Wednesday 30 May 2012

A Near Death Experience in Cayman

We have had quite a few creature-sightings in the past little while, so many that some of my homeschooling friends are quite convinced that we should be well equipped to simply live off the land!  Last week we were serenaded by frogs night and day; they seemed to be coming out of the woodwork along with millions of microscopic ants.  During many of our after sundown excursions around town we have been entertained by crabs of all sizes expertly demonstrating the crab-walk everywhere, even right up to our front doorstep, even scratching on the front door.  I'm not sure where they get the idea that we might let them in!


Yesterday, we began our morning with a 6 inch ugly centipede inching his way across our dining room floor.  I quickly ran for a pair of shoes and stomped him out of existence then took a picture to share the "ickyness" with friends and family.  


We spotted a large turtle meandering through the grass on the way to the grocery store one evening.  Immediately I asked Jay to stop the car, insisting we must get a picture of this fella, and that it shouldn't be too hard, since it was a turtle after all! Well, this tortoise probably would have beat the hare in the race.  I was only able to snatch a distant and very blurry picture of him because the closer I snuck up to him, the faster he literally RAN away!


Iguanas in various sizes and colours roam the island in large quantities and are quite fascinating to observe.  When they are feeling threatened they run like lightning, a sight which is both amazing and comical to witness, especially given their very short legs and broad build.  Today, we were witnesses of a near death experience for one of our neighbourhood iguanas!  I had just finished chatting with a neighbour outside, walked across the lawn and come in the front door when there was a very loud and panicky scratching noise on the outside of the door.  So outside I went again - but this time through the back door and around to the front. There on our front doorstep was a large iguana, the type with the loooong striped tail, sitting still as a mouse and looking like he'd seen a ghost! 


We figured out later that the cat I had seen scurrying around the corner had actually been chasing the iguana and had almost caught the poor guy's tail!  That iguana hung out on our front porch for probably 15 minutes, not moving a muscle.  I even approached within a few inches for a closer photo-op and he did not budge!  Just in case he, like the crab, had a notion that he would like to come in for a visit, I didn't mention to him that I had a back door and that I planned to use it until he felt safe enough to leave his post.  From inside, we watched him eventually very slowly creep around the corner and that was the last we saw of him.  I can imagine that he may have some fairly traumatic nightmares for a few nights and perhaps will need some Valium to settle his frantic nerves! 


Amazingly enough, we are still awaiting our first parrot sighting, although we are given to understand that they fly in pairs and are seen quite often.  Perhaps they like only certain areas of the island and although this island is quite small, we have yet to see it in its entirety.  


Our boys have always wanted a pet gecko or iguana for their own.  How much greater the opportunity is for them to observe, learn about and enjoy in their natural habitats, these reptiles as well as many more of God's great creations on this island.  








Thursday 24 May 2012

Alphabet Songs

This blog is geared to my fellow homeschooling moms who have children that are music lovers.  Our Callum is very passionate about music and I'm always looking for ways to teach him his 3 Rs through music.  We are starting on some simple word families with him but I'm still finding that he is struggling with some of his letters.  So I started a YouTube search and I have discovered some great Alphabet Songs and videos that I think are really going to work for him.


The website is called "Have Fun With Teaching" for "Alphabet Songs"  and here is the link if anyone is interested   http://havefunteaching.com/songs/alphabet-songs/



Sunday 20 May 2012

Today I met an angel...

It's hard to believe that it's been a month since the boys and I joined Jay in Grand Cayman.  The month has gone by so quickly on one hand and yet in some ways it seems like forever.  The old saying "a lot of water under the bridge" is a true picture of our lives as so much has happened since we set foot on the island.  "The adventure of a lifetime" continues to present us with many new challenges as well as blessings and opportunities for personal growth.  

