advent reading 4.

Isaiah 11:1-9
A rod shall come forth from the stem of Jesse.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of  Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

2 And  the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

He shall not judge by  what his eyes see,

or decide disputes by  what his ears hear,

4 but  with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

and he shall  strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and  with the breath of his lips  he shall kill the wicked.

5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,

and  faithfulness the belt of his loins.

6    The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,

and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;

and a little child shall lead them.

7 The cow and the bear shall graze;

their young shall lie down together;

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,

and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.

9  They shall not hurt or destroy

in all  my holy mountain;

for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea.

advent reading 3.

Isaiah 7:14; 9:2-7
Christ’s birth and kingdom are foretold by the prophet Isaiah.

Is. 7:14 Therefore the  Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the  virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name  Immanuel.

Is. 9:2   The people  who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of  deep darkness,

on them has light shined.

3  You have multiplied the nation;

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with  joy at the harvest,

as they  are glad  when they divide the spoil.

4  For the yoke of his burden,

and the staff for his shoulder,

the rod of his oppressor,

you have broken as  on the day of Midian.

5  For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult

and every garment rolled in blood

will be burned as fuel for the fire.

6  For to us a child is born,

to us  a son is given;

and the government shall be  upon  his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful  Counselor,  Mighty God,

Everlasting  Father, Prince of  Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

advent reading 2.

Genesis 22:15-18
God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed all nations of the earth shall be blessed.

And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said,  “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,  17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring  as the stars of heaven and  as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess  the gate of his  enemies,  18 and  in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,  because you have obeyed my voice.”

advent reading.

From "Treasuring Christ in Our Traditions" by Noel Piper

1 Peter 1:10-12

 10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

We are a people of promise. For centuries, God prepared people for the coming of his Son, our only hope for life. At Christmas we celebrate the fulfillment of the promises God made—that he would give a way to draw near to him.
Advent is what we call the season leading up to Christmas. It begins four Sundays before December 25, sometimes in the last weekend of November, sometimes on the first Sunday in December. This year, it began yesterday, on Sunday, November 27, 2011.
1 Peter 1:10-12 is a clear description of what we look back to during Advent. For four weeks, it’s as if we’re re-enacting, remembering the thousands of years God’s people were anticipating and longing for the coming of God’s salvation, for Jesus. That’s what advent means—coming. Even God’s men who foretold the grace that was to come didn’t know “what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating” (verse 11). They were waiting, but they didn’t know what God’s salvation would look like.
In fact, God revealed to them that they were not the ones who would see the sufferings and glory of God’s Christ. “They were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven” (verse 12). They were serving us. We Christians on this side of Jesus’ birth are a God-blessed, happy people because we know God’s plan. The ancient waiting is over. We have the greatest reason to celebrate.

So in light of this, J and I are doing Advent readings each day - please join us!!! What a great way to prepare for Christmas!  The reading for this past Sunday, November 27 [this was also taken from Noel Piper, who got her readings from Parish Presbyterian Church]: 

Genesis 3:1-15
The Fall of Man and the first promise of the Messiah is revealed.

Now  the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You  shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”  2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,  3 but God said,  ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”  4  But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.  5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,  she took of its fruit  and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her,  and he ate.  7  Then the eyes of both were opened,  and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

8   And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool  of the day, and the man and his wife  hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”  10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid,  because I was naked, and I hid myself.”  11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”  12 The man said,  “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”  13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said,  “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14   The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and  dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring  and  her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”

thanksgiving and christmas...all in one weekend.

Ok so this is going to be chalk full of pictures...are you ready?  The pictures can tell everything with the captions, so gear up for LOTS of scrolling :)  This weekend has been a very full one indeed!  

Friday night: Thanksgiving at the Kings.

Saturday: Marieke and I sang for a "Tour, Tea, and Talent Show" event that HSO hosted for a local retirement home...then we went to the end of term SO party at a local resort - awesome, FREE Meditteranean food!  

Praise the Lord :)  And I was able to bring J some leftovers...

Sunday: Church and then the OSO Christmas Party.  A bunch of people were able to buy Christmas gifts for all the kids in both of the children's homes here - it was a happy chaos :)  We got a gift for one of the 2 year old girls in the Bel Air home :)

Now: blogging/Marieke is doing homework...the men are studying.  We are ready for finals to go away :)

Prepare to scroll...forever. 

