One week to 'Merica!

It is hard to believe.
We celebrated nine months in Brazil this week. (the celebration consisted of Jamison announcing at the dinner table, "Happy Nine Months." And that was it.

It is an interesting time for me. I have made some new friends (she is Danish but lived in Oklahoma with her American husband, and now they live here with their two daughters one that they adopted from china when she was ten years old). I took my friend shopping to a new store and a new market for her. It is so nice to share the things I have learned.

And one of my friends who I kind of look to as a mentor is leaving back to Australia this week. She has really helped me in so many ways. Like how the school works. Good repair men. Good drivers for our next trip to Rio. Places to buy fresh cranberries. Comic relief of having a big family in Brazil (she has five kids too, 15-5). It is sad to see her go, but we will always have Facebook. Here is her blog post about her expat life (that I can totally relate to).

This has been a weird week. With the birthday party and Rio the next day, plus the normal pace of life I just haven't been on top of things. That is why we need a day of rest. That is why *I* need a day of rest.

So on the plan this week: shopping (little gifties for you all-it isn't too late to put in a request), menus ( time to clean out the cupboards), packing (we have already started), soccer games (confederation cup), church activities (12 kids at my house making chocolate suckers and having Nerf fights), birthday parties (at those big party places), invites to lunch with friends, a church soup dinner (can't wait to taste test them all), and the kids' school big June festival with dancing and dressing up.

Then Sunday is church, more soccer games (Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooal, the final match)  and off to the airport! I remember in the beginning planning months in advance about teaching the kids about airplanes in our family airplane school. Now we have hardly even mentioned it (we are flying on an airplane Sunday). Funny how the anxiety levels have plummeted and our anticipation and excitement are way up. Quite the opposite from nine months ago.

PS we are just fine from the protests. And the weather has been like the most perfect May you could think of for a few weeks. 70-80 degrees of pleasantness.

PPS This just in. Of course they are going to protest the final Confederation Cup match, we may have to get to the airport way early to avoid any freeways that are shut down.