Happy Birthday Carter!

I can't believe it has been 5 years! The time has flown by and there has been so many changes...another brother, two more houses, and moving to another country just to name a few. Five years ago today we had the son we had tried for months and months to conceive. We even had to do fertility drugs to get pregnant. We were so excited and blessed when it finally happened and at 20 weeks when they said it was a boy we were even more thrilled. Carter was an excellent baby- slept constant and barely ever cried. He had reflux which made him throw up constant and had the worst case of eczema you ever laid eyes on and he was still the most precious thing you ever saw! Then he turned 2 and he got this little personality which is all his own. Many of you have experienced "the Carter" and know what that can look like...and it isn't pretty! But as he gets older he is learning what is and isn't appropriate and he's turning into quite the little man! He told me today that now that he's 5 he can go to school in America and I know he'll be excited to do that when we get home! So here are some pictures of him when he was little...I think it was more for me than you, but I just love to look back on what they use to look like. Once he turned 1 1/2 and Gavin was born its all a blur...I must have been busy. So I love looking back through the pictures and looking at the changes...so enjoy! And Happy Birthday my sweet Carter! Mommy loves you!

Happy Father's Day!

Here is a Happy Father's Day wish to the 5 best fathers we know! My brother Matt and our Niece Hailey at the top, Dave's Dad Glen with Carter, our Brother-in-law Barry with our Niece Olivia, my Dad and Carter and of course Dave and Reece and Carter. You couldn't ask for a better group of Dad's and I hope they all had a special day and got some time to relax. And to my Dad...I miss you everyday Dad and wish we could spend today together. Love to all the Dads!

Exciting Weekend

We had a pretty exciting weekend. On Saturday we were involved with a simulated bus crash with the Dutch Marines. Dave was in charge of the volunteers from AUC and making sure all 30 people volunteering got there and back safely. It was such a fun experience. We got to watch them set up the simulation and then we all got in the bus and acted crazy, yelling for help and faking injuries, when the Marines showed up. I even tried to pass Gavin out the bus window, since I figured in a real situation I would do just that to get him to safety. Then the Marines helped us off the bus and dealt with the people with injuries. It was fun to watch them at work along with the St Maarten Police and Fire Department. After the simulation we got treated to lunch by the Marines and it was authentic Dutch food...hmmm not so good, but nice to have a chance to chat with them. Later in the afternoon they did another simulation with other AUC student who pretended to be rioting for food and water after a hurricane. We weren't involved with that one but heard it went well.

Here is a picture of them setting up the situation and making the car look authentic.

Here are some students getting pulled out of the back of the bus.


Here is another view from the front of students getting "rescued" from the bus. The Red Cross had fake victims that used fake blood and injuries in the car. The firefighters used the jaws of life to get them out.

Here is Dave with Dr. Atchley, she helped organize AUC's involvement in the simulations. And Jack was in charge of helping with the afternoon rioting simulation....he's a former 82nd boy like Dave!
Here is a short clip of them setting up the scene by crashing up the car and getting the bus into position.



On Sunday we went to family fun Day for Reece's school. They had it at one of the beaches. The little kids played in the swimming pool while Reece and his friends jumped off the pier and played in the ocean. It is still hard to get over alcohol at school activities. It makes me laugh every time, because you wouldn't even dream of that in the States.

Dave having a beer and watching the kids swim.


Reece being a Sea Weed Monster! All the kids in the back are kids from CIA.
Here they are getting the Principal with sea weed. They also got Reece's teacher Ms. Minthorn.
Reece jumping off the pier.

Oh and an FYI from last post, we went and talked to the lady in the AUC immigration office and we were able to get our pictures and another appointment to get our papers.......SOOOO after 18 months we are officially legal to be on the island!!!