Baptism Day

In our church, we believe that a person reaches the "age of accountability" at eight years old. This means that a person is able to distinguish right from wrong, and they have the opportunity to be baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We believe that this is an important step along our mortal path; one in which we commit to follow our Savior, Jesus Christ and do our best to keep the commandments and live the gospel. At baptism, two separate ordinances are performed; the first is baptism by immersion to wash away our sins and to make special covenants, or promises, to our Heavenly Father.  After baptism, we are able, through the authority of the Priesthood (the power to act in the name of God), to be confirmed a member of the church, to hear special blessings that the Lord has in store for us if we are faithful, and to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. We believe that the Holy Ghost is the 3rd member of the Godhead and is a personage of spirit who can inspire and direct all people at different times in their lives. However, when given the "gift of the Holy Ghost" through the ordinance of confirmation after baptism, a person has the right and privilege to call upon that gift for guidance and comfort, through  his/her faith and obedience.

Today was a special day in our family. It was our daughter, Tessa's, baptism day! She will be the only member of our family to be baptized in another country and in another language (unless we move somewhere else in 2 years...don't get any ideas, Tom!)

Tessa was so excited for her baptism day and was eager to have this special ordinance performed. She was able to have a member of our bishopric interview her a few weeks ago. He asked questions of Tessa in Portuguese, she answered in English; with Tom translating for each.

This afternoon, we had a special program, along with the baptism and confirmation. Many people from our ward and other surrounding wards (people who didn't even know us) came. All of the missionaries serving in Sao Carlos came. There were 3 American Elders. We had fun talking with them, and they had fun speaking in English and comparing stories about the transition to life in Brazil. Jaden gave the opening prayer. Tom told him he had to do it in Portuguese. He was a little concerned. He ended up offering a very nice prayer (in English). One of the American Elders gave a talk about baptism (in English). I then bore my testimony (in English, of course). The Relief Society President spoke in Portuguese. Tom whispered the translation in Tessa's ear.

Tom performed the baptism in Portuguese. Tessa had a huge smile on her face when she came out of the water. She told me later that she felt good (and, that the water was like an American hot tub!). I went into the bathroom to help her dry off and change clothes. The primary president came in to help us. I spoke to her in complete sentences! (more or less). It was cool.

Marissa played the prelude music before the baptism and the interlude music while Tom and Tessa were getting dressed. She did a fantastic job!! She hasn't played the piano since we left Logan. They want her to play in Sacrament meeting next Sunday.

Tom also performed the confirmation (this one was in English, so Tessa could understand the blessings given). All of the men who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood were invited to join Tom in the circle where they layed their hands on Tessa's head to perform the ordinance. Afterward, she shook everybody's hand. They all offered her "parabens!", or "congratulations!"

There were 2 more talks given in Portuguese--one by the Primary President (the leader of the children), the other by a member of the Bishopric. A special musical number was performed by 2 men in our Stake. They sung in English, which was very special.

Some of the women in the ward had made cupcakes and a special cake for the occasion. Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" in Portuguese. They sing it over and over, getting faster and faster, while snapping their fingers. My kids can't sing "Happy Birthday" to each other here--they can't snap their fingers! Tessa was wearing a beautiful white dress that Grandma Huffman got for her special day. Have any of you ever seen Tessa eat? We now need to find a dry cleaner.

We missed our family and friends very much, but were very grateful for the support of our new ward "family". It was a special day and unique experience that we will all remember.

  Special Day

 Beautiful Tessa

 They had one huge white jumpsuit for Tessa to wear, It was an adult size small. We rolled up the legs, and it worked. The crotch hung down to her shins. haha

 

 Tessa did not want to stop eating her cake to pose for a picture.

 "Mmmmm!" Yummy Brigadeiro cake

 

 

 

All of the men who stood in the circle for the confirmation

Success!

Just thought I would share a few of the tiny successes I have had which feel like HUGE accomplishments to me:

Yesterday, I took the kids to school all by myself.  Tessa has a great fear of being lost. The whole way there, she sat in the backseat with an anxious look on her face, and repeatedly asked if I knew where we were. I did. Most of the time. They arrived on time and unharmed. I even found my way back home!

