Missing Will

I was so sad to see Will go yesterday- I think I cried for 10 minutes right after he left. It was a blast having him here. I loved having the company and the help with Chase. Part of what made me so sad was seeing how happy Will made my little Chaser. They totally bonded while Will was here. Will is good at being silly, playing on the floor with Chase, and was strong enough to haul him around in the backpack so we could still go on adventures. Thank you so much for coming Will! We love you and miss you!

Will is HERE!

My brother Will came to visit us this week! We have had a blast and Chase has loved having his fun Uncle around. We've had lots of down time just hanging around the house and playing with sweet Chaser, a trip to the pool, lots of walks around the island, and a little more exploring. On Wednesday we went on a trip that I've been wanting to do for a long time. We started at Titou Gorge. I didn't take this picture below, I got it off google images, and I feel like it just barely captures how amazing this experience was! We left Chase with one of the nice people on the trip while Will and I swam through this gorge. It was breathtaking and there is a big waterfall at the end. We couldn't swim too close to the waterfall because the current was so strong, I'd be swimming as hard as I could and staying in one place. It was such a cool place I am going to take Ben back for sure!

Our next stop was Trafalgar Falls, which was truly amazing! Will hiked in with Chase in the backpack, which Chase loved. The falls are enormous. It was one of those sites that is so beautiful it's hard to believe it's even real!


From this lookout point you can see both falls, but they are so far apart I couldn't get them both in one shot. This is the upper falls. I love Chase's little head poking out behind Will- he did that for the majority of the hike.
We hiked down to the base of the lower falls. Will was a champ climbing over these slippery rocks with a squirmy baby in the pack. Unfortunately, shortly after we got to this point Chase got super fussy and decided he was done! Will hiked out with Chase complaining the whole time.

Our next stop was Screws Spa. I loved this place as well. These are natural hot springs and they have created 5 pools, all with varying temperatures, from really cold to super hot. Since we were with Chase we only enjoyed the more medium and warm temperature pools. Will taught Chase how to really splash at the pool on Monday, and Chase took this opportunity to show off his splashing skills. He'd splash and then laugh, then splash then laugh. Then he'd grab my hands and make me splash. It was so cute and Will and I enjoyed relaxing a little in the pools after our hiking that morning.

I didn't take any pictures at Screws- but here is one I pulled off google that shows what the spas look like.

After all these stops and basically no nap for Chase, he was really tired and fussy. He fell asleep right before we got to Screws, so I had to wake him up to put him in his swim suit, which he did amazingly well with.
After our swim at Screws Chase was really fussy and so tired. As we were waiting for everyone to load up into the van Will bounced Chase and tried to comfort him. I looked over and this is what I saw
Little Chase was out! And he slept most of the ride back to Picard. To say Chase loves Will would be an understatement, he's had a blast with his uncle!

11

Our sweet baby boy is 11 months old! He is getting so big and doing so many fun new things. Highlights of Chase in this last month

• He got his top two teeth! It was quite the ordeal, but they finally broke through
• He got his first cold this last weekend
• The above statements mean that his great record of sleeping through the night has been somewhat disturbed the last few weeks, hopefully it'll come back soon!
• Will still eat almost anything. Only now he'll tell me when he's done eating by picking food up, mashing it up in his little fists and then dropping in on the floor.
• Loves to stack things, try to put lids on tupperware and through things away in the trash can.
• Cruises around everything and loves to walk holding our hands
• Cries every morning when Ben leaves and pretty much any other time someone says "good-bye"
• My favorite- says mama!

And here are probably way too many pictures of our sweet Chase- but I just think he's so cute I couldn't help myself!

Chase's favorite pasttime

Chase has a favorite activity these days. It is taking everything he can get his hands on off the shelves in our kitchen. He's pretty quick at it too. Multiple times a day I restock the shelves just so he can tear them apart. Why do we even buy him toys?

Who would have thought that tupperware could be this fun?

And yay- those top teeth finally came through! Our little gumdrop has teeth now!

Island Thanksgiving

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving this year! Our friend Jessica organized a fun potluck Thanksgiving dinner for a bunch of families in our branch. We had it on this lovely deck on campus that is right on the ocean, every one brought dishes, I brought pie and rolls. We had a few turkeys, lots of stuffing and potatoes. It was all delicious! We ate as the sun set over the beautiful, peaceful Caribbean Sea. It was fabulous!

Our life here is stressful and crazy. Ben is constantly stressed with school work. Medical school is so difficult. Living in a 3rd world country is difficult. Chase has been difficult all week (those darn top teeth are just pushing against his little gums and haven't broken through yet). I'm lonely and stressed a lot of the time. Today was a good reminder to just take a little time to be thankful for what we do have. I'm thankful for my main man Ben and my sweet little son, for the gospel that brings us so much peace, happiness and direction, for our health and a home to live in, for wonderful supportive families back in the states, and tonight especially for our new friends here on the island.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful

This year I am feeling especially grateful for my little family. When I was growing up I had all these ideas of what I wanted my life to be and what I thought I'd major in. That changed quite a bit over the years until I eventually landed on nursing which was great for me. The one thing that I always wanted and never changed was just to be married and have a baby. These two guys have made that dream come true and I am thankful every day to have them in my life.

Here are some of my favorites of the family pictures we had taken last summer down on the beach. Just looking at them makes me smile.

Just sit back, relax and enjoy your meal. . .

His little foot up there totally cracks me up! This kid knows how to take it easy!