Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas from the Fryar Five! :)

Chris, Beverly, Caleb, Negash, and Sarah-Bethany Fryar

The CANDY Tree!!

Having a Blast with Ms. Summer!

Sweet Little Bet-Bet!

We were so blessed to have one of our fellow teachers spend Christmas with us!  We had a blast! :)

I'm really hoping DESPERATELY to keep this Blog and our Updates more current.  My most sincere apologies for falling far behind... but this past semester was very very tough on many levels!

We have also had many blessings and the Lord has remained Faithful and Kind... as He always is!  The Lord truly is GOOD all the time, and ALL THE TIME He is Good!  Praise His Holy and most Hallowed Name!

Much Love to you all!!
~Beverly

Last Day before Christmas Break!

Here are some cute pictures of our last day of school at Brasilia International School before the Christmas Break!  

Chris has been promoted to the Assistant Director's position and we have hired a Business Manager to come take that off his plate hopefully in the Spring.  That will be the first time in 7 years for Chris not to be doing the finances at BIS!!  This fall has been interesting to say the least for Chris, as he has had to spend many hours dealing with a situation in Rio with a former Network school.  This was a very difficult time for him on multiple levels.  Praise the Lord that HE holds all Governments on HIS shoulders and that HE will bring Justice in HIS time!!  Those who pervert the truth will be held accountable... and we have to release that for The LORD to handle!!

Chris has also been teaching Honors US History which he has LOVED!  He has been challenging the students to rise to the level of College Freshman!  They have all learned so much in his class!  In addition to holding down 2 jobs, and teaching an Honors level class... Chris is ALSO taking more Seminary classes!  He is on track to graduate with his Masters this summer!  He's worked so hard this year.

I (Beverly) am teaching 4 classes (Geography, Life Science, Biology, and Chemistry) and trying to maintain a part-time schedule as I pick Sarah-Bethany up everyday at 1pm.  It's been difficult for me being involved in many things without the time to stay at school to work on everything, but I've been managing ok.  I created a new website for the school (through a company called Finalsite).  Check it out!!  www.brasiliainternationalschool.com  or www.biseagles.com  This was a very large task to undertake, but I enjoyed it!  I also worked with Connie (below on the left) on the Christmas Program which is always a big undertaking at our school.  I've also been in charge of Member Care for the school - which involves working to get the new staff in and settled, activities for team building for all the staff, and other "member" duties.  I'll be honest to say that having 3 kids on the field this year has been SO MUCH more difficult than before with just Caleb.  It has limited us in VERY many ways.  But we also know THEY are our First Mission Field too!  So we are working to figure out the balance. Pray for us on this!

Caleb (10yr) is doing well in 4th grade.  He loves playing Soccer and afterschool clubs.  Both the boys love that Chris usually works late and they get to play at the school until I come pick them all up!  He loves Minecraft on his iPod, and pretty much anything electronic!  He does enjoy reading these days, which is a HUGE statement for him!  He's still our little cuddle bug and loves to play any kind of game!

Negash (9yr) is doing well in 3rd grade.  He also loves Soccer and Basketball and anything outside!  Both the boys have become really close to the other staff kids and we are blessed to have 3 staff boys their age!  Sleepovers come fairly often! :)  Negash loves to laugh and be silly!  He is loving learning Portuguese and will use it all the time - even if it's saying "Yellow, Green" in public!!  If it sounds fun in his mouth... he's going to blurt it out! :)  He loves to play electronic games and read on his Nook.

Sarah-Bethany (1 1/2 years) is doing great in her little Day Care (Creche).  She really loves it there and is doing so great!  She also goes to our sweet friend's house on Monday and Thursday afternoons so I can get some things caught up at school.  She is surrounded by sweet Portuguese-only speaking people who are preciously pouring into her little life!  She is so full of character!  She is also quite full of our OWN opinions!  Lord help us!  She loves to laugh and boss her brothers around - who, by the way, are ALWAYS at her Beck-and-Call!   She is a Daddy's Girl through and through, but she and I get our sweet alone time everyday for naps and bedtime!  Love her little hand propped up on my shoulder or my neck as she falls asleep!  My sweet little baby will be 2 in May.

My precious friends who always point to Jesus! - Connie and Angela

I got to have a fun photo shoot with these sweet & beautiful students!!  So much fun!

Sarah-Bethany loves Kanako!

