U.S. Trip and Back to Brazil!

Bella and Rufus

Summer!

Brian and Jack--this is pretty much what we did in the U.S.!

Okay, so I thought I should start this post by looking like a crazy dog lady! I took very few pictures this summer, and the ones I took are mostly of dogs...hmmm.

So, we just returned from a month in Atlanta. It was absolutely wonderful. We did a LOT of dog cuddling (obviously) and spent tons of time with friends and family. During the last week there, I also turned into a professional Brazilian shopper. We took one fun trip to Athens and one fun trip to Savannah, but stayed still most of the time (other than bouncing between 2 houses and 3 families!).

It was sad to leave. But I feel like we spent good quality time with the people we love the most. Next year, I want to make sure to swing by Minnesota and Wisconsin to see the rest of the family.

So, we took the lovely Atlanta-Charlotte-Rio de Janeiro-Sao Paulo-Campinas route back on Wednesday/Thursday. We were told that our carry-on luggage (which had to be gate checked in Charlotte) was lost, so we spent the whole night flight worrying. BUT, it turned up in Rio thank God. So other than that, the trip with 5 huge bags and 2 carry-ons was as easy as can be. Since I am moving back to 2nd grade this year, I brought a ton of my old 2nd grade books and other things with me. Hopefully we won't have nearly as much stuff with us next year!

Getting back to Campinas has been nice although WEIRD without many of our old friends here. It has been absolutely beautiful weather here, so the "winter" is pretty great. 

We met most of the new teachers on Friday night, and it is a HUGE group. Everyone seems really nice and positive, so that is a relief. It is going to be pretty nice to not be the new, lost teachers at school this time around. Although, with the grade-level change, there is a bit of that.

Tomorrow, we will take all of our stuff to school, and then we'll have a week to unpack and set up our new classrooms. Brian will have a BRAND NEW classroom (so jealous), and I will be finally moving in to the elementary building, so we have lots of unpacking and organizing to do. I will post some pictures as soon as it's all done.

Maybe, just maybe, I will blog more this year. I have high hopes for this school year. We are much more established and settled than last year, we have an idea of how to get around and do most things we need to do, and we have a car. Which is huge. The learning curve is not nearly as steep.

Now that we are heading back to school, it's time to start planning some fun trips for this year.

Here we go!

The Past 7 Months

So, I have to admit that I thought about blogging many times over the past 7 months. Every time, I felt super guilty for my long absence from the blog, so I kind of gave up on it. But NO! I am here to pick it back up again. Let's hope it's not another 7 months before it happens again. I have been updating most everything on facebook, but it's nice to document things a little more in depth here.

Obviously, a lot has happened in 7 months. In two weeks, we will be heading back to the states for a month-long visit. I am about to jump out of my skin with excitement, so I thought this would be the perfect time to reflect back on an amazing, wonderful, stressful, fun-filled, tiring, and life-changing year.

Looking back on the year as a whole, I feel like our lives took a sharp turn this year. Things had been relatively constant for the past several years (besides all the career changing and moving...hmmm...), so it has been a huge thrill to change things up in a big way. We have had some amazing experiences, but in the end, it of course turns into real life. We are certainly having adventures, but rest assured, we spend the majority of our time working, being tired, and trying to keep on top of bills, chores, and errands, just like every other working adult. The beauty lies in the vacations from school...

So, a short recap of the major events these past few months (in my traditional list style!):

• In November, we went on our first trip in Brazil this time around. We went to Florianopolis with a bunch of fabulous friends and had a blast. Dunes were climbed and new dance moves were created.
• December brought a job change for me. I found out in December that I will be teaching 2nd grade again beginning in August! I really enjoyed 4th grade and could definitely see myself doing it again. In fact, I would have liked to have stayed and experienced it a bit longer, BUT the opportunity arose. These positions don't open up too often as there are only two 2nd grade classes. I really did realize that I am a primary teacher at heart though, and I am over the moon about going back to the little ones.
• We got to experience our first Brazilian summer and a month off in December/January! My dad and Leisa visited, and we got to spend a few days in Rio. Then, my mom visited, and we visited Sao Paulo and celebrated New Years together. Finally, we ended our vacation with a great trip to the beach with fabulous family.
• In February, we realized our long-time dream of going to Rio for Carnaval. It was amazing, and I want to go back. I thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing, but no way. HAVE to return.

Carnaval Parade in Rio!

• In April, we had "Spring" Break. We didn't go anywhere cool, but we did something VERY cool. We were incredibly sick of not having a car and the inconvenience of getting to and from work and the grocery store, etc. so we sucked up the outrageous cost of buying a car here. We got our licenses all ready to go, then we bought a 2010 Honda Fit. His name is Fitty.

Driving here is a lot more challenging, but we are both really proud of ourselves for doing it.

• May and June have brought really busy times at school and crazy weekend antics. Last weekend was our 5 year wedding anniversary and the weekend before that was Brian's birthday. This Friday, we will have an end-of-year/Going Away party for all our fabulous friends who are leaving Brazil. So so sad.

My darling children on a field trip to a coffee farm in May. It was super interesting and fun. Not supposed to show their faces on the internet, so I hope these shots are okay!

I am ready to go back home to Atlanta in 2 weeks to recharge, relax, see wonderful family and friends, shop til I drop, etc. I know it will go too fast, and we will be back in Brazil before we know it. Oh well, I just can't complain. I have come to love Brazil this year, and I am happy right here right now. 

Can't wait for what the next year will bring!