"Love, I think I burned our house..."

Yes, this is just one of the sentences I had to hear in these past two weeks. This and others, like "Honey, I am so april of you!", "Don't worry, it will not be one hour. We will just socialize for 10 minutes!" And this one from my wonderful mother-in-law - "Which of these cloths you want on the table in your living room - the large or the small one?"

The last two weeks I have been so proud of my "house wife's" activities! Lots of cooking, decorating and cross-stiching my Christmas gifts. So proud, or how we say now in our family - so APRIL! Don't ask me why and how! This is one of the things i love in my husband - his unpredictable English mistakes! One day he wanted to say how proud he was for something, but instead of proud what came out was APRIL. It took him some time to understand why I am laughing so much instead of being happy for his compliment.

We also went to the Zoo. The visit was on our plan for the first week in Rio. I guess this is how much time it takes to do something what it is already planned! But it was really nice. I enjoyed being outside, hearing some animal sounds :) Back at home I have hundreds of different birds who make sure nobody can sleep longer then they.

We also had a special performance by the local Lion King! See the link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADUrmEaQeng

Another social activity we had was friend's wedding. Well, it is very easy to earn the honour to be somebody's friend over here. I remember the time we made the guest list for our wedding. Thiago's list of friends was longer then mine, and please - he was in the country for 3 months while I have spent there 25 of my 26 years!!! 

The wedding here in Brazil is SO different!!!! The whole ceremony starts (of course.. late :)) with a long procession of MANY bridesmades and bridesgrooms. When they all have made the entrance, paused to take a picture, sat on the stage, in come two little girls, dressed in white like little brides. They are not the flower girls. Just two little beautiful kids. Oh, I forgot the family - sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers. When the fashion show is over, it's time for the bridegroom and the bride. I think it is the most beautiful moment in every wedding ceremony - when the soon-to-bee husband is waiting at the altar for his beloved. 

After the church ceremony, it was time for the party - not exactly what I had in mind, but I guess also Brazilians needs some time when just sit at the table and look beautiful :) After sitting around for 3 hours, we had the cake and soon our car was free to be pushed outside the garage and the party was over. 

One thing I really liked - the decorations and little sweets/snacks. Very cute!

I think the most scary of the sentences of the last two weeks was "Love, I think I burned our house!". And this time - no sweet English mistakes, it was what it was - he actually did almost burn our house. Well, I guess I should use "we" instead of "he" since we are one flesh now. He does not mind this change of pronouns in this ocasion :)

But yes, back to the burning activity! Actually, it was very simple - we went to a beautiful Christmas concert at Thiago's church. Since leaving the house usually means I am standing at the door repeating like the colourful ara parrot - "Vamos, amor! Vamos, amor! Vamos, amor!" and my bonitao is running with one sock in hands and the other on one of his feet it is not a surprise that WE forgot to turn off the ventilator. When we returned home, already at the door we felt an unusual smell. When opening the door we were faced by smoke, smoke and so much smoke... At first we thought something is burning, I was even scared to go inside. But, after making sure there is no fire, no heat, we found the little ugly looking plastic thing that used to be our beloved ventilator. When we saw the damage, all we could say was - thank you Lord! Because the floors are wooden and there was fabric sofa right next to the ventilator. It could so easily catch fire and then the whole house would be caput in few minutes. Here's the picture :)

The next day was spent cleaning the house. Honestly, I had NEVER spent so much time cleaning something NON STOP. We started at 9.30 in the morning and finished at 7.30 at night. Now, when leaving the house, my monologue is completed with few words: "Vamos, amor! Vamos, amor, check the ventilator! Vamos, amor!"

This week has finished SO fast! Even though the days are flying with the wings of an eagle (hm.. this metaphor was meant to accent the big speed of time:) ) I still don't believe there will be NO signs of snow in the nearest days leading to Christmas. Since palm trees are refusing to turn into ever green Christmas trees and the temperature is stuck on 40 degrees C, I have to start my own "Save the Christmas" marathon.

First mission of course was an Advent crown. Even though I told about it's necessity at our house to the Love of my life, he was so surprised when one morning I was ready to invade the streets in search of something round that could look like an Advent Crown. It turns out, they don't even have a proper name for it in Portugese!!!! At least not in my husband's lexicon! But I armed myself with imagination and patience and after long and very colourful explanations of what is An Advent Crown and why we NEED it at our home, we went out.

After an hour of really hot sun I gave up. It's hopeless... NOTHING in the streets that would resemble something round and shape-able :) At the end I just got some of those green decorations reminding Christmas tree branches and improvized with dry roses and orange peels :)

So far, so good. But the war was not over yet! I would've never imagined it can be such a huge mission to buy the most simple, tea candles, or how we call them in Latvia - ploškas! :) It turns out that all the shops where I can buy my beloved candles are "from the evil". Yes, true, usually these are shops that sell lots of black magic and demon worshipping stuff. And Brazil has a stange culture of candles - those are usually asociated with spirits worshipping rituals. I really had to fight to make my husband go in one of these shops and buy 12 pink "evil candles". I prayed over them and now they are a perfect fit for my first Save the Christmas mission - Advent Crown.

On 2nd of December we had a "Merry little" celebration - our 2 month wedding anniversary! I know, I know! It's not even one year, maybe many of you, who are married for half of a century are reading this with a little smile :) But it's ok! We love to make all these little dates important! We have so many of them - 22nd of every month - celebrating the date when we started dating, 2nd of every month when he first proposed to me and the date of our wedding, 10th of every month - our official wedding date :) And we have few more! 

Once I was re-reading my older posts and thought - hm, why am I reffering to my husband only as "husband" or "love of my life" or "meu bonitao". I have actually not mentioed his name!! But I realy have an excuse - I have been praying and waiting for my husband for so long time and I am realy enjoying to call him "my husbendinho". Thiago is by no doubts the best God could ever give for me. As I have said to my girl friends - his love makes me so humble.. because I know I would not ever earn the love and passion he has for me. All I can do - close my eyes and enjoy!

My father-in-law is SO funny! One day he decided to "show Thiago how many people are wearing suits and not only soccer shirts and havaianas" and he invited us to go with him to "rich people party" how we both like to call it. It was a party for the most influential and therefore the most rich lawers of Rio. Since my father-in-law used to be a lawer himself, we were alowed to take part in the night as well. But - one more proof how good my husbendinho is - before going to the party I received an early Christmas gift - the most beautiful shoes I have ever owned and a nice little purse to go with them!

And here's me in my new shoes! Sorry the mess around - I could explane every bit of the "trash" you see. Jusst in case you're wondering why we dont throw out the broken ventilator - "No love, my dad will fix it!" P.s. it is broken in 1000 places and has been laying there in the corner for almost a week now... I promise to throw it out when Thiago goes away for his soccer course :)

And some pics from the party. Actually, it was a lots of fun. People were eating GOOD food, drinking GOOD drinks and having GOOD gay MC/DJ/Lead singer.