From Brazil...

Here's this week's email:

Oí famíliaThis week nothing really much happened. Elder Rosin and I just had a week of working. The tile is looking pretty cool. Awesome that trent is taking a real estate class. Does it cost alot? We had interviews with President Tobias this week and it´s always fun to talk with him. President is a good guy and really funny but also has an iron fist. If you loose his trust, good luck to that missionary. This week we had an activity at the church, some of the members sang and did some skits. It was a good activity. Also, on sunday, the church `Assembléia de Deus´ put on a huge show right next to our house on the corner. The pastor was signing, drummer, guitar players, back up singers, piano, and a big sound system. They were also selling ice cream to raise money. It was funny when the pastor was talking in between the songs and screaming glory to God. We also have stake conference this saturday and sunday. The stake about 10 billion invitations and we have a huge pile that we need to give out still. You guys always ask but i still haven´t eaten anything really disgusting. I´ve come to eat just about anything believe it or not. The culture here is pretty normal, i have to think for a second to see what´s different. I´ll get back to you on that. I´m still the same concerning my body size, i´ve gained a few pounds but still fit in my pants, suit and everything. My shoes are doing great, they haven´t worn out too much and still have plenty more life in them. Do I look different to you guys in the pictures i send? Any more questions? See you all later. Elder Lewis.

Finally!!!!!

(note: this post written by Joanna with additional comment by Mike!)

FINALLY... we have started to lay tile!!!! It will take a while... but it is started and we WILL finish!!! The much anticipated first piece! Mike: These are 20 x 20 porcelain tile we bought back in February and have been stored in the garage ever since.
OF COURSE we had to buy new tools to do this project... that's OK... I like tools just as much as Mike... but he uses them more than I do... he is the MASTER with tools. Here is one of our new tools... a tile cutter. Mike LOVES it! Mike: This is SOOO much faster, neater and cleaner than using a wet tile saw on all the straight cuts. The cuts are so clean that you have to look really close to see which edge was the cut edge.

Kind of looks like hopscotch... Mike: We chose the off-set or brick pattern over the conventional square or diamond look.

We have a LONG way to go... I can't wait! Mike: The entry way is actually the most difficult portion of the tile laying project-SO many cuts and corners to deal with. Thank goodness for tile spacers!
More pictures to come... SOON!

from Brazil...

Here's the latest from Brazil. It was a day late so that's why he says I'm alive! I always get a little nervous when I don't hear from him right on time! I guess it's a MOM thing...His letter just kind of ended... so I don't know if he forgot to sign off or just had to end.

Hey eveyone I´m alive! Yesterday I didn´t have time to send an email. I was at the bus station all freakin day waiting for missionaries to show up. It was planned for them to get here in anapolis in the late morning. That didn´t happen, they didn´t show up until early evening. So me and 4 other missionaries sat there all day because they didn´t have a cell phone for anyone to call them. My new companion is Elder Rosin. He´s from Curitiba. He´s cool, he was already here in anapolis so I already know who he is kind of. the wedding and the baptism went well too. It´s good to hear that zack is liking the mission. I remember when i got to São Paulo and how everything was different. It was also crazy waiting for presidente to decide where everyone was going and then you get a little nervous when you find out where you are going to start out. Zack can just stay in brazil on his p-day and learn a prettier language and baptize more people.haha.jk. It´s still rainy here. Not much happened this past week. My old companion `died´ and is already back at his house in fortaleza. Another missionary who was going home stayed at our house his last night and the two of them really rubbed it in our faces.

Still a blob...

Well... I thought my little cold would just go away... but it decided to stay and turn into bronchitis... YUK!!! So I drug myself to the doc and got some antibiotics and stuff. So .... with the power of POSITIVE thinking.. and better drugs... I thought for SURE it will go away NOW....... but NooooOOOOoooo... So I continue to be a blob! BUT.... my blog MUST go on.... So I will update soon!

AAaaaahhhhchooooooo!!!

Well.... I drug myself out of bed... can't breathe... throat is scratchy... of course I'm NOT going to work... it's the polite thing to do... So I am sitting here looking at the computer thru blurry eyes and I have a BIG wad of tissues close at hand. Don't worry... I'm NOT posting a picture of this... it's NOT a pretty sight! I am a blob... don't feel like doing a thing... so I guess I'll go drink juice and check out daytime TV!

Happy Labor Day!

Yay it's Labor Day! Yay we have a day off! BUT... our labor day weekend was all about... laboring! But somehow laboring at home is WAY more fun than laboring at work! We did some more house projects... Mike continued on the moulding project...
I love it! That little bit of wood really makes a difference.
But besides laboring on the house and cleaning and shopping and laundry etc etc... we did take a little time out to do some yummy EATING and visit with some of the kids and watch a movie. So Happy Labor Day everyone ... I hope your weekend was fun!

Big game hunters...

For those that didn't know... this week was the opening season for dove hunting... Here are the big game hunters after a yummy breakfast, all ready to go out and bring home the food. Oh yeah... they wanted to make sure it is noted that this picture was taken at 5ish in the morning. They went hunting twice this week.... and all I want to know is... where's the meat?!?!?!?