Chapter 2...Storm Storm go away......Poor Dawny just wants to get to Saba

Chapter 2...Revenge of the Maritime weather.....

well we arrived in Halifax with a barfy smelling car, barfy smelling clothes, a barfy kid, tons of bags, a dog, another kid and before the snow....what more could you ask for.....up we went to our room, which is lovely I might add, The Holiday Inn Express by the airport.....very nice and great service....we heard on the radio on the way in that flights "might " be cancelled, we both looked at each other and said, surely the trip blips are done and the storm is going to blow past? Nope....we were so wrong.....by the time we got up to our rooms, the storm started and was in full force....we can barely see out our window, swirling snow everywhere.....we made the dreaded call to american airlines and low and behold.....our flight was CANCELLED! we had a teensy weensy freak out moment and then composed ourselves to jump into problem solve mode....so the airlines it would appear is very booked this time of year so we had to alter our route somewhat....so instead of tomorrow morning direct to NY and then to St Maarten where we were to stay and explore that land for a while adn then to Saba the next day, we are not leaving tomorrow afternoon (weather permitting..not looking good right now) for NY and then off for a night in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We will get in tomorrow night at 10 PM and then leave for St Maarten at 7 am Friday morning just in time to catch our flight to Saba at 12.....so our touring of St Maarten is out.....so American will likely give a voucher for the airport hotel in San Juan, the Best Western....so I think great until we call and they absolutely will not accept dogs....so back to the drawing board adn apparently the only hotel in San Juan to take dogs is the Normandy....so we are booked in their at our expense (and it is expensive) from 11 pm ish until 6 am ish.....apparently we have an absolutley beautiful ocean view, which we won't see since it is night time! You would think that the story ends here.....alas.....it doesn't quite.....we attempted to cancel our reservation in St Maarten for tomorrow night and we cannot find it, we can't remember the name of the hotel.....actually Joe can't but I will say "we" for the sake of showing a united front!!!! he made the reservation and told me about it but can't remember where and I didn't pay a ton of attention thinking that he had taken care of it...so we are paying for a lovely room somewhere in St Maarten tomorrow night....and one in Puerto Rico as well....wonder what VISA will think of that?? Anyway the way that this is all going I am fairly certain that I will have a few more stories to tell you.....

Heeeerrrrrrreee's Dawny!

ok all you people....I have been told that you are anxiously awaiting more "Dawn" stories (and I am so glad that you all find my life sooo entertaining!) Well have I got a story (or several) for you...the last 24 hours have been, well, let's say....eventful! and to be honest I am not sure how I have survived but somehow God has kept me alive so far so obviously these stories are meant to be told!

yesterday seems meek and mild compared to today, but for a quick recap...we had to move out of our duplex....it took ALL day and I mean all...7 am ish to 7 pm ish, with 2 of us packing, 3 people cleaning and a moving company moving the stuff...and the movers truck broke down and (they had us written down for the wrong day) so they showed up 3 hours late...but they did a great job and were very efficient once they did arrive.....also the day before as we were waiting for UPS to pick up our boxes for shipment to Saba, we found out that we couldn't complete the paper work that was sent to us on the weekend as it was meant for people moving to the US as opposed to moving through the US....so after 4 hours on the phone talking to UPS,Canada customs and US customs (2 hours of which were on a cell phone because as luck would have it, our battery operated cordless decided to die part way in....yes I am serious.....anyway long shipping story shortened is that we ended up canceling UPS and driving 6 very large boxes to Canada Post to mail them down for a handsome price of $520! (instead of the $300 for UPS) but hey to save all the paper work hassle we sent it!so we missed the boat to Saba and we are now not sure when our stuff will arrive but it will arrive and that is what matters (see what a positive attitude I have?? still smiling (through gritted teeth!!)

So we spend the night with my aunt and uncle and kids and had a wonderful morning with them until the goodbyes started, and then we had tears a flying in every direction....picture 8 adults, and 6 children 10 and under all crying....it was quite a scene.....our kids were trying to renegotiate the whole move....I must say I was a little bit tempted myself......

