How we got to where we’re going- Written August 2011

I found this on my desktop. It's a blog post I wrote as soon as we'd arrived in NY for Aaron's first year of grad school. Somehow I never posted it. I thought it was worth posting. It makes a perfect opener to sharing what's next in store for us as Aaron finishes grad school this summer! More to come. First, please reflect with me on the beginning of our journey! 

So we here we are in New York City where Aaron will begin a dual degree for a Masters in Public Policy and Public Administration. It’s a two year program that will be one year in NYC and one year in Sao Paulo Brazil. Many of you who read this blog know how we arrived at the decision to go to grad school but some may not, so it’s worth a blog entry!

Three years ago (currently 5 years ago) we started grappling with the idea of grad school for Aaron. When we lived in Brazil before, we worked with college students who were essentially the elite of society. We were very burdened by the needs of the society as well as the personal needs of Brazilians. We wanted to return to the US to get training in how to tend to those needs. We weren’t sure what that would look like initially, but after a couple years of being back, we began to catch a vision for a holistic ministry. We want to establish a center or NGO (non governmental organization) agency where we can help churches, government, and nonprofit agencies to work together in collaboration to tackle needs within a community.

In light of that, we felt like Aaron getting formal education in public policy/administration emphasizing on international development would be a great asset. This vision was increasingly becoming more of a defined call of God on our lives. So Aaron began studying for entrance exams for grad school and started researching schools that had programs to fit this long term goal.

Our intention was to go begin grad school in Fall of 2009. That spring Aaron changed jobs from Neighborhood Revitalization Coordinator for the city of Grand Prairie, TX to Grants Planner for the city of Arlington, TX. If we were to leave for grad school in the fall, Aaron would only be able to serve in that role for 9 months. This along with learning that we were expecting our first born in May of 2009 made us decide to put school off until fall of 2010. Aaron was thriving in his role with the city of Arlington, and we loved being able to birth our firstborn around the support of an incredible community. When Austin was 5 months old, we learned he was going to be a big brother! The new baby would be due in August of 2010. Immediately our plans were pushed back. There was no way we could birth a baby, move cities, and start grad school in one month. A very clear memory from that time for me was asking Aaron if he was disappointed that we would not be able to attend grad school that fall. He said with great confidence, “I would much rather have another baby than start grad school right now.” I knew God had prepared us for this little gift growing within me!

On with the story…during a trip to Brazil in January of 2010 Aaron discovered Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV). It’s the top Public Administration school in Brazil. He was inquiring about attaining a degree from them as we were in the process of exploring how and when we would return to Brazil to live. He learned during that visit that FGV had a partnership with Columbia University where he’d study for one year in NYC at Columbia and then one year in Sao Paulo at FGV.  For the next year, we researched, prayed, explored, prayed, visited, prayed, applied, and prayed some more about where to go to school. The actual decision is a lengthy blog post in itself, but it was very clear to us one Sunday Morning early May 2011 that we were to go to Columbia/FGV. Aaron was awesome in including me in this entire process and we were totally on the same page with this adventure we are embarking on! 

An Ordinary Day....

....filled with extraordinary moments!

This past Wednesday was such a sweet day. It's Saturday now and the vividness of the day that played through my head is growing faint. I imagine that as the weeks, months, and years go by, it will fade completely. So here's to remembering those extraordinary moments!

We got to go to Moments for Moms on Wednesday. I call it my happy place. It's a time where moms get together for fellowship and encouragement. The kids get to go play with one another while moms share a cup of coffee, hear a talk on something to sharpen your mothering, and then chat with one another about life.  It's been the place over the past year where God has given me a warm embrace time and time again. It was the last time we will get to go to Moments for Moms in Sao Paulo. It was a emotional time in that there was so much gratitude for that space in our lives. And saddness to begin the goodbyes.

On our way home, we unexpectedly ran into Aaron as he was headed to school. It was so fun to smile at each other across the side walks and watch the boys run to their daddy. Aaron also shared the good news that his 7pm class was cancelled so he'd get to see the boys before bed!

After nap we had to go to the grocery store. Everyone was dreading it. It's one of my least favorite "chores" in Sao Paulo. It's close to a mile walk up hill to the store. Convincing the boys to stay in the stroller in the store (when they can touch everything on both sides of the isle from inside the stroller-the temptation is too strong), is no small feat. Then the walk home down hill with a full stroller pulling you down. Austin was whinny, saying the store was not fun and he didn't want to go. All of this was lead to one of those extraordinary moments of the day. We sat down to talk. I told him I didn't want to go to the store either. I agreed that it wasn't fun. But we talked about how much of a blessing it is to get to go to the store. We remembered all the people we walk by that have no food and no opportunity to buy things at the grocery store. I asked him to help me change my attitude and we agreed to choose to be thankful together about going. It was almost magical.

