Part of our thanksgiving - stuffed apples!  There's a mirror on the other side of the room, so that is where Hava sees herself at the end of the video.

Portuguese Translations:

"Da um sorriso" - Smile!

"Ajuda Mamãe" - Help Mommy

Extras: Cookie, Happy :o)

A Leite Thanksgiving

*I think I might need a disclaimer here - these pictures are out of order, so we did NOT have dog hair in our food.  :o)

Evidently, we got a single shot of Hava eating on Thanksgiving last year, and oddly enough, we got one this year too.

Hava and Papai stuffing the apples
Hava and Fumaça
Hava and Mamãe making the stuffing for the apples

Working on GG's famous pumpkin roll
Basting the bird
Watching the thanksgiving day parade

We had a wonderful day of just spending time with family and friends and recognizing that in all things, at all times, we are His. We have every reason to fill every day giving thanks for all that He has done for us!!!

Hava got very relaxed watching tv.


Praying and reading the bible before bed.

Stars and Puppies - Day 3!

*This might be TMI (too much information) for some of you, but a lot of our readers are parents who appreciate the milestones.*  :o)

She eats like a big girl, sleeps like a big girl and is now using the big potty!  We are on day 3 of potty training week.  We started a while back, but Hava wasn't quite ready and got bored with it, so we left it alone and came back to it about a month later.  This week has just been great.  Day 1 was kind of slow and just getting her re-acquainted with potty.  Yesterday got Hava 9 star stickers and 1 puppy sticker on her potty chart (yeah, that means a lot of #1 and even a #2!).  Today, she hasn't had to change underpants once and we're an hour away from bedtime!

So, hopefully by the end of the week, we'll have a diaper-free (except for bedtime) little lady!

We might be biased, but......G-D MADE HER SO CUTE!!!!

Well, unfortunately one of our cute videos of Hava vanished off into the technology black hole and it is nowhere to be found.  She had just watched a video of her friend Natalie drawing happy faces and saying "happy, happy, happy!!!"  Right after watching she went in our room, climbed up on the bed and started jumping up and downs saying "happy, Happy, HAPPY!"  She loves the phrase and says it all the time now.  In fact, she even "reads" us a story out of her bible - the story of Yeshua (Jesus) curing the sick girl.

She points at Yeshua and says: "Shua!"

Then she points at the girl's parents nearby and says: "Papai, Mamãe" (Daddy, Mommy)

Then she points at the little girl and says: "Dodoi" (Boo-boo)

Then points at Yeshua and then towards the little girl and says: "HAPPY!"

So, I guess when we're sick, Yeshua can make us Happy! :o) (Especially if mom and dad are around!)

She is such a joy to us.  We understand when scripture says it is a blessing to have children!  Even though she is almost 2, there are moments where she is calm, collected, patient and just plain sweet!!!

And there are moments where she is very active, very vocal and all her batteries are charged....like playing soccer with Papai (daddy).

There are also so some "not-so-photogenic" moments, like time-outs and burning her fingers on a lamp bulb!  We hate to see her cry or in pain, but we also know that shapes her into being who the LORD is preparing her to be.  And even after such "horrific" moments, she shakes it off and comes back to us with loving embraces and precious kisses!

We know each life the LORD allows to come into this world, comes in with a purpose.  We don't know for how long, or for what reasons, but we are confident that each person is made in the image of G-D and has the capacity of allowing His love and life to live purely through them.  We know we are not perfect, but we hope our lives show the same affection for our Creator, when we return to Him with praise and service.  

Within the last couple of weeks, we have had friends who have just had their first child, just lost children, are waiting to have their own children or waiting for adoptive children to finally be in their arms.  Whatever the circumstance, we praise HIM for fearfully and wonderfully knitting us in our mother's wombs.  We commit ourselves to Him so that HIS will may be completed through our obedience.  

May He forever be praised for being the One and Only 

Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer and Comforter of the Universe 

and everything and everyone therein!