Housekeeping over the years

Housekeeping drove me crazy over the years. I knew homes need to be clean. I've never been the person to love that chore. In College, I learned that Saturday was the best day to clean my room. I did not have a roommate, so I cleaned the place for myself. I also washed my clothes on Saturdays after my break from work. 

When I graduated, I shared a duplex with a roommate. She was there first, so the rules were: no dishes in the sink overnight, and we each clean the entire place (except for the other's room) the other month. 

When I graduated, I lived in a tiny little place. 6 months later I was married to the love of my life and I guess that's when I officially become responsible for the housekeeping of an entire family. 

Before the kids were born, it was tough. My major problem was with paperwork. One weekend, I decided to organize everything, one hour at a time. I even wrote about it. I called "the power of one hour." Here is a before and after photo of my results. 

Organizing that paperwork gave me encouragement to know that I could conquer that major issue with clutter. What I didn't know then was that cleaning and organizing a home takes time and effort. 

Sometimes, you just don't have a lot of time. But things need to be done anyway. I remember starting a new job in my now new hometown. While I was job searching, I spent time cleaning, organizing things, cooking, taking care of the family, and volunteering at church. Once I started working full-time, I had little time for cleaning. I needed to clean anyway. 

I learned to prioritize my projects. I knew from past experience that when everything is chaotic, I need to start with laundry and food. That's how you go from overwhelmed to organized. I did that a lot. When I was chronically busy, I made sure there was food on the table and the laundry was done. These two simple chores helped me to properly care for the family, myself, and make progress with everything else I had going on.

I learned that sometimes, you just do not have time to invest in organizing things. I wrote a blog post with creative ways to organize your home. I used one of the strategies last week. A few weeks ago, I had a few service people at our house often. I had 3 clothes hampers filled with clothes day after day outside of our laundry room. I decided that the service people did not need to see those hampers week after week so, I decided to store them in the linen closet. I  used the strategies of "hide some stuff" and "ignore it until you can do something about it." Hiding made the space look cleaner. Ignoring the issue helped me wait until I had time to take care of the problem.

Well, I had some extra time last week and I was able to completely take care of those 3 clothes hampers. 

A second issue I had was the thought that if I only had help, housekeeping will be easier. I've had seasons when I was doing everything by myself as a stay-at-home mom. I've had occasional help as a SAHM. I also had seasons when I was working full-time and cleaning full-time. I also know what it means to work full time and have the help of a housekeeper. Housekeeping never got easier: I got smarter. 

I found smart solutions, whether I had help or not. I made peace with repeating those strategies over and over again. I also learned to teach those strategies to the kids. Their help has made a world of difference. 

Housekeeping used to drive me crazy. I have learned which strategies I need to succeed. 

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Making a Hometown your Own

One year ago, our family visited East Texas for the first time. We were in the middle of living life. Theater camp, marathon group coaching, and work was part of the routine. We took a step of faith and God met us where we were.

Here we are, living in this new hometown for 10 entire months. One of my dear friends asked me what makes a hometown my own. I thought that was a great question. The answer always will be: people.

My people - My first instinct as a mother is to be sure my nest is settled, warm, and inviting. I put a lot of thought and effort into making my house into a home. I believe that's the number one way we make a hometown our own. Once the family is okay, I move on to meet new people. 

New People - I've written extensively about meeting new people. Our experience it's been interesting. When we come to a new hometown, we already have a church family. It does not mean we are friends with everyone there. It means we work there. It takes time to get to know people. Working at a church means you have a place to worship, work and a bunch of people to get to know. The theory I developed over 15 years leads me to think that I need to meet people in the community also. 

Community People - I love getting to know people in the community. Before I moved, I was one of the neighborhood reps. I loved getting to know my neighbors and organizing community events for families. I love getting connected with the public library. The kids and I always participate in events and we check out books and other resources often. Before moving to East Texas I found a running group. I actually found the group before I found a house. I know, priorities. People are important to me. 

Here's the question: with COVID and all, have you connected with people Cintia?

I certainly have tried. I just heard about research on concentric circles of friendship where it takes 50 hours to go from acquaintances to casual friends and 90 hours to go to the good friend category. 

I will elaborate on these hours on a later post because they made me think about so many acquaintances I thought of as good friends. My experience dictates that for some friends, the number of hours are irrelevant. 

