6 Months Already!? Wow!

Wow is right!

Well first of all...this is probably the 3rd time that I have "returned" to the blog world. I often think about it, but it gets pushed aside. This is also probably the 3rd or 4th or 5th or whatevereth time I have said this...but...I wanna do it more. Gonna try it again! If at first...you don't succeed...try...try again! Right? Ok cool then.

So today, August 19th marks 6 months that Kelci and I have lived in Brasil. What a whirlwind it has been. We can't believe it has already been 6 months. It seems like just yesterday that we were making the rounds from Dallas, to Edmond, to Colorado, to Tulsa and many more places to say goodbye and to raise support and funds for this amazing work here in Niteroi. But alas...we are here. And we could not be happier about how it has all worked out.

When we went out to dinner last night with Chad and Micah we talked about the things about Brasil that we are still getting used to, the things we have grown to love about Brasil, the things we miss from the states (mostly the 3 F's: Food, Family, Friends...maybe in that order...kidding), the days we have had here where we just wanted to cry or yell or whatever, and the many many joyous days and successes we have had. At the end of dinner, we all realized again just how blessed we were and how much God has taken care of us and gone in front of us and how we have had many more victories than difficulties. We attribute that all to God and to your prayers, we thank you all so very much! Please continue to pray. It is a continued encouragement to know that you are praying for us.

Another success came today. The four of us had to get our Temporary Brasilian Identities renewed. Up to this point, our only real Brasilian Identity has been a piece of paper with a stapled on picture of us. It works, but it is not very official at all. We went knowing that in all likelihood we would just be given another one of these. However, there was a chance (in my mind a 1% chance) of getting our Temporary Identity Card. Just to show how difficult this process can be, one of our team members still only has the paper identity...he has been here for 5 years. Now you know why the chances were slim. But...some how...some way...all four of us left with Temporary Identity Cards and we were the first ones to leave the office. When we did this in February, it was almost a full day event. This time it took us a little more than an hour. Just another reminder of God leading our way and the power of prayer. We love you all!

Kelly and Kelci