What we've been up to

My handsome hubby!

Sorry, I have done a horrible job this week doing my blog. Its just when I get home I'm so tired from doing nothing. I know it doesn't make sense, but that's just my life. Johnny is being the best little student in the world and is studying hard. I have been a good little vacationer and playing hard. I have been meeting so many awesome people. They probably think I'm a psycho person because I'm always playing with the kids and when I'm trying to interact with them I don't talk I just listen. I LOVE listening to people talk!!!! There is a little girl named Addy that reminds me of me when I was little. I never wanted to hang out with the other kids I just wanted to listen to the grown ups and I still feel that way. All the kids want to play with me and I just want to listen to their mommys talk. I do have a great time with the kids though!!! They always say the funniest things. Today Railey(sp?) just kept singing "All my single ladies, All my single ladies" while shaking her little bum. I just couldn't help but smile and laugh. It was so great!!!! I am really enjoying myself here.
I feel like I have been so busy even though I'm not doing anything. I feel like I have swam more in the last 2 weeks than I have in my whole life. I'm not complaining, I promise. I love every minute of it. Yesterday was the White Coat Ceremony. It was interesting. I felt home sick for the first time when they sang the national anthem. Johnny looks really good in his coat. After they had refresments and they had the best egg rolls ever I ate so many of them. Yum......
Johnny and I after the ceremony.
We saw this cool spotted bat ray last time we went snorkeling.

The love of my life is going to be a doctor!

Johnny started school today. I had to go peek in his classroom to see him, but couldn't find him. I know I am going to miss him. During MERP I felt like I never saw him even though we were in the same room with each other. I will have stuff to do though. I went this morning to the Ross Spouses Organization Board Meeting to see if I could get on it and I did. I am the Special Activities coordinator, so I will be in charge of the Farewell Banquet and the summer fun day thing. (They had a name for it but I can't remember it.) I am so excited about doing it.
Saturday Johnny and I went out to get somethings done and we ended up investing some money in really nice snorkeling masks. We also bought an underwater camera from a family in the branch. So of course we had to go out and snorkel. We saw a whole bunch of cool stuff; a sea slug, three different types of eels, a lot of new types of fish, starfish, a lobster, and a sting ray. We took pictures, but most of them were blurry. We are still getting to technique down. We were out for about 2 1/2 hours. Our new masks are so awesome. What a difference not having to empty your masks of water makes.
The sting ray is in the bottom middle of the picture, sorry its hard to see. He was so big!!! It was really creepy to see, but I didn't want to leave. I just wanted to watch it. It was so cool!

The Indian and the Ocean

Monday we had our first real rain. It pored! We were planning on going on the Indian River trip, but with the rain we weren't sure. We did go. It had slowed down and we figured what the heck we were already drenched, and I'd rather be drenched in rain than sweat. I was a really nice relaxing boat ride. We got to see where the cabin from Pirates 2 had been. The river does have this spooky kind of feel so it was great for the movie. There is a bar at the end of the tour and we decided to get a coconut. We got ripped off for the time on the island. The guy charged us double what he charged the to bikini clad girls in front of us. The milk inside tasted a little weird so we were also disappointed by that. Overall we had a good time though.


Tuesday I went to Roseau. It is the capital of our little island. I had a great time getting to know Kristy and Kayleen a little more. Roseau has a little better selection for shopping, but the prices are about the same. If you go on the free trips I think its worth it, but I don't think it would be if you paid for a transport down there. There was a Carnival cruise ship in port when we got there. It made me want to go on a cruise so bad! It also brought all the vendors out so the shopping was a little more exciting.
Time has been going by here. We have been here a week and it feels like we have been here forever and for no time at all. Johnny is anxious to start school. He went to some of the orientation, but it was mostly boring. The semester schedule and grading are worth going to, but he said there was no point to the rest. Anything with free food is worth it too! The welcome BBQ was good. They had Coke that I couldn't resist!
Yesterday we went snorkeling and had a wonderful time. I didn't stay in for very long. I kept making myself nervous. I watched Jaws the other day. We went out further than we have before and it was pretty deep. I just kept thinking, " its deep enough a shark could swim here". Horrible I know! we did see some really cool fish. The farther out you go the cooler the sea life gets. I was just swimming along and I saw what I thought was a really cool plant. Then I looked closer and the plant had eyes and gills. It was an octopus!!! It was white and had dark purple tentacles. It took Johnny awhile to see it. It was really camouflage!

