Picture of the kids

I just added 2 posts one with Julia’s pictures and one with David – just scroll down from this post and you will see the two other posts. P.s. this is just an explanation so Grampa Knowles gets it :) Don’t feel bad Grampa, I just figured out how to add more than one picture at a time here! Oops!

Here we are all sharing a mango! Lola loves mangoes, so do I and the kids discovered the goodness of it just here! what a great family moment.



This picture shows the boys very patriotic watching the game while David finishes a banana.

mami julia y lola

This is my Julia.

Here is a picture of Julia with mami and Lola:

Feeding David ... from a bottle!

It is not the best picture of me, but … what am I saying? It is the best picture I got.

My boy let me feed him a bottle of oatmeal (Granma “abue” Carmen’s recepie)
He is wearing the official Brazil Soccer jersey and dad is proud.

We got home Last Tuesday

We got home Last Tuesday. Now the fun really starts!

We actually woke up at 4 am to take our first plane to Frankfurt (around 3 hours), the ride was great and the kids behave just fine, then, we had to take our flight from Frankfort to Miami (9 hours and 10 minutes): we hardly ate at all in the whole trip, David went to sleep in papi’s lap and Brian did not wanted to move, we did not wanted David awake and wanting to play during the plane ride. Julia was with me, slept 1 hour and the rest of the time we played, sang, etc. A flight attendant actually came over and told us that our kids behave very well, “there are so many kids crying and you can hardly hear yours” she added.

Well we were so tired, by the time we got to Miami it was some insane hour for us I think around 10 or 11 pm for our clocks. I thought we were going through immigration and they were going to look at my kids passports, hand a flag to us and say “Welcome David and Julia to the United States” but it was not like that, they took us to this room full of people, to wait for our turn … I started to get really tired and frustrated … there were at least 40 people before us there … you see anyone that comes in an is asking for political asylum, or have a green card process to finish at entrance, or any one that just look fishy to them, goes to this room!!

We prayed God would give us favor, and He did, we were out of there within an hour … then we did the walk towards the baggage claim area, I had Julia in a Hip Hammock, a back pack and David in a stroller while Brian took care of our luggage .. we got through the custom and I saw my sister Debbie and her husband Richard … and I cried like a little girl … I just could not believe we were finally home with our kids and that I did not have to worry so much anymore about some paper work missing that could hinder the adoption process … I just let it all out in a big, big cry and I am so glad Debbie was there she is so sweet and helpful.

Then the car seats .. first time in a car seat .. they behaved like .. “I knew it! This people are not as nice as they pretended for this last week” finally they calmed with cherrios! Thank God for Cherrios!!!

Then we got home, I was so glad to see my mother and my Lola; by the way, we taught David to say Lola when we were in the plane! It was so good to be home.

The last wee was hard; so many people had said to us “Life changes forever when you have kids” and I just could not believe how much!!!

We are in the adapting phase still, I got really sick with a cold and then I ate something and got a bad stomach problem, did not feel good at all for some 3 days. Today I am feeling better, have some more strength.

All my family cried when they met our children, they all see God’s miracle of adoption and I think it really paints a wonderful picture of all of us, and how God adopted us as children …

My mother has been a great help! She helps me with the meals, the naps, etc. but most of all her company and her prayers.

David’s 2nd birthday is tomorrow; and tomorrow also, will be two years my father passed away …. That still amazes me … David was born the day my father died.

Grandma and Grandpa Knowles are just counting the days .. they will be visiting for a week starting this Saturday, we are all waiting anxiously, they say they are coming by land since their van is full of gifts (Oh my!) Auntie Brenda will be here also, it will be great to have the family together for the 4th of July celebration; but most of all, we will be presenting our kids to the Lord this weekend .. just an official ceremony with family and very closed friends.

The kids are very happy, they smile a lot. Julia was the one that in the orphanage visits, the only emotion she showed was through tears .. she cried so much with me I was concerned!
Now, she is just Mommy’s girl, she wants me all the time, I am teaching her to stay some time by herself so I can get to do the ordinary things … but it feels so good that she loves to be with me … David learned to run to me while I open my arms and say in Spanish “David, come, run, run to mami” and he opens his arms and runs to me and hugs me … I think they are as happy as we are to be home!

Happy father’s day!!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!!
This is Brian’s first father’s day and what a beautiful and blessed moment for all of us. Both children say Papa! David also tries to say “Gooool” and raises his arms with papi when watching the world cup games … We think he actually tried to say “Shuta” (Portuguese word for kicking a ball)

Here is a picture of the kids in bed with Papi Brian. I won’t be able to post pictures today, may be tomorrow since they charge by the hour here at the hotel and Brian was looking at his business email so I just got some few minutes .. and then is getting ready for lunch again.

Thanks a lot for all your comments they are welcome and appreciated!

Dear Heavenly father, we thank you for all your blessings, thank you for David and Julia, thank you for you provided for all of us a family. I am so overwhelmed with your goodness and I think I just have not yet comprehend the fullness of it. Thanks, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

David and Julia could have not chosen a better daddy! Brian you are wonderful and I thank God for bringing us together.

