Aubry has sure had a lot of firsts that I have been wanting to record. But seeing as how I am not good at writing in her baby book, or scrap-booking or journaling, I thought I'd at least get it down on here. Firsts with little kids are always fun to watch (even the firsts that get them in trouble). Aubry has had many early firsts. She got her first teeth at 5 months and had a mouth full by the time she was 9 months. She started crawling at 9 months and about 2 and 1/2 weeks later at 10 months she began walking and she hasn't been still since. Her first birthday party was a luau where she swished around in her grass skirt. I've been trying to remember when exactly it was that she started dancing because it seems to me that she started dancing right out of the womb. She dances to everything - even TV commercials and sometimes when there's no music at all. We like to eat as well. She first started cereals at 5 months (while on furlough) and baby food fruits and veggies at 6 mo. Since we've had a full set of teeth for quite some time we've tried some things a little early. Believe it or not, Bree's favorite foods are yellow and red peppers, tomatoes, chicken or pretty much any kind of meat, yogurt, bananas grapes and soft cheese. She loves any kind of sauces like ketchup, ranch or mustard.
Her first words were Nalah (our dog), Aubry, Mama, Dada, and NO (probably in that order) and a little later Ara (for Ceara). For a while now the word Nalah was replaced by Puppy (her favorite word these past several months) but the word she used for everything (12 - 15 months) was Aubry - Aubry, Aubry, Aubry. She said her name all the time with every intonation possible and it was a multimeaning word or maybe it just meant everything and and every emotion and the way she said it changed her meanings. It was the cutest thing ever! She has been signing since before she could talk - the usual signs: please, more, thank you, all finished. Her all finished sign usually meant get me out of this darn chair now (because of the emotion that always went with this particular sign)! And we could say the words in english or portuguese and she would recognize and sign for both languages. At 19 months now her vocabulary is quite extensive - more in English than in Portuguese but she's learning both rather well. Bree has been using full sentences since furlough 15 and 1/2 months with phrases like "Ered it go?" (first heard by Papa) and "Air ih is!" Although my favorite story of her talking (because she's jibber jabbered since just a few months old) was just after she learned to walk. At 11 months old she came to our closed door knocking and hollering and it sounded just like, "Mama, Dada, memba me?" She is just now (19 months) starting to repeat pretty much everything we say. This morning she came to the bed and said, "Mommy em oo church." I questioned, "Matt she just said church?" and he replied, "She did because I just told her we're going to church." Speaking of church, Aubry is the one who makes us pray when we all sit down at the table now. As soon as Dad, Mom, and Heather all get to the table she grabbs for our hands and puts her head down. It's the sweetest thing you ever saw. She started this first when we got back from furlough (17 months).
Recently, we had a visit from My-Myee (Cindy, Mary's Mom) and Ashton (Mary's cousin). Even though their visit ended a week ago, Bree still calls their names throughout the house every so often. Yesterday, the door was closed that connects Aubry's room to the guest room and Aubry began pounding on the door calling, "Ashy! Ashy!" I said as I have several times this week, "Aubry, Ashy is not here." And Bree looked puzzled, "Ered eh go?" So I said slowly, "Ashy had to go home." So she replied matter of factly, "Ohhh! Ashy int home." This marked Aubry's first full conversation. Thanks Ashy! You two need to skype with her soon. She's gone potty since you left (19 months)! And although this is going to be a long process she's really interested. Keep enjoying your own firsts!
29 March 2009
17 March 2009
Happy St. Patrick's Day
Well, they don't celebrate the day here. Not enough Irish people live in Salvador, but we celebrated our fourth year here with four leaf clovers and golf balls (fore!). Here are all of the team kids that were available for pictures that night. This was the best one of Aubry taken by intern Heather.
Pray with your neighbor today. That's what Patrick would have done.
16 March 2009
March Catch Up
What an interesting couple of months it has been! In Icos news... we've been having more at church than usual these past few Sundays around 50 or 60 each week. This is a welcome change from the slowness of summer and carnival when we were only having 20 or 30 in January and February. The rise in attendance started with our welcome back breakfast (many had been traveling because of summer vacation and carnival). We also had a back to school party for the youth and gave away school materials as prizes. There were about 30 of us at the festa and the kids had a great time! English classes started back yesterday and many visitors came to service because of this. Our theology course starts next month. Our women's ministry starts back next week with after service lunch and Bible study. And we have an evangelism day next week to invite everyone to our big Anniversary service this year. It will be the 3rd anniversary of ICOS!
Not only is our church going back to a faster pace but we are too after having our whole household (Matt, Mary and Paisley, Aubry, our intern Heather who lives with us and our babysiter Tatiane) down and out for two weeks because of a terrible virus. It's good to be back to normal.