By the time we got home it was 5:50pm. We had that stroller full of groceries, and dinner (usually served at 6pm) had not even been prepped for. I immediately I thought the boys would need a movie to get through dinner prep to be able to stretch out their hunger for a late dinner. But in the moment, they were playing well. So I decided to let it ride. To my surprise they played super well for an hour while the groceries were unloaded and dinner was made. The laughter coming from the living room gave me the energy I needed to keep on keepin on :)

What pulled my heart out was what came next. Dinner was finished, dishes were done, I'd bathed the boys, and we were on the coach starting bed time books when daddy arrived. Jonathan heard the key in the door and jumped up. His hands on his cheeks as if anticipating. As soon as the door opened, he ran to daddy (still on the outside of the apartment). Jonathan hugged his daddy's legs and said, "I love you (-pause-) I love you so much." My heart melted. It really did melt. I was not alone in this. Aaron had to peal his heart off the ground too. We sat down to read. We each had a kiddo on our lap. Aaron had his arm around me. We were reading The Legend of the Candy Cane. All was well in my my world. In the middle of the book, Austin reaches over and grabs his daddy's hand. That was when I lost it. I know I'm pregnant, but I'm pretty sure my reaction would have been the same (maybe if not pregnant I wouldn't be weeping again while typing). I could.not.stop.crying. I wanted with everything in me to stop time. I wanted to freeze right then and never get up. I wanted to be in my husbands embrace holding my children to adore their daddy FOREVER.

O Magnify the Lord with me. Let us exalt His name together

Psalm 34:3

A dear friend recently challenged me to look for magnify moments in my day. It's transformational when we choose to see the joy a day holds. I wish I was better at this. I wish I my eyes were more in tune with the extraordinary moments. Each day holds them. They unlock unmeasurable joy. Unfortunately in my life they are missed all too often. But on this ordinary day, I was Graced with the vision to see them. I am so grateful!

Baby #3

I've been thinking a lot about welcoming another little one into our family. I've been getting really excited about having a newborn to cuddle. As I think back to Austin and Jonathan, I am not sure I fully delighted in that season. With Austin, there was this, OH CRAP - what have we gotten ourselves into? This little thing NEEDS ME 24/7. I am not sure I meant for this to happen! When the anxiety from all that settled, he was probably close to 3 months old. Then when he was 5 months old we got pregnant again with Jonathan. The "OH CRAP" was a little louder this time. It came with a few more freak outs (lasting well over 9 months). When the anxiety settled from that well, we began preparing to move our family across the country to NYC....(I could elaborate, but that's not where I want to go with this post).

So...hindsight's 20/20 right? 

I realize that I lost a lot of those sweet sweet moments in the dust of difficult circumstances.

Third time's the charm right?

There's absolutely NO indication that the circumstances will be any easier this time around. I heard a quote that says something to the effect (paraphrasing here!)

The most stressful times in life are starting a new job, making a big move, or having a baby.

Well in true Pierce love for intensity we are doing ALL of these at the same time! But, I don't want to loose the first precious moments of the life of our 3rd child's life in the midst of crazy circumstances. I also don't want to have no memories of this pregnancy because of the craziness of life through it. After all, this baby will have been in two countries and three states by the time it's born (more on that another time!) We have stories to tell him/her.

So in light of all this, I want to put it in writing. I've decided I need to write about the pregnancy. I need to write about the eagerness of meeting him/her. I need to document these things. Of course to remember them later, but also, to make a point to stop and enjoy them. I didn't do this with the boys. I think if I had, there wouldn't have been so much lost in the dust. I've learned my lesson. I need to live in light of that lesson. or I haven't really internalized it!

So here's to writing about our new arrival! 

**Disclaimer** I don't want to fool myself in saying I will be writing about those newborn days I plan to treasure. Yes, I am intending on delighting in them, but I'm sure the spare moments will be dedicated to enjoying my "big boys", spending needed time with hubby, or sleeping! 

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Easter

We had a quiet Easter this year, but it was so neat to celebrate some of what we (Aaron and I) remember from our childhood with our boys. Austin and Jonathan are at an age now that they fully understand and enjoy it. We had a sweet morning devotion with the boys before going to church. The boys have been really fascinated by the Easter story. Their favorite parts being the Roman soldiers who were "MEAN" and the stone being rolled away from the empty tomb. After church and nap, we blew out some eggs which was a perfect opportunity to talk about the empty tomb. Of course ended the day with some Brazilian Easter Egg goodness.

