I really need to be writing something in the blog now. Its almost been a whole month! There has just been a lot going on these days. With looking for a new place to live, Christmas plans to make and all the other things wrapped into one make us pretty busy.
Todd is writing his last exam tomorrow! They are a whole week ahead and we are thrilled! He has been doing really well with high 80’s and low to mid 90’s except in algebra. That was his nemesis! But with the results of the last test he passed with a hair grazing 72% where anything under 70% was a fail and would result in having to do the class all over again. That would have been pure torcher! But this exam tomorrow is biology and he currently is sitting with a comfortable mark around 90%. Smart Boy!
Well time is sure going because Its been almost a week since I wrote that first part and Todd did well on his exams. He got honors in both Biology and Physics, and did well on the others as well. So now He gets a whole month off!
So much has gone on.
On November 16th it was Statia Days. It starts off with a parade and ceremony at 6:00 am! Really early, we ended up sleeping in. It would have been nice to check out but we will have to wait until next year to attempt the 6 am rising for the morning ceremony. However they have activities going on all day at different parts of the island. They have the classic running races for the kids like they do at so many small town events. Swimming races, volleyball, and we went to a kids activity they had down town at the family and Youth center. I think the kids had a really fun time. Lost of their friends were there.
The Girls had what they call Prayer Week at school. They have it twice a year and they go to the church in the morning and the classes have their special day to sing songs and lead the meeting. I went and took some pictures and made some recordings. I’m hoping to put some of the recordings up. Courtney’s class learnt and sang I am a Child of God. It was kind of cute. What was hilarious was Courtney’s face. A lot of the kids don’t sing they kind of sing yell really loud, so it wasn’t the usual sweet song we are use to and Court kept scrunching up her face and kind of looking around at all the loud kids. It was funny. But they tried. You might be wondering how they know it. Carson the boy from Raymond in Courtney’s class was trying to sing it for his teacher for Teachers day. His Mom came in to help him and Courtney was there so she asked Court to sing it with Carson as well. The teacher really liked the song and the words so asked if her class could learn it for Prayer Week assembly, so that’s how it started. Katie’s class was heading up the whole assembly that day and she even had a solo line in the song she was singing with a grouop of kids from her class. In class Katie’s teacher had all the kids sing a song to see who the best singers were and Katie was one of the lucky ones to get to sing a solo. She did really well, she said was a little nervous but it was really fun watching her sing. She loves to do that kind of stuff. The school has a huge variety of assembly songs that they sing and I want to try and attach a little recording of that also. Its really fun to hear.
It was Katies class’ turn to do the regular assembly the following Monday after prayer week. She was able to sing her solo again, recite scripture and do a little play with her class. She was then specially chosen by Uncle Ishmael, a man who started the whole school and now continues to helps run it in his late 70’s, to put up the Statian flag for the flag ceremony. The students sing a song as they raise the flag and then say a prayer. It was pretty neat to be there for it.
We went to the Statia drag races. They go along the straitest longest road on the island and a lot of the people on the island get together and watch local men race their bikes and quads. It was interesting, there were a few people really getting into the races. Everybody brought picknick snacks and hung out for the afternoon. The racers get their bikes all worked up and pimped up for the big day weeks in advance.
Here is Todd on his scooter. I’ve never put a picture of that in here yet.
We still love Rachael and Young. I’ve been late coming home sometimes from shopping or other stuff and they have let the girls stay for a little while ( I don’t think I’ve been more that 15 mins)and have given them some little treats. I think Rachael and Young actually liked it when I was late sometimes, so they could visit with the girls. They are always telling me what sweet kids I have and how well behaved they are.
Picture of the kids, Jase and Katie, coming home off of the STANAPA truck after Jr. Rangers. They still love going there. I’ve been really impressed with their programs and all the things they are learning about the plants, animals and creatures on the Island and in the ocean. They were also learning how to splice a rope! (I just had to ask Katie what it was called because I had no idea!) Smart Girl!
This is some Red Snapper that we got at one of the Local Restaurant. So Yummy and it came with fried plantains!
