2014 Holidays

I am finally having the chance to sit down (now in January) and reflect back on our holiday season this past year.  There's something magical about the months of November and December.

It was only a few weeks after we came back to the island when Thanksgiving arrived.  We enjoyed a wonderful meal at our friends' house.  We all brought something to share and we all went home with full tummies.  The house was filled with kids, adults and lots and lots of laughter.  Although it's hard to be away from family especially during a holiday like Thanksgiving, we are so blessed to have friends who open up their home to us.  We also enjoyed a "Thanksgiving meal brunch" with our friends from TN that weekend!

One of the things we miss about living in America is the number of parks/playgrounds that are available.  So it was a BIG deal when a play ground we've been waiting for here in St. Kitts finally opened to the public!  We've been waiting for this day for over eight months, since we saw that construction had started on the play ground.  Now our mommy group meets at least once a week here to let the kids play and for us to have a chance to visit.  It is right behind the airport so the kids are able to see the airplanes land and take off.  It is such a fun play ground!  We are SO thankful to have this place for our kids to play!

The neighborhood by the play ground

YAY!  It's finally open!

What a wonderful place with a gorgeous view!

Another unexpected surprise was a quick trip to Tennessee in the middle of December.  Our trip was for Mike's brother's graduation from nursing school and also for his wedding!  We are so proud of his accomplishments and his commitment to service.  We are also SUPER excited to welcome another sister to the family!  It was busy but it was SO much fun to spend some quality time with family and to have a chance to visit with dear friends at our old stomping ground.  It was an added bonus to actually be cold while listening to Christmas songs!

"Noooo!! Uncle James please don't eat my toes!"

It was a gorgeous wedding!

 

Our island baby all bundled up!

Our wonderful host family in TN.  They spoiled all of us with their thoughtfulness!  SO thankful for their friendship!

On Christmas day (the day after we got back from Tennessee), my parents arrived all the way from Japan!  Hands down, it was the best Christmas present! :) Although they were only able to stay for a week, we enjoyed every moment of our quality time together.  It was SO sweet to watch them play with Megumi and have them hold Makoto for the first time.  What a blessing to have had a chance to show them a glimpse of our lives here in St. Kitts in person!

Christmas morning!

Keeping up the tradition of going to the beach on Christmas day!

"Sand-man" :)

Welcome to St. Kitts!

This guy started really laughing out loud the day grandma arrived!

What a blessing for all of us to be together!!

An extra "Caribbean style" song service on Sabbath!

Visiting the dentist :)

Visiting the local farmer's market.  The pineapples were SO yummy!

Enjoying home made Japanese food made with love by my parents!

Until  next time...!

My parents left on the last day of December.  After spending a wonderful week together, it was really hard to watch them go up the stairs to their gate for their flight.  You would think that we'd be used to this by now.  But it never gets easy.  I actually think it gets harder and harder each time.  So it was nice that we had plans to hang out with friends that evening to distract us from feeling like our home was extra empty.  We spent the New Year's eve having a BBQ on the beach!

We started off the year 2015 with a hike up the Monkey Hill with our dear friends.  

While I watched our kids play in the field, I was reminded of this verse...

"I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;

 I will sing of you among the peoples.  

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; 

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; 

let your glory be over all the earth." 

Psalm 57: 9-11 

As we start the new year, it is my prayer that God will use each one of us to share His love and His faithfulness with others.  May our hearts be filled with praises for our Savior and may we always sing of our thanksgiving for His faithfulness!