Halloween on the island isn’t quiet what it is at home, but the American community still makes the most of it
While Tanner and I are keeping busy up in the northern hinterlands of Minnesota, the girls in St. Martin are filling up their days with lots of fun island activities as well. Andi and Tanner have both had birthdays recently… Tanner turned 12 and Andi turned 14. Michelle recently shared a fun report on her blog, and I thought I’d re-post a condensed edition here as well. If you’d like to experience the whole report, checkout her blog!
Take it away, Michelle….
“We like to parrty. With two r’s”
Cari and Piper’s sign for Andi’s homecoming
Sister’s Reunited
When we walked in we heard this man yelling orders at kids (not like in a child abuse kind of way, just in a stern “follow my orders” kind of way) we learned that he was their drum line instructor and that the kids have an awesome talent for drums due to their discipline and many many hours of practice. They were all assembled in rows practicing rhythm with their wooden sticks.
Drum Team Lineup
After their finished rehearsal, the AUC students explained what we’d be playing today. It was a game called Crab Soccer. Which is, as you may have guessed, soccer played like a crab. This means you have to do it in the crab walk position with still no hands like regular soccer. The kids were way excited, they got into groups, thought of names, and started playing different heats against each other.
Cari and her team thinking up a name
Crab Soccer
Goal scored-victory high five
This was Piper’s boyfriend for the day, a little French boy who was loving Piper. He kept filling her car up with gas and speaking to her in French. Each time he’d fill her car with gas he would say, “She needs to say Merci!” Merci in French means “Thank You”
Piper is NOT a fan of early mornings
Piper’s present to Andi, a framed picture of them together
Andi with the cupcakes her mom made for her class at school. Apparently it is still cool to bring treats on your birthday.
Outside of the Chinese restaurant we went to. It looks sketchy, but the food was amazing and the service was awesome and fast. I love shanty looking places, they sometimes happen to be the best food on the island, and sometimes they give you food poisoning and it feels like your stomach mixed pop rocks and soda and you want to die. Luckily, this restaurant did not make us sick, but was just delicious.
My lemon chicken. Yummy.
This is all the food that was left AFTER we were done eating.
Piper’s first egg roll
Piper as Little Red Riding Hood
Trick or Treaters. There were so many kids there that barely came to my knees that were just swarming around us, it was starting to freak me out a little bit, they were coming from everywhere and we had no defense against them.
….aaaand, that would be the principal of Andi’s school. AWESOME
Pipes decorating her cupcake, notice her tongue sticking out while she concentrates. Love it. Mini me,
To avoid looking at the camera face on, Piper looks up.
Pierre and Piper, chilling
Piper, Cari and Yevva danced to “Call me Maybe” Piper was pretty shy so she just buried her face in moms chest the whole time. (Yevva is a voice student of Trisha, and her dad is a studentat AUC)
Robert and Trisha’s opera song was so cute, even if it was in German and we didn’t know the words. (Robert is a student at AUC and they are both professional opera singers.)
Elizabeth and her daughter doing some hula hoop action. (Elizabeth, her husband Renaldo, and their two kids are full time island residents.)
Matt & Cecily dancing to PSY Gangnam Style (Matt is a student and a councilor in the branch presidency. Cecily has become one of Michelle’s best friends.)
A final note from Casey…
Andi’s medical issues continue to be a cause for concern. Prednisone is a tough drug with unfortunate side affects that are not fun to deal with, especially for a young teenage girl. Navigating the island’s medical system continues to be a challenge, and Cari, the concerned mother and med student, continues to struggle with Andi’s doctor. We’re not entirely convinced that her diagnosis is correct, and some recent events seem to support our suspicion. None the less, we’re taking things one day at a time and doing our best to weigh everything and make the best decisions for her long term health.
I will say this, however… The couple of weeks that Andi was in Minnesota for all her tests were some of the most bonding times that she and I have had together in a long while, and I will always remember and treasure them.
And in the mean time, there have been some changes with my employment situation which will allow me to spend more time on the island. But more about that in another post!
Thank you again to everyone who has sent their love! We love you and appreciate you all!
“there have been some changes with my employment situation which will allow me to spend more time on the island.”
I’ve been hoping for this for a long time.
Thanks Captain! It makes me smile that you’re thinking about us. How are you?