"It's the most wonderful time of the year!"

Starting the events with a devotional thought by our Pastor.

We started off our December month with a "Sunday Fun day" at Brimstone Hill with our S.D.A. church family.  We were told it started at 10am so when we got there around 11am we thought we were going to be the late ones.  But when we got to the top of the hill, we realized we were one of the first ones to be there. Mike and I laughed at ourselves and we both said to each other, "We forget that we are on island time!"  The day consisted of chasing a soccer ball, running up the hill with laughing children, a picnic lunch and watching my first cricket game!

The view from the top!

Mike and our Pastor

Church members playing a cricket game

 At the end of the day we enjoyed the company of our pastor and his wife over dinner at our house.  It was neat to be able to discuss and share the vision for our Seventh-day Adventist churches here on the island.

On Monday, Mike was able to give a S.D.A. dental clinic tour to the mission and union Presidents.  We are so blessed to have such inspirational and supportive leadership.

Mike's Boss, Mike, and Mike's Boss' Boss

Another fun event we participated in was the "Holiday around the world" at our Ross elementary school.  Several families represented countries they were from and I had the privilege of sharing a little about Japan.  It's always fun to be able to share your culture with others.  The event started off with a "surprise" which was a special performance by St. Kitts folk dancers!  They were "hiding" in the classroom I was setting up the Japan display in.  So I was able to snatch a picture with them.  The group leader told me that with my red Japanese outfit, I blended in perfectly with the group!  Although we had to leave early from the event due to the Sabbath starting at sundown, we enjoyed participating in this wonderful event as a family.

We ended the week with a date night to the Ross staff Christmas party at Palm Court Garden.  Despite the crazy stormy weather all day, the rain stopped just long enough for us to dress up and enjoy a little night out.  The place was all lit up and listening to some Christmas songs while enjoying a delicious meal definitely helped us get in the Holiday spirit! Bring on the Christmas cheer! 

Did we mention that our awesome landlord lives in this place??!!

How was your Thanksgiving week?

I can't believe today is the last day of November already!  During "Fall/Winter", time seem to fly by extra fast here since it really doesn't feel like "Fall/Winter" in the first place.

Here's a little recap of our Thanksgiving week...

On Wednesday, while our friends in the States were busy preparing for the big Thanksgiving feast, we enjoyed a little visit with our friends who stopped by on a cruise ship.

"Moonshine" - An adorable puppy at Ital Creation!

I love having visitors because it gives me the chance to see the beauty of  St. Kitts through a fresh pair of eyes.  Although it was a tease to only have them for the afternoon, we had a great time catching up and sharing a little bit of our lives here on the island.

D and L brought us treats from good old Village Market!

On Thursday, while our family in the States sat around the table enjoying a meal together, Mike went to work just like any other day.

I'm still getting used to that.  It's hard to feel like "Thanksgiving" because it's just "another day" here on the island.  However, Megumi and I attended the "Thanksgiving feast" at the elementary school where I teach Art and piano.  It was delicious and we had a good time sharing our meal with friends.

For dinner, we attended the Caribbean Christian Fellowship Thanksgiving dinner potluck and enjoyed another wonderful meal with friends.  Unfortunately Megumi took out my camera from our backpack so I didn't get to take any pictures.  Although it wasn't the same and it probably will never be the same as in the States, we still had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  While we missed our family, we were blessed to have friends to share the day with!







On Friday, while the crazy madness of "Black Friday" was going on in the States, I enjoyed a peaceful morning playing in the pool at Palm Court Garden with another mom and the kiddos.

Today, while people back in the States are busy putting up Christmas decorations, we enjoyed an enthusiastic church service under the tent, had friends over for lunch and witnessed a beautiful baptism concluded with a fun barbecue on the beach under the stars.

Although there are many things I miss about living in the States during this time of the year, I have to admit, our version of Thanksgiving week was still pretty amazing.  We have much to be thankful for!

How was YOUR Thanksgiving week?

The wisdom of a two year old

Megumi recently started volunteering to pray whenever we hold hands together to pray as a family (meal times, bed time, before sending Mike off to work...etc.)  She used to mumble and say "amen!" at the end or repeat words after us.  But her first prayer using her own words went like this right before she went to bed: "Dear God, thank you for bed.  Thank you for laptop.  Thank you for blanket.  Jesus prays.  Amen!"  You can imagine how my heart swelled with joy and pride as I heard my little girl say her own prayer to God.  So simple yet so true.  Ever since then, her prayer differs but she always ends with "Jesus prays..Amen!" and I love that.  Isn't that what "In Jesus' name we pray" means?! That Jesus is our high priest interceding on our behalf? Oh the wisdom of a two year old!

I have to be honest.  Holiday season is hard. Lately I've been quite jealous of all the pictures on Facebook of the people wearing cute jackets and boots holding their steaming Starbucks cup in the snow.  I know...I know...I can't complain.  I have this gorgeous Atlantic Ocean spreading out in front of me outside the window as I type this and I just went snorkeling with my husband last Friday.  But living here, we tend to focus on what we "miss" than on what we have.

One of the things I usually tell my friends that I miss about living in the States is a playground for the kids.  I miss the slide, the swing set and all the fun things to climb on!  But looking at Megumi this morning with her friends giggling over a simple post at the port, they reminded me that we really don't need much to be happy.  She's not "missing out" because she doesn't have a cool playground to play on.  Instead of a climbing wall, we have a huge tree.  Instead of a sand box, we have a pile of sand.  Instead of a swing set, we have a hammock.
 Oh the wisdom of a two year old!

When I explained to Megumi that it's good to tell God what we are thankful for in our prayers, she smiled and started praying: "Dear God, thank you for A...thank you for M....thank you for B....thank you for C...thank you for..."  She continued to list all of her friends and let me tell you, it was quite a list!  No, she's not missing out at all.

October Photo Recap

It's been a month since we got back to St. Kitts from our annual leave.  Here's a photo recap to give you a glimpse of what we've been up to over the last month...

Mike and Dr. P after church.
He was such a blessing during our annual leave!  

Mike chopped off Meg's hair!
He says she matches my haircut now :)

I enjoyed playing the piano for the "Secret Garden".
The students did an awesome job!

One of the Missoula Children's Theater teachers!

Our view on the way to church.

The "kids table" at potluck.

Monday night market downtown.

Excited to have my bag full of fresh produce
 for a much cheaper price than the store! 

Outside of the building where the "market" takes place.

The view across the street from the market.  The cruise ship is in! 

Having fun at Shipwreck beach!

Never get tired of this view.

Gorgeous sunset at the beach.

So blessed to be able to teach Art this year
at the elementary school...and enjoy the "fall" season!

Love my ladies from our Sunday night Bible study group!

Stopped by at "Black Rocks" on our way back from church.

The view with the Black Rocks behind me.  Meg was excited to see the donkey!

Driving around the island, this is one of the many views you'll see...

She can swim by herself with just her swim floaties!  Very proud of her!

Celebrating our friend's birthday!  So blessed to know these people.

After being gone for almost six weeks, it's been wonderful catching up with friends.  After a year in St. Kitts, we finally feel like we have friends and not just acquaintances here on the island.  It's a nice feeling to have people actually tell us that they missed us while we were gone.  I know that God will continue to place people in our lives and we are so grateful for the relationships we are establishing!