Are we creating manics?

We have lived in America for exactly 1 year. As soon as we arrived, church league basketball started up. We went to church league b-ball for two months. Before the end of the season we received our sign-ups for community soft-ball. That took us to the end of school. The very day after school let out, we began summer swimming which involves two hours of practice 5 days a week, plus meets every Saturday until the end of July. Of course, Monday and Tuesday night we have dance, and on Wednesday we go to church for Awanas. I'm glad we didn't sign up for cheerleading or tae-kwond0: those are after school sports- because if we had, we'd have no time for the AAA rehearsals that we're working on for our program on February the 8th.

Oh, by the way- my kids are 6 and 8.

As fun as it can be- I think I'm crazy- or is this just life in AMERICA.

How to Be Spiritual Without Being Weird

How to Be Spiritual Without Being Weird

Christmas- 10am

The Christmas experience is like building a massive house out of legos and then waking up early as early as you possibly can to knock it all down- all you have left is to put everything back in the box! - which is what the week-long holiday between Christmas and New Years is for.

Anna got a camera for Christmas and took a pictures of Uncle Timmy and Liz after Christmas!

picture a real third world jail

In Brazil, a friend of ours is a jailer. One day, I stopped by to visit. In his jail, the government provides nothing except a cell. If you want food, you better have a sweet mama who will bring it to you THREE TIMES A DAY. There is no toilet paper or even a toilet, so everyone in the cell must agree on a place to poop. There is no shower nor is there any promise of a speedy trial. My friend, the jailer, turns up the t.v. in his office really loud so the men can have something to listen to. Each cell is filled to capacity.


This week illustrated that America is the only place on Earth where illegal people can protest and actually get what they want. It blows my mind that this fact alone doesn't convince Americans that America is a very special place and one worth protecting. In other countries, there are actually people who ARE really "disenfranchised". These are the ones who are risking all they have to illegally get here and stay here- even if it means being a second class citizen forever.

There are many great countries in the world. I admire lots of them, however, I don't see half a million illegal people marching to get into any other place. Of course, by virture of being illegal, in any other country (except maybe France) protestors would be scared to pull off a stunt like that. The chances of be beaten and thrown into a scary jail cell worst than this one would make it not worth the risk.

Outside of America, Brazil is probably the most democratic place on earth. It is a relatively fair country, a free country and a place where hardworking people can live fulfilled lives. The world for the most part is not a fair and free place to live. If your sitting in a free corner of it- thank God for what He has given you and protect it!!!

Somehow the pictures didn't go with the article-- so here's a second try!

Boobs and Howard Stern

Today I was listening to Howard Stern tell Sean Hannity that he enjoys having strippers in his radio studio because he's interested in humanity!! What a joke- how do boobs express humanity ON THE RADIO?!! I'm including a couple of expressions of humanity that do not require nudity of any kind- one of them is my youngest daughter doing a Howard Stern imitation!!

Here is our family at Anna's Alfabetizacao graduation. In Brazil when you have been successfully "alphabetized" you go through a beautiful ceremony which always involves the Daddy and daughter dancing the waltz.

Both Anna and Elizabeth love capoeira- the Brazilian dance/fight you see in this picture. It's loads of fun and great exercise. Everyone should give it a try!!

Also, here's my book" How to Be Spiritual Withoug being Weird". Go to Hannibal.com and get it. It's a must read!!

This is me at our home in Fortaleza, Brazil. It was taken in my front yard. As you can tell, we are walled in completely down there. We call our house "Fort Brawner". It has been completely secured by an electric fence all the way around, traps on all the doors, bars on the windows, lasers across the living and dining room, and panic buttons in my bedroom, by Jeff's office and in the living room. If you want to read about my paranoia, check out "Value 10" of my book. It's called "Conquering Fear". I hope you like it.