It’s been a very long time since I’ve written in here, I know, but the further I am along, the more I see the need to 1—keep you all well-updated, and 2—keep a journal of what is going on to look back on.
The latest update is fairly simple, I suppose. Pregnancy is not so hard this trimester. I’m tired a lot and still feel like I need to get more sleep, but Cesar has been taking wonderfully to where I may not feel up to doing some things, I’m sleeping at odd times and not necessarily keeping up with other things. He’s working quite a bit, but has been very helpful and actually has a list of things he’s convinced I can’t do as far as cleaning around the house (and that I’m more than happy not to do. Hehe). For those who’ve not heard, last Thursday we found out that we’re having a girl. Her name will be Audrey Bella Drake DeSousa. The last two names are the Brazilian naming way of doing things. Audrey is because I love the name and I really like Audrey Hepburn. Cesar and I both like the name Bella, and it’s easier for the Brazilian community to say. He alternates calling her Audrey and Bella, and I just call her Audrey.
Like I said, I’m feeling pretty well, though. Hungry in tired is the most common description, and I don’t mind being either. I am kind of sad that a lot of people are leaving town and I almost feel like I myself am moving in that I’ve kind of got to find a new community. That’s fine, and I do still have friends around, but now that I’m living where I am, I’m not as close to the seminary community (distance wise). So I’m connecting and reconnecting, or at least working on it. We actually have moved to a smaller apartment, which means less and lower bills, and also less work. It’s a lot more relaxing to live here, even though the creditors are still out there. At least now, if something’s broken, they’ll send someone out the next day to fix it. And I only have to keep up the inside of the apartment, and there’s less of it to keep up. Adding to the great things of living in this small apartment is that it has a fireplace, we do have two bedrooms (so there’s enough space), there are two pools, a workout center, a sauna (though I can’t use that right now, of course), tennis courts, parks across the street, and the area is terrific. So it’s really good and we really like it. It’s a nice place to start out. Cesar still has hopes of when we come back buying a house, and I’m not against that other than the work involved. I’m sure there’s a compromise, but that’s a long way away anyway. Life is going to change enough for us in the next 5 years that it’d be nice when/if we can plan, but flexibility is going to keep us going strong.
We’re also constantly thinking and rethinking our plans for finances when we leave the country. Ideally, the business would continue and we could keep paying bills. I know there are deferment options on payments, but I’d prefer to come back less in debt as opposed to coming back and starting a new life with the old debt. Haha. So we’re saving as much as we can, paying as much as we can and planning for the baby as well. An interesting combo, I know, but so far so good. And I’m enjoying making up a registry (most of which is at Target for now, as Babies’R’Us is not as internet friendly, but I’ll be hopefully going to the store soon to build up that one as well), praying a lot, trusting God to lead us not only in the future, but also now. Our church is far away and there are less and less people. It also runs kind of late at night for me, seeing as I need more sleep now and am working fulltime, so we’re talking about going back to a Naz church in the mornings and going to the Brazilian church when we can. We’re very attached to the people at the Brazilian church—they’re like our family. But the distance and times and life for us is making it difficult to continue there.
Really, I guess right now I’m asking for your wisdom. We’re going out of country next year. We’re trying to save money. We’re new parents, and still newlyweds. Some people leave it to figure things out as you go, but if you have any ideas, insights, wisdom, I hope that you’ll share that with us. I’ve been reading a lot of marriage books lately, but should probably start looking at some parenting things. I just hope that we can bring this child into a stable and loving family, while teaching her to explore and not fear adventure. Travel is a good thing for a child, of this I’m certain. But both Cesar and I could use and hope to utilize the wisdom and ideas of those we love and respect (you all).
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