Blood Boiling

There are things that happen in this world that honestly make my blood boil.  Sometimes I have conversations with people or see some things on other people blogs that I just want to write a blog in retaliation.  argh.  How can people really think the things they do are okay?  I don't even think they see it.  Maybe one day I will have the courage to write about these things but right now I just can't.  I know it will spark anger and I just don't think some people can handle the truth.  All I can say is that don't put all your eggs into a basket when it comes to looking at leaders  in ministry and finances.  Wow.  Please don't. You will be a  very disappointed person if you do.  Look at Jesus.  He won't disappoint you.

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Thiago "Pinta" Cury!

I have been meaning to blog about this but I keep forgetting... On April 18th we ventured to Killen, AL.  to celebrate the union of Robin and Pinta.  Honestly, I was really scared for them because NOTHING was coming together for their wedding.  Poor things...  But God took care of them and everything finally came together.  Robin and Pinta hold a special place in our hearts because she is American and he is Brazilian.  I was Robin's friend and Pinta was Enzo's friend.  It is great to see two friends getting married who are going through similar things.  

Also, it was Evie's first out of town trip.  She was amazing.  She also started sleeping 8 hours during the night on this trip!  Thank God.  I don't know if I was created to be up so much during the night.  Oh and maybe soon I can get a picture of us from the wedding.  I think the photographer took a picture.. I can't believe we didn't take one with our own camera!

Evie loves her Feet / Evie ama os pezinhos

Evie and her Swing

Other happenings during the month of April

Evie's First Easter

Evie becomes Brazilian

On April 6th we headed to the Brazilian Consulate  to get Evie's Brazilian citizenship and passport.  We got there with no problem...the location is awesome, right off of the highway.   As we got there I was very surprised by the number of babies in the waiting area,  They were all babies with both parents being Brazilian.  I was the only Caucasian American in the entire place.  I felt like I was back in Brazil.  We waited for only a short period of time before we were called back..which I must say is impressive for Brazilians.  Surprisingly, Enzo and I had brought all the paperwork needed to Evie's documents.  I am always afraid that we are forgetting something important and that we would have to go back.  Well actually we did forget one thing but it didn't hinder Evie from getting her documents...Enzo and I never registered our marriage in Brazil which causes all of Evie's Brazilian paper work to have my maiden name on it instead of my married name.  It isn't that big of a deal because now all we need to do is go register our marriage in Brazil and then just have her Brazilian birth certificate changed. Oh and I must say, I have never seen such a cute passport!  The picture on it is her little 4 week old face smiling!  Even if something happens to where she didn't use it is it still will be such a sweet memory! 

Weekend Summary

This weekend was very eventful for little Evie.  Friday night she went to her first Easter egg hunt, Saturday she went to celebrate my friend Kristy's birthday at Piedmont Park, Saturday night her Grandaddy became the first one ever to babysit her while we celebrated our 3 year anniversary, and this morning she woke up and went to church for the first time.  

Here is a picture my friend Kristy captured while at the park.

3 year wedding anniversary is tomorrow and I have no gift!

Tomorrow marks 3 years of being married to Enzo.  Some of you might be confused because you might remember us getting married during the summer on the beach.  Well we did but if you remember we also got married in the courthouse 2 months prior. Here we are...a few pounds lighter and 3 years less wise.

Happy Easter/Feliz Pascoa!!!

Happy St. Patricks Day but most importantly Happy "Enzo lives in the US" day!

Today marks the 3 year anniversary of Enzo packing his bags (actually it was only one bag and it wasn't even filled) and leaving behind everything that was familiar to him from his entire life.  It is a special day but it is also a reminder to us both of everything that is still found in Brazil.  

Growing up, I never thought I would get married.  Honestly, I was a strange child.  I never played with baby dolls with the hope that one day I would be a mommy and I for sure never thought  would ever meet someone who I would want to spend the rest of my life with.  I think I was perfectly content with dating and never settling down.  Thank goodness God had other plans.  With this being said, not only did I meet someone, I actually met someone who was willing to give up everything in his life just to be with me.  This definitely makes our love worth something.  

In a way, March 17th is a bigger holiday for us than any Valentine's day or anniversary.  It is the day my groom swam a deep ocean just to be with me.

Here is a toast to 3 years of being together and here is another toast to the previous 3 years before March 17, 2006 of fighting all odds.  

Evelyn's One Week Photo Shoot

A friend from high school has a great photography company (www.ninemusesphotography.com). She came over and did an incredible job with capturing our little Evie's beauty! She was also there for the birth of Evie. We haven't gotten the labor and delivery pictures yet but I probably won't post most of those! They might be a bit too graphic for our rate G blog! We got a sneak peak of those last week and they were amazing. Poor Jessica (my friend who is the photographer) was possibly traumatized due to my epidural not working. I don't know if she will ever want to do live birth photography again!