Tom had stayed home to wait for the washing machine repair man. When it became evident that he wasn't coming, I took Tom to work all the way across town. I then found my way to the grocery store. (I only missed one turn--but found my way back. This is  more difficult than it sounds, as most streets in the center of town are one-way. Many of the major streets have round-abouts as well. Just thinking of the trouble that the ONE North Logan round-about has caused back home, it's interesting to be navigating multiple round-abouts with drivers who practice "fastest or biggest car goes first" traffic rules. Just a little side note about the driving: Tom thinks I fit in very well here with my driving skills. I don't know whether to be flattered, or offended. I do pride myself in the fact that at least I look like a local when behind the wheel of my vehicle.)

Anyway, at this store, they have a place where you can buy ready made food at lunch and dinner times. The workers give you a number. You stand in a line and order what you want and they serve it up behind a counter. Then, your order goes to the register and when your number is called, you can pick it up. The line was long and I had to order the food before I could actually see the signs with the names of the food. I successfully ordered rice and chicken on a skewer using actual Portuguese words!! Then, I saw something way down the line that looked like enchiladas. (I love Mexican food!) I said, "enchiladas". This is not a Portuguese word. The woman looked at me blankly. I was able to point and gesture (I think I even hopped at one point???) and she figured out what I wanted. When I got close enough to the sign, I discovered that they are called, "panquecas", and they are actually meat wrapped in crepes-not tortillas. (They were delicious!) Then, I waited for my number to be called. It was called several times before the guy in front of me pointed to my ticket and then to my order. I need to study numbers.

The repair man came to fix the washer in the afternoon. I was able to communicate to the security guards who called the house in order to let him in. This is the first time for that, and I felt proud! I was then able to determine that the washer needed a new motor and that he would bring it the next morning at 9:00. I even taught him a few English words. I find that if I concentrate really hard, I can understand a lot of what people say. The speaking--not so much--I guess it will come.

I am beginning to attempt to speak to people. We went to a restaurant for dinner. I was able to tell the waitress that there was no toilet paper in the bathroom. I said it in a complete sentence--and she understood me!! My head was swollen all night.

With the kids off to school, I was able to get some work done around the house. (It took me most of the day just to sweep the floor.)

 I know these all sound like small things, but it's amazing how triumphant they made me feel. Small victories...

First Day of School--Take Two

What a wonderful day!! I awoke to the sun shining, the birds singing. (The sun always shines here. The birds always sing. But today, I savored it!) Tuesday, the sun was a glaring wake-up call, burning my retinas behind droopy lids. Today, glorious rays of light shone through my window; caressing my cheek, warming my soul. Tuesday, the birds' chatter was a nuisance; today, a lovely melody just for me!

Pretty dramatic stuff, huh? Ok, I didn't actually wake up in a magical wonderland created for the sole purpose of bringing me joy after a rough couple of days. But, I did awaken with a brighter outlook. The point is, the surroundings, and most of the challenges that face our family, have not changed, but one thing DID change--my attitude. It began to change yesterday (Wednesday). Yesterday, the washer broke while washing my ONE set of sheets (have you ever tried to rinse and wring out queen sized sheets?), the bathroom flooded, the dishwasher drained on the floor, Tom and I were thwarted in accomplishing a necessary task, etc., etc. Nothing seemed to go right. But, all in all, it was a good day. I felt happy. Why, you ask?!

I wish I could report that I was mature enough and insightful enough to realize that my happiness was a state of mind, not dependant on outward conditions. I wish I could say that. But, in all honesty, I cannot. I mentioned earlier that "most of the challenges that face our family have not changed"... This is true--we still have a lot of adjusting to do, a lot of growth to experience. But... one BIG challenge that faced me has changed--school.

We had thought it impossible for our children to attend school here. For one thing, the city isn't big enough to support an international school. Secondly, it is winter here right now. That means that it is the middle of the school year. By the time we leave, it will be the middle of the next school year. What grade would we put our kids in? What grade would they finish in? What instruction would they get in English literature and spelling?

