We're Home!

We made it home last night around 8:30pm. We are so exhausted. I couldn't get much sleep last night because I was so tired and I also had a headache. I hate nights like that. Honestly right now I could take a nap but with 2 young children in the home and no one to watch them I'm not sure that is possible. I'll have to see when they take their nap today if I can take one too.
We had a lot of fun in Ft. Lauderdale. We had a few date nights since Greg's parents were able to watch the kids for us. It was awesome. We felt like we were college sweethearts all over again. We went out to dinner with some friends one night and we had so much fun laughing and talking. Then another night we went to the movies just us and we watched Denzel in "The Great Debaters." We enjoyed the movie very much and would recommend it. On Saturday night we attended Greg's cousin's 30th birthday party. We had such a good time at the party. My cousin baby-sat for us so it was another night of fun without the kids. We had a ball partying with our friends and dancing. The whole trip to Ft. Lauderdale has been wonderful. We were able to spend time with family and friends. I didn't see my parents since they are away so that was a little hard. I'm hoping next Christmas they'll be in town and then we can spend it with them. We'll see.
There's so much for me to do today but I'm still so tired I can't even keep my mind focused. I will NOT be able to do much of anything today. I really just want to get in my bed. I almost feel like crying. My head still hurts and I know it's because I'm tired and also dehydrated. I'm trying to get my fluids in and I think I'll also take an airborne to deter any cold coming on. The kids are also being miserable and it's hard to deal with them. I love taking trips but when you get back from them it's always so hard to get everyone back into their routine. Jesus please help us.
I can't even think about ringing in the New Year right now and actually if I have my way then I hope I'll be sleeping when the clock strikes midnight. If not then I pray that I was able to take a nap and I'm rested or...only God knows how I'll handle tonight. Anyhow, I wish you and yours a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!!!

Greg was ecstatic that we were able to spend Christmas with his extended family this year. I must admit that I had fun with them too. We drove to Ft. Lauderdale Christmas Eve and it was nice to wake up Christmas morning to a home cooked meal. Greg's mom made fried fish with dumplings (Jamaican style) and we also had ham with bread and eggnog with our coffee and tea. There was a little breeze outside so they set up the table on the patio. It was nicely decorated with a Christmas tablecloth. After we ate breakfast we opened the gifts and the kids got a lot of gifts. They are on cloud 9, especially Adryana. We are so blessed and we have to always remember to give God thanks so Thank you God!!!
For Thanksgiving I struggled with not being with family. My parents are in Jamaica right now and so I will not see them until sometime in January. This is the third year that they've been gone for Christmas. Anyways, it was still nice to be around my husband's family who are now my family. We actually went to 2 Christmas dinners. Imagine that!!
The first one was set up outside and the food was served buffet style. It was delicious. We literally ate and left though because we had to go to the other dinner. The second dinner was with Greg's father's side of the family. We had a lot of fun with them. They were already eating dinner when we arrived but we weren't hungry so I just had some eggnog. I had a little dinner later and also had some desserts. After dinner they played some games and we had fun playing the games too. It was awesome and really nice to be with family for this holiday. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year!!

Last Night I

went to my friend's graduation and it was amazing!! She graduated from nursing school. The ceremony was scheduled for 7pm so I asked Greg if he could get home to baby-sit Arjay while Adryana and I got dressed up and went. I thought maybe it would be a lot easier without Arjay; he never sits still these days and his temperament is also unpredictable. However, the auditorium was filled with crying babies and children running around. So much for my thoughtful idea!

We arrived several minutes late and missed the first part of the ceremony but what we saw was really short and sweet. After the graduates received their diplomas, they gave each of them pins. They each also received a candle and they had to walk on either side of the auditorium with their lit candle to the back of the auditorium. It was beautiful; it was one of those moments though where you just had to be there. The pictures really does not do it any justice. Following this the graduates did their nursing pledge and it was over.

After the ceremony, we did the meet and greet of her friends and took pictures. I am so happy and proud of her. Keveta, you did it!!! I'm proud of you girl!!!Best Wishes!!! Adryana and I presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a card. Later that night, Adryana said to me, "Mommy I'm so happy that you gave auntie flowers because it was so sweet and she didn't get any flowers and the other girls got flowers so I'm happy you gave her flowers." Adryana is so perceptive at 4 years old. She also said to my friend, "auntie, I'm so happy you win!" She just meant she was happy that she graduated. What an awesome girl, my sweet and precious Adryana!
In addition, we stopped at Chili's for dinner. My friend's brother was also at the graduation so he suggested that we go out and eat to celebrate. We had a nice time just eating and talking. It was so nice too for me and Adryana to have a girls' night out like that. She was also happy about that. She loves going out especially to Chili's. Arjay was melancholy without us and wouldn't go to sleep so although we got back at 10pm he was still up waiting for me to get home. He was so happy when I came home I almost felt guilty for not bringing him with us. I really needed the break though and I was glad that I took it. Arjay and I snuggled for a little while and then I tucked him into his bed. After that I took my shower, read my Bible, watched a little TV and off to bed.

Our trip to Jamaica

I've been so busy that I was not able to finish telling you all about our trip to Jamaica. In my first post about our trip, I wrote about Days 1-3. If you need to catch up, read here. I promised to pick up where I left off at Day 4. Read below:

Day 4
We were finally able to go to the beach. We looked at it every day but didn't go since Arjay was so sick. We all went and we really enjoyed the beautiful blue water. There was Reggae music playing and people doing water aerobics and games on the beach. The whole atmosphere was phenomenal. It was really awesome and we felt like our vacation had FINALLY started.
This was also the day that we visited my grandmother's house. This was one of the days that I was anticipating. At my grandmother's house there are several aunts, uncles and cousins. My grandmother has 11 children so just imagine how many grandchildren are there. I lost count at 35!! Now she even has great-grandchildren. It was really nice to see several relatives, they were not all there at the time though. My cousin (whom my grandmother raised) just renovated my grandmother's house. It was amazing to see the transformation. It looked really good, like a brand new house (which everything was gutted and re-done anyways). They even added to the kitchen and made it larger. My grandmother was beaming with pride: she was so happy! I was very happy to see her so happy and also glad my cousin did that for her.

We chatted with our relatives for a while, gave them the gifts we brought and took some pictures. We noticed Arjay was playing with a kitten and before we could say anything he grabbed the kitchen by his neck and he scratched him. Poor little guy, he was sick and now attacked by a cat! After that we left and visited with Trecia's mother who lives about 30 minutes away. She offered us some fruits (yummy) and made lunch for us. We stayed for a little while chatting and giving her the gifts we brought for her and her family. Then we left and headed back to the hotel. We took a shower and went to the dinner and that was pretty much it for the rest of the day.

