EverydayLife.

Thanksgiving celebrations & some art-project costumes.. 

 Lunch one day! I remembered a few years ago in high school i went to Haiti and one evening we were served a platter of fish. Plopped down right on the table, bones, eyeballs, everything. No one quite knew what to do, and even if we knew how to eat it, we weren't sure if we wanted to. Thankful for my dear mother, who dove right into a piece and insisted the rest of us did the same. I was elated when i didn't even think twice about lunch this day and chowed down, thankful i've come such a long way on eating foreign-ly cooked food..

Small groups in the community we live in. Cell groups (as they're called here) are the basic building block of church. We meet for worship, and to encourage and challenge each other. This night was the Christmas party. :) 

A YWAM team is here for a few weeks, and a few weeks ago i went along with them to three communities on the river. In one, we did some kids ministry, and in the other two, we handed out Bibles to every home in the town. (A project YWAM is doing in Brazil, putting a Bible in every home in every community). We walked road by road, house by house, chatting with people, praying for their needs, and sharing hugs and smiles.  I spied an older man relaxing under a tree by the river, so i wandered over to him while the rest of the group was visiting a home. We shared names, and i tried to tell him i was Brazilian...he didn't quite fall for that, so we laughed and i tried to sputter out a few words. He was in his 80's (i'm pretty sure), had 8 kids, and seemed goofy and a little bit obnoxious. Even if we only shared 20 minutes, he was one of those people you just want to remember. I snapped this photo for that reason. :) 

c h r i s t m a s e v e p a r t y

the one on the far right and far left are my wonderful nieces, and the other three are missionary kids down here--such wonderful women that have been such a blessing! I love when you make friends for life in such a short time. 

 Mariah&I 

above: Christmas Eve party. Food, games, and fireworks at midnight. 

below: grabbing salgados (fried pastries filled with meat, typically) 

fruit&vegetable m a r k e t 

I love this kind of shopping. Everything from the earth, right there, fresh & fruity. Literally. 

                                     

                                     

The nephew and i are often sent to the bread store (a few blocks from our house // the photo above is walking there) and we take advantage of their giant only-50-cents sugar cookies.. 

My plane-flying, Jesus-loving brother. Thankful for him and the sweet woman of God he married, and their wonderfully crazy children. 

w e d d i n g  of the w a t e r s 

Where the Amazon and the Tapajos River meet. They don't mesh due to a variety of reason i think, but the main one is that the speed of their current is so different. On windy days, the line is a bit hazy (like this day) but on other days it's a distinct line. I won't tell you which one the Amazon is or it will be harder to swim in if you ever visit.. :) 

Sometimes you drive a flat tire...for a long way..

Flea baths for the kitties (not crying over spilled milk wasn't a problem, b/c we were too busy trying not to be clawed to death) 

Mariah & I have gotten to go on many early morning walked (filled with stopping often to take mental pictures b/c i typically forget my phone & it's SO photo-worthy). One day i did remember my phone & stopped at a PAZ church they are building in the community..so she got to practice her preaching choreography. 

And a picture of food to wrap up, because what other way could be better? I felt like we were back in the States, ordering fancy drinks & desserts that make my mouth water all over again just looking at them. The coffee shop was indeed a fun little stop!

Just kidding, i found some better pictures to end! :)