She is a missionary and missionaries (in general) are by definition, very transient human beings.  I knew when I said hello and opened my heart to her friendship that the likely-hood of saying goodbye one day was pretty high.  I just hoped since she has been here 8 years, maybe God would leave them for 8 more?!

Even before she mentioned the possibility of a move, several months ago God began preparing my heart gently and quietly to let her go.  When she called a few weeks ago and said, “Jama, I bought our tickets today” the reality hit.  I cried for two days.  Selfishly, it feels like yet another loss in my life, but selflessly, I am thrilled for this opportunity for their family.  I would want nothing different than for them to be smack in the middle of God’s will for them.

Here are a few of things I have learned from her in the past 1 ½ years.

She has taught me I am normal and will survive the overwhelming changes of my life!

She has taught me the joy of new friendships.

She has taught me where to find ingredients and products I was sure did not exist in Sao Paulo.

She has taught me that baking powder is called fermento em po!

She has taught me that we do indeed have Worstershire sauce…by a very different name!

She has taught me it is fun to try lots of different recipes.

She has given me hope that this California born, small town girl will learn to navigate the streets of SP someday by car!

She has finally convinced me it is not scary to have a baby in a foreign country.

She has helped me look for the best quality clothes and baby furniture, among other things.

She has generously shared her huge library of books in English.

She treated me to Starbucks and Subway.

She has allowed me to love on her son in my most severe baby withdrawals times.

She invited me to spend the day at the beach with her on her “get back a little sanity” day!

Most of all, as my MIL says, she has helped me put down roots here, even as she prepared to uproot hers.

I will never forget the past months of exploring this megacity with her, drinking cafezinhos and cookies in the afternoon while her son slept, doing our Extraordinary Women Bible Study together, talking for HOURS in English with a woman who totally understands me.  Our personalities are so alike it is hilarious.  How often she has listened as I cried out my frustrations and sorrows.  How often she has rejoiced with me when I called with good news about this or that.

She and her husband have walked this path of unemployment with us so faithfully.  Even while going through trials of her own, she never failed to listen to mine.  We have spent hours hashing out subjects that theologians will hash out until Jesus comes, but that stretched my thinking and caused me to re-evaluate many things in my own life.  Oh, it is has been a joy!  All of it.  And most recently, we have enjoyed being pregnant together, she with her precious little twins and I with my precious little single one!!

In a few days she will get on a plane and return to California, but she will never, never leave the special place in my heart that has been established through shared joys, pain, experiences and the simple, overwhelming need for female companionship.

Go with God, dear friend.  Thank you for all you have been and mean to me.  I look forward to continuing our friendship by email and occasional visits when God so allows them. 

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you!"

Happy Birthday to My Love!!!

His birthday was yesterday (Nov 10) but we had a very unusual experience in SP last night and I was not able to get online.  All the power in much of Brazil was out last night for several hours.  I woke up at 2am and our neighborhood resembled those cities at war during the blackouts.  Eeerrryyy.  Thankfully all seems put back together today!

Anyway, we had a wonderful lunch at my inlaws yesterday to honor my man's birthday and my BIL, Wellington's, safe return from the USA.  Lots of laughter, food, jokes, chatter, more food and chocolate cake and ice-cream.  I hope my love felt honored.  I wanted it to be such a special day for him.  We started the day off with Jama's first attempt at Eggs Benedict, a very AMERICAN breakfast that E loves.  He was quite pleased with the treat and I was pleased it turned out!  Life is interesting when you have to make everything from scratch!

Here is us...one of us sporting a rather newly swollen belly!

Everson and his grandparents

Everson and his parents

He is my love, my friend, my comfort, my counselor, my educator, my provider, my protector.  He is everything I prayed for in a husband, plus so much more.  He takes very seriously his position as husband and daddy in our family and I am so grateful for that.  These months have been so painful, so difficult, so LONG for him, but he has never given up, never allowed discouragement to defeat him, never stopped trying.  How I love him.  How we love him.  He loves nothing more than when his baby kicks in response to his pressure on my belly and singing!

He is a blessing and not only to me.  Honey, may this year be full of surprises, blessing and anointing over your life.  Believe that God will do great things and will accomplish His will in your life.  I love you!!!

The two pregnant mommies wanted Starbucks, so what can you say?  The little man obliged us and we all had a wonderful afternoon at the Mall together.  Ahhh, even the smell reminds me of home. 

That's right, start the kids young!!!  It was so funny because Caleb was so dramatic about tasting the Chai Tea!