Yesterday we went to Hogle Zoo. I love the zoo and I hate seeing the animals enclosed. If I had money I'd take her to the Safari in Africa, but since I can’t I will keep taking her to the zoo to see the lions, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches at the new African Savanna exhibit.
Today Giovanna started a new chapter. She said goodbye to her crib and welcomed her new big girl bed. I confess I got a little sad... it is hard to see my baby girl growing up so fast! Giovanna on the other hand was super excited. I even thought it would take a while for her to get used to her new bed. But I guess she was ready for the change- more than me! She jumped on it and wanted to take a nap right away.
Dad worked hard disassembling the nursery, installing the bed and helping to remodel the room. He also wanted to make sure the bed was comfy enough.
This morning Giovanna wore her favorite dress (the one she always wears to take a walk outside), got her baby stroller and headed to the lake we have behind our apartment complex to see the ducks. She said she wanted to take her baby to see the patinhos. My mom would take her there every morning last summer when she came from Brazil for a visit.
Later we had a pleasant evening with the Britos, swimming and eating delicious Brazilian pasteis.
When I really like a song I usually listen to it over and over again. My new favorite one is Você por perto by Liah Soares- a beautiful and very talented Brazilian singer. I absolutely love her voice!
And I love my motherland, my culture, and my people.
Today I woke up thinking about how the world is getting harder to live in. People are becoming more judgmental and selfish, and their love is growing cold.
Tonight we had dinner with elder Kennedy and elder Alvarado. I shared my feelings with them, and one of them said something it got me thinking. He said: "Even though people are doing harm and messing up, the world is still beautiful".
And he is right.
"The supreme beauty of the natural world reminds us of the power and perfection of God. When we are in nature, feelings of hope, peace, and reverence come to us through the Spirit. In nature we can see the handwork of the perfect Artist". (Earth: A gift from God, Ensign Feb. 2013)
-Tom Reese
Would you like to meet with the missionaries? HERE
I'm a summer festivals enthusiastic! I love everything about it- the crowd, the food, the performances. Every year we go to the Living Traditions Festival in downtown Salt Lake at Library Square. It is so much fun! It's our family tradition since we got here in Utah in 2009. We never miss it!
We parked our car at Ale's work and took the trax to the festival. Giovanna had a blast! She loves riding the 'choo choo train'. At the festival she ran around and decided what performances she wanted to watch. She got closer to the stage and even tried to climb it.
We enjoyed a delicious mango lassi and some Tibetan cuisine. It was a nice evening!
Today my sweetheart took me to the temple while sister Camargo from our ward kindly offered to watch Giovanna. We made sealing ordinances in behalf of Ale's deceased family.
Every time I see my husband in white I'm grateful for his priesthood, and for his love and diligence in following Father's commandments.
Later on we took Giovanna to Chuck E. Cheese's. She loves that place! As long as we don't put coins on the rides she is fine! She freaks out every time the ride starts moving, which means a few coins we buy are good for several trips there. Silly girl!
Ale is feeling better of his mononucleosis, and this weekend we'll be attending the Living Traditions Festival in downtown Salt Lake.
Today Giovanna and I went to Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake. We love there, and no matter how many times we go visit it we always have fun.
After museum we had lunch at Olive Garden- our favorite restaurant. The best part was seeing Giovanna's cute face when the waitress greeted us as ladies. She felt very important and whispered to me: "Mommy, are you having a great time?"
I hope you all had a wonderful mother's day and had felt how special you are!
Ale is still sick (we suspect he has mononucleosis). He's been sick for a week already. Even though he was feeling really bad, he still managed to make me a beautiful surprise.
He took Giovanna and said they were going to run some errands. Couple of hours later they came back with flowers, a beautiful card and a delicious cake from Cold Stone. Thank you guys! I love you both very much!
I also received many sweet messages for mother's day. I read and loved each one of them!
Thank you!
(...) One young
mother wrote to me recently that her anxiety tended to come on three
fronts. One was that whenever she heard talks on LDS motherhood, she
worried because she felt she didn’t measure up or somehow wasn’t going
to be equal to the task. Secondly, she felt like the world expected her
to teach her children reading, writing, interior design, Latin,
calculus, and the Internet—all before the baby said something terribly
ordinary, like “goo goo.” Thirdly, she often felt people were sometimes
patronizing, almost always without meaning to be, because the advice she
got or even the compliments she received seemed to reflect nothing of
the mental investment, the spiritual and emotional exertion, the
long-night, long-day, stretched-to-the-limit demands that sometimes are
required in trying to be and wanting to be the mother God hopes she will
be.
But one thing, she said, keeps her going: “Through the thick and the thin of this, and through the occasional tears of it all, I know deep down inside I am doing God’s work.
I know that in my motherhood I am in an eternal partnership with Him. I
am deeply moved that God finds His ultimate purpose and meaning in
being a parent, even if some of His children make Him weep".
“It is
this realization,” she says, “that I try to recall on those inevitably
difficult days when all of this can be a bit overwhelming".
Moved by that kind of devotion and determination, may I say to mothers
collectively, in the name of the Lord, you are magnificent. You are
doing terrifically well. The very fact that you have been given such a
responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in
Heaven has in you.
You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you (...).
Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press
forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of
hope”.You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging.
I would like to share this short video with you and I hope it will help you as it has been helping me along the journey.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a beautiful Mother's day!
We are back to Salt Lake! It was a long 2 hour flight with a sick husband and a tired child, but we did it, and we got home safe and sound!
California treated us well and we are going to miss the nice weather, the beautiful views, and of course, the smell of the sea!
Giovanna liked the beach, but got a little scared of the waves, specially in Balboa Island where the waves were really strong. So she stayed in the sand with her beach toys.
Nostra Famiglia visited San Diego, Santa Monica, and Los Angeles... drove up to the Hollywood sign, and took a fun walk on the Walk of the Fame where Giovanna even got to talk to Spider Man! She didn't want to take a picture with him though and kept saying he was so silly!
Of course we stopped by San Diego and Newport Beach Temple.
It's always our favorite part of any trip we take! I'm so grateful for the House of the Lord!
San Diego, California Temple
Newport Beach, California Temple
Wondering if we went to Disneyland? Yes, sir, we did! We wouldn't miss it for the world!!!!