And then a beautiful thing happened--we found out about an English/Portuguese elementary school here in the city. I was still doubtful. How would they transition the kids in the middle of the year, and where would they go next year when we get back to the States? Would they be able to meet the core requirements for Utah so our children wouldn't be lagging drastically behind their peers? I didn't even think it was worth a shot; but after Tuesday (see my previous pity party post), Tom decided to make an appointment with the administrators.

We went in a little skeptical, but the teacher seemed very competent. She and the administrators felt confidant they could provide a quality education for our children; working within our unique circumstances. It is a small school which will eventually go up to the 5th grade (Jaden's grade), but which can't support that right now. However, the head teacher is creating a customized plan for Jaden, as well as adding some curriculum for Tessa that is required in Utah, which they don't currently teach here at her grade level. Jaden will be individually tutored in the morning in math, language arts, and Portuguese. He will then join the younger class for art, history, etc.

In the morning, the instruction for the whole school is given in Portuguese; in the afternoon, English. All of the children and teachers speak English. They learn about different cultures that speak English, as well as about the Brazilian culture. Tom and I felt really good about the school, and the chance for the kids to have an immersive experience. We enrolled them.

Today was their first day. Keira has been sick, so she did not attend. Jaden and Tessa were very excited to go! We went inside with them to drop them off. The local kids were all very curious about the new students. ( blond hair/blue eyes?) The teacher thought they would be excited to practice their English on native English speakers. I was a little hesitant to leave. How would my babies do in this foreign environment?

Here are pictures in front of the school and with their teacher:

I had no need to worry. They came home excited. School was "AWESOME!" They met new friends. Everyone wanted to partner with them. And-- no complaints from Jaden about feeling like he was in a "baby" class. In fact, he seemed to be the leader of the pack--this could be really good for him!

They will wear a uniform (a T-shirt with the school's logo on it) which we ordered. The school is tiny. Only about 70 students. The building and grounds small, but adequate. The supplies somewhat limited in my estimation (I'm going to see what we can do about that--stay tuned).

What kind of education will they get? I don't know if the school will be able to deliver on their promises. But, they weren't going to get a very good education with me at the helm, splitting my time between the 4 grades; no clue how to deliver the content. And in the end, I don't think it will really matter. We can always catch up on English and science, but the education they are receiving merely by being immersed in a different culture, experiencing things that most of their peers will never experience, is priceless to me.

Just to let you know--Marissa is continuing with the online school. This is her first year of high school and she needs to get the appropriate credits. Today was a much better day; we finally are ironing out some of the creases, and she is getting the knack of this nontraditional school. Thank heavens she is a good student! We are looking into a dance class for her, and there are a lot of activities for youth in our church that she has begun to get involved in. She has a friend here in the neighborhood (Erika), and just made another friend tonight who speaks a little English.  We will continue to look for opportunities to help her immerse.

The clouds are parting again. (I know they will be back.) But, today was sunny. The birds' song was music to my ears. I can go on another day...

Decomposing?

I just want to clarify something right off the bat. This whole experience has been REALLY HARD!!!---for ALL of us.  Would I trade it? Sometimes, I think, "yes... yes, I would". (Today, I was ready to buy a plane ticket.) But mostly, I know that it will be a wonderful, life-changing experience. You know those experiences in life that seem more golden the further you get away from them? Yeah... it's something like that.

I want to thank everyone for your wonderful comments and supportiveness here, on facebook, through emails, etc. I didn't think I could do this blog, but it has turned out to been really therapeutic for me. Somehow it helps me to write things down and find the humor in them, as well as realize the great many blessings I receive during the most challenging times. And your comments just give me that pat on the back and taste of home that I so desperately crave.

I was going to write this blog about the first  day of online school for my kids. But nobody wants to read that much negativity. (At the end of the second day, I'm still struggling to find the humor in the whole situation.) Let's just say I'm not cut out to be a kindergarten, 3rd, 5th, and 9th grade teacher, and leave it at that. We are looking into some other options. I'll get back to you. In the meantime, a few prayers wouldn't hurt, and in fact would be greatly appreciated!

Last night, after a particularly rough day, I told Tom, "I'm going downstairs to decompose." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized what I had said. I started to correct myself and say, "decompress", but then I realized that, nope, I'd rather decompose right now.

