Surprise! We are moving to Michigan! Actually, it was more a surprise for us.
Now that Ben is done with the first two years of medical school, the books and exams are behind him. Now he gets to do the fun part- shadowing doctors in hospitals!
Ben’s medical school, American University of the Caribbean, has partnerships with hospitals all over the United States. While students do get to submit a list of prefered locations, the school assigns us to the hospital that fits best, depending on availability. It feels like one of those surprise grab bags we used to get at convenience stores as a kid. And while it made me a little nervous, it was kind of fun to have someone else decide where our next home would be.
We had hoped to go to Bakersfield, California, the closest hospital to our home in Phoenix. However, we heard rumors that it was full, along with Baton Rouge and Detroit. That left Miami as the only available location on our list, so we planned for a Florida move. Tank tops and Spanish! We were getting prepared.
Imagine our surprise when we got a call telling us that someone dropped out of the Michigan clinical rotations and we were next in line! We would be joining the previous class’s schedule, starting a few weeks earlier than Ben’s class and making up the Pediatrics rotation at another hospital later. We agreed!
Ben’s clinical rotations start on August 14, so we had to leave 10 days after we got the news. Not a lot of time! We left Saturday, and we have been driving for two and a half days. We are almost there!
We still don’t know where we are going to live, and the more we hear about Detroit, the less we know what to do. Go for a 15 thousand dollar home and risk the rough neighborhoods? Let more money slip into the black hole of rental properties but live in a safer area? I don’t know anything about Michigan, except for a little town called Fruitport that so visted two years ago for a wedding. Fruitport is a long way from Detroit.
Well, I guess that is what we will figure out in the next couple days. We’ve know what it’s like to move far away to a place we had never been, but we’ve never showed up in a new place as a couple of homeless people and a dog! What will Michigan bring? I guess we will find out soon! This is all part od the adventure.
The bad news: it took 24 hours and about half my remaining sanity.
If you’ve ever moved internationally, you know it’s not exactly a piece of cake. Actually, it’s pretty tough, emotionally and logistically. It’s like I was being ripped in half, because I was so sad to leave St. Maarten, but at the same time so excited to see my family and my hometown. And while I was trying to deal with those emotions, I had to be getting rid of all my stuff and cramming the few things I was keeping into our suitcases.
Fact: You can only drag so many pieces of luggage through the airport.
Also fact: Suitcases hold less than you expect them to.
As we were going through all our stuff, I was wondering where the heck all that crap came from. We only lived in St. Maarten for a couple of years, and I was intentionally trying not to amass copious amounts of things. So even after selling, donating, giving away and throwing out the large majority of what was in our apartment, we still had three suitcases, two gigantic backpacks, and a couple of small backpacks. Plus the dog. And by the way, getting the dog back was incredibly stressful. But I don’t want to even think about that right now. She’s here, and that’s all that matters.
The first thing that happened when we got to the airport, as we were struggling to get our luggage to the counter, was a cranky security guard stopping us and demanding to see our paperwork for the dog. Not only was it bad timing, but she actually has no authority over whether or not a dog goes on the plane. We have to show it to the lady at the baggage counter and the people a customs. I took this total waste of time as a bad sign about the way the trip would go, and boy, was that accurate.
Kenny driving us to the airport
Kito was thoroughly freaking out by the time we made it through customs, but the hour wait to get on the plane calmed her down. We planned to get on the place last of all, so that Kito wouldn’t get in anyone’s way, but they actually let us get on the plane first. That was really nice, and it gave us a chance to get settled. Kito was so worn out that she lay down at my feet and fell asleep.
As soon as the engine started, she shot straight up in the air and landed on our laps! Ben comforted her while I watched my beautiful St. Martin disappear beneath the clouds. I had thought I would cry at this moment, but I was already too exhausted for any tears. The last thing I saw was Pond Island growing smaller and smaller beneath us. It was strange to think that my Little League team was practicing right then and I was not there to help.
Kito literally shook with terror for the entire three hour flight to Miami. Poor dog! The good news was that she was so quiet that I don’t think anyone noticed her.
We had booked a flight with a 1.75 hour layover so that it would be easier on the dog. Here’s a piece of advice: never book a short layover when going through customs in Miami. We had intended to use the really cool new customs app (Guys, it’s really cool. You have to use it next time you fly internationally!) but it doesn’t work if you have an “x” on your customs form. Kito is technically an imported animal, so we still had to wait in the long line.