Our children

We are proud to present to you our children: David Mark Knowles and Julia Amanda Knowles. In this picture you will see them in their favorite activity: eating.
Hi Vicky, is funny that you are concerned Brian and I will be trying to go to fancy restaurants in Moscow with our two kids! you know us well! Yes, I know, it sounds just like something we would do, but surprisingly, we hardly get out of the hotel these days. My family will have a hard time to believe this also.

I keep saying it, but I am just not very talented at finding a different way to say it: thank you, thank you, thank you … thanks so much for your prayers and support … the best gift to give to a family in our process is just that: prayer and words of encouragement!

Good news: we are leaving Tuesday morning instead of Wednesday, Yes, What a miracle!!!

We are keeping the kids on their "old" schedule so that there are not too many changes for them: Brian and I get up at 7 am turn the lights on, take showers, get ready, pray together and then we open all the curtains and say good morning! Then, we change the diapers and get ready to go down for breakfast. We eat breakfast at the hotel – I still don’t know if I am feeding them right, I know David is overfed since we had already 3 very messy accidents that required an immediate bath and washing of clothes .. if you know what I mean. I told Brian today at breakfast: “thanks so much for your help” and he almost got upset! He said what do you mean by help? We are a team!!! I am blessed; and he is right this process requires a team.

Right now, Julia is taking her morning nap and Brian and David went downstairs for a little walk. We are having lunch and dinner at the hotel and we all take a nap around 2pm. The hotel has a play area were we take the kids after breakfast and after the naps. It sounds like just normal and easy when I write it, but, it is just our planned schedule, there is always a surprise and a little challenge to the experience.

David and Julia are a blessing and we are actually happy to stay a little longer to bound together in His Love and Provision.

p.s. I will post pictures on a different site and will let you know the address on the next post.

What’s making news around the world these days?

According to the weekly Moscow newspaper Element, the main people in the news were: The biggest star of the world cup, Brazilian soccer player Ronaldinho, is the poster boy for the Nike’s campaign “Jugo Bonito”; The Colombian singer Shakira will be singing at the closing ceremonies of the 2006 World Cup, her song “Hips don’t lie” became the “most played song in pop history” 9657 spins in one week; The American actors, Brad and Angelina, just released the photos of their baby girl Shiloh Nouvel Jolie –Pitt.


Cool news, right! Well in our world, there are also breaking news: As of Wednesday Brian and I are proud parents to two blessed children: David Mark Knowles and Julia Amanda Knowles!!!!

We are family ……. I got David n Julia with me!
We are family …….. come on everybody … Sing (with me)!

I will post photos on my next posts and will tell more details on the events for this week.

We are delayed on our immigration process because Monday was a holiday here and the court did not wanted to count Monday as part as the 10 mandatory wait period … and since today is Friday, and there is still some more paper work to do for the embassy, we will have to stay longer and will probably leave on Wednesday.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support!!

Brian and Rebeca K.

I went Bananas Over D on Friday

D knows we are here to take him home. The kids say ¨”Mama … D …”
They all are vocal about it (mostly the girls) except D, he just cries when he sees us come to the orphanage … he first smiles with great happiness and then it seems as if he remembers the car ride to the photo place and then he cries…
We asked his doctor if he has a favourite food, he said …. He eats it all! “what about bananas?” I asked, oh yes, he said, bananas, apples, everything. We took him outside and he stopped crying. Outside the orphanage as I hold him on my lap facing my heart, holding his Elmo book on one hand and his blue and white teddy bear on the other, I rocked him back and forth and sang a new song:

(Very slowly)
Quien es este ninno
De ojos tan tiernos
Quien es este ninno
Que me dio el Sennor

(Picking up pace)
Su nombre es:
David Mark Knowles
Si le dan una banana
Se la come en un sentar
Saborea una manzana
Se la come y pide mas.

On our way to the orphanage 3, the radio Jazz station was playing a Samba/rock “misturo Chiclets con bananas y Miami con Copacabana” the name of the song is “confusion”.

On Thursday when I sat next to D to have lunch, he gave me 2 kisses …Just had to say that!!! Brian is jealous … he is not the only cool boy with pretty eyes that get to kiss me anymore. Oh and yesterday, the girls at the orphanage gave little gifts, they came by with flowers they picked from the ground, D was kind of puzzled … so once he sat on the grass, he found the biggest branch and he handed it to me…isn’t that sweet!!!

I am in love!!!!!

Everything cleared up yesterday

Everything cleared up yesterday.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

We went to court on Tuesday and the judge did not rule. That is the most unsatisfying experience in this whole process. She said we had to wait for one paper, Brian and I could not figure out what this paper was … we left it in God’s hands and just did all the facilitator told us to do. Yesterday we got the confirmation that our papers are all in and that the Judge granted us favorably … This means we are not delayed in the process and we will probably be keep the schedule. We have the 10 day wait period for both of our kids which we will spend in Barcelona with our adoptive friends.

We will be back here on the 12th to do all the rest of the paper work.

Special thanks to Mom and dad Knowles and everybody at their department at Billy Graham for their Prayers. Thanks to mami for taking care of the house and Lola. Thanks to all our friends praying at church back home (Vicky and Craig, we know you are God sent) thanks to our blogger friends for your support and prayers.

D is terrified of cars, we took him to do the passport picture (2 minute drive) he almost dies of an anxiety attach, let’s see how he does in an airplane … for 16 hours!.

By the way, our luggage got in just fine!!!