Mary K's ramblings

27 March 2009

Here are some pics and a video of the girl. Hope you enjoy.

Just a cutie with a really big head.

Ana Luisa came for a visit

Play in the exersaucer that arrive. She loves it.

Practicing being a big girl in the highchair.
Getting her used to it before we start to use it for real.

Just a cutie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fofinha posted at 2:16 PM

18 March 2009

Alright, to some of you this may seem pretty mundane and simple but to me, I see God's hands all over my current situations and it is pretty darn cool.

Let me take you back to the beginning of this whole story of potentially - now a certainty - of coming to the US. A friend of the family offered to pay my and little C's way to the US to help my parents with some stuff and so my Grandma/C's Great-Grand-Ma could see her. W said he wanted to be part of bringing lil C to the states so we began to pray and look at our situation, financially and spiritually. We wanted to make sure we were walking in His will not ours and that when we returned from the visit we did not regret the decision in a financial fashion, ie having spent our reserve money on the trip. As we prayed, I went about finding out if my SkyMiles were still in my account so we could get a ticket for W. I called SkyMiles only to find out that my miles had been cancelled, erased, thrown away because of my inactivity. I cried like a baby because it was a "no" response to my prayers of travelling to the US. I was sad and at the same time calm in knowing God had responded. But wait, God said "no" to this part but had more waiting in the wings. Not long later the same family friend called to see about life here and such and asked about me and W and lil C coming and my mom told mhim we had encoutered some obstacles and he offered financial help. God is so good. We got on-line and liiked at my dad's SkyMiles account and he had enough miles for W to have a ticket, so we were back on and with the financial assistance of the family friend, we could afford to get lil C's paperwork and W's new visa. YEAH GOD!!!

The miracles do not end here. We started on the programming a trip to the American Consulate and such right away and it felt like it would be an eternity before W could get an appointment. We went about getting the Brazilian passport for my baby and the paperwork together for our Consulate visit. On the 11th of March, we went up the hill and to São Paulo. (My first time up the hill in over a year.) The trip went smoothly and lil C did well. Her appointment was first and we offered all the documentation to prove that she is my child so she can be recognized as an American and gain an American passport. All the fees paid and we got her certificate of American Birth Abroad and "viola" an American exists. Yeah, lil C an American!!!!!! That afternoon was W's turn at the Consulate. Because we had lil C with us, they let us in a little early. It is nice to gain preferencial treatment because you have a small child with you. So we went in and got in the first line, went fast. Sat for the second item, Pre-Interview window, went quickly. Fortunately for us, all this occured during lil C's wake and nap time so she behaved and then slept well. We sat again to wait for the second window, Finger print window. After wthis window is the Interview window and then the cashier for any extra fees and as we exit, the mail window to have your passport mailed to you upon completion. LOTS of windows and lines to be in. So, the Fingerprint window was slow and then the girl behind the window went on break and another girl came, our number was a long way away. A second window opened and it looked like things would pick up in pace, it did a little. It appeared that the Fingerprint window was doing interviewing as well because the people behind the window were chatting a lot with the applicants. This was a bit frustrating as we were sitting there thinking we had the interview yet to come and the cashier and mail lines to batte as well. W's number came up and we all went to the window. He was mildly interviewed, as we were asking to change his visa type and low and behold, the man behind the window said W was approved!!! APPROVED!! No Interview window. All we had to do was pay the extra fee and take the envelope to the mail line and we were done. I was shocked and amazed and thrilled and praising God!!!!! We paid the fee, gave the receipt to the man behind the window, went to pay the mailing fee and we were out of there, in under 2 hours!!!!! No interview, we did not have to show the paperwork we had gathered and the visa W now has is valid for 5 years and it is Tourism/Business. W can come to a conference or just on vacation without having to ask for a new visa for 5 years!!!! Yeah, 5 years!!!!

Wait, there is one more miracle. The passports were scheduled to take 6-7 working days for W's and 15 working days for lil C's. They arrived yesterday - 4 working days!!!!! Both of them came yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God is soooooooooooo good and still works miracles!!! Again, I about passed out with joy and surprise. Thank you Lord for your goodness to we who don't deserve it.

So, now we are working on our plans for getting to the US and what to do for the 20 days we are there. Pray for us that the trip goes smoothly and lil C does well on the plane, oh the plane - another miracle. We were able to get our seats together and, get this, a baby bed for lil C. Our planes have seating where they offer a bassinet for babies and we have those reserved on all the flights.

God is a God of miracles even today!!!!!

Here is my lil C, all 8.330 Kilos and 63.5 cm of her.

Her new Exersaucer

Practising sitting in her highchair

A friend's visit. Chillin' with Ana Luisa

Hanging with dad in the pool in the front yard.

fofinha posted at 9:15 AM

10 March 2009

I am sitting here going over what is needed tomorrow for our first trip up the hill and it will be all the way to São Paulo. We are going tot he US Consulate to get little C registered as an American citizen and for W to interview for a new visa. I am nervous that I will forget something, that something will go wrong, that W will get denied. I am full of nerves. Please pray for us and especially ME.

Thanks.

Will let you know the results of our trip when we get back.

fofinha posted at 6:50 PM

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