Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Photo Tour for our friends

So here's some pictures so those of y'all who haven't been privileged to see Grenada (yet!)  can better visualize our new home.

Limes Mennonite Church on the left and our house is behind it and on the right side.

Church on left, our house steps on right.  The windows you see here are for school classrooms - under the church and under our house.  Also the VS girl teacher's apartment is under our house.

Same view, but looking out at it the opposite way.  This is the view from our veranda(porch).  The swings and basketball court etc. will be in full swing in about 2 weeks when school starts again.

At the front door, looking into our dining room/living room area.  (although it's not usually this clean!)

Same view from opposite side, so you can see the kitchen.

Here's our back yard, although calling it "ours" is a bit of a stretch since the pavilion area is also used by the school for classes, by the church for SS and picnics, and is also the teacher's "back yard."  We sure have been enjoying some fresh limes from the lime tree and a few passion fruit from the vine.
 
 One afternoon, Ms Debbie, the children and I hiked up the little hill in front of our house (see picture 3 above) to see what we could see... and when we got there this is some of what we saw...
You can't really see it, but right along the coast here is the beautiful Grand Anse beach.  If you squint a little, you can almost see the harbor and St. George's up around the next curve.
 
This is looking back at our place from the hill.  (the church is on the right corner of the playing field and our house roof is just behind the church)

The Grand Anse beach.
And the children love it!  Only trouble is, now every morning Shawn wakes up and says optimistically, "Go to beach today?"




Another view of something from somewhere...
Here's another look at our place from a higher mountain.  The playing field is the green patch in the bottom center of the picture and this time the church would be in the top-left corner of the playing field.  Incidentally, the straight road you see is called the "stretch" and it is the only straight stretch of pavement on the island. :-) (besides the runway)

Market
 
And lest you should think that Grenada is only about scenery pictures, let me assure you that we have been delighted to meet and spend time with lots of quality people from our church and other missionaries.  But those stories and pictures will need to come later.  For now, just a few more pictures of our children so that you know they're here with us and can watch them grow... 

 

Our boys and animals seem to attract each other....

 


Taking care of our chickens...


Shawn - just clowning around
 
Our big "little" girl
 
That's all for now!  God bless!

Monday, August 18, 2014

TGFD!


Yep, TGFD has been the acronym of choice for our family the past little while now.  When we had too many things to pack in our suitcases, TGFD!  While we travelled to Birmingham - TGFD.  After being told at the ticket counter we can't take any of our (15!) totes due to some embargo and the children grow restless & wild - TGFD.

While we're flying, while we're taking our small tribe to restrooms & travelling though Miami, while we're wading through customs in Grenada - TGFD!

And then, for the next 9 days... when the clothes needed to be washed and the dishes needed to be washed and children didn't know what to do and Morgan was fussy and Marvin was busy... TGFD!
Annandale Falls


Unfortunately, those days passed so quickly and she soon had to go back to her home... and we all miss her... and we say again... Thank God For Debbie!
 
And yes, we made it here safely...
 and no, our suitcases have not made it yet...
yes, the suitcases did get shipped to Miami...
no, the suitcases were not put on the ship to here...
yes, they realize their mistake and are very sorry...
no, they can't ship them any other way...
yes, they will put them on the next ship...
no, we will not get them until September sometime...
yes, we are good and ready to see those suitcases!