Good-bye Brazil and a week in DC

Well, it  finally happened. Our family has officially finished our first post and are back in the states for a while. This is kind of a strange/big stepping stone for us because we are beginning to realise that  for the next ten to fifteen years, our lives will be broken into two and three year increments. When we look at it from that perspective, our kids are going to be grown and in college and serving missions before we even have the chance blink. It's strange...perpetually looking forward towards the next step. I guess life is made up of steps no matter how you look at it, but in the foreign service, those steps seem even more defined.

Our last few weeks in Rio were wonderful and sad at the same time. I went on as many runs as possible, we spoke/sang in our church, went to dinners with great friends, bought plenty of last minute souvenirs and gave about a million hugs and kisses. The kids came home very sad on their last day of school. Ellie was so worried that her class would all forget her, and the boys want to hang on to every piece of school material they have. I can't really say I blame them. They loved it there. They each got a t-shirt signed by all their friends, and different cards and special good-byes. It was really very touching.

The last day at our church was very special. I could feel the spirit so strongly there. We have learned to communicate with and love our little church family in such a humbling and significant way. Our whole family will never forget our time with them. We miss them already.

I could go on and on, but I'll just finish with Brazil by saying that we left with tears and happy memories, and enough emotion for the country and the people we met there to break our hearts a bit. I'm coming to understand that saying goodbye is not one of my favorite things in life, but I suppose it's something I will just have to get used to.

Our week here in DC has been really nice. Dan's had some meetings, but we've also had some free time together. On Sunday and Monday I got to spend time with my little sister and her boys. I'm so happy they took the time to drive out and see us! We visited the National Zoo together and wore our kids and ourselves out really well! :)  On Tuesday Dan was off, so we visited the Museum of Natural History and the National Art Gallery. I think Dan and I were more into reading all the information available than the kids were, but they still soaked in a lot and had a really fun time. Wednesday was spent taking things easy. Logan's been fighting a cold for a few weeks and needed some time to rest. Thursday I took the kids to the Air and Space museum while Dan had meetings, and afterward, we got to meet up and hang out with our good friends from Rio, the Carters. They were kind enough to give us a ride in to visit them in the old apartment complex we lived in while Dan was training in A100. The kids loved to run around their old stomping grounds, especially with their old friends. Finally, today we took off and hiked all over the national mall. We visited Lincoln's memorial, Korea's, WWI, Dr. King's, Roosevelt's, Washington's and Jefferson's. It was a LOT of walking for little legs, but we were determined! Logan helped us map out what to see. :)

We are loving being here in the states, and very excited to see family. It's strange walking around and understanding almost everyone around you. I've answered a few people in Portuguese already our of habit! We bought fresh milk right off the bat, and Liz and Dave brought us donuts. It really is the little things that make us just so happy to be here. I guess that's all for today. I'll update more later about our family visits. Here's a few pics to leave you all with! Beijos!!

 Our Rio Family Picture! Praia Ipanema, Post 9.

 Lindas

 Dinner with these wonderful people! Obrigada Bispado e Mirka!!

My beautiful primary women.

Love this family!

Ellie's good bye party. She really loved this class!

Owen's Career Day.

Field day boys trying to stay warm!

Girl's night out. 

Noite de Futebol! 

My last morning beach shoot. So pretty.

DC

Love these guys!

 My little monkeys at the zoo.

Watching the seals with little cousin.

Logan with a really big python. Glad he was on this side of the glass!

My sweethearts hugging a flat-faced frog.

Museum of Natural History

Yep O, T-rex would have chomped you.

National Art Gallery

Lincoln Memorial

MLK Memorial

Playing with a caterpillar.

Jefferson Memorial

That's all for today!!

Less Than Two Months Left!

