Thank goodness for family

The last few weeks are what Alexander would refer to as "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day[s]." It's a good thing we don't gamble because good luck has not been our favor. Austin had pneumonia, Eden's eye has been acting up again, people have been dishonest, we are losing things, and that's just the beginning. Good thing family came in the middle of the chaos to make us forget about the most of it. Keep reading... you'll see. 

What you see to the right is Eden being a good sport. She helped me clean the church. Really, she does help! She is great wiping, sweeping, mopping, and putting up with me. PS. I HATE mopping, so we skate instead. Good thing Austin lets me use his holy socks as wearable rags! 

I might have started off complaining, but thanks to  our good friends, it hasn't been all bad.  Joanna took Eden and I to a new beach where the sand is half black, half white, and the shore is lined with palm trees. It is a new favorite. 

It has been really hard to get Eden to eat lately, but she does love broccoli. This is proof! Thanks to Grandma, she eats fruit snacks just the same... all at once! 

Sitting on the counter is a favorite seat in the house (for me and her). Eden gets to help me stir and eat pre-dinner while I keep an easy eye on her. It's a win, win, except for the ants, which she always smashes. "ANT!"

Part of the fun of living on an island involves tropical storms and big rainstorms. We thought we would experience much more of those than we do- and what a shock learning that an island can be in a drought! A small tropical storm hit Saturday and Sunday a few weeks ago. The rain just happened to start the minute we parked the car coming home from church. 

If you can't tell, Eden's hair is wet and we are watching from the porch. 

The random picture below is something you won't appreciate unless you zoom in really close. You are looking at a trail of 12 cockroaches. Yum. Right outside our front door. Unbeknownst to me, you have to clean out the drain box or they stink horribly. I didn't even know we had a drain box... but we do, and we had it cleaned out. This was the result- an army of cockroaches to greet us the next morning. Oh! and did you know? Just because they are belly up, doesn't mean they are dead! I won't be sad to leave these buggers. 

This is another "aren't I cute?" picture of Eden. We had to model her new shades and hair do. Her hair is long enough for braids! And sadly, we lost her other glasses, so we got new ones. On the bright side, I talked them down from $12 to $10. Sigh...Walmart was a good invention and it's waiting for us. PS. If you look closely, you can see the keys in the door. Yep, Eden is tall enough to reach and smart enough to put the keys in the hole. Since when did my baby grow up?

This may look like a lot of fun, but let me tell you what (and I'm not even going to complain about the mess because that wasn't the bad part)- On this very wet day, Eden and I were at Joanna's house tending- more like playing with- her kids while she oversaw Youth Conference at the beach. On our way to their house, our car just stopped. Stopped while I was driving! We coasted to a halt and luckily I was smart enough to pull over. Our hunk of junk died on me. Thankfully, I was able to call Joanna and she came to pick me up. Sometime while we were at Joanna's house, someone hit our already dead car, the result being what you see in the picture below. Lovely. I hardly care about our car, but I do need it for 4 more months. 4 months! That's it!! Long story short, we hired Yaba as our AAA and he found a guy to tow it back to our place. After Yaba's "guy" and "guys" spent $700 on unnecessary fixes, our car is now back to it's functional as it will be self. All it really needed was a new belt. Oh, but don't worry- Yaba said he'd take care of the cost. We can just leave the car with him when we finish in December.... right, because $700 EC somehow equals $4000 US.  

Things like this are never in good timing, but this happened to be block week for Austin, just when he was studying for his tests.  What that meant was no car for afterwards, which is why you will see Austin pushing the stroller. We decided to go for a walk to find some hot food. That was in vain since it was a national holiday on Monday and Tuesday and everything was closed (including the places to buy car parts). Instead, we ended up at the Movie Theater. Again, I was shocked. It was almost American. It looked like America, smelled like America, showed new movies like America. The only difference was the security guard blocking the arcade and the dress code. Yes, dress code. No tank tops boys! (But it's okay if you are a girl.) Besides prescription drugs, the movies may be one of the first things that is actually cheaper than the States. It's only $6.50 for a movie and free air conditioning!

What you are looking at is a tourist stop in St. Kitts and it's just up from our house. Maybe an hour later and those trees would be completely white with birds. These peculiar birds are all over the island- Egrets, they are called. I'm not sure why they nest here, but I think I overheard a tour guide say that the trees have thorns that offer protection. Take a minute and appreciate how beautiful it is when overcast. I wouldn't mind if it were like this all the time. Clouds feel amazingly good! 

