Life

Life continues on here in Grenada. After my emotional breakdown in October Josh finally convinced me to hire a cleaning lady to help me around the house. I am naturally too cheap to pay someone to do something I am fully capable of doing. However, life here is different and having to wash dishes by hand every day, after every meal, for five people (plus pots and pans) adds up fast! It's not hard by any means but very time consuming. Then add hanging all your laundry and man... American's are SPOILED! ***Side note: I am normally kind of a news junky but after being here I can't keep up on all the American news. It mostly sounds like a lot of whining to me. I feel like it should be mandatory for every American to live in another country, that is NOT a first world country, for at least six months. People would sure stop complaining about little stupid things and focus more on the bigger aspects that need improvement. Ok, venting done.*** So this is the maid that Josh found. She is from Cuba and her name is Dagma. She comes once or twice a week and it's the BEST DECISION EVER! I told Josh that now the level of expectation has been met. There's NO going back now. I think I might need to sneak her in my luggage when we leave. It's SO wonderful to come home to a clean home! (Especially when you didn't have to clean it!) The girls love it when she comes and she loves to play with them. Although she is very loud by nature and I think they like her but are intimidated by her as well. My favorite is how Ruby says her name. She calls her "Ma-guh"... close sweetheart, close. Another story about Dagma... One day Hazyl told her she was really a boy because she has hair on her face! Needless to say Dagma's patch of facial hair, that is normally on her chin, was gone the next week when she came! (Ahh... kids...oops!)

The other day Ruby fell asleep on her bed while "reading" her favorite book: Dr. Seuss' ABC's. It was the cutest thing and she is SO my daughter. She will just sit and look at books for a half an hour at a time and I love it! 

This is the captivated attention that they give Daddy when he is home. When Josh is nearing his mid-terms or finals his study hours increase from about 10-12 hours per day, up to 12-15 hours per day. So even though I usually see him when he gets home and climbs into bed, sometimes it can be a few days since the last time the kids have seen him. Needless to say they cherish Daddy time...we all do! 

What do we do when it's raining outside and all the ground is wet?! We "bowl" inside with plastic cups and rolls of duct tape as "balls." (I need to invest in some tennis balls or something! Hmm... I wonder if they are sold on the island and if I have to pay an arm and a leg for them...) :)  The kids loved it and it entertained them for a good 45 mins while I did what you say? Oh yeah... dishes. 

When Grandpa Jay and Grandma Peggy came to visit they brought much needed family pictures, quotes and pictures of the Savior. I finally was able to "hang" them on the wall. The walls here are all made of concrete so actually hanging anything in a frame is out of the question. I have been on the lookout for some sticky tack to hang them, but gave up and just used packing tape. NOW it's starting to feel like home! We can now say our family is here with us in Grenada, and even though it's only through pictures, it still feels great!

This little diva cracks me up! She obviously was enjoying some of the candy brought to us by Grandma and Grandpa! 

It was just too hot to wear this skirt as a skirt...so it's now a very immodest dress to be worn around the house. 

Oh these two girls of mine. They are only 18 months apart and I feared that they would NEVER get along. But with Cannon in school most days they have learned to actually PLAY together!! Hallelujah!! Now they still have their fr-enemy moments, or cat-fight moments, but they are getting fewer and farther between! I also love how in almost every picture I try and get of these two 9 times out of 10, Ruby is looking at Hazyl. She ADORES her older sister and wants to be just like her already! Their relationship is still a work in progress and some days I just feel like a referee, but improvement is key!