Bet-Bet's Best Friend Abbey (or 'B-abbey' as SB calls her!)

Caleb in his classroom!

Negash in his classroom!

Our Faculty and Staff at our Christmas Party

Sarah-Bethany's First Birthday Party!!

Sarah-Bethany Turned ONE!!  Can't believe it's only been 1 year... and in the same breath... it's been a year already??  She's such a sweet and happy girl... as long as it's not time for nap! :D  We had a great time!  Our sweet Brasilian friends were a bit appalled at the "Smash Cake" idea... so we just did that quickly and changed her clothes back! :)  Here are some pictures from her BIG DAY!! 

The Birthday Day Girl and her Big Brothers!!  

The AMAZING Birthday Cake hand made by one of our staff!!

Smash Cake and a 'Princess Wave'

No Birthday Party is complete without "CALLING THE HOGS!!"

One of her Brasilian Aunties!

Proud Papa!

All Tuckered Out after a LONG DAY of Partying!!  :)

Our New Place!

Our Apartment is located in Sudoeste.  Here is a Google Maps link.  Point A is our Apartment (SQSW 101) and Point B is the School ("Via W Cinco").  I don't know about you, but I LOVE to play with Google Maps... so I thought it might be interesting to you! :)  You can even get "STREET VIEW" :)

You can see that HUGE Green area between the Apartment and the School... that's Parque da Cidade: City Park.  We LOVE it there!  This is where Chris trained for his full marathon when we were here last.  The whole city goes out there on Saturday morning and excercises.  Roller blading, bicycles, beach volleyball, soccer, running, walking... you name it!  And they also do this really cool combination of Beach volleyball and soccer - it's volleyball with only their FEET!!!  

You can also see Lake Paranoa.  It is a man-made lake to help with the dry air during dry season.  Its not Lake Ouachita or Lake DeGray, but its nice!  
Also notice how "Planned" the city is!  Everything fits into perfect little Quadras. Brasilia was built from NOTHING back in the 60's.  It is a "planned" city in the shape of an airplane - which when you live here... TOTALLY messes with my N,S,E,W brain!! All the major streets CURVE!  But... the city out grew the plan... so the outer areas aren't the same.  

Anyway...  thought you might find this interesting!  :)


View My Saved Places in a larger map

WE ARRIVED!!! (a week ago... :)

We made it!!

It was a long journey, and a long week… but the Lord is Faithful!

Suitcases finally all packed!!

#LoveDelta

Our flight to Atlanta was tough… Sarah-Bethany just could not get comfortable.  We felt so badly for all those sitting around us, but we really couldn't do anything about it.  We had a delay on taking off and a delay once we landed while waiting for the gate.  It was TOUGH!  We had 30 minutes to get from Terminal A in Atlanta, onto the subway, and down to Terminal E!  Praise the Lord we know the Atlanta airport so very well!  We made it just in time to board.

I’ll have to admit… once we got on our airplane in Atlanta… REALITY SET IN!  Big Time!  My eyes popped open and my jaw dropped to the floor….. “Baaaaaaaaaabbbbyy…  We’re going to BRAZIL!!!!”  That moment didn't really clear for about an hour!!  I just kept looking at my babies and looking at Chris and saying… “AND we’re taking THREE Children!!!” 

Not really sure why it hit me so hard…  I guess in all the planning and “Do-ing” it hadn't really hit me that THIS IS FOR REAL!!

I sent out an All-Points-Bulletin to some Awesome Prayer Warriors saying “PLEASE pray for Sarah-Bethany to SLEEP on this plane!”  AND… Sleep she did!  Praise the Lord!  She slept a little restlessly, but SLEEP SHE DID the WHOLE Way!  Oh… and can I just give a Shout Out to Delta Airlines for their FREE Economy Comfort upgrade!  That 4 inches is MIGHTY HUGE with a baby on your lap and a 6ft 3 husband!! 

We made it to Brasilia early in the morning.  It was So Sweet to get off that plane!  The boys did AMAZING!!  Handled everything like PROFESSIONALS!!  Chris MASTERFULLY piled up ALL 10 suitcases, plus 4 OVERsized carry-ons onto 3 little carts for Custom’s Inspection.  Caleb and Negash each had one, and Chris had the BIGGEST one.  Sarah-Bethany CHARMED our way AROUND the Custom’s Official… One quick look at her, and he just let us move on! :)

Jeff and Paulo were at the airport in the Kombi (Big VW Bus) to load up!  Thankfully we *KNOW* they had seen WAY more luggage than our 450 pounds!  And away we went to our NEW Apartment!! 

