Pois é, também sou daquele tipo de pessoa que a-do-ra o Natal! Além das razões pelas quais muitas pessoas se encantam com essa festividade, tenho também o motivo cristão muito presente! É aquela época de pensarmos no menino Jesus bebê e na Sagrada Família. Nos reis magos (provavelmente estudiosos de astronomia) que vieram de longe e humildemente oferecem nobres presentes para o menino! Eu realmente gosto disso tudo!!! Quão doce o menino Jesus deveria ser? E que alegria o seu nascimento para trazer a salvação ao mundo!
Sim, o Natal é uma festa cristã que contagia até mesmo os ateus (não os "ateu-chatos", talvez). Contudo, o mundo se encontra refém de alguns que insistem em tirar o verdadeiro sentido do Natal, em tranformá-lo em algo diferente. Porque isso, minha gente? Só para que possamos todos aproveitar do feriado sem culpa na consciência? Ou seria tudo por causa do comércio? Seria raiva?
Aqui nos EUA tenho contato especialmente com católicos que conheci na minha primeira cidade (e outros não católicos que conheci por causa do trabalho do Dani). Fora isso, por facebook é possível encontrar outras pessoas que interagem com esses meus amigos católicos que, em muitos casos, são protestantes.
Sim, o Texas é um estado majoritariamente cristão. E o clima de Natal, alegria, começou cedo! Os americanos tem tantas tradições para essa época do ano! Ouvir músicas natalinas, assar biscoitos típicos, decorar casas, trens ou um biscoito gigante de gingerbread (que pessoalmente não me apetece ao paladar), comprar (ou cortar) pinheiros de verdade (que são bem parecidos com a árvore artificial) e decorá-lo lindamente! Decoração natalina até onde você não imagina. Toalhas, pratos, canecas específicos para essa época. Stocking (cada membro da casa tem a famosa meia na lareira que é destinada a receber pequenos presentinhos), "25 dias de Natal" (que vem de uma música em que cada dia antes do Natal, começando dia primeiro de Dezembro, o amor verdadeiro dá um presente. As variações são inúmeras, em vez de presentes, uma atividade natalina por dia, uma boa ação por dia, uma frase da Bíblia por dia, etc).
Pois bem, foi nesse clima de Natal antecipado que há cerca de três semanas atrás achei vários episódios completos da Turma da Mônica no youtube em HD, entre eles o episódio sobre o Natal. E eu estava tão feliz com o meu achado. Pra quê? Completo disapontamento. Primeiro porque tinha esquecido como aquelas quatro crianças só brigam. E em segundo, contudo, mais importante, no final do episódio, cada um dá a sua versão (inclusive o próprio Maurício de Souza) sobre o verdadeiro significado do Natal. Mas de verdadeiro, tinha muito pouco! Acho que foram cinco ou seis versões contadas e em NENHUMA delas se mencionou o nascimento de Jesus. Nem fizeram o favor de incluir o querido Chico Bento, pois ele sim, com certeza, falaria dEle.
Fiquei chocada, aborrecida e desapontada!
Será que as pessoas esquecem a revolução que o cristianismo trouxe ao mundo? Essa mensagem, de paz, alegria, começou com Jesus. Foi Jesus que incutiu na sociedade o pensamento "paz e amor", quem disse que não se fizesse o "olho por olho e dente por dente", mas sim "não faça ao próximo o que não queira que faça com você mesmo". Toda a base para o perdão, sem levar em conta a justiça meramente humana. Jesus foi O revoluncionário e O mais tal desmerecido que a história já viu.
E tentam tirar Jesus à força da sua própria festa de aniversário. Sem contar como transformaram São Nicolau em Papai Noel, mas essa fica pra próxima.
Ok, mas para compensar, é costume no site Hulu.com colocarem à disposição dos internautas os episódios festivos (de Páscoa, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Natal e ano novo) do querido mas depressivo Charlie Brown. (Eu gosto mais do Lino!). E hoje assisti ao episódio do Natal daquela turma de crianças-adultas. Charlie Brown fica abismado como todo mundo se comercializou (até mesmo sua irmãzinha e seu cachorro Snoopy) e diz que sempre fica mais depressivo (ainda) nessa época do ano. Até que no finalzinho, vem o Lino, e dai sim conta o verdadeiro sentido do Natal! É um desenho que aquece o coração! Se puderem ver esse e os outros episódios, são realmente demais, com música boa e sacadas melhores ainda! Fiquei com vontade de ter toda a coleção em DVD. (Olha o consumismo! Bem, vontade não é poder, não é?!)
