Jamaica Day 5...Heading Home

Day 5 was a half day there and a half day here...Here a half day, there a half day, everywhere a half day. Kidding.
I got up early after another unsuccessful night of sleep. I am comforted by Paul's words in 2 Cor. 6:5...he writes that as servants of God we give ourselves to God "in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger". I spent time with Mommy Collins before I left. Andre, my Jamaican brother, cooked me breakfast. He has such a servant heart. I love chatting with Mommy. I stand corrected on her age as she is on 80. It was Daddy Collins who was the oldest. Mommy's passion for the Lord is so beautiful. She has one leg and a bum shoulder and says "I can't help but hope better days are coming". I love it. She prayed over me before I left and that had to be one of the best parts of the trip.
At the Montego Bay airport and was continually ripped off in order to feed myself and my sweet unborn child :)
The flight home was seemingly long, but only 2.5 hours. I was restless and ready to see my family.

Jeremiah and I stopped and got Scarlet a mini cake and balloons for her birthday. My kids were out in the yard playing when I got home. I promised myself I wouldn't cry when I saw them so they wouldn't get confused and think I was sad. I managed not to cry, but seeing them run toward me screaming "mommy!" was priceless. I couldn't stop snuggling with them all night. I immediately gave the girls their presents from abroad and we had cake. After the girls were in bed I could barely keep my eyes opened so I crashed.

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig.

Reflections on my mini vacation soon to come.

Jamaica Day 3

Day 3...It was off to a rough start. Though I had a decent night's sleep, it wasn't looking good for Keisha and I to get her debts paid off. She was supposed to have work off but then was asked to come in because a cruise ship was docking. Extra money, you know? But when she called to ask her boss if she could come in late so we could go by the stores and pay stuff off he said no...And in quite clear terms that if she came in late, she could have the whole week off. A threat or what? So, she was upset but I just said "relax mon"...Kidding :) I know we have God's favor so I just waited around. When it looked like nothing would work, her boss called back and said she could get off early. So, she got off work and met me in Ocho Rios at 3:45...One store closed at 4 and the other 4:30. We made it just in the nic of time - praise the Lord! I also gave her money to pay off the past due water bill. So, she is virutally a debt free woman. That is incredible.
When I found out Keisha was going into work I decided to take my stuff up to Bamboo early in the morning so I could have the rest of the day free. It took me about 1 1/2 hours to get there. To say I enjoy staying up in Bamboo and spending time with Mommy Collins would be the understatement of the century. If you've never had the pleasure of meeting her, that is just one more thing you have to look forward to in heaven. She and I chatted for a bit, she fed me, and then I napped for 2 hours...SOOOO needed. (I sound like a kid!?) Then I headed off to Ocho Rios to meet Keisha with a rumbling and angry storm on my heels...Literally. I was walking the mile down the mountain with the thunder crashing around me and the rain close behind. I also got to see Shadah again in Ocho Rios. I got some souvenirs for the family. My favorite find was Dora flip flops for Irie for $3...The don't sell kids flips for cheap here and I'd been dying to get her some. (As you all must know, I HEART flip flops.) She has been wearing them since I gave them to her yesterday.
Anyways, after I left Ocho Rios, I headed back up to Bamboo and spent time with my friend Karen and her family. I stayed until dark, just enough time to see two kids have a head on collision, literally, with their heads. Lots of blood, and hopefully, stitches to follow. She and her sister walked me up to the house (about a mile in the dark with the light of a cellphone and lots of mud). Then they stayed and hung out for a while. I also got to see my good friend Shaneel, Mommy's granddaughter. In the past I have roomed with her.
I took a very cold and cold shower....
Going to cut this one short, due to some pregnancy related sickness from smelly poopy diapers...you figure that out. It was the end of the day anyways.

Jamaica Day 3

Good morning to all.
I finally got a good nights sleep. I don't know how, but I did and I'm not complaining. I even woke up early and went back to sleep for a bit. Praise the Lord.
I probably slept so well because I wore myself out yesterday. Yesterday (Day 3) I went to work with Keisha at Dolphin Cove. A really popular tourist attraction here. You can swim with dolphins, touch stingrays...etc. I didn't get to fulfill my life long dream of swimming with dolphins because I'm pregnant and dolphans can detect babies, as in they see like a sonogram. Crazy huh? Any how, I did get to have a dolphin jump out of the water and lay in front of me so I could touch her. She was beautiful and a full blooded Jamaican dolphin :) I held a stingray and snorkled. I kayaked and rode in a mini motor boat. I got some sun and payed and arm and a leg for some amazing all-you-can-eat Jamaican buffet, because I was famished. I participated in the entertainment and won a picture frame for saying "where are you going" in an almost perfect Jamaican dialect :) Then it started raining. I could see it coming down th coast from Ocho Rios. So I waited about an hour until it passed and left. God blessed me with a nice tour bus driver (air conditioning) who took me into Ochi. I shoped at the open markets and got my kids and mother-in-law their presents. I ate some beef patties because I was starving, again...The avoidables of pregnancy! Then I decided to walk to my friend Shadah's house to see if she was home because I don't think I'll have much time to go for visiting today. Then, when I could do no more, I walked to the taxi depot and came home. I showered and it felt SO good. Then I basically kept myself awake for 2 hours because it didn't seem right to go to bed at 6 o'clock. Keisha was beat too, from the long day at work. She works as a videographer for when people are swimming with the dolphins and such. A lot of walking up and down in the sun and rain. I am learning from the staff there that the staff isn't taked care of too well. No allotted breaks, and no where for the staff to buy inexpensive food or get some water. It's crazy.
Now I am up and at 'em with a nice bowl of fruit loops in my stomach. That's right. I ate the ant infested fruit loops! I set the out side for a bit and the ants left.
Today I am going with Keisha to pay off her debts, and the water bill. Then I am traveling up to Mommy Collins in Bamboo to stay my last night and spend time with my friends there. I don't know if I'll get to blog more before I leave...If not, I'll update tomorrow night when I am home. I miss my hubby and my kids. Strangely enough, I miss Jeremiah more. This is where I fell in love with him 4 years ago, not because he was here, but because he wasn't here with me and I missed him so much I realized life isn't as good when he's not with me. And, so I am reminded again of my need for my better half :)