Day 5

After breakfast, we hanged out at the beach again. Arjay was doing much better today so we were happy about that. We took turns and played a few games on the beach. We also watched a group of people learning the latest Jamaican dances (very funny). Next we went to the pool, had some drinks (very hot there today in the 80's) and relaxed in the pool for a while. Afterwards we had lunch: Jamaican jerk chicken. Very delicious!
After shower and a nap we had dinner at the Brazilian steakhouse at our hotel. The hotel has four restaurants and 3 of them require a reservation. You have to go to the lobby in the morning @ 10am and wait in line to get a reservation. The restaurants only have limited seating and there are only 2 reservation times (7pm or 9pm). Once they are gone, they are gone. We were lucky to get a 7pm reservation that night and we were excited about it. The ambiance of the restaurant was really nice. Before the meal we helped ourselves to a buffet of fish soup, salad, cocktail shrimp and many other appetizers. When it was time for the main course, the waiter comes around with a big skewer of meat and drops a big piece on your plate which he then chops into smaller pieces. The meat choices were pork, steak, sausage and lamb. We tried all but the lamb was to die for, absolutely amazing!! They also served a platter with rice, black beans and a whole bunch of veggies. They also served fried sweet potato which was really delicious. The food was great but with 2 young children it was a bit challenging to sit and eat (as it usually is). We ended up doing our normal eating in shifts and when I got back my food was tepid. We decided that night that we were going to try the hotel's baby-sitting service. The hotel has a real fancy gourmet restaurant that we wanted to go to and we knew it would be tough with the kids. We also needed a break because we felt spent after tending after Arjay while he was so sick.

Day 6

Arjay was feeling much better today. We had plans to spend the day with Greg's cousin, her husband and her daughter. They actually live in Ft. Lauderdale and coincidentally we were all in Jamaica at the same time so we asked them to come to Negril and hang out for a few days. They arrived yesterday but we did not get to see them yet. We were really excited about this day because later we were also planning to attend a beach barbecue with my cousin and her friends at their hotel. Greg's cousin and her family picked us up and we went to Cosmo's for lunch. This is one of the best seafood joint in Negril. They are famous for their curried lobster, fresh fish, and conch soup. I had stew peas (a Jamaican favorite for me) and Greg ordered the fried fish. Very delicious! After lunch we hanged out at the beach. Adryana and Hailey (their daughter) were wearing the same swim suit. We did not even know they had the same one so that was funny. We had a great time and did not want it to end but we had to get back to the hotel to shower and get ready for the beach barbecue.
The beach barbecue was very nice. They had tables and chairs set up on the beach and there was a Reggae band and a bonfire. There was also a dinner buffet and the food was great. My cousin had over 40 friends with her so it was a lot of people to "party" with. We really let our hair down for this and even with the kids I danced and danced and even did "limbo." Adryana and I had a ball. Arjay fell asleep in his Dad's arms. This was one of the best days for me because Arjay was feeling better and we got to do a lot of fun things.

Day 7
On this day Greg's cousin and her family picked us up and we went to the craft market to see what kind of souvenirs they could get since they were leaving the next day. You have to be careful in these craft markets because you can get ripped off. Like the one lady who told me one price and when Greg came over she told him a price that was $5 more expensive. Crazy! So I told her no way because she already gave me a cheaper price but she started saying how it wasn't her shop and she wasn't sure of the price. Yeah Right! Someone will also negotiate with you though. They bought a few things because we suggested that they could get better bargains at the gift shop where my aunt works and that's where we headed next. They found several things where my aunt works and her boss gave them a discount too. After that they dropped us off at our hotel, we said our goodbyes and they drove away. It was nice spending time with them.

Later we were excited about our date to Sir Andrew (the hotel's gourmet restaurant). Greg was nervous about the babysitter not showing up because we thought she would call us to confirm the time. We had left a message for her but I guess he just wanted to make sure she was really coming. She got there right at 9pm just as we were about to get the kids dressed and take them with us. Thank God! The restaurant was beautiful. This is the one where they usually host their weddings so the mood was very romantic. We were glad we did not bring the children too. There were no other children there either and you could tell everything was real fancy.It was a five course meal and for each course you were offered 3 choices. We really enjoyed our time at the restaurant and the food was really delicious. It was nice just to be with each other and no kids too. It's always nice when we can go out on a "date". Afterwards we listened to the Reggae band they had performing and then head back to our hotel room because our 2 hours were up in a breeze. This was one of our favorite nights because we were able to spend time just the two of us.

Day 8

This day started early because we were heading to Mayfield Falls which is about 1 and 1/2 hour away. It was a long bumpy drive. Most of the roads on this journey has terrible conditions, like lots of potholes and even some parts were not paved. This was a beautiful place though. It is not as popular as Dunn's River Falls but the falls was really beautiful. Everyone, even the kids were able to climb but certain parts we had to go over on the river bank because the water was too deep for the kids. It was nature at its best. The tour guides were really helpful and even carried the kids through certain parts that they considered a bit risky. We got to a part that they called "the cave" which you have to dive under. Greg did it and several other people who were with us. He was really excited about it but of course I was nervous because they said that it's really dark under there and it's deep waters. Of course I didn't do it but I was nervous for him.

Following the climbing of the falls, we took a nature trail back down. This was really awesome because the tour guides gave us history about plants, tree and herbs. We learned about a plant that you could use as soap to wash your hands (I didn't even know about this before), they use ferns to give all of us temporary tattoos and they showed us a bush that can be used as toilet paper. We even learned about certain herbs that you can use for medicinal purposes. I was truly amazed and it was really nice hearing about my own culture especially since I wasn't aware of some of the information that they shared.

We sat down for lunch under a tiki hut. Awesome!! The food was really delicious and they served us a sweet fruit punch that I enjoyed. Afterwards we took several pictures in their garden and then it was time to go. We drove to my grandmother's house again. This time all my cousin's friends came so there were over 50 people in my grandmother's small house. It was weird and funny because everyone was taking pictures and it almost look like we were at a museum or some kind of tourist attraction. Very funny!

We made it back to our hotel after a few stops and hurried to shower and get dressed for dinner. On this night we had reservations for the steakhouse. Before dinner we had some appetizers and then we ordered our food. I ordered the shrimp for Adryana, the beef & pork tenderloin for me and Greg ordered the steak. We tasted from everyone's plate and once again the food was so delicious. Our dinner conversation was about how our vacation was coming to an end and how we wish we could stay another week. However, we could not wait for the next day because it was the day we were all looking forward to.

Day9

After breakfast we headed to my cousin's hotel. Today was her birthday and we wanted to surprise her. When we got there we found her at the salon having a manicure and a pedicure. She was so happy when we all showed up and started sing the Happy Birthday song to her. She was beaming and said how happy she was that we surprised her. We spent the morning with her and her friends just hanging out at the beach. It was awesome! Greg left and went to the Town Square to buy souvenirs and when he returned he had patties (another Jamaican favorite). So we sat under the palm trees at the beach and ate our patties with my cousin. Then we had some pineapple, bananas and sugar cane. It felt like I was in heaven. Oh man! I love Jamaica!

