My little Gray_D_Bug!

August 1 my baby girl finally arrived from her trip to Brazil. It was a little longer than I think she thought it would be, but it really helped her grow and learn. I could see and hear the growth in her before she even arrived!



While in Brazil, she stayed with Barata, Jackie and Lol (who was an exchange student here last year at LWHS). They were so loving and generous with her. Gray didn't speak any Portuguese when she left, but they made sure to help her around and she learned to speak a little while she was there. Lol said she had never met anyone who picked up Portuguese as fast as my baby girl did! But I already knew she was amazing! Gray loved it in Brazil and can't wait to go back for Carnival!

Gray and Lol became very close while she was there and they did most everything together. Lol and Jackie even attended church with Gray while she was there. Gray said they really liked the church and would like to know more about it! They took Gray everywhere and treated her like she was family. Gray loved the the first few weeks at the house by the beach at Marica and said the beach Copacabana was awesome too! But her favorite place seemed to be Cabo Frio where Jackie's sister lived. Gray said it was beautiful there. After Jackie went back to work and they went to stay at the condo in Rio, she and Lol took the bus to the house in Marica and back to Rio several times, so they were pretty independent there.

I think Gray got pretty homesick. We chatted on messenger everyday while she was gone. She left feeling pretty sure she wanted to go far away for college once she graduated. She returned rethinking that plan. :) I'm sure by the time graduation really rolls around I will have driven her sufficiently crazy that she will again be anxious to spread her wings!

This month or so was really a learning experience for Gray. She had a great deal of time to think about her life and what she wanted it to be. She was exposed to things in a way that she never had before and made some realizations about herself and her life. She was able to experience a great deal of independence, but exercised great discipline and maturity in her decisions. She really put herself in a situation that stretched her and I think those challenges brought new found courage and amazing growth. I am so proud of the things she did to help herself grow toward the person she really wants to be!