Sooo..this is where the Dawn saga gets more "Dawn like".....we left PEI headed for Nova Scotia, (a little later than planned but whatever) hoping to outrun the Atlantic storm headed our way! About an hour into the drive Monty says "mom I don't feel good" and so i say "Monty you have been up late every night this week and crying this morning and you are anxious and so you probably just feel exhausted...lay back and have a sleep" (good motherly advice?) about 20 minutes later he opens his eyes and starts barfing EVERYWHERE....yup......all over himself, the rental car and the bags in the back seat...Joe quickly pulls over to the side of the road and opens the window and says "Monty put your head out the window" MOnty turns toward the window but makes no move to go to it and barfs all over the door instead....Christian was screaming "oh gross, disgusting, that smells so bad" cars were a flying by and Joe and I just stared at each other thinking what do we do now....we found a few napkins and then started digging into the socks in the suitcases to clean up the barf.....we left a few pairs on the side of the highway just before oxford if anyone is looking for free socks! we stripped him down to his t-shirt but had nom more warm clothes for him because of course we are moving to a tropical climate and we only packed summer clothing (not anticipating needing several changes of winter clothes!) Monty sat shivering in the back seat wanting my coat but he was still half covered in barf so i wasn't keen on sharing.....we turned the heat up (which of course accentuated the smell) and drove to Oxford. We got to a gas station and cleaned Monty all up and got some proper stuff to clean the pool of puke out of the back of the rental car....got him some clean clothes and a bucket (yes the very helpful and sympathetic staff found us a bucket for Monty in case he decided to puke again) He made great use of the bucket all the way to Halifax! Luckily the hotel has laundry facilities.....you would think that the adventure would stop there but NOPE......we stopped at shoppers and I sent Joe in to buys some laundry detergent and he brought it out in a bag......so at the hotel I went to the laundry room to throw the barfy clothes in the washer....and the light was not working so I had to hold the door open with my foot to stretch forward to get the laundry going in the dark....poured in the "detergent" and started her up.....dried the clothes (except Monty's hockey jacket which has to hang) a little while later I walked by his jacket and noticed that it still really smelled like barf....I decided to hand wash it in the bathroom with the "laundry detergent" that Joe bought.....to my surprise when I got a look at the bottle...it wasn't detergent at all....IT WAS FABRIC SOFTENER!!! I looked at Joe and shook my head and I thought this is about the craziest day ever.....oh there is much more but I am going to start a new chapter.....read on.......

5 More Sleeps.....

I must say that December has flown by with amazing speed and here I sit just 5 sleeps away from our move to the Caribbean! It is CRAZY! Christmas was wonderful and as always it was gone so quickly.....we had many wonderful events this month so that probably contributed to time going so quickly....I really can't believe that we are going....my last day of work was tuesday and it was tough packing up my office and leaving and as I went outside I was thinking....holy cow....I am now unemployed, what am I doing?????? I have a feeling that I am going to feel like this for the next few weeks/months until we get settled in Saba!

So for the past few weeks we have been slowly packing things up and getting everything organized....about 1/2 of our house is now in boxes or sent on to others....so we just have the other 1/2 to contend with ....this is where it gets tricky....I put something in a box and the kids haul it back out because they want to use it! and we are trying to pack all of our winter clothing away and only keep out what we will need for the next few days....it makes it a little more difficult when we are travelling from the north pole ( ha ha) to the hot temps of the Caribbean (it has been 25 C all week in Saba)

I am excited about our adventure and I know that we are going to have such a neat experience...but I am sad too, leaving my family and friends behind....I have a lot to cram into the next 5 days so wish me luck.....

we may be unreachable for a few days until our internet/phone etc gets connected (I've been told that it can take up to 10 days) but as soon as we are safe and sound and online I will let you all know!

God Bless,
Dawn

I'm not a fan of goodbye.....