Team wise, we are happy to have the Porter's back from furlough. They were gone for 2 and a half months. Kelton turned 5 years old while they were gone and Samuel turned one year old on the day they got back. Both kids seem so much bigger! Samuel and Jackson are only a few weeks apart in age and we had a huge Brazilian 1st birthday party for him with a very colorful farm theme. Mary and Valerie being the team life coordinators threw a great St. Patrick's Day Team banquet this past Saturday night. We celebrated completing 4 years on the field together and thanked each other specifically for all of the hard work each teammate has done over the last year.
We had 4 (significant number) family visitors at our 4 year 4 leaf clover party! Cindy Sirmon (Mary's Mom) and Ashton (Mary's cousin) are here to help set up Aubry and Paisley's new rooms and see Salvador and the church work. Cindy and Ashton have a short week stay and much to do and see. They arrived on the same plane as the Porter's. Also arriving on the same day was Travis' sister and husband, Leah and Craig. These two brought some of the decorations for our banquet and plan to stay a month. They arrived just after Alicia's sister Michaela went back home. Ceara will miss her very much.
Happy St. Patty's Day to all! We will try to post some pictures once our visitors leave.
Not only is our church going back to a faster pace but we are too after having our whole household (Matt, Mary and Paisley, Aubry, our intern Heather who lives with us and our babysiter Tatiane) down and out for two weeks because of a terrible virus. It's good to be back to normal.
Team wise, we are happy to have the Porter's back from furlough. They were gone for 2 and a half months. Kelton turned 5 years old while they were gone and Samuel turned one year old on the day they got back. Both kids seem so much bigger! Samuel and Jackson are only a few weeks apart in age and we had a huge Brazilian 1st birthday party for him with a very colorful farm theme. Mary and Valerie being the team life coordinators threw a great St. Patrick's Day Team banquet this past Saturday night. We celebrated completing 4 years on the field together and thanked each other specifically for all of the hard work each teammate has done over the last year.
We had 4 (significant number) family visitors at our 4 year 4 leaf clover party! Cindy Sirmon (Mary's Mom) and Ashton (Mary's cousin) are here to help set up Aubry and Paisley's new rooms and see Salvador and the church work. Cindy and Ashton have a short week stay and much to do and see. They arrived on the same plane as the Porter's. Also arriving on the same day was Travis' sister and husband, Leah and Craig. These two brought some of the decorations for our banquet and plan to stay a month. They arrived just after Alicia's sister Michaela went back home. Ceara will miss her very much.
Happy St. Patty's Day to all! We will try to post some pictures once our visitors leave.
15 January 2009
Thanks for the Memories!
So for all the family and friends that are missing Aubry right now, I thought I would post her greatest moments from our trip home. Here are some highlights from a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2008! Thank you to all who loved on Aubry while we were in the States. Bree had the best time. She loved to open presents including everyone else's. She became addicted to ice chips - a fact that is making life difficult in Brazil right now since we don't have ice makers. She loved all her toys and attention and best of all she loved being with all of you!!! Enjoy the clips. Let us know which video's your favorite!
13 January 2009
Furlough (Alabama)
Well, the changes in temperature, altitude, time zones, and bacterial environments finally caught up to us in Alabama. Aubry had bronchitis and double ear infections, then Cindy got bronchitis which turned into an upper respiratory infection, and Mary Virginia had a sinus infection that lead to bronchitis (or maybe that came straight from Aubry who knows). Matt and Rick were also sick but the men in the family never went to the doctor of course. We all were well enough by Christmas Eve to take Matt to his birthday lunch and take Aubry to see Santa (the Bass Pro Santa was a really good one this year)! Christmas was so fun with Aubry opening her (and everyone else's) presents! She had a blast and is certainly the most doted over child I know (being the 1st grandchild and 1st great grandchild). She got so much attention and so many toys that it will take months to deprogram her and get her back to her normal routine again. Not only did we have a great time with family in Alabama but we also got to visit many supporters despite being sick. We had a wonderful time in Cullman and Huntsville and at Riverchase. Also, Matt went to Sheffield to visit our supporting church there. Should anyone want to see our 12 min. video from this year's work in Salvador, Brazil, simply go to our teammates blog "Quirey Life" under our links. Thanks for all who prayed for our furlough time and especially for our health and travel. It went by all too fast. We miss everyone already!
