Boyd the Daddy

This is a day early, but I had a little bit of time today while Boyd was out of the house.

Since for Mother's Day, Boyd took the liberty to share with everyone some embarrassing/nice things about me, I thought that I would do the same for him:)

About a week ago, I had one of those proud wife moments.  After a full day of studying, probably ten hours, Boyd was so excited that he was finally going to get to relax and watch the US soccer game that he'd been looking forward to all day.  Now, if you don't know, Boyd is this die hard soccer nut these days.  He Youtubes players videos and tells me all the time about the new move he's going to master.  He knows every player on every team and says that if this whole medical school thing doesn't work out, he's going to train for professional soccer.  Anyways, he had already studied through most of the first half, so would only get to watch the second.  I was getting Keido ready for bed and it came time for the part where dad comes in, reads to us, helps us brush teeth, and then lays with Keido until he falls asleep.  

I could see in his face that he was anxious to watch the game, so I told him that I could lay by Keido instead.  The anxiousness melted away and he said, "No, Keido is more important to me than the soccer game."  Wow, did he really say that.  Of course, I knew that he loved Keido more than soccer, but he wouldn't even make an exception this one time.  He wanted to spend time with his little boy.  Sadly, it took Keido a while to fall asleep, so Boyd only saw the last three minutes of the game, but he didn't complain about it at all.  I was so impressed and proud.  Boyd is a wonderful father and has shown in many ways how much he loves and cares for Keido.

Boyd is Keido's favorite pal these days.  All day long he will ask me where "Daddy" is.  I have to tell him he's at school or studying.  I can see that he's disappointed.  But, as soon as daddy comes home, Keido gets really happy and excited.  They play ball together, dance together, sing together, watch shows together, wrestle together, and pretty much spend as much time as they can together.  Then every night Boyd says to me before we fall asleep, "I sure love that little boy."  We will lie awake and talk about all the small things that we love so much about Keido.  

I feel so blessed to have Boyd as the father of my children.  He is just as excited for number two as he was for Keido.  Sometimes he will talk to my belly and tell the baby how much he loves it already.  As I've gotten bigger, he has become more and more excited.  

Our family is growing in more ways than one.  Since being here, I feel like we have really bonded together.  Boyd has stepped up to the plate in many instances and truly cherishes the time that he gets to spend with Keido and I.  It's amazing what a little bit of trial and distance from other family can do to help strengthen marriage and family.  Not saying that I don't love being near family, but just that this has been really good for us:)

I love you Boyd!!! Keido loves you too!!!  We hope that you have a great Father's Day!

Other Attempts at the "I Love You Dad" Picture

Keido helped cut and tape the sign;)

Our Week

(Random flower from my run)

We've been in the Bahamas now for two months and I can honestly say that it has gotten better and better since we arrived.  I guess I should speak for myself, since Boyd mostly studies and goes to class, but I can sincerely say that I have been happier these past couple weeks than I ever thought I could be.  I think that a lot of it has to do with having some fun things to do during the week.  It's funny, people usually feel bad for me, thinking that I'm stuck at home all day without a car or bike, just taking care of Keido.  Little do they know that we have become pretty busy people.  I just wanted to map out what we do during the week, for myself to look at later on, and for others to know that they don't have to feel bad for me.

Monday-
Usually this is our grocery shopping day.  Our good friends Brittany and Kurtis will generally pick us up in the morning and take us to the store with them.  Then, sometimes we hang out for a little bit after.  In the afternoon, we usually do some swimming in our pool, make bread, cook dinner, read books, have a dance party, cleanup, hopefully have an FHE, and then get ready for bed.

(Private pool party)

Tuesday-
Most of the time in the morning, Keido and I will run a couple of miles down to the beach and spend time swimming, building sand castles, feeding birds, watching boats, making friends with the Cruise ship tourists, and hanging out in the back of the Grand Lucayan Hotel (my favorite place.)  Then after lunch and a nap, we get to go teach piano lessons to the Kanekoas (Brittany, Kole, Karson, and Kelly).  I love being able to give back to Brittany and her family who have done so much for us.  Plus, they are great students.  Keido also loves to play with Kurtis while everyone is having their lessons.  After we get home, it's dinner and bed time.  Another day gone!