Later we went back to the hotel so that we could shower and the kids could get their naps before the big night--my cousin's birthday party. When we arrived at the party we were greeted nicely and given leis. Then we were escorted to the beach area where the party was set up. It was breath taking. There were several tables and chairs on the sand and they had formal tablecloths and napkins and goblets, etc. There was a huge stage with a Reggae band and there was also a huge bonfire with torch lights surrounding the tables. Later we would be entertained by the Reggae band and also some dancers. The kids also participated in several activities and Adryana went up on stage to dance and won the competition. The crowd loved her and she was happy to win because she was upset when she didn't win the first competition (a Pepsi drinking competition).

We had so much fun it's hard to even fathom. Just being with family and friends made the party amazing. My cousin was ecstatic. Her husband gave a speech about how they met and he spoke about how life was full of surprises and that although they were from different parts of the world(she from Jamaica and he from Norway) that they came together and found a great love. They have been married for 12 years and he said that they were the best years of his life and that he looked forward to many more. He gave our grandmother accolades for doing such a good job with raising my cousin. My cousin was in tears and we were all touched by his sentiments. In addition to that he serenaded her with "Sha la la la..my brown-eyed girl!" and the crowd went wild. My cousin was so happy and so were everyone else. We danced, we laughed and we ate good food. It was a night that we will all remember. Happy Birthday Trecia! Keep smiling and keep dancing! I love you...

Day 10

This was a sad morning for me. It was time to go and I wanted to stay. We had already said all of our goodbyes to everyone last night because we knew the time would go by and we had to be on the bus that was taking us to the airport at 11:30am. While we were having breakfast my aunt stopped by to bring some Jamaican goodies for us to take home. We were happy to see her but sad to say goodbye. We got on the bus and drove almost 2 hours to the airport. Then we checked on our bags and had lunch. After that we went through security and then sat waiting at our gate until it was time to go. The plane ride was tough coming back because there were some turbulence and our ears hurt really bad when we landed even though we were chewing gums. Thank God we made it home safely. Bye-Bye Jamaica; we will miss you.

Super Long Weekend

As the night approaches and the weekend is about to end, I can't believe that I'm still standing. We've had a really long weekend. In fact it seems like one never ending week rolled into the weekend. After you come back home from a vacation there's always a million and one things to do and this past week was no exception. There were several things to do at home but besides that we had 2 birthday party invitations waiting on us when we got back. Also, we already knew about Greg's Christmas party for his office so that made it 3 parties to attend yesterday. I honestly do that know how we managed it. All I can say is that it was not easy with 2 young children. We shouldn't have even attempted it but we did anyway. The 2 birthday parties were at mid-afternoon and they kind of over-lapped so what we did was started at one stayed for a little over an hour, left Greg with Arjay at that party and then Adryana and I headed to the next one about an hour late. Crazy!!
I know but Adryana really wanted to go to her class-mate's party and the other party was for really good friends of ours so we didn't want to not go to that one too. After the second party finished we had just a little over an hour to come home shower and dress for Greg's office party. Greg and Arjay was already home and Arjay only had 45 minutes of nap. Not to mention that Adryana did not nap at all. She's usually okay with not taking a nap sometimes but Arjay really likes long naps so we were really concerned about what the office party would bring. It was really a long day and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with young children. I'm just glad it's over.
Then today I taught the toddlers (Arjay's class) at church. It was very overwhelming in the beginning but the circumstances that made it difficult were worked out and everything worked out fine. After that I came home and did some more house work. I also had to help Adryana with a school project. I still feel like I'm all over the place trying to catch up since we returned home last Sunday.
On a positive note, I was able to get a few Christmas gifts on Friday. Obviously I am happy about that since I felt like time was running out. I really hope that things calm down really soon but I doubt it because this week is the last week of school and Adryana has her school party. My friend is also graduating nursing school and I'll attend her graduation on Thursday. I'm so proud of you Kev, keep up the good work. Best wishes!
Before you know it Christmas will be here...only 9 more days!

On the 12th day of Christmas....

my true love said to me...wow, we finally have a Christmas tree! Yes folks, we just finished putting up our Christmas tree. I know it's 12 days away from Christmas but like I said before we were away and when we got back we realize that Christmas was just around the corner. I have done only minimal decorating and so far I have not done any Christmas shopping either. I'm not really sure when I'll even get my shopping done. There's just so much to do right now that I'm feeling overwhelmed. We have 3 parties to attend on Saturday-- 2 birthday parties and Greg's office Christmas party. I'm planning to just take things one day at a time.

I love Christmas. It's my favorite time of the year. Except, this year I feel so unprepared. I'm not even sure what to get the people on my list for Christmas. When you get back from vacation it's always hard getting back into the swing of things. I feel like things are moving too fast right now and I'm trying my best to catch up. If I buy one gift before the end of this week then I will be happy that I made some progress. I've just decided to focus on the kids first and get their gifts out the way then I can worry about everyone else. I'm dreading how much it will cost too. Since we just got back from our vacation we will have to shop on a budget. I usually shop on a budget regardless but usually I have more time. It's a lot easier to shop on a budget when you have more time. I'm just going to have to do the best that I can and keep on moving. In the end it will all work out.

And no matter what I WILL have a Merry Christmas because I know the true reason for the season.

Home Sweet Home

We are finally home. We actually got back yesterday afternoon. We were very sad to say goodbye to Jamaica--since we were having so much fun we were not ready to leave. We could have gladly stayed another week. However, this is the way it must be so it was nice to pull into our drive-way. It felt good to walk into our house and to get back into our own routine. We will miss Jamaica though. While I was making dinner tonight I was thinking how wonderful it was that when I was in Jamaica someone else was making dinner for me. I will definitely miss that.

We felt really blessed when we walked into our house yesterday. In fact, Greg and I were talking about how blessed we were even while we were driving back from Ft. Lauderdale. It's amazing to see how much we have after visiting a country where most of the people including my own family is so poor. The people were so warm and friendly, it makes you think how much richer your life can be when things are simple. I've always heard that the more money you have the more problems you have. It's a wonder!

Well, there is so much to tell you that I'm not sure where to begin. First, let me re-assure you that Arjay is doing fine now. Some people have been concerned since reading my last post. It was just a virus and it had to just work through his body. It was his first time flying and we heard that it's pretty common to get sick; we actually think he picked it up on the airplane. Anyhow, he's better and we are very happy about that.