After the long line, we were taken to another special customs area for people who are importing stuff. We were the only ones waiting in the room, and we waited for fifteen minutes while the staff slowly stacked papers, watched basketball on TV, had a conversation about illegally imported mangoes, and complained about having to multitask when they finally decided to get around to seeing us.
Even through we were slowly watching our chances of catching our connection slip away, I was more concerned about Kito’s rabies shot. I had called my vet to set up Kito’s health certificate appointment, and she told me not to worry about making a separate, earlier appointment for the rabies shot. So I got it a week early, along with the health certificate. St. Maarten is a rabies-free country, so it technically doesn’t matter, according to the CDC. A lot of my dog-savvy friends, however, told me that I might not get Kito through customs if her shot was less than a month old. So I was really worried about that. As it turned out, though, the customs people looked the shot record over, smiled, and handed it back without a comment. Of course, seeing that they didn’t appear to take their job very seriously, I wouldn’t count on that being the norm.
We left customs and realized that we had just missed our flight. We were directed to customer service, where we waited in another long line to get a new flight. When we finally got to the front, the representative told us that the next flight was at 7 AM– twelve hours after we had landed in Miami. Since the delay was not the airline’s fault, we didn’t get a room or even a meal voucher. I could tell that the manager felt bad, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. Another woman who was on our flight was MAD. She was incredibly mad, and she really wanted us to be as mad as she was. Honestly, though, we weren’t that upset. Maybe it’s because we were too exhausted to feel anything other than tired, but I think it was because we were just thankful to be through customs and in Florida. There’s nothing like getting your newly-stamped passport back and hearing, “Welcome to the United States.”
The airport wouldn’t let us through security a “day early,” and when we got our new tickets it was 11:00 PM. So we had to wait an hour just inside the door and get overpriced Pizza Hut, which was all that was open. Boy, did that Pizza Hut taste good just then. At midnight, we went through security. It was actually nice to be doing the TSA thing so early, when there were only five people in line ahead of us. We just had to slide on through, and we were done in ten minutes. Phew. We still had six and a half hours before boarding, so we found a quiet terminal and tried to sleep.
We actually did manage to sleep a little bit. It’s amazing how easy it is to fall asleep in odd places when you’re so exhausted! Even the dog just dropped off to sleep, all curled up on an airport chair.
Of course, we couldn’t sleep the whole time. I was worried about Kito peeing on the carpet, so we took to her to the special doggy bathroom a few times to make sure to avoid a mess. Thank goodness for the doggie bathroom!
Also, Ben made a new friend named Leo. Leo works at the airport, and he didn’t have any assigned duties for a couple hours during the especially slow parts of the night, so he talked to Ben for a while and found out our predicament. He helped us get seats together on the plane, and then drove us an all our stuff to our terminal on his cart.
When it was finally time to get on the plane, I was surprised at how quickly the night had gone. The plane ride didn’t seem so short. I slept for a while, and tried to do a crossword puzzle with my fuzzy sleep-deprived brain. Mostly, I held Kito, who was really not enjoying the whole experience. The upside to the early morning plane ride was that my parents didn’t have to pick us up at midnight, which I was happy about.
Finally, we touched down in dusty Phoenix! I have never been so happy to see the familiar outline of Camelback Mountain. We were so excited to see my family, and Kito was excited about the new kennel they bought her. Seriously– I have never seen a dog who loved a kennel so much. How wonderful to be a dog and have a grassy yard for the first time ever, and a cozy kennel to sleep in at night!
After the whole experience, I can safely say I will never fly with a dog again. At least not for that long of a flight! It was the worst flight experience I’ve ever had, but we got through it with pretty good attitudes and made it home just fine. Now that we’ve recovered a bit, I’m looking forward to seeing family and friends and re-integrating into the United States. This is just the first chapter of a whole new life.
Are you stuck at home this summer, wishing for a European vacation? Turn your staycation into a virtual vacation with these seven activities! You can do this on your own, with friends, or with your kids.
1) Plan your itinerary. The wonderful world of the web (that’s what “www” stands for, right?) has unlimited information on every destination in the world. Lay out your travels in Europe by researching places you want to visit someday.
2) Get a travel journal. It will feel almost like you really went when you fill a notebook with photos, impressions, and information about the cities you “visit.