E quanto as outras alegrias mais humanas do Natal (que não sou contra, muito ao contrário!!!) falarei em um próximo post! Aliás, ouçam músicas natalinas na internet, é contagiante!!
xoxo
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Count your blessings!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!
I love this Holiday! It's full of meaning and something relatively new to me, since we don't have it in Brazil. Yes, everyday we should count our blessings, and for those who believe in God, we should thank Him for all things constantly! But, at least for me, I can be ungrateful and forgetful sometimes. I have put into practice for a good while some time ago something I've read somewhere, that is: on each night to count three things you are grateful to God in that specific day! I really need to go back on doing that because I remember how wonderful it was when I was doing it! But back to Thanksgiving, it's a great opportunity to count ALL my blessings and give thanks to God in a special manner!
We'll start our day attending Mass at 8:30am as a family, Dan and I will pray the rosary together at some point during this day. We'll enjoy some good (hopefully) homemade food! And we'll rest a bit, since I can't really remember the last time we had a long holiday to rest (brazilians kinda feel the opposite, huh? Yes, I'm a bit jealous of all the holidays we would have if we were living in Brazil....)
But now it's the time to be happy and grateful for the things we have. Some great words I read somewhere are "Gratitude turns what we have into enough". So true, isn't it?!!
And now let me talk about the food, yummm. Hopefully the pumpkin bread I made turned out yummy! At least it smells good and fall-ish! Here is the recipe. And here is the picture I took from my experiment!
I also made a chocolate cheesecake (but I still need to add the ganache) because Dan loves cheesecakes and chocolate so I thought about putting both of them together! Here is the recipe.
I'm also halfway thru this next recipe, an oats breakfast bread!
We'll be making a large pork tenderloin with potatoes, a mix salad, white rice and this super easy bread for supper on Thursday!
On Friday we'll be making Eggplant Parmiagina, with white rice and fries! Homemade pizza for dinner! On Saturday, we'll be making brazilian beef strogonoff, with white rice and pringles chips. Also, homemade pizza for dinner! And on Sunday we'll be making this crustless feta-spinach-mushroom quiche, with these sweet potato oven chips, also served with white rice and some salad! And for dinner we'll be having pork tenderloin leftovers sandwiches, with homemade (or machine made!) bread!
We'll be also having hamburgers and fries for dinner tonight; I will be making a special mango, papaya and strawberry frosty; I also bought a whole pineapple and dulce de leche (the two of them go perfectly together, fyi). And the last thing I can remember is that we'll be having brazilian pao de queijo for breakfast (I have prepared and frozen them yesterday and it should be enough for three mornings!).
Looking forward to the holiday!!! Ending this post with this super sweet pic of my daughter that was taken during one of these past cold nights! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy your family time, and some good food! Rest a bit, too!
xoxo
I love this Holiday! It's full of meaning and something relatively new to me, since we don't have it in Brazil. Yes, everyday we should count our blessings, and for those who believe in God, we should thank Him for all things constantly! But, at least for me, I can be ungrateful and forgetful sometimes. I have put into practice for a good while some time ago something I've read somewhere, that is: on each night to count three things you are grateful to God in that specific day! I really need to go back on doing that because I remember how wonderful it was when I was doing it! But back to Thanksgiving, it's a great opportunity to count ALL my blessings and give thanks to God in a special manner!
We'll start our day attending Mass at 8:30am as a family, Dan and I will pray the rosary together at some point during this day. We'll enjoy some good (hopefully) homemade food! And we'll rest a bit, since I can't really remember the last time we had a long holiday to rest (brazilians kinda feel the opposite, huh? Yes, I'm a bit jealous of all the holidays we would have if we were living in Brazil....)
But now it's the time to be happy and grateful for the things we have. Some great words I read somewhere are "Gratitude turns what we have into enough". So true, isn't it?!!
And now let me talk about the food, yummm. Hopefully the pumpkin bread I made turned out yummy! At least it smells good and fall-ish! Here is the recipe. And here is the picture I took from my experiment!