Besides Arjay being sick the trip was AMAZING!! We had so much fun, I don't know what to talk about first. We took alot of pictures so I'll post some as soon as I can. I plan to catch you up where I left off so I'll start with Day4. Right now though I have a lot of stuff to do, loads of laundry and lots of housework not to mention Christmas decorations. We haven't gotten our tree yet and we plan to do that tomorrow so I'll be pretty busy with decorating it. I feel so rushed. I couldn't believe my eyes when we got home and saw that everything was all "Christmasy." When the flight attendant said, "Happy Holidays!" at the end of the trip I was just blown away. I just can't believe that Christmas will be here so soon. I haven't even done any shopping yet. When we left it was still November so it's taking me a little time getting use to the fact that Christmas is just around the corner. I'm excited though, I love Christmas and I can't wait!

We're Here!!!

Wha a gwan? This is how we say hello in Jamaica, it means "What is going on?" Irie man - means everything is good. I've been keeping a journal of what's happened since we left. We were going to fly out of Ft. Lauderdale airport so we had to drive for 4 hrs from Tampa. However, that didn't go as planned because it took us 6 hrs. The drive was very frustrating but we had no choice so we prayed and kept going. We got to my parents house at about 10 pm and by the time we got to bed it was already past midnight. After a rough drive from Tampa to Ft. Lauderdale, I prayed and hoped that we would have a smooth trip to Jamaica. Thank you for praying too because God heard our prayers. We were supposed to get to the airport between 2-3 hours before our flight. This is the policy for International flights. We got there a little before 8:30 am for a 10:35 am flight and would you believe that there were only about 3 people in front of us. We were so amazed and happy. We were checked in quickly and got through security in all of about 30 minutes. It was fantastic. I was a little nervous when it was time to board the plane and I noticed that they were not calling the passengers yet. In the end, we boarded the plan and left the airport on time. Yea!! We also made it to Jamaica 10 mins before our scheduled time. God is faithful!! Imagine my excitement as we left the airport and traveled for about 2 hours to the hotel. I was wide-eyed in amazement and wonder as we passed by familiar places. As we were driving through Montego Bay, Adryana yelled, "Mommy, I love Jamaica!" My heart melted. I was so happy that my child could appreciate were I grew up. It was awesome and I was soaking up every minute of the whole experience. I was beaming with excitement; it finally hit me that I was really here. Wow!! We are in Jamaica. I wish I could tell you every moment has been like the way I just described. However it was not always wide-eyed excitement. The hotel was amazing, just as beautiful as before. Immediately we got lunch (we were starving, and we had no food on the airplane). We also had some delicious ice cream. We were all very tired so we went to our room and relaxed. Arjay was very fussy and we just thought he had been so overwhelmed and tired from the trip. However it was not the case. He was sick!

Day 2
We tried to make the most of this day by first having breakfast at the hotel. Very delicious food. We enjoyed some Jamaican food as well as American food. After this we left the hotel to visit my aunt at her job. She works on the 7-mile beach strip, so it wasn't far away. She sent a taxi for us and we were on our way. We talked with her for a little, then left to go to the Cambio (money exchange store) to get some Jamaican cash. You can use US money, but you get ripped off more. Next we stopped at the hotel where Greg needed to register for the Reggae Marathon (which would be the next day). Greg planned to run the half-marathon. He was very excited about this. After that, we are back to my aunt's workplace, which is a tourist gift shop. We finally connected with my cousin (the one who is having a birthday party in Jamaica). I was so happy!! She and I are not only cousins, we are also best friends and very much like sisters. We danced, hugged and squealed in excitement. It was great!!
Through this all we could tell that Arjay was definitely getting sicker. However, my cousin wanted us to go to dinner with them ( a large group of 40+ people, who came from Norway where she lives). It was very exciting and any other time we would have enjoyed ourselves more, but the mood was somber because we knew Arjay was getting worse. We ate at a restaurant on the cliff side of Negril where we watched a beautiful sunset while we waited for dinner. The conversations with my cousin and her friends were great and the food was delicious. However, immediately following dinner we told them we were leaving because Arjay was so sick. By the time we got back to the hotel Arjay was roasting with a fever. Needless to say, it was a horrible night of no sleep, constant worry and giving Arjay cold sponge baths and tylenol. It was also the night before Greg's race and there was no way he was going to get 8 hours of sleep.

Day 3
Greg still got up at 3:30 am and headed off to the Reggae Marathon, which was scheduled at start at 5:15 am. I was up from constant waking up with Arjay. After he left, I sould not sleep, even though Arjay was sleeping. I decided to finally unpack all our suitcases and organize our clothes. I stayed up for 2 hours, stressed about Arjay being sick while we are on vacation and worried about Greg's race. He didn't get enough sleep and running in Jamaica is tougher than in Florida. There are different circumstances such as the humidity here and the horrible road conditions. After praying for a long time, I finally felt calm enough to go back to sleep. When Greg got back I was proud to know that he finished his race (the half-marathon is 1hr 43 minutes, which was better than he anticipated. The rest of this day was spent worrying about Arjay. He didn't seem to be getting any better. Finally, we took him to see the hotel's doctor. We were told it was a viral infection and nothing can be done except what we were already doing (tylenol every 4 hours, cold sponge baths, take temperature and make sure he was getting enough fluids). We also were told of a pill similar to motrin that we should give him. We left feeling a little hopeful that it wasn't anything more serious. We were pretty much bored in our hotel room until dinner time. Unfortunately, there is no room service here so we had to go to the dining room. Arjay was fine throughout dinner though. It seemed like he was finally starting to get better. The children's tablet they recommended (which we bought at the gift shop) was really working. Arjay slept much better tonight. Things were finally looking up. By morning, Arjay's fever was gone and we were all excited!!!

Two Days Away

Yesterday was a really long day for me. I had to run a few errands. I went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things that we'll need. I finally had our mail placed on hold. I've been meaning to do this for awhile so it felt really good to finally have it done. I also spent most of the day doing laundry and finishing up packing our suitcases. I really hate packing! I'm glad that it is over. I made a list of all the things that I need to remember before I go but besides that we are ready to go.

We are leaving for Jamaica on Thursday morning @ 10:30am. But we leave tomorrow afternoon to drive (for 4 hours) to Ft. Lauderdale .We are flying from Ft. Lauderdale airport so we'll spemnd Wednesday night with my parents. Please pray for safe travel for us and that everything goes smoothly. It's less than 2 hours flying and we'll arrive in Jamaica @ 12:20pm. I'm so excited!! I cannot wait!! I have not been sleeping, I get like this when I go on trips that I'm excited or nervous about. My mind keeps racing and I can't calm down.