I believe I made a good friend here. This person is not afraid of me. She welcomed me into her life. She listens to me and we've been able to speak the truth to each other. I am still getting to know this person and vice-versa. I am choosing to believe that we will be good friends. I'm committed to this friendship and I can only pray I will be a blessing. 

I counted the hours I've spent with this good friend. So far,  we spent 117 hours together. Outside of the hours, there have been words said, prayers prayed and mutual understanding established. I'm grateful.

In the past, I made good friends without meeting the 50 to 90-hour goal. We understood we were for each other. Our hearts connected and we were committed to the friendship. 

How do I make a hometown my own?  I focus on people because the right ones make any place sweet.

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Hurricane Harvey 2017

Thanks to God we are well and safe friends! We are praying for all of our Texas neighbors dealing with the aftermath of this hurricane.
This is our first major hurricane. We've been through a few tornados but this is the major weather event we've ever seen.
We have been counting on wisdom to heed to the instructions of the authorities as well as the advice from our friends who have lived through every major weather event in the past 70 years here in Texas. Wisdom is priceless and we prefer it to doing what's hype.

We prepared as well as we could. We got our pantry stocked and we prepared for the loss of electricity. The major thing we prepped was our hearts. We reminded ourselves as a family of God's amazing love for us and His protection. Encouraging our souls has given us peace and assurance of God's care, even in this life altering circumstance.

The thing about this hurricane is that we don't know how long we'll stay indoors. I've been pacing our efforts in every front:

• We've been blessed with electricity so we're cooking some of our favorite meals. We had pancakes with eggs and fruit this morning.

• I'm not cleaning and decluttering like crazy. I'm trying to save my energy for other things such as cooking several meals a day, resting and paying attention to weather warnings.

• I made a menu for the weekend. One of my favorite Harvey Hurricane Memes is this one:

I'm using the menu so we can pace ourselves. I'm not running out of snacks before life gets back to normal! On another note, there are tons of super funny hurricane related memes out there. My friends on Facebook and I had some great laughs last night.

• We still have more rain coming so we are optimistic that God is and will always be a very present help.

If you are in Texas, I am praying with you. If you are outside of Texas, I ask that you pray for us. Regardless of where you are, remember that God is our help and strength: a very present help in times of trouble. Have a nice day! 

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TV Show Challenge Update 2

Hey! The last time I checked, my sister Simone, my friend Jaime and my friend Addie agreed to this challenge. Any more takers?

2,352 hours is what we have left for 2014. I'm challenging YOU to count how many hours you will spend watching your favorite shows and apply them to the goals you set at the beginning of 2014. Let's remind ourselves of the challenge rules:

TV Show Challenge Rules: 
1. Count the hours you will spend in front of the TV watching your favorite Fall TV Show;
2. Apply those hours on your goals for 2014.
3. Come back and let me know how your TV Show Challenge is going!

Update: I have 1 our of 16 hours completed on my challenge! I timed myself for 1 hour and worked on my book project. I am a writer and it is my goal to put out a body of work that would add value to someone's life (and that would look great on their shelf AFTER they read it). 

Now let's talk about TV!!! I only have time to watch it when the kids have been in bed for a while and I am tired. I often sit in front of the TV with my computer, mindlessly pinning things. My husband is currently watching an old 80s series and although I got him interested in it, I refuse to watch it. My beloved shows have started their new seasons but I just haven't had the energy to watch it. It does take energy to watch The Blacklist and I like to watch 60 Minutes uninterrupted. What will most likely happen is that while I'm recovering from the Chicago Marathon I'll probably have time to watch my favorite shows. 

Time is valuable so through this challenge you and I will make the best out of it. We will be able to look at 2014 and say "Man I'm smart!" Here's what we're working with - because time does not discriminate: 

• We have 64 days til Thanksgiving
• We have 91 days til Christmas
• We have 98 days til December 31

Let's work on our goals today. Even 15 minutes a day will do. Don't procrastinate success my friend. Leave me a comment and let me know how you're doing, okay? Have a productive day! 

• TV Show Challenge
• TV Show Challenge Update 1 

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What a Glam Morning Looks Like

Makeup from last night still on

Caffeine and Bible are a must have

Not a lot of people out yet

So glad I'm done! One long run to go.

Happy Yellow Day! My youngest was napping.

