Like no other Christmas I know....

Merry Christmas from St. Croix to all my loved ones back home whom I miss so much! :)

I know, I know...Christmas and New Years is over and I YET to update my blog...but I've been just a little busy...Christmas in St. Croix was truly like no other Christmas I've ever had, not only because I wasn't home with my family but we celebrated differently than I'm used to. Christmas Eve our team went to the beach and swam for the first time in the Caribbean!!! It was a perfect day filled with laughter, sun, snacks, more sun, water, and relaxing...just what we all needed to get away and relax after being so busy from the moment we landed here in Christiansted! Family time with my team? Yes! 

The beautiful beach we went to :)

Again :)

Saw this sailboat on the water...

My feet in the sand

Leah, Mindy and I had a nice little photo shoot of expressions that we felt while being at the beach on Christmas Eve!! :D

oh yessssss

um hm

haha

what up

Christmas Eve was also a birthday for a special someone in my life. :) My boyfriend Peter...I was very sad that I could not be home for not only his birthday but also to spend Christmas with him. So I gave him a shout out at the beach. :)

:)

I was very blessed, though, on Christmas Eve to be able to call my family via facetime and see them all while opening gifts, talking, laughing and being together. It truly felt like I was there and was a special time to see them all and talk with them. How I miss and love you family! I can't wait to see you all again in March!

Christmas

"Twas the night before Christmas, and all trough the base, every creature was stirring...even the giecos. All 8 children, with parents close behind, grabbed their mattresses and surrounded the tree. With eager smiles they opened some gifts and gasped "what's this?!" Socks of all colors and designs to be sure, made for great sock-skiing on the tile floor! Once tired (and hungry of course), they dove on their mattress, grabbed junk food, to sit down and watch The Grinch...as the show progressed all 8 children began to sleep and then dreamed thanking God, for this Christmas they would always remember... and looked forward to the next day to come." :)

Our mattresses surrounding the tree on Christmas Eve

This small story sums up most of Christmas for our strange little "family" here. We had a lot of fun Christmas weekend...First off Christmas morning Josh and Melissa (our "parents") gave each one of us stalking with little presents inside...and Josh surprised Melissa with a puppy for Christmas!!! So we have a new "member" or "child" in the family! He's so cute and gets into trouble all the time of course...we named him Koa, which means "Warrior" in Hawai'ian. 

Three lovely ladies on Christmas morning :)

Koa!

Koa and I...he refused to look at the camera for Auntie Melissa...

I also helped cook a full Christmas dinner that none of us had done before. There were a couple of desperate calls to mothers and grandmothers for some things..but over all the dinner turned out PERFECT! We fed about 10 other people on Christmas besides our own team and the staff here. It was truly a blessing from the Lord to serve others on the day of His Son's birth...and for everything to turn out so well :)

Playing doutch blitz with my wonderful Norwegian teammates :)

Cooking dinner!

Hanna and the stuffing!

Leah with the turkey!

The table set and ready for dinner 

Melissa with our first Christmas dinner that turned out amazing! :)

Malene and Solveig...their first American Christmas dinner! :)

This was truly a Christmas I will never forget...and loved every minute of it. God has really blessed me with with a perfect family here that I need to survive on the missions field...although I miss my family and others so much, the separation is easier with people surrounding me with love. :) The packages and letters from you all also help me so much!! Just when I start to feel lonely or sad I am reminded of those whom I thank God for every day who love me and miss me. Thank you all so much! God bless you all!