Jamaica Day 2

Yesterday was great. I cooked myself breakfast, enjoying the goodness of God manifested by lack of pregnancy sickness! That's right, my first day here, I had no nasuea. It was a miracle and it was what I had been praying for. I can only hope the same for today, but as you might have seen on facebook, my morning snack of fruit loops was found vulnerable by tiny sugar ants. I won't be eating them anymore.
My whole day was spent with my 4 1/2 year old godson, Kevaughn. Isn't that ironic since I always say I don't know what to do with boys :) Keisha was going to have to pay to put him in daycare...I could hear Jeremiah in my mind "you're there to minister to her, not just have fun". And so, off I went in a country I'm not used to with a boy I'm not used to. We took 3 taxis...Exchange to Ocho Rios...Ocho Rios to St. Anns Bay...St. Anns Bay up the mtn. to Bamboo where Mommy Collins lives. Then we walked the extra mile to the top of the mountain to see Mommy. We also ran into my other friends in Bamboo on the way. How I miss that mile walk. I got to witness the annual occourance of white butterflies. They only hatch one week out of the year, and though I'm here at the end of the week, there were still houndreds upon hundreds to be seen in the farmers' fields. Kevaughn and I saw lots of animals, quite the excitement for a 4 year old. And so the mile walk took twice as long because we had to marvel at each cow, goat, sheep, horse and donkey we passed :)
The time spent with Mommy was sweet. She is still the most solid woman I know. She is nearly to her 90's I believe, and she has only one leg left now. She is a widow and she has know much suffering. But she still cries openly when she thinks on the goodness of God. She blesses my coming and going with words of the Lord and wisdom. I saw her other family members, and people I consider family.
Kevaughn got restless so we headed down the mountain back to Ocho Rios. We ate lunch at Mother's (akin to McD.). There was a massive rainstorm coming so we hightailed to my friend Shadah's house. She wasn't home so I waited with her family and watched some Lifetime shows. I watch more Lifetime in Jamaica then any where else combined. They love that channel here. Shadah came and we talked for awhile. Kevaughn kicked one of his flip flops in to a neighbors yard and we counted it lost after a vigorous search. So, Shadah and I went to the market to get new "slippers" and some produce for Keisha's house. When we got back we saw Kevy had found his slipper. Oy vey.
Met Keisha in the city to get some more groceries. Taxied to her house. Cooked, ate, attempted sleep. Sleep is not something that comes easily as of late in general...And appareantly especially not here. Oh well, God is good and He is my strength not a good night's rest.
Much love until tomorrow.

Jamaica Day 1

Well, I've been on the island for half a day. I have recquainted with my old friends, the mosquitos. Just to show me how much they missed me they sucked my blood all night long :) I was told that I shouldn't use bugspray while pregnant because it has Deet. But I'm fearing low blood supply may be worse than Deet poisening. Kidding. I sat next to a really sweet couple on the flight yesterday. They made time pass because I was all restless with excitement. The flight was delayed because all of AirTrans computer systems went down and we had to wait until they were up since we were an international flight. Good times! So, I finally land and I find my ride, Dillon. He is an awesome, God-fearing man. We talked about our lives and the goodness of God for over 2 hours on the trip into Ocho Rios. I arrived at Keisha's house tired and famished. The true signs of a traveling pregnant woman. So, we walked to the store (about 10 feet up the street) and I bought some groceries, which I will go cook straight after this. I went to bed early but probably didn't sleep until 1 ish. Did I mention that in Jamaica everyone stays up late. When I first layed down there were at least 5 different radio stations being blasted in all directions around the house...A few men singing along. And taxis honking their horns as they sped past. A sure sign that I was home. Although, I'm not used to sleeping with noise so it took me a bit to really sleep. I feel rested though, thanks God! And, I don't feel really nasueasous as I have. Praises all around. More writing tomorrow about my day today.
Blessings to all and peace on you.