I'm certain people love cool stamps

Too early for my next appointment

My first fitting for my first Modeling Gig!

• What did your morning look like friend?

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Weight Loss after Baby: Part 1

Every time I have a wonderful kid I get to the point where I need to put some effort into losing weight. This often happens when there is stability at home and the scale keeps moving down. I know it is up to me to eat well, exercise and manage stress well so the weight comes off for good. Here are my precious stats, posts and the current number with a video for you:

First baby (April 2009):

Starting weight: 145 lbs

@ 9 months: 195 lbs

Second baby (July 2010):

Starting weight: 190 lbs

@ 9 months: 216 lbs

Final Weight: 156 lbs

• See my Weight Loss series (photo of my progression)

Third baby (June 2012):

Starting Weight: 165 lbs

@ 9 months: 194 lbs

Current Weight: 170.8 lbs

Disclaimer: This journey is a process, not an event. Weight loss is not my full-time job. I'm a wife and mother first. Still, I am working on being a healthier wife and mother. In this journey I make many mistakes and learn from them. I am humbled by God's grace which empowers me to succeed. My hope is that you find encouragement to take small steps towards being a healthier you. There's only One who's perfect so I pressed towards the calling I have in God. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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Pregnancy: Body Acceptance

I cannot deny, it's been interesting remembering my previous pregnancies through pictures. Thanks to my constant picture taking and the wonderful world of blogging, I've been able to have a great record of what week 36 of pregnancy looked like in years past:

Whether I like it or not, a lot of focus is put on the body during pregnancy. Here's God's perspective on the subject:

You were bought for a price. So bring glory to God in the way you use your body.  I Corinthians 6:20 (God's Word Translation)

I never thought about this verse in the context of pregnancy until last week. This Bible verse reminds me that although I've been carrying my baby girl for 36 weeks, my body is really meant to bring honor to God even in this season.
I realized that although I take good care of my body during pregnancy, I'm also tempted to complain about the side effects pregnancy brings. All the aches and changes are not fun but some complaints are deep seated in the rejection of self.
Look at my photo illustration once again. During my first pregnancy I thought I had a great handle on the situation and I was happy with the way I looked for the most part. In 2010 I refused to put my face in my pregnancy photos for things changed drastically inside and out. I didn't like the way I looked, I was 'too big' for people to see the real me. As soon as I had my daughter "a light came on" and I realized being ashamed of myself wasn't healthy. This time around I am showing me for who I am in every photo. It took me 3 pregnancies but I know this is a season of life and I am bringing glory to God by taking care of my body. Being unashamed of what I look like brings glory to God because it says 'I appreciate how You made me." I now know that hiding my face or only taking photos in certain angles can only mask what the heart doesn't cease to carry: shame. I wonder if shame is separating you from glorifying God with your body my friend.
Here are ways to stop the struggle & become more accepting of who you are:
• Watch Your Words - there is power in your words. If you are truly negative about your appearance, things are not gonna get better. Change the way you speak about yourself. For example, I used daily positive affirmations about running many years before I ran my first 5K. Hearing positive things about myself were the starting point to unlocking my ability to change for the better.

• Make a Habit of Caring for your Body - small steps towards caring for yourself will lead you to greater accomplishments. It might start with drinking more water every day or walking once a week. Building good habits, one baby step at the time, makes a big difference long term. Employing the help of others is part of caring for your body too. Signing up for counseling for example is a great way to care for yourself.

• Understand the Seasons of Life - my previous women's ministry pastor opened my eyes to the fact that during a woman's life, her weight will go up and down. Pregnant women do gain weight. Once I accepted that weight loss season was over for 9 months, things got much better. My focus went from the numbers on the scale to non-scale victories such as getting more rest, adding more nutrients to my diet and finding enjoyment in exercising during pregnancy. I know that the weight will come off during the next season.

My hope is that you and I don't be ashamed of what we look like. It might be a process or it may take a revelation but I pray that eventually our body issues will turn into the glorious act of bringing glory to God in the way we use our bodies.
Related Posts:
• Pregnancy: Body Issues
• Life After Baby: Weight Loss Progression
• Podcast: Counseling Demystified

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Photos Fotos

What have I been up to? I'm glad you asked! O que eu tenho feito? Obrigada por perguntar! 