3) Go to the library. Check out a few books and movies about your destination of choice. Try the kids section for big pages and lots of pictures! You may even find a travel mag or two. Go home, make some tea, and soak in the sights. If you’re a bookworm, find a novel or two from the European location you’ve chosen. There’s nothing like creative writing to transport you to another place and time
4) Read blogs. Blogs are the best way to experience a place for what it is. Most bloggers have no ulterior motives, unlike travel brochures. Leave some comments and save some photos. Print up the pictures for your travel journal.
5) Bring Europe to your kitchen. Search the internet for authentic recipes—the best ones come from somebody’s grandmother who immigrated from the Old Country. Try your hand at a few dishes, and be sure to light candles for atmosphere.
6) Explore the city on Google Maps. Did you know that you can “walk through” not only streets, but also important buildings and even museums on Google Maps? Make the most of this online treasure by traversing a city from the comfort of your kitchen table.
7) Make a scrapbook. Sure, it might be out of style, but it’s still fun. Since you’ve spent time learning about a new place, record your newfound knowledge to look back on later. If you’re adventuring with kids, this will definitely be the best part of your European staycation.
Do you have any other ideas for exploring Europe from home? Tell me about your staycation secrets in the comments!
If you asked me what day of the last year I would like to live over, it would be April 21, 2015. Why? Why would I want to live over a random Tuesday? Why not a big, life-changing, memorable day? Because the memories are enough. I’d want to remember those days the way I experienced them the first time around.
Just another day out our place, April 2015
The things I don’t remember well are the everyday things. I’d like to go back a few months and live over a regular day in a past season of my life. On Tuesday, April 21, 2015, I woke up to the sound of Ben’s alarm at 5:30 am. I dragged myself out of bed and made breakfast– probably eggs– while Ben made coffee. We did morning devotions and ate together, and a bit before seven he drove me to work. I opened up the preschool, played with my sweet babies, and then worked as a teacher’s aide in their class. Then I went home and cleaned the house, ate lunch, read my Bible. Maybe I called my mom. Maybe I saw my sister while walking home from work through her college campus. Maybe I walked the long way home and enjoyed the sounds of the city. At 2:30, I went back to work and watched elementary school kids. I probably brought my ukulele and let them play it, I probably played tag with them. I talked casually with the friends I worked with. After work, I walked home and made dinner for Ben. He came home, and after dinner we got ready for Bible study. I made tea, everyone came, and Ben led study group. We read the Bible, prayed, talked, and laughed together. Then everyone said goodnight and went home. I made Ben’s lunch for the next day and we went to sleep.
Not a very exciting day, but a good day. A normal day.
If I could live a day over, I’d want to live again in a day in the life of the former version of me. I’d remember what my life was like. I’d see the changes that have happened over the months, and I’d be grateful for how I’ve grown. I’d be thankful for the time I had with those friends, those kids, that home, that place.
Today, I am thankful to the Lord that I lived today and that I get to live tomorrow. I’d love to live a day in my life over again, but we’re only given one chance to live each day. Let’s be thankful for today and make the most of it.
Love where you live. No matter where you live, learn to love it. When I was a kid, we moved from Flagstaff to Phoenix, and I spent a lot of time wishing we were back in Flagstaff, in the country, in the mountains. It took me a long time to learn to love where I lived. Too long. When I finally decided to stop looking North and start looking around me, do you know what I learned? Glendale is considered the best US city for taking walks. Greenbelts, winding paths to duck ponds and play grounds– that is hard to beat. I learned that Phoenix is one of the most diverse cities in the States with a great number of different people groups, many refugee communities, and immigrants from around the world. This means wonderful opportunities to meet people with interesting stories, valuable insights, and the smorgasbord of worldviews and experiences. You can attend a church in any language. You can shop at a supermarket specially designed to reflect the tastes of any continent. You can take classes in any language. You can eat at a restaurant with authentic food from any country in the world. Every subculture lives here; every opportunity for learning, entertainment, or community service exists here. And let us not forget to mention the mountains! You have not experienced Phoenix until you have climbed our mountains. I read yesterday that Phoenix has the best urban hiking anywhere in the country. In the western Valley, you can hike Deem Hills, Thunderbird Mountain Park, or, if you don’t mind the drive, the White Tanks. In the East, the Superstition Mountains offer endless trails and hide the gem that is the Salt River. In the South, South Mountain rises high above the horizon. And central Phoenix, of course contains my personal favorites– Camelback, Piestewa, Shadow Mountain, Dreamy Draw, North Mountain, and the beautiful Phoenix Mountain Preserve trails. “Mount Wasabi” is a Phoenix Mountain Preserve peak that was just three-quarters of a mile from ACU and from our apartment. We spent a lot of time running and hiking there. Phoenix has a lot of indoor points of interest, too. The Science Center, the Musical Instrument Museum, the pro sports facilities, the art galleries, and so much more. And our sunsets! But I digress.
