Fun in Zeeland

Thank you Tammy Gerig for having us over. The girls loved every minute with your sweet family!

Toys R Us

Fun day at Grandma and Grandpa Gerst house yesterday. Lots of love, toys and good eats. Kyra experienced Toys R Us and loved it! Thank you Aunt Beth and Uncle Mike for the gift card. Thank you Grandpa for putting my hot wheel together - Kyra.  

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Swimming and Trampolines

We had a great day with friends and family today. Jinnae loved swimming the best and Krya loved the trampoline. 

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Bubble Fun!

Thank you Amaris, Nicole and Sawyer for your visit tonight. Kyra loved the gift of bubbles and Jinnae enjoyed teaching her how to use them.

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Library Visit

Kyra enjoyed her first visit to the Library with her friend, Reyna. Wasn't excited about the books but liked the toys. We have to work on the love of reading!

Millenium Park

Great day at Millenium Park with Marc, Shelby and their beautiful family. Nice evening with Ryan, Jaclyn and their children. Krya loved all the special gifts. The microphone was especially a hit all night.  

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Clingman's Dome in the Smoky Mountains

Rick is catching up on work, and us girls are playing in the Smoky Mountains. We had a free week at a resort here. My sister and niece are an awesome help with the girls. We climbed to the top of the highest mountain in the Smokies today - Clingman's Dome. Reality for me next week.  

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Fun With New Tubes

It has been nice to be back home. Jet lag has improved and we are doing well. We spent some time with family this weekend. Jinnae and Kyra enjoyed floating in their new tubes at Grandma Pulaski's campground. Also, Kyra says thank you Uncle Jason and Aunt Erin for the nice cook out and yummy deviled eggs in my honor. 

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THANK YOU!!

After fifteen hours in the air, we are so excited to be back home!! Thank you to all those who greeted us at the airport, prayed for us, supported us financially and emotionally, mowed our lawn, cleaned our home, stocked our fridge and cupboards, made us meals, wrote letters, e-mails, and followed our blog or facebook. We are so overwhelmed and thankful for your kindness. Thank you for being a part of our life. God is good. My goal tonight is to sleep!

Kyra's Welcome Home to Michigan!

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Kyra's Visa Came

We got Kyra's visa today! We have been scrambling to get plane tickets and pack but we are ready! We had a wonderful good-bye lunch with Kyra's birthmom and friends. We should be in Michigan on Tuesday. Yea! The Embassy said our paperwork moved faster than anyone's so far even with a glitch on their part. We said, we weren't surprised . We had lots of people praying.  I will get back online in Hawaii. The internet here is 50 times slower than in the States. I have gotten used to sending something and coming back 15 minutes later and it finally goes through. Hee! Thank you for all your prayers and support!!

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Leave Tomorrow - Maybe?

We anticipate Kyra's visa may arrive tomorrow and we are hoping we might be able to catch the 8:00 pm flight to Hawaii. The flights fill fast since it is a smaller plane and flights only go out 3 times a week. We will see!

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Home Life in the Marshall Islands

We had the opportunity to visit the home and neighborhood of one of Kyra's birth mom's friends. Most homes here are made out of cement block with no siding or drywall. Some are made of pieces of metal and wood. The windows and doors are open. No screens, no doors. Most are one room. Cooking is done outside and usually the bathroom is outside as well. The homes are in groups very close together. The apartment we are staying in is considered a mansion here. It is common to see dogs running around - no owners, no leashes. None have given us any trouble. Rick went to a walk up ATM and there was a dog taking a nap. We are thankful we have had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in and learn about Kyra's culture and heritage.

 

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How Safe Are The Marshall Islands?

It is very safe in the Marshall Islands. The crime rate is very low. Petty theft, if you leave something behind, and vandalism are the most common. At first, I would be a little nervous when walking and approaching a group of people starring at me. Then they would always say Yokwe or Hello. Most are intrigued because we look different. As I have shared, most Marshallese are very accepting and friendly. Although, when the islands were a U.S Territory, we did a lot of nuclear testing here which has given some Marshallese life long diseases and burns, so some are not so excited about Americans. The U.S didn't know then the destruction the testing would cause and do support the islands financially today. We still have a military base on one of the islands - Kwajalein. I see F-16's fly by almost every night.

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Eneko Island

Today we visited the the island of Eneko which is a half hour boat ride from where we are staying. The boat ride was relaxing and wonderful. Our captain was Enakai. He grew up on these waters. The island was beautiful with turquoise water and a sandy beach. There is no food on the island just a few grills and picnic tables. I had packed a picnic lunch with sandwiches and chips for us. I didn't need to because a Marshallese family near us brought us plates full of food, pop, and water. They said we needed to eat like the Marshallese do! We enjoyed chicken, ham, hot dogs, potato salad, and rice. I couldn't even eat it all! Another family was roasting a pig. They said it takes 4 hours to cook. The island was very peaceful. We had a wonderful day. Our lawyer surprised us and bought the boat tickets for us. We are overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity here. Women can wear shorts and tank tops on this island. Great day! We are still waiting for Kyra's visa to be processed and then we can come home. 

Starfish

Rick and Kyra enjoy daddy/daughter time beach walks together. Today they found starfish. These starfish look different from the ones I saw and held in Science class. They move pretty quick too.

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