On another note, I spent half of today getting pampered. Greg watched the kids this morning so I could go to the spa. I had my nails done...I usually only get a full set on special occasion. This is my first time trying the gel nails (I usually just get the acrylic) and I LOVE THEM! It's so amazing. Usually when I get my nails done I'm afraid to use them thinking that I will scratch/break a nail. Well, these gel nails allow you to use your nails and not worry about scratching or smudging them. They stay shiny for a long time (this is what I was told by the nail tech). I hope it's true because I told her that I would be in the beach a lot and I didn't want my french manicure to fade while I was there. They look and feel great and I'm really happy about them. I'm also happy about my french pedicure too. This girl really did a good job. There's just something about getting your nails done that makes you feel all girl...like a princess. I love that feeling. I wish I could do them more, I get pedicures often but I always feel like I'm a handicap when I get the full set manicure. I know, everyone keep saying that you just have to get used to them but after a while I always feel like tearing them off, they feel so unnatural and I can only keep them on for so long. That's just me though. I love how they look but just can't keep them on for too long.

Well, tomorrow we'll leave for Ft. Lauderdale and then the next day is THE BIG DAY!!! Yea!! Did I mention that I'm so excited and I can't wait?

I don't know if I'll be able to blog. We have a very busy 10 days, my cousin has a hectic (but fun-filled) itinerary for all her guests. If I get a chance I will try to blog but when I return I will definitely have lots of pictures so keep checking back.

We are packed...almost!

Our suitcases are filled with clothes and shoes and all of our stuff that we are bringing to Jamaica.

However, we are not ready. In our hearts and minds we are already there, we are so excited and we just can't wait. But, there is still lots to do and only four more days before we go. Jesus please help us.

Someone recently asked me some questions about Jamaica. So, I thought I would share a few things about my native land. Yes it is a third world country, meaning the economy is bad and the poverty level is high. However, Jamaica is a country that is very rich in culture. Jamaica is a tropical paradise and has many beautiful white-sand beaches and coral reefs.
Jamaica is very small with only a population of over 2.6 million natives. Tourism is a huge part of the country's economy; therefore there are many tourists there all year round. The weather pretty much stays the same all-year round, nice and warm. It's also humid but there is a tropical breeze.

We are well-known for our reggae music and Bob Marley. We are also known for our food rich in spices like curry and jerk. We also have our famous Blue Mountain coffee.

Yes we do speak English. It is our official language. We do have a dialect called patois (pronounced patwa). It is considered broken English. Yes we do have cars too; however, most people cannot afford to purchase their own automobile so buses and taxis are mostly used by the natives.

There is so much more that I could say about Jamaica. Like I've told people before; yes the circumstances do appear bad but it's really all about perspective. If you have only a little then you learn to live with a little. When I was living in Jamaica I did not have many of the luxuries that I have today. I've gotten used to many of these luxuries and at times I feel like I couldn't live without most of them. The truth is I've forgotten what I used to live without when I was growing up. When I return to Jamaica and I see how people (even my relatives) are living I'm often sad because I have so much more than them and I feel sorry for them. But I know that there are things that they learn to appreciate so much more than me because when you have a lot you take things for granted.

Sometimes when I think of my childhood too I think of all the things that my children will miss because they will not have the opportunity to live in Jamaica. When I lived in Jamaica I could climb trees and pick fresh fruits and vegetables. I could run and play all day outside. I could trust my neighbors and people in our community. We shared food between family and friends and we were always getting free stuff. We wore uniforms to school and we said "yes Ma'am and yes Sir" to our teachers. We prayed in school. We did not speak when an adult was speaking and we could never curse in their presence. We were taught good manners and values. We learned how to appreciate what we had and be grateful for whatever else we received. Yes, sometimes the people who only have a little really are richer than those who have more.

Thank You God

Thank you God that I'm alive... Yesterday we were on our way to Thanksgiving dinner at some friends' house and we saw 2 accidents on the way. I said a silent prayer for whoever was in those cars and I also thanked God that we were safe. I realize that every day that I am alive is a gift from God. It's a privilege and one that should not be taken for granted. We don't know when it will be our last day on earth. Although I believe in eternal life with Jesus Christ, death is not something I am anticipating. In fact, I wish I would just live until Jesus returned.

Thank you God that I am healthy...being sick is never easy. While I am sensitive to people living with major illnesses, I would never want to have to walk in their shoes. So I thank God for every day that I am healthy and today I am very well.

Thank you God for my family...I love my husband and I love my children. I'm so grateful for every day, even every minute that I spend with them. Yesterday while we were eating Thanksgiving dinner, I had a very emotional moment. It wasn't obvious to anyone because it was all internal. When I looked around at the faces at the table, I had a brief moment of sadness. The moment passed quickly because I didn't dwell on it and allow it to ruin my evening. However, I was just wishing that I was surrounded by my own family (parents & other relatives). Also, Greg was not sitting at the table with us because he was attending to Arjay while I eat first. Adryana was sitting next to me and I just looked over at her and squeezed her hand. Making contact with her was important because right at that moment she was the only family I had with me at Thanksgiving dinner and that made me sad. When you have young children things become a give and take and so I didn't really mind that Greg was with Arjay in another part of the house. We realized that having him at the table could have been disastrous because we didn't want him to destroy the table in all its fanciness. It was more the fact that when you looked around at all the faces at the table ours (mine and Adryana's) were different and it made me sad. Both our friends had their parents and siblings with them. Our friends were really welcoming and it was super sweet of them to have us over for dinner. But it just wasn't the same as being around our family and relatives. Still I am thankful that I have people who love and care about me. I'm thankful that I was able to sit at a table for Thanksgiving dinner, because I do realize that there are many that do without. In the end, we had a great time with our friends and their families. It was an okay Thanksgiving too. We enjoyed the food and the fellowship.

Looking Ahead!

My dear blog readers, I have been so busy for the last few days. I just have so much going on. We are getting ready for our long awaited trip to Jamaica. This is really exciting for us. I've been around town shopping and preparing for us to take this trip. We leave in just 1 week time and I'm so excited that I've not even been able to sleep much.

My cousin (who's birthday party we'll be attending in Jamaica) is already there. She got there yesterday and now I can't wait even more to get there. Besides the fact that it will be an awesome vacation for us, it will also be a time of reuniting with family members that I have there. I can't wait to see them and catch up. It's been almost four years since we were last there. Since then babies have turned into children and lots of things have happened.

My relatives there have never met Arjay and it will be nice for them to finally meet him. Also, it's been said among family members that Arjay has a striking resemblance to my maternal grandfather (who died almost 15 years ago). My grandmother is still alive and she has not met Arjay yet. I know that it will be a nostalgic moment for her because Arjay's smile really is a lot like my grandfather's. People has even said that Arjay is a lot like an old man as if he has an old soul. I know it sounds really freaky!

In any case, we are looking forward to this trip to Jamaica for more reasons than we can count. I am counting down the days and the minutes.