We saw our Friends on the way here •
Vimos nossos Amigos a caminho do Texas

It's hot here •  Está bem quente aqui

this made my day • isso me fez feliz

Before my stuff arrive I did lots of this •
Antes da mudança chegar fiz muito disso

A 10-year reunion with our friend • depois de 10 anos vimos
o nosso amigo

having fun • se divertindo

After 5 miles • Depois de 8 km

this was my view • essa foi minha vista

First Sunday at Church • Primeiro domingo na igreja

Tomorrow: iPad 2 App review. Amanhã: as minhas apps prediletas do iPad2!

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The 1-2-3 Guide to Hiring Moving Companies

This week we moved to Houston, Texas and we learned a lot about hiring moving companies. Our first thought was to search for the online but we got overloaded with the results. Here are 3 helpful guidelines as you beging this process:

1. Don't Provide your real Phone Number Online. Internet based companies will immediately storm your phone and e-mail aggressively the minute you give them this info. I was fortunate to give them my Google Voice number instead and ignored their calls for a while. Whey they didn't cease to call, I answered the phone and asked them to please take my number out of their directory. As a general rule, beware of providing any personal information online.

2. Search for Local Moving Companies. It is essential to see someone face to face if you are going to trust your possessions to their care. Even if you decided on a different company, take advantage of the years of experience these professions freely share as they give you a free estimate. 

3. Ask for What you Need. Paint the picture, share your vision as far as how you want things to happen. The way different bidders go about fulfilling your needs may be a big decision point for you. 

If you are moving soon, I pray that you have a dream experience with a moving company. These 3 guidelines will help you start your process successfully til you get to your new home.

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Nursing Dilemma Part 2

I gave myself one month to try nursing my second born. My deadline expired and I kept trying - with the help of two meds. The medicine I was waiting for came in and it actually increased my milk production a little bit. I quickly found out that I needed to supplement.

After a whole month waiting, praying and trying to do what's best, I have settled for a mix of breastfeeding, pumping and bottle feeding. That's my reality and I'm okay with it.

I tell you what, the bottle feeding sphere hasn't been easier than nursing. I am faced with different choices: bottles, formulas, etc.

I am at peace for having tried to do my best and being blessed to have a lot of flexibility in feeding. Another huge blessing: this baby is getting more of my milk than my HEALTHY older son who only got 4 weeks or so of my milk. 

Feeding a human being can be challenging, it's not like feeding a doll when I was a child. Motherhood hasn't been easy or "natural" 100% of the time but it has been very rewarding. 

I'm already starting to plan what to do the next time we are blessed with another baby. Judging by my experience you'd think I would have meds lined up and ready to work on my milk production. Maybe I'll be stocked up on formula. Perhaps I won't do neither and everything will work out. Or will it?

*This is a photo of the most amount of milk I produce. Click to enlarge so you can read what I wrote :)

My Previous Experiences in 

Feeding my Babies:

Nursing Dilemma 

When Bottle is Best

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1,000 + Words

The first days, weeks, months of life are full of trips to the doctor. Mom took this picture of us in one of our well visits. We are thankful to God for well visits, for healthy and happy children and for the sweet things of life.

In this pic she was crying, so I decided to focus on her sweet little feet. How beautiful are the feet of those who carry the gospel. We are also to put the gospel of peace as shoes. I know these little feet will go further then her mamãe's. Let it be so.

While many are celebrating he soon arrival of the fall, I'm enjoying the sunny, happy days of the summer. We waited for the summer with great expectation (literally). Z Girl arrived in the heat of the summer. LB learned how to walk and perfected that art. This is one of the few moments he's sitting somewhere. He likes to run and just enjoy being outside. 

His vocabulary is fantastic. So far all his words are in Portuguese but he understands English very well. With every toddler (every person) there are frustrating times. I thought his facial expression was priceless. Of course he was happy a few moments after that. 

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O Nascimento Parte 2: Recuperação

O primeiro dia não foi brincadeira. A cesária é uma operação grande. Apesar de se ter uma doce razão porque tive a cirurgia, precisa-se de tempo pra se recuperar. Eu já sabia o que esperar por causa da minha primeira experiência ano passado, mas você esquece da dor que faz parte dessa experiência de vida. Nas primeiras horas você só senta na cama com os remédios entrando direto nas suas veias. Eu pedi por remédio de dor, o que foi bom porque a área da operação ficou bem dormente com isso. 