22 December 2008
12 December 2008
Furlough (Missouri)
So after three long flights we made it! One of which a baby beside us cried for hours - thank goodness it wasn't ours. Aubry didn't have a meltdown and Pregnant Mommy didn't get really sick until after we reached our final destination. It was a good trip. Thanks to all who prayed for us. Our first two weeks were spent in Missouri with family, friends, and supporters. We had a big Thanksgiving in the church fellowship hall with Matt's family. It was good to do it there since his family is growing and Sienna needed the handicap facilities. (For those of you who don't know Matt's niece was in a terrible car accident recently and lost her foot and part of her leg). We played lots of games, watched Aubry show off, and ate a lot of food. The next day we even got to take Sienna bowling along with Matt's other neice, Lindsey and her husband, Andy. Sienna's first time bowling in a wheel chair and she scored 20 points higher each new game! Also, while in Missouri, Matt preached Sunday morning at Park Hills, we taught the youth class twice, we got to visit Mrs. Dotti Perryman (one of our loyal supporters) in the nursing home, and we visited with other supporters and sent reports out. We celebrated Matt's birthday and our Christmas early with his family. It was all in all a good trip that went by too fast but at least Aubry got to see her first snow! She was afraid to walk on it and made funny faces when she did and the ground went crunch!
Thanksgiving Retreat
Wow! What a great retreat we had with our team this year all made possible by a special contribution from someone in Matt's home church. Thank you. We had a full house as we took our first fun retreat with guests: Travis' parents and Jennifer's friend Tammy. We rented a place for three days just north of the city and had a great time together. Aubry followed Ceara around everywhere and it was hard to get either child out of the swimming pool. On the last day we all made our favorite Thanksgiving dishes. Our team pools together all of the American things we have brought back for this special occasion. Lots of food and lots of fun. Afterwards we had just three short days to get ready for our furlough. Leaving Salvador summer time to land in Missouri winter time.
12 November 2008
06 November 2008
Catch-up Blog
A lot has happened over the last few months since we’ve lost contact with the rest of the world. So sorry we’ve neglected our blog. This is why…
House Guests:
After the LSTers left, we had Heather’s (our intern’s) family staying with us for 2 weeks. The Alkire’s were here during our inaugural Sunday for the new building. They did a lot of preparation work to help us out. During their stay we had another visitor arrive – one of Matt’s friends from college, Diana. Diana is an art therapist who came for vacation but also to help out our new church here. She painted murals, signs, helped with our benevolence lunches, and learned a lot of portuguese in her month stay with us. Two days after the Alkires left (but while Diana was still here) the Mabery’s arrived. The Mabery’s were here for two weeks also. They got to be here for and help with Aubry’s Luau birthday party, a benevolence lunch and plant a mini garden in the back of the church building. It’s a much more inviting place on both sides now. Next, my Mom, Cindy came the week after the Mabery’s and Diana left. It was great! Christmas everyday for Aubry and we actually got two good weeks of sleep. Cindy concluded our 4 month stint of visitors but life did not get boring. Here is what else we’ve been up to during and after all the visits…
Inaugural Service:
Our inaugural service was great! We served coconut and pineapple ice cream afterwards with our inaugural cake. It was a wonderful way to show the community the transformation our presence has already made.
Aubry’s Luau:
It was an exciting, colorful, fun luau at our old apartment building. Aubry had over 63 guests. The menu was popcorn, pizza, crepes, churros, and cotton candy (and birthday cake at the end of course). The decorations were incredible – even had lighted palm trees and hanging globe lights and blow-up monkeys. We played limbo, bobb for apples, pineapple / coconut bowling, hoola-hoop contests, and the congo line! There was never a dull moment and Aubry was the life of the party in her swishy grass skirt. Thanks to both sets of grandparents for making it such a memorable first year birthday party!
Calen (Newest Team Member)
Calen is now two months old. Calen Xavier Sass was born Wednesday, August 27th 2008 9:24pm weighing at 3.210 kilos (7pounds 1 ounce) and a length of 48.5cm (19 inches). The Mabery’s were here during this blessed event and we all took Aubry and Ceara (Calen’s older sister) to the zoo. It was Aubry’s first zoo trip and the girls had the best time together.
Recent Bible Studies and Baptisms:
After our youth retreat, one of the older kids, Leandro age 20, came back wanting to study more about baptism. He and Travis did an eight week study together and during that time, Leandro became very close with the LSTers. So in August Leandro took the plunge!
Leandro is one of the few good male influences in his very large family. Which is why his cousin Gisele age 15 asked Leandro to baptize her after she finished her 2 month study with Mary Virginia. What a great September!
Gisele brought her cousin Viviane to study with Mary Virginia and Heather and Viviane was also baptized into Christ. Which has lead us on a one a month role lately!
Leandro - August
Gisele - September
Viviane - October
Benevolence Lunches
The Benevolence Lunches are still every other Saturday and are going well. We usually have between 50 and 100 come for the free meal. Our church is becoming famous in the community as a church who gives and serves.