I also made a chocolate cheesecake (but I still need to add the ganache) because Dan loves cheesecakes and chocolate so I thought about putting both of them together! Here is the recipe.
I'm also halfway thru this next recipe, an oats breakfast bread!
We'll be making a large pork tenderloin with potatoes, a mix salad, white rice and this super easy bread for supper on Thursday!
On Friday we'll be making Eggplant Parmiagina, with white rice and fries! Homemade pizza for dinner! On Saturday, we'll be making brazilian beef strogonoff, with white rice and pringles chips. Also, homemade pizza for dinner! And on Sunday we'll be making this crustless feta-spinach-mushroom quiche, with these sweet potato oven chips, also served with white rice and some salad! And for dinner we'll be having pork tenderloin leftovers sandwiches, with homemade (or machine made!) bread!
We'll be also having hamburgers and fries for dinner tonight; I will be making a special mango, papaya and strawberry frosty; I also bought a whole pineapple and dulce de leche (the two of them go perfectly together, fyi). And the last thing I can remember is that we'll be having brazilian pao de queijo for breakfast (I have prepared and frozen them yesterday and it should be enough for three mornings!).
Looking forward to the holiday!!! Ending this post with this super sweet pic of my daughter that was taken during one of these past cold nights! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy your family time, and some good food! Rest a bit, too!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Got a new doctor!
Yay! I got a new ob-gyn doctor! It's the only female doctor who practices NFP in Houston (there is only one more doctor, a male). And it was kinda amazing how I got her! I had her recommended to me when I was at the last Opus Dei recollection this tuesday and talked with a young woman with a baby asking her if she could tell me which one was her doctor. She took my email to send me the info which she did it promptly. But sadly - at the time - I couldn't find the doctor's name listed on my insurance website.
So I gave her up and tried to find a doctor myself. At first I wanted a doctor who would see me in my city but have my baby delivered in Houston. And it turned out to be a lot more frustating than I've expected. I didn't want certain hospitals, I didn't want a male doctor, my first female doctor option had just retired, the other one wasn't accepting new patients from my city so I had just one option left. And checking her profile at the clinic's website, it just didn't click.
So, well, I knew I had to expand my options by accepting to have my appointments in Houston. But I just wasn't sure that would be the best decision. Maybe I was being stubborn and unreasonable by not willing to have my baby delivered in my city. So that evening I talked to my mom and withOUT giving her any clue of my situation, I just asked what a mother of eleven would have chosen: to have the appoitments and delivery in houston, or both in my city, or the appt in my city and the delivery in Houston. Again, like I said, I didn't tell her I was having problems finding a doctor.
And she immediately said: "I would certainly choose to have both in Houston." I smiled relieved and replied: "that was all I wanted to hear! Thank you!" Good, I had this figured it out but now I was lost in a multide of doctors to choose from, and not a single updated recommendation. So next morning, on my way to mass, I was praying to God so he could sent me anyone with a good recommendation!! I always sit with Rebecca at the cry room and usually there aren't other kids at church.
But that day, a wednesday, a woman who I've never seen before, with two kids (probably 5 and 3 years old) showed up late at the cry room. The kids were way noiser than Rebecca and she was clearly tired and overwhelmed. I remember thinking, "this woman probably takes birth control pills, she won't have a catholic doctor recommendation to give it to me." I KNOW. SHAME ON ME. I judge people, unfortunately. I keep trying not to do it, but it happens once in a while.
But anyway, at the end of mass I talked to her and asked where she had her babies delivered. "In the woodlands." humpt. Not Houston. But next I spitted it out without even thinking: "do you know a catholic doctor?" And she said "YES". (she got so excited that she even asked sorry, haha!) "I know one. It's a NFP doctor her name is xxxx". And it was the exactly same one the other lady had told me. I told her that apparently this doctor doesn't take my insurance. She asked which one my insurance was. We found out we have the same insurance and that this doctor does accept it!! She even added she wants to have another baby soon (bless her soul) but first wanted to check this doctor so she just had her annual with her! She added: "You're lucky, this doctor just moved to Houston."
