My desktop these days

I am trying to make a dent into my history workbook project... a large, wide screen is nice to have!

Video Skype with Number Two

It's almost like she is right here!

Yum! and Thank You

Aunt Sue and Uncle Dave's gift of delicious Christmas pears is being enjoyed by all around here!

Thank you!

Number Five, arctic photographer

They were playing outside yesterday and Number Five came in to get the camera, the sun and the snow delighting her artistic perceptions.

Later, inside, a fierce word game ensued.

Thank You Aunt Sarah for the Diamond Edition Scrabble Board--it's colorful and so well-designed!

Sun!!

Well, the half-buried picnic table shows the landscape the Christmas snow painted outside--now glittering in the sun like millions of tiny diamonds.

What would we do without the sun?

Numbers Three and Four, Pontifical Servers

Disclaimer: the low quality of the photo is my fault: try attempting to take pictures without disturbing a holy liturgy...

So, we were snowed in for the beautiful Midnight Mass which was held at the cathedral-under-Restoration... and today they were back to the temporary quarters in the gym. But for this mother the pride in her sons, privileged to serve the good Bishop, was not diminished!

My favorite Christmas gifts!

I am fortunate to have received such nice things... a Central Asian Icon from husband, a scarf from Number One, even a nice gift from Number Two in France... but how can I not love these the best? They were done at co-op Art and successfully hidden from my eyes until yesterday! A huge thank you to Numbers Six and Seven's co-op Art teachers!

Lovely weather...

Wonderful Gifts!

He has come! Gloria in Excelsis Deo!

This is our first family Christmas snowed in: impossible to get to church. But He has come, born into our hearts again bringing Joy and Hope!

Merry Christmas!

White Christmas Eve!

A wonderful, life-long friendship

After a number of miraculous take-off and landing events, I arrived from Brazil to find a surprise visit from Michael and his sister. Michael and Number Three have been good friends since we moved to Nebraska when they were in ... first grade! Now they have both applied to the same college--and while Michael was here Number Three received an acceptance letter! Michael is a superb athlete, a polite, smart young man and a treasure of a friend! It is my prayer that he and Number Three enjoy their college years together!

Last photos of my trip

My dearest Aunt Lygia, Mother's only sister, and Grace, one of the good ladies who helps care for her.

My baby sister Marta and the colorful gift I have her for Christmas.






Handsome and wonderful nephew Jose Marcos!





With Tia Teresa, my dad's only and beloved sister, an my cousins Tiago and Claudio Humberto, my childhood playmate, in the Assumption Sisters convent in Teresopolis.

Three more.

Good shots during a day trip! Last one is of big sister Catarina de Sena.

The Memorial Mass

The priest was ordained by papal special dispensation at 23 years old. He is the parish vicar and a whiz in Greek and Latin. I cannot wait for Number Three to meet him. He gave a beautiful sermon exhorting all of us in this one-year mark since her passing to try every day to be and do what she would have liked us to. Since I wasn't there last year he invited me to say a few words before the final blessing: I spoke of how I saw the torrential rain that fell all through mass as lagrimas do ceu, or tears from heaven, how my faith has grown since her death, and how in my heart that there is a wish that our whole family will be together in heaven one day.

We took a picture of all present: brothers Eduardo and Pedro, Dad, me and sister Marta, with Maria Madalena and Catarina de Sena in front.

My brother Eduardo's delightful children Paulinho, Francisco and Anna Clara provided me with some wonderful conversation!

At the supermercado

There is bacalhau everywhere--even in frozen lasagna! The green chayote squash, xuxu, is one of my favorites but unfortunately impossible to grow in northern latitudes. Next to it is the manioc root, used here in many ways.

In Titia's bedroom

My titia (auntie) was a second mother to all of us, as she always lived nearby and never married or had children of her own.

The crucifix is gorgeous and was purchased by my great-grandmother in Europe when my grandfather Joaquim was 6 years old and the family went to visit the oldest son who was in boarding school.



The Rosary was Mother's, and it has a medal of Mary Undoer of Knots.


The tiny plates were German chocolates for which my grandmother painstakingly found buttons the same size so as to save the beautiful wrappings, and then had them framed. We all remember admiring those!



The Angelus figurine has been dear to me since a little girl... and based on the famous painting with the same name by Jean-Froncois Millet.

Visiting Mother's grave

It is far from here, a long and tortuous car drive to a town they lived for more than 20 years and where grandparents were interred, and where we spent wonderful summers growing up.

St. Bernard's words exhorting us to use prudence and be ready for Death, coupled with a little cherub pointing towards heaven helped the prayerfulness and beauty of the visit, which wasn't without saudades and tears.

It was good to have my oldest sister Catarina de Sena, and baby brother Felipe and wife Sil with us!