Everyone patiently awaiting the feast...Natalie and Jade graciously opened their home to us!

 

 The decor! Check out the wall colors!!! :)

Delicious corn casserole courtesy of Sayeh :)

 

 My green bean casserole with homemade onion topping!!!

 

One half of the hosts :) Cutting the "turkey" [chicken]

 

How pretty is this "cranberry" [actually nutmeg - scrumptous!] sauce?? Courtesy of Sarah Glenn...

AMAZING baklava!!! Jessica did a GREAT job - everyone went back for seconds...and thirds...maybe ;) She also made delectable stuffing...

The very hungry men.

 

The very happy and successful Thanksgiving-feast-making girls :) 

Yeahhhh! FEAST!!! [Cheesy chivy mashed potatoes courtesy Marieke]

And then there was desert! The amazing baklava along with the best pumpkin pie ever, via Marieke :)

 Great times with great people :)

And now...CHRISTMAS!

The happy chaos :)

 

"Santa" - hahaha!!! Very creative though... 

This was his "smile" - what a little punk ;) 

Marieke and M - she wasn't trying to choke her...promise :)  Although she's never happy with getting homework...

Me and T :)

Cute!

Me and one of my favorite little men :)  He is such a goober though...that is NOT a real smile haha

 

Little dude with Santa - check our that beard! 

Another one of the girls from Bel Air - isn't she gorgeous??

This little one is such a cutie, and I think she knows it ;)

 

And another...

She didn't pose as well for me...I think she wanted to TAKE the picture...

And here is the result.  Oh geez ;)

T and her gift...which she insisted on putting BACK in the wrapping...silly girl!

 

"Miss! Take a picture of me!" :)  This guy is so sweet - I've only hung out with him twice [he is not at Bel Air], but he is so well mannered!

Well folks, there you have it!  The term has FLOWN by!  I can't believe all these "wrap up" events are already taking place/over!!! CRAZY!  

Hope everyones' Thanksgivings were full in the truest sense of the word.

Love to all.

εὐχαριστέω.

Eucharisteo.

1. to be grateful, feel thankful

2. give thanks

Eucharisteo is the word for thanksgiving in Greek.  It is used throughout the New Testament several times, the Last Supper being one of them.  

"Now as they were eating, Jesus took the bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." [Matthew 26:26-28]

It is interesting to note that this happened right before Jesus knew he was to be killed...nailed to a cross, taking on the sins of the world, in order to save those who belong to Him.  And yet, in the face of death, He gave thanks.

It is also used in the context of Jesus being heard by God after raising Lazarus from the dead:

"So they took away the stone.  And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me." [John 11:41-42]  

Christ gave thanks for being in communion with the Father, for the purpose of others to know Who He was, and by Whom He was sent.

We are also reminded a number of times to be thankful in all circumstances, all things, in word and in deed:

"...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." [Ephesians 5:20]

"...give thanks in all circumstances: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." [1 Thessalonians 5:18]

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." [Colossians 3:17]

Now, I'm not even going to pretend that I studied these scriptures on thankfulness, or know the extent to which we are called to be thankful.  But I do know [from another blog post I read this morning that inspired this one] that "in that word for thanksgiving, eucharisteo, are the roots of charis, grace, and chara, joy. If you can take all as grace, give thanks for it, therein is always joy.  Eucharisteo –  grace, gratitude, joy – one word that God in flesh acted out when he took the cup."  Christ demonstrated this thanksgiving even in the very last hours before His death.  Thanksgiving isn't a one day holiday, anyone will say that...but is it true for us?  Are we thankful day in, day out? For ALL things, even the ones that seem hopelessly not according to our plans??  If we are believers, are we living in light of this truth?  Do we thank God in all circumstances, or do we pick and choose?  I want to be so full of thankfulness that whatever comes my way...hardship, happiness, trials, joys, pains, death...I am thankful.

I will just end here, because I don't have much else to say since I feel inadequate on this topic, but here is a good sum-up from that same blog [I don't want to link it because I am not entirely sure of all the content, but I have found some things to be thought provoking]:

"Gratitude, this isn’t a one-day-a-year language, but the mother-tongue of the people saved by their Father. Yet in a world that’s captivated by bad news not The Good News, that sees the wrong in everything, who daily braves the language of eucharisteo, the dialect of doxology?" 