I loved living in the country. I loved living in the suburbs, once I learned to. And when I moved to central Phoenix, I loved living there, too. And wherever we go from here, I’ll learn to love it there. No matter where you go, there is something wonderful about where you live. I encourage you, don’t let your location get you down. You’ll never be happy if you can’t learn to love where you live. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” He wasn’t taking about superpowers. He was talking about contentment. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am in to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Vs. 11-14). What is the secret of being content in whatever situation you are in? Allowing God to give you the strength to be OK with wherever you are. Spend time with Him daily in prayer and in your Bible. So if you’re struggling with where you live, don’t look behind you to where you used to be or pine for some future place. Instead, look around and find the beauty in your hometown and look above you to find your strength and contentment in the Lord.
I like handmade things in my home. Someday, I hope to paint murals on my wall and make quirky furniture of my own design. I think of myself as creative. My friend Mariah, however, is the crafty queen! She is one of those people who can take any space and, with a little paint, glue, and pixie dust, turn it into something straight from Pinterest. She really does paint her walls with murals, and she and her husband really do make their own furniture. She just finished painting all the counters in their home silver to look like stainless steel. It looks amazing, as you can see on her blog here: https://swigartabcs.wordpress.com/2015/07/21/painting-countertops-just-go-for-it/
While we’re renting, I’ve managed to make our home uniquely ours with some of my own creations on a small scale. Here are some of my favorites:
The one on the left was actually inspired by Mariah. She uses jars to hold her dish soap instead of the plastic Ajax bottle. I don’t like the bottle on my counter and while my great-grandma’s crocheted soap bottle aprons are cute, they don’t match my kitchen. A jar is the perfect solution! Goodwill has a wonderful variety for a dollar apiece, but I already had this cute little round bottle.
I found the jar soap dispenser idea on Pinterest, and since it matched my dish soap jar, I decided to go for it and add my own twist.
HOW TO MAKE A MASON JAR SOAP DISPENSER:
1. You will need a mason jar, a plastic soap dispenser with pump, super glue, and soap.
2. Create a hole in the lid of the jar. it only needs to be big enough for the stem of the pump to go through. I used a screwdriver and a hammer. I’m sure there is a much better way to do this. Make sure any sharp edges are pointing up through the top of the lid.
3. Place the pump from the plastic dispenser into the hole. Test to make sure that the stem is not too long. If it is, cut it.
4. Lift the pump and apply glue to the jar lid. Press pump firmly and hold.
5. When the glue is dry, fill the jar with soap.
6. I like to fill my soap jars an inch or two deep with river rocks, shells, glass beads, etc. It adds interest!
After making my kitchen brighter with my soap jars, I decided that the bathroom needed a little extra charm, too.
HOW TO MAKE A SEASHELL SOAP BOTTLE
1. You will need small shells, hemp, glass beads, a bottle, and a soap pump that can screw into the bottle
2. Fill the bottom of the jar with shells. Ours have a special memory to go with them. We gathered them by Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, where we were engaged.
3. Fill the jar with soap. Choose a clear of blue soap.
4. Screw on the lid.
5. String glass beads onto the hemp. Wrap it around the neck of the bottle and secure. Arrange beads to your liking.
My sister-in-law gave us some organic hand soap for Christmas, so I made a matching soap dish from half a clam shell (also from Lake Tanganyika).
HOW TO MAKE A SHELL SOAP DISH:
1. You will need half a large clam shell, two small stones, and super glue
2. Set the shell face down. Glue the two stones an inch and half or two apart on the outside edge (away from the location of the hinge) of the shell. When upright, it should be stable.
3. Let it dry well.
4. If needed, trim your soap to fit.
Painted jars are pretty! I made a jar soap dispenser for my mom and painted it with sunflowers. Most craft stores sell special paint for glass. One of my friends collect water bottle caps– she gives them to an organization that recycles them into medical supplies for African hospitals! We’ve been collecting them, and I needed somewhere convenient to let them gather. I painted this jar with One Stroke technique.
I’m excited to start redesigning a home on St. Maarten! Since we’re not taking much, I have the opportunity to practically start over on décor. I’ve decided on a beach house theme. I should find plenty of inspiration and craft supplies right there on the beach! I can’t wait to show you pictures of what I come up with.
