Perfect Provision

Amazon Pictures

2011-07-21T07:43:00.001-04:00

Here's a link to some of our Amazon tour.http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150244744301708.338996.707206707&l=6a3266c312&type=1

Some travel updates

2011-07-12T10:55:00.002-04:00

We wish we'd found more time to update our friends and family about our whereabouts and our activities recently, but our days have been full and our energy short by the end of the day. Here are some links to photos of our travels. Hopefully these facebook links work for everyone who doesn't have facebook... we're having trouble uploading photos to Blogger. (grr). We had a nice jaunt to

Serra Verde Express

2011-07-07T12:12:00.005-04:00

Yesterday we took a ride on the Serra Verde Express, the tourist train that runs from Curitiba across the coastal mountains, descending from 900m to almost sea level near the coast. We crossed 60+ bridges and went through 13 tunnels. It was a three hour tour to remember as we watched the vegetation and felt the climate change as we went.We arrived in the small town of Morretes, which was an

Starting up Again

2011-07-03T22:46:00.000-04:00

Well, I clearly have some updating to do around here, but for now, the big news is that we're in Brazil again. This is a very different trip than the one we made just over a year and a half ago, and we have several goals for it. 1: Tour and explore. We want our children to get a bigger feel for their home country, and we want to get to know it ourselves. Highlight: anAmazon rainforest

Happy Birthday Vovo!

2011-04-05T17:46:00.000-04:00

Vovo Fullton's birthday is coming up, and the kids wanted to send her a message. They each got a turn to record something special. Enjoy!

Vacation fun

2011-02-19T21:26:00.001-05:00

February vacation is here, and though it's shortened because of LOADS of snow days earlier in the winter, we are doing our best to enjoy every minute of down-time together. For a twist on our typical Friday night, we built an extra-large sheet-fort in the living room and carpeted the floor with a thick layer of blankets and pillows as we snuggled in front of a fire in the fireplace and a movie

One of those things

2011-02-19T15:14:00.002-05:00

After I loaded up on milk for our vacation-week-home, I had myself a good giggle about the 5 and a half gallons that occupied the entire top shelf of our fridge. That's just one of those things that goes along with being a family of 6. It's either 5 gallons, or zero. One is already gone.

Experiencing Life

2011-01-21T10:26:00.001-05:00

Maybe sometimes experiencing life to its fullest means trying out an unlikely solution... and ending up with cold toes. And sometimes it means letting go and letting children learn their own way.

no broken bones

2011-01-17T22:24:00.002-05:00

It's a miracle that no one broke an arm (or a neck) on today's sledding adventure. And it's a good thing too, because a trip to the ER would have really ruined the fun we had on some seriously fast and furious slopes today. First clue that we would have a great time (or die trying) was the sled shrapnel littering the the top and bottom of the long, steep hill. And since it was a Yale

big snow!

2011-01-16T21:06:00.001-05:00

We sure have had a fun time in the aftermath of a hefty snowfall last week. We had plenty of help digging out of the 17ish inches of snow that blanketed the city. We've been shoveling, sledding, mountain-building, snowball throwing and plenty of slip-sliding around. Snow days are such a treat, and we're enjoying them to the fullest.

sledding

2011-01-16T15:38:00.000-05:00

Dearest Michelle beat us to posting about a fun afternoon of sledding after a big snow storm this past week. Which actually makes this post very easy. Check it out.

Toothless Wonder

2011-01-12T20:53:00.000-05:00

...and they continue to grow. In so many ways. Here's Brayan's first Jack o' Lantern grin after losing his first tooth. Look out, tooth fairy, you have a new customer!

Happy Birthday Lucas

2011-01-04T21:12:00.000-05:00

Dear Lucas, You turned nine years old today. We remember the first pictures we saw of you when you were only seven years old, and it amazes us how much has changed in two short years. You are a clever and special boy and we are proud of all you've learned and who you are becoming before our eyes. Happy birthday, darling!

Feliz Natal

2010-12-24T22:29:00.003-05:00

Happy Christmas from the Fullton family! May peace and joy fill your heart in this new year. Here are some highlights from our celebrations.