As I sit here decompressing from the day's events, I am reminiscing about the awesome people I have met here, and the lessons that I have learned and would like to incorporate into my life--lessons that I otherwise wouldn't have learned (and I'm not talking about traffic rules here). Sometimes growth comes with growing pains. Nobody ever guaranteed it would be easy. I do feel certain it will be worth it. At times, that certainty is buried deep under doubt, but it always reemerges-- like the sun poking out of the darkest clouds-- just for an instant. These posts help me to part those dark clouds and see the brightness, and your comments help me to feel the warm rays on my back, and suddenly, everything is ok again. So, thank you! And thank you for putting up with this melancholy little post.

And speaking of clouds...I'll finish with a random funny story (although it was not at all humorous at the time)...

Today, we had a freak thunder/rain storm. I had forgotten that I had the "dryer" running. Let me repost a picture of my dryer just to refresh your memory:

 

 

Ha ha. Funny....

Rio Vacation Part II: There and Back Again

We arrived in Rio on Tuesday night during a very high traffic time. (It is always high traffic time in Rio. Good luck to you idiots planning on going to the World Cup and/or Olympics!) We stayed just outside the city, in Recreio, in a lovely apartment right on the beach:



The Condominium

The view from our apartment





The owners, Lilian and Jaime, who so graciously allowed us to use their apartment, were there to greet us with a wonderful goody basket, mattresses and clean linen for everyone, and of course a kiss on the cheek. Keep in mind we had never met these people before, but they treated us like old friends. Tom had met their daughter, Layla, once at a conference. The generosity of the people never ceases to amaze me!

 

We decided to go out for a "little drive" that first night. Ha Ha! It took us 3 hours to find our way back. But it was an awesome drive up windy, jungly roads, through tunnels, and along white sandy beaches. Rio is one of the most geographically beautiful places I have ever seen!

 

The next morning, we went to the beach and enjoyed the warm air and cold water. Tom and the kids tried boogie boarding. Keira did not care for the big waves nearly drowning her. Tessa loved riding piggy back on Tom, and Jaden and Marissa got pretty good at "catching a wave".

 

 

 

 

 

 It was a gorgeous day and a beautiful beach. Tom bought sand toys from a vendor on the beach and the kids played for hours.

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed just relaxing in the sun and looking at all the women (of all shapes and sizes) wearing "bum floss" and all the men in speedos. We stood out a bit. We are a peculiar people, we Higbee's. One memorable outfit was the old man walking along the beach with an election flier dangling from the huge straw hat on his head. He was deep bronze (kind of like my leather couch back home), wrinkly, and gray haired. He did not lack confidence, however, as he was sporting a loin cloth, of sorts, fashioned out of thin linen material and loosely wrapped around his lower region. I learned a valuable lesson that day. If you ever see an old man in a loose loin cloth coming down the beach in your direction, turn away before he walks directly in front of your beach chair. You do not want to see the side view.

 

 

Day 2 of our trip was a grand adventure, as we attempted to find our way to the world famous Sugar Loaf with no directions and a GPS that only worked some of the time. I was in the co-pilot seat on this little outing and, oddly enough, my navigational skills, combined with my Portuguese reading skills did not improve on entering a strange new bustling city. We had yet another unplanned tour of Rio de Janeiro.

 

 

No harm done. We made it--and it was well worth it! The views at the top are absolutely breathtaking! And we got to do a little jungle hiking on the mountain which was fun!

 



 

 

 

The next day, and after some serious begging, I finally convinced Tom to brave the streets to take us to see the statue of Christ (you can't go all the way to Rio and not see the statue of Christ!) I promised to be a better navigator. By this time, Tom had actually gotten the lay of the land, and we made it easily to the statue and back again--no "retorno"s for us!! The drive there was pretty cool. We drove up a very narrow and windy cobblestone street overhung with jungle growth. We had to park part way up and then ride a bus the rest of the way; taking us to the base of several flights of stone steps.

 

The statue was majestic, the views magnificent!

 

 



 

Tom wouldn't let me keep him.

Mean Tom!

 

 

If you looked straight up at the statue, it looked like it was slowly falling toward you because of the way the clouds were moving. It was a little disconcerting. I didn't look up much.