Ah yes! Family and the Marriott. They are coming soon, but not soon enough. Apparently, our bad luck spread to everyone else because their plane was completely cancelled and the soonest they could get here was an entire day and half later. We were happy to take the first night in the Marriott, but definitely would have preferred having the family there instead. It's fair to say that everyone had a decent island experience from an ant infested rental car that 9 of us squished into, finding bugs in the macaroni and ramen noodles, and coming home with a rotten bag of frozen peas. I'd like to call that bad luck too, but it's just what comes with living on an island. 

We did have a great time once everyone made it though. You'll see...!

Saturday morning, the boys, Austin, and I drove half way around the island to hike St. Kitts' volcano, Mt. Liamuiga. It was a tough hike after so much rainfall- muddy, slipper, and dirty- but so much fun. Austin's professor, Dr. Mungli, led us to the top. We even made it half way into the crater before having to turn around for time's sake. The pictures hardly do justice. Going into the crater was as close to repelling as it gets without a harness. It was an 80 degree angle and slick! We also swung on vines like Tarzan- in the jungle! You'll just have to watch the movie. There's too much to tell. (If the video doesn't work, try this link: https://goo.gl/photos/HsUaauDwfp1R9Ump6)

We couldn't wait to take everyone to church. The boys got a few mangoes and Gregory and Bryce did an AWESOME job singing. I managed okay on the piano, but they are the real stars. Later, we walked around the Marriott and enjoyed the light rain. 

This was one of the highlights of the trip. Dad rented a private catamaran to take us out on the ocean. Eden has been ecstatic over boats lately, but I don't know if she grasped the concept of actually being on one. Either way, she loved it! We all did. We sailed alongside the peninsula and stopped at Shitten Bay, by an old ship wreck. The water was beautifully clear. You can even see the fish through the water in the pictures! The captain threw potato chips to the fish and they would swarm to eat. We saw schools of fish, the ocean was colorful, and Matthew even dove to get a conch shell! I'd call that a successful day, but that wasn't all! We even stopped at a beach in Nevis. It was gorgeously green and now we can cross that off our bucket list. I can't forget to mention all the free juices/sodas from the open bar on the boat. What a fun time (and a good looking family)!

These pictures are from Carambola Beach. We just had to make sure Dad went snorkeling at least one more time. The kids were pretty good at their handstands and sand castles!

The week went by all too quickly, but was filled with fun and good family time. After checking out, we had time for one last game of golf. Austin would have you know that he won :)

With only a minor delay this time, off they went. We will be off in just a couple days too! America, here we come! I don't think we have ever been so excited to go home. Austin is just now finishing his last final of fourth semester and then the fun begins!

Summertime in St. Kitts

This is summer in St. Kitts. 

That is hardly a fair statement since it always feels like Summer in St. Kitts; however, it is summer in Utah and we don't want to completely miss out on the fun so we try to make our own. It's easy when Eden and Austin are around. Those two play, play, play! Oh, and talk, talk, talk! I'll show you what I mean.

I call this, "Potty Talk." Eden never talks more than when she is sitting on the loo. We can have 30 minute conversations in the bathroom. Go figure. I guess she figures I can't go anywhere. We are starting to learn lots of new sounds. It's a given that we have 'hi,' 'bye,' 'dad,' and 'mom' down. (YES! Eden actually calls me mom now!!) And you know Eden's first word-ish was "thank you," but I am now happy to say that she can muster a half-understood "I love you" and "ice cream." That kiddo doesn't even know what ice-cream is, but without fail, every Sunday when we are taking naps and making dinner, the obnoxious ice-cream truck comes driving through our neighborhood. Stupid thing sounds like it's stuck on rewind and always seems to run out of gas right in front of our house. At least, it parts there for a good 15 minutes or long enough to drive us crazy. But Eden likes it. 

Back to Eden's accomplishments... she also says "bubble, purple, and airplane," which all sound the same. (Insert wink)

 If you can't tell, this is Eden having fun. The best time of day is when Daddy comes home. On this particular day, Eden and I met Austin on campus.  Before walking home, they ran around the basketball court. Eden is getting to be a fast little thing, and tall too. Austin still likes to hurdle over Eden, but now he has to be on his tip toes. 

Eden is becoming quite the little athlete. She has a good arm, fast legs, is figuring out how to jump, spins in circles until she makes me dizzy, and loves being upside down. 

I'm a proud momma to have a potty-trained, somersaulting one year old.

 Did someone say shoes? 
My shoes, Austin's shoes, big shoes.. no problem. You'd think she had big feet with how coordinated she is at walking in shoes 10x her size. 



We are PROUD to be American. We may not be in America, but for one day we did our best to pretend. Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Gardenhire, Eden even looked American. Austin had block exams on the 4th of July, which meant we could really celebrate when he was done. A few families and us gathered at the Marriott pool and a potluck. It was the next best thing to a BBQ for people without a grill. For an island in a drought, it sure has ironic timing. It is always unbearably sunny and hot here EXCEPT on the rare occasion that Austin gets to go swimming. So what do you know? It rained. It poured. And we got caught in it.