Christmastime is here

2010-12-22T21:42:00.001-05:00

There's just one half day left of school before we're officially on Christmas vacation, and are we ever looking forward to the time off. Even though it might seem like being home all together would be more work than going to work, we're actually at our best when we are all together, just us. It's easier to cherish the time together when we're not rushing out the door for school or work or

One Year Ago...

2010-12-20T12:17:00.003-05:00

One year ago today we were spending our last day in Rio de Janeiro, enjoying a few final hours of the warm sun and warm people that we had fallen in love with in our six week journey in Brazil. With a bittersweet anticipation, we prepared our hearts, minds, and suitcases for the journey from Brazil to the United States--the longest journey, both figuratively and literally, our children had ever

Advent

2010-12-07T20:54:00.003-05:00

Last year, the preparation we did for Christmas involved social worker visits, plane tickets and embassy appointments. There was also a little bit of last minute tree shopping, popcorn stringing, and stocking embroidering before a whirlwind of celebrations (homecoming and holiday) and adjustments. This year, we decided to be more purposeful about the way we plan for and celebrate the

LIMIAR

2010-12-07T20:40:00.003-05:00

LIMIAR is one of the organizations that God used in very important ways to bring our family together. This very special non-profit seeks to serve Brazilian children by caring for abandoned and special needs children in Casa LIMIAR, an orphanage in Sao Paulo, by matching waiting children with adoptive families, and by supporting adopted Brazilian children and their families throughout their

Luana turns 7!

2010-12-07T00:24:00.002-05:00

A little late in coming, we want to say a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Luana. We were able to celebrate with all four grandparents and all three uncles, and also at home together as a family. There were plenty of smiles to go around. We also celebrated James' birthday the same weekend. Nothing calm about a weekend full of celebrations.

Thanksgiving Project

2010-11-21T22:54:00.002-05:00

Feeling in an artistic mood, and taking a clue from a far more creative friend, we embarked on a Thanksgiving-table-centerpiece-making-project. Here are some sneak peaks at the process and the product.

Qui Transtulit Sustinet

2010-11-17T21:58:00.003-05:00

At a lovely ceremony at the CT Capitol, our children received their Certificates of Citizenship from CT Secretary of state, Susan Bysiewicz. The ceremony was just for children adopted in the last year or so, and was planned for November to coincide with National Adoption Awareness Month. It was beautiful to see 20-30 other children who God placed in families in our small state. There were

What changes in a year?

2010-11-14T19:56:00.001-05:00

This could be a long post, but it's bedtime and time to stop and reflect is not as common as it once was. Perhaps I'll have time to come back and mull over the few things that have changed in the last year. In the meantime, here are some photos of then and now.

Family Anniversary

2010-11-05T22:07:00.003-04:00

4 November 2009--the day six lives changed forever. 4 November 2010--a day to spent together celebrating the most miraculously challenging year of our lives. The day our family became a family--a year ago! Celebrating our Family Anniversary in NYC! A cozy train ride to the city. Holding each other close in the rain. Statue of Liberty and Ellis

It's Fall!

2010-11-01T21:50:00.001-04:00

And that means pumpkins! These pumpkin patch photos were from October 24, when we finally got ourselves out to Lyman Orchards again for the pumpkin picking ritual. It was a cloudy and somewhat drizzly day, so we had the patch all to ourselves as each of our precious gems scoured the fields for the perfect pumpkin. They all found one they were happy with, and we carved them up as soon as we

Halloween pictures

2010-10-31T18:07:00.000-04:00

What's better than an amazing photographer?

2010-10-24T23:48:00.000-04:00

...The fact that he's our friend too! Last Sunday we spent the afternoon with our amazingly talented friend/photographer Ken-Shing Law and his sweet wife Sara. They're the kind of couple that just make you smile because of their warmth and genuine caring. It's always an uplifting time to be around them. And if Ken brings his camera, then you end up with this at the end of a beautiful

Apples!

2010-10-18T22:53:00.000-04:00

Catching all four of my beauties in one photo is not always easy, and sometimes the best shots come when everyone's being a little silly.

