofia (Brazilian) waiting to receive the ball just like on Charlie Brown. The had a great time and suprisingly no one was injured! Lucas was sleeping or would have been right in the middle of it all I am sure.

lucas dancing

2010-01-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

Work, Work, we can work it out....

2010-01-10T14:40:00.000-08:00

Max has been learning lots of tricks as he works side by side with his dad... This particular day he stayed with him for 3 hours... impressive for a 4 year old!

If Max can do it so can I!

2010-01-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

Getting Fit in the new year!

2010-01-10T14:34:00.000-08:00

Max is a big fan of our get in shape in the New Year- eliptical machine!

Day 4 of 2010

2010-01-04T16:04:00.000-08:00

Today we had a great time here at the seminary as we are some of the few people staying here during the summer vacation. We went fishing, picked mangos, played in the hose and planted three fruit trees. Lucas received 3 vacines early this morning but he is such a trooper and though with only half his normal effort, still wants to participate in everything!
We hope your first Monday of the new year went as well.

breakfast in the new year

2010-01-04T15:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Of Course!

2010-01-01T15:20:00.000-08:00

Well well well... it is the first day of 2010 and so why not attempt the blog thing again!