A huge Avicado! That is my hand and a massive avocado. They are all pretty much this size. I’ve seen the smalls ones like at home but not very often. These things are so good. They are really moist and soft – they never have that stringy stuff in them like ours sometimes do.
Spider – its only about the size of a quarter but I thought the web was quite interesting and it was kind of a freeky looking spider. Black and Yellow Poisonous ??
As we get closer to Christmas there are instant parades – they call them parades. A few people will get together and blast loud dirt bike noises from their bikes and honk their horns over and over and most of the time throw some candy. This particular parade had Sinti Clause (don’t know how to spell it) but he is the Netherlands verson of Santa clause. He wares a pointed had with a big cross on it and a big robe. I’ve seen pictures of Black clothes and Red and Gold clothes. This parade was REALLY loud! They didn’t drive slow either it was going pretty fast for a parade we have hat home so these are the pictures I go as I heard them coming and grabbed my camera. I almost missed. It was fun to see though.
Here is a picture of the currency we have been using so far on our stay here. However as of February they are going to the American Dollar. I think I mentioned before, that on 10/10/10, the Island is now under complete Dutch (Netherlands) control and they are changing the really pretty money – Guilders – to the American Dollar – not so pretty – sorry American money but you lack some color. These are really pretty.
During all the time I spent not writing in our blog we found ourselves an amazing dream come true home. We never thought we’d ever find a place like the one we are know living in! We moved in a week before Christmas and 2 days before my parents came for Christmas so I was a mad woman trying to get the place all settled for the exciting things we had on our agenda! We had been looking for a little while off and on getting some leads and checking out a few different places. None fo them seamed like the right place. They were either rough houses in a fairly good location, or poor location pretty decent home. Todd and I were riding around on his scooter when he said he’s been meaning to drop by this one place that he thought he could ask about renting because he hadn’t seen anyone living there. So we went up to her house. Her name is Elizabeth but we now call her Grandma Ellie! Todd started asking about the cottage that was just beside her house wondering if it was for rent, but she thought that we were asking about her house that she had for sale on the side of the Quill. We had no idea that she had a house on the quill. She didn’t understand that we were really asking about the cottage and told us that several people had been trying to rent her house (on the quill) for 3 years now. I has been empty for 3 year since her husband died. She told us that she wasn’t going to rent it but said she would take us there to have a little look. We thought it’d be nice to see so that afternoon we went and had Courtney with us that afternoon (She was done school). She showed us around and whilst there Todd chased a cow out of her gated yard, and started picking up big palm leaves and throwing them in the truck, Courtney started to follow Todd and put some of the palm leaves in the truck. These fans I guess you would say, can be pretty huge and Court was dragging these things across the lawn. It was pretty cute to see. Anyway Ellie showed us the house and then said “well make me an offer I can’t refuse and you can rent it! I do need to talk with Leienteen (her daughter and husband who live next door) and I will let you know!” We couldn’t believe that she said that! So we put our thinking caps on and decided on a rent that we could afford – plus we would do all the yard work and maintenance on the house and clean it up and what not. So we gave her the number and she called her daughter – who was visiting her daughter in the US – and she called us and said Yes we would love you to rent our house! So we talked and made an official deal and it was done in just over a day! Anyway it was amazing we were blown away! They – Ellie, Lienteen and Tony – are some of the kindest people we have ever had the honor of meeting. They helped us by providing dishes and kitchen supplies for the house and furniture. Also the Queens who’ve I’ve mentioned a while ago lent us beds and have been so sweet also. We have been so blessed here, the Lord has been really helping us and looking out for us. Like I said before we have been blown away. Also the house happens to be quite central to a majority of LDS people on the island – we are still getting more on the island I think the current count it 19. More than ever before – so we are going to hold our church meeting at our house when everyone it on the island. There is talk about making us a little branch, we are just waiting for word from the mission leaders of our area and we will see what happens! Here are a few pictures of our new home. They aren’t fancy because we took them at the last minuite so I didn’t tidy up or anything.
I have more pictures of the house in different areas of the blog.
