Christmas 2013

This was such a different Christmas for us, the first one away from both sides of our family.  When we were in Anapolis we were only an hour drive from Jeyson's family, and a few Christmases since getting married we have been near my family while in the US.  At first I was all concerned about how to make new traditions now that it will just be us most years, but then I realized all we had to do was make THIS year special.  And it was!  Lots of time together as the three of us remembering Christ's birth...that's what it's all about!

Holiday plans, like everything else in Brazil, happens last minute.  5 days before Christmas and we still had no plans.  So we decided to invite 2 families who are also new in the community over for a brunch Christmas morning.  Then, we got invited over for a Christmas Eve dinner at someone's house (Christmas eve dinner is the big, main celebration here), and then on Christmas eve we got invited over for a Christmas day lunch with some American families.  So, we went from NO Christmas plans, to a packed, delicious, and wonderful 2 days.  Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures at the Christmas eve dinner and Christmas day lunch, but here are a few pics I took at our house.

Opening presents together as a family before our brunch guests arrived Christmas morning:

It must be so weird to be 2 and have no clue what's going on.  Out of nowhere your parents put a tree in the house and then you wake up one morning and get a tractor and a play tent...what?  why?  Though confused, the joy in a two years old's face in incredible!

Here are our brunch guests.  One couple (left) moved here to serve in the tribal villages, and the other couple (right) was transferred to Boa Vista from Goiania as part of government work.   They have become good friends.  Brunch was cinnamon rolls, french toast, fruit, bacon, and eggs.  Despite explanations, Brazilians always come up with original ways to eat American food, such as french toast sandwiches using eggs and bacon.  I LOVE seeing the way people from different cultures approach the same things.

Elijah thought he was one of the big boys playing with our friends' kids

 Coming back home Christmas evening, Elijah crashed at 6pm and fell asleep on the couch for a good long time.  Too much fun, food, and friends I guess.

To wrap things up, I thought I'd share our Christmas ornaments.  I haven't posted in a few years about this, but the Ciotta tradition is to find an ornament each year that represents that year.  We have them since our wedding.  Here is this year's and last year's.  

2012: An Amish buggy remembering our time out in Coshocton, OH for training...was was serious Amish country up there!

2013: And this little canoe to represent moving to Boa Vista to serve the natives in the villages.  The boat is a seed and so are the little items in the canoe and the man is made out of rubber from the trees in the Amazon.  Very col!

Looking at these two ornaments, our two years could not be more diverse!!!  Makes you wonder what's coming next around the bend in life!?!?!