well....in less than 4 weeks we will be departing for Saba....I have been keeping so busy getting organized that I have been ignoring the goodbyes, partly because I am so busy getting organized but also because I have learned over the past year or two that I am not a fan of goodbye....I'm a huge fan of hellos and welcomes (meeting new people, getting to know them, new babies etc) and I enjoy the part in the middle (getting to know people on a deeper level) but goodbyes....nope.....I am the person who cries when I see an airport, whether I or anyone I know is going on a plane ( because I have had my fair share of goodbyes at airports and I am now conditioned to cry at the sight of one!) So these next few weeks are going to be intense...with lots of crying...I am planning to head out today to stock up on the expensive kleenex with the moisturizers in it so that when I am blowing my nose and wiping my eyes 100 times a day, I won't be all chafed....I had my first "taste of goodbye" today when one of my friends at church started talking about much she would miss me and she told me that Monty's class is having a surprise party for him on the 18th and the kids are all excited planning for it....it made my heart ache and she opened the goodbye door (that I was trying to keep deadbolted shut!!) and that was it....I was crying .....I am really excited about our moving but I think I was ignoring the part where moving meant goodbye and uh oh, there is alot of work to be done now to prepare.....I know that we will do well, but my life has been here for so long, my dear friends and family, my church family, my choir, my wonderful colleagues, this has been our life....and it is going to hurt alot to leave it all behind.....You are all so dear to me and the thought of not being able to get together for a coffee or a chat is very sad for me (please come for a coffe and visit me in Saba).....anyway for those of you who aren't up for the emotions of the next weeks I would advise you to not read my blog until well into the new year.....for the rest of you....I ask for you help and support as I challenge myself to grow and be successful at saying goodbye....
God Bless, Dawn

Saba, bathing suits and cortisol

So....a friend of mine advised me that I need to write in my blog more regularly so that people can remain updated.....and of course I know that you are all hanging on the edge of your seats waiting to read the next entry....ha ha.....so I will try to be a little more regular.....there is lots going on though, so writing doesn't seem to take priority.....BUT all that will change when I am relaxing in the sun in Saba because I won't be working full time and trying to move my family to another country....I will have oodles of time to keep you all updated on our adventure!
So I learned something very interesting this week....I went to a conference on the impact of family violence on children and it was excellent. One of the things that I learned was about how we have chemicals in our brain that have to be released at the right times and in the appropriate amounts to keep us happy and healthy....we were talking about cortisol which is a chemical that drizzles out in the morning to give you your happy injection for the day....and the cortisol peaks at about 10 am, so theoretically you should be your happiest and most stress free at that time of day....so why now is this relevant or remotely interesting? Well it applies to my life with bathing suit shopping.....of course moving to the Caribbean I have been advised that I definitely need more than the one bathing suit I currently own......but bathing suit shopping for me is rated right up there with trips to the dentist, immunizations and overdue bills....a nasty, stressful event that should be avoided if at all possible! So I was chatting at my table with a couple of colleagues (of course not during the presentation....definitely coffee break) and it dawned (ahem) on me that I should take advantage of this optimal level of cortisol and go shopping for a bathing suit some morning at 10 am!! That the issue isn't my body being slightly out of shape, it is that I am shopping at the wrong time of day, the evening, when my cortisol is kaput! Anyway, we had a great laugh and we all thought it was an excellent idea! Sooo....Mary Lou, if I disappear some morning around 10, I could be found in a dressing room somewhere in Charlottetown trying on bathing suits...with a SMILE....
So...I assume that you are now wondering about the Saba plans.....well 5 weeks from today we will be in our new house in a new country! I can't believe it.....we are in the packing boxes for shipping stage and I am having difficulties picking which shoes to bring....I was trying to limit myself to 3-4 pairs but it is proving to be a challenging task! Who knew I was such a shoe monger?? We are also weeding out and getting rid of stuff and this weekend we plan to start packing things that we don't need to put them into storage.....We also have been advised by the Christmas commitee members (Monty and Christian) that it will be December in 2 days and the tree MUST go up....so we will be packing and decorating all at once it would seem! Anyway it is getting late and I have to be up early in the morning to practice with the praise team for singing in church....oh and those of you reading out there please feel free to come to Cornerstone Baptist's Christmas Contata...December 13 @ 7PM at the East Wiltshire School gymnasium....it is a great opportunity to share in some music, celebrate Jesus....the reason for the season! and get into the Christmas spirit! Love to see you there.....Good Night and God Bless!

