Manassa

My dad grew up in a small town in southern Colorado called Manassa. And when I say small, I mean tiny. Wikipedia says there are almost 1,000 people who live there. And I believe Wikipedia. It couldn't be more than that!

Every year, the town hosts a huge Pioneer Day celebration, with parades (well, the same parade a few times), a carnival, a rodeo, a demolition derby (!), and a 5k run. Side note: when did my whole family get up off the couch and decide they were all runners? I swear everyone entered the race this year, even my dad and my brother, whom I've never seen run in my entire life. But good for them. Crazy, but good
I was a little weepy last weekend, and one of the biggest reason is this:

Practically everyone on my dad's side of the family

What's that? My entire family! All in one place!! With my siblings and one missionary cousin as the ONLY ones not there!!!
My sister has a great excuse: she just had a baby a week before. I had a great excuse: I live in Brazil. But for the first time, I really really REALLY hate that excuse.
There are cousins I haven't seen in years. There are children of those cousins that I've never met. And there is the fact that they are the coolest family in the world-- and I was not there to enjoy them! Brazil is lovely. I had a great weekend. But I wished the whole time that I could be somewhere else.

There's a facebook page that sends updates about the Pioneer Days celebration. A few days after the celebration ended and the town was back to its almost-1000 people, the page sent out a fundraiser notification. A couple young kids-- 2 and 5 years old, about the same as mine-- were playing out in a camper and managed to start a fire that blocked them in. The neighbors rushed over to put out the flames, but the children were badly burned. They were flown to Denver and are still being cared for there.
The web page is here.
They are doing some local fundraisers, and I am so impressed by the community of Manassa, for its generosity and love. No one there has a McDuck style money bin in their backyard next to the barn, and yet people found ways to give of what they have.
I decided that with all the money I saved by not being there to celebrate this summer, I could spare some to help this family. And I want to spread the word. Please take a look at the website and decide if it's something you're willing or able to contribute to.

Kindergarten

Life gets busy sometimes, and before you know it, your kids are going off to kindergarten! Penny started today, and she is very happy to go. She chose a Disney Princesses backpack, which we ordered for her birthday present. She decorated it with stick-on jewels and had me write her name right under the large crown on the top. 

Penny in her uniform and ready for school!

Penny has a school uniform, which is a new concept for me but one that I like. It sure makes getting ready for school much easier! I only anticipate one problem. I got her a skirt, shorts, and long pants to choose from, but she only wants to wear the skirt. Today is one of the chilliest days since we've gotten here. (It gets down to 60* at night, which is not cold but definitely chilly!) Nope, she still wanted to wear her skirt!

We decided to drive Penny to school. Since we live so far away, she would be the first kid picked up on the bus, and 6:50 is just too early for a kindergartener to catch the bus! Instead, we woke up at 6:50 and had plenty of time to get ready, talk to Dad, eat breakfast, and even feed the baby before hopping in the car. It will be nice when we move closer to the school!

On the front porch of her kindergarten classroom

Penny was happy to go to class. Not scared or worried, not overly giddy or silly-excited. But confident and happy. She walked right in and started in on the coloring activity with the other kids. Her teacher is Miss Claudia, and when I was describing her to Penny this weekend, I told her, "Well, she has dark brown hair that goes down to her shoulders, dark brown eyes, tan skin. Basically, she looks exactly like you but bigger." I think Penny is going to love her new teacher.

Naomi stepping up as big sister

Naomi is now my big girl at home. It will be a different dynamic, as she is usually the one following Penny around. I think she'll be excited to have more time with me, and once her brother grows a little bit more, I think they'll have a lot of fun playing together.

Just Biden our time

A couple weeks ago, Vice President Biden came to visit Brasilia. As part of his visit, we had a meet-and-greet at the Embassy. Kevin had to work airport duty, but I took the kids, and we met and gret  meeted and greeted attended the event.

We milled around, the kids played with some princess dolls I made (by gluing magazine pictures onto popsicle sticks-- very labor intensive, ha!), and had a great time chatting with friends. William slept peacefully the whole time, and the girls played quietly with their friends. 

Until the Vice President arrived.

Then William decided to wake up and be cranky. Naomi decided she'd rather play on the playground than see the VP. And Penny disappeared. As I was walking around with William to check on Naomi, another mom told me that Naomi had peed her pants and was refusing help. I got to the playground, and sure enough, there was my little naked 3-year-old, standing in the playground and crying. Her dress was 99% dry, and I finally persuaded her to put it back on, and I was just glad it was long enough to cover the fact that it was the only thing she had on.

Then we went back to meet the VP:

This is my fantastically photogenic family meeting the VP. That is the back of Penny's head, pre-haircut. That is my profile and a tiny glimpse of tiny William. Naomi is somewhere behind the flags. It was not her best time of day.

I'd missed the children's photo-op. When I got back from one of my tours of the Embassy with a crying infant, all the children were on the stage with Mr. Joe. Naomi, William, and I squeezed onto the edge of the stage where we weren't in any pictures. I was just hoping that Penny would represent for us.

Turns out, that's exactly what she was up to.

VP with a bunch of kids. Notice the tiny hand pushing its way to the front.

Excuse me, Mr. Joe. Can I sit on your lap?

And I want a doll and a new toy train...

She's telling him where her mom is. I actually have no idea where I was at this point. But there was a cranky baby involved somehow.

Penny charms even the most charming of politicians.

I'm pretty sure we're printing this one for our wall.

Darndest

Yesterday morning we went to buy fruit from the fruit guy in our neighborhood. While we were there, we met a neighbor, an older woman probably in her 80s. I was really surprised that she said hello and talked with me in English. She had lived in the US while her husband went to college in Minnesota, and some of her children lived there now. So we chatted and then went on with our shopping.
"Mommy, that lady is REALLY OLD," I heard a certain 4-year-old announce when she had walked away. "I think she needs me to help her stand up and walk."
I glanced back at the lady (who appeared not to have heard), and she was stooped over writing a check on the table. I assured Penny she probably didn't need our help right now.
One thing about living overseas is that those embarrassing announcements in English have a higher possibility of not being understood. Yesterday I was just hoping they hadn't been heard.

I took the kids outside to play in the grass outside our apartment. Our neighbors came out with their little son, and Penny immediately switched to Portuguese.
Now before you're all impressed, let me clarify that Penny knows about 5 words of Portuguese. But she was using them. She insisted on calling me, "Mamae," explaining that, "This way our neighbors will understand me!"
She also likes pointing to William and telling people, "Um bebe! Um bebe!"
There's not a lot of Portuguese to use, but I am thrilled that she uses what she has.

Last night I had a Zumba class until 9:00. Then once I got to bed, William decided to wake up, for the first of many times during the night. It was a rough morning!
At one point I was back in my room, making my bed, and Penny comes to tell me, "Mom, I think you should take a nap."
"Why?"
"Because the baby woke you up during the night."
Aww, how sweet. "But really, why do you want me to take a nap?"
"So I can play.... games with my sister."
"Games on the iPad?"
"............ yes......."
And so I got a 30-minute nap this morning.