We are called to be holy, set apart, thankful in all things...Lord, give us the grace to be this way!

Rejoice in today as in every other day: with thanksgiving to God through Christ.

happy 21st birthday, mama.

This is my public birthday e-card to my Mom, for whom I am very grateful :)

I am grateful to be your daughter, through and through.  My habits/interests/passions only continue to reveal that I am truly my mother's daughter :)  I love that we share a passion for books and reading in general [although I still think you fit more reading time in than me somehow], a love of coffee, chocolate, art, and the more eclectic [finer] things in life.  I will never forget that little Amstelveen cafe with all the marzipan behind the counter, and the chocolates on a decadent antique plate that we always got after we would finish our grilled cheese sandwiches [at least that is what I would have].  I think that little place was one of my favorites memories from that time...and my taste in chocolate will never be satisfied by a mere Hershey's bar.

I am thankful that you also love my husband, and have been so supportive in so many ways of his goals and desires. Thank you for praying for him, even before we were married, and for your continued enthusiasm for what the Lord has is store for us.

I am thankful that you and Dad raised me with the gospel in mind - that you emphasized the importance of what God thinks, the importance of holiness and living for His glory in all things, and showing me love even when I was a nasty little [and teenage] twerp.

I am thankful that you are a woman who fears the Lord.  I am beyond excited to know that [Lord-willing] my kids will have good "grandmotherly reinforcement" of the truth and disciplines that J and I will be trying to teach at home - that they will see a woman who has walked through life with much grace and perseverance through her faith and knowledge of God, and one that desires the same for her grandchildren, as she has desired it for her own daughters.

I am thankful to have you as an example of a wife and mom - I  think of all the things you have gone through and continue to go through in life, and I see abundant strength - and I know that that strength has been given to you by God, and He will only continue to grow you as you seek Him.

I think Proverbs 31 always speaks to the ways you are - Dad trusts you [verse 2], you work hard [verse 13], you are making your arms strong - via Curves, haha! [verse 17], you petition on the behalf of orphans, and your concern is for the needy [verse 20], you are clothed with strength and dignity, and you trust that the Lord's plan is working in all things [verse 25], you are full of wisdom [verse 26], you look well to the way of your household, and you are NOT lazy [and in the cleanliness area, you will always have me beat, I'm sure] [verse 27].  "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.' Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." [29-30]

And above all things, I am thankful that God has given you the grace to see Him for Who He is, to see your tremendous need for Christ's sacrifice for you, that Christ is your Savior, that you live in light of this: holy and pleasing to Him, repenting and seeking Him day after day, and that we will be together forever in eternity when the time comes.

And although you may not be thrilled that you are not indeed 21 for real [but not 57!!! haha]...

He has granted another year - by His grace, for His glory.

That's a nicer way to put it, hey Mom?  ;)

Happy Birthday!!! 

I will have homemade fudge ready for you when you get here! :)

having an abundant life.

Abundant life has nothing to do with having stuff...

Human beings are not like bees or beavers or rats that hoard - that's not what we're for!  

We have souls in the image of GOD!

I want beauty!

I want people!

I want relationships!

I want peace!

I want joy!

I want WEIGHT in my life!

I want satisfaction!

These are things you can't quantify with stuff.

Life abundant is not about abundant stuff here.

It's about peace with God!

It's about a weight of glory!

It's about knowing the One you were made for and having daily communion with your Shepherd as you go in and out as He sees fit - into protection and onto pasture.

~John Piper

I don't think I have anything to add to that, but I wanted to share.  

Sometimes the best way to articulate your thoughts/desires is to use someone else's words.

Does this also strike a chord with you?

the 'stache.

And now, a little goofiness, courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. V.

This morning, J woke up in dire need of a haircut.  Actually, he had been asking for one for about two weeks or so, but I tend to be lazy about them, and I actually like his hair longer, but it really was getting a little too Mountain Man-y, and that combined with his No Shave November facial hair...yipes.  

