Primeiro de dezembro

The first of December!! WOW. How time is seriously going so quickly. The kids are all in their final exams this week and next and we're all a little worried about them all passing grades. I am finally preparing for summer break, which starts in a week and a half! yikes! but am so excited about the time with the kids exploring the world. I know I'm always asking for money (Mother Teresa said she had no shame in asking for money for others and I feel the same way), but if you desire to donate to our summer fund, I want to have money for gas and small entrance fees to cultural activities. I am trying to find all the free ones, but I also know there will be small fees of 5 reais for some. It would be SO much easier for me to be able to tell our responsible that I have the money. If that makes any sense? If people do Christmas drives and want to know what to send us here, money is the most helpful. Our kids don't need anymore toys, they have enough clothes and shoes, but what they need is experiences. We live in an isolated place with so many foreigners that often their Brazilian culture doesn't reach them. I want to go on a field trip once a week exploring this beautiful city.

So Saturday I spent the night in the hospital with Manuela. The baby, Ana Beatriz, is SO CUTE. She is a little doll and doesn't cry much. She is so lazy and never wants to eat so that was a challenge. Manuela is doing well, too, but it is quite difficult to see a child taking care of a child. She will be leaving the hospital tomorrow and staying with us for two weeks. I still haven't recovered from sleeping in the PLASTIC CHAIR all night. It was like taking 40 15 minute snoozes. As I was laying my head on the end of the bed unable to sleep, legs getting bloated, hips crying in pain, I realized I couldn't really help her much in these moments. She and the baby were fast asleep. So I offered up my pain for their lives. Their hard lives. 14 years of a young girl seeing more harshness in the world than most see in a lifetime. The struggle to find love, the struggle to find self.

I finished painting the library and have half the books in. I am going to color code them and finish decorating. You would not believe my joy in seeing each of my kids with a book in hand, EXCITED to read. I am going to try and find some libraries in the city, even if they are a bit of a drive, to take them too. Books are just so expensive here.

Other than that, things are pretty calm. I am about to start my sponsor letter so expect a more clearly thought out review of what is happening here and in my heart.

Send my love,

Erica