New guests....creepy crawly ones!

Okay, so we signed up for this knowing that we would have to forgo many amenities, however, never in a million years did I ever think that we would be living with this many different creatures (inside our home), not near it or around it or passing by it, but literally INSIDE of it!

Our guests that never let us down are the geckos. They are actually pretty cool looking, they are almost albino looking and come in all sizes; small as a matchstick up to as long as a $1 bill. Just be careful when you are eating. If you should hear the familiar chirping sound that they make coming from above you on the ceiling, get out from under them, because they drop poop like a seagull. Too funny the first time that happened at the dinner table, PLOP! Right next to my plate of food; hey, it could have been IN my food.

We also have an unusual amount of gnats if we leave any kind of fruit out. Forget any crumbs on the floor, the wee-wee ants will come fetch it up for you. Also the fruit bats are all around under the eaves of the house. They have their own little chirping sound that they make too and then swoop down starting at sunset. The kids love scaring them, and of course, they are the first to run screaming away when they do swoop down.

Our newest guest was found on the ceiling of our bedroom. A black, fuzzy creature with eight legs; yes, a tarantula, above our bed…so, I was of course freaking out while Trey was balancing on a bar stool with a broom in one hand an empty Pringles can in the other, trying to shoo it into the can. What a sight to see Trey, the tarantula-whisperer at work. Too funny! He safely caught it and now Wiley has a new pet. The kids catch crickets or june bugs and feed the tarantula the live bugs.  Spidey immediately pounces on them and sucks their juices out. EW!

We actually found a scorpion in our bathroom just recently. Must have been seeking water…along with all the frogs that hang out in our out door shower! The kids absolutely love taking a shower with all their “pet” frogs jumping across the shower and out into the jungle trees. Gotta love island life!

There is a large iguana that lives in a tree next to our house, the island guys are frequently stopping by to admire her.  She is bright green and appears to be pregnant; a delicacy for the locals I have heard.  I pray that she stays safe.  The kids love looking for her and seeing if she has grown any larger.

Oh, and a cat had kittens in the woods near our house, so we are so excited about making friends with our newest neighbors.  They are so stinkin cute!  I better get out the sudafed and benadryl...love it that my kids are so into nature, where else could they experience all these walks of life at once?  Embrace the day for sure.

Take Care and God Bless,
Connie and Family

Ah, the joys of receiving email from home!

Wow, where to start? The outpouring of support from friends is just amazing! Since our last update we have gotten emails from many of you that are very encouraging; we cannot express enough our appreciation to each of you in how much this means to us.


Being so removed from the everyday grind is great in some ways but very tough in other ways. We miss our friends and family back home so much and could not possibly ever replace any of you. Just know that we think of you often and that we are in very good hands while here on the island. Our new friends here on the island are priceless. The fact that they survive each day what we go through and endure is a testament in itself to how strong they are. They have chosen to do life with us while we are here and we are grateful for it.

God has placed each one of you in our lives for very specific reasons and whether friend or foe, we are grateful to be given the opportunity to make the best out of every situation in HIS name.

Thanks again to everyone for shooting us an email, you have no idea how great it is to hear from each of you!

Take Care and God Bless,
Connie and Family