Anyway, I proceeded to give him what he deemed to be "the shortest haircut of his life," which he likes, and its not so bad, I guess...plus, even if I hate it, I have no one to blame but myself.  Poor guy is outside in the heat [sometimes] so I figured the shorter I cut it, the less hot he will be...plus, it will give me more time in between cuts - ha! :)

Well, as I was finishing hanging up the second load of laundry, packing his lunch, and cleaning up from breakfast [applause, anyone??] he sauntered into the room with a goatee.  I didn't think it looked so bad, and I said he should leave it, but he looked at me like I was crazy and went away again.  Two minutes later, he comes out like this:

Wow, well hello there, Pedro!  I was cracking up and he thought it was pretty hilarous himself, but he wanted to go finish the job.  I told him he should wear it to school to show the guys...give everyone a good laugh...this was his reaction:

 Not really, but it did take about 5 minutes of me convincing him that it was funny enough to keep for a day, and reminding him that he could shave it off later for him to finally agree to do it...

And here is a prime example of the face I often get that means, "Awww, poor baby, you gonna whine/mope/complain about it?"  HAHA...it works.  And as ridiculous as he looks here, I really do hope our little ones get those big, blue eyes :)

Well, I gotta admit, this is not my husband at his finest, but it was hilarious to get on the bus with him looking like that...and to think, I used to do weird stuff on PURPOSE to get reactions from people...poor kid, he's never known how it feels...Can't wait to hear about the day later ;)

evening at grand anse.

Betcha can't guess what we did on the beach today??

Just a little fun in the sand...I love photography!!! :)

Little sneak peek of the Kings...

 The token sky and sea photo :)  I just love how you can capture some of the vastness...but only a small bit :)

Sunset.

I feel like not much has happened lately, or maybe its because all the things I was doing at first are now just "normal."  

We are still going to the orphanage every week to work with the girls.  

I am able to use the gym again - HOORAY!  

J is still studying - finals are looming!  

I am trying to study 1 Peter in prep for next term.  

I finished two books: Loving God with All Your Mind by Elizabeth George [which surprisingly took a lot longer for me to get through...about 4 out of the 10 chapters were really good...the others were so-so; however, I'm pretty sure it would depend on the reader's personal experiences/life as whether or not it might be more helpful/applicable], and Treasuring God in Your Traditions by Noel Piper which I HIGHLY recommend, especially for those preparing for marriage/families...she gives LOTS of points to think about - it will definitely be a book of reference for me :) 

I am still cooking new things...most recent: chicken alfredo from scratch! [which, btw, I have reinstated meat into my diet, so I ate this chicken] FUDGE! Spice cookies! [always]

...and I've decided to stay indoors for the next two weeks [no pool or beach] because I think my skin hates me [or the sun, or both].  

So...that about sums things up.  I will try to be better about updates...and taking pictures.  Usually pictures fuel a post, and honestly, I hadn't touched my camera in 2+ weeks!  Anyway, I am looking forward to all the pictures we will take when the family and Violas come down :)  Post extravaganzas!!!  Hope all is well with everyone.  Much love.

a little bit of this, a little bit of that.

So I am currently sitting in the library, surrounded by hard working students whilst I type away, read books of my choice, and surf the web...and while I was walking to said library, I was able to look out onto a beautiful ocean and a sky full of clouds outlined in gold. Don't feel too sorry for me ;)

It hit me in a wonderful way how extremely blessed I am to be here and how unusual and awesome this experience really is. I remember thinking about Grenada before I actually got here...looking at the website for SGU, pondering the island life I was to be a part of if J didn't get into a stateside school...but I never really thought I'd be here...and then tonight all those preconceived notions I had had came flooding back to me as I gazed out to the wonderful blue, and took in all the sounds of the waves crashing against the rock cliffs...Mmmmm, the LORD is good, and His ways are far above my own.

As much as I miss home, its hits me now and again (especially when I focus on gratitude and the God glorifying creation around me) that this is a wodnderful place, full of great things to behold and great lessons to be learned. As much as we would love to be with friends and family, we are learning the benefit of living where we have been placed, and living to the hilt. I don't want to return home full of regrets because I was too bitter to see the glories to be had where God placed me. I've done that one too many times, and so I will stay in my constant battle against "wishing it all away" because the LORD has been so faithful thus far, and I could tick off so many reasons why we needed to be right here, right now, in Grenada. I don't know what the LORD has for the rest of this journey, in fact, I don't even know what He has for tomorrow, but I leave it in His hands, because HE knows...and knows it BEST.