I couldn't believe this godsent woman and all my misjudging. Need to remember to pray for her and for myself. Next, I called my insurance. They told me this doctor was listed as an out-of network doctor. Geez, that's not possible. So I called the doctor's office and had everything figured out. She and the hospital indeed take my insurance, it's just that the paperwork isn't finished yet so she isn't showing on the system. And that they are billing patients as in-network and paying the difference until the doctor is fully contracted by my insurance! YaY!!! So I just scheduled my first appointment with her and I have a NFP female doctor!
The prime part? My baby BOY due on March, 19th (St. Joseph's feast), will be delivered by a catholic doctor at the St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston, a catholic hospital, the only facility this doctor is affiliated to! Isn't that God written?? And so sweet!!! I'm so happy!!! Once more, God is telling me that he is in charge!
So I gave her up and tried to find a doctor myself. At first I wanted a doctor who would see me in my city but have my baby delivered in Houston. And it turned out to be a lot more frustating than I've expected. I didn't want certain hospitals, I didn't want a male doctor, my first female doctor option had just retired, the other one wasn't accepting new patients from my city so I had just one option left. And checking her profile at the clinic's website, it just didn't click.
So, well, I knew I had to expand my options by accepting to have my appointments in Houston. But I just wasn't sure that would be the best decision. Maybe I was being stubborn and unreasonable by not willing to have my baby delivered in my city. So that evening I talked to my mom and withOUT giving her any clue of my situation, I just asked what a mother of eleven would have chosen: to have the appoitments and delivery in houston, or both in my city, or the appt in my city and the delivery in Houston. Again, like I said, I didn't tell her I was having problems finding a doctor.
And she immediately said: "I would certainly choose to have both in Houston." I smiled relieved and replied: "that was all I wanted to hear! Thank you!" Good, I had this figured it out but now I was lost in a multide of doctors to choose from, and not a single updated recommendation. So next morning, on my way to mass, I was praying to God so he could sent me anyone with a good recommendation!! I always sit with Rebecca at the cry room and usually there aren't other kids at church.
But that day, a wednesday, a woman who I've never seen before, with two kids (probably 5 and 3 years old) showed up late at the cry room. The kids were way noiser than Rebecca and she was clearly tired and overwhelmed. I remember thinking, "this woman probably takes birth control pills, she won't have a catholic doctor recommendation to give it to me." I KNOW. SHAME ON ME. I judge people, unfortunately. I keep trying not to do it, but it happens once in a while.
But anyway, at the end of mass I talked to her and asked where she had her babies delivered. "In the woodlands." humpt. Not Houston. But next I spitted it out without even thinking: "do you know a catholic doctor?" And she said "YES". (she got so excited that she even asked sorry, haha!) "I know one. It's a NFP doctor her name is xxxx". And it was the exactly same one the other lady had told me. I told her that apparently this doctor doesn't take my insurance. She asked which one my insurance was. We found out we have the same insurance and that this doctor does accept it!! She even added she wants to have another baby soon (bless her soul) but first wanted to check this doctor so she just had her annual with her! She added: "You're lucky, this doctor just moved to Houston."
I couldn't believe this godsent woman and all my misjudging. Need to remember to pray for her and for myself. Next, I called my insurance. They told me this doctor was listed as an out-of network doctor. Geez, that's not possible. So I called the doctor's office and had everything figured out. She and the hospital indeed take my insurance, it's just that the paperwork isn't finished yet so she isn't showing on the system. And that they are billing patients as in-network and paying the difference until the doctor is fully contracted by my insurance! YaY!!! So I just scheduled my first appointment with her and I have a NFP female doctor!
The prime part? My baby BOY due on March, 19th (St. Joseph's feast), will be delivered by a catholic doctor at the St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston, a catholic hospital, the only facility this doctor is affiliated to! Isn't that God written?? And so sweet!!! I'm so happy!!! Once more, God is telling me that he is in charge!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Baby BOY
Last Friday Dan, Rebecca and I woke up at 5am in order to get to my ultrasound and OB-GYN appointment - the first one starting at 9am in our old town since I still have my "future-former" (weeeird term, i know) insurance until the end of October. We'll be starting a new one this november so I think it will take a while until I choose a doctor and get through the hospital check in process. Taking these into consideration I decided it would be best if I had my ultrasound and routine appt still with my old doctor and insurance!
