Miss me?

It is almost midnight on the eve of New Year's Eve and I'm trying to get a jump on my commitment to my husband that I will finally begin to keep a blog (and as I have failed miserably in keeping a daily journal - I am anxious to be successful with this). Richard is very sure that my family and friends would love to hear from me - that you are all, in fact, eagerly awaiting the arrival of my thoughts in your inbox. While I am confident of your love, I am not so sure that you've missed hearing from me - especially because I usually have so much to say in person. But all of that aside, we have been experiencing God's faithfulness on so many levels in the last year and a half - in preparation and in transitioning here in Brasil - that I do have things I want to share - and then too, maybe you won't have to hear so much the next time we are together. But - it's late for now - I will attempt this again tomorrow with updates on some of my favorite topics - our children and granddaughter.

It's tomorrow - and after spending the day walking around the "center" with my sister-in-law Maureen (who is here for three months during research) trying to visit museums which are all closed for an extended holiday - until February - and witnessing Maureen develop a bright red sunburn, I am ready to relax a bit, try to stay cool and blog some more.

This has been a very different Christmas season - it's our first without Randi, Ari, and Sadye and we are really missing them! It has been a year since Bekah, Ana, Sean and Chris were together with their siblings. We did have a cyber experience by hooking up a webcam and watching Sadye open our present to her on Richard's laptop and watch and listen to her read the Christmas Story. We are glad that Ari was able to fly from San Diego to be with Randi and Sadye for Christmas.

In case we haven't been in touch and you're wondering - here's an update on the family: We have multiple graduations this year, which is both a blessing and a challenge. Randi graduates from the University of Cincinnati with her Master's degree in June and is preparing to take the LSAT (entrance exam for law school) soon. She's been teaching Women's Studies classes at the university and teaching Pilates in her spare time - when she is not working as a research assistant at a law firm, taking graduate classes, writing her thesis, or being a mommy to Sadye.

Sadye is in first grade now at a school of performing arts where she takes ballet, tap and violin. She has a best friend named Sweet Pea and has just lost her first tooth. Her new passion is writing poetry - some of which I shall include in future blogs.

Ari is graduating in May from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego with a double major in Journalism and Literature. She's been an editor of the college paper, interning at San Diego Magazine and working at a really cool coffee shop called "The Living Room". She is also helping us by frequently editing our stuff. She is a pretty amazing writer -objectively speaking. She is getting ready this week to take the GRE (for graduate school) this Saturday in Cincinnati.

We are proud of our girls and miss them terribly. What helps is that they've found exciting churches to be involved with and we are confident that God is directing their steps as he is directing ours. In Ari's birthday letter to Richard last November she wrote:

I hope you know that, while some may call you and Mom’s decision to move bad timing (with two daughters in college and two in high school), I think it’s the best timing anyone could have hoped for.

What better time to demonstrate a willingness to embark on a no-holds-barred, people-think-we’re-crazy, this-is-absolutely-the-right-thing-to-do adventure than when your children are on the brink of choosing their own adventure?

So, thank you for not using us as an excuse not to do what God was calling you to do. It might have been convenient, but what you’ve done is so much more valuable to all of us. It’s valuable now, when we are still struggling through it, and it will be even more valuable later, when we can say that great things were accomplished because we were willing to let them happen. (Even at the expense of convenience.)

I love you!

Pretty amazing - I told you.

This is Part I - Richard is wanting my attention and almost repenting of asking me to blog - he has suggested that I divide this blog (which is three times this length), so please visit again if you want to hear about Bekah, Ana, Chris, Sean and all of the awesome happenings and challenging moments of responding to God's call for our family in Brazil.

Beijos (kisses) and Feliz Ano Novo,

Jocelyn