For me, by far, the highlight of the day was the boys wake up conversation. One saying to the other, "It's Easter! It's Easter! We get to celebrate JESUS today." A quiet, simple Easter it was - but the meaning was clear as the early morning sun! 

He is Risen!

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Good Friday in São Paulo - By Aaron

Warm greetings on this Good Friday (Sexta Santa)!

My final semester is well underway and I'm especially enjoying two classes, Public-Private Partnerships and Negotiation, which present material that is very relevant to my career interests. Joyce is in her second trimester of pregnancy. Aside from twisting her ankle yesterday on the treacherous sidewalks of São Paulo, she is doing great and all exams have shown good results to this point. Thank the Lord!

The following are a few fun updates and reflections from the past month. Read at your leisure!

Good Friday

The boys and I had lunch with the family of one of our church's associate pastors today. I always have stimulating conversations with the pastor. As we drove through the neighborhood, he commented that Brazilians had traditionally honored Good Friday (even Holy Week) by closing shops, going to church, spending time with family, eating fish, etc. Even non-religious or nominally Catholic families would honor the holiday for fear that something bad might befall them if they didn't. Today was relatively quiet in São Paulo, kind of like a Sunday when many shops close early and others don't open at all, but it was far from desolate - a sign that the values of the metropolis have changed. The conversation brought to light the prevalence of superstitions and traditions that often drown out many holidays. We celebrate today, and call it good, because nearly 2,000 years ago Jesus of Nazareth chose to offer his sinless life on the cross so that we might experience abundant life and redemption with God here on earth and in heaven. As He died, the skies blackened, the earth quaked, and the veil in the temple at Jerusalem tore from top to bottom exposing the Most Holy Place and signifying that there was no human leader or institution that could come between God and His children. Praise God!

Lemann Road Show 2013

The fellowship I received from the Lemann Foundation based here in Brazil made it possible for me to pursue grad school at two incredible schools such as Columbia and FGV. What I didn't know before was just how committed the foundation is to the personal and professional development of its fellows. Last week, the foundation took me and about 14 other graduating fellows on a whirlwind tour visiting some of the most influential Brazilian leaders in various fields to provide opportunities for us to learn, be inspired, and further develop our network of friends and professional contacts. Some of the highlights were the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the President of the Central Bank, the Brazil Director of the World Bank, the Brazil President of Facebook, the National Minister of Education, the President of Grupo Abril, and a prominent political reform advocate. We spent four packed days in meetings with these leaders peppering them with questions, hearing their insights on leadership, and discussing the challenges facing Brazil today. Sharing this experience with such brilliant colleagues was truly phenomenal. The biggest highlight of the week for me was when the Chief Justice invited us to meet him in his office (for the second time that day) and he spent more than an hour talking with us while his aides repeatedly tried to get him to leave for another engagement. His final words: "Always stay true to the values you received growing up. Don't get swept away by the values of institutions and corporations. Be critical, participate, and speak the truth." 

Inside Brazil Supreme Court

Outside Brazil Supreme Court with Congress in background

How to "Watch" a Soccer Game in São Paulo without a TV

Sunday afternoon is soccer time in Brazil, much like football time in the US. This is how one might experience it without actually watching the game:

4:00pm brief fireworks in the neighborhood = game begins

4:10pm mild cursing heard in the neighborhood = disagreeable foul call against home team

4:25pm barrage of fireworks and wild cheering = goal, home team

4:39pm wild cursing = yellow card against home team

4:45pm brief fireworks = halftime

5:15pm brief fireworks = 2nd half begins

5:23pm wild cursing and dog yelping (presumably from an errant shoe, foot, or beer can) = goal, visiting team 

5:35pm cheering and laughter = yellow card/injury, visiting team

5:37pm multiple fireworks and wild cheering = goal, home team

6:00pm fireworks = game over

Final score = home 2, visitors 1

Yes, but doesn't São Paulo have multiple home teams? How do you know which team was playing? 1) One of the SPFC fans to the west is especially fanatical and likes to cheer/curse as loud as he can directly out the window. 2) If the noise is more dispersed throughout the neighborhood, Corinthians was playing because they have a larger fan base. 3) If it was a quiet afternoon with some occasional cursing, it was Palmeiras who hasn't had much to cheer about in a while.

