Lizards

 Lincoln's favourite thing to do lately is catch lizards. Josh explain one day to Lincoln how to catch them, and Lincoln could just do it. Once Lincoln catches them he sticks them into his cages he has. There's times when there's eight lizards are in each cage, Lincoln has two cages. He has so much fun catching them, then watching them wiggle in his hands.

We have a sad story about the lizards this week. Lincoln catch quit a few one day. We were off to visit Josh at school and Lincoln brought the lizard cage with us. With out me even thinking we let the cage in the car while we ran into the University for 5 minutes. When we came back out to the car the lizards we baked to death. Ooops!

Lincoln also found 2 lizards flighting, he was able to catch both of them and pull them apart. But as he was carrying them back to our house the one lizard grabbed a hold of the other lizards head. Let's just say the one lizard didn't make it.

The lizards are fun to watch. Love all the different colours they can be. It's crazy how small they are as babies. Lincoln has learned that the lizards are cold blooded, making them move slower in the morning when its cooler out, so he can caught more. Lincoln also has a good eye at spotting them.

Gonzalo

After a week with extreme high temperatures, no island breeze and a power outage (nation wide blackout). We have tropical storm Gonzalo headed our way. This storm is suppose to strengthening east of the Leeward Islands (St Maarten's is part of the Leeward islands). Gonzalo is expected to move through the Leeward islands by early Monday morning. With this warning we can experience wind speeds up to 73 miles per hour. We are prepared for lots of rain headed our way. Hurricane watch and Tropical Storm warning has been issued for our area.

Weekly Update: extremely hot, power outage, broken fridge and high fever.

It’s been a week full of island adventures. I didn't realize how crazy our week was till I wrote them all down, but we still had a good week. Island craziness really isn't as overwhelming anymore, it's just part of the island life. I've just learned you have to make the best out of the situation and not let it get you down.

Our stand up fan that was in the kids room died. I guess using it almost constantly for 18 months did it. So we went out and grab another one, since we can’t survive for 2 months without one.

First it was one HOT HOT HOT week. We’ve been living in the Caribbean for 18 months so we have acclimatized but this week was hotter then most, plus it was extra humid. We tried to stay cool other wise we were dripping with sweat. I love the things my kids say... Lincoln said “ mom why is my neck and wet?” It has felt like were are living in a sona.

We went to La Gallion Beach with the Edwards. Edwards are a family from Utah but originally from Southern Alberta (Raymond and Magrath). Marcie and Cory have four kids, Payten-6, Autumn-4, Will-2 and Vesper-3 months. Lincoln loves hanging out with Payten and Autumn. Lacey loves following the big kids but also loves playing with will. It’s so fun having a new family to hang out with since we lots 2 families in August. It’s fun having friends here for the kids. Sure helps pass time. We spend 4 hours at the beach. The kids had a blast. Only bad thing is Lincoln and I got sun burns on our backs. We applied a lot of sunscreen but I guess not enough. We've been applying aloe vera gel often. Poor Lincoln, just doesn't understand why his back keeps hurting.

 So during our extra hot week we had a power outage that lasted from 1-8 pm. Then went off and on for the next few hours. This power outage was on the whole dutch side of the island. We were ready to die from this heat. As I said we have been here for 18 months and most power outages we have experienced before are usually 20mins - 2 or 3 hours, so not to long. We had to keep pour fridge closed to keep it as cool as possible so our food didn’t spoil. Luckily our stove is gas so we could have something for dinner other then it just made our house hotter. We took a walk in the evening to try to cool off a bit but there wasn’t a breath of wind. There's always a island breeze. I tried to put the kids to bed but it was just too hot, I knew I wouldn’t be able to full asleep in the heat so how were the kids going to? Lincoln said ” The lights don’t work?” I said "no cause we don’t have power”. Lincoln replied “Okay then can I have the fan on?”, mom- “sorry we need power for the fan to work too”. Lincoln- “Okay the A/C then?” Poor guy just wanted to be cool. I don’t think I have ever been so hot before. I was about to pack up there blankets and pillows and camp out at the University for the night, since they have generators. But the electricity finally came on around 8 ish, for 30 minutes or so then off for a bit then back on... I put he A/C on once the power finally stayed. Which doesn't happen often but we need to cool off.

The following day our fridge wouldn’t stay cool. I called our landlord up as I wasn’t sure if it was just taking time to get cold again or if there was another problem. Our land lord was able to get some appliance guy in within the hour. Luckily it was just a fan that was blocked do to the power outage. So we lost some food as it spoiled, but luckily not all of it.