 

 

The last day was spent at a beautiful little beach just up the coast from where we were staying. We had a great time playing in the waves, digging in the sand, boogie boarding, even surfing (only Tom). All of the kids made friends. Again, people were curious about the blond haired, blue eyed strangers. In fact, on a couple of occasions on this trip, people asked if they could take pictures of themselves posing with Keira. So funny!

 



The girls playing with 7-year old Sophia

 

 

 

Jaden made a buddy, Gabriel, who taught him some boogie boarding tricks.

His mom, Raquel, spoke English. I LOVED her!!! 

Sophia's older sisters (?) hung out with Marissa

 

By the end of the trip, Marissa and I both felt a little homesick...for Sao Carlos!!  It is finally beginning to feel like we aren't just visitors here anymore. I think that was one of the best parts of the trip. Well, that, and the fact that the air conditioning broke on Friday and we drove all the way back (9 hours, mind you!) with the windows down, the breeze gently blowing through our hair:

 

 



 

 

I'm still trying to get the knots out.

 

 

 

 

 





Rio Vacation Part I: on the Way There

Well, we took our first grand adventure to Rio de Janeiro! All in all, it was a great trip! This was a road trip, and we were able to learn many important things along the way.

In the U.S. we are used to obeying several traffic laws. Of course, there are crazy drivers; those who think they own the road. In Utah, we call these "California drivers". Well, in Brazil, we have discovered that the traffic rules are really more like suggestions, and I think that even the California drivers would be a bit unused to the display. I will outline 6  of the lessons we learned here:

1. Trucks ALWAYS have the right of way.

2. The little white stripes are NOT there to delineate lane boundaries. If your vehicle can fit between two other vehicles, you have successfully created a new lane. Congratulations.

3. NEVER stop at a stop sign! We have been here for over 2 weeks, and I have yet to see anyone come to a complete stop at a stop sign, except when a huge truck is about to T-bone their vehicle (see lesson #1). If you do stop for no reason other than the false assumption that you need to stop at a stop sign and look both ways before carefully proceeding, be prepared to hear horns blaring from behind, and/or cars veering around you on either side--on a one lane road...(see lesson #2). Note: Some stop lights are optional as well.

4. Motorcycles can go wherever, whenever. This includes, but is not limited to: along the white line mentioned in lesson #2 (at times passing other motorcyclists along said white line), on the sidewalk, up over curbs, in the shoulder (traveling with or against oncoming traffic), and pretty much  along any space that looks like it is not quite big enough for the motorcycle to squeeze through (please keep hands and arms inside your vehicle at all times!) These can all be accomplished by driving at high rates of speed while continually honking the horn.

5. Crosswalks are NOT recommended for pedestrian use. It is my theory that these white lines painted occasionally at intersections and elsewhere are really more of a sort of target area. Pedestrians do not have the right of way at any time. It is my assumption that extra points are earned if a pedestrian is hit within a designated crosswalk area. I could be wrong on this.

6. Hitchhiking is permitted. This is an excellent way to travel; whether you are a vagabond, or a uniformed police officer.



Now that we have the basics down-- and we learned these pretty quickly--let's talk about the trip! It was about a 9 hour drive to Rio.  We saw many interesting things along the way (please refer to the 6 lessons learned above). We also learned that the gas stations have some really good food! (I'm not kidding here--it was some of the best we had!) The kids did an excellent job, even without a DVD player (thank goodness they all have Nintendo DS systems!)

The landscape is beautiful and varied. There are banana trees growing wild along the roadside. I could have reached out and picked a fresh snack (if I hadn't been afraid of those motorcyclists). We drove through one windy mountain pass that looked like a jungle. There were little stands all along the way where you could stop to buy fresh fruit. There were huge bunches of bananas hanging from the shacks, along with citrus and other unidentifiable exotic fruits.

All along the freeway, people were riding bikes or horses, or crossing the busy lanes of traffic on foot. In fact, there were designated crosswalks right on the freeway!:

 

 

 

What makes this even funnier, in my opinion, is the fact that there are signs all over that say "Never stop on the freeway". This just proves my pedestrian target game theory.

