We truly enjoyed our time spent in America seeing most of our family and friends. And just as it started getting a little cold we traveled back to St. Kitts! Although the circumstances for our extended stay were unfortunate and we were very busy seeing everyone, we were able to rest and relax the last two weeks in the States.
On our road trip down to Miami we stopped for the night in Orlando and did Disney on the cheap! Sean got a great deal on a hotel and the next day we spent the afternoon in Downtown Disney (which is free). That evening we took Maddy to a Cinderella character dinner at 1900 Park Fare Restaurant which is outside of the Magic Kingdom. That means, we didn’t have to pay for admission into the park… just the cost of our dinner! Maddy was in awe when she met Cinderella and she was one of two girls chosen to dance with her! It was such a wonderful way to spend one of our last evenings in America.
Our flight to St. Kitts was uneventful but it seemed like a whirlwind once we landed!
We left Maddy’s car seat at the airport and haven’t had a chance to get it back yet.
We got home and found one of the tires on our van was flat (which we drove home from the airport without knowing).
We met with our property manager about our alarm system because the upstairs neighbors where robbed while we were in the States… and they tried to break into our house as well.
The robbers cut the power off to our house so we were welcomed by quite a stench and mess from the fridge.
We had to go out that night for groceries and were reminded about the cost of food in St. Kitts.
We checked our mail on the way home and found two large power bills.
Not two minutes afterward I felt something on my arm and found a centipede halfway on me in the van! I yelled at Sean to pull over and I jumped out while the van was still moving! Thankfully it didn’t sting me and Sean was able to get it out of the van.
After putting the groceries away we discovered several extremely large wood roaches in our cabinets. (We have since had pest control out to spray).
This was all in the first few hours of being home!
Since then we’ve had a repairman out to fix our freezer which wasn’t turning on fast enough. It was causing everything to melt, re-freeze and melt again. The problem still isn’t fixed.
Our van broke down as Sean was literally pulling into the tire shop. The alternator went out and it will likely be days before we will have it back. But at least the tires are good!
I have thrush… which is weird.
The power has already gone out.
And ministry doesn’t stop just because we didn’t have internet for a few days or because we are stuck at our house.
I think the biggest adjustment is how unpredictable each day is here. We came back with plans because that’s what we do in America… we plan each day out. There may be a few interruptions but overall most of our days go according to plan and those interruptions can be handled easier in the States.
But here?
Each day truly is unpredictable. We make plans but it’s normal for plans to go out the window every day.
All in all, we are glad to be back… for life to return to normal (whatever that is), for ministry to start back up and to enjoy the cool breezes that will be gone before we know it.
Trying to catch up on laundry
(The island is so beautiful)
This year is already looking to be busy… Sean will start working with the new National Coordinator in February, we may have a possible six mission trip teams, hopefully more after school Good News Clubs, we are praying for at least three local CYIA summer missionaries to serve, I am taking over the children’s program at our church and we will simply be preparing to leave by the end of the year.
Life is crazy… being a missionary here is certainly NOT a perpetual vacation even if our surroundings are so pretty. But we are glad to be serving the Lord here and know He will be with us every step of the way.
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