We waited out the rain in the lobby and then tried to catch a firework show on the beach. How cool would that be? Fireworks over the ocean. Well, the show kept getting delayed from 8 to 9 to 10 to 11pm and the big show was at midnight. We didn't stay long enough to see more than the individual fireworks being lit from the shore, but even that was fun. It was a good introduction to Eden, who liked them more from afar. Actually, I don't blame her. There were little Kittitian kids running around with sparklers that scared me half to death. It was like cavemen had discovered fire! These kids were so careless; I was sure they were going to hurt someone or catch something/someone on fire. 

 Merry Christmas to me... we found a treasure in the church library and they said I could keep it! We have a piano! Well, we have a pathetic excuse for a piano, but it works as long as the cord is perfectly situated and you turn it just so and I usually have all the keys for what I am playing. I'm so happy! Now I can practice for church and not totally stink when I play. It's nice just to play for fun too. And Eden...

... In case you needed a good laugh. Oh, and to make you grateful for the bathtub you have. Eden bathes in a turkey basin, but it's the best we can do here and she doesn't mind. Look how long her hair is! It stood straight up with shampoo. 

Being here gives us a million opportunities that nowhere else would. We are unique, to say the least. It's a place where we stand out like a sore thumb, or like a marshmallow in chocolate chips, as my friend Joanna says. We are experiencing a new culture, a new environment, everything. Even the things that are familiar to us are different, but different isn't bad, it just opens the door to learning, appreciating, and teaching. 

As you know, Austin is involved with about every project, additional class, or club possible. It won't come as surprise then, to learn that he is part of the Arab Student Union on campus. He is good friends with the president of the club and was enlisted as part of the presidency. The presidency is made up of the president, vice president, secretary, other needed positions, and Austin.... the "Grand Member." Let's just say they are honored to have his presence. 

Last week, Arab Student Union (ASU) put on a big show for students and faculty. People filled the auditorium. There was food, dancing, and presentations on the diverse cultures that make up UMHS. Represented were cultures of Lebanon, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Iran, probably others I forgot, and Mormons. It's okay to laugh. I didn't realize Momonism was a culture either, then again, it totally is. 

We were invited to present about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints. I've said it before, but I think they called me on a mission. I'm on a mission. When else do you have the opportunity to present 200 people with the most important message of their lives? What a responsibility. And how cool. I'd like to say that we were like Alma and changed the lives of 200 people on the spot. Really, we probably just put the church in a positive light and stopped some of the crazy rumors. If anything, I hope people learned that we are the Church of Jesus Christ and worship Him, we love family, and we seek after good things. It was tricky to say everything we wanted in 5 minutes; and with such a light mood it was difficult to talk about such sacred things. Nonetheless, it was fun to present with Austin and I think we were a big hit thanks to Austin's sense of humor and sincerity. Oh, and I baked 200 cookies (with my savage kitchen and circumstances) and am proud to say they were a big hit too. 

Since then, my attitude towards being a member missionary has changed. I'm not sure why it is so easy to keep your mouth shut, but it is and it shouldn't be. Like I said, the Church of Jesus Christ is THE single most important thing for your life now and eternally. It's also the thing that brings me the greatest joy in life, so why would I not share it? I've come to see that there is always an opportunity to share the gospel so long as you make it so. Everyone has a way to relate to the gospel, to Joseph Smith, to the Book of Mormon, or something! All you have to do is open your mouth. 

I have tried really hard this week to do just that. 

To Tricia- my friend and gym attendant at UMHS- I gave a Book of Mormon for her birthday. After all, it was the greatest gift I could give her. She had told me that she has been to many churches but just isn't feeling it in the one she is at now. Doesn't that sound a bit like Joseph Smith? 

To Pat- a new cleaning lady at UMHS- I gave a Book of Mormon after a conversation we had. She feels that anyone who pleases can start their own church and ask for money. That's all they want.. your money. But she still goes to church. 

To Bahaa- Austin's good friend and the president of ASU- I gave a Book of Mormon as a thank you for letting us be in his show. It is a history of an Arab people, from Iraq and Jerusalem, to the president of the Arab Student Union. 

To Phillip- a security guard at UMHS- I gave a Book of Mormon because he was having a rough day and I told him it would cheer him up. 