I Hate

going to the dentist! I just don't like it one bit! I still go because I know it's all a part of the plan to keep my teeth healthy but it really freaks me out when I have to go. So today was the dreaded visit to the dentist. They seemed much busier than usual today so I waited about 30 minutes before I could be seen by the dental hygienist. I was kind of glad that they were busy because I kept thinking that maybe my cleaning time would be shortened. (ha!) After perusing several magazines, I was finally called into the death chamber (lol). It might as well be called that for me because I hate even just getting into the room. I know that once I'm in the room I'll have to sit in that dreaded chair where they push my head back so low that it might as well be touching the floor. Seriously, how much further can they put our heads back in those chairs? I hate that chair! I also hate when the dentist/hygienist sit down and lean all the way over me (hello..claustrophobic here, please do not lean into me so much!). Okay, I know it's all a part of their job but haven't they been to the dentist? Do they like going? I honestly cannot say that I've met one person yet who likes to go to the dentist. Do they not realize how dreaded this whole experience is and how nervous it makes us feel? I mean it's like torture, well not completely but it's no fun. Then after the whole gruesome experience is over they give you the verdict: You will need to consult with a oral surgeon to schedule removing your wisdom teeth! Could this experience get any worse? Yes, weeks later when they send you a hefty bill.

M & M's

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Catching Up!

I haven't been blogging lately. So, I guess I should have a lot to write about. The last couple of days have just flown by. Saturday was a really good day. Greg was able to get a babysitter for us and we went out Saturday evening. We went to Citrus Park Mall to watch a movie but we were early for the movie we wanted to see so we walked the mall a little and then had Aunt Annie's pretzels. We also had popcorn and drinks while we were watching the movie. Do you realize how expensive movies and also buying popcorn have become? It's ridiculous really! I mean it's almost $20 for 2 people to watch a movie and then if you decide to get popcorn it's another $15-$20. I guess everybody have to make their money but going out to watch a movie is becoming more of a "rare" occasion (at least in our household) than we would like. I mean, we really like watching movie but after paying that much money at the movie theatre and then paying our babysitter at a whopping rate of $10 per hour we were easily setback to close to $80. We were really desperate to go out on a date so I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, I just had to make a point of how expensive "dating" has gotten. I don't know how these young adults are affording dating because it has sure gotten expensive. Of course they wouldn't need a babysitter but still it can be very costly.

Anyhow, that was our Saturday in a nutshell. Sunday involved me working in the nursery at our church. It was a bit crowded with kids so Greg decided to stay and help me. Thank God! Working in the nursery takes a lot of stamina. I pretty much gave it all the energy I had because I decided that I was going to keep the kids busy so that there wouldn't be too much down time. My grandmother always said, "idle hands 'cause trouble!" So, I did not want any idle hands on my watch. The lesson was about God giving rain. It was based around the time when Elijah and his followers were in the desert and it wasn't raining and everything had dried up and they had no food and the plants died. Elijah went up into the mountains and prayed. He asked God to send some rain and He did. I brought in blue water to show the kids (remember they are toddlers) and I also put some water on a cotton ball so that they could touch it on their skin. They loved that! I also brought in some plastic toys of sea animals (fish, duck, octopus, etc.) and we played a kind of bean-bag toss in the basket game. Only the basket was covered with a blue towel so I told the kids we were tossing the sea animals back into the ocean and they had to help me. They really enjoyed that. In the end it was a really great lesson and it went much smoother than my first week when I didn't have as much to work with. It's definitely a good idea to over-prepare (meaning have may more things to do at hand) when teaching toddlers. They don't have a very long attention span and they also get bored very easily. Anyways, that wrapped up Sunday.

Monday was spent mostly doing laundry. I had a lot of housework to do as well so I just kept busy for most of the day. I also had to go to a meeting at Adryana's school (I'm on the planning committee for the Thanksgiving party). It was very rushed because the Thanksgiving party is planned for Monday and the person in charge waited until the last minute to get all the moms together to plan. Anyways, we got it planned and that's what is most important.

On to Tuesday, today. First of all, today is my Dad's birthday so Happy Birthday Dad...Love you...My day was spent with first taking Adryana to the doctor's to get her flu shot. She was actually very brave and we are so proud of her. Last year was horrendous. She was kicking and screaming and trying to run out of the doctor's office. This year she did really well. She sat in Daddy's lap and she cried for a little after the nurse gave her the shot. Then she got a lollipop and a sticker and she stopped crying but she did complain about how it hurt her on the way home. After that she and I went shopping while Arjay and his daddy went to the bank. Later I went shopping again after they were all taking a nap (Greg was home). So now I'm almost ready for our trip to Jamaica. I just have to get some toiletries and some other small items and then we are set to go. This weekend will be a busy one because I will finally start packing. In just 2 weeks we will be off to Jamaica...yea!!! I cannot wait!

Book Review

Ahhh! This is usually what I'm saying when I reading or when I've finished a Karen Kingsbury book. She's a great Christian author and is being called America's #1 inspirational novelist. I highly recommend her books, they are really worth your time. Several of her books hit #1 on the bestseller lists and one of them was even made into a movie.After reading one of her many titles (Divine) for the first time I was hooked.
This book is called Just Beyond The Clouds and it's about Cody Gunner who we met previously in another book called A Thousand Tomorrows. Here is the author's summary of the book: Still aching over his wife's death, Cody Gunner can't bear the thought of also letting go of his Down syndrome brother, Carl Joseph. Cody wants his brother home, where he will be safe and cared for, not out on his own in a world that Cody knows all too well can be heartless and insecure. So when Carl Joseph's teacher, Elle, begins championing his independence, she finds herself at odds with Cody. But even as these two battle it out, they can't deny the instintictive connection they share, and Cody faces a crisis of the heart. What if Elle is the one woman who can teach Cody that love is still possible? If Cody can let go of his lingering anger, he might see that sometimes the brightest hope of all lies Just Beyond The Clouds.
This book was very inspiring but most of all it was about simplicity. The book's message was very clear. Life was about choices but the most important choice of all is to live. The author clearly showed how important it is for us to realize that life really is about living. We are not promised tomorrow but just because we might have a near to impossible feat does not mean that we must stop living and wait until death takes us. In this story, Carl Joseph has Down Syndrome but it's his life-long goal to just simply be a man. He wants to be able to do things for himself. He wants to cook, take the bus, dance, go to church and give his 10% tithes and even go to Disneyland one day. Also, he wants to do many things that "normal" people would do. Yes one might say that Carl Joseph has many limitations but in this book, the author shows us how he refused to let all his problems get in his way of happiness. He has a heart problem, he has occasional seizures and prone for a Stroke and still Carl Joseph yearns his independence. His family wants him to stay home where he can be safe but deep in their hearts they know that they are holding him back from his potentials. In the end they can't help but realize that maybe they were the ones that were "handicapped" after all because Carl Joseph will teach them all lessons about love and just choosing to live.
It's a great story that will touch your heart, make you cry and laugh all at once. One of the most significant message in the story is about Cody Gunner and how he's angry and aching over his dead wife. She had Cystic Fibrosis and although he gave her a lung to buy some more time with her she died and he still carries her in his heart. he's come home and he's desperately trying to get his brother (Carl Joseph) away from the Independent Life Center. Only the more he fights against it the more he realizes how great it is for his brother. In a surprising twist of fate, he also meets the one girl that will capture his heart and break apart all the anger he had built up. She will also lead him to God and to also finally see that he must let go of his dead wife. He will fall in love with Elle, Carl Joseph's teacher and together they will both find a great love and find out also that the most important thing of all is to just keep living even through the bad stuff. Joy will come in the morning.
Another significant part of the story is about a Down Syndrome girl (Carl Joseph's best friend) Daisy who is afraid of the rain because she thinks that she will melt like the Wicked Witch of the West in Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. Carl Joseph comforts her when it's raining and tells her that not only will she not melt but that whenever it's raining to remember that there is sunshine just beyond the clouds. This is the most powerful message of all because it reminds us that no matter how we view things ( no matter how bleak they look) that things will get better. It's just like rainbows and how when we see them we can remember God's promise that He will never destroy the earth again with rain like He did in Noah's days. In the end, we will see that Carl Joseph is right about sunshine being just beyond the clouds because everyone finds their own happiness and finally realize that the rain does not last forever.

