Bikini Shine?

Yesterday we picked up our van from having it cleaned in preparation to sell......


I can't help but think these men shined my dashboard with their old undies!!
(Hanging on the line to the right...next to where the mats to the van were.....)

Just a little bit of what we 'see' all the time......


~Thanks for your kind comments about the kids yesterday.  Everything turned out fine......

Prayers from Portugal,

4th of July

Our first time in 4 years to celebrate America's day of Independence on American soil.

We spent the day at our home church with a BBQ and games. It was a beautiful day.




Fireworks in Knoxville later that night:



























We have been resting the last week. A much needed time to sleep in, fellowship with our pastor and his family, and of course, eating Krispy Kreme donuts way too frequently.

Our three oldest girls will be going to camp next week, so Daddy and I will just have Justice and Trinity with us for the week. It will be fun!

Still missing precious friends in Portugal, but soon our time will end here, and before we know it we will be on a plane back across the Atlantic.

Prayers from Knoxville,

Nina

Feira de Barcelos - (Barcelos Market)

Today, Michael and I spent a little time at the market.  It's not often that we go without visitors.  Usually it's one of the highlighted attractions that we carry our out of town guests to see.  It's always very crowded and full of confusion. 

Today though, as Michael and I sat near the fountain in the center of the market, I looked around, and with some Portuguese pride in my heart, I was thankful to be here.  I was remembering my first trip to the market, nearly 4 years ago.  Not understanding a word the venders spoke to me.  Using hand gestures to communicate whether a basket I was considering buying was for trash or for dirty clothes....(try that one!) 

~~~But, today....It felt like home and not that foreign world it was 4 years ago.

Here is a sample video I found online....It looks like this day it was pretty calm, must have been lunch time! ;)

This market has been around since the 1400's.  Every Thursday, rain or shine.

Furlough Frenzy

Time is winding down, and preparations are in their final stages.....less than two weeks before we leave for furlough.  Lists have been made and many things already crossed off......

• Get furlough vehicle to Birmingham.
• Find a sitter for all my gorgeous Orchids.
• Organize the dungeon. (our junk room)
• Decide what luggage to use and how many pieces will be needed.
• How many vehicles will be needed to take us + our luggage to the airport?
• Find a Dog sitter, cat sitter and turtle sitter.
• Buy 60 kilos of dog food for Major. 
• Leave fridge running, or shut it down?
• Make checklist for house watcher & dog/cat sitter.
• Install electric fence to keep dog from wandering.
• Decide what songs the kids will sing and in which language. (I stress THE KIDS, not me.)

This is only a sample of my to do list.  My schedule is in high gear lately, and the work in the ministry is showing no signs of slowing down.  (Praise HIS name!)


Trinity helping instal the electric fence.

Justice trying to be sweet.

He asks me daily, "Mom, are we going to Amewica today?"

Last weekend we had a Convívio das Casais. (Couples meeting)

It was a precious time of fellowship, prayer and of course, Eating!

Some of the dishes.  Michael made the dish on the left.  It's called Baclhau à Brás. (Cod fish and Potatoes)

Salad is amazing in Portugal, once you get used to olive oil and vinegar.....Now, I'll have it no other way!!

I'll certainly miss the fresh, daily bread!

Singing praises!

Ms. Dawne stayed upstairs with the kids to give us parents an evening with other adults.

I'm going to miss these people.

So...since I'm thrilled to be visiting my homeland, but torn about not seeing my friends and church family here.....does that mean I'm officially insane, or officially a missionary? 

I think the two go hand in hand.

Happy Birthday Brooklyn!

Our oldest daughter Brooklyn turned 12 last week.  Feels like yesterday I was going to the hospital in the wee hours of the morning to be induced.  She was a week late and I couldn't take another day of pregnancy.  Contrary to popular belief, I don't enjoy being pregnant.  Although all my pregnancies were healthy ones without any complications and my Doctor told me I was a 'baby making machine', I did not like the discomfort of being huge, hot and irritated.  (Looking back now, I think the irritation came from not being able to drink caffeinated beverages.....Coffee solves a world of problems!)

