Wow, the weather has taken a little turn for the colder which only seems worse when the sun stays behind the clouds. We are surviving with heated blankets and constant trips to the gym to warm ourselves up! Some of the perks of the cold include fewer bugs in the house and lots of green tea. I caved and took my clothes to a laundry mat as our washing machine is not working and 2 weeks is about the longest I could go without getting replenished. I thought she would have a dryer with her business but apparently not as I took them to her on Friday and I am still waiting for a call that they are ready! This is not cheap so I am hoping we can figure something out soon or I might start hand washing. With the kids still on vacation through this week we have had a lot more downtime to get things organized and it has given Matt some time to get adjusted here in Brazil.
We spent the whole day Thursday in Reserva, a nearby town about the same size as Telemaco Borba. The director of the PETI in this town invited us there to show us around and what we quickly learned was that another motive of the visit was to convince us to come help them with the PETI there! Overall it was a great day spent getting to know government figures such as the mayor and visiting all kinds of programs in the community working with the poor. It made me realize just how important our expansion is and the potential of how long we could continue our work here in Brazil just within a 30 mile radius in other cities. It made me excited to think about where Project Discovery could be in a few years if we continue in the direction we are headed now!
We went to the new PETI twice this week again and had a great time with all kinds of minute to win it games including attempting to move a cookie from your forehead to your mouth, throwing balls between your legs to get them in a bucket, and sorting through a full deck of cards. It was a ton of fun and the kids did a great job cheering each other on! We took this opportunity to give the winners some of the donated winter clothes that we brought down this year before the warmer weather hits (hopefully soon!).
I have been getting back into my fight class as well, Muay Thai. I have been able to do it a few times and so far I have avoided any bloody noses or extreme bruises! It is great exercise and I am loving the chance to get back into and see all the old people I did the class with last year!
I have missed two birthdays this week in my family but I hope both mom and Marcos had amazing days with the rest of the family- I'm sure you guys celebrated in style! I have been eager to talk about my family and allow the new kids we work with to learn a little more about my life back home in the States. I am really looking forward to skyping with them tomorrow night and catching up with them!! I have really missed them!
I continue to be so grateful to God for each day here and every moment that I get to spend with my friends and the kids- they are a constant reminder of how precious every child is in the eyes of God and how blessed I am to be in their presence! God never ceases to amaze me!
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