It's A Boy!

No, no, no...We are not having a baby....


Friday after school, Brayton and I headed over to SNAPPER to feed the sea turtles.  As we were driving home down the muddy dirt roads through Conaree, we spotted something making its way down the side of the road in the distance.  As we got closer, we realized that the 'thing' was a sickly puppy who was covered in mud, and very skinny.  We came to a stop and he cried at us.  I got out of the car and he ran over and pretty much jumped in my arms... We drove around and asked some locals if they knew who he belonged to and they told us to just leave him on the road, he'd survive...That was when we decided we would take him home, get him cleaned up and try to find him a good home!

Previous that week, I had seen a dog from a litter that was rescued in the same area and really began considering the idea of getting another dog so Nevi would have a playmate when we moved back on our own.  Little did I know, things would fall into place as they have!  The puppy I saw on FB was gorgeous, and I was really interested in her...but one day with this little fello, and I couldn't help but be in love and my AMAZING, supportive husband agreed to let me keep him! =)

So, our family has grown some more... We have a new little boy who we are guessing is somewhere between 4-7 weeks old.  He has a precious little black body with some brindle on his back legs, a big white chest and eyes that just melt your heart!  Nevi is feeling a little jealous, but I think once she accepts him and get used to a puppy - she will make a great big sister!  I am not sure if this happens with children, but I have felt like Nevi was still a puppy - until I brought a puppy home.  Now I feel like she is this big, grown up dog who I expect to be a perfect role model!

We have named our little bugger BRINLEY to keep up with the long vowel sound at the end of all of our animals names!  SO, we have a Nevi and a Brinley and a Charlie and a Bailey and a Marley (which I will never get Marley back from my Mom, but he WAS mine and I named him!) and a (a bit off, but) Koala...  and when I had a horse, she was a Meese (long e at the end).

I am excited to have another puppy and am ready for the late night/early morning wake up calls from a puppy!  Prepping for babies...real ones...someday...

Here he is!

Learning the NO KITCHEN rule quickly =) 

Nevi's fleece has been taken over by Brinley!  Going to have to cut it in half and 're-fab' it! 

Our boy! 

Snuggled right up! 

anddd the princess.  who rules this bed?  NEVI DOES! 

Precious boyyy! <3

Obviously, I have a LOT of room to sleep at night.. Please send me a California King Size bed! 

BRINLEY!

So there you have it - as much as I would LOVE children, I am making sacrifices as my husband attend vet school and just taking in puppies - and kitty - kids!  I'd include some pictures of Koala - but she doesn't come home for long!  She does what she wants - all the time!  


Time to sleep...Puppy will be up soon I'm sure!

Tropical Storm Rafael

Since living in St. Kitts, we have not had a big tropical storm - until this past weekend!  It began raining Thursday or Friday (I think?) and has not stopped yet!  Saturday and Sunday were completely rainy, REALLY windy, stormy and black.  Most places on the island were without power for the majority of the weekend - but we were very fortunate that we only lost it twice - once in the early morning on Sunday and again Monday afternoon/evening for a couple hours!  We were without internet and cable all weekend though - what is one to do?!?

Thats Us- the Red thing with the black dot..

Brayton had an exam today (Tuesday) another Friday and another the following Tuesday, so he was on campus all weekend, trekking back and forth in the nasty flooded road rain!  Now, that wouldn't be so bad - but considering we drive an island mobile - we, of COURSE, have NO FAN - at all!  So when it rains, and you close the window and continue to breathe, you fog up the windows and cannot see.  Therefore, when it rains, you must continue to drive with the windows open, get really wet, and most of the time - still not be able to really see!  I have begun comparing driving in St Kitts during a Tropical Storm similar to driving at home in the winter.  Yes, due to the bald tires that are on 90% of the cars here, the roads get slippery - but they also seem to fall through the bottom of the earth and pot holes the size of Texas suddenly 'appear' in the road... Unfortunately when you combine flooded roads, fogged windows and bald tires - you often find yourself falling into the bottomless pits of the pot holes - therefore, you must drive slow and maneuver your way carefully around them!  Here are some pictures to give you a better idea!

Flooded Roads! 

Pot Holes of unknown depth to the water being deceivingly held inside of them 

Now in St Kitts, when the roads flood its not just a small puddle, its more like a rushing rapid river!  

And a rushing rapid river filled with dirt, large rocks, and garbage...gross!

And sometimes the St Kitts Taxi Drivers decide to venture these roads and the next pictures summarizes about how well THAT worked! 

