Cousins

Fun Fun Fun

Great Grandma and Grandpa

It was such a treat to be able to see our wonderful family. We were spoiled from Great Grandma and Grandpa Kottke! Zayin ate enough steak, brats, and beans for us all. We played ball, we swam, we just didn't want to leave!!!

Wisconsin has more than cheese!!!

WE MADE IT!! It was so perfect to finally be all together and we got to see the Wisconsin River and where it meets the Mississippi...we could see Iowa too.

It really can't be blogged what these days meant to each of us. We were thrilled and so content to finally be together!! But more we can rejoice daily in parents who preached the Gospel and were faithful to teach us "Christ alone!!"

Absolutely a dream for us here! I think I had the lightest load.

Mall of America

Doug drove 18 hours starting Tue. morning and pulled into Minneapolis at 5 am Wed. We were so grateful for your prayers for safety! Thank you. We have been so excited to see this Lego store and it was worth it! Just for the record: Leah went to the Mall of America and didn't buy a thing. I thought you should know. : )

Still driving

Swimming wasn't a bad idea. Bleaching my kids sounded reasonable at this time. Cause we have hives too. There is always something to blog about, huh?

Football, frogs, and tics.

I tried to think of every detail for the trip, but after these pics you can understand how I underestimated the wipies!

The trip through Montana was so beautiful and then North Dakota was just breathtaking. So, we tried to enjoy the "nature" part. We took a little sign and followed it to a park and found a little spot to enjoy. I had been feeling so guilty (Christina could make this sound funny and interesting). Most families would have camped, making memories around the fire. I was trying...and then I remembered why I like beds. The tics were a start.

Chillin

The boys are doing wonderful!!! I love these little feet he loves to just sit back and chill. Kristal, no picture ever seems good enough--we need you!!!

Pit stops

Here we go!!!

Thank you, Doug, for my little treat (um, I think you drank it though). So, after years of my husband faithfully working and never a complaint- he put in his notice and we took a big step of faith. So, we are off on a trip to Wisconsin to see Great Grandma and Grandpa and then to Indy for a little time with the Kottke side. We are taking steps towards Brazil and we are coveting your prayers.

Mom and Dad, it's that Columbia River we always talk about. It was beautiful.


Just thought I would show you what 6 sleeping children look like. Its ok, I couldn't see them either. Yes, Romans lips are really that big. We really were having fun, even at this point.

The last few weeks

This had to be posted, because he is such a stink it seemed a miracle he actually let the Dr. check his eyes out. We need this memory.

We had apointment after apointment and we were often on the run ...this was a treat day after 24 vaccines. The treat for me was having Rhaquie and Grandma. What would I do without you? Love you so much!!

We have been so blessed!

Teeth, eyes, shots, and on and on and on....we had 1 more week of insurance and wow, did we use it!

Now he's on the move

Now Roro is on the move. He wants to see what all the excitement is about in this shower thing. Grandma, he misses you.

Salvador

We are in Salvador. This city is the 4th largest in Brazil.

There are apartment buildings everywhere you look. It is exploding here in Brazil and there is a tremendous need for Christ.

Friendships

There are friends that fall straight from Heaven into your lap. Regina was one of those. Regina was our pastor's wife in Goiania (where Darius and Zayin were born). It just brings me to praise God when I even try and comprehend how 2 people from different worlds could have such a wonderful friendship because of Christ. She was able to come from Sao Paulo to Recife to come and visit..it led to lots of late nights with laughing and crying.

The cupcakes

Brazilians know how to throw parties and made the cupcakes look amazing!

Karen- a sweet friend-made the fabulous, perfect, wonderful designs for decorating them. It really was the final touch that put them over the top!!!

We made 1000 and it was a few days work!! We made the cupcakes on Friday and Monday we spent frosting and decorating.

I believe this is the first male brazilian to ever help make cupcakes. : ) What a man! I was so grateful for Doug, Queta, Fernando...and a few extra hands! We had 4 recipes and it seemed each time it took a few batches to get the ingredients right, we had to bring in a different oven, and make a few trips to the store buying 20 kilos of sugar; but they must not have been too bad-we had to start protecting them and about 70 just disappeared. Darius wanted to know if it was just like Cupcake Wars--not exactly!

We made it!

Recife, Brazil had rained for several days and the roads were more like rivers.

Doug said he got more done on this flight than in the last week-he read a whole book. It was pretty exciting for him. : )

We took 30 hours to get to our destination...but really we didn't mind too much. It was fun to be together and I spent time praying for many of you.

quick update

A quick update :
We are always amazed to see how God is building His church!! Doug and I have been here in Brazil for several days and it almost seems surreal. We see how the gospel-Christ has been replaced and our burden for Brazil is confirmed, yet it will take a work of God to bring us here. To bring a family here will not be a easy thing. To cross the road even seems difficult, seriously. We are daily giving our lives to God and asking for His guidance. Please continue to pray and we are so excited to post pictures and more from the trip on our new blog leamans4brazil.com. It seems the earth is groaning for Christ's return--come, Lord, quickly come!

Friday night pizza

"I'm making holes in mine like they do at Cosco".

He took the challenge and ate the whole thing.

67

This is for mature readers only: Ok, so the bad news first. Yes, this was my Friday night. All of you young pups getting cute and having a big night out...this is real life. Organizing socks. I kept getting after the big boys for wearing unmatched socks. They were thinking this was fine and dandy seeing as their big cousins do it....16/17 year olds mind you. Fine, but really there came a point where I had to see what was going on. Then reality hit: 67 unmatched socks. I have a designated spot for the unmatched ones out of the laundry and the stack had grown impressively-hence a little extra guilt to sit and "do socks". Thankfully we are provided with hand me down socks...but still a little taste of humble pie. I really try, honestly, I really try to stay on top of every single detail around here... So, here goes: the final story. I do believe after all these years that the washing machine does eat socks. I was in denial as are most of you--especially the judgemental ones reading this blog, but you should see my washer--it's huge!!! But just in case we find one in a crack or cranny...I still have my "lone sock stash". I think I have Jaiden's lost sock, Lisee. : )

So Brave

3 stitches and all done

So brave, so brave, so brave.

"Boys will be boys". And yes they will. Sollie Thur. night banged his head right into the wall and got a little "splitting open" action.