A few updates on what MAY be coming, LORD willing, next term:
Marieke and I signed up to co-lead the women's Bible study, and 1 Peter looks like the game plan. Ever since committing to this, it feels more and more daunting. Not only have I never led a study before...I've never led a study before. That about sums it up, actually. I've never had a group of people coming to something that I have had to pray about and prepare in advance...I've always been on the receiving end, and let me tell you - the receiving end is nice :) But I think the LORD has many a things planned for this gathering, should it happen, and I know that He will continue to grow us in grace as we lead others through His deep, abiding Word. I think this will be a very humbling experience - pray for us!!! And any helpful tips would be greatly appreciated...

And as if THAT weren't enough, I was also made next term's Fundraising Coordinator for the SO Board. Man, talk about getting my feet wet! This will be a new experience, too...but at least I have worked on coordinating events/working with committees before. I have a few ideas bouncing around in my head, and I will attempt to keep everyone updated as my life becomes a busy streak, but I think it's all for the best, and since I've been appointed this position, I want to do it excellently, and for His glory, so pray for me in that, too :)

Well, that about sums things up down here. You all know what J is doing (studying...just in case you didn't catch that he is med school...) and I keep a countdown until finals are over (25 days!) and my hus can have a well deserved, well anticipated break...You know what he wants to do of course??? "I can't wait to READ!! I want to read...3 books..." We shall see :) And of course, we are both so looking forward to my parents and sister coming, followed by the Viola family :) FUN times are to be had!!!!

Hope all is well with those reading this :) Happy November, by the way...time keeps flying even though island time is supposedly slow ;)
Much love, and to those in Christ, grace and peace.

i wish i were indian.

Well, I'm sorry for the lack of postage lately, but nothing much happened this week worth blogging about.  However, last night was the bi-annual ICSA Show [the Indian Student Association...or something like that] and it was AWESOME.  While watching, I kept thinking how unfortunate it is that America doesn't have much tradition - I mean, we're a melting pot and I get that, but at least Indian Americans can pull from their Indian heritage...I've got nothin', being a mutt and all.  So all I can do is watch, and watch I did.  

The other unfortuate thing about this whole situation was my lack of forethought in bringing my camera - so I also have nothing to show for this great show...*sigh.  But just imagine a group of three goofy Indian guys [two from the US, one from Canada - of course that is funny enough in and of itself - there is a very large Canadian student population here, and people joke about it all the time] MC-ing the night full of song, traditional dance [with costumes!], poetry, step, and a comedy stand up skit.  It was great and I texted J [who was studying] that we ought to move to India.  He didn't actually reply to that part of my text, but we'll see :) 

It was a lot of fun, and the girls we work with from Bel Air did an opening song/dance to "Firework" which was cute.  They collected money for the home during the show last night, which they apparently do every year.  I'm really glad that I can go to 4 more terms of this!  I've got to hand it to SGU: there is a LOT of talent on campus, and they give the students a lot of opportunities to showcase it.  And I LOVE the cultural diversity - its so cool to meet so many different people from so many different backgrounds in one spot!  I think I heard somewhere that there are about 6,000 students from 90 countries or so on campus - crazy, right?! My kind of place :)  Anyway, I'm not sure what is going on the rest of the weekend - my hus is studying pretty hard [like always, really] from now until finals [26 days!!!!] and then we will be FREE! [til term 2 starts, haha]  I may head to the orphanage today with the CSA group that goes on Saturdays, but I haven't been feeling all that great lately, so we'll see :) 

Hope all is well wherever you are reading this!  We miss home and everyone that includes...

Much love from Grenada.

happy birthday, boo.

So today ended up much different then originally planned.  We were supposed to have one of J's friends over for dinner, but he ended up having to cancel.  I had been planning on making J's favorite dish [pot roast] for dinner on Tuesday for his birthday, but since there was an opening for tonight [a less stressful, not-in-the-middle-of-the-study-week night] I saw the happenstance as a great opportunity to try to pull off the birthday dinner instead. 

I called Marieke to see if she and Ryan would be able to join in and surprise J, and they were able, so Marieke came over earlier bringing ice cream and supplies to make a couple birthday signs :)  Ryan caught a different bus, and J came home to me "cleaning the dishes" [not unusual] and was able to walk totally surprised into a full-fledged birthday dinner - a big feat in Grenada, I think - and the Cappas popped out of another room to complete the surprise.  He was very pleased - many "Mmmm, roast is so good! Thank you!"s throughout the meal :) We all chatted for a bit, and then he and Ryan reviewed a few study things while Marieke and I cleaned dishes [again, haha].  Now the happy, well fed guy is watching his favorite football team [Steelers] for a bit.  Hooray for birthdays! Praise the LORD for my granting my handsome man life and breath and so much more, and for the simple ability to surprise him tonight :) I'll let the pictures tell the rest.

