A Year

One year ago I was here on St Croix. No I have not lived here for a year, I was here for our annual visit the parents trip.

Dreaming is believing,
Believing is seeing,
Seeing is living.


On that trip my parents were doing their usual, you should move here you would love it spiel. I believed them to be right but I told them, "not in a million years would Don ever move to place like this."


Well in One year, I have experienced a million. And let me tell you today that feels all the more true.


Living here is way different than a vacation here. Officially I have lived here for 100 days. Feels like a lifetime. 


The people are like nothing I have ever experienced. They are kind, patient, friendly and above all proud of their heritage. 


The island is all that I could have hoped for, plus more. The ocean is full of life and adventure for me and the girls. Everything is a festival or party. Everyone lives for the weekends when the beaches are packed and the island is alive. 


Lifestyle is expensive. However their are people here who have next to nothing, yet they are surviving. I  read on another blog today about taking your troubles and laying them in a pile with other peoples troubles and given the option to choose new troubles, most people would gather their own back up again. 


Yesterday I was clearing a shipment through customs for work. Which includes driving in circles on this rock. At one point I was driving along in the pouring rain and I passed a women carrying several bags of groceries and a gallon of milk all in one hand, while her other arm was wrapped around her 3 month old baby with a diaper bag slung on her shoulder. It was really raining I hit the brakes and backed up. I rolled down the window and hollered out if she wanted a ride, her grateful eyes lit up as she hollered "Si."


She ran over and climbed inside, soaking wet water rolling off her and her baby girl groceries weighing in at 25lbs piled at her feet. I looked at her and knew she didn't speak a lick of English and said "Where to?" She rattled off something in spanish and I smiled pathetically. She realized I didn't speak a lick of spanish. So we started down the road with a mix of Spanglish and a lot of gestures. It wasn't too far maybe 2-3 miles and I dropped her at her front door. I could tell she was eternally grateful, and as was I for that moment of realization that no matter how little it seems you have, someone out there always has less and you can give something of yourself to them. 


Island life isn't always paradise, we are learning that. But we remain blessed and grateful for the experience. When it is all said and done our sacrifices will be well worth it in the end. 

Thanks for all of you who are cheering us on. We miss you and our grateful for what you are doing to help us have this experience!