Comin' Along...

We've been saying for a couple of weeks now that we need to get our teaching preparations completed before the actual day of class.  Even though we have plenty of time to prep during the day of(most of our classes don't start until 7pm), we both get too stressed out from the pressure of needing to get it done, not to mention getting anything printable to the copy place in an appropriate amount of time.
Needless to say, this type of preparation never helps us to feel adequately engaged with the material, nor does it put us in happy teaching moods.
What we would prefer happened this week ...I can hardly believe it!
On Monday, I prepared Tuesday's and Wednesday's classes while Jake finished up his class for the intermediates.  Then yesterday I completed Thursday's class, leaving enough time for touch-ups and review the day of.
The lack of stress is so incredible. It's not like we're doing any less work-in fact, we're doing more because we're giving ourselves extra time to think.

Jake teaching our Wednesday night Intermediates

I'm really desiring and praying  that this won't be just a fluke week, but that the lesson of planning and preparing ahead of time will stick with us for the rest of our lives.

Brazil is Alive...

Don't worry, I washed my hands thoroughly!

One of the reasons I love Brazil is because it is so lush.  It's alive.  There are constantly birds singing, lizards scuttling, and beetles buzzing.  The trees change into beautiful flowering things, and the vegetation multiplies like a child in a growth spurt.

Jake often comments to me that life is so much simpler when you don't have to prepare for four seasons.  You don't need to put special shingles on your roof, just use ceramic tiles, because there is no snow.  You don't need to change the tires on your car to accommodate for inclement conditions, and you don't need to go through a complete wardrobe change-up when the fall season starts in earnest.

I miss the beautiful colour change of the leaves in autumn back home, but I wouldn't trade sitting on this porch in my shorts and bare feet for anything.

Love,
Ashleigh

Toucans And Another Anniversary...

There is a big tree in our yard, and on two occasions, Jake and I have spotted toucans flying in for a few moments, rustling around in the treetop, then flying away.  The first time, I was doing some lesson planning on the porch, and I couldn't believe my eyes.  I'm sure many of you have seen them in zoos, but their beaks are absolutely enormous.  I found out why on Saturday evening. 

They are carnivores.

That's right, that cute lil' "Toukie-toukie!" on your morning cereal box eats innocent little birdies out of their nests. Lovely.

On another note, the church we've been attending celebrated their 25th anniversary yesterday.  To commemorate, they had a lovely lunch after Sunday school, and a guest preacher in the evening.  The pastor even led us in a rousing Portuguese edition of "Happy Birthday" after the evening service!  

Love,

Ashleigh

Pumpkin Pie...

Since Jake and I missed Thanksgiving this year, I made a pumpkin pie for him for our anniversary.  It was actually the first time I'd ever made one, and I found a recipe that included condensed milk (which Brazilians love!) So I made another one for a BBQ we went to last night. Brazilians usually eat pumpkin with only salt and butter, so for it to be sweet was something new. But oh my, they loved it! One lady went back for seconds, and another asked for the recipe.
I also made chocolate covered pumpkin seeds and brought them to a movie night.  The pastor's two teenagers just raved about them.

It's such a blessing to have these moments with people here.  It seems as if Jake and I are always trying new things, getting out of our comfort zones, yet I never imagined that food could transcend language and cultural barriers, creating an equality between us and the Brazilians, as they, too, have new experiences in their own country.  A simple pumpkin, of all things!

Love,
Ashleigh

Bikini or Muumuu...

As most of you know, I have been spending the past year trying to change my diet and also my eating habits (moderation, etc).  Because of this, I have had to jump over a few hurdles, including my love for all things chocolate.  Jake has been my biggest supporter, and one day when I was struggling particularly fiercely with the desire to eat more desserts, he looked at me and said,

"Bikini or muumuu??"

It caught me off guard, and I burst out laughing, and then said, "Bikini!", effectively stopping myself from giving in to that specific temptation.

Since then, I've asked him quite a few times to ask me that in dire moments, and it's been quite helpful in keeping me accountable when I seem to lack self control. 

Thank God for witty husbands!

Love,

Ashleigh

Aspirations and Jabuticaba...

Happy November, friends!  My new goal this month is to write a blog every single day.  I can't promise that anything exciting will happen, nor that they'll all be interesting, but we'll see how it goes.

 A family from one of our ESL classes invited us to go to a chacara, or farm, to pick jabuticabas.  Unfortunately, Jake was pretty tired out and couldn't join us.  The little farm was only about 10 minutes away, and has been in their family for only about 8 years.

Jabuticaba-the skin outside is edible, but it's pretty bitter.  It's the inside that is most delicious!

 They grow directly on the tree branches themselves, and, as you can see, in little clusters.  I get really grossed out by clusters of anything (especially insect eggs), so it was hard for me to start picking them.

I've also turned into a pretty big city girl, so I had to get over the fact that ants were crawling all over the trees.  It was nice to have a chance to get to know the family better, and to see their little farm.  There were roosters, and all sorts of fruit trees, including tamarind.

One of the most interesting things on the property were the monkeys! They were pretty fast, so it was kind of hard to get a picture, but a couple of them turned out, including a video! 