That night as I’m taking Lincoln to the bathroom before I go to bed. I noticed his whole body was on fire. I thought it might had to do with it was just hot out but then I felt Lacey and she was quit comfortable. Lincoln had a high fever. So I moved him into our room and gave him some Advil and turned the A/C on. His fever went down with in 20 minutes but I wanted to watch him through out the night so I let him sleep in our bed. The next morning Lincoln was himself with no fever. I think he had a fever due to his sun burn and all the heat. Not sure though, but glad it came down and he's doing better.

Lcey eyeing up Dad's breakfast. She always has to be eating everyone else's food. Funny girl!

It's block week for Josh so that means more study time and little family time. Josh also had ICM clinical rations with the OB GYN and the Internal Specialist at the hospital.

Thankful

I’ve learn I can’t take for granted the things in my life, I have been blessed with. I think some days we get so caught up in day to day things and forget how blessed we are. We need to count our blessings and what our heavenly father has blessed us with each day. 

I’m so thankful for an amazing husband. He’s my best friends. My constant support, encourager, listening ear. He's SO busy it makes my head spin, even when the days and months and semesters are looooong and hard, he is always doing little things to help me and the kids and show his love for us.  I love how much he loves me. He's dedicated and determined. He's an a amazing father to our children. I'm grateful we have each other and for the love I have for him.

Lincoln and Lacey are children of God. I have been blessed to be their mom.

I love this quote.. .
"I’m the ONLY ONE 

who can give my children 

a HAPPY MOTHER 

who loves life."
It gives me encouragement to keep trying to be the best mother to Lincoln and Lacey... and to make life happy.

I'm thankful for my family I have been blessed with, they mean everything to me.

Weekly update: Continuing on with life...

It's been a hard week, but we made it through it. When difficult times come our way we have to figure out, how we want to continue on with life. I choose to make the best out of each situation that comes my way. Stay positve. Make the best out of what I have control of in my life. Be the mom I want my kids to remember. Try to be a great wife. 

While trying to recover physically, mentally and emotionally this week. I tried to just take it easy and rest so I could get over feeling tired and weak (from loosing so much blood). Which isn't really possible when you have a 2 and 4 year old that are very active and like to stay busy, which we are use  to doing. We took it easy week, watched lots of movie, while cuddling on the couch, built lego castle and towers, made crafts and we made sure that Lincoln made it to his friends two birthday parties. I made sure I was in bed each night by 9pm the latest so my body had time to recover. Lincoln and Lacey have really helped me this week by being helpful but also always making me smile and reminding me about how truly blessed I am. It's been hard not seeing Josh a lot this week as he's been trying to play catch up on his classes he missed. But I know if he could give us more of his time he would. Each day this week I slowly felt less tired, stronger and more at peace.

We sent the days watching movies and making crafts so I'd feel up to going out to the parties later in the day. Here's some of the crafts that we made.

Abigail is a friend from our preschool group and it was her 4th birthday this week. Abigail's Birthday party was a two night party. Wednesday we had fun at Twist N' Shake at the blue mall. Kids had a blast with all their friends and it was perfect as they were able to go play at the play centre while I was able to sit and watch them have fun... Then on Friday night they had a movie party at AUC, the other med university on the island. They set the movie 'Frozen' up in one of the lecture rooms on the big screen. They had treats from popcorn, juice, snow flake cookies to marshmallows, pretzels and M&M for Olaf's treats. Lincoln and Lacey really enjoyed their fun movie night with their friends. I'm so glad they have been blessed with amazing island friends while we have been here. When we got in the car after the movie night, Lincoln said " mom that was fun, can we do that again."

Thursday afternoon Halle had her 5th birthday party. She had a swimming party. Lincoln pretty much stayed in the pool for the whole 2 hours of the party, minus the pinyata part. I love seeing my kids have fun with their friends they have made here.

Here's a few other thing that kept the kids busy this week.

Lincoln loves being outside. The first thing Lincoln wants to do when he wakes up in the morning is go out side. Which is perfect as we can be out side at all times of the day with this Caribbean weather. He loves making pretend fires like we have at the beach. 

To playing with his cars in the dirt.

Lacey loves helping mom with the dishes. It's like a water table of fun.

Glad I have these two to keep me busy.

Happy Birthday Papa Stewart!

We'd like too wish Papa Stewart a 'Happy Birthday!!!' 

These picture above are of Papa Stewart and Lincoln geocaching here on St Maarten. Lincoln still talks about the adventures geocaching he had with Papa Stewart when he came to visit a year ago.  