Uma amiga do segundo grau é fotógrafa (http://www.ninemusesphotography.com). Ela veio visitar e fez um ótimo trabalho ao fotografar a beleza da nossa Evie. Ela também estava no nascimento da Evie. Ainda não recebemos as fotos do parto, mas acho que não vamos postar muitas dessas fotos de qualquer maneira. Elas podem ser um pouco "fortes" para o nosso blog de "classificação livre"! A nossa amiga (Jessica Patterson) nos mostrou algumas dessas fotos semana passada e elas ficaram fantásticas. Coitada da Jessica (nossa amiga que fotografou tudo), ela deve ter ficado traumatizada depois que a anestesia não funcionou. Eu tenho minhas dúvidas se ela vai querer fotografar partos depois dessa... ;)

Maternity Leave

I love being at home with my new baby. She is perfect. Chores and such don't get done because all I want to do it hold her. Enzo is the same way. Luckily, he works from home. Sometimes during his meetings he holds her in one arm and the phone on the other. Tonight we went to Blockbuster to rent a movie. When we got home we decided not to watch the movie and just sit and watch her instead. It is much better than any movie. I wish maternity leave could last forever. Unfortunately, it won't and eventually I will have to immerse myself back into the world of teaching. We have a great church family who keeps supplying us with food so I don't even have to cook....I just hold my baby. Thank God for times like these. I know it won't last forever but we are trying to savor every moment. This is better than any vacation could ever be.

Evelyn at the Hospital - February 27, 2009

Evie Waking Up - Evie Acordando

Evie's Belly Button and her First Booger

Today we took Evie to the pediatrician for the first time.

Her belly button fell off there (at only 4 days old) and as a plus: when we got home we saw her first booger...

;)

Greencard, again!! :)

I got a letter from USCIS in the mail today congratulating me that I got my unconditional permanent resident card (valid for 10 years). Now I want to start looking for info on the US citizenship test/process so I can know exactly when to apply so I can become an American ("I will be proud to be an American!). That would also help having my mom here to help with the baby.


God is amazing: in the same week I get my sweet Evie, I also get a document that will allow me to stay here with her. :)

Labor and Delivery

Thursday I was scheduled to be at the hospital at 7:30AM. It ended up that the hospital was completely full and they told me they couldn't admit me. Ok so those are words you don't say to a 4 week pregnant woman... The doctor had decided to induce me because I was dilated at 4 cm for several weeks and it looked like I was going no where.
After begging and pleading and making up a story that I felt I was already in labor, the hospital admitted and e began the Pitocin at 2:30PM. At 7:30PM my water was broke and it all REALLY began. The contractions began to get unbearable and by 10:00 I finally had my epidural...
Oh and the epidural...I guess i had to much confidence in modern medicine but God had other plans. About 30 minutes after the epidural was placed in I noticed I could still lift my right leg and I still had sensation. I called the nurses desk and they said that was completely normal. So I allowed the contractions to worsen thinking I should at least feel some of the pain. BY midnight I was NOT happy. I looked at Enzo and Mom and told them to get the doctor quick she was coming and I felt EVERYTHING. Sure enough the doctor came in and I was dilated at 10cm. The epidural was not working at all and I really think there is no pain greater than what I felt. I began pushing as soon as the doctor checked for dilation and I pushed till 2:06AM. I knew something was wrong with the epidural when I could turn around and flip myself, lift both legs, etc.. and I think everyone in the room knew how I felt about it as well!
But thank God for 2:06AM! Words cannot express the emotions felt during a time like this. It is an amazing miracle that God allows us to partake in. If you are an unbeliever in miracles you need to watch a baby being brought into the world!

Evelyn is Born

Thank God our baby was born healthy, sweet and cute at 2:06 a.m. today after Paige worked out a lot :)

Evelyn is as pretty as can be and is healthy enjoying company of family and friends, stealing the spotlight from her daddy ;)

We all love little Evelyn and again, thank God for such a great pregnancy, delivery and an amazing little girl...

Watching the baby be born and then holding her in my arms, seeing her snuggled up on her mommy's chest: Surreal... :)

Evelyn is our blessing from God.

Thank you Jesus for our little punkin.

Baby Evelyn is on the Way

Calm down... she is not here yet (at least not as I type this message). We have been at the hospital since around 11:30 a.m., after a great brunch.
Paige, as usual, hasn't been feeling pain, but she does have some contractions and has been on the pitocin for about 2 hours (as I type this post).

We can't wait to meet Evelyn (Evie). So far, everything is really calm: Paige is on her iPhone, we're talking to her parents in the room, her grandparents already came to visit with uncle Dan, Jessica Patterson (our photographer came by) and I have talked to my family via Skype / iPhone and such... :)

Everyone is cheering for Evie and Paige!

