There was singing and dancing. It was a regular par-tay!

Last night was F-U-N!! We went over to Chad and Faith's for pizza and games! My kids have played Guitar Hero at their house and Daniel has played but I haven't had the chance.

Well. Let's just say that my first time? I stunk it up. I mean I don't think I hit one note! I pouted a little bit but then I totally redeemed myself in Dance Dance Revolution Supernova (now THAT is a name).

And then. They talked us into playing Sing Star. Let me start by saying that even though I am in the choir I am not really a singer. I'm a choir singer, as in I can blend in with those around me but just don't ask me to sing by myself. And it doesn't help AT ALL when the person singing with me is screeching like his throat is being cut out. Ahem. I'm not naming names but......

Can I just say that Daniel and Chad singing Run DMC's It's Tricky was about the funniest thing I've seen in, well, forever. Even funnier than when Faith and I sang it. But there isn't video evidence of that! And no, I'm not posting THAT!

And of course the kids got in on the action. There is just nothing cuter than my 3 yr old playing that guitar, his bottom lip sucked in while he concentrates. And then he catches you looking at him and gives you this melt-your-heart grin and just keeps on playing. Oh, I could eat him with a spoon!

Becca was dying to play Sing Star, but what does she know of 80s music? So Daniel sang Uptown Girl with her (bless her heart) for a while and then I took over. She's so cute with that microphone! I don't think we got pictures of that so you'll just have to trust me.

Here's a picture of her playing Dance Revolution. Yes she is playing it with her hands. Don't ask.

Overall, it was a really fun time and I SO needed a fun night with friends and family. It felt so good to laugh that hard. I've missed my friends lately! We have such great friends and I love spending time with them. Thanks guys!

Finally! Another story from Brazil!

It is taking me forever to post something else about our Brazil trip! Here's another cool story.

Last year on our first trip to Brazil we spent a few days in a town called Solidao (which means solitude or loneliness, by the way). Daniel, Wendi (one of our team members), the local pastor's daughter Julianne, and a translator were on a team to do door-to-door evangelism. They went to visit a lady named Damiana. While visiting with her they found out she was pregnant . They presented the gospel to her and she prayed to receive Christ as her Saviour. She came to the outdoor service we had that night and the next 2 nights. Daniel and Wendi kind of bonded with Damiana and looked for her every night and talked to and encouraged her. Before we left Damiana told them that if her baby was a girl she was going to name her Wendi. Sweet, huh?

Well. Allow me to introduce to you......Baby Wendi!


I KNOW!

We went back to Solidao this time. We were with Julianne again and Daniel asked about Damiana. (Wendi didn't go on this trip.) That's when we found out that she had the baby, it was a girl, AND they named her Wendi! Oh it was so cool. A few hours later Julianne took us to Damiana's house and we got to see Baby Wendi. Damiana was glad to see Daniel and of course asked about Wendi.

Sometimes when you go on a mission trip, you see people come to know Christ but you don't get to follow up. You don't know if they are going to church, if they are growing in their walk or being encouraged. And you might never know. It was amazing to re-connect with this family, see how they are doing, and pray with them.

Hopefully my friend Wendi will be able to go back one day and see the woman on whom she had such an impact that she named her baby after her. Oh I hope I get to see that!

What to wear, what to eat. Or rather what NOT to wear and what NOT to eat

So last night after church, my friend Melissa says, "Who wants ice cream?" And I, with all my health conscious ways of thinking, knowing none of us had had supper yet, was all, "Me, me! I've totally been thinking about ice cream the whole service." (Sorry, Pastor! And I WAS listening to the sermon. Want a brief synopsis? "Saul died. Jonathan died. David mourned." See! I was listening!)

We picked up the kids, talked our friends Chad and Faith into going and headed to Baskin-Robbins/Dunkin Donuts. Who ever thought of putting those 2 together? You've got your ice cream, your doughnuts, your coffee. One stop sugar buzz. AND now they serve sandwiches! So if you haven't had supper yet and you really want ice cream after church, you can totally have supper and THEN have ice cream.

Yep, that would have been the way to go.

But being the terrific parents that we are, we just served our kids ice cream for supper and called it a day. (And I wonder why I've gained weight in the last month.) That and I haven't worked out in a month.

So probably this:

wasn't the best idea I've ever had.

Oh I'm totally kidding. THAT'S not what I got.

Mine had all chocolate ice cream. See? Totally different. Hallelujah.

Needless to say I got myself back to the gym today. My Group Power class started at 9 and let me tell you, it kicked my behind. And my thighs, and my arms, and my abs. It's a weight lifting class and I love it but I haven't been able to go during the regular school year. I like to get most of school finished before we go and we just can't do it before 9. But we are a little more slack in the summer so I'm back in the class. My word. My arms were still shaking holding the steering wheel on the way home. I'm in trouble tonight.