Saying Goodbyes...

It's always hard to say Goodbye... but this is really more like "See ya in June" for us! :)  Which makes it easier!  But still very necessary to see as many people as we can fit into our schedule before we go.  Here's some pics from our Goodbye's and Other FUN activities in April/May!

Chris and the guys!  He is really missing these guys!!!  

The wedding of the decade!!  Ashley and Eric!

at the wedding

With Joe and Susan

With our Fellowship Family

Greg leading prayer over our kids and the Kennedy kids who are all leaving.  We LOVE Fellowship Downtown!!

Amy and Dale and the kids all came up to see us!

Awesome Kids - Lifelong Friends!!

MIMI!  - LOVE HER!!!!!

Sarah-Bethany and I will miss our Wednesdays with TiTi Wanda!!

The boys with Aiden at Chuck E. Cheese!  Gonna miss our outings with Julie and Aiden, too!

Learning to Skateboard at the Shafer's!

With our Fellowship Memphis Downtown friends!

Brooklyn (boys' cousin from St. Louis) got to learn to Skate too!

Negash's favorite part was the Trampoline!

One last visit with Dr. Tsiu before we go!

All of this AND...  Bowling with Ashley and Eric, Lunch with the entire Fryar family & Birthday party for little Parker and William, Dinner with Trevor, Coffee with Laura, Soccer every Saturday, Dinner with my West Clinic Girls, Going Away parties at school for the boys, Dinner with Laura and Parker, A Jewelry Party, and a final GNO @ Newks with my Adoption Group!

Shhhooooooooo....  We're tired!  All of that, plus at least 5 other things I'm forgetting!!

We had an incredible last 6 weeks!  Thank you to ALL of you who loved on us and helped us!!  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

*See you in JUNE!*

VISA'S HAVE ARRIVED - And other Praises!!

Praise Report:


- The VISA'S Arrived!!  On Friday!  Just like last time... just in the NICK of time! :)

-The boys had a great day at school! Their teachers really helped the class process all of it! They came home happy and excited!  I love that their sweet classmates were so precious to them.  I really love that my babies have left sweet little footprints on others' lives! 

-We have gotten a lot of packing and sorting done!!  We are DRIVEN to NOT wait until Monday night at 3am to finish! :)  The HUGEST Blessing OF ALL in this is that we do NOT have to move out of this apartment right now... that was the big stress last time!

- House Update:  We have taken the house off the market to sell and listed it with Crye-Leike's Rental Management Company.  We are hoping to gain a bit more equity before needing to sell again... or just moving back in when we get back... whenever that is!!! :)  *Of Note... My sweet Aunt and Uncle were career missionaries to Taiwan for 40 years, and rented their house the entire time! :)  ...no... we are likely not talking about 40 years in Brazil... but... NEVER PUT THE LORD IN A BOX!! ;)

Now... back to packing before Chris has my head on a platter! 

Good Night! Love you all!!   

Visa, Visa... Wherefore art thou, Visa??

Where, Oh, Where are you tonight?
Why have you left us here all alone?
We searched the Site over to find you, VISA...
You better come back or Pbbbbbbbbbt.... We'll be Mad!

-----------------------------------------------

A Poem to the Brazilian Consulate in Atlanta:
Oh Dear Sweet Consulate stamper,
We don't want to be a day damper,
But please see about our papers
Or you may give us the vapors!

We miss our little Passport books,
Never mind how the picture looks.
If you would just perform your task,
And make that Stamp to Brazil at last.

We'd be so happy and may even hollar,
After all, we sent you many a Dollar!
So Please Consulate stamper, oh my
Please send our papers so we can FLY! 

E-Newsletters!!

Hey Friends!!  If you haven't signed up for our E-Newsletters...  You really need to!! :)

CLICK HERE 

or

http://eepurl.com/xBmID

Many Thanks!  You guys are the Best!  ...and we mean it!

Potholes on the Road to Brasilia!

Pothole encountered... No Detour necessary!

