The real story....My wife must have a bad memory, but I still love her :)

Its true, we did meet on line, but about everything after this, needs the true story :)

We did meet online, and I admit, she likely did think...oh no another American trying to date me, and must have been reluctant. In my mind though, I knew that if her personality matched her beauty, I did indeed want to date her. I started to speak with her in portuguese (which I do very terribly,) for about 1 month. Finally she said would it be easier for you to speak in English. I was like.... What??? do you speak English, and she wrote yes. I said, why did you not tell me before? Why have I been killing myself to try to write in Portugese if you already speak English. She said well...I thought you wanted to practice your Portuguese (really I ththink she was using it as a tool to keep me at bay, but she found out later, that I am really determined with what I want.) When we were finally able to communicate effectively our relationship blossomed quickly. I told her that I really like her personality and I would like to meet her in person. She liked me as well, but of course due to her past with Americans coming and trying to date her she was worried. She through many obsticles my way trying to make me change my mind. She told me... my dad and brothers will not like you, and they will not be nice to you. I told her I did not care, I was coming for her not them I knew if I could win her heart fully, her family would accept me, so I did not mind.) She agreed to let me come, and in DECEMBER (hehhe) I went.
In the airport when I first saw her, it is true, there were no instant sparks or a running embrace. I think we were both logical enough to know that although we like each others personality and we are attracted to each other, that there still may not be love. On the way back to Petropolis (her city,) we talked and joked with one another. I was a little excited/anxious to see if the romance could indeed be there. I kept touching her had on the way back and smiling at her to let her know, that my intentions were to see if there could be something more than friendship (which we already had.) We arrived at her home and I was very scared because of all the horror stories I had heard about her father and brothers and how they treat guys that come to see her. I sat on the couch like a statue and when her dad arrived home, he came in and greeted everyone with love and kindness and did not even look at me. I guess he thought if he pretended I was gone that I would be soon and never return. hahahha
We enjoyed our time together, and I really enjoyed seeing her city. It was so amazing. It was a city built in the mountains, surrounded my beautiful jungle scenery everywhere you looked. We went into Rio De Janeiro on the 2nd night as her brother Rique (who was always very nice to me) was going for a job interview the next day. We went to their friends home Roberta to stay the night since his interview was early the next morning. That night as her brother and Roberta went into the kitchen for some food, I went for it. I leaned in and she turned quickly and gave me her cheek. This was ok as I knew every woman has to play hard to get, and I enjoy this game, becasue I always win :) I laughed at her turning of her head and told her that her previous rule that she does not kiss anyone within the first 3 days of meeting them in person was about to be broken. She said thats what you think. I gently grabbed her face and went in for those large beautiful lips. It was wonderul. Instantly both of us knew that there was more of a future than just friendship. For the remainder of my trip there our lips were rarely apart. When we arrived back to her city, I was going back to my hotel and her sister Luciana and brother in law Max said hey, stay with us, we have lots of room, and we dont want you to have to stay in a hotel. I was uncomfortable with this because I did not want to empose on them since they were being so kind to me, but I did go and was very happy I did. They treated me like family from the moment they met me. I was so relieved to have some of her family members accept that I was not a bad person and that my intensions were pure. With that invite I knew that regardless of my future with Renata, I would remain friends with them forever. I met her brother Noan and his wife Lucineide at their daughters dance recital. He did shook my hand but then said nothing directly to me for the rest of the trip. I did not and do not speak Portuguese perfectly and I could tell he was saying little jokes about me because everyone would look at me after laughing. I felt uncomfortable but yet I was warned so I kept determined. WE then went to her other sisters home Ana Paula where I met her (who was very very pregnant :)) and her husband Luciano and their darling daughter and cool son Nyana and Mateus. They were very nice to me, but I felt bad for my lack of being able to communicate with them as I wanted. We spent much of the time I was there at her home with her family. Her mother cooked/cookes so amazing and it was such a pleasure to be invited to eat there. One night while speaking with Renata and said I know we only met in person on this trip, but I have been talking with you for over 6 months now and I really like you. If things remain going well I would want to marry you. She said well, lets see what happens, but she had an excited smile come across her face, and I knew she felt the same way. I knew I would not be able to marry her unless I asked her father permission to date his daughter, so that night when he stopped by to pick us up, I asked him if I could date her, that I really liked her and that I came there with more intentions then to be just her freind. Until that point he had not seen me hold hands with her, kiss her, or even sit near her as she said it would be a sign of disrespect and to not do this around her parents. He seemed not to surprised, but said its not me you are dating, what does Renata think of this, and asked her, is this ok with you? she said yes dad, then he said ok its ok with me too. From that time on everything changed, and he was very nice to me, tried to communicate with me. That night we got to her home and I was sitting on the couch, since I was trying to be very respectful and not walk around (which I would have normally been doing ehheh) and I saw something come down in front of my face. I strained my eyes and moved my head in closer to see what it was. When I realized it was a spider I screamed like a girl and went runnning. Everyone came running in to see what had happened. once thy found out why I was so scared everyone started laughing so hard. I was so embarrased. I had been trying to prove to her dad that I was a strong man worthy of dating his daughter. Somehow though this act of fear seemed to help me seem more human to them and broke down more of the wall that had been there. Once Luis (her father) told everyone that I had asked to date Renata, everyone seemed a lot more ok about me being there, since he seemed to be ok with it now.

While there, I was honored to be a part of Ana Paula and Luciano's childs birth Danilo. It was very exciting to go to the hospital right after his birth and be there with everyone. Everyone was so happy, that my presence there almost seemed to be a good thing, and I was really feeling like part of the family.

A few days later, Ana Paula was at her parents home while she healed from her C-Section delivery. She saw a butterfly on the wall and said she did not want that around her son, so I being the strong guy said I would take care of it, and went over and grabbed it by the wings to go release it outside. To my horror, the little devil turned its red body that looked like an oversize ant and seemed to be coming for me. Again I screamed like a girl, through it into the air and went running. She was laughing so hard and having so much pain from her surgery, that she told me I cannot do things like that anymore. Again I was humiliated, but more of the barriers that stood between me and the family came down as they joked about it over and over.

The trip had been so wonderful, and I felt so happy to get to know such a wonderful family. I had many hours on the way home to think about the trip and what I thought could happen in the furture. One thing I knew for sure is that Renata and her family were wonderful and whom ever was lucky enought to marry her would have to thank God for a lifetime for this gift.