Dessa vez quando os amigos vieram me visitar eu estava alerta. Ano passado eu estava tão cansada do trabalho de parto que caí no sono no meio de uma frase :)

Neném recém-nascido dorme muito mas eu ainda tive que cuidar muito dela. Eu queria amamentá-la, então assim que voltei pro meu quarto começamos a fazer isso. Ela pegou muito bem no seio, fiquei bem orgulhosa. As enfermeiras me disseram pra ficar mexendo minhas pernas então toda hora eu fazia isso. Ano passado levou um tempão pra eu sentir minhas pernas. Dessa vez consegui mexer meus dedos do pé um pouquinho quando saí da sala da operação. Mais tarde naquela noite as enfermeiras me ajudaram a levantar pra eu me acostumar e pra eu dar uma limpadinha básica (dar a luz é um evento feliz mas tem muita sujeira involvida. Não deixe as fotos felizes te enganarem). Senti MUITA dor quando levantei. Pra piorar senti que o quarto todo estava girando, então elas me disseram pra não olhar pro chão. A enfermeira me disse que eu podia dar 3 passos e escovar meus dentes se eu quisesse. Eu tentei mas desisti. Minhas pernas não podiam se mover muito porque eu estava cheia de dor. Eu disse pra ela que não queria dar uma de super herói, eu ia esperar até o dia seguinte pra andar. 

A lição que aprendi é que com tanta dor você precisa de ajuda na primeira noite no hospital. Eu não podia me mover facilmente, então seria bom ter alguém lá nem que fosse pra  me dar a bebê pra eu amamentar e cuidar dela. Eu tinha (tenho) o sentimento de que eu é que tinha que fazer tudo pra ela. É difícil de fazer isso se você não pode se mover muito por causa da dor. Graças a Deus que eu tive uma equipe maravilhosa de enfermeiras que me ajudaram muito naquela noite. Se vocês estão imaginando onde meu marido estava, ela estava em casa com nosso filho. Nossa família veio nos visitar 2 dias depois. 

No dia seguinte me senti como se fosse uma mulher nova. Não podia correr a São Silvestre mas estava andando devagar e tudo estava bem melhor. Mais amigos vieram me visitar e eles vieram na hora certa.

Outra lição aprendida: a melhor hora pra receber visitas é a noite porque de manhã tenho testes a fazer (sangue, etc) e os médicos vem nos ver (os meus e os da bebê). 

Mais cedo naquele dia a enfermeira me ajudou a tomar um banho de esponja (na verdade foi um paninho).

Eu me senti como se fosse uma pessoa normal. Ela falou pra me sentar perto da pia e pra eu lavar tudo o que podia acima da cintura e depois me levantar abaixo. Consegui lavar tudo sozinha. Me senti maravilhosa! No próximo dia tomei banho no chuveiro e tirei a gaze (?) pras enfermeiras examinarem a minha cicatriz. Estava tudo normal, graças a Deus. Antes de ir pra casa recebi instruções sobre o que fazer e o que não fazer. Não se pode dirigir por 2 semanas. Não se pode levantar nada (e ninguém) mais pesado do que minha bebêzinha. Não se pode fazer exercício. Pode-se tomar banho de chuveiro ou banheira. Pode-se continuar a tomar as vitaminas. As enfermeiras viram meu filho e observaram o nosso relacionamento. Elas disseram que a coisa mais difícil seria o fato de que não posso pegá-lo no colo. Uma delas disse que isso foi o mais difícil pra elas. 

A primeira noite em casa foi boa. Nós queríamos ir pra casa depois de 2 dias em vez de ficar 3 porque a nossa família ia vir pra visitar. A maioria só veio por 1 dia e meio. Minha mãe veio pra ficar por bastante tempo o que é uma bênção pra nossas vidas. Ela faz as coisas que não posso fazer, nos ajuda com o Pequeno Príncipe e nos dá muitos conselhos. O PP está andando (correndo) muito rápido e ele requere coisas e atividades diferentes do que a irmãzinha. Nós mantemos as atividades diárias dele como sempre foram. Depois vou escrevar mais sobre como os dois irmãos estão passando. Têm sido uma alegria de ver os dois. Apesar de não poder pegar ele no colo, eu dou comida pra ele e ganho bastante abraços.

