Birthday's in St. Maarten

The most wonderful day I have had in a while was getting together with my amazing sister Christa and her husband Albert in St. Maarten!  The trip was part of my birthday present from Todd this year.  One of the fun thing about it is that my sister Christa and I have our birthdays not even a week apart.  There have been many times when we would get together for our birthdays.  But who knew that one time we would be getting together in the middle of the Caribbean!

I was trying for days to get flights to and from Statia on October 3^rd.  I had to get the first morning flight and the last evening flight to make it work perfect.  And with days of help from an extremely kind young man who works at the airport here on Statia I was able to do just that!  I was so excited to just be with my sister (1 of 4)!  I had made arrangement for a car to rent for the day to just drive around and enjoy!  The flight was fantastic – well okay I made it over on the little propeller plane - … but the car rental… not so good.  I made it to the rental place only to find out that I need a credit card. – No I have not rented a car before. – After some begging and pleading the gentlemen was kind enough to remember and mention a rental place that does not require a credit card for Statian Residents! They even called them for me and drove me back to the airport to be picked up by UNITED car rental.  Quite relieved and only $40.00 later I had a nicer ride then what was previously arranged with the other guys! Already late I was very anxious to get to where the cruise ships dock – on the other side of the island.  Of course forgetting to ask for a map I try to make my way there by memory from the last couple time I was here.  Not so good of a memory!  I got lost!  I was very, very sad, very, very, stressed out and not proud to say a couple curse words escaped my tongue. After some calming down, humbling, repenting, and some prayer I felt I should stop at a particular gas station to ask for a map.  And better than that I received a personal escort almost right to the Cruise ship.  A nice man was on his daily route delivering cooking gas to different gas stations and offered to show me the way.  I only had to drive a little way by myself at the end but by then I recognized where I was. After many a thank you to my Father in Heaven for the much needed help and inspiration I saw them patiently waiting for me to arrive; an hour and a half late! – I was so sad I lost that time!  I parked my car on the side, just left it, and we ran to each other of course doing the ugly cry run, hug, but loving every second of it.  It was amazing to see her – I really realized then how much I missed seeing her. And Albert too of course!

With the help of some great local friends and their advice on where to check out – Victoria, Hilda, Joanna – you know who you are ;) -  we went up to Marigot Bay to check that out stopped by Fort Louis…

Had some fantastic French food in… somewhere… I can’t remember, but it was a cute little town and on the water – beautiful.

We pretty much drove around the whole island, taking our time, enjoying each other’s company and not really a worry or care in the world! We went to the classic Maho beach where you see the big jet planes come and go.  Not long before we got there some poor guy didn’t have his belonging secure and they went flying waaaaaay out into the ocean!  So we decided to learn from that. 

Jet coming in…

Waving good-bye to the people leaving on the next jet.

And then brushing the sand from out of EVERYWHERE from the jet blast.

I didn’t want to put my phone up there to take pictures of the plane flying off and get my phone sand blasted!

On our way back to the other side of the island again where the cruise ship was waiting we took our time heading back.  Stopping to get me a McFlurry!!!  MMMMmmmm could have gone for a blizzard but they don’t have Dairy Queen, we took a picture with my home in the background!  The island is there, St. Eustatius, really!   Its just hard extra to see in the picture.  A lot of the days it’s fairly clouded over but you do sometimes get a nice clear day and see it. 

And our sweet ride! Not bad!

And Christa & Albert spoiled us rotten.  Making sure each of my kids, and Todd, had a wonderful gift and lots of love from Auntie Christa and Uncle Albert.  They even spoiled me! Taking me shopping in Philipsburg and dressing me in style.  Apparently skinny jeans are really the thing right now – you kind of loose touch here – and so they hooked me up with these super skinny royal blue beauties!  I kind of just laughed at first but Christa I’m proud to say I’ve worn them a few times, I like them, and my girls think they are ‘hot’!

It was really hard saying good-bye and dropping them off at their ship but it really was the most fantastic birthday gift ever!