We usually try and wait until inspiration hits to post a thoughtful, reflective blog post (actually that's usually what Brin does).  Recently we have been too buried to have much time to reflect.  So, I'm not going to take a lot of time to reflect here, but rather give you a few snap shots of our lives.  They certainly don't communicate some of the more difficult things we've gone through this semester, including the leaving of two staff families under difficult circumstances.  But hopefully they will communicate the often craziness and uniqueness of our life.  

So how often do you wake up and see a floating island blocking your way to work?  As the water continues to rise, large chunks of floating grass are ripped out of the ground and form floating islands.  The other day I awoke to find one of these islands parked at the base of our boat ramp.  Fortunately I was able to put my boat in next to the ramp, and after a couple days the wind shifted and the island was gone.  

Evidently Ava inherited her father's memory retention abilities, as a reminder she taped a note to her shirt which reads "Remind Ava to get her swimsuit out of the hotbox".  The "hotbox" is small, wooden box heated with an incandescent bulb and we use to combat the humidity, which never really allows anything to completely dry.  Evidently she still forgot.  In this picture she is cutting cupuaçu, a fruit related to cocoa, of which we had a bumper crop this year (Cupuaçu jelly anyone?  How about bread?  We've had our fill). 

A few months ago a new tool chest arrived which I had ordered from the States.  It has been such a blessing to have ample space for all of my tools to be well organized at the hangar where I work each day.  Again we have been shown God's goodness through a foreign angel's dime.

Gabriella poses for her first post-braces picture.The only thing that tempered our irritation after waiting 4 hours to see the dentist was that now we are done and jungle braces are very affordable. While she wasn't too please with my picture-taking, she does enjoy her metal free mouth. 

Mia enjoying a carefree moment on the swing in our front yard.  The water has since risen past the tree so the girls are excited to be able to jump out of the tree into the water.  Brin did see the largest snake she has ever seen here in Brazil slither into that same water, but we're pretty sure it's long gone by now.  

Last week we celebrated Brin's 40th birthday with a loaf of cinnamon raison bread (her choice).  

Brin's favorite form of exercise here is volleyball, when she has time to play she usually can be found wearing this grin.

As most of you know we are on generator power here at the school, providing electricity only from 6:30 am to 9:30 pm.  Last year the government installed electrical lines to our property but because of some bureaucratic holdups we haven't been able to use that electricity.  The other day the wheels of progress began slowly turning, a crew of workers showed up to install a transformer.  Pictured is a group of us helping transport a 1 ton post that will hold the transformer.  No word on when we'll have 24 hour power, but it's looking promising!

Ava turns 13 in a few weeks.  She has recently become consumed with reading.  It started out with the "Left Behind" series for kids, which lead her to tears, she has since moved on to "Percy Jackson" (I'm not sure if that's a step up or a step down). 

Thanks so much for all of you that have shown an interest in our lives and ministry here in Brazil.  We continue to covet your prayers.

As a post script, after Brin read this post she made it clear that there were too many pictures with blissful smiles and carefree serenity.  This certainly does not reflect the difficult and hard times we have experienced this past semester.  Hopefully we will be able to write more about that in the future.