Cooling Off

The last few days have been very cool here in Tampa. While I'm enjoying the cooler temperatures, I'm already bracing myself for when it gets really cold (at least by Floridians standards). I'm not a big fan of cold weather. Neither am I a fan of hot weather. I like the temperature in high 60's to mid 70's. Greg says I like everything to be perfect and it can't be that way! I know that things and people are NOT perfect but I still like to try to get to as close to perfect as I can. That's just me...

I'm feeling a bit under the weather and I'm not happy about that because a few weeks ago I was sick with a very bad cold. Anyways, I felt it coming on last night (probably because of the change in temperature) so I took Airborne. It really does work wonders as they say. I've taken it a few times already (you are suppose to take it every 3-4 hours) and I'm already feeling much better than I did last night. I hope to kick this thing soon because I do not want to get another full-blown cold.

Besides all of that, today was a good day. I got my hair done today and I was really happy with how it came out. I tried this new hairdresser and I was very impressed with her work. I will definitely go back there. My hair and I are recovering from a very traumatic hair experience and it's been a very long journey trying to find a hairdresser that is competent (by my standards). So I was very pleased today to leave the hairdresser with a smile on my face. That has been very rare as I am going through a bad hair season. I know...I know...Most people thing my short hair-do is so cute. And there are days when I think it's cute myself. But after having long hair for 28 years, it was very hard to lose my hair in the way I did. I've grown to like my short hair but it's not really my preference and I do miss my long hair. Anyways, I've already come to terms with it so I don't want to re-hash the negative feelings. It was just very refreshing to actually "like" my hair today after seeing how the hairdresser had styled it.

Not much else happened after that. I came home and got some laundry done. I took the kids outside for some outdoor fun. They really enjoy outside in the cool weather too. For dinner I made salmon marinated in olive oil and herbs served with baked sweet potato (for me) and regular baked potato for Greg. Mmmm...yum! All in all, that was my day and it was a good day. I'm off now to get the kids ready for bed; after that I'd like to take my shower, get some reading done and snuggle with Greg before I drift off to sleep...then my day would be perfect...or as close to perfect as you can get!

Misery Loves Company

I had a real crappy day today. The minute I got out of bed this morning I was feeling out of sorts. First, I woke up at 6:30am and could not go back to sleep so there goes my extra hour of sleeping in that I was hoping to bank on. After that I just felt miserable. I tried countless time to "snap" out of it but I just couldn't do it. I was in one of my worst "moods." As the morning continued it just got worst. Before we left for church Arjay decided to use a marker and write all over his stomach, on his hands and on his clothes. I was fuming now because I knew we were going to be late for church and I was so frustrated.

After we got to church I tried to "let it go." I just wanted God to take over and help me get into a better mood. It took some doing but after focusing and listening to Pastor Larry's message I really started feeling better. I even shared a few laughs with the congregation and Greg because Pastor is just so funny when he preaches his message. It's really great to listen to him. The message was like a soothing balm to my soul. Pastor was preaching about how the devil is a liar and he hates us and just wants to see us suffer. He said that God loves us so much that He was willing to do a "Life Swap" with us. God is able to swap our sins and all the bad stuff He's taken from us already to give us beauty for ashes. It was a really good message and by the end of it, I felt like I had come out of my "funky" mood.

I wish I could say that my day was all great and wonderful after that but it wasn't. I stopped in the restroom on my way out and Greg picked up the kids from children's church. When I saw Arjay my "funky" mood came back. Arjay was bitten by another little boy while in nursery and he was clearly still upset about it. He had every reason to be too because it was a very big bite and when I saw it I was immediately UPSET!! I mean so upset that it took everything in me to get in our SUV and drive away. All the way home I ranted about it. I was furious and I felt like a Mama Lion who just wanted to protect her cub.

Needless to say, my day was downhill from there. Everything bothered me and I was looking for company to join me in my "crabby" mood so I kept getting mad at everyone at home. The day pretty much continued like that and I can't honestly say it was a good day. But wanting to end things on a positive note I finally pulled myself out of the "funk." Here are some "good" things that I noticed about my day once I was able to look for the positives:

1. I'm alive and I'm healthy.


2. I did not have to go hungry at any point in the day because we had food in our house.


3. I have a "roof" over my head as they would say.


4. I have a husband and children who loves me very much.


5. I did not have to make dinner today. My husband "cooked" meaning we had take out which was Chinese food.


6. My husband did the dishes.


7. My husband gave the kids a bath and got them dressed for bed.

So there you have it: 7 "good" things that happened today. And 7 is God's great number so it makes me feel good knowing how much God has blessed me even if I had a bad day.

A $163 Pen?

Have you ever paid for something and it was so over priced that you wanted to scream? But then you felt like you had no choice and it makes you want to cry. It's finally happened! Our toilet in our guest bathroom was clogged on Tuesday and we needed a plumber fast. Arjay has been flushing pacifiers and wipes and paper and God knows what else. Well, yesterday after about 15 minutes of work in the bathroom, the plumber brought out a pen. He seemed convinced that the pen was causing the blockage. Then he gave me a bill that says: $163.20 "for removing a ballpoint pen that was causing toilet stoppage." Those were his words. Therefore, we paid a $163.20 for a ballpoint pen. Cry...cry...cry.

If only it stopped there it would have been bad enough. Except hours later after trying to flush a number 2 down the toilet, and it took 4 tries to finally go down, we realize that the problem was not solved. So, here comes the plumber again this morning. And this time the price has doubled because he has to do more extensive work, like take off the commode and reset and blah blah. Here we go again...cry...cry.