Rodrigo and his son, Arthur, trying to entice the monkeys with pieces of bread.

There they are, eyeing the bread! They even ate out of Rodrigo's hand!

 After jabuticaba picking, we ate a snack of sweetened black coffee (cafezinho) and pao de queijo.

Arthur and Annalise

Marilane and I-she's the wife and mom, and quickly becoming a dear friend!

It was great to spend time with this family, as well as experience something new.  Marilane told me that you can make jam out of jabuticaba, so I'm eager to try that tomorrow.

Love,
Ashleigh

Two Years Goes By...

 This is the man I love, the one I pledged my life and devotion to on this day 2 years ago.  I wouldn't trade the time that we've spent with one another for anything.  I look forward to many more years of learning, growing, sharing, and, most of all, laughing.

For he makes me laugh.  A LOT.

It's such a blessing to be married, to have constant companionship, to have trust, love, and respect.  To know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he's committed to me, to us.

I'm so grateful for the spiritual accountability that he provides, and for the wisdom of the Lord with which he is so bountifully endowed.

Babe, God gave me a precious gift when He blessed me with you.  Thanks for sticking with me, and for being so patient when my, "Just one more minute" turns into fifteen.

I love you.

Love,
Ash

Tried, Tested, and True...

I've spent the majority of my life trying out various deodorants, eager to discover which one will make true on the promises to keep me dry, odourless, and in comfort.

Please.

We all know that sweating is good for you, and a natural way for your body to shed the toxins that it stores.  I think I've come around to accept that I didn't inherit my mom's 'dry' genes.  I'm just a sweaty, sweaty lady.

Recently I've learned that anti-perspirants aren't good for you simply because they keep you from sweating.

That's not natural.  My most recent endeavour has been to find a simple deodorant that keeps me from stinking.

I bought this one, in the picture, here in Brazil.  Along with the normal stick deodorants, they also have a spate of 'spray' deodorants for women, so I just picked one at random in hopes of feeling and smelling pretty.

Let me tell you, I hope that they sell it in Canada, because it keeps me pretty fresh-smelling for basically the whole day!  (And that says a lot when the temps around here have been in the mid to high 30's)   Its promise of 'Dry Comfort' has yet to be seen, because I've still got sweat rolling down from my armpits; but hey, the stench isn't completely noxious.

So there you have it- my new favourite deodorant.  Just what you wanted to know ;)

Love,
Ashleigh

God's Little Miracles...

Silmara was one of the most vibrant and animated ladies I've ever met.  As we, the team from Canada, worked alongside her, we struggled to say her name, so she wrote it in the sand with a stick.  She absolutely loved handicrafts, as many Brazilian women do, and took a real liking to Gwen, who was leading the class on cross-stitch at Free Flight for the next three weeks.  Through a translator, we found out that she and her husband, Alair, had been married for 8 years, and she was in tears as she told us of one of her heart's greatest desires.  They had been praying for a baby for so long.  I was saddened as I listened to her story, and when I returned to Canada with the team, I kept in contact with her.

One day I was checking my emails, and I found a message from her saying that she was pregnant.  I was overjoyed for her, and even more happy when I heard about little Kaitlyn's arrival.

When Jake and I visited Free Flight a couple of weeks ago, she was one of the first people that I saw, and we had a chance to catch up.  I finally met her precious little girl, and discovered what a miracle it is that she is even alive.  The pregnancy itself was high risk, and Kaitlyn almost died.

But God gave Silmara and Alair this precious gift.  She's now three years old, and, as Silmara put it, has her daddy wrapped around her little finger.  To see Silmara with her daughter is so wonderful, she calls her "my little treasure", and you can see the gift and blessing Kaitlyn's been to her.

Let's celebrate the gift of life and blessing that God gives to each and every one of us, and let's rejoice with Silmara and Alair for the blessing of their precious little girl.

Love,
Ashleigh

New Church and a Showerhead...

Jake and I went to one of the Presbyterian churches in Anapolis today.  I've never really attended a Presbyterian church before, so I was rather hesitant for the outcome.  We were both impressed with the service.

{Here in Brasil, most churches have Sunday school in the morning, beginning at 9 or 9:30am, and then the main service takes place in the evening, starting around 6:30 or 7pm.}

We will now be teaching a Sunday School class in English at this church, with the emphasis being on missions.  The pastor made it very clear to those interested that this is not an English class, but rather a class taught in English.

We're eager to start something new, and are very excited to have discovered such an amazing, Bible-believing church.  We attended the evening service as well, and were both very encouraged by the acceptance and love by the congregation, among other things.

The church we went to with the Bacheller family was ok, but I found the Presbyterian church to be thriving. I don't know if that would be a word most people would associate with this denomination back home (at least, that was how I thought of it).  Both Jake and I are eager to start attending this church, and excited to have the chance to serve in it!

On another note, hot water in the shower is heated by the showerhead which is literally plugged in to an electrical outlet right in the shower itself [sounds dangerous, doesn't it?!].  Ours burned out the other day, consequently rendering our bathing water frigid.  Thankfully we were able to get a new one, and enjoy a nicer temperature.

We take joy in the simple things!

Love,
Ashleigh