I remember hopping around the house, be-bopping up the steps to our little townhouse just a few days after giving birth, my family amazed at my 'quick' recovery.  I told them that I felt better the day after Brooklyn was born than any day of my 9 month + 1 week pregnancy.  And every baby afterwards was the same situation.....recovering from child birth was so much easier than walking around pregnant for 9 months.

So, today I'm celebrating 12 years with that little, dark headed, jaundiced bundle of joy!  She's been a delight to help raise and I feel priviledged that God would choose me as her mother.

She celebrated her birthday this past weekend with 2 of her closest friends. The pijama party was a lot of fun and different for the two girls invited.  PJ parties aren't very popular here....but they had a great time.

So, here goes my top 12 reasons I love Brooklyn:

1. She helps me the most with improving my language skills.  (That's after I've embarrassed her by butchering a language she speaks so beautifully!)
2. She's an excellent student that cares about her grades and her performance in school. (Opposite of me!)
3. Although she's not the best at keeping her room tidy, she has amazing organizational skills.
4. She's the typical bossy oldest sibling, but does well when needed to care for the younger ones in our absence.
5. She recognizes when I'm down, when I need a hug, when I need someone to volunteer to wash dishes, when I need time alone....she's sensitive and aware of others around her.
6. She makes a mean fiesta chicken.
7. She says, "Thanks Mom" a lot.
8. She taught me how to listen.
9. She taught me how to put someone else's needs before my own. 
10. She still holds my hand when we walk around in public. 
11. She has the love of Jesus in her heart.
12. And last but not least....you all know what's coming......She's MINE!  Thank you Lord!

"Happy Birthday Brooklyn Malena! I Love You!"
Love, Mom

Sickness be Gone!

My dear bloggy friends, I have been so sick.


It's been over two weeks & three trips to the doctor.


My instructions for now are to REST, stay indoors, eat and drink.


My precious husband has cooked, cleaned, ironed, taxied kids & shopped.  All the while, keeping up with his duties pastoring two churches, and evangelizing this needy city.  


I don't have much to say other than to ask for your prayers....I'll leave you with a few random shots taken over the last month......

We made a big tent in the living room where the kids 'camped out' one evening.

I don't remember tents being so hard to make!!

Justice loved it!

Faith's job was to hand out clothes pins....not without some silliness though.

Michael and I had the privilege of attending a banquet by the Gideons. 

These next few pictures are evidence my kids stole my camera.....

Hope you are all doing well.......

I'm praying for Springs soon arrival.....

3 Years.....

...ago this week, we said Good-Bye to America.

...and we left for Portugal. At the airport saying good-bye to a few friends and family.  Our friend, Ms. Lora (in yellow) came with us and stayed for 2 weeks.  It was a blessing having here here to help with the kids while we set up the house.

 

 

 

After over 24 hours of travel, three flights and two rented vans later...we finally arrived at our home!  (Michael and I were able to go to Portugal two moths earlier and arrange housing and a family vehicle so that when we arrived, we could all go "home" and have a vehicle waiting on us...the battery was dead, but it was there.)

Walking up to the gate for the first time!  (I'm so glad Ms. Lora was there to capture these moments for us.)

Having difficulty unlocking the door.......at this point, I was SO tired and SO ready to be here, that I was already contemplating breaking a window and shoving a kid inside to unlock the door.

"For real....this key is NOT working!"  (We finally realized you have to pull on the door while unlocking it...our first of many lessons we learned on this first day in Portugal!)

God's gift to me for a hard 16 months of deputation.....Calla Lilies in my own yard!!!!

Happy kids and beautiful weather! (Uncommon for this time of year...but a welcomed surprise.)....(the beautiful weather is uncommon, not the happy kid part.)

Flowers already in bloom.  In the center of town, near the market.

The kids had never seen oranges ON trees before!  (As most adults probably haven't either.)

Everything we brought with us fit in these black trunks.  It wasn't much, but God provided the rest of what we needed.  It's been an amazing journey.  A blessed three years.  Our lives are so rich, not with material possessions, but with the blessings of our Heavenly Father!

Beautiful Portugal