Dessa vez coloquei uma cinta assim que cheguei em casa. As enfermeiras falaram que não era necessário mas faz a maior diferença. Dá pra notar como a minha barriga está bem menor. Além disso não fico com tanta vergonha quando o povo olha pra minha barriga - sempre olham quando sabem que você teve neném.

Leva tempo pra se recuperar da cesária mas com a ajuda de Deus chego lá. O importante é ter muita ajuda e apoio. Ano passado não tivemos nossa família aqui mas Deus proveu tudo através de irmãos em Cristo e amigos. Além da recuperação da cirurgia, você lida com outras coisas como amamentação, dor, cansasso... Todo mundo diz que eu preciso descansar e concordo. Todo mundo diz que não preciso me estressar e concordo. Estou aprendendo tudo de novo. A vida é assim e estou agradecida a Deus.

•••••••••••10 Dicas pra se recuperar da Cesária
* Consulte o seu médico, essa é a melhor dica de todas.
1 • Peça ajuda pra primeira noite no hospital. Quanto menos você se mover, melhor.
2 • Planeje o mês pós cirurgia. Quem vai limpar a casa? Quem vai cozinhar? 
3 • Peça ajuda diária pra levantar de filhos a cestas de roupa;
4 • Decida se alguém vai cozinhar pra você, se os amigos vão trazer comida (tradição aqui) ou se você vai congelar tudo antes. 
5 • Ponha uma cinta. Vai levantar sua moral se não levantar mais nada. 
6 • Tenha todas as coisas necesárias pra trocar fraldas prontinhas e perto de você. Se tiver dando mamadeira, tenha um sistema fácil.
7 • Beba bastante água. Sempre ajuda.
8 • Meu pé ficou inchado depois das duas operações. Não se preocupe, isso também passará. Descanse, ande dentro de casa... a inchação vai passar.
9 • Não ignore os seus sentimentos. Os hormônios ficam descontrolados então é bom ter alguém pra compartilhar esses sentimentos. Se a depressão for muito grande, peça ajuda imediatamente.
10 • Dê ao seu corpo o tempo necesário pra se recuperar. A maioria de nós não somos modelos que aparecemos com o corpo perfeito horas  depois do parto. Com o tempo e paciência as coisas voltam ao lugar.

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The Birth Part 1

She came right on time. It did not matter that I had irregular contractions or I watched for my mucus plug to come out. I also hoped my water would break. None of these things happened in 39 weeks and 2 days so we arrived in the hospital at 5:30 a.m. as the doctor told us to. The first answer to prayers was the room we stayed in. It was much bigger than the one we had last year, it was away from the nurses' desk (which can be very noisy at times) and we had a nice view of trees and a mountain. Thank you Jesus. All the arrangements were made for my son's care. I looked at the clock and kept thinking about his schedule, what he was doing (sleeping) at that moment. I realized soon a baby girl would join our family. Life as we knew would never be the same. 

We met the night nurse (who remembered us from last year) and got ready for surgery. My incredible husband said a prayer and soon I was taken to the prep room. The prep room is my least favorite part of the experience because my husband and I are apart. I saw a whole bunch of doctors and nurses getting ready for surgery. The doctor over anesthesia came to talk to me and asked me some basic questions. It was someone different from the guy who did it last time. This guy wasn't as friendly but I trusted God that he would do a good job. As a matter of fact, we prayed that we would have the best team of nurses and doctors. I can sincerely tell you that God answered that prayer too.

A guy who was a student tried to start my IV without success. The nurse upstairs tried but didn't want to fiddle with my arm (thank you) so it was up to the people downstairs to do it. The blessing about getting it down downstairs, they used local anesthetic. They called a doctor to start the IV and she did. While I close my eyes and cringed my teeth I heard my doctor say 'why are you frowning?' I was glad to see a familiar face. He went over the procedure, asked me if I had any questions and asked if my husband was going to be with me. He started to sign paperwork and said that paperwork took longer than the actual procedure.

As soon as I arrived in the OR they gave me the spinal. I thought the doctor who talked to me in the pre-op room was going to be the one to do it but there was a nurse anesthesist who did the spinal. It took him forever to find the right place. Although there was local anesthetic, it hurt to get that needle in the right place of my spine. I was nervous on top of that, crying and found no comfort til my midwife arrived and took over my support and care. She told me to hug her, prayed with me through this very difficult time. They had to call the actual doctor to put the spinal. It took him a little while but with much prayer they got the spinal there. He said they found the place but it was hard to get the needle to the right place of my spine. Yeah, it hurt but then you get very numb from your chest down. I was ready for the c-section.