Thanks for the prayers and for keeping us in your thoughts.

This is our first child and everything has been so good and calm so far and we're sure it will be like this throughout the whole process.

Keep praying for us, for a smooth delivery, for Paige to stay calm and for a healthy baby.

Finally a light at the end of a dark tunnel!

Yesterday, February 9th, David Goldman got to visit his son for the first time in 4 1/2 years! There are not many details that have bee released due to Brazilian courts wanting to keep it all quiet but I am sure we will know more in the near future! YAY for David and Sean!
Check out this link for media links: http://bringseanhome.org/wordpress/

Shower with Church!

I have been such a bad bad blogger...I should have put this up here before now! Brenda Jones from my church had a great shower for my little Evie on January 18th. I got so many diapers... exactly what we needed! Here is a picture of me and Brenda. It's not a very good image because I forgot my camera... but thank goodness for Iphones!
Hopefully soon i will get up pics from my last shower.

Visitation Granted!

While in Brazil, David Goldman was granted visitation for the first time in 4 1/2 years! Pray that things go right for David. He needs our support. www.bringseanhome.org

Congressman Chris Smith Goes to Brazil with David Goldman

I am completely in shock that a congressman would actually care so much for someone that he would pack up his own bag and go to a foreign country to help a US citizen..that's exactly what Chris Smith did after watching the Dateline Special on David Goldman's case! Here is the emil I received this week with regards to the matter. I don't know Chris Smith but I am so thankful for what he is doing to help the situation.


February 6, 2009

Dear Supporters of David Goldman,

The response from the NBC Dateline special last Friday 1/30 was beyond our expectations, we've had tens and tens of thousands of people visit the web site and we know that they are working with us. We sincerely thank everyone, Americans, Brazilians, Canadians, British, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Swedes, Norwegian's, Germans, Belgians, Spaniards, Danes, - people from all over, who have joined the cause to re-unite David and Sean. Over 22,000 people have signed the Care 2 online petition (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/return-abducted-minor-sean-goldman-to-his-father) and +20,000 joined the Facebook group, http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=35278616563.

David is now in Brazil for a hearing today with Judge Luis Felipe Salomão, Superior Tribunal de Justiça, who announced a ruling requiring "mediation" between David and João Paulo Lins e Silva. We're all very hopeful that this trip will mark a turning point in this case and at the very least we are praying that David will be permitted to see his son.

It gets better, but we have to go back to last Friday night; U.S. Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District saw the NBC Dateline story and contacted David for a meeting. The Congressman promised to do all he could to help. David does not live in the 4th Congressional district but Congressman Smith is well known in New Jersey as a stand up guy who will go the extra mile for people. Congressman Smith is with David in Brazil right now and will be with him every step of the way! The added benefit is that the US Embassy will be providing a diplomatic security detail.

On Wednesday February 4th in the House of Representatives, Congressman Smith, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, entered House resolution 125 regarding Sean’s abduction. A transcript of H. RES 125 is online at http://bringseanhome.org/hr125.html.

IT IS VITAL that additional members of the House become co-sponsors of the resolution for it to have full impact. There is no reason why your Congressman should not sign up. Please email, write, telephone or fax your Congressman/woman and ask them to become a co-sponsor. Find their contact information at http://www.house.gov.

On the Blog you will find links to the latest news video by Jeff Peques of WABC, New York. Bill Handleman of the Asbury Park Press has written his sixth report, Lawmaker trying to reunite dad, son (http://www.app.com/article/20090205/NEWS/90205014). The Associated Press ran the story of Congressman Smith helping David and it's been picked up all across the country. We are told by reliable sources that the AP is not reporting the within Brazil, 180 million people are still in the dark.

Late Thursday New Jersey's two US Senators, Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez issued a press release and joint letter to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, reviewing the case and requesting a meeting with Brazil's Ambassador to the U.S., Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, at his earliest possible convenience (http://www.brasilemb.org). Copy on the Blog or at http://bringseanhome.org/lautenberg.html.


There is a new page on the web site, with pictures of David and Sean. Pictures/Fotos http://bringseanhome.org/images.html. The complete video of the NBC Dateline story is also on the site, at http://bringseanhome.org/dateline.html, it is broken into six individual video segments plus three extra.

Dateline sent a full crew to Brazil to cover today's hearing and any subsequent events. We expect to hear news on the mediation hearing late tonight or Saturday and promise to share that news with you.

Please forward this email to your friends, relatives, co-workers, church groups, whomever you think might join in. Assure them that this is a perfectly "clean" email, 100% safe to open. If you prefer just send them an email with the link to this message, http://bringseanhome.org/email_02062009.html or http://bringseanhome.org

Thank you,

Friends of David Goldman