Iguazu Falls

For the long Carnival weekend, we escaped to Iguazu Falls, one of the largest waterfall systems in the world. Our days were mostly cloudy with a little rain, which dampened the experience a bit (ha!), but also meant our pale-skinned babes came home sunburn-free. And that is a serious win.

We started Day One at the nearby bird park, Parque das Aves. Highlights included a large bird that seriously sounded like he was cracking up (we named him Bob), the toucan that landed on the railing right in front of us, and the CRAZY loud macaw aviary.

Brazil’s Iguaçu National Park was next:

The falls lie on the border between Brazil and Argentina. As our hotel was in Argentina, empanadas seemed to be the only reasonable way to wrap the day... empanadas and orange Fanta, that is :)

Day Two brought us to Argentina's Iguazú National Park:

After eight months of life in the city, it was incredibly refreshing to tread through nature (and all its stunning beauty) for a few days.

Vila Madalena

Playing a little catch up after eight (EIGHT) solid weeks of one or both parentals being out of commission... colds, bronchitis, pneumonia. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, eh?

Somewhere in there, we mustered up enough energy for an out and about kind of morning (probably thanks to some serious cabin fever) in the neighborhood of Vila Madalena.

First stop: Beco do Batman, an alley chock full of crazy amazing graffiti.

Next stop: obligatory park visit… nearly every exploration requires one of these, if the whole family is to deem the outing worthwhile.

 Final stop: ice cream for lunch :)

2017 Christmas Letter

Two thousand seventeen.

We knew even before it began that it would be a big year. A year of new, hard, and remarkable things.

And now we’ve made it to the end, as a family of four, with a Christmas tree that sways ever so gently in a warm breeze. New, hard, remarkable… indeed.

Much has changed, but the “new” we love most would be the addition of London Isaac Dickson to our family on February 23rd! He is a serious delight. Now 10 months old, he loves splashing in the bath, chasing after balls, and eating… actual food, watches, Cora’s toes… really anything goes. He’s always on the move, but frequently redirected by toys / furniture / walls that get in his way. Somebody really should teach his walker how to avoid obstacles :) Big, toothless grins abound - and if you can battle through defensive fingers and feet, kisses on his tummy bring out the best laugh :) He is our “bud” and we love him dearly.

Now, something strange happens when you add a new baby to the family. Almost in an instant, your first baby ceases to be. This year, Cora transformed into the most remarkable little lady of 3 ½ years. She is a tender caretaker of hurting friends, a lover of “twirling socks,” a singer of sweet serenades. She takes breakfast in her “rocket ship” of cereal boxes; and bedtime nearly always involves a bit of coloring and two rounds of I’m a Little Teapot :) A growing vocabulary inspires oh-so-many smiles and very accurately reflects the lingo of her parents and favorite books. Playing trains, chasing birds, spotting helicopters, and loving on London… these are the little things that make her days grand.

As for Greg, his long anticipated new job as Financial Reporting and Internal Controls Manager (within a Compass Minerals business acquisition) began on January 10th in São Paulo, Brazil. Learning a new business, in a new country, in a new language is no small feat… just getting to work is challenge enough some days (hello traffic)! Thankfully, he still gets to wear jeans :) At home, he has become the best hugging machine / builder of body-mazes / maker of popcorn / inventor of games a kid could ask for… and oh how often do his kids (one in particular) ask… :)

And me, I am mostly still in awe that this is our real life :) This season has me savoring time at home and appreciating the big love between a sister and her little brother. It has given me reason to write, both to process these many changes and to remember these many adventures (ourhappening.wordpress.com!). And it has offered a bit of familiar and much stretching through the study of Romans with Bible Study Fellowship.

This year the challenges were many, but we have seen grace triumph over and over again. We celebrate Him now… the Giver of this grace… who loves deeply, recklessly, perfectly.

Whatever new, hard, or remarkable thing lies before you this next year, may you invite Him - and His ever-triumphant grace - to join you along the way.

Merry Christmas!

Greg, Emily, Cora & London

PS: The kids were not having it... obviously.