I want you all to know we are doing well here. It is hot, I crave things I can't eat and the miquetoes think I am their only source of food, but all is well. We miss everyone. If it is possible please get skype so we can talk. Everyone and any one is invited to come visit this beautiful island. Just make sure you are willing to sweat and hike hills you think will kill you before you reach the top.

The market and our apartment

Well the last couple of days have been great. We have all of our chores done now. We are getting to know our way around pretty well. We have had a great time going swimming in the beautiful ocean. Yesterday we went snorkeling and it was great fun. It was so cool. I wonder what "good" snorkeling is like because yesterday was pretty awesome. The only reason I stopped was because my arms and legs were so tired. We meet new people everywhere we go and its great to get to know them and then recognizing them on the street or around campus later on. The people are so friendly here. I know you will probably get sick of me saying this, but it is so pretty here, I love it!!! I want to take pictures of everything. It isn't to hot today either because of the rain.

This morning we woke up especially early to go to market. All I can say is that I think it is so cool. Everyone is shouting out prices at you. People are greeting old friends and some are making new ones. The fishermen blow their conch shells to let you know they have fresh fish to be bought. Its just craziness. We got so much food there and for pretty cheap. This is what we got. 9 bananas - $3ec
2 bags of mangoes - $2ec a bag 1 bag potatoes - $5ec a bag 1 dozen eggs - $7ec 4 cucumbers - $2ec 2 coconuts - $1ec each 1 bag sugar cane - $2ec 1 bag carrots - $6ec 1 head of lettuce -$3ec 2lbs. blue marlin - $14ec ($7ec/lb)
Some of the things are more expensive because they are rare on the island. I forgot to explain that they use Eastern Carribean money (ec). $1ec equals $0.38us. We spent $37ec, so we spent $14.10us. Not to shabby if I say so myself.
We are not planning to do anything today. We just want to relax and let our bodies rest. We have been walking up and down and all around for a few days and today we just want to lay around our apartment. Oh yeah, I was going to tell you about our apartment too. We have now moved into the #7 apartment and I am so so so glad we moved up here. We get the breeze so much more and the apartment is a lot nicer. Our apartment building is the yellow one on the right.
This is my kitchen and the other half of it "Living Room/Dining Room" (its the same room as the kitchen) Johnny's study area (its in the bedroom). I don't know why Johnny didn't take pics of the rest of the room. Bathroom

I hope this post wasn't to boring. I just thought I would let everyone know a little more about island life. Sorry some of the pictures are blurry.

Day 1 in Dominica

These are all taken from the airplane as we were approaching and then landing.


All of our traveling went really well. All of our luggage got here too! It was so cool flying in and seeing our new home for the first time! It is so beautiful here. It is so green. I love the peak of the ocean you get when you look through the trees. On the drive from the airport I just looked out the window and couldn't believe that I was actually here.


Johnny and I were on two different buses. It was okay though because I was in a bus with a family from the branch. Everyone said the drive from the airport makes everyone sick, but it really wasn't bad. Driving on the other side of the road was a little startling at first, but you get used to it. We got to the housing Department and they fed us and then we got our luggage. They took us to our apartment and we started unloading, but our landlord came and offered us the apartment upstairs. It looks like it has been remodeled more recently and has a better kitchen and bathroom, so we decided to move up there. We had to wait to do it because it hadn't been cleaned yet. We went out after that to explore and to find an internet cord. We had to go all the way to Portsmouth. We defiantly got our walking done yesterday. We came home and relaxed for awhile and then got in contact with some people from the branch. They invited us to a dinner at another member's house. We went over there and had a great time getting to know people. We got back home and my sponsor Monique had left a note asking us to stop by. We went over there and met her and her husband. by the time we got home it was midnight and I was exhausted.
Our first day here was great and I hope to have many more days like it!