And that was the perfect segue into what I'm doing tonight! The girls in our Sunday School class are having a ladies night with Shari Braendel. I'm so excited! She's doing her talk on "What Not To Wear". And I have no idea what to wear. Such pressure!! I know I'll change clothes fifty-eleven times before I leave.

If I can lift my arms, that is. Y'all pray for me, won't you?

Tag!

Faith tagged me and I'm so glad. We just got home from vacation and I haven't written anything for a week! Here we go!

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
Let's see. June 1998. I was living in my hometown, working in Labor & Delivery, and re-connecting with Daniel. We were getting ready to go on our first date in 3 years in July. By the way, we went out in July, got engaged in September, and married in May 1999. Oh the memories.

2. My favorite snacks
Chocolate chip cookies, Swiss Cake Rolls, chips and salsa, and caramel apples.

3. Five things on my to-do list today
1. Laundry
2. Catch up on blog reading
3. Pay bills
4. Eat supper
5. Snuggle with my hubby whom I haven't seen since Monday.

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire
Tithe a lot. Support our missionary pastor friend in Brazil. Give to our other friends who are preparing to go on the mission field. Pay off debt. Buy a house at the beach. Take my whole family to Hawaii. Shop, shop, shop!

5. Five jobs I've had
1. File clerk in pediatrician's office
2. Receptionist in same pediatrician's office
3. RN on OB/GYN surgery floor
4. RN in Labor & Delivery/Nursery
5. RN at family practice clinic

6. Five places I've lived
1. Rock Hill, SC
2. Granite Falls, NC
3. Cullowhee, NC (Western Carolina University)
4. Raleigh, NC
5. Charlotte, NC

7. Five random things people wouldn't know about me
1. I was valedictorian of my high school graduating class.
2. I spoke at graduation.
3. I HATE speaking in front of people. More than about 10 people and I'm a mess.
4. I have been in 2 very serious car wrecks in my life.
5. I took piano lessons for 10-11 years and I never play anymore. So sad.

8. Five CDs that I'd have to take on a desert island
1. anything Third Day
2. Brooklyn Tabernacle
3. Annie Moses Band
4. Chicago's Greatest Hits
5. Veggie Tales (just checking to see if you're still with me!)

9. People I tag are...
Meredith
Michelle
Amy Beth
Heth

And then they went for a walk on the beach...

So we're sitting at the snack shop area in the campground where we're staying at the beach. It's the only place with internet access. And there is this stage here. And they've set up a karoke machine and people are singing. And I'm using that word "singing" quite liberally.

Anywho, I'm currently listening to a lady in her 50s sing Proud Mary. While wearing a bright yellow tank top. And no undergarmets. Did I mention she was dancing? Seriously?

Now it's a lady singing Shook Me All Night Long (isn't that the name?) My kids are just staring. Blank expressions on their faces. Or maybe it's horror. All I know is my ears kinda hurt. And it's not from the sinus infection. Ahem.

I asked them if they wanted to go up there and sing Jesus Loves Me. I think it's a "no".

Oh my word. This teenager boy is getting ready to sing Broken Road with a little teenager girl. And he totally just said "I never believed in love at first sight until just a few minutes ago." That girl's face is soooo red! His buddies are at a table by us and are yelling for him. Oh this is fun.

Love summertime, don't you?

Jehovah Rophe, The Lord Our Healer

Ok, raise your hand if you're in the south and are wondering when they moved your state to the SURFACE OF THE SUN. I mean, it wasn't this hot in Brazil! And the equator runs THROUGH IT! My word!

So here's a story from my trip.

On about day 4, I started getting sick. SO. MUCH. FUN. Started out as just a cold and cough. I thought, "I can handle this, ok." Then came the fever, aches, and chills. In Brazil. People. I was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. OUTSIDE. Did I mention I was in Brazil? Near the equator? (and no I did not take a hooded sweatshirt to Brazil. One of the kids who went with us who has NO meat on her bones and is cold all the time took it and let me borrow it.)

Anyway, fever finally broke, aches went away, but the cold part stayed. Days go by and we're at the resort where we spent our last 2 days. (I know, suffering for Jesus). So then I get the sinus pain. You know the kind? Where your BONES in your face from your eyes to your jaws hurt constantly? And I'm getting on an airplane the next day. Where the air pressure in the plane is bound to make my head explode. I had been on medicine for 5 days and nothing was working. To say I was getting nervous is an understatement.

And my encouraging friends. What with all the "oh girl, I'm really worried about you flying. You're just going to be miserable. I'll be praying for you." Oh I kid. Not one person called me "girl."