I am so excited that I am finally able to take a minute and sit down and write. I've been wanting to update for weeks, but life has been so busy! We have less than two months before we leave Rio. It's starting to sink in now (both the excitement and the sadness), and all the logistics of the move are needing to be handled.  I feel an ever present weight of responsibility pushing down on me that occasionally freaks out a little when the kids are being wild, or when my brain can't work fast enough to keep up with the mental tally I have going on. Sell the computer, register the kids for school, go through everything and declutter, get Dan the tax info he needed, send passport and visa documents....ect.  I've had to give myself a few time outs this week just to breathe.

As far as Rio goes...we are really going to miss it here. We asked the kids what they loved best about Brazil and here are a few of their responses: The pool, the soccer court, paozinhos (little french breads), the beach, friends, the swan boats, their primary teacher, the bread guy who sells from the trunk of his car, mangos, fireworks at Christmas time, Hot Zone, and Lagoa Adventure. Then we asked them what they are looking forward to in the U.S. and they said: Donuts, fresh milk, stores with parking lots, camping, cousins, grandparents, open spaces, fishing, American candies, cheddar cheese, Cafe Rio, and being able to understand what people are saying to them.

As I think about everything we have gone through these past few years I am amazed at how much has changed for us, and yet life is still the same. I think we've changed more on the inside. We have become a little stronger, a little more brave. We appreciate all of the ease and convenience we took for granted before. People eat, sleep, love, work, have good days and bad ones, want somethings different than what they have, and dream. I feel blessed to have been able to see some of the poorest individuals on earth. There is never a time, walking the streets of Rio, when there aren't at least an armful of people who could use help in some way. Things I would consider junk, are treasures to some. It's humbling.

Dan has had to use up his comp time lately so he doesn't lose it when we go. It's been really nice to have time with him while the kids are at school. We walk all over the place and try little, obscure restaurants. We've been up to Santa Teresa, toured the Centro area, and (our favorite) the streets and beaches of Ipanema. I feel blessed to have my best friend always by side. No matter where we end up, or how difficult it may be, it's okay...cause I have him. It's funny, cause we are very different. Even our moods flip-flop. If he's having a hard day, I'm strong, and vice-verse. We hold each other up.

Well, anyway...I guess that's about all for today. I'll try to squeeze another post in before pack-out. I'll just end by saying that life here has been difficult, but in the end, I look back, and I am so grateful for the hard times and how they've made me stronger, and more grateful for what I have. I don't always  go through trials gracefully. I whine as much as the next guy at times, but I keep trying, and I think my Father in Heaven knows that. No one is perfect, but we don't have to be...we just have to keep on trying.

Hope you all have a great week with whatever life throws at you!
Here's a few pics from the last couple of months. Beijos.

Wow...way back from Christmas time...our family Christmas pictures.

 

The younger kid's Christmas Concerts.

Rio's Christmas Tree lighting...

Oh, and Owen got baptized by his Dad on December 23rd! Abuela and Abuelo were here, and the font was full of old, cold water...but the spirit was there anyway and no one got sick. :)

He also finished a semester of Jujitsu!

 This is how my kids burned through a pile of colored paper over the Christmas break. Once they got started, it kept them busy for hours! Can you recognize any of these flags?

Gingerbread Houses!

Christmas Pajamas!

Touring the City with Abuela and Abuelo...Parque Lage

 A sweet Brazilian boy was on the other side of this see-saw. :)

Forte Copacabana. Don't touch him!

 

 Sooooooo hotttttt.

After Christmas, Dan spent three weeks in Venezuela...while I was hope with the kids until February. We had to get creative about how to spend our time. This was from a Friday night indoor campout. Logan built most of this. :)

 

Strange children of mine!

 We also spent a lot of time at the beach!

Owen's love...

A visit to the Jockey Club

 

Dan and I found these cool spots during our walks.

 Logan turned twelve. We had a fun time on his birthday at Lagoa Adventure!

 Before the adventure....

 A little pep-talk.

 

Nothing says terror like this face of Ellie's as she went down the zipline!

 

Still not loving it, but a little better.

 Ellie lost her first tooth! 

 And finally, Linc was gone for his birthday at his fun class trip doing things like this!