The actual c-section didn't take long at all. One of the best moments was to see my husband by my side. They made him wait til I was okay and ready to go. What a great support he has been! He was so excited, happy and ready to meet his little girl. He also filled me in as far as what they were doing.

The doctors and nurses were a lot of fun to be around. Because my water did not break, they broke it on the table and I felt it close to my arm (I guess that's where the drain was) it felt like it was raining. When baby girl came out, they all were impressed with the amount of hair she had. This time I felt a little bit of pressure (no pain at all tough) when the doctor was pulling her out. She cried immediately and I heard everyone say 'Ohh'. I saw the video and it was because she poked her lip in a certain way, very cute. I started crying (again) but this time was gratefulness to Jesus. All I could say was thank you Jesus! My husband brought her to me and I could not resist it. I was overwhelmed with the beauty and perfection of God's work. She is beautiful, wonderfully made. 

This time I had a chance to hold her in the op table because I was feeling my hands - yes! They got the amount right in the spinal this time. I told her something we often tell my older son: "Mamãe te ama, Papai te ama, irmãozinho te ama, Jesus te ama" (te ama means love you). Soon it was time for her to go up to our room to be measured and weighed. I stayed down so they could sow me up and then they sent me to the post op. 

God is so good, I was able to wiggle my toes a bit down there. Soon I was upstairs holding her, loving her and welcoming her to our family. 

My husband went home to rest a bit and to get my son ready to meet his sister. When he got there, he didn't understand what was going on, so he was more interested in exploring the room. He got a good look at her when we put him on the bed with me. He thought she was interesting. 

One of our awesome nurses took our first family photo. This is us now. Life will never be the same and we are so happy! It was a planned c-section by method but a miraculous event by nature. God was at work. No matter how they came, God sent them, God created my daughter and she is a miracle. 

For you created my inmost being; 

       you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

       your works are wonderful, 

       I know that full well.

 My frame was not hidden from you 

       when I was made in the secret place. 

       When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

 your eyes saw my unformed body. 

       All the days ordained for me 

       were written in your book 

       before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:13-16

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10 Memórias

Gente, meu tempo como grávida está quase terminando. Agradeço a Deus por esse privilégio e gostaria de compartilhar 10 memórias que tenho dessa gravidez:

1 • O dia que descobrimos que eu estava grávida. Foi uma alegria, e ao mesmo tempo justificou o porquê de eu estar tão cansada. 

2 • Poder descansar no início, meio e final da gravidez. Finalmente mudei minha vida e resolvi dormir. Criança cresce quando dorme e mãe ganha mais energia.

3 • Descobrir que estamos tendo uma filha. Foi a maior emoção. Não tínhamos preferência, queríamos o que Deus nos deu, mas mesmo assim, foi a maior emoção descobrir que estamos tendo uma menina. Vídeo aqui.

4 • A misericórdia de Deus no dia em que todos nós pegamos um vírus que durou 24 horas. Graças a Deus cada um pegou depois do outro, o que deu pra todo mundo se cuidar e recuperar.

5 • Ser a única a poder alimentar, cuidar, sentir minha filha por 9 meses. Sou mãe coruja, não sou daquelas que passa a neném pra todo mundo, então ser a primeira a se connectar com ela é uma honra. 

6 • Poder defender minha bênção antes de nascer. Ouvi coisas como 'o que você está pensando', 'isso foi acidente?', etc. Há poder nas palavras. Todas as palavras que falamos sobre nossa filha são palavras de vida e corrigimos pessoas que tentam falar de morte. 

7 • Poder comer tudo que queria. Não exagerei mas dessa vez aproveitei bem mais do que da vez passada. Assim que eu tiver minha filha vou começar a treinar pra uma corrida de 5 Km em Outubro. Fiquem ligados!
8 • Estar em casa. Da primeira vez eu estava trabalhando. Dessa vez trabalhei de casa :) o bom é que deu pra dormir, descansar e uma vez pedi ajuda pra minha vizinha. A experiência foi totalmente diferente de estar num ambiente de trabalho.
9 • Agora no final, foi legal ir no salão fazer minhas unhas e trançar o cabelo. Também fiz a mesma coisa da outra vez, é sempre MUITO bom. Meu marido disse que em 7 anos que ele me conhece essas são as poucas vezes que saio pra que alguém faça algo diferente (verdade, só pago pra cortarem e olhe lá). A gente se cuida mais na gravidez.
10 • O chá de bebê dela foi muito especial. Nosso filhinho estava conosco e como família pedimos uma chuva de bênçãos pra vida da nossa bebê. Quero escrever mais sobre a importância da oração durante a gravidez essa semana.