Harvest time

2010-10-09T23:19:00.001-04:00

This is the time of year many think of as harvest time. We joined a CSA (Turtle Ridge Cooperative) for the first time this year and we're enjoying doing a little digging for our dinner. When we first started, it was summertime and the kids were less than enthused about pulling weeds in the potato beds, or harvesting onions in the scorching sun with swarming mosquitoes all around. But now that

Calendar Contest

2010-09-10T11:20:00.003-04:00

Every year our adoption agency publishes a calendar full of pictures of children and families who God brought together using AWAA as His hands and feet. It's a beautiful visual testimony for adoption, and this year we're submitting our entries! I sifted through thousands (yes, thousands!) of photos from the last 10 months (yes, 10 months!) looking for great photos of all four children

...hello to a new school year

2010-09-03T19:52:00.000-04:00

They are growing so fast, and becoming even more beautiful, clever, responsible, kind and affectionate. Kindergarten, first grade, third grade and sixth grade are lucky to have our children for a while.

Goodbye summer...

2010-09-03T19:48:00.002-04:00

We had lots of blissful togetherness this summer--reading, playing, lounging, traveling, exploring, crafting, and building. There was a little bit of bickering toward the end, but we're very glad we were able to spend time building bonds and sharing smiles. I cherish the the time we had and I'm so proud of our children.

Some big news

2010-08-20T22:16:00.000-04:00

Parenting is hard work. That's the big news. I think everyone in our family has had about enough high-quality, low-key togetherness for one summer. We're all starting to get a little itchy and impatient with each other. We've been working on teaching our children the importance of exercising patience and using kind words... while modeling patience and kind words as we teach them. Not an easy

Our baby is 5!

2010-08-12T23:11:00.001-04:00

We celebrated Brayan's birthday this weekend. There were presents, there was swimming, there was cake and there were surprises and lots of smiles. Still can't believe our baby's 5!

Just Silly

2010-08-12T21:28:00.001-04:00

We happened upon this goofy and memorable experience today after a picnic on the green with papai. The director of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra was directing a Vuvuzela Orchestra on the town green. It was an event sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater New Haven and was quite a hoot. Here we are on our way up to the stage to get our vuvuzelas. (right around the 22s mark)

Symbols

2010-07-13T21:11:00.002-04:00

Thinking back on the years of our marriage that were marked by the adoption process, it's clear to me that it was a very symbolic journey. Every milestone or accomplishment or step toward our children was celebrated, shared, documented. Applying to our adoption agency symbolized our decision to become parents. Completing and submitting our homestudy and other dossier documents marked the

Framed Portraits

2010-07-03T10:14:00.001-04:00

We're working through a backlog of great kid snapshots and wanted to be sure to remember these beautiful moments in time.

Summer Fun

2010-07-03T09:50:00.003-04:00

We got a spectacular deal on an outdoor play set from Costco and the kids are loving having a place to run and climb and jump and slide and hide and play... right outside our door! We're praying against broken arms and letting them enjoy it as much as possible (though sometimes they still prefer to just dig holes in the dirt). Brayan fell asleep on the way home because he

Fans

2010-07-03T09:43:00.001-04:00

Our Brazil Futbol fans were very disappointed after yesterday's losing World Cup game. They're already counting the days until the next cup--in Brazil--in 2014.

Just some summer pictures

2010-06-17T22:27:00.001-04:00

Even when the air is chilly and the water is downright cold, a splash park is always a hit. Here's to summer... just around the corner!

6 months

2010-06-04T22:10:00.001-04:00

6 months ago today we went to court in Curitiba to legally finalize the adoption of our children. 6 whole months? Seems like just yesterday.Only 6 months? Seems like life's been this way all the long.This coming week we will begin our first Post-Placement report by doing (yes) some paperwork and meeting with a social worker. Brazil receives a report about our family every 6 months for the

Love to see you smile

2010-05-26T23:22:00.001-04:00

Silly smiles like these aren't always around, and that makes these sweet chopstick grins even more delicious!

My new favorite family photo

2010-05-26T22:48:00.000-04:00

What it's like raising (adopted) children

2010-05-26T00:25:00.002-04:00

It turns out that... Four year olds can be contrary and disobedient, 6 year olds can be bouncy and easily distracted, 8 year old boys are interested in anything that's gross and pre-adolescent girls are melodramatic and unpredictable. Does that sound about right?

