Lahloos and Other Tales

A birthday, a beach day, and fresh fruit!

Last week was exciting around here.  We now have a 6 year old girl in the house!  It is surreal for me to think that it wasn't that long ago I was in The Queen Mary (a day before the birth, b/c they thought me taking a ferry in the morning was too much to ask) having her.  I remember so much from those few days (before getting an early discharge b/c I was too tall for the hospital bed and the nurses didn't like me b/c I requested they actually assist me, a post-c section mom!)

I remember Olin running back to his house to get me a cup of ice!  I remember Anna holding Keighley and nicknaming her "Smiley Keighley"  I remember vists from Brian and other youth pastor friends.  I remember Demby visiting before they left on vacation, I remember Tess bringing me pancakes so I wouldn't have to suffer rice gruel in the mornings.  I also remember Sonya baking me banana bread for my stay.  

Keighley who was all of 5.5lbs was tiny, and on our long trip back to our apartment we got lots of comments and advice for keeping her "warm"! 

All that was 6 years ago!  

This year, in celebration we decided to allow our kids to have birthday parties with friends from their classes.  We haven't done the party thing until now.  Mostly because we have been ideologically opposed to making and HUGE production over an infant or toddlers birthday.   Why spend a bijillon dollars to have this huge bash for a 1 year old.  They won't remember it!  

We also realized that by not having the parties and by also not going to them (we couldn't afford 23 presents x 4 throughout the year) that we also were missing out on getting in the social circle to have friends. Not just friends for our kids, but friends for us too.  When we did go to class stuff (like the picnic at the park) we were left out of conversations and it was awkward b/c we hadn't been to the most recent birthday party where all the moms had gossiped about the latest scandal.  Then it would be even harder if Rick came with (he was usually the only dad) and the other moms didn't know what to do with a dad showing up to play with his kids! 

When we moved down here we decided that at least for Noah and Keighley we would do the party thing...for them and for their classmates.  We went to a party a few weeks ago...and last week was Keighley's party. 

She wanted a beach party!!!!  Couldn't be more excited....it was a free venue and b/c it was a sandy hot beach we didn't have to do a huge food production. The beach provided the entertainment...the kids built sand castles, and played in the water..the parents sat around sipping water and talking.  It was only for two hours and we did have cake and juice.  Everyone had a blast!!!!  

Keighley's birthday was the start to a great weekend.  We hit the beach the next day, early in the morning!  Rick wanted to get more underwater shots when the sun was coming up.  We ran into friends and ended up having them over for dinner! 

Saturday is our shopping day, and while that is not so unusual, it is recommend that you don't do that here.  EVERYONE is out shopping...and if a cruse ship is in its even worse  All stores are closed on Sundays.  So if you need anything for Sunday or Monday you need to make sure you have it Saturday!  Since we go through a gallon of milk a day, and a loaf of bread a day, we usually need something! 

Saturday is also FRESH FRUIT DAY in our house.  Fruit is super expensive here...everything is imported and thus the duty is passed on to the customer in the final price.  We used to buy 2-3 bags of apples and they would all get eaten throughout the week...same with grapes and bananas. But here, that same bag of apples costs twice as much.   Saturday is the one day we know that if we buy fresh fruit it will all get eaten!  So a watermelon, apples and at least 6 bananas are on the menu!  I miss Thailand for its fresh and inexpensive fruit available off of many sidecar motorcycles (pineapple, papaya, mango, and other local fruits!) all for less than 25 cents a serving! 

This weekend brings lots of laundry wash and hang out to dry. Some shopping and of course the beach.  We got our snorkeling gear and the kids LOVE IT!!!!!!  Isaac is a diving/swim champ.  Last night, Isaac and I went for a swim together...b/c his face is in the water he doesn't realize that he is swimming out deeper and he does so well...I was beside him, so we he came up and tried to stand I could grab him...but when that happened, he immediately realized where he was and swam back to the beach.  He's amazing in the water...esp for a four year old in the open ocean!  

We have a very happy 6 year old who loves 1st grade, who loves to read and mostly loves anything and everything that is art related.  She can always be found doing projects.  She loves her brothers and loves having new friends at school.  She is still a picky eater, but she has added PB&J and hot dogs to her menu!  She also loves having her own room, with her own walls to cover in her art pictures. 

We are off to visit friends, who have a pool at their apartment complex.  Hopefully the weather will hold so that we can go.  Then its off to get some apples and finish the laundry!

Out of the fog

This morning as Rick and I were hanging out laundry at 6am it dawned on us that our current life situation has made us way more productive!  We were patting ourselves on the back for being so ingenuous to hang a wash line in our garage so that when the rains come, our clothes can still hang dry.  The more we talked, the more we realized that it wasn't that we were so smart...but that we were no longer depressed! 

For those of you who have graciously traveled with us on our long journey this past year know how hard it was.  While I sometimes still struggle with all that happened...the justice of it all...I can say that I am no longer wading through a fog of disillusionment and depression.  

These past few months have been a whirlwind....the excitement of getting out of TX with a move back to the east coast only to discover that wasn't really what God had in mind at all!!!  I still don't have any clue about his timing, other than we had missed a beat...or perhaps He knew I need the affirmation of getting another ministry job despite what had happened and Mt. Olivet gave that to me. Whatever the reason, God has brought us to a new place, with a fresh start, with a new career path that has allowed me to put away feelings of resentment and frustration!  It is true that his blessings are new each day!