Looking forward....and back

Time is flying......we are down to 5 and 1/2 weeks until we leave for our 20 month adventure in the Caribbean......the lists are a flyin'.....immunizations...check...dog travel arrangements...check....boxes and tape...check.....criminal record check...check.....you get the picture....it is alot of work to make this all happen! I am SOOOOO excited, anxious, terrified, thrilled (to escape this snow...ick), sad....I don't think that I have ever felt so many intense emotions at one time! I anticipate that it will be like this for a little while until we are moved and settled (thank God that I have a patient and laid back hubby who is quite capable of managing me with all these emotions ;) I am looking ahead to an awesome opportunity, an exciting adventure, an opportunity of a lifetime and imagining all of the possibilities....and I am looking behind at what I am leaving....beloved friends and family, an amazing church family (just when they are about to move into the new sanctuary!) , my choir (oh I will miss my choir), a great job and my 15 year old Eskie, Nikki (she is too old to make the trip and lets face it...an Eskimo dog in the Caribbean??) So I am trying very hard not to look back too long (remember Lot's wife?) I know that God has some amazing plans in store for us and some life changing experiences and I must go forward with joy and embrace this for the blessing that it is! Joe is so excited, I don't think that he has any reservations AT ALL....I mean it....he is just so darn happy to be going to medical school, it has been his dream for so long and he has worked so hard....he is like "let's get on with the show people" He has been a wonderful source of encouragement and strength for me (see I knew I kept him around for a reason...tee hee...) He is very positive about it all and calm, cool and collected.....( I guess that someone has to be!) The kids are mixed...both excited in many ways and both sad to leave their family and friends behind (just like their mama)....they keep asking "how many months until we come home, Mom?" I am sure that 20 months seems like a lifetime to them, but I keep encouraging them by reminding them how many people are going to come visit us on our tropical island.....they love the idea of people coming to visit!
Anyway just wanted to write a quick update to let you know how we are progressing in our "moving" plan! Slowly we are getting there and before you know it we will be in Saba (and in shorts...Hallelujah!) I can't wait to see and feel the warm sun....I am pretty sure I am just going to lay outside (in the shade of course or I will be a very interesting shade of RED) and feel the heat....I'll be thinking of all you chilly folk up here, shovelling snow for the 43rd time.....

Have a great night, God Bless,
Dawn

7 weeks and counting!

I can't believe that in 7 weeks we will be packed (hopefully) and leaving PEI for the Caribbean....it really is surreal, I almost don't believe it.....I am very excited in many ways, excited about the sunshine and the warmth (I hate this cold,dreary, cloudy weather) and not having to work full time (maybe not at all) and getting to spend more time with the boys and just living a laid back, simple lifestyle.....it all sounds great.....having said that, I am still me, you know the crazy lady with ANXIETY....so of course, you know it can't be a worry-free transition! So, yes I am nervous and slightly terrified to move to a totally different country!! and yes I have lost a few hours (ok full nights...who am I kidding?) sleep on the thought of the the extremely huge amounts of money that we will owe after we have finished this crazy adventure. I am also worried for the kids and their transition and how they will adapt, will they make some special friends, will they like it etc? I know that we will be creating some unforgettable memories for our family and in 20 years the kids will look back at pictures and say "Mom, remember Saba, remember when we lived in the Caribbean for those 2 years and ......" unfortunately when you are 5 and 10 you don't appreciate the concept of the "big picture". So both of them are excited but a little scared too (understandably). We have spent alot of time looking up Saba stuff on the internet so it has been fun, and we have purchased things from people leaving the island that will be waiting for us there (like all kinds of toys, fishing rods, games, books) so the boys are excited about all that. So many people have commented to us that we are so lucky, so blessed that we have such an amazing opportunity, to do something many people only dream of....and I know that they are right....it is an amazing opportunity and WE ARE BLESSED! Funny thing about blessings though....they are never simple, never just a blessing....with blessing comes change and adjustment and then personal growth ( and growth implies growing pains...ouch) etc....so it is never easy, never just a blessing....does that make sense? I have grown a little too comfortable and complacent in my life and I am about to have my world flipped around a bit, I know it will be amazing and fun and adventures that I could never dream of from where I sit right now....BUT I also know that I like my comfortable life...ahhh nothing is ever easy is it.....so we are in the final phase of planning to leave....getting ready to post for sale signs on everything, slowly packing things up, getting all the paperwork ready, the immunizations etc etc.....7 weeks....WOW......so close that I can almost touch it! Anyway thanks for listening (reading) I will post more in the weeks to follow....take care.....God Bless, Dawn