We have an 11 year old!

2010-05-26T00:10:00.002-04:00

Maynara's birthday was in the end of April and we still shake our heads in disbelief that we're parents of an 11 year old. We're also being careful not to blink for fear of opening our eyes to a 22 year old. We are 6 months into being parents and we are still working hard to figure out what makes each of our children tick. Figuring out Maynara may be our biggest challenge.

Meeting the Great Grands

2010-05-05T23:43:00.004-04:00

We took a road trip during the week of spring break. We drove all the way to the Gulf Shores, Alabama and back, with many exciting stops in-between. The main objective of the trip was for the children to meetf their great grandparents and we want to keep some keepsake pictures here. It was great to meet Kim's grandpa, Puppa and James' grandparents too! It had been several years since we'd seen

Speaking Portuguese

2010-05-05T23:31:00.003-04:00

When we first decided to adopt, we thought we would adopt a hispanic child, and there was much conversation about what we would do to raise him or her bilingually. We've done loads of research on methods families use to raise bilingual children: OPOL, ML@H, Immersion, Dual Immersion, living abroad... all had their hitches and we figured we'd do our best and play it by ear banking on the idea

This day in History

2010-04-13T09:43:00.014-04:00

How quickly a year passes. It was a year ago today that we submitted the official petition to adopt our children. We did not know then that we'd wait another 8 months before traveling to meet our children, but you know, we've forgotten all about those 8 painful months. We may never know what they were for and why we had to endure them, but now there's nothing we'd change about our life and

House Rules / Regras da Casa

2010-04-09T20:57:00.006-04:00

Before we went down to Brazil last November, Kim and I talked a lot about "rules" for our family. We wanted to have rules for our children which were simple, easily remembered, and...well...Biblical! At that time, we started with only four rules which we laid down on day one: show respect, obey the first time, ask permission, and stick together.Over the past five months as a family, we have

First glimpses

2010-03-27T22:36:00.000-04:00

A year ago (March 27, 2009) we received this first glimpse of our children. The email that came with their pictures said, "I know this is a big group but just in case. They are little and the report is very positive." And then there was a fury of emails and phone calls and lengthy conversations about why we were still talking about the idea of adopting four children. And

Adrenaline vs. Real Life

2010-03-25T20:25:00.000-04:00

I've said this to several friends who have asked me lately how I'm doing: I think the adrenaline I started running on in October just before we left for Brazil finally wore off. And it wore off all of a sudden and without much warning. I've read that the effects of adrenaline on the human body are only supposed to last a few minutes, but this must have been a supernatural adrenaline. The side

Life's an Adventure

2010-03-03T21:28:00.001-05:00

While Papai was away for work, Mamae took the children out for sushi (something that would not happen if Papai were home). I'm amazed at how open, adventuresome and flexible my children are. Their whole world changed right before their eyes just four months ago and they're still up for trying sushi for the first time. There's nothing they won't try!

Meeting Family

2010-03-03T12:02:00.001-05:00

Last week during our February vacation from school, we took a trip to meet Great Gram for the first time. After visiting Great Gram, we had some lunch with Great aunt Jackie and Great uncle Al. We had pizza and built some wooden toys. Gramma and Grandpa came for a visit too! The trip was fun, and it made us think about what a multigenerational miracle adoption is. God

One Silly Boy

2010-03-01T22:42:00.002-05:00

If ever life starts to feel kind of heavy, we just need to take a minute to soak up the joy that oozes out of our dear Brayan. He is SO silly!

Dress Up

2010-03-01T22:35:00.001-05:00

Here's what I've learned as a mother so far. Parenting can be serious work, but sometimes it's good to step out of reality and be a little (or a lot) silly.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T22:47:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed heart-shaped pancakes, yummy pink smoothies and some sweet presents sent from some amazing grandmas! I must apologize to Luana for posting pictures of morning curls. That's the danger of celebrating with a special breakfast.