Have you ever seen a baby humming bird? Chances are you haven’t. Well we have a humming bird nest in our kitchen. Its been quite amazing to watch. This humming bird kept sitting on this little nest in my kitchen and making an awful poopy mess of everything. But one day I looked up and there was this little bird in there and I thought for sure it was a baby and then one day I watched as the mother came and fed her baby – I was unreal! And a day not long after I went into the kitchen and the baby was gone and then I saw it sitting on my kitchen counter and of course I wanted to try and hold it and I pretty much did. I got it briefly in my hands and then it jumped – flew away. They are still pretty fast as babies. Well we got to watch this little bird grow up. It flew onto different plants throughout our house and we would hear the mother calling her baby and the baby would respond and the mother would feed it. She was pretty leery of us being around when she would try and feed her baby, but it was something else – so fun! The kids loved it and it was just one more neat experience to add to our adventure here.
Every Christmas we have always bought a gingerbread house to decorate and the kids really wanted to do that again this year. Well they don’t sell pre-made gingerbread house kits so I decided to make one. It actually turned out really well, I used my Grandma Bishop’s recipe and it tastes way better than the store bought stuff. It kind of took a long time thought I can see why buying is a lot more convenient time wise, but we will be doing it again next year.
The girls had their Christmas concert on December 13th. It was a really nice set up, and we had it outside. They made different areas for the story of our Saviors birth and they used a real live donkey! That was the best part. The older kids reenacted the story, and the younger groups – Katie and Courtney did different Christmas songs. Courtney’s group did the song Do You See What I See and she was the shiny star! Her teacher cut out a big star and she wore it. At home Court would practice trying to dance in a little circle for her main part in the show, but when she got to the real thing she was really shy and didn’t quite dance but it was so sweet. She is actually quite a shy little thing if she doesn’t know you. She won’t say much and will stick to me or the closest adult if I’m not there. But at home with us she can be quite the spit fire when she wants - going into her Statia accent rant! Katie’s class did Go Tell It On the Mountain. It was really a lot of fun to watch. She did a few sassy moves with her classmates where I was kind of giggling inside and found myself saying Oh! It was all good though and she did a great job. I tried to get some good pictures of them but the lighting was so poor and all the brightness was coming from behind them all of the pictures look really dark which is too bad. I was a little disappointed in the audience. There was a lot of talking all the time and it wasn’t whispering, it just wasn’t really reverent like you would picture an elementary Christmas concert, but I guess that’s just how it is. Jase’s school doesn’t do a Christmas concert of any kind, I was thinking that maybe next year (if he’s still in the school) that I might help them put something together if they wanted – We’ll see.
When we were cleaning and getting the house ready to move in Ellie asked Jase to destroy some tapes for her and he had a lot of fun doing that. Getting hammers and screwdrivers, ripping out the tape inside – I’m sure you remember doing that as a kid or having your kids to that to you! This time it was legal! There were almost 50 tapes.
I tell you though cleaning this place what quite an experience. I ‘m sure it could have been worse but there was cockroach poop everywhere, and some mouse poop, bird poop, and grossness. Ellie did have someone coming in to clean every once and a while, but with no one living in here the bug and rodents just took over. Luckily I didn’t run into too many bugs while I was cleaning. I did have a baby cockroach run up my leg, and when we just moved in I had a huge cockroach run up my arm from a box I was carrying. That was really disgusting! They have really strong Velcro legs, I could feel it really gripping my arm I had to fling it off with my other hand and then we squished it. I’m getting more accustomed to seeing the bugs, and birds in my house, but I hate the rats. We’ve had a few rats in the kitchen that just creeps you out gross, they weren’t there very long though because they really didn’t get a chance to do much damage thank goodness, and I think we have a pretty good system now to try and keep them out. After we moved in we caught one on a rat sticky pad, and then 5 min later we saw another one! Luckily the rats here aren’t really huge, but they are big enough for me! I think the one we caught was on the smaller side thank goodness. I’m pretty sure we chased the rest out though because I haven’t seen any big poops or pees lately. We had one eat some poison and die under our cupboards I tell ya we had a lot of incense burning for a couple days! Crazy enough I took a picture of our little rat friend stuck on the sticky pad trying to get off, funny thing is I felt bad for the poor little guy, even though he was making messes in my kitchen! And then Todd reminded me of how disgusting and dirty these things are and then I felt better!