Well....  (I'm finding that I have to use that intro often lately...)  The contract with our house fell through.  Not because of OUR buyers, but our buyers' buyer.  We've had to make the decision to place our house back on the market due to several factors...  But... we have not given up nor are we dismayed because we *know* that our Sovereign Lord has NOT stepped off His Throne nor fallen asleep! :)  We rest in knowing something EVEN GREATER is in store!

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Our plan at this point is to try to sell the house or perhaps rent it if we need to.  Our real estate agent, Rita, is an AMAZING woman of great faith and great patience!  She is a precious friend and we *know* she will do everything in her power to move this house... yet we (and she) also know WHO is Really holding the "Sold" Sign!

...AND SO WE PRESS ON...

Actually... as many of you will recall... we left for Brazil in 2007 without our house sold!  The deal fell through 3 weeks before we left... Hummmmm.... I'm seeing some parallels here!

WE ARE BOOKED to fly out on May 7th!!  Our passports are in Atlanta for our Visa's to be placed inside!  We are very excited to be counting down the days now!

The Boys have very much enjoyed our "transitional" living in our apartment in Seminary housing... Kids Everywhere, wall-to-wall carpet, huge closets that can be quickly turned into a fort and playhouse!  Sarah-Bethany has freedom roam from room to room and pilfer through the boys things (like any good little sister should do!) ;)  It has been a good "next step" for us!

SO WHAT'S NEXT?
So, we head to Brasilia on May 7th to allow Chris to complete re-enrollment, transition the school from a remote process back to an on-site business model, and get ready for the fall. This will also give the boys a GREAT "taste" of Brasilia: the city, the school, the culture.  
And then we are coming BACK!! :)  See... so you don't have time to miss us yet!!
We will be coming BACK on June 18th to be here for PFO with NICS (pre-field orientation - we will be advisers, and the kids will participate in their INCREDIBLE program geared just for them!!).
Chris will also be training the fella coming to take his place in the NICS office. Until the end of July, he will CONTINUE to be responsible for all the finances of 3 of our NICS schools!! (His plate is very full!) *Did I mention he is also continuing his seminary classes too!?!?!  #busyboy

And... we're thankful we can have some Summer Vacation time with our families too!  The boys would be SO Upset to miss "G-Daddy Camp"!  :)

So that's where we are... Pressing On...

Praying the next Update comes from BRASILIA!! :)

Prayer Requests:
The House, Transition to Brazil for all 5 of us, Remaining funds for car purchase ($4500), Committed child care for Sarah-Bethany, Safe Travel, Tying up loose ends here, and Leaving Well!

Easter

We had the most Amazing Easter! 

One of those 'Precious Memories' kind of Easters...

Last week, we planned to have DATE NIGHT - with the Boys... Separately!

We had the boys list some fun activities and we put those on slips of paper and drew them out.  We also drew WHO each boy was going to go with and WHEN they were going to go!  With Sarah-Bethany, it's not always easy to find a babysitter... so we just arranged them on different nights!

So Thursday night was Dad and Negash's Night.  Negash drew Chuck E. Cheese!  Meanwhile, Caleb, Sarah-Bethany and I all stayed home and watched 'Wreck It Ralph'.

 I don't know where in the WORLD it comes from... but Negash is obsessed with RINGS!  So with all the tickets Dad and he won... he wanted Bling Rings!  LOL!  He's such a mess!

Then Friday night was our turn!  Caleb drew Incredible Pizza!  We had a BLAST at Laser Tag and all the other fun games!  Sweet time together!

THEN....  Sunday... RESURRECTION SUNDAY...  Chris got the Awesome and Amazing Priveledge of Baptizing Negash on Easter Sunday!  What a Beautiful Picture of what Jesus died for!

So Thrilled that BOTH my boys now have their names in the Book of Life!  There just isn't any greater feeling for a Mother... but to know her children are Children of the MOST HIGH GOD!  #AmazingGrace

And Sweet "Miss Bet" was SO ADORABLE in her little Easter Dress!  She was so sweet and loving to all that came! She just loved on everyone!!  She is such an Amazing Baby!

Precious Cousins!  These 3 just LOVE to play with each other!  My boys just LIGHT UP when they know Sweet Brooklyn is coming to visit!

My Precious HANDSOME (and Skinny!) Daddy and Ms. Floy came to our Easter Service to celebrate Negash's baptism.  We are so blessed by them both!  My awesome Brother came down from St. Louis (with Brooklyn) too!  My heart was so full!!