Robert is settling in very nicely with his school assignments.  He will have a birthday early next month and is very excited about that!  One surprise for me was discovering that the Kindergarten curriculum provided for Callum is designed for a classroom setting!  I'm quite sure that the consultant was aware that I was "home"-schooling!!  So there are kinks to work out there which probably will result in a change of curriculum for Grade 1.  

I am very passionate about teaching my children to troubleshoot their own problems. Whether they're solving math equations, spelling a difficult word, trying to catch a gecko or resolving a personal conflict I think it's important for them to learn how to use their brains!  Budgeting involves very creative troubleshooting skills.  I also am learning that in my own life it has been so easy to slap down the "plastic" rather than wait for cash on hand, or even repair rather than replace broken items.  "Making do" is becoming a way of life for us that we're surprisingly growing to prefer!  AND, we're using our brains too!!  Creativity in this area of life can be a lot of fun and I am convinced our marriage is growing stronger because of it!  


Today I met an angel!  It's funny how many times I have tried to attend various garage sales since we have been here but for one reason or another it has never worked out until today.  And in God's perfect timing, the garage sale we went to today was tailor-made for me, not necessarily in terms of material things we needed, but in terms of blessings!  The lady running the garage sale quickly found out that we were fellow homeschoolers, and shared her heart of compassion for people in our situation...new to the island, homeschooling their children, and setting up home in a very expensive country.  She gave us a 50% discount on pretty much everything we wanted to purchase, and in addition gave us a large container FULL of construction paper...for free!  What a gift!!


That's what I cherish about God's family...it doesn't matter if you attend the same church, have mutual friends, or even if you live in the same country. We never know when we might be called to be used of God or be blessed by God through a total stranger.  I may never again cross paths with the angel I met today, but I am grateful for the divine appointment that God provided and I pray that He will bless her for her generosity.

Friday 11 May 2012

Long Time No Blog

It seems like forever since I last sat down to pen the latest adventures of our family. We had  our first visitor when Nana came to town for a few days.  Her week of holidays with us was action-packed with a trip to the chiropractor, a few dinners at the beach, patiently waiting on us to make a decision on which car to purchase and all the rigmarole that goes along with that and watching our children while we obtained immigration medicals, outstanding documentation and photos to complete Jay's final work permit.  And just to keep the week lively, Jay was scheduled for his first week on-call during that week as well!!


Our homeschooling curriculum arrived last Friday and the boys and I have successfully now completed a few days worth of school work!!  Robert is doing very well on his own and is enjoying the challenge of assuming responsibility for his academic achievements.  Callum is doing great as well and is enjoying our story times together.  The principal from the Christian School nearby has very graciously offered to let the boys attend music, gym and Spanish classes in the fall which will be a great way to augment their schedules.  


Yesterday the boys and I were blessed with a visit from a lady at church who has lived on island for a very long time.  What a wonderful and informative visit during which I had pen and note paper in hand scribbling down one suggestion after another about where and when to shop for the best grocery bargains and where to dine on a dime.  


We also learned from Miss Bodden that the reason most locals don't have their street address memorized is that official mapping on the island only began just a few short years ago!!  One of my sisters would get along well down here - especially when they give directions like "you know where the brown building is?...well just turn there and we're through the roundabout on the right hand side just past the big breadfruit tree"!!  We are a very techie savvy household and our latest struggle with culture shock is attempting to navigate through many streets without signs and realizing that even a GPS or Google Maps might not even help!!


Sometimes I think that we tend to put earthly values on God's blessings and thereby minimize their impact on our lives.  His daily provision in our lives so often goes unnoticed and unappreciated.  Tonight as I sit and put thoughts to paper (or screen), I am humbled by God's provision to our family.  Just today, for example, we have received a blessing that by our standards is "huge" and yet was no greater challenge for God to accomplish than supplying us with every breath we take!  I think that we become more aware of how alive God really is when we're faced with a situation where we can't do anything else but focus our eyes on Him.  And that's all part of God's great plan for our lives isn't it?