One Year Ago...

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 in their life undertaken.

It is hard to comprehend all the changes that have happened over the past year, but I do admit one thing for sure, this has been the quickest, most wonderful, most challenging year of our lives.

Happy anniversary, my loves!

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

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 much more than a place to rest our heads and fill our tummies. They have given us much more than rides around town and guided insider tours of all the Rio high-spots. They have opened their hearts to us, and in love and service, they have brought us into their family. Much more than even that, they have helped to bring all four of our children into the family of God.

Tonight after dinner, Ester led the children through the Gospel using little colored hearts representing the glory of God, our separation from him because of sin, Christ’s atoning sacrifice, the cleansing and new birth that we receive when we are washed by his blood, and the hope of eternal life in communion with the Lord.

All four children decided to accept Christ into their hearts and we are all celebrating with the angels that each one is now not only a child of ours, but also a child of God’s, forgiven and cleansed.

A perfect way to end this trip. And a beautiful way to begin our family.

Praise God!

18 December 2009

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 Rio.  And it's not because we spent one last full-day at the beach today.  And it's not because we're coming home with killer mid-winter tans.  It's because I really love the snow!

Please enjoy some pictures from our day today.

17 December 2009

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 for the Centro and for Pai to see a few buildings he'd been hoping to see in Rio.

The kids were real troopers, although Maynara had some interesting comments about Pai's rampant photo-taking:  "It's just walls and windows," and "where's the art in that."  Mae had to remind her, "remember, your Pai is an architect, which means he designs buildings, so he likes to visit them and take pictures of them."  The highlights of the walk were the 2nd floor roof garden on the Ministry of Education & Health building, and the Cathedral of São Sebastião.

16 December 2009

"I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth."  Job 19:25

Today we went up to the top of Corcovado mountain to see one of Rio's (and the world's) most famous monuments:  Cristo Redentor, Christ the Redeemer, which is visible from many points of the city.  To get to the top of the mountain, we rode the Trem do Corcovado, a 30 minute train trip through the forest up to the top of the mountain.  At almost twice the height of the Pão de Açúcar, the views of the city are perhaps even more spectacular from Corcovado than they were during yesterday's adventure.

The statue is also pretty spectacular!  Although it was really hot and crowded and we didn't stay too long at the summit, we hope that the visit is something the kids will be able to look back on and remember fondly.  Not only is the statue an instantly recognizable symbol of their birth country, which I hope will make them proud every time they see it represented in the future, but it is also a vivid visual reminder that Christ is indeed their Redeemer!

We have been lucky that our kids are interested in the Bible and in Christ's death for their salvation.  As I write this, though, I am reminded that it is through Christ's salvation that we have all been adopted into God's family as His children.  This is our example as we start our own earthly family through adoption.

May we all grow to be more Christ-like as we learn to be a family.

15 December 2009

Today we took the bondinho (cable car) to the top of Pão de Açúcar, Rio de Janeiro's famous Sugar Loaf Mountain. The views from the top of the city and amazing natural landscape are stunning. On the summit, we could see all the places we'd been already: downtown, Flamingo Park, Copacabana, and even Niteroi across the bay.

We had planned on doing a little swimming at the Praia Vermelha near where the cable car starts its run when we got back down from the mountain, but we found it to be a bit dirty, not to mention the signs that warned us not to swim because of the currents! Instead, we all hopped in Ester's car and headed off to Ipanema, where we spent a couple hours in the afternoon. Pai enjoyed time out in the waves with the older kiddos while the younger kiddos searched in the surf for shells. Overall, it was a nice beach, but I think we all liked Copacabana a bit better so we'll go back there on our Friday beach day!