it's not just groundhogs day it is Ryan's birthday!!

Not only Ryan's birthday but Grampie Seler's too! If Grampie were here on this side of heaven he would be 92 today, not only that, my brother in law, Tim, is 52 today. What is up with all these two's! 22, 92, 52, on 2-2!

My firstborn is a very special kid, um...I mean man! It is so hard to believe that 22 wonderful years have passed. We are so blessed with 2 tremendous kids. They make us prouder and prouder the older they get! It used to be that I would brag on what they accomplished growing up, now I brag on who Ryan is....not just what he does. He is a man who loves Jesus. That makes me most proud. He is a man that wants to bless people. That makes me proud. He is a generous man. He is full of life and vitality. He looks for the good in people. He sees the good in difficult situations after the initial shock of course!

I only wish I could make him a birthday cake today. This is Ryan's 4th birthday that we have been apart....the ocean seems so huge when you can't cross it to celebrate. Next year since we will be on the same side of that ocean we can hope that we will be together to celebrate number 23!

I love my son. Ryan is the best. He is my special gift!

always knew legos were worth the money!

I am a die hard newspaper reader. I buy the actual one and then there are many on my favorites tab! Every place we have ever lived and then national newspapers that I only get to purchase when I buzz through the airport! Really love newspapers. On the way to school we buy the newspaper from the same man on the same corner each day, Saturdays and Sundays too...(I think he may miss us when we are gone!) We are what you call loyal customers. He calls Den "Boss" or "Captain" or "Sir" or "Poppa". We love this guy. When we pass that corner throughout the day, anytime of day, he spots the car and waves. Renee laughs about our relationship! It is the same relationship we have with the security guys at any of the establishments we frequent. We are on a first name basis....well that is if our names are mommy and poppa!

An interesting article in today's Jamaica Gleaner. I guess it is something I knew since Ryan was a toddler! His Christmas and birthday money would burn a hole in his pocket till he could get to the store to buy another Lego set. The article speaks of a workshop taking place in Jack's Hill for youngsters to learn the complex study of robotics. They create their own design with Lego's. So cool. They have 35,000 pieces organized for easy use. You know come to think of it I think I may have vacuumed up that many pieces in my life!

The last paragraph in the article says "In another way, it's about developing a set of life long skills. Your logical thinking is applicable in any field, your problem solving ability is applicable in any field, your sequential thinking, procedural thinking, your creativity, your ability to work on a team with people."

Who would have thunk it. All those thousands of pieces Ryan used and has kept for his toddlers do more than just past the time. I guess they are toys with a lifelong purpose. How cool is that!

Beautiful January Jamaica

This is our fourth January on the island. It is my favorite month of the Jamaica weather calendar! As I was driving today I reflected upon it again. There are cool breezes yet lots of sun. The mornings are cooler and the evenings are cooler. That is not saying much when the temps are very high anyway, however in January there is a difference! It is the dry season so no rain to speak of but it doesn't turn to desert. It is a beautiful month. Beautiful fruit and flowering trees, beautiful billowy clouds in the blue sky, an all around beautiful island.

I do think that when I return to Jamaica for a visit, I will choose January!

Christmas Chocolate

Something I have always loved about the holiday is chocolate. Chocolate that I don't get any other time of the year. My mom makes the best fudge....but only at Christmas. Denny always bought a box of chocolate creamed centers....only at Christmas. Dad or Den always gets me a box of chocolate covered cherries....only at Christmas.

It's funny. I don't even think about or crave these chocolates any other time of the year. But Christmas comes around....watch out!

For 4 Christmas's now I haven't had Mom's fudge or the chocolate creamed centers, but this year I got a box of chocolate covered cherries! Dark ones that is....Dad and I only like the dark! Today I opened the box, so glad my luggage made it fine back home, I could have eaten 4 or 5 at once but I demonstrated a little self control and only had one....that is until I went back an hour later and had another. Oh man. So addictive! Who in the world ever dreamed up these things!

Jamaica is known for its jerk sauce and blue mountain coffee, not chocolate! Growing up in Pennsylvania just gives you a taste for chocolate. I remember as a little girl going to Hershey and drooling over the chocolate vats you once could get so close to. I loved the hershey kiss lampposts that lined the streets. After the factory tour you would receive a chocolate bar. Oh man that used to be the highlight of the trip. Just love Hershey PA. I hope it's not too far from VFCC once Den is on loan to the school. I just may have to make more than one trip to check out the chocolate town! Can't wait!

Merry Christmas from Jamaica....

It is 80 degrees today. The sky is very, very blue. The Christmas breeze is blowing my clothes dry on the line. The birdies are chirping. I hear the sounds of a normal day outside with cars buzzing by, workers working, and taxi's beeping their horns!

And yet it is Christmas time. The plaza downtown has some Christmas lights up. I walked in one store that had some Christmas decorations down one aisle, but nothing more. I shopped in the grocery store this morning and there was nothing that would indicate it is Christmas.