 

 

Along with those "Never stop on the freeway" signs, there are other signs with great tips: "Children should sit in the back seat", "Don't throw trash on the road", and my personal favorite: "Before building something on the side of the road, please consult with the authorities." I'm not sure who that would be, but it sounds like a good idea. Of course, you can have a "store" of sorts anywhere you like, it just has to be mobile:

 

 

 

This particular picture was not taken on the freeway, but there are vendors walking  up and down all city roads, highways, and freeways selling snacks  during times of slow traffic. I think it's a nice service. And now that I think about it, I've never seen one of these vendors in a designated crosswalk. Hmmm.......

Modern Living?

We have had to make a few adjustments to the type of living we have hitherto been accustomed. We knew this would be the case, but some things you just can't plan for. Meals have become much simpler, as we have only the bare minimum of kitchen appliances, cookware; even serving dishes. I'm learning to get along without all my gadgets, but I do miss a few of them. It does make for fewer dishes, however, which is a good thing.

I thought I could just do the dishes by hand, but I must admit that I was very grateful when Tom spoiled me and bought a dishwasher. It is one of the bigger models. It holds 8 place settings! (We can only fit 7 plates, but who's counting?) When we went to the appliance store to look at the dishwashers, I thought they were kidding when they started showing us the models. I had no idea they came in dollhouse size. I feel like Holly Hobby.

This may come as a surprise to some of you, but this model doesn't have a built-in garbage disposal like the one at home. I have to actually scrape the dishes into a garbage bag. I know--life is tough.

In the picture, next to the dishwasher (which doesn't fit in the kitchen), you can just catch a glimpse of our circa 1972 washing machine. Now, I'm not complaining about the age of the machine. It does an adequate job. I actually have one of the brand new HE front load models back home and am probably the only person in the world who would trade it back in a heartbeat for my old top load agitator. They just don't make some things like they used to! This machine is no nonsense: one speed, one program--on/off. We have to switch the drain in the back between the washing machine and the dishwasher. (We can't use both at once.) The washer leaks sometimes, but Tom finally figured out that we just have to push the clothes down after the initial spin cycle, or they get in the way of the water filling for the rinse cycle, and water comes spraying out the top. This could be fun on a hot day.

Here is my dryer:



Sorry about the underwear in the shot, but it's a fact of life--underwear does have to be washed and dried occasionally. It felt a little primitive at first to hang the clothes outside, and I was a little worried about the bird poop directly under the line. But, so far, our clean clothes haven't become a target, and I must say that I actually enjoy hanging them. Marissa and I have  made it into a sort of bonding time. Plus, I have finally figured out just when to put the fabric softener in the washer so our clothes don't come out crunchy. The first batch of towels could have stood in the corner by themselves. And who doesn't love wrapping up in a nice stiff, scratchy towel right out of the shower?

Speaking of the shower, we actually live in the lap of luxury with a real hot water heater! It's solar powered. We figured out the hard way that if you use all the hot water one day (for example, bathing all the kids on a Saturday night to get ready for church the next morning) you won't have any hot water the next morning. Thankfully, we have a shower out back with an electric shower head. I don't know if you've ever tried one of these beauties, but they are almost like the real thing! If you keep the water pressure as low as you can, ( just over a dribble), you are able to take a nice almost luke-warm shower. Tom thinks it's a great way to speed me up on a Sunday morning. And yes, we have a shower out back. It's an enclosed bathroom with a separate bedroom. We are guessing that this is in the event that one of the guests at any of our wild parties gets drunk and needs to "crash". I'll just have to remember when the room is occupied on a Sunday morning.

Our friends, Valeria and Tim, generously donated and installed a water filter in our kitchen. It is hooked up to a faucet next to the kitchen sink. Now we can refill our water bottles right from home! I admit, I was a little skeptical at first, but so far nobody has come down with the gombu. I do wonder, though-- if we can't safely drink the water from the tap, why am I washing and rinsing my dishes in it--the dishes that I eat off of? (They don't all fit in the dishwasher, believe it or not.)  But, we all seem pretty healthy so far, so who am I to question?

It may not sound like it, but I am actually very grateful for all of these appliances and realize that we are very fortunate to have them. But, does it make me a bad person to be more grateful to know that I can go back to my American conveniences when this adventure is over?