The Island really loves Christmas and gets into it pretty much as we do at home. (That’s what it seems like anyway) People decorate their houses with lights and wear Santa hats around. They play a lot of Christmas music. Not like the music we listen to at home, it’s Caribbean style music, Christmas music I’ve never heard of. It’s interesting. Anyway they have a few different Christmas festivities going on like the parades I told you about, and they had a parade of lights. It is a children’s parade and they walk the streets in the evening when it’s dark and wave around different lights and colors, it was actually really neat to see. Of course I didn’t’ have my camera because we just happened upon it. I didn’t even know it existed until we saw it. Oh well – next year. One activity we did go to was a big Christmas party outside where they sell food and drinks and Santa comes and gives the kids presents. Each Statia child 12 and under gets a raffle ticket to give to Santa’s helpers to get a gift from Santa and then at the end they do a big raffle for the different age groups and give out things like little kids toys, PlayStations, Camera, and Wii’s. Crazy I tell you. They at first did what they call a lucky draw where the kids put their hand in a bunch of shreaded paper and pick out a gift. The kids got some smaller gifts, pencil and pen sets, Jase got a little battery operated game.
Them they did a hula-hoop contest. They would get 2 kids together and have it out. Katie won her dontest with Maia her friend and got a fancy craft set! Courtney was waiting and waiting, she was too shy to ask to do the contest, but I told her to just go up and say she wanted to try, so she finally did. Little did I know that she has never ever done the hula-hoop before. She looked so small against the girl she was going against and the lady asked her if she was sure she wanted to do it – of course she did. It was hilariously awesome to watch. She was just going and going! Well for about 30 seconds, it seemed like forever, this little just turned five year old. Her hula-hoop drop just second before her competition and the lady running the game couldn’t believe it. The look on her face was just priceless. Like a ‘Wow I can’t believe this little girl, that was unreal, hilarious, cute,’! So she gave Courtney a big prize too just for doing so well! And She said to Court as she gave her the gift “Wow, Merry Christmas sweety!” It was really fun to see! Jase didn’t participate he ran around with friends.
Then for some entertainment they brought a man from Saint Kitts to do do a fire show. It was pretty amazing to see him rub fire on his body and feet, and then do the fire breathing. He was really good. Then he came back for an encore and did his thing not a few feet from me and I shook his hand after. Fun Stuff. The audience wasn’t quite as supportive as I would have hoped for the dangerous stuff he was doing – maybe they see it more often. But if any of you know the Bishop girls we like to cheer and Ooh and awe for the entertainment. Shows the entertainer support and it adds to the fun.
Then Santa came, and here he comes on a boat throwing candy! There were all sorts of kids running for the candy and shouting. My kids thought it was great, of course I was worried they’d get trampled!
Then they organized the kids into groups to get their presents from Santa. There were literally hundreds of kids there so it too quite a while, and my kids didn’t actually get to see Santa – he was with the youngest age group 0 – 2. I think they were a little disappointed about that, but there were so many kids it just wasn’t feasible. But my goodness you war probably imagining the gifts they would be getting would be something like at home – a dollar store toy or something but no these were huge gifts!
Courtney got a Disney tea set.
Katie got a beautiful baby doll. Its one of those ones that almost feel like a baby when you are holding it.
And Jase got a Video MP3 Radio Player! We couldn’t believe it – they were giving out tons of these things for his age group! At least 40 - 50. And it works really well. He’s watched The Sorcerers Apprentice on it and listened to the radio. (It was quite hot and sunny that day).
It was kind of a long day but a great experience.
Oh Christmas Tree! We bought a tree and decorations from the local grocery store. The kids were really excited because it was less than a week before Christmas by the time we moved in and things mostly organized so we could decorate the tree.
With our new house being up on the quill and being so fancy, Todd decided we needed to get ourselves a guard dog! There was a litter of 9 puppies that were thrown in the dump in a box, and STANAPA rescued the pups of 8 days old and were feeding them and looking for homes. So Todd thought it was a good idea (now that the home we are in would allow animals) that we should get one. I was against the idea but lost the battle sooooo, here is a picture of our little Honey.