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36 Weeks in 30 Minutes

Hair bows. Pink shoes. Black dolls. Cute outfits. This little girl is blessed already! I've been praying that the Lord will bless everyone who has given her the many clothes, shoes and accessories she currently has. In the past year the Lord told us He would provide everything for our children and He really has. I'm truly thankful and humbled to serve Him. The Bibles says 'I've never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.' I believe it.

I never heard of the concept of 'nesting' til I came to the States. I choose to call it, 'Getting ready at the last minute' instead. I'm 36 weeks and my first born was born at 38. If my labor starts around the same time again, that means we have 2 solid weeks. I told my husband that after we are done with this latest project of mine we'll be good til birth day. I am reorganizing the children's clothes in their shared closed, switching toys for my son and getting out the fun baby stuff (slings, baby carriers, my beloved boppy pillow... etc).

Most home owners can agree that there's always some cleaning to do. It's true with us. I'm thinking about opening a business that helps expecting moms BEFORE the baby shows up. I have a lot of projects and little energy. I need a business to come in and get it all done for me: deep cleaning, groceries, babysitting while I get a mani & pedi... you name it. How about that for a much needed business out there? You're not really a doula, you're a do-alla :) Alright, we'll work on the name later. When most help comes in after the baby is born, it would be neat to come in before and tie the loose ends for mom. 

Week 35 of pregnancy might have been one of my worse weeks ever. I've told you that pregnancy is not a piece of cake although is a great blessing. It brings an awesome gift from God but some of us suffer sometimes. I am thankful that this week was also surrounded by hope and grace from the Lord. My husband has been encouraging. My son has been supportive - don't think that I don't ask God to help him rest for a certain amount of time so I can rest as well. The comments on the blog have been positive. That's not enough. I needed a touch from God, a word that would bring me hope, a glimpse on what He has stored for me. This is not about seeing that sweet face on birth day. God has a greater plan for me that goes beyond my present circumstances. Sure my kids are part of it but I was created for way more than motherhood. I'm his daughter and He has awesome plans and purpose for me. That was great to hear. I got a lot of encouragement from God and that made what could have been the worse week ever a week surrounded with hope. Thank you Jesus. 

I am thankful for my second pregnancy. LB (who has a great name now!) was sooo wanted! Goodness, it felt like I couldn't wait to carry her and nurture her. God made it all possible. I cried when we found out we were having a girl. I had dreamed of a girl and she is the reality! She's so loved but I always assure my children that God loves them so much more. 

I'm eager to see her face. The Bible tells us not to be anxious about anything so I wait expectantly in the Lord to hold her, feed her, love her and teach my son about sharing and whatever else he's supposed to learn about having a sibling. Please keep praying for me during these last weeks. 

I will let you know when birth day is as well as the basics and I plan on having a little break from the blog but several friends agreed to do guest posts, so come back and check them out! Have an awesome week, full of hope in a God who has you in His heart and mind with more blessings than you can contain to give you.

P.S.: I named it 36 Weeks in 30 Minutes cause that's the time I gave myself to write :) 

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Planos pro Blog

Só queria escrever rapidinho pra contar uma novidade pra vocês. Eu tenho lido muito sobre como melhorar o blog e mantê-lo com posts novos é uma das coisas essenciais. Quando eu estiver no hospital e estiver tendo minha filha eu vou ter umas amigas pra postar aqui. Estou contactando-as e espero ter una boa semana de contribuições. Quero ter pelo menos uma em português, mas a maioria deve ser em inglês mesmo. Vou colocar umas fotos novas da bebê com coisas breves, o que vai dar pra todo mundo entender. E aí, o que acham? Acho que vai ser legal. No mais eu vou nessa porque hoje é dia de chá de bebê. Trabalhei muito ontem pra estar um pouco mais descansada hoje. Semana que vem conto como foi tudo. Aquele abraço!

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