The timing was perfect (18 weeks) for the ultrasound and the next big happenings - diabetes testing and Rhgram shot - are only at 28 weeks so I'll have a considerable time to set things in order! So no biggie to drive 3:30h each way. Right??? We had our favorite kolaches for breakfast and everything worked out GREAT! We didn't get into any traffic jam and at the hospital everything went super fast, not the usual at all!!
At the ultrasound we found out we are expecting a BOY (sorry for the title spoiler =p). It was nice to know we will have both worlds - boy and girl - but any gender would have been awesome! We weren't hoping for a boy or a girl specifically, really! And since we don't plan on stopping at baby number 2, it was no biggie that we were expecting a boy this time! But again, we were SUPER happy and excited when we found out about our little guy! But also a lit bit worried. Dan and I both think it's hard to be a Man (with capital M) in this world and we think it takes much responsability, prayer and effort on us, his parent! But God trusted in us, so we'll try to do our best!
For sure, there is a lot of responsabilities on raising a girl as well, it is just that by Dan's own experience as a man and for what I've seen and not seen (since I'm a woman) it kinda worries us a little bit! Well, I was more worried before, actually, now I'm confident we'll give our best and God will take care of the rest!! =)
And for now, we are still thinking and deciding on a name, I'll give you some names that we like, but we are not making a pool here. I would NOT like people telling me "I prefer x, y or z"! Let us, please decide it freely! So, it has to be a name similar in both languages - portuguese and english - so unfortunately we don't have many options. What we have is: Lucas (or Lucca), Jonathan (or Jonas, Jonah but I already know 2 babies with these names...), Joel, Thomas, David. We also have Daniel and Gabriel that would work but unless we have 6 or more boys we are not going to use them! Or maybe we will, idk. Well, so it's going to be any of these names. Probably....
Well and for the rest, we went to the beach this last Sunday after Mass! It was a very last minute decision - after we realized the weather was perfect for it - and we forgot to take our cameras with us.... a total bummer.... But we are planning on going there again!! It's so close to where we live!! Rebecca loved loved loved the beach: sand, sun, sea and beach toys!! She was in heaven and so were we! Nothing makes us parents happier than to make our kids happy!!
xx
The timing was perfect (18 weeks) for the ultrasound and the next big happenings - diabetes testing and Rhgram shot - are only at 28 weeks so I'll have a considerable time to set things in order! So no biggie to drive 3:30h each way. Right??? We had our favorite kolaches for breakfast and everything worked out GREAT! We didn't get into any traffic jam and at the hospital everything went super fast, not the usual at all!!
At the ultrasound we found out we are expecting a BOY (sorry for the title spoiler =p). It was nice to know we will have both worlds - boy and girl - but any gender would have been awesome! We weren't hoping for a boy or a girl specifically, really! And since we don't plan on stopping at baby number 2, it was no biggie that we were expecting a boy this time! But again, we were SUPER happy and excited when we found out about our little guy! But also a lit bit worried. Dan and I both think it's hard to be a Man (with capital M) in this world and we think it takes much responsability, prayer and effort on us, his parent! But God trusted in us, so we'll try to do our best!
For sure, there is a lot of responsabilities on raising a girl as well, it is just that by Dan's own experience as a man and for what I've seen and not seen (since I'm a woman) it kinda worries us a little bit! Well, I was more worried before, actually, now I'm confident we'll give our best and God will take care of the rest!! =)
And for now, we are still thinking and deciding on a name, I'll give you some names that we like, but we are not making a pool here. I would NOT like people telling me "I prefer x, y or z"! Let us, please decide it freely! So, it has to be a name similar in both languages - portuguese and english - so unfortunately we don't have many options. What we have is: Lucas (or Lucca), Jonathan (or Jonas, Jonah but I already know 2 babies with these names...), Joel, Thomas, David. We also have Daniel and Gabriel that would work but unless we have 6 or more boys we are not going to use them! Or maybe we will, idk. Well, so it's going to be any of these names. Probably....
Well and for the rest, we went to the beach this last Sunday after Mass! It was a very last minute decision - after we realized the weather was perfect for it - and we forgot to take our cameras with us.... a total bummer.... But we are planning on going there again!! It's so close to where we live!! Rebecca loved loved loved the beach: sand, sun, sea and beach toys!! She was in heaven and so were we! Nothing makes us parents happier than to make our kids happy!!
xx
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