We hear much about commercialism in the USA, but not here. We hear much about happy holidays versus Merry Christmas, not here. I haven't heard anyone in a store utter any of those choices.

I remember being very embarrassed our first Christmas here. When our college students returned from holiday break, I excitedly asked what did you get for Christmas? The response was blank, silent, they said uuuummmmm nothing. It is simply another day for a special 6 a.m. service with a Sunday dinner menu for lunch.

This year I sent the students a questionnaire and asked specifically about their Christmas day. We have 2 Haitian students and their responses were quite similar. I thought you would find it interesting to hear about Christmas from our students.

Grand Market is THE event for Christmas Eve. It is a block party in the streets. All the vendors are in the streets late into the night when they usually leave late afternoon since it gets dark. There is lots of noise, music, the smells of cooking in the street. Interestingly the items for sale are pretty much those that you would see anytime of the year. You purchase clothes or shoes and your food for the next day. Lots of drinking and partying happen. You may spend the whole night in the town square.

Christmas morning begins with a 6 a.m. service. It is not abbreviated but the normal length of time for a service. Some churches will share fruit cake and sorrel. It is a service to honor the Christ child.

Then everyone goes home to a big meal. The usual chicken and rice and peas but more than just that! Curried Goat, pork, ham, jerked meats,fish, sorrel, Christmas cake. One of our students said that for Christmas dinner most will use a knife and fork. I took this to mean that it is a more involved meal with everyone seated around a pretty table.

I found it interesting that a couple of the students mentioned that the grandparents are the ones that make the Christmas cake. Some also mentioned that on Boxing Day, December 26, the families travel to the family members that couldn't come on Christmas day to share more food. Some of the students called Boxing day family reunion.

Everyone of the students talked about how the home is cleaned thoroughly for Christmas and the front is painted. They change out bedspreads and curtains. It sounded to me like a spring cleaning.

Not one student mentioned the giving of gifts, however one student mentioned that they exchange cards.

The jist of Jamaican Christmas is family. It is all about the ones they love. On New Years the same and there is also a church service for New Years no matter which day of the week it falls on.

I know that Christmas trees are sold in Kingston, I haven't seen any where we live. I haven't seen any Christmas decorations or wreaths realizing that anything that is outside will be stolen, maybe that is why. Denny has a beautiful collection of Nativities from around the world. I haven't found a Jamaican one yet. When it comes to Christmas decos you just don't see many.

Christmas is Jesus' birth. That's it and isn't that what it's all about anyway?

No matter where you live, Merry Christmas!

in the cleft of the rock....

Electricity is a luxury in Jamaica. Homes are not built for dishwashers, washers/dryers, air conditioners and the like. The sun dries the clothes, the breeze cools the room, mommy washes the dishes in cold water. People everywhere illegally tap into the electrical lines for bare necessities. So much so that legal action is rarely taken. Every once in a while we will see a billboard go up that talks about stealing electricity and that you shouldn't do it.

This mommy has hung out alot of clothes to dry in these past almost four years. Just the other day a little plant spoke volumes to me.




How in the world did a little plant seed lodge itself in the V of the clothesline pole? And better yet, how did it grow without being in the dirt of the ground? Life grows in the strangest of places. Today I came back from taking Renee to school and saw the most beautiful flower growing out of the rock wall out front. This too amazed me.



I began to think about the correlation of these plants to my spirit. Life is hard, harder for some than others. Each person has their element of "hard stuff" and it has gotten me thinking about how my spirit grows even in the depths of "hard stuff." Even in the hardest of times, I need to be aware that God is growing my spirit. There are times that one imagines that all joy, life, peace, calmness is gone. How can I see the treasure in the hard times? How many times can the situation look desperate and yet still realize that He is nurturing me with the light of His word, the water from His fountain, the soil (foundation) and depth of His love.

It just takes a little breath to be alive! One heartbeat and you are still alive. I don't know how long these plants will live in their conditions but for now their beauty amazes me....growing in the cleft of the rock and the metal pole!

....the Christmas breeze is blowing..

A beautiful thing happens at this time of year in Jamaica. Not a beauty to behold but rather a beauty to feel.It is called the Christmas breeze. In November the breeze wafts its way down the Gulf of Mexico and across the Greater Antilles. It cools the ragged chain of islands that grow out of the ocean from the Florida Keys to the brow of South America. Because they blow every year during the Christmas season these trade winds are known as the Christmas breeze. They are fabulous.

Along with taming the temperatures they get you ready for the holiday! The rainy, hurricane season is ended and dry summer weather is on the way. What a beautiful thing!



There is really something psychological about living in an island and enjoying the warmth all year long. At times I have to stop and wonder, what month is this? I never realized how much my internal clock was programed to the climate until living in Jamaica.

When the weather changes in the states the wardrobe changes and the holidays match the season! Here I wear the same thing all year and since Jamaica doesn't celebrate the same holidays, my internal clock is off! However when the breezes start to blow, I do remember that it is Christmas!