We Love it Here

It has been a little over a year since we moved out here on this island and we have no regrets whatsoever. Lately we have really noticed how much we actually love living here. I never would have thought that I would live in the Caribbean for the first two years of my marriage, and now it is something I wish everyone could experience.

Two weekends ago we had some very fun visitors. David's cousins Riley, Elisa, Rob, and baby Sean were here for a few days. Facts about them: Riley was on the Price is Right in May and won a swing set, Elisa is the cutest mom and is probably the size I was when I was in junior high (another fact about her is she won a $7,000 trip to Italy while she was shopping while Riley was on the Price is Right), R0b has been to over eighty countries and owns Zupas restaurant in Utah (delicious salads, soups, and sandwiches), and Sean is going to celebrate his one year birthday in August and smiles at practically every stranger.

Stingray City is probably one of the main reasons why all of our friends and family need to come visit Grand Cayman. This was my third time going and every time I freak out and scream when the stingrays swim against me, but end up loving them by the time it is over. It is such a crazy feeling to be at this sandbar where probably fifty stingrays will come around the group at one time.

Unfortunately we didn't get any pictures of Elisa, Rob, and Sean with our camera. We took a lot on their camera which was a good thing and a bad thing. It was good because we got great pictures, but bad because now David and I want to own a nice camera like theirs.

David was excited to have another visitor from Corporate last week (as you can see by their weird poses for the camera). Mike came down to do some sales training and everyone had a blast. These two cute girls in the picture are the new interns. I loved them the moment they stepped on this island and I am having a lot of fun with them. Facts about these people: Mike is Costa Rican and is probably the only Del Sol employee who can get away with corn rows and a long beard, not to mention he has as more energy than anyone I know, Casey just so happens to have the cutest clothing on this island and I am going to borrow everything she owns while she is here, and Jamie has perfect eyebrows and is head over heels with her sweet little missionary.

So, the past two weeks we have been doing a lot of tourist activities with our visitors and it made us realize how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place.

I mean where else do you go to a branch FHE and find a cute missionary couple singing karaoke together?

Facts about Elder and Sister Pack: Sister Pack is the best quilting teacher and actually one of my closest friends out here. We get along so well. Elder Pack is so cute with his wife that it almost makes me want to cry every time I see them. At institute he made some sort of wife joke and teased his wife and then squeezed her neck and shoulders in a sort of loving manner, and for some reason I thought it was priceless. It was almost a gesture I would imagine he did when they first started dating or something. They are a darling couple.

The things I thought I would miss the most when we decided to move out here for a while were: family, the temple and living around a lot of members, school, shopping, and restaurants. The few times I've gone back to the states to visit I've found that everything is still there. My family is there waiting for me when I get home, I can feel the blessings of the temple even when I'm not near it, I am experiencing the blessings of a small branch versus being around a lot of members, I will be able to finish school right when I return, Last Chance is not going anywhere, and there are plenty of restaurants on the island that will hold me over until I can make it back to my favorite places.

I've often thought of different experiences I've had in my life that have had a huge impact on my life and how I'd like my own children to have the same experiences. Three of these things are:

1) Going to a foreign country when they are teenagers. I will never forget visiting Asialene and Davis in Peru with my mom. It changed my life and completely humbled me.

2) Living in the dorms freshman year. I won't force my children to go to BYU, but wherever they go I would like them to live in the dorms. I am so glad I did that. Never again will I get the chance to have every night a huge sleepover.

3) Teaching piano. I am so glad I taught piano throughout high school. It was the perfect job and taught me a lot of patience and love for children.

4) Living out of the country or away from home for the first part of married life. I know they may not get this exact experience, but if they get a little bit of what I am getting I will be happy with that.

So, for the next year or so I am going to be a little less homesick and a little more appreciative of my experience out here. But, it would help to have a few more visitors so don't be shy and come see us. I will make you the most delicious cinnamon rolls you have ever had- I promise. I made four batches of over a dozen cinnamon rolls each in less than two weeks. They are that delicious.