Monday, October 29, 2012

Brazil!


I wish I could explain in detail how fun and exciting it was to experience a little bit of Brazil, but I don't think I will do very well. 

So, I'll put it this way..... It was awesome.

Firstly, both Lynette and I were scheduled to go to Brazil with my Dad to pick up my brother Jared from his mission in Manaus, Brazil. Due to the future addition to our family and the havoc that the addition had caused to take place in Lynette's body, she was unable to attend. Bitter sweet at the least.

You'll oft hear to "go big or go home".... and well, for the first time since we were married, we slept in different beds.... and to make it big....it just so happened to be many countries apart. 

The rest of the story goes something like this. 
I hopped on a flight to Texas.
Had an excessively long layover there.
Flew to Manaus. 
Arrived in Manaus around Midnight. 
This is where the real fun began.

My Dad had explained that we would be at a resort near the Amazon River and.... well, thats all I knew. As I cleared customs and started to walk to the exit of the Airport, I anxiously looked for my Dad....who would usually stick out very easily with a big bald white head. I couldn't find him anywhere. I realized that I had no number to call, no Resort name to find, and Portuguese was more difficult to pick up that I had expected. Just then, I saw a man with a little piece of paper that showed "Martin Jeffrey". As this was my only lead in the moment, I assumed the best and followed the man to his car.

Side note: When applying for the Brazil Visa and looking into Travel Books about things to do in Brazil, there was a very consistent list of things "Never To Do". This was the list.
1. Don't get into cars with strangers or Taxis of Companies you don't know to be safe.
2. Don't let them drive down dark roads or alley ways.
3. Don't be out past 11:00pm. Most recommended 9:30pm or 10:00pm at latest.
4. Know where you are going ahead of time.

So..... As you may have noticed....I was breaking all the rules right away. I got into an unmarked taxi with a man I didn’t know or understand and we drove off down an unlit road for a good 15 mins. In his broken English he said, “Dont worry, this is safe. There is power out for whole area.” I thought to myself.... Man, I am on a roll. I broke every rule in the first 20 mins in Brazil. He then proceeded to say, “Not long. Just 15 by car, then 25 by boat.” 

Yes, if you were like me, the 25 by boat was a very big surprise. Just saying “Boat” would have been sufficient enough to startle me a bit, but 25 mins on a boat at almost 1:00am? I first thought that he was joking. Then, I found that my driver was sincere in his words as we drove into a busted up, seemingly abandoned, docking area. 

I silently made peace with my life, just in case the worse were to happen, and I hopped onto a rickety old, long, thin, wooden boat. 

That was when the excitement passed and pure bliss commenced. I had now been awake for approximately 40 hours straight, was in a whole new Country, gliding down a black river, with a black jungle on both sides, animals awake and thriving, and the only lights I saw were the moon, the brightest stars I’d ever seen, and all their reflections on the water. I was enjoying myself thoroughly. The half an hour boat ride came to an end at some seemingly random dark beach where we got off the boat and started to walk down the beach. Suddenly, we were there, the resort. Some reason, when my dad I said resort, I imagined a some large fancy building with nice rooms and lots of people going in and out. This was none of those. It was like walking into some Amazon Village....although, the rooms were wonderful....simple....yet wonderful. 

I was in the Amazon. The guide checked for spiders and bugs before allowing me into my little hut of a room, and then I fell fast asleep.


I awoke the next morning early, by a banging on my door. My dad. It was nice to finally see a familiar face and the fun just kept going.

We went for a hike in the amazon. Saw massive trees, herds of caterpillars, and those ants whose bite supposedly hurts worse than labor pains.

Saw Native monkeys.

Went piranha fishing. I caught two....and ate them. Fried. Yum.

Went swimming in natural pools. Where some other type of little fish tried to eat me. I originally made fun of my dad for yelping so loud and getting out of the water so quickly....until I was the one they started to nip at. Karma.

Then, early the next morning, after a great day 1, we went to pick up my brother at the Mission Home. It was great to see him, meet the Mission President, and be off to experience the people of  Brazil. I ate the best fish of my life at a members home, experienced a  legendary Amazon Rain Storms, and had another great day.


I seriously was in love with Brazil, and then in got even better. 

We went to Rio and saw the sights.....I even saw "The Phenomenon" Ronaldo. For those of you who understand.....thats amazing.

I'm feeling like pictures will do best here.






The only way this trip could have been any better would have been to have Lynette there!

We all enjoyed it so much that we are planning a return trip in 2014!! I am looking forward to it.

WE are looking forward to it. :)

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Ultrasound, presents and baby bump!

 Well i am one spoiled soon to be mama! For Mothers Day Jeff got me the BEST present EVER! I don't think ill ever want to sit on anything else ever again! SO comfortable! I LOVE IT!
Here is our little peanut! We love our little one already! Can you see the little feet and hands? So fun! So happy!

Here i am 4 1/2 months! Starting to show, i really can't wait to find out the gender in just a few days! Joyze will be here so we are excited to share with her the experience of finding out the gender!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Here is a picture of me before i start showing...well kinda... i think i am starting but Jeff keeps saying i am not so here i am. Hoping to keep posting a few pictures as much as i can.


We are SO SO excited to see our baby!! 

Sunday, April 8, 2012

We got some news....

We have something VERY exciting to announce....







And if you cannot read it...yes, it says WE ARE PREGNANT (well to clerify, I am...WE are having a baby)
The baby is due December 8th. We cannot wait for our little one! I have been waiting my whole life to be a mom and it is finally happening i can't believe it! I remember when i was little i was always asked "Lynette, what do you want to be when you grow up?", and while i knew all my friends would answer a dancer, doctor, pilot, etc. i would always respond, "I want to be a mom. I want to have a lot of kids and be just like my mom and grandma's!". Now finally i get to be what i have always dreamed. So happy God is blessing us with one of his children to raise and love.

And here is the story as to how we/Jeff found out. So it was a beautiful morning and Jeff and i were laying in bed (sorry this post might have just a little bit of T.M.I so i hope you dont mind) talking about life and just enjoying the morning, it was my day off and Jeff was working a little later that morning. One of the topics happened to be how i had been feeling a little different, possibly it was coming close to my time of the month or maybe i just simply was having more of my famous "condition" symptoms adding up. But while talking, Jeff jokingly said, "Or maybe your just pregnant..." We both laughed... you see we have been married for a year now, with no protection...if you know what i mean. Jeff went to work and the thought intrigued me, and i figured "Hey i have some preggo tests whats the harm in covering my bases". So before i took my shower i took the test, i walked out of the room to do a few things and honestly forgot i even took it. So when i walked back in to turn on the shower i saw the test. My heart stopped, i had taken this test several times and it had never been positive, so i grab it and look at it...it had two lines... aka i was pregnant. I almost fell to the ground, i couldn't stop smiling. So i got the other brand of test  out and took it again. This time it said pregnant (which is the pict.). I just stared with a smile unsure on what to do next. So without thinking i sent this pict to Jeff. I waited what felt like 15 minutes, but what was probably only 2 or 5 and called Jeff. He walked out of the office into his car and the only thing he could say was  "Is that real? Did you get that pict of the internet or something?" I laughed and assured him it was real. Our cheeks killed by the end of the day for how much were smiling!
We truly cannot wait for our little one! So happy! Love our baby already!