Easter on the Island…Cristo es resucitado (Christ is risen!)

April was a bless-ed month for several reasons, not only with the celebration of our risen Savior, but getting to see one of my children from home as we welcomed Skylar the week of Easter. We did all the regular things: beach, shopping, and more beach. She is always so sweet to come with few expectations other than, in her own words, wanting “to just be with you guys”.  She would come across the ocean if only for Nanny’s rice and gravy…throw in the chocolate pie and she’s set!  What’s better is she gets Nanny and mom’s cooking all in the same visit, and that on top of the tropical island! Skylar is nearing the end of her major at Sam Houston State. When she’s not in school, she’s working, and when not working, she’s in school; add driving the back and forth from College Station to Huntsville and you have one tired young lady that I am so proud of. I just wish I could ease her load. And so I tried, for only a few days…This goodbye was hard, they all are, but not near what the others were, since we knew it would be a much shorter time between our next reunion.

Picking up sister at the airport!

 Me and my girls!

Easter Sunday Family Photo (missing 2 of my men!)

 ~While speaking of the Easter season, I wanted to mention one particular evening Naomi and I walked down to the park on the beach to discuss a paper she was writing for one of her classes. The park is a lively place in the evenings with parents just in from work taking their little ones to the playground (being a high-rise area, recreation space is limited, except that of the beach of course), teens and young adults on skateboards and bikes, joggers cooling down from their run on the street taking a glimpse of the ocean, and people coming to and from the beach. There is always a breeze, and people-watching is at its peak. We watched as a group of locals gathered in a large circle and began to pray. Then they moved over to the sand on the beach, it was now dark with park lights giving way, and they made another large circle where they started to sing. I asked a local sitting next to me and Naomi what they were specifically praying/singing about and was told, “For the island…for young people on the island”. Their singing was to a bongo drum only and was the coolest island praise music ever. Naomi and I moved closer and clapped along with them. It was an amazing show, and sharing, of Christ’s spirit in our little part of the world---Puerto Rican style! After the singing they broke up in groups and approached random people in the park, including us, to ask if there were prayer needs. They prayed for us in broken English and Puerto Rican Spanish. Proof that our Lord is Alive and Everywhere! His remnant remains and is ever faithful from sea to shining sea!

Locals Praying in the Park

 Holding up placards while they sing...Jesus Saves and Jesus Loves You

...And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation."  Revelation 5:9

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I'm sharing other random photos from my cameral roll.......just too many to include them all in my blog posts, but here are some good ones...

Mom and Wyatt at local market



Hunter's birthday breakfast....Krispy Kreme! mmmmm.......



Love this photo! Nomi and vintage bug on cobblestone streets of Old San Juan

Painted by the Lord of the Universe!



Just after sunrise....the camera caught what my eye could not see; a pretty awesome shot!





This little guy was literally taking a parking place at the local mall! Just an everyday iguana sighting.  The locals call them "pests". We still think it's crazy!



Always a treat and a must have every time Dad comes in; mallorca sweet bread, tarts, chocolate custard pie, and cafe leche........Kasalta!



Just in from snorkeling....If I remember correctly, this was taken right after Hunter was face to face with a stingray and said he was ready to leave:)



On the steps of La Fortaleeza, the governors mansion in Old San Juan. We were on a tour.

Naomi with the "Conn" family that she babysat quite often. She loves those kids!

This is how they haul horses! No kidding. Not many horse trailers to be seen. Crazy!!!



This is just cool! Down to the surfboard and vintage coca-cola cooler on top.



Look real close......this is one of the tree coconut climbers that climb the palms on the beach. It's a real science. He puts on a type of workboot and leg braces, and up he goes. Plop, plop, plop fall the coconuts. Then he's off in his cart to the next tree.

The local dog walker. I think I counted 14 on this particular day.

A Mountain View To Die For!

Where do I begin filling you in on the last 4-6 weeks? It’s been a whirlwind of fun and adventure as we have just finished welcoming our last round of family visitors before we are headed back home, as well as the sad good-byes that come with those dreaded airport departures.

~Before I post on our time with family, I must tell you about our trip to the mountains that began the month of April for us. Yes, I drive into the mountains on a weekly basis to get Hunter from the Academy, but never have I/we been to the TOP of one! As I’ve reported before, we have been so blessed with safety, great experiences, and circumstances that can only be explained by our God who has gone ahead of us every step of this journey, and that includes the wonderful people with which we have come in contact that are just as much a part of our story as anything else. One of those people is John Lombardo, the owner of the beachfront apartment we rented on our initial visit to PR last summer. Having several rentals, John welcomes visitors to the island on a monthly basis; however, he has been so nice to extend an extra show of support toward me, my mother, and the kids since we set ourselves up here in August. He had invited us to his mountain home early in our stay, but it was not until Spring Break that it fit in to everyone’s schedule. I have marked this as one of MY favorite adventures of our time on the island. Perhaps the most amazing part of this story is that my old van made it! We followed John, his son, and mother-in-law some 3,000 feet above sea level to a destination point that took our breath away! As we exited the main highway, it took us another 45 minutes to an hour on the winding roads to the top of the mountain. To get the feel of it, I must explain that we were in the heart of pure, Latin/Caribbean culture. No new architecture, but what would be considered poor housing by most standards, in all colors of concrete, porches and balconies with hanging clothes, and dilapidated cars along the side or front yards, but most always a friendly face when you see one. There’s the occasional panderia (bakery) that may look old and run down, but serves up the best pastries, fresh bread, and coffee you’ve ever tasted.  All this, with the backdrop of lush, tropical greenery, and your only thought is, “what a cultural experience”!  We were entering the islands coffee region and drove past hillsides of coffee growers, as well as orange and grapefruit trees; we even came across a free-roaming peacock to add to the beauty and wonder of it all. As we finally reached Johns little mountain home, I was convinced we weren’t in PR anymore, but somewhere in the Alps! Not just the heights we had reached, but the charm of the little Swiss style chalet that awaited our afternoon visit. It was splendid!! The views were AMAZING!!! Lunch was all fresh meats in the outdoor brick oven, fresh bread from the panderia, and fresh salad greens with walnut oil and vinegar dressing. Hunter and Wyatt took off immediately with John’s son Angelo exploring this mountain vista we had all to ourselves, or so it seemed. Mom and I were in awe not only at the views but with the grounds and what he grew: coffee, wild raspberries, blackberries, grapes, passion fruit called “parcha”, mulberries, lemons, guava, plantains, bananas, and spices of all kind. Within an hour, and thankfully after taking all the pics we wanted, we were literally in the clouds, as the white air came wafting through the door and windows and we could literally see only in front us of. It was awesome!  

For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hands are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is his for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.   ~Psalm 95

A stop at the panderia for fresh pastries before heading uphill! This is mom and our host for the day, John. Look, mom's already taking a bite. It's that good:)

The beautiful peacock we spotted along the road. It jumped on the gaurdrail as we took the pic.

The wonderful little "chalet" we finally reached! Not all houses in the mountains of PR look as charming.



Hunter walking among the coffee rows --- it had already been harvested for the season

   




Wyatt look on lunch in the brick oven!



Mom shows off the spoils of wild fruit the boys brought back! (holding wild raspberries)



Bye for now........j.

CHECK BACK EVERY FEW DAYS FOR BLOG INSTALLMENTS AS I TRY TO CATCH UP FROM THE PAST MONTH OR SO. I DON’T WANT TO “BLOG YOU DOWN” IN ONE POST!