As I was planning chapel this week, i was feeling really weighed down...the school year is in full gear, this week had us at school way past bedtime for two nights out of five....I ran to Wednesday worship team practice...the kids on the team were late, lazy in setting up their gear, and not focused on what we needed to get through in the 30 minutes we had... we stopped to pray and suddenly it all clicked together...by the end of practice I felt a whole new sense of peace and clam... these 6 high schoolers had lead us all in a time of worship through their practice...it made my day!  

A friend of mine's comments on Facebook lately have all been "grow where you are planted"....and I am always thankful for that reminder!  We are excited that God has brought us here, for this time....we don't know if it will be for 1 year or 7 years...but no matter...we know that God has a purpose for everything...

It is nice to see clear skies again.  It is nice to be awakened at 5:30am on a Saturday by my sweet Toby and not be utterly annoyed at not being able to sleep in...We both got up...helped them clean the play room, rebuild a Thomas track, start laundry, eat breakfast and start our day! 

Today will surely bring a beach trip and some grocery shopping....and while I am there I will continue to be thankful for the journey that I am on!

Finally...

Finally, we are all set up and settled!

It doesn't really take us (our family) all that long to figure out a place and settle in.  Thanks to Rick, and his amazing abilities to drive somewhere one time and remember exactly how to get there again, we have figured out Cayman and all it has to offer in a very short amount of time!  It also helps that the entire country is a whopping 22miles long! 

The part that took longer this move, was figuring out internet, phones, and waiting for our first paycheck!  Unlike the States, there are a few different options for internet....and we were aiming for one with a fast connection and no deposit for the router!  We finally found exactly what we were looking for....a wireless modem, no bundled package with a landline phone or cable TV, and no contract to sign!  That same day, we also got a mobile phone....the kind that you put "minutes" on....again no contract, no crazy phones...just a number where people can call or TXT (which is actually cheaper than calling). 

So...all that to say...we are online, have a phone and back in the groove of being connected again! 

Life in Grand Cayman is exactly what you might think it to be... :) 

It is also a lot like I imagine life to be in Florida, or the Jersery Shore too... it's one big beach town!  There is a main road that is ALL resorts, hotels, restaurants etc.  It is on 7 Mile Beach (which is only actually 5.5 miles long!)  There is a small downtown area where all the cruise ships unload (lots of duty free shopping and a HUGE Maragritaville, and Hard Rock Cafe)  From there you can also get "buses" to dive sites and a pirate ship trip etc!   Located downtown is also the Burger King with the best view of any fastfood restaurant!  It over looks the sea and it is amazing!!!! 

We live 11 miles from all of that in an area of Cayman called "Savannah".  The house we found is amazing!!!  We are loving all the space we finally have!  Our bedroom is literally 300sq. shy of our entire house in TX!  The boys are all in one HUGE room (Isaac has his own king size bed, a story for another time!)  Keighley has her own room w/ bathroom (every girl should have a room with a private bath!)  We have a "formal" living room which we promptly made into a playroom, a dining room, other living room, eat in kitchen, screened in porch, and of course our amazing bedroom (also with huge bathroom!)  There are a total of four bathrooms...can't tell you how nice it is if more than one of us needs the potty..:)   We love our house! 

Work is fun!  We are both settling into our positions!  Rick's 6th grade class had 35 students and tomorrow they will be splitting it into two classes!  Rick is excited to just have 17 kids!  St. James, where he taught last year, had 30 kids in the entire middle schools (6-8)! 

I really like my job!  It took me until this week to make the switch from Youth Ministry in a church setting, to being a teacher in a school setting...the main difference is that for Youth Group the majority of the kids choose to be there!  In a school, they HAVE to be there...and for Bible class it is a Core subject and have to take it no matter what!  It is nice to be able to test kids on what I have taught instead of praying that it sunk in! :)  It took me awhile to make that switch...for the most part it's going really well!!

The kids LOVE it here!  Our work permits are only good for 7 years and then you have to go off island for at least a year and then you can return.  Almost everyday on the way to school Noah will say "I definitely want to say all 7 daddy!"   He also realized that in 7 years he'll be 14 and he thinks that is just the best age!  Noah loves second grade!  He is only 2 inches shorter than his teacher, we are all taking bets on if he will be taller than her by the end of the year! 

Keighley, enjoys 1st grade and is right on par with her class...whew I actually taught her something last year!!! She has had the hardest time adjusting being at school all day!  Every time she sees me she cries...so I have to try to avoid her throughout the day!  Pray for her, that she can settle into her class and her teacher! 

Isaac is in PreK and he is learning to read!!!!!!!!!  He loves his teachers and they adore him!  He enjoys center time, and likes that he has homework like a big boy!  He also is the family's best swimmer!  He loves to dive for shells and rocks in the ocean, and loves to swim swim swim!  He also learned how to do flips in the water and on his HUGE bed (and then he taught Noah how to flip too!)

Toby too loves preschool!  He is everyone's favorite...he sure does know how to win them over!  He impressed his teacher at orientation by NOT crying when it was time to go to the classroom ( I had to send him alone with her b/c I had to go to two other classes 1st)  He ended up staying with her the rest of the afternoon!!!!  

All is well down here!  The only thing that would make it better would be some visitors!  Book your vacation at Granger Resort today!  Accommodations include: a queen size bed with bathroom in-suite.  Breakfast and dinner on weekdays (Lunch is served on the weekends), access to beaches, dive sites and much more!   Hope to see you soon!