Each story is a miracle and answer to prayer. It was a miracle to even find each person that I needed. Eden and I went to campus with the intent to give books to the appropriate people, but honestly, I wasn't sure where to find them. I say it was a miracle, because as I walked without direction, Pat came up behind me to say hi. Her shift had been changed from her original hours and was amazingly there for me to meet. The same happened with Bahaa. I had looked everywhere I knew to look, but that little voice said that I would find him. Of course I was being guided because I was doing God's work.. or trying, anyway. Sure enough, on my way home, there was Bahaa playing basketball near my exit. He was put right in my path, a miracle. 

This is my mission and I love it. My mission doesn't have to end either. Being a missionary is invigorating and empowering. It is an easy way to invoke the Holy Ghost and to feel Heavenly Father in your life. Who wouldn't want the happiness that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings?

Highlights

Yikes. It's been a while since my last post. I suppose that means that we have fallen into normalcy and our regular island life routine. Nonetheless, a lot has happened in a month. It is no surprise to hear that Austin's block exams have come and gone in that time and that he aced every test. What was a surprise was the new addition to St. Kitts: road lines. Can you believe it? We couldn't either. Driving just got a little easier. You'd think it would be a bit less scary too, but there is no hope for that. 

Early on in the semester, Austin, Eden, and I went with our friends to tour the Ross Veterinary Campus down the street from Austin's school. We were hoping our experience would be somewhat like going to a petting zoo. Alas, we saw one donkey, one lamb, 2 dogs, 4 birds in cages, and that was it. What we did get to see was a bunch of mosquitoes, flies, and other disease vectors under microscopes. As if we needed to be grossed out any more by the threats of St. Kitts, Austin seemed to enjoy it because he had already learned all about all that stuff in Microbiology, so it was seeing his studies in the physical. At one of our stops along the tour we got to look at a cross-section of a monkey's eye. I will admit that it was the first time that I have maybe ever looked under a microscope and understood what I was looking at. We had a double microscope that allowed me to look at the same thing as Austin as he maneuvered the slide and zoomed in on different areas. It was pretty neat. We weren't allowed to take pictures of anything past the front entrance, but this is us on that lovely rainy day before the tour. 

On the occasion that I go to the gym, Eden wants to workout with me. She is really good at the medicine ball, but is getting stronger by the day. This little thing has  BIG muscles! Eden loves playing on my iPad lately and is all too smart at knowing how it works. The other day, Eden turned on a workout video on YouTube and ran to get the 5 lb weights we have in the house. After straining to carry the weight to our bedroom where the video was playing, I watched her copy the instructors; she laid down and did a few bridges with her bum and then stood up to run in place. It was too cute watching her be like mom. 

There are new developments and things to tell each week with Eden. Lately, her new favorite thing is a two foot tall step that acts as a sort of ledge and border around our entire living room area. She loves climbing on it and flipping the light switches. She also found a love for the piano. I hope that one lasts. It made for a great distraction while we cleaned the church (That's what Eden is doing in the picture.) Lucky for me, we found an extra keyboard in the church closet that no one else is going to use, or knows how to use, so it came home with us today. I'm so excited to get to practice- especially now that I have been assigned to play in Sacrament Meeting every other week- and I'm glad Eden will have that to play on too.

We also loaded up on Mangoes as our reward for cleaning. Mmmm....

 It is getting hot enough that we miss the pool again. Poor Eden needed out of the house, too. We love the pool!

 The most exciting thing to have happen this month was having Grandpa and Grandma Gardenhire come to visit. Grandpa and Grandma to Eden, that is :)

We couldn't wait to see them and show them our island. Somehow, Austin got past the "Restricted Access" gate to see them come in. What a BIG boat, huh?

 Eden quickly took a liking to having Grandpa and Grandma here in person, as you can see. And that was BEFORE they showered Eden with Christmas x 2. That entire suitcase was full of goodies! We had a great time and not enough of it. The day was over all too quickly.

Now we get to look forward to the family coming in August. It's one great thing after another. 

Photo blast from December 2015- May 2016

It always takes a while to get pictures from Austin's phone, so here is another photo dump from December until now. 

This is the biggest Christmas tree on the island. It's at the Marriott, of course.

It's a nice mix, don't you think? Sunglasses, swimsuits, and Christmas decor.

 Sunrise in St. Kitts the morning we left for home. This is at the airport. It's so beautiful before it gets hot. 

Clothes!

 UTAH! <3 the cold.

... and back to island heat once again.

This is the crater of Mt. Liamuiga, the island volcano. Not what you would imagine, is it?

See the grassy field down below?

 Just doing our nails. 

Pretty toes!

Happy Easter!

Marriott #1

 Oh yeah! Austin won a game of bocce ball. Go Austin!

 Starting early... learning how to walk on the balance beam.

 Looks like a jungle if you ever saw one, yes? 

More from our hike to the bat cave:

Can't say we haven't had some pretty awesome adventures.

Would't you agree?