Wednesday-
Wednesday's have recently become more fun.  We will wake up and do some exercise and then this is usually our big cleaning day where we sweep, mop, maybe to the bathrooms, and just get things done in the morning.  In the afternoon, we make dinner a little early and then Keido and I will meet with a couple of ladies in the ward who are in the YW presidency.  I have been called as a Young Women's Presidency Trainer.  The program is pretty new here and they just need some help getting things going.  Hopefully by next week we will be starting Mutual activities on Wednesday nights.  President Kanekoa said that whatever I teach these ladies is the type of YW's program that will be left behind for years.  I hope I can do a good job.

(I've seen Nutella used on many things, but I've never seen it used as face paint)

Thursday-
We either do one of three things this day.  Sometimes we will attend the Bahama Mama play group. Or, if our friend Mary is available, we will have her over and help her as she learns how to read and use a computer.  She grew up in Jamaica and never had the opportunity to go to school, so as an older woman, she still can't read.   If she can't make it, we usually run down to another beach and play for the morning.  Then, in the afternoon we do whatever we want until we cook dinner and get ready for Boyd to watch Keido and for me to teach online piano lessons.  That pretty much finishes off our day.

Friday and Saturday-
These two days are filled with laundry, swimming, going to the beach, getting together with friends, going to the Library to do story time (The Librarian needs volunteers and asked if I would read to the kids. I've become the official story time lady:), preparing for whatever we've been asked to do on Sunday, having more dance parties, and spending time as a family.

(Beach Bum)

Sunday-
This is the best day!  We go to church, have people over for dinner, and then chat with both our families.  Then, Boyd, Keido, and I just spend time together.  Sometimes we go for walks, shoot hoops, kick a soccer ball, and of course have a dance party.  Have I mentioned that Keido LOVES dancing?!

Every week is not the same, but I've really enjoyed having a few things to do to fill up the days.  Time is flying by!  We only have 7 weeks left!  This has been a great experience for us and I feel like we have grown a lot as a family being able to experience it together.

Junkanoo

The other day I went to the church for a meeting and ended up waiting outside with another member and his kids for an hour or so.  They call it "Bahamian Time."  Fortunately, he was really fun to talk to and gave me some good information.  I asked him about the upcoming Junkanoo festival that we were planning to attend on Saturday.  He said that it's a parade that runs downtown with people who have created these amazing costumes and dance to the Bahamian Beat.  "As they start playing a ways off, your feet start tapping the ground.  Then as they get closer, you find that your legs start stomping and your head starts bobbing.  Pretty soon, your whole body is just dancing to the music.  Then as they pass right in front of you, you can feel the drums beating in your chest and you just can't help moving right along with everyone else," said Brother Cash.  The best part was that he acted the whole thing out and had his kids rolling with laughter.

Sure enough, it was exactly like he said.  Even though it started later than we thought it would, and we had to leave early, we loved every second of it.  Keido's favorite parts were the dancers, the band, and the little boys next to us fighting with their blow up noise makers.  When there was a break in the parade, Keido took off running after the little boys who had gone to a grassy area.  They were probably 6 or 7, but he just stood right in the middle of what they were doing.  When they went somewhere else, he followed right along.  He definitely wants to be one of the big boys.

I guess way-back-when people used to take "Junk" and make it "New" for their costumes, hence the name "Junkanoo."  Since then it seems to have evolved into a competition where people use nicer materials to make their costumes.  I was still pretty floored at what they came up with using paper and feathers.  Some of the costumes weighed at least a couple hundred pounds and I felt bad for the people who had to wear/carry them.  I also wanted to take the dancers home and have them do morning Zumba classes for me.  Bahamian girls got MOVES.

Anyways, here are a bunch of pictures of what the parade was like.  It was one of those multi-cultural experiences that I will always cherish.  I just wish Keido was old enough to remember it.  Maybe one day if he hears that "Bahamian Beat" again, he will feel right at home:)

 (The beautiful sunset sky)

 (Keido and Dad enjoying the show)

(With our good friend Lemuel) 

 (The first float, just one guy moves it using a handcart underneath)

 (A dancer)

 (The most awesome looking tuba player I've ever seen)

 (costume)

 (bigger costume)

 (cool bird costume)

 (spiky costume, we were standing a little too close and I got whacked by this one)

 (green and pink man)

 (fish lady)