That is a regular sized bottle. They think she has some German Shepherd in her and maybe some Pit-Bull they were saying, but she is a really sweet little dog, a little shy but she loves us. We kept her as a surprise for the kids when we went to go pick her up. As soon as the Girls saw her they were shocked (Jase was at school) and the lady who had raised her till now asked “what are you going to call her” and without a hesitation Courtney says “Honey” so that is what stuck!
That same evening the kids were due for another surprise – but this one was HUGE.
I took the kids delivering cookies for Christmas while Todd was picking up our bed with Randal Cooper from, bless their hearts, the Queens. Thank goodness we got our bed then, it couldn’t’ have been better timing – before that we were sleeping on the pullout couch that we wanted to use for Christmas with our super sweet bed in a box mattress. (Its actually really great!) We then met up at the airport with Todd for some reason ?!? The kids thought we were meeting up with Uncle Ishmael (I’ll mention him later) because he want’ home when we went to deliver cookies we were visiting when all of a sudden grandma and Grandpa Bishop came up to the kids. Jase saw them first and there were instant tears as he grabbed Grandpa and the Girls saw Grandma right behind him and held on to her. All the kids had huge smiles on their faces and by then they were all crying. It was so awesome, and so exciting to see them!
That day it was Grandpas Birthday so I had made German Chocolate cake – his favorite- and we got him some presents. Earlier I had tricked the kids into making him b-day cards and sent I was going to mail them off for his b-day. I t was kind of funny because Jase even said. Oh Grandpa we made you some b-day cards but we put them in the mail for you, and then I walk out with them.
And then the fun began!!! Walking to Crooks Castle (Lisa you had better get here and check out your Castle!), Hermit crabs, Super Burger, making Christmas decorations at the Youth and Family Center, seeing an instant parade, hiking the Quill – Way to go MOM and DAD!!, pruning the trees and the house, goats, White Wall, grave yards, ruins, Berkle Plantation, Botanical Garden, beach, friends, groceries, Christmas!, and Katies baptism!!… it was wonderful!
Then we had Christmas Eve!!
We had a great spread of food. Mom made her famous Clam Chowder, we played games, sang songs and read the Christmas Story. The kids opened books and PJ’s – thanks to Grandma for sewing them for us. Not much of a selection here! And Todd and I even got some PJ bottoms! They are really quite cute – perfect for the tropics! Our friend Pallov came for Christmas eve, he’s a student with Todd and had no where to go for the holidays so he came to be with us for his first Christmas ever in his life. I think he liked it! The kids sure like him too!
Christmas morning was so fun! It is awesome to see their faces. And those parents who are reading - there is a satisfaction that – Yes everything turned out just fine after driving yourself crazy making it just right – or maybe that’s just me! But I loved every minuite of it. Todd and I have only ever had Christmas once at our own house before (I almost forgot about the one in Magrath), and this was fantastic, and what made it even more fantastic is that grandma and Grandpa could be there with us to help make if feel even more like Christmas.
While Mom and Dad were here Todd and I went on a Blue Bead Hole dive. It is where they figure a ship carrying barrels of Blue bead lost one in the ocean just off of the island coast, so people go diving there is hope to find themselves a blue bead. So off we went to try and find some blues beads, and we told Mom that if we found one we would give her the extra one that we had. Mom and Dad watched the kids play at the beach while we went diving and Todd was the first one on our group to find a bead – its actually quite a large one. And then just minutes before we acended to the top I spotted on the ocean bottom. It was quite exhilarating to find one! It was so fun and amazing to think that it has been sitting in/on the ocean floor for close to 3 hundred years. Unreal. Mine is a really dark blue with perfect 5 sides and smaller – I think its really pretty. So Todd and I were the lucky ones in our group that day – his and hers – hehe! Anyway so here is Mom getting her blue bead and I think she loves it! (Thanks to Rusty for helping us get that bead!)