Arizona Trip

We had such a great time in Arizona. We went to the Desert Museum, Phoenix Zoo, Organ Stop Pizza, the Mesa Temple, Tombstone, and the Gila Valley Temple. We also spent time with my Grandma Burns, stayed over at my parents, and had a wonderful family dinner. We stayed at Arlo and Heathers house and had a great time getting to know the girls a little better. We had a great time with Grandma. Mom and dad and Chelsea came to dinner with us and then we went to grandma's and played games with Richard's and Chris's families. The Desert Museum was so cool and very cold too! All the plants were beautiful and there were more animals than I thought. The zoo was great but it closed early. We went to the temple, but I forgot my recommend so only Johhny and Heather got to do a session. I love going to the Organ Stop! We got really good seats and had a great time. Saturday morning mom came and picked us up and we did a little shopping and housework. Then we headed out to Tombstone. We walked around and did the stuff that was free. Johnny decided that we should do the Ghost tour of the Bird Cage Theater. We had to come back for that, but it was a great time. We played games during any down time we had in St. David. Going to church was great too. It was nice to see familiar faces, and little kids that are all grown up now. Dinner with all the Davidson kids was great! We played Trivial Pursuit and it kinda kicked our butts. Monday we went to the Gila Valley Temple open house. It is very small, but very beautiful. The rest the day we spent running errands and getting repacked. It was such a great time. I'm going to miss my family so much, but in life that's what happens. You grow up and have to live your own life, and we are on our way!

This in Tombstone
Thisis at the Desert Museum
This is at the Zoo in Phoenix

One Day More

Wow I know I say this a lot, but time just flies by sometimes. We have been here in Idaho for THREE WEEKS and we are leaving tomorrow. I can't beleive its time to leave already. I am so excited to see everybody in Arizona. We have such a great trip planned.
We are so thankful for the Cochran's for taking us in for this inbetween time. We have had such a great time eventhough it wasn't the break we thought it would be. We loved all the games of scum and the all day trips to Twin Falls. We really hope you get to came visit us on the island. We will miss you all.

Seven Pokes

Time goes by so fast when you HAVE to get something done by a certain time. We have been so busy. I thought coming to Idaho was going to be a vacation, but it has felt more like having a job. We are never home we are always doing something. I think there is only one day that we just sat at home relaxing.
Today we went and got our vaccines. I have been poked seven time in three days. I have small veins so when I got my blood drawn on Monday they poked me three times before they got one. Then I got four shots today. Needless to say my arms hurt.
We are getting so excited to go visit my family in Arizona. We have a great trip planned. Only six more days!!!

Saturday Games

Saturday Rebekah had a Volley tournament. Her team did really well. They lost in the championship game cause the other team were cheating like dogs. It was really bad. We were all fired up about it. It was great to go watch her though. We had so much fun hooting an' hollering. that night we played scum for like five hours probably. It was so much fun. I think that is John's favorite game to play with us.


Joey, I don't know if you read this but I wanted to let you know we will miss you. It was great going to the temple with you and your dad. We really hope you get to come and visit us on the island.

Barnes and Noble= My Second Home

So life trudges on. I'm so sad today. The sun is shining brightly and it makes me miss Florida and the beach. Why, Oh Why is it still so cold when the sun is shining so brightly.
So we are here at B&N again. Johnny is working on his loan. We missed our doctors appointment this week so we couldn't get our visa stuff finished. I hope everything will get done. We only have 12 more days until we leave for Arizona. Seven days after that we head out for our new adventure. Then I can go to the beach everyday (and will probably get sick of the heat). We all know the grass is greener, or whatever.
Its crazy, I have been waiting and hoping all this time to go to Dominica and now its really happening and my brain can't process it. I don't know if I will ever believe we are actually going. I keep having dreams about it. I'm getting more nervous everyday, and more excited. We are buying all this stuff to take with us and I can't wait to start packing it. One day, not to far from now I WILL be packing and then boarding that plane and my life will be totally different than the one I know right now. When I was young I never imagined ( I hoped)I would live anywhere out of Arizona, but look at me now! I can't wait!