Children’s Day
Children’s Day was a hit! Brazilian children’s day is bigger than our Christmas. Lots of games, sugar, and kids running wild! We had a trampoleen, an air castle and a ball pit at the church as part of the festivities after a big lunch together. We had many neighborhood kids come and participate. Aubry had a blast in the ball pit!!! We even had to of our senior citizens ladies, Jaci and Dona Dulce, jump in the air castle!
Theology Course
We began our first theology course at the church building with five students and five church members. Please be in prayer that this course which teaches our evangelistic bible lessons will reach the hearts of the students and will grow when we offer it again.
Youth Lock-In
We had about 20 at our annual youth lock-in. It was a fun time of devotionals, games, and activities. The kids themselves planned their own service project for Christmas. They will be collecting and taking baskets of food to less fortunate families.
New Members Class / Ministry Class
We had 10 students at our new members class and 4 students participate in our ministry class. We are excited about the new members and also about our “old” members becoming more involved in church life through these classes.
House Guests:
After the LSTers left, we had Heather’s (our intern’s) family staying with us for 2 weeks. The Alkire’s were here during our inaugural Sunday for the new building. They did a lot of preparation work to help us out. During their stay we had another visitor arrive – one of Matt’s friends from college, Diana. Diana is an art therapist who came for vacation but also to help out our new church here. She painted murals, signs, helped with our benevolence lunches, and learned a lot of portuguese in her month stay with us. Two days after the Alkires left (but while Diana was still here) the Mabery’s arrived. The Mabery’s were here for two weeks also. They got to be here for and help with Aubry’s Luau birthday party, a benevolence lunch and plant a mini garden in the back of the church building. It’s a much more inviting place on both sides now. Next, my Mom, Cindy came the week after the Mabery’s and Diana left. It was great! Christmas everyday for Aubry and we actually got two good weeks of sleep. Cindy concluded our 4 month stint of visitors but life did not get boring. Here is what else we’ve been up to during and after all the visits…
Inaugural Service:
Our inaugural service was great! We served coconut and pineapple ice cream afterwards with our inaugural cake. It was a wonderful way to show the community the transformation our presence has already made.
Aubry’s Luau:
It was an exciting, colorful, fun luau at our old apartment building. Aubry had over 63 guests. The menu was popcorn, pizza, crepes, churros, and cotton candy (and birthday cake at the end of course). The decorations were incredible – even had lighted palm trees and hanging globe lights and blow-up monkeys. We played limbo, bobb for apples, pineapple / coconut bowling, hoola-hoop contests, and the congo line! There was never a dull moment and Aubry was the life of the party in her swishy grass skirt. Thanks to both sets of grandparents for making it such a memorable first year birthday party!
Calen (Newest Team Member)
Calen is now two months old. Calen Xavier Sass was born Wednesday, August 27th 2008 9:24pm weighing at 3.210 kilos (7pounds 1 ounce) and a length of 48.5cm (19 inches). The Mabery’s were here during this blessed event and we all took Aubry and Ceara (Calen’s older sister) to the zoo. It was Aubry’s first zoo trip and the girls had the best time together.
Recent Bible Studies and Baptisms:
After our youth retreat, one of the older kids, Leandro age 20, came back wanting to study more about baptism. He and Travis did an eight week study together and during that time, Leandro became very close with the LSTers. So in August Leandro took the plunge!
Leandro is one of the few good male influences in his very large family. Which is why his cousin Gisele age 15 asked Leandro to baptize her after she finished her 2 month study with Mary Virginia. What a great September!
Gisele brought her cousin Viviane to study with Mary Virginia and Heather and Viviane was also baptized into Christ. Which has lead us on a one a month role lately!
Leandro - August
Gisele - September
Viviane - October
Benevolence Lunches
The Benevolence Lunches are still every other Saturday and are going well. We usually have between 50 and 100 come for the free meal. Our church is becoming famous in the community as a church who gives and serves.
Children’s Day
Children’s Day was a hit! Brazilian children’s day is bigger than our Christmas. Lots of games, sugar, and kids running wild! We had a trampoleen, an air castle and a ball pit at the church as part of the festivities after a big lunch together. We had many neighborhood kids come and participate. Aubry had a blast in the ball pit!!! We even had to of our senior citizens ladies, Jaci and Dona Dulce, jump in the air castle!
Theology Course
We began our first theology course at the church building with five students and five church members. Please be in prayer that this course which teaches our evangelistic bible lessons will reach the hearts of the students and will grow when we offer it again.
Youth Lock-In
We had about 20 at our annual youth lock-in. It was a fun time of devotionals, games, and activities. The kids themselves planned their own service project for Christmas. They will be collecting and taking baskets of food to less fortunate families.
New Members Class / Ministry Class
We had 10 students at our new members class and 4 students participate in our ministry class. We are excited about the new members and also about our “old” members becoming more involved in church life through these classes.
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