Step Aside Jerry

To Subway sandwich lovers/makers/etc:  Jerry is old news friends!  

When we first came down to Dominica, as some of you may know, Keith weighed in at a solid 275 lbs.  He gained a few of those pounds after we where married while doing undergrad, but really packed the rest on the few months before we moved out here.  As of now, he's running around a bit skinnier! (ok, a TON skinnier!)  I am amazed at how much this man's weight can fluctuate!!  Here's a chart of his weight, then you can check out the  pictures.   

July 2006 --(when we got married)   225 lbs.

Jan 2007--  235 lbs.

June 2007--   250 lbs.   (at the start of scout camp)

August 2007 --  240 lbs.  (at the end of scout camp)

December 2007-- 275 lbs.  (after working an office job 8 hrs. a day plus 2 hours of commuting----he sat a lot)

June 2008-- 245 lbs. --6 months after getting to Dominica (the first 20 lbs or so just fell off of him, due to all of the walking.  I think that gave him the motivation to really get to work and loose the rest)

Dec. 2008-- 215 lbs. 

June 2009-- 205 lbs!!!!   (he started doing the P90X program in March and it's really helped him tone up and drop those last 10 pounds!)

 Can you believe that?  He really has worked hard, but that is a lot of weight!  He has lost 70 pounds since we came down to Dominica!!  He just got his glasses as well, and he looks completely different.  Take a look........

Our first week in Dominica- Jan. 08

March of 2009 ----------------- June of 2009

Jan 08------------- 2 weeks ago at the beach

(he's wearing the same sunglasses in these pictures, but they look different because of the extreme difference in his face)

And then Keith with his glasses on.   He looks like a completely different person than the man who came to the island (even to me)!!

 Good job Keith-ers for working so hard!!  

Casts and Stitches

This semester, as Keith does his "Advanced Introduction to Clinical Medicine" (which is essentially his semester before rotations)  he gets to be in the hospital doing cool things (or at least cooler than sitting in lecture all day) 3 days a week and in the classroom 1 day a week.  In addition to that, they have random little extra things every once in a while.  A week or two ago, they learned how to make casts and do stitches. 

They paired up and did casts on each others arms and then they got to practice their suturing skills on pig feet.  Keith seemed to really enjoy it.  

A bit blurry, but here's the lovely pig feet!

So far, we are loving 5th semester here.  We have such a great group of friends, Keith enjoys the experiences at the hospital, and I was re-hired at the day school doing the summer program with the kids starting at the end of the month.  (yay for money!!)  Things have really fallen into place this semester and we are so grateful!

I'm sorry, I have what in the mail?

Our first semester in Dominica (which was the beginning of 2008) it became apparent that we would put snorkel gear to good use if we owned some.  Keith got on-line and got us a pretty good deal on a set of gear off of e-bay.  It was coming from China, so we knew it would take a while, but after about 3 months, we gave up on it.  We figured it was lost or we had been scammed.

Well, last week, Keith got an e-mail saying that he had "registered mail."  Not knowing exactly what "registered mail" might be, I went to pick it up.  The customs officer plopped a box down on the counter and asked, "What's in the package?"  "I have no idea!"  (which was completely honest--we weren't expecting anything)  "Miss, WHAT is in your package?"  he asked me a little more forcefully.  I had to explain, quite thoroughly that I had NO idea what was in my package.  The only thing we have ordered and not received is our snorkel gear, but that was over a year ago!

Well, the customs officer opened the package and guess what?

 

15 months after we ordered it, our snorkel gear showed up!  I couldn't believe it!  I am really curious as to where it might have been the past year or so, but we have it now.......  finally!!!

Weird though, huh?

Note to Self

Do not leave instant oatmeal in the microwave unattended.

More Pictures

More pictures by Genoveva!  Check out her website or picture blog.

 

Dominica!

 

Palm Trees!

Friends!

Mangos!

Green!  

Ocean!

Humidity!

Warmth!

Grapefruit!

Beauty!

Palm-covered Mountains!

Keith and I were both amazed at how nice it was to come back to Dominica, despite how sad we were to leave home.  Driving home from the airport I was looking around and I seemed to have forgotten just how green and beautiful Dominica is!  As hot as the humidity makes the summers, our skin is appreciating it. (No more cracked and bleeding knuckles!)   We also have a great view from our new apartment of the beautiful mountains and Prince Rupert Bay. (I'll post a picture later)  And of course, it was so nice to come "home" to our "Dominican Family."  We missed everyone so much!  Anyway, we were very sad to leave home, but it's nice to be home in Dominica.   

HOME

*FAmiLY                       *SpRing                     *long visits                       *HuGs!          *GiRl COUSIN PartY                        *Blossoming Trees     *Planting Grandpas GaRdEn              *chirping BirdS                  *FaMiLy                       *REal GRocery STores             *GrApes                    *blooming flowerS              *Chilly Evenings         *Days staying lighter, longer      *kisses             *CrIsP aPpLeS            *Laughing                     *MOM's cooking!      *FaMily        *walks           *Grandparents!                     *SuNday NEwspAper            *fRIENDS    *ICE cream             *siBLings           *MILK!!            *Restaurants!      *together                *shoPPing                   *CouSinS             *love                    *family                   

(Just a few of our highlights from being home, I know I mention family more than once, but I feel they should be mentioned more than once)