Brasil Day 1

Hey Gang,
What a day. We got started an hour late in Midland because of the wind and it just stacked up from there. We left Dallas three and a half hours late for Sao Paulo and ended up missing the connection to Rio. After a cab ride to the other airport in Sao Paulo (Connor was a little bit overwhelmed by the sheer size and complexity of it all. I on the other hand was experiencing a kind of flashback. It is more a familiar sense than a specific memory, but it is interesting.)

We finally landed in Rio and thought it was too late to get to both Corcovado and Sugarloaf, but the hotel (a great one about 3 blocks fromt he northern end of Copacabana beach) found us a driver who agreed to try and get us both places. About halfway there I asked the driver if he went to church. It turns out he is one of the early converts to the Igreja de Christo started by Bryan Gibbs, Dan Morgan and Max Lucado. He knows everyone I know and thinks he has heard of mom and dad. 9 million people in Rio. How many taxi drivers are faithful members of the Church of Christ? We got him. Hutton, apparently the curse is international. I had a sense that God was in it all.

We went to Corcovado and watched the sun set. It was absolutely spectacular. I posted a couple of pictures. Then we went to sugar loaf. Ideal (our driver) was great. About halfway up I convinced myself that I had left the camera on top of Corcovado. I spent most of the time getting my speech ready for Lee Ann. It turns out the taxi driver had it. All is well. He wanted to pick us up in the morning to take us to the airport. We are a little weary, but it has been great.

Lee Ann, Bailey, Hutton, and Reagan, we love you and miss you. I hope I keep getting internet access to keep you posted. Grace. Tod