I really should be studying Portuguese

I was planning on doing some studying tonight, but I'm a bit tired and Rosetta Stone makes me fall asleep. I've been a bit busy recently, and sick, but I am finally fully over my cold, and I quit my last remaining English class, so I'm feeling a bit more free. It also helps immensely that we've hired someone to help us around the house. We have someone come two days a week, one day while I'm working at the Canadian school, and one day just to help us keep up on things. I have to admit, I feel no guilt about having this kind of help. I think that prior to moving to Brazil I thought that it would be strange to hire someone to clean/watch the kids/cook/iron. But having been here for a few months, and seeing how practically every middle class family hires help, and after reading a few blogs, I came to the conclusion that hiring help is actually a strange act of justice. Unemployment is so high, and there is such a need, it is almost the "duty" of those with resources to employ someone else. Maybe this is arrogant, maybe this is too simple of a perspective, but when our helper left and our floor actually looked clean for the FIRST TIME IN 3 MONTHS I knew it was worth it. Turns out there is a special product that you need with our kind of floors, and I was absolutely oblivious. And the slow draining sink? Simply using your hand as a plunger takes care of any clog there. Wow. And our kids love her.

Unfortunately she just told us that she has another job, and she's been on vacation the past two weeks, and so she can't work for us anymore. This is why I should be studying Portuguese, because she told me this on Monday, but I didn't realize it until today when she said "goodbye, let me know if there's anything you need..." So had I really understood her on Monday, I wouldn't be surprised today. So not only do I need to study, but I need to find another helper. But I'm very VERY motivated to find someone good.

Matt just got home from an expat meeting, and I'm making bread, and I'm tired, so I'm not going to write more now. But hopefully I'll get around to posting some pictures of the Festa Junina and writing about some of our other experiences recently. Because they've been really beautiful.