Wish we were closer so we could celebrate with you. Hope you had a fantastic day. You hold a special spot in our hearts. Love you.

My Miscarriage Experience

Understanding why is always the most difficult thing for us to understand in the whole scheme of things. I felt like everything was going according to plan and that the Lord has blessed us with our 3rd child, I became devoted and comitted to this child the day I found out and even before. Then out of nowhere, everything changed, for what seemed to be the worst.

I found out on Friday September 26 that I had a miscarriage. I was 15 weeks pregnant. It didn't feel real. I still felt and looked pregnant. How could this be real? How could this be happening to me? (My pregnancy was going so well. They only that had been different from my first two is I had lite brown spotting at 8 weeks, which I guess is quit normal due to plantation, so I wasn't ever concerned about it.) But it was real and I needed to learn to deal with the truth. I knew I could make this a negative experience and be depressed or I could choose a good attitude and make the experience the best I could, even though it wasn't going to be easy.

So when you have miscarriage in your second trimester, they give you three options. One- let it pass on its own naturally. Two- take meds. to help things pass. Three- D&C..... I’ve been emailing my doctor from back home since the beginning of this experience. I'm so glad that I was able to be in contact with my doctor the whole time as it gave me reassurance when this was all happening. He said the baby has probably passed weeks ago due to its size so he said I should do option two as my body hasn’t passed it on its own already. So Monday night I started taking the drugs around 7pm. So glad I was able to get the same drug my doctor would have prescribed me back home. I went to bed at 10pm with mild period like cramps. I woke up at midnight with contraction like pain, I felt to uncomfortable to lay down so I walked around for a bit and took some pain meds. Then I went and sat on the toilet. (sorry for the details). As I have never known what really happens with miscarriages or what you really have to go through I google a lot about it. Any way to let it pass you have to sit on the toilet. By 2 am it progressed but I was bleeding a lot and was worried from my pass history about loosing too much blood and that the placenta wouldn't come out on its own. Made a call to my doctor back home and he said to go to the ER to be safe. So at 3am we woke the kids up and went to the ER. I was able to see a doctor within 15 mins and I was admitted. The OB-GYN I saw on Friday came in within an hour ( The OB GYN was a doctor from the states that comes to St marten every few months for a week. I'm so glad i got a good doctor that was highly recommended. He flew out the following morning. Blessing in discuss.) and said they were going to schedule me for a Emergency D&C to be on the safe side as he didn't want to me loose to much blood and to make sure everything passed. One thing that was different here at the hospital was Josh wasn't aloud to stay once I was admitted. That's what made the hospital stay so hard, not being able to have Josh by my side. So Josh took the kids home and they were able to fall back asleep with Josh till 7 am. Josh and the kids came by at 8am for a quick 5 min visit before my surgery as kids aren't aloud in the hospital. But the nurses let them in for a quick visit. Glad I got to see them before I went in. It was also nice having Josh watch the kids for the day so I didn't have to worry how they were doing. Josh kept them very busy with swimming and McDonalds lunch. Josh took the day off school. I was suppose to have surgery around 9:30 am but I never went in till 11 am. I was out of recovery by 12:30 and could of gone home then but Josh was just laying Lacey down for a nap so I told him to come at 3pm to pick me up. Surgery went well. I was ask happy to hear... Well we got home from the hospital yesterday at 4 after stopping by the pharmacy, Josh went to the school  by 5pm and studied all night as he missed his classes all day and was back in class the next morning.You can't really miss class in med school or you fall behind.

A D&C was the one thing I didn't want to do on this island. I would have flown home to have it done, but didn't have time. But all went well.... Sometimes I wonder if I should have gone home when I found out I was pregnant but I'm glad I didn't as I needed Josh and he needs me. I couldn't do it with out him. No he wasn't allowed at the hospital but it was so nice that I was able to see him after surgery and go home with him after. Yes he studies and spends insane hours at school but at least I get to see him for 2 hours per day and get to snuggle and talk to him each night, which has really helped... Through this experience I prayer almost continually, I know my Heavenly Father was near and watching over me and my family. Even though this was a hard exerpience and I had to have emergency surgery here in the Caribbean, I felt like it went pretty well consider what could of happened. I know we were be looked after.

 I'm tired and weak but other then that feel not too bad. I only felt week for the first few days and each day i feel less and less tired. I’m doing okay better then I thought I would. I still have my emotional moments but I’m quite at peace that it was suppose to happen for some reason I am unaware of. It is such a blessing knowing this isn't the end. I am grateful for the knowledge I do have and that one day I will get to reunite with my little one. Until then we will always be thinking of you and have a special place in our heart.