High Tea at High Seas

2010-02-13T16:20:00.002-05:00

We had a fun time this morning with our friends Brent and Michelle at the Yale Center for British Art. The YCAB hosted a Pirate/Princess/Princess Pirate themed event with live music, nautical snacks, glittery crafts, and many children dressed as pirates and/or princesses. We know how our friends and family members love pictures, and so we want to give the people what they want.

Valentine's Day Dance

2010-02-13T16:09:00.001-05:00

Our school's PTO organized a fantastic Family Valentine's Day dance on Friday night. I remember attending last year as a chaperone and wishing I had a son or daughter to swing around and pour love into. This year we all went together and did plenty of swinging, dancing, laughing and loving. The kids also got to play with some of their school friends in a really fun setting.

Breath it In

2010-01-16T21:56:00.003-05:00

We're concentrating on breathing in every moment and soaking up the treasure that it is. Everyone has started school and work, and God continues to be faithful as we sort out our new normal. So many friends have brought us meals, or clothes, or games or visits. We are feeling so blessed Miracle of the Moment by Steven Curtis Chapman It's time for letting goAll of our "if

Parents: We're All the Fool

2010-01-11T21:25:00.001-05:00

After my first week back at work, this past weekend I was thoroughly exhausted and by Sunday I was in a pretty bad mood. I was impatient and as a husband and probably unbearable as a father as "everything" the kids were doing was bothering me. I was quick to anger and quick to speak to let them know I was displeased with their behavior. Since my threshold for acceptable behavior was really low,

Our New Life

2010-01-07T17:50:00.001-05:00

Hi Friends. I wanted to post a little something to dispel any myths that might be cropping up in your minds about our whereabouts or how we're doing now that we're home. To be sure, there is no boredom at our house or in our life, but we are far from haggered, exhausted and beat. We are soaking up every beautiful moment with our children. Even the noisy, frustrating and defiant ones. We've

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T15:07:00.001-05:00

We are home from Brazil and settling into our new normal. The kids have enjoyed snow, Christmas Trees, gingerbread houses, stockings, presents, car trips, grandparents, turkey and split-pea soup. The new parents have enjoyed giggles, kisses, hugs, jammies, bedtimes, movies, outings, tickles and the magic of sleeping children. We are soaking up every moment and thanking the Lord for His good

Merry Christmas from the Fulltons!

2009-12-25T17:54:00.001-05:00

19 December 2009--last day in Brazil, first day as new creations

2009-12-19T19:38:00.002-05:00

We’re wrapping up our last full day in Brazil tonight. The children are sleeping, James is packing suitcases, laundry is spinning in the washing machine and Kim is trying to find an eloquent way to tie up this trip in a neat little package. We took our friends Ester and Leonel out to lunch today to thank them for all they’ve blessed us with during our last week in Brazil. They have given us

18 December 2009

2009-12-18T19:06:00.002-05:00

Our friends and family back home in the Northeastern US are bracing for a big snow storm. Some are even fleeing the state early in anticipation of loads of fluffy white stuff this weekend. So long as it doesn't interfere with our plane landing on Monday morning, I'm thrilled about the snow and I know the kids will be to. And that's not just because we're enjoying 80+ degree weather here in

Rules of Engagement

2009-12-17T20:22:00.001-05:00

This is a friendly, public service announcement for all our folks back home. We´re coming home soon, and we want to give you a heads-up as to what to expect from us as we step into our new life as a family. We also have some tidbits that we think will make the adjustment easier for the children. All of this is shared with one important objective in mind: Our children are learning what it

17 December 2009

2009-12-17T20:10:00.002-05:00

After a little scare as to whether they would be ready by the end of the week, we were able to pick up the kids' visas today! (Yay!) We hopped on the Metro after lunch today and headed downtown to the US Consulate. After a brief visit to pick up their passports and some very important documents in sealed envelopes, we walked around downtown a bit to get a feel

All Clear

2009-12-17T07:18:00.001-05:00

It´s OK. As we were praying, biting our fingers, thinking about which Senators to contact in DC, and worried about the cost of changing six plane tickets five days before Christmas, the Consulate called. The visas will be ready to pick up this afternoon.Praise the Lord!We´re coming home on schedule.Praise the Lord! Abraão Lucas will turn 8 just after the New Year. The name Abraão is Abraham in Portuguese, and we were a little surprised at first that he goes only by Lucas instead of Abraão Lucas since we both really like the name (