Oooopss!  Guess your taxi van is going to seeeeaaaaa!!!

When the storms start raging and the wind starts blowing, sometimes some crazy things happen.. like skeletons on the beach... or sailboats that get washed ashore!

Yes - this is REALLLL..  It was found at Shipwreck beach - one of the popular tourist beaches on the Caribbean Sea!  

I guess leaving your sailboat anchored during a tropical storm isn't such a good idea (also note the *used to be* road to the right!)

 Well aside from the outside world - we have our house...Which leaks...everywhere.  I mean, we live in the Caribbean, it storms a lot - of COURSE you construct home with leak FRIENDLY roofs!  HA!  Let's just say our house has been plastered in buckets and towels and little wet dog footprints...and when you head to the basement - you will soon find that the water doesn't leak from the ceiling - but from....yup, you guess it - THE OUTLETS!  WTF!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!!??!?!  Pretty sure that is an electrical danger!

On Monday, everything on St Kitts and Nevis was closed....except Ross... Instead, they risked all of our lives, forced us out onto the roads (which as you can see were reallly safe and travel friendly!) and made us go to school in the worst of the storm....Oh, but wait - it gets better!  Than at 12:30, they decided to SHUT DOWN the campus at 1....When you work at the prep school - that means you have 30 minutes to call every parent, of every student, have them drive on the *SAFE* roads, to *QUICKLY* come retrieve their children by 1.... P L E A S E!!!!!!!!  (take me back to reality!)

View from campus -  LINK HERE



Non-the less, we did get all the kids out and home...with someone, somehow by about 1:30...and by about 3, it stopped rainy and was sunnny...Moral - we drove to school in SHIT, left in SHIT and got home safe, and it stopped rainy...Backwards I say?!?!

Well - today we were back at it, there are about 5,569 new pot holes in the 4 mile drive to campus that could easily eat your car, so its back to Mario Cart Real World St Kitts while you drive...and don't forget to watch out for the local 'Learner' drivers who think that 8 mph is the BEST speed limit to drive...anywhere and everywhere!  LEARN IN THE PARKING LOTS IF YOU WANNA DRIVE THAT SLOW!!!! YOUR A DANGER!!!

If you check the radar you will see there is another 'blurb' heading this way - who knows what will become of it - maybe another weekend of Tropical Storms!  At least this weekend is Mid-Semester Break so we have our 1 day off (the one and only that we get in the 15 week semester - yah..no Thanksgiving break, Columbus day Weekend, Labor Day...I don't even know what other holidays exist in America anymore) on Monday...WOO hoo.....

 Well - back to reality (leaky roof, rain, wind) of St Kitts....Did I tell you we're moving again? (Did I ever mention how much I HATE moving/living/looking for houses in St Kitts?)  They are all WAY to expensive, with furniture I would be embarrassed to have on my front porch in the winter as living room furniture and full sizes beds on wooden boxes that are about 158 years old?  Its really awesome...I'll let you know what we find...


421 more days in St Kitts.....

Half Way There...

Mid-October marks our HALF WAY point of living on St Kitts - we have been here for a year and 2 months, and have a year and 2 months left!  Time to really flying by!

Over the course of our time here, we have had so many great experiences, met some AMAZING friends, learned a lot about ourselves and especially about life.  While we appreciate and are thankful for that, we (well at least I!) am counting down the days till it is back to "normal" American (or even more civilized) living!  430 days to be exact till we will be parting ways with our current St Kitts home!

On a more positive note - Brayton is doing great in 4th semester, enjoying his classes and studying hard (he has an exam for the next 6 weeks straight, 2 weeks off, then finals!).  More test = more grades (at least that's how I look at it!)

Things with us are going great, I am busy with work (check out my teaching blog here!) and Brayton is studying all the time - as he should be!  Nevi is doing great - and growing fast!  Today she weight 38.8 pounds!  We never thought she would get that big!  She is such a good girl - we are so lucky!  Koala is a princess as always and does as she pleases, when she pleases - I don't think that will ever change!  Life is good!

We are looking forward to our December break on island - its a full 3 weeks of no school, no work, no stress, just US (and anyone who may be coming to visit.....?) and the beach and sleeping in late and living the TRUE island life!  I am super excited and it will be here SO soon!  Only 10 more weeks!

Well, aside from that boring stuff-  I have nothing new to report!

Koala LOVES Duke Dog!!  And sleeping on her back! 

Nevi too likes sleeping on her back!  Silly animals! <3

We are missing home and would love to hear from anyone!  Keep in touch!  We are still out here in our little world!