The most amazing part about our Christmas holiday was that Katie Ann Erickson was baptized in the ocean on December 28, 2010. It was a very special moment for all of us. I’m not sure we will have the opportunity to see anyone baptized in the ocean ever again, let alone our own daughter. According to the Missionary Couple, President (Branch) and Sister Stevens, that were assigned to come here and assist in the baptism, said that the mission believes that there has never been anyone baptized on St. Eustatius ever in the history of the church. So that is something special all in itself. It was wonderful. Katie is so special and so sweet, and she really tries hard consider others feeling. She is a good example for what she knows to be right, and I just pray that she can always use that gift in her life.
We had the house set up for the opening of the program and the talks, went down to the beach for her baptism and them came back to the house to give her The Gift of the Holy Ghost to close the program and eat. We are so grateful for all the help and support we received to make this day so special. I can’t thank my Father in Heaven enough for these amazing opportunities we have in life, and especially for the ones we are currently experiencing here on this island as a family. I give Him 100% credit for His guidance and inspiration.
After it was to the beach, right next door to where Katie was baptized that morning!
The next day was rainy and cold (?) but we were out and about looking for Uncle Ishmael (All the kids at the girls school call him Uncle Ishmael) because he wanted us to stop by so he could show us the Berkle Plantation project he has been working on for years. I’ve always wanted to see this so I was excited and I knew that my parents would think it was really neat.
He showed my parents some of the plants that he planted and has grown there for years. He told us how he started the school (the girls Seventh Day Adventist) school from out of his garage and funded everything at the start. The school started with - I think he said - 5 kids. He really has done some amazing things for the island and is always out trying the best he can to help people. He is in his late 70’s. I think he said 78. He has 2 mini museums of where his parents lived and where he grew up – so he showed us those buildings with antique things in there from his parents and different tools they used and the life they lived. It was all beautiful. You can tell he has put a lot of love and effort into his projects, but he worries whether anyone will keep it up for him when he is gone. The project reminds me of what my Mom has done/doing with her grandfathers house in Glenwood, Alberta Canada. The other day for Christmas he brought us some sort of pancake snack with this yummy juice his brother makes for Christmas. Almost with the same spices as apple cider at home, but with a different fruit. I can’t remember the name – I’d never heard of it before. Then the next day he showed up with a coconut pie. It was delicious. I bet it was made with fresh coconut from the trees!
We drove to Zelandia Beach and got out to look – the weather was too wet to go on a walk down the beach Next time!
Little Lizard we found in our house.
Time went by so fast for our visit and we were sad to see them go on their 2 day trip back home. Yes it takes approximately 2 days to get here from Alberta!! We were sad to see them go. Of course I cried a bit and the kids were crying, but it was an – until next time! We had so much fun!
That night Courtney asked if she could go up and see Grandma and Grandpa. (They were staying in a perfect little suite so graciously offered by our neighbours/friends Leinteen and Tony for their short stay) I had to explain that Grandma and Grandpa had to go home to Canada and they weren’t here any more. She was upset about that and then asked if we could go to their house in Canada. Well I had to explain that and why we couldn’t go there. She was put out but I think she finally understood. It just seamed to her that they just simply walked out of the airport to come visit so why couldn’t we.
But life goes on. Todd and I have one more dive and then we’ve completed our Advanced Diving course and are doing our nitrox course next. We’ve already done our first dive for that Its really fun we’ve seem some awesome stuff. Two eagel rays at once – something you hardly ever see, and one on two other separate dives. We saw a reef shark, barracudas, eels… Its amazing down there. I told Todd we should probably get our rescue diver as well just incase something happens to one of us and we can help each other. The odds are rare but better to be safe than sorry.
The kids started school again and of course the girls have got some sickness and Courtney has now missed 3 days of school and this is Katies 1st. Todd started school a week after the kids, so that was when we had time to do most of our advanced dives. We do a night dive on the 13th. So excited for that. So Todd seams positive about his coming classes. His last term he ended up with 2 high honors, 3 honors, and 1 pass (that terrible algebra!) But he did fantasic, and has a lot to do this semester. Histology, physiology, Inorganic chem 1 & 2, Organic Chem 1&2. He got a lot on the go but he gets every Friday off! So when he’s able to its date morning! Its so nice to have that time together – keeps the flame alive!
I would have like to write more with each picture but this has been insanely long!
Anyway we are all happy and continue to enjoy our adventure here together on this beautiful little island that we currently call home!