Stress

Check out this interesting article about stress and its effects on your quality and longevity of life:

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/522408?print-article

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Phil. 4:6 

With much love from Brazil,

Aaron

Random Happenings in the Pierce home!

Thought it would be fun to upload a few pics from the ipod. It's usually the quickest camera we have handy, so it captures the daily joys!

Jonathan smiling at Nana on the phone while going potty :) 

The boys have really come to enjoy watching "First Baftist" (as Jonathan calls it!) services online

Rediscovered love for puzzles. Occasionally we (they) get them ALL out and do them one at a time. 

I discovered with this picture that Austin's learned to take pictures on the ipod!

Rainy day fun! Thanks Aunt Sissie for the "school work" the boys loved it!

Notice the cordless house phone pointed at the legos? That's Jonathan "showing" Mema the legos Austin had created.

Yoke up early from nap little man?!?! Yoga with momma is what's on the agenda! 

Austin's really into practicing letters through spelling. This is my favorite :)

Best Buds - we couldn't be more grateful :)

City Savvy

It's been nearly two years that we have lived in a mega city. When we left Arlington TX the summer of 2011, we sold both of our cars, down sized to "fit" into a NYC apartment, and prepared mentally for what urban living could entail! Part of me was excited, part of me was nervous. In retrospect, learning to live in a huge city has been a great lesson for all of us.

I've learned what it's like to read a subway map without hyperventilating! I've also learned that getting lost isn't the same thing as getting kidnapped (that's what my insides would tell me when I would first realize I didn't know where I was!) I've learned that I really enjoy walking to run errands (believe it or not, you can get a bigger quantity of errands run on foot than you can while driving). I've learned that even when you don't know the exact way home, you can still get home by asking for people's help. But what's been the funnest part of city living to me has been watching my boys become "city savvy"! I've been amazed at the how the boys have adapted. I never imagined that Austin at just shy of 4 years old and Jonathan at 2 and a half would be quite as adapted to urban living as they are. Here are the things that have most recently impressed me about them:

*Walking- The subway stop is a mile from our home. Daddy is way more brave than I am. When I'm with the boys, out of fear of melt downs, or that I'll have to carry a 30lb child for a mile, I always take the little bus that gets us to the subway. But when we're with daddy we walk :) The other day, I gave them the option of getting on the bus or walking home. They chose to walk! They did so cheerfully without complaining. I was impressed and proud.

*Safety Zones- I remember having many near heart attacks in subway stations when we first moved to NYC. The boys were so curious about the train tracks. They were eager to look at them - ahhh - a momma's nightmare! Today they are very aware of the line they need to stay behind.

*Holding hands. I remember the struggle it was to have them hold my hand while walking. Today they are happy to hold it and understand the safety behind holding our hands on crowded streets.

*Crossing the Street - In our neighborhood we will often allow them to walk ahead (or behind) us without holding hands. It still amazing me every time they get to the corner, look back and reach up for our hands. They've learned that streets have cars. Cars mean danger. Holding momma and dad's hands is best! 

*Escalators - The boys love them! And do really well on them :) I am always a little nervous of a tumble on the moving stairs with sharp edges and risk of knowing people over. To date (knock on wood) we've had no issues getting on (or off) escalators. The boys enjoy the ride and often ask not to have to hold our hands on them.

*Being herded like cows! - Rush hour on the subway in Sao Paulo is beyond packed. It really does feel like you are a cow in a heard being escorted by the rest of the cows in a certain direction....and don't even attempt to go against the flow on this one. Just wait for the crowd to subside if you have to hang a left when the "herds" are going right. The boys and I don't have to do much commuting during rush hour, but yesterday we found ourselves among the crowds. I was alone with both of them. I'll be honest, my heart did race a little. The thought of one of them wanting to go the other way, or deciding this would be the time to pitch a fit. The risk of being trampled was really real (at least in my mind - HA!) They did awesome! They patiently complied with the rules of people traffic. They held tight to my hands and we safely navigated our way home through the masses :) 

I never really envisioned myself living in a mega city. Matter of fact, I've always said to God please send me anywhere in the world EXCEPT Sao Paulo. In addition, when Aaron was looking at grad schools he asked me if there was anywhere I didn't want to go. I simply said, "Please no where cold, and no big cities!" Hahaha! The joke's on you Joyce. Careful what you say! When all this is said and done though, I've loved our time in big cities. I am sure there will be many things I miss. I am also really thankful for the rich experiences only Sao Paulo and New York would have been able to teach my boys!