Adoption Finalization--UPDATE

2009-12-02T15:01:00.002-05:00

Anyone who has read this blog since close to the beginning knows that its purpose is to document the process of adopting our children so that our children will have a record of the miracles (large and small) that God performed to form our family. During the time we are traveling in Brazil to complete the adoption process, we are recording the steps (large and small) toward becoming a real live

30 November 2009

2009-11-30T19:52:00.001-05:00

It's a special day because it's James' birthday and because we all went to see Iguacu Falls, a majestic sight for sure! Our dear children protested the trip to the falls because they preferred to stay in the pool, but we insisted that we did not take a 10 hour sleepless overnight bus ride just to swim in a hotel pool. In the end, everyone was glad to have experienced the falls. We even took a

Happy Birthday, Papai!

2009-11-30T06:12:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to Papai who turned 30 today!!! Today will surely be unlike any birthday James has ever celebrated!

29 November 2009

2009-11-30T06:05:00.003-05:00

We've arrived safely in Iguacu Falls and are waking up in the Hotel Florenca after a long day at the hotel pool yesterday. Mamae and Papai are burned to a crisp (must. buy. waterproof. sunscreen.) and the kids are sleeping soundly even at 9am. The plan was to arrive at the falls with the sun today, but the sun hasn't arrived. It's pouring rain and booming thunder. We think we'll stay

28 November 2009--Happy Birthday Luana

2009-11-28T20:03:00.000-05:00

Our youngest girl turned 6 today! We started the day with a festive pancake cake and some presents. We had some birthday cake at dinner before we left for our bus to Iguacu Falls. She is such a sweetheart and she really enjoyed her special day. Happy Birthday, dear one!

November 26--Counting our Blessings

2009-11-26T23:00:00.000-05:00

1, 2, 3, 4 And we're thankful that today was our first day where NO ONE had a time out!

25 November 2009

2009-11-25T20:28:00.002-05:00

One month to Christmas and we started our celebrating tonight at the HSBC Christmases Around the World spectacular! Every year at the HSBC bank in downtown Curitiba, this great show draws large crowds. In each of the little windows (janelinhas) one or two children dress in costumes and sing Christmas songs with special lighting and great accompaniment. There are about 150 children in all.

Luana Vitória

2009-11-25T20:17:00.003-05:00

We haven't had very many new photos lately, so it's time for another little Fullton profile. Today it's Luana Vitória's turn for a close-up.BIO:Luana turns 6 on November 28 this year. She is, well, delicious! She is usually happy and smiley, and she's a real cuddle-bug. Every morning our little sunshine wakes up with a big smile on her face, and a giggle behind her pruney thumb, ready to find

23 November 2009

2009-11-23T18:29:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe that we've been away from home for 23 days. And we've been a family for 20 days! As our 30-day cohabitation/adjustment period starts to wind down, there seem to be many things to be done. We have medical and vaccine appointments this week, there is still so much of Curitiba to experience, we're hoping to squeeze in a trip to Iguacu Falls, there's a once-a-week craft fair

22 November 2009

2009-11-22T18:17:00.001-05:00

Quick review of Sunday.Left the hotel early to go with our friend Simone to the craft fair downtown.Had a nice tour of downtown streets when Simone couldn't get cross-town because of the Curitiba Marathon.Went to 1st Baptist of Curitiba and met our friends the Roses there.Went back to Simone's beautiful home for one seriously fantastic lunch with an American family who lives in Curitiba. They

21 November 2009

2009-11-21T21:06:00.000-05:00

There are two different sets of photographs for today because we took two separate outings. The ladies all went with our friend Simone to Luz e Vida, a Christian bookstore in downtown Curitiba to find some music and videos to bring home. The girls were delighted to find that shortly after we all arrived, a special event was about to begin. It was a play for

New Video

2009-11-21T06:43:00.000-05:00

Check back on November 4 because we've posted video of our first moments as a family.