 The spread...like our 70s decor?? ;)

 The signage, courtesy of Marieke.  Check out that cake!  Guess what candles she used...?? :)

 Mmmmm...my new weekly bake of whole wheat rolls with butter - I LOVE yeast now! Haha...

 Mini avocado and cheese salad.

The roast...white wine, fresh basil and garlic, carrots, potatoes, onions and a long life in the oven make it A-MAZ-ING!

 A VERY happy almost 23-year-old :)  Clarification: "Very, very happy" - J

 Marieke with desert...

 Fresh, hot pumpkin bread with vanilla ice cream!  Also wonderful!

The men, discussing something very important, that obviously [looking at Ryan's face] had nothing to do with the taste of the food... :)

I was so excited to be able to pull this off :)  Happy Birthday, Hus! I Love You!

free boat rides.

Well, folks - we had another crazy weekend, and its not even over!  But before I have to do another "catch-up" post, I wanted to try and keep up with it here.  A month or so ago there was a Wii Tournament to raise money for some local and international charities held on campus and whichever student group won the Tournament got a 4 hour boat cruise for 40 people.  Well, HSO won...and does everyone remember who is the VP of HSO?  That's right, my man :)  So THAT meant that everyone who had participated in the health fair was also able to go on for the ride...as well as some special spouses [aka, Marieke and I - hoorah!]

So we loaded up our sunscreen, borrowed snorkel gear [thanks Jessie, Brad and Phil!] some snacks, and our trusty camera and hit the pavement to walk to Grand Anse beach where we were picked up by the catamaran :)  This was yet another provision from the Lord - another awesome *free* experience in Grenada that enabled us to save money for later outings :)  J was so excited to able to snorkel again, I wish you could see the look on his face - I never knew he was born to snorkel, but apparently he was :)  Anyway, we started off and stopped at Flamingo Bay which supposedly has some of the best snorkeling around.  I was able to see a spotted blue eel [courtesy of my husband pointing it out], a bunch of black and white striped dudes, and at two different times I found myself in the middle of a school of fish - it was SO cool!  I was so grateful for the experience.  Before we left that bay, we hopped back on the boat for some other water fun - a water trampoline.  To summarize, I quote my husband:  "I could've jumped off that thing all day."  Well, I was only able to get a pretty awesome belly flop [accompanied by a rather loud shriek after the instant and sad realization of my impending doom] but it was still fun to watch :)

We rode around for another little bit until the boat stopped again to let us out to snorkel at the Underwater Sculpture Garden.  It has been around for about 10 years thus far, and we were able to see a few of the sculptures, although due to time constraints we weren't able to see them all.  What we DID see was pretty cool, albeit a little creepy: 14 woman [9 facing up, 5 facing down, who knows why??], a mermaid, 14 tribal looking statues, a bench, and a circle of children. Once this was over, we were all pretty worn out from all the swimming, but very happy with the experience and able to watch the beautiful sunset as we headed back to Grand Anse. This was one of those trips that I'm pretty sure was amazing for everyone, and we were very grateful for the provision to go...thanks, HSO team for winning the Wii Tournament!

 Excited to have a study break/excited to hang out with our husbands on an awesome outing :)

 The wives, chillin' in style...

 This was in response to, "Ok guys, Boy Band pose..."

 I said the background looked fake, so I took a pic to prove it...

 Then J took a pic of me...looks fake, eh?

 Self-portrait! :)

 The Cappas.

 New favorite pastime...apparently ;)

 Ryan has flipping skills.

 The StarWind!

 Coming back for more jumping...look at that water! This doesn't even do it justice!

 Handsome man :)

 J & Justin. Yep - the hair was stuck this way from the salt water.

Snorkel gear.  'Nuff said.

 See the moon??

 Now see the sun...

New favorite picture :)  There is the city of St. George's in the background!

The adventures continue tomorrow and the next day and the next day...my boo is turning 23 on Tuesday! Hooray!  Updates to follow :)  Much love from Grenada.