Man, I'm really making this a long story. ha! It's good, I promise. SOOOO, we're sitting on the plane on Friday, 2 days of sinus pain, no relief. Everybody is praying, probably waiting for the screaming to start. I'm holding Daniel's hand, waiting for take-off. You know how they pull the plane to the end of the runway and rev the engines before you take off down the runway?

Well, they did that.

And all the pain in my face? IT WENT AWAY! And I don't mean it faded away like my Tylenol had finally, after 6 days, kicked in. I mean it WENT AWAY!

And I actually gasped. I put my hand over my mouth and gasped. And Daniel said "What? You don't have anymore pain, do you?" And of course, I cried and laughed all the way through take-off. Sweatshirt girl was on the other side of Daniel and she thought the pain had gotten a lot worse. I finally composed myself and we told her what happened and got word around to our team members.

God is so good. I mean, what an understatement, right? He kept that pain away for 3 flights!

Right before it happened I had been praying. And I don't think I have ever prayed so expectantly. I actually prayed "Lord, I know you're going to do something amazing through this." And I had such peace and I KNEW He was going to do something. I was nervous, yes. Because I did still have the pain. And I'm human. But something in me just KNEW. And yet I was surprised when it happened. What's up with that? I know I'm not the only one. We pray and pray, ask the Lord to move, say we believe that He will and then have the nerve to be surprised when He does! Like the man in the Bible who said "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!"

O Lord. Forgive me for putting You in a box. For putting human limitations on You. For not REALLY believing, but saying I do. Thank You for the awesome way You showed Yourself to me on that plane. For the amazing ways You showed Yourself to us in Brazil. Thank You for giving me the courage to go where You called me to go and do what You called me to do. Here am I, Lord. Send me again.

Boa Tarde!!

That's "good afternoon" for all you non-Portuguese speaking folks! We're home!! And oh, how I wish I could have blogged daily from Brazil. Because I have SO much to tell, it will take forever to get it all out!

It's been an afternoon of laundry, paying bills, playing with the kids, and picking up antibiotics (see, the stories will be GOOD!). So thankful to be home and just so thankful. We saw over 150 people come to know the Lord as their Savior! God is good! I am blessed to have been a part of this mission and in awe that the Lord is allowing me to witness firsthand the things He's doing in the "outback" of Brazil.

Thanks to those who commented on my posts while I was gone. Sorry I didn't get to respond to all your comments (limited computer access) and I don't know if I'll get around to it today either. How about me getting all techy and scheduling posts to post while I was gone! I know! Next thing you know I'll be writing HTML or something.

For now, I'll just leave you with this image of a new believer.



Ciao!

And yes, we do get out of the house

Going into this homeschooling thing, I knew about the common misconceptions people have. The S word---socialization. Always the first thing people ask about. (Do you KNOW my kids? Yeah, that's not a problem.) I'm just going to brainstorm here and see what all I can remember about what people have assumed about us or asked us about.

1. "You homeschool? Oh girl, I so do not have the patience for that!"---So apparently you have not been to my house during the day. Patience is one of the fruit of the Spirit that I have to ask the Lord to bring to the top EVERY day. Because an abundance of patience? I ain't got it. What I do have is a desire to be obedient. To this call to homeschooling that God has given to me. Plain and simple.


2. "Do your kids get to be around other kids?"---Between church 3 times a week and sports and neighborhood kids and kids at Chick-fil-A and kids at the park and kids at the library and kids at the gym and kids.... yes, they are around kids plenty. More importantly, they are around people of all ages every day. They are able to interact with adults as we go to the grocery store, to Target, to the bank, to get the oil changed, to get a haircut. They ARE learning social skills, but not from a classroom full of kids their own age. And who wants to learn social skills from a bunch of 7 yr olds anyway?


3. "I couldn't be around my kids all day long. I'd go crazy!"---While I may be well on my way to the crazy train myself, I really like being around my kids. Yes, I have my moments when I want to lock myself in the bathroom, BY MYSELF PLEASE! And yes, going grocery shopping alone is SO much easier. But really. I have been blessed beyond words by being entrusted to raise these children and NOBODY loves them like I do (except their dad!). I can't imagine sending them to be under someone else's supervision for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I'd miss too much. I'd miss THEM too much. And I know those 2 sentences are all about me. But bottom line, the Lord has given them to me/us for a time to raise and for me that includes education.

So apparently the brainstorm only got me to number 3. More like a shower than a storm I guess. Maybe I'll open it up to you! Do you have any questions about homeschooling? Homeschoolers, do you have anything to add? Help me out here, friends!

(And how about this for some blatant discrimination against homeschoolers. And I LIKE Subway! )