I can easily describe myself as a Brazilian chick with a passion for life. I am 45 years old, born on April 2nd 1968, living in Orlando, FL.
As a child from divorced parents, my emotional fingerprint was one of abandonment. Unfortunately, this behavior was inside our family dynamics for a long time because something was missing. Fortunately God always provides an overflow somewhere else. His promise: “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Joshua 1:5
So He blessed me with wonderful grandparents, Jose and Lenil, and an amazing great grandmother, Carolina. They loved me unconditionally, teaching me everything I know about life. But the most important thing that they did for me was to introduce me to God. My great grandmother Carolina was a very dedicated Christian and she was the foundation of my faith. She taught me everything about my Rock, my God, my Savior and then it was set in stone. My faith became my guidance, unshakable, unquestionable. My life since then has been dedicated to serving and honoring my Lord for the rest of my days.
Another surprising feeling hit me… Somewhere deep in my heart I started developing a feeling about motherhood. That my emotional healing from abandonment would come from being a mother myself but as terrifying as this thought was, it went right to back burner.
My family
When I was a teenager, my father remarried and brought to my life one of the most amazing women that I have ever met, my stepmother Neuza. She was, she is and always will be the most perfect definition of a mother for me. She brought pure joy to my life when she blessed me with the most precious gifts from God, my sister Maira and my brother Filipe. There are no words to define my love for them. I could never imagine that I could ever love someone like I love Maira and Filipe, they mean the world to me.
When that marriage failed years later, the foundation of a real family with my step mother and my siblings was already well established. I had also developed a completely different relationship with my dad.
In 2012 we had another blessing from God, Fernando, another abandoned adult brother reconciled with us… How much happier could I be??
U.S. my new hometown
In September 2000 I decided to move to US to care for my American grandfather in his battle against cancer. This blessing gave me the opportunity to be known and to be closer to my American family. I learned to love and value them in my life.
It was not until 2008 when my life took another turn. I met my soul mate, my better half. Kyle Tallent. My Hillbilly from TN came from nowhere in the woods and swept my heart forever! I was his, he was mine! Life as couple has begun!
In 2009, God blessed me with one of the most valuable friendship of my life, her name is Destiny. From a simple work relationship she became one of the pillars of my life. Her friendship, her love and her heart makes me a better person every day. Every moment I spend by her side is an unmeasured blessing. A true friendship characterized by the four qualities seen in Proverbs: constancy, candor, counsel and consideration.
Through the years Kyle and I tried to conceive but God had another plans. Over time we started feeling that God was leading us to care for His orphans. Matthew 18:5, “Whoever receives a child in My name, receives Me.” and by His guidance we got in contact with the Community Based Care of Central Florida’s foster adoption program. God was working on our hearts to adopt a foster child. Through PRIDE class (Parent Resources for Information, Development, and Education) we started our 2014 family project. That’s when we met Mrs. Jeissie Mederos, our passionate trainer with a heart of gold for foster children.
She was the inspiration for us to create this blog and I am forever thankful for that. While sharing our life changes and looking for alternatives to still pursue our dream of adoption later in 2014 she suggested sharing my life and my experiences through a blog with the goal to help cancer warriors to believe in God and in His plan for our lives. Honor God in everything we do. This is one of the reasons that the PRIDE had been incorporated into the blog’s name. Our dream of being foster parents is still alive!
I truly believe that no matter what life history you have, life is a gift from God. “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Every day when we wake up, we have to make a conscious decision on how we are going to live our day and make choices throughout our day. Are we going to worry or are we going to have faith in God’s plan for our life?
My daily choice? My days start with a happy good morning to God. “This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
When my mission here is done and the time comes for me to go home and be reunited with my Lord, my reward will be on 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
Being alive is a blessing, every second of it so let’s enjoy it!
Susi Tallent 