Thank God Greg was home and he had a serious "talk" with the plumber about how unfair it was that they wanted to charge us again when obviously the work was unsuccessful. Finally, we were able to get them to subtract yesterday's price and only charge us the difference between today's cost and what we paid yesterday. Still we paid a whopping $171.50 because he had to take off the commode then he had to snake it...blah..blah...cry...cry. We can't even get mad. We are beyond mad. We just feel so "ripped off" that it's not even funny. Then all he found was more paper, wipes and poop. More crying...

Why do plumbers charge so much money? I mean how can they live with themselves for "ripping" people off? We've heard that plumbers can be expensive but gosh. I wish I knew a plumber. Dear reader, if you know a young man who's finishing High School and not sure about college and wants to do a trade, please suggest plumbing. At least then you'll know a plumber and hopefully he won't "rip" you off. Cry...cry...cry...

Just Two Things

Two Names You Go By:
1. Kaywana
2. Kerry

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now:

1. Jeans
2. Brown & Pink polk-a-dot baby-doll blouse

Two Things You Would Want (or have) in a relationship:

1. Communication

2. Love

Two Things you like to do:
1. Go on a date with my husband

2. Curl up in my chaise and read a good book

Two Things You Want Very Badly at the Moment:
1. more date nights with my husband Greg
2. more alone time (kid-free)

Two things you did last night:
1. Cleaned the kitchen
2. Watched House Hunters

Two things you ate today:
1. Granola bar
2. Apple

Two people you last talked to:
1. Greg
2. My kids

Two things you are doing tomorrow:
1. taking care of my kids
2. cooking dinner

Two longest car rides:
1. Florida to New York

2. Florida to Atlanta

Two Favorite Holidays:
1. Christmas
2. New Year's

Two Favorite Beverages
1. Fruit Punch
2. Vanilla/Banana Milkshake

Two things you may not know about me!
1. I have a glass eye

2. I only have one ovary which the Lord has used to produce 2 beautiful children

Two jobs I have had in my life:
1. Substitute Teacher/Teacher
2. Domestic Engineer (stay-at-home mom)

Two Movies I would watch over and over:
1. The Color Purple
2. Dirty Dancing

Two places I have lived:
1. Negril, Jamaica
2. Miami/Ft. Lauderdale & Tampa,FL

Two of my Favorite Foods:
1. Jamaican
2. Italian

Two places I'd rather be right now:
1. in Jamaica
2. at a spa

The Most Amazing

thing happens when you are not expecting anything and you receive something. I recently received a card in the mail that really touched me. It touched me because it was simply a card that lets me know that I am appreciated. The card was really significant just because someone thought enough of me to send it but it was also significant because God thought enough of me to remind me just how special I was. It was in His gentle whisper--the words from the card resonated in my heart and it was like a breath from God.


Approximately a day before I received the card, my daughter asked me what "appreciate" means. She asked me that because I was frustrated with them (her and my son) and I kept saying that I'm tired of not being "appreciated." Ladies you know how we sometimes feel this way. Well, I had to explain to her what "appreciate" meant. Then God decided to let me know that I am appreciated!


When I got the card and read the front of the card, I was thinking that it really didn't apply to me because it was speaking more about struggles and promises of God. Here is what it said:


Wouldn't you love to have a hope-filled heart?


Wouldn't you love to see the world through the eyes of Jesus?


where we see unanswered prayer,


Jesus saw answered prayer.


Where we see the absence of God,


Jesus saw the plan of God...


God never promises to remove us from our struggles.


He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them.


Then on the inside it says:


May the Lord

reveal his plans


and purposes


to you in every


situation


of your life.


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV





So at first I was a little confused as to why I was the recipient of this card. But the person who sent it simply stated:


Kerry,


We appreciate your work with ______________. You are such a blessing. We love you!


And there is was again.


In a word. Appreciate.
Thank you God for your gentle whisper, your still small voice.

Our Disney Trip Part II

Our second day in Orlando started with us having breakfast in the hotel we were staying at. We were actually very impressed with the breakfast because it was not continental like they usually give you at some hotels. It was a hot breakfast buffet. We all filled up on eggs, bacon, fruits, toast, bagels, waffle, juice and of course for me.... coffee. They had Wolfgang Puck's coffee which was really good! The staff was also very friendly and helpful. Then we returned to our hotel suite and just hanged out for a little while because everyone was still tired from the day before. We knew we would not get much done with 2 tired kids so we decided it was best to wait until after they took naps before we did anything else. Eventually we all took a nap, yes, even me. Can you believe that?

Later we went to Outback for dinner. We enjoyed the food but I didn't think our waitress was very attentive. Greg's a fast eater so he was done before me and Arjay was a bit fussy so he took him out and left me to finish eating and get the check. I decided that I was not going to give the waitress a big tip because I didn't think she was that great. She wasn't exactly rude but like I said she was not very attentive. I guessed I was not "feeling her." Anyways, I gave her about 15% in tip but Greg usually likes to tip 20% so he thought I didn't leave a good tip. I didn't think she deserved a 20% tip but I didn't want to be really mean and leave 10% because like I said she wasn't really rude and nasty. I tried to point out to him that even when you have a large party and you go to a restaurant and they automatically add gratuity they only add 18%. Anyways, we totally disagreed and spent about 15-20 minutes discussing this. I personally believes that Greg "over-tips" when he tips 20%. I feel that even automatic gratuities are no more than 18%. Here's some research on tipping. Anyways, luckily our night was not ruined because of this.

Afterwards we went to the Prime Outlet Mall to get some shopping done. We got a few items but the best part of the evening was getting Haagen Daz ice-cream. It was a real treat for everyone. The kids were beyond excitement and Arjay couldn't even wait to get his. When he did, he so greedily slurped it that he "entertained" the staff. It was funny watching him.

The next day, our last day in Orlando was spent having breakfast then checking out of the hotel. After that we stopped at DisneyQuest. In my opinion this is not the most suitable place for preschoolers. Adryana was able to do a few things and seemed okay with that. Arjay was pretty much bored except when we did either the driving game or the Lil Hoops game. So, we ended up not staying very long. All in all, we had a great weekend.

Fabulous Fours

Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. Receptionist


2. Recreational Therapist at a Psychiatric Hospital


3. Sales Clerk/Cashier


4. Substitute Teacher/Elementary School Teacher

Four movies I can watch over and over and over:

1. The Color Purple


2. Dirty Dancing


3. Pretty Woman


4. The Diary of a Mad Black Woman

Four TV shows I like to watch:

1. 24


2. House Hunters


3. Big Brother


4. Bridezilla

Four places I have vacationed:

1. Orlando, FL


2. Jamaica


3. Norway


4. Bahamas

Four of my favorite dishes:

1. Curry chicken


2. Pizza


3. Babyback Ribs


4. Seafood

Four websites I visit daily:

1. My blog


2. Facebook


3. Friend’s Blogs


4. Maybe Target but I don't visit it daily

Four places I would rather be:

1. Anywhere with my husband


2. Jamaica


3. On my chaise reading a book


4. At a spa