Well, hello there. How ya been? It's been a while. Actually, a year to be exact.
I know I said I would be more active and post more often but as you can see thats been a bust. But now, I definitely have a lot to write about.
Where do I start? Let's see...
Well, we were in DR for about eight months. Its been a real adventure.
I got really close to some of the brothers and sisters in the English as well as the Spanish. I have some new friends I'm never going to forget for anything. Having to say goodbye to some of them when we came back to the States was really hard. But I'm so excited to be able to see them again soon.
I was able to get a really good study back in DR. Her name is Yanellis and she has a very clear and real love for Jehovah. After only visiting her for a few weeks, she asked for me to come back multiple times a week to study more often. She had her first baby girl back in October and she has said multiple times that she wants her baby, Lara, to grow up loving Jehovah as well. I'm so proud of her and even while I'm gone she's been keeping up with her study and even went to her first meeting last month.
I'm really excited to be able to go back and continue her study.
I got very close to a lot of friends in the English and I'm so glad I did. They all helped me immensely when we first moved there and made me feel better about leaving home, since they've all done the same thing we are doing. We go to the beach every Monday together and it's one of the best days of my week.
One family we met from England have basically turned into a second family to me. I was over their house and spending the night more and more often every few weeks. We stayed up till four in the morning with the girls, Lucy and Esther, watching new episodes of our favorite show, trying not to cry during The Impossible and me annoying Heather with my burping. (sorry not sorry)
I remember when we first met, I think I speak for both sides when I say we thought we didn't have a lot of common. But after getting to know each other, we realized we are more alike the we ever would of thought, bonding over Queen, The Greatest Showman and Marvel. (A whole lot of Marvel.)
Im so excited to see them again and spend all night talking about Avengers Infinity War. (If you guys are reading this you know what I'm talking about.)
Another family had a big dance party a few days before we left and it was the funnest last party in a while. I can't wait to get back and see all my friends and brothers again.
About a month before we left some friends from Nashville, Tania and Romary, payed us a surprise visit. (at least it was a surprise to me.)
It was so good to see them again and be able to spend the next two and a half weeks showing them my new life. We took them to the best beaches, up the cable car and on the hottest service days. I think they liked it, according to their plans to come back.
My uncle came to visit for a couple weeks too, except this surprise was a little different. After the first week of meetings, service and driving out to the best beaches, they surprised all the kids to a few days at a resort on the island.
Oh my GOD it was so nice. I did get a little stomach sick from eating my weight in free food but other than that it was one of the most relaxing weeks in a long time.
Also we got a DOGGO! I LOVE HER SO MUCH! HER NAME IS KONA AND I MISS HER SO MUCH! (excuse the caps doggies make me excited:)
We left her with a brother back in DR to take care of her while we're gone. Sadly, depending on where we end up living, we may not be able to keep her, so hopefully the brother can find her a good home. :(
Then it was time to come back home.
The flight back was uneventful, as usual. I slept and ate peanuts till we ended up in New York.
Our first stop was Delaware.
We made it into New York at around ten p.m. (I think, maybe, I don't remember much I was very tired)
Our old friend, Chris, picked us up and took us to my grandparents house. We were greeted by warm hugs and a very warm fireplace because it FREEZING outside. We didn't exactly think through buying the tickets back home in the middle of February.
I didn't hit me that it wasn't a great idea till I got a horrible cold and lost my voice. Oh well.
The next day I was going to surprise my cousins and some of my close friends at our book club. Besides one, no one knew I was coming. It was so good to see some of favorite faces again after so long. We all shouted and played and laughed even though I sounded like a frog. (Don't worry, I wasn't contagious. I think. Too late now.)
We spent the rest of those two months seeing family and seeing old friends again.
Aunt Devon and Uncle Jarrod sacrificed their house for our giant chicken and waffle party. I made white chocolate and bacon waffles and I must say I did a pretty good job. (they can't lie, they liked them too.) Luckily, neither Me, Dylan or Hayden burnt the house down, so I think dinner was a success.
We ate till we looked like the blueberry in Willy Wonka, watched the Princess Bride and played ultimate spoons the rest of the night.
I spent a lot of time out in service with my cousin, Jael, trying to keep my time up and spend as much time as I could with my family and old friends. She introduced me to a lot of her pioneer partners from there and other congregations, and now I can say I have even more new friends.
We had our big annual game night at my cousin Jalen's house. We played Apples to Apples, Secret Hitler (great board game, be ready for arguing) and played flashlight tag once it was dark outside. Can't wait to do it again next year.
Me and my dad went to Philadelphia with some friends and family to get my first real cheesesteak. We saw the Declaration of Independence, found clues from National Treasure and ended the day with Pats cheesesteaks VS. Genos cheesesteaks.
Final verdict: Genos won!
We took some pretty "gangster" pictures of Uncle Jarrod on a pink bike and of my dad doing his Nacho Libre poses and ended the day with ice cream.
It was a great 'goodbye' trip before we headed our way down to Nashville.
We spent a lot of time with my Tio Dan and Titi Jess and with my little cousins. We went to their congregation while we were there, it turning into another home. The brothers there are so loving and treated us like if we had always been there. I miss them a lot and it'll be great to see them again one day.
Soon enough it was time go to Nashville and see our old congregation after a year of being away. I'll post more fun things we've done since we got here next week. (Yes, I actually will, I promise) Stay tuned!
Thanks for reading!
I know I said I would be more active and post more often but as you can see thats been a bust. But now, I definitely have a lot to write about.
Where do I start? Let's see...
Well, we were in DR for about eight months. Its been a real adventure.
I got really close to some of the brothers and sisters in the English as well as the Spanish. I have some new friends I'm never going to forget for anything. Having to say goodbye to some of them when we came back to the States was really hard. But I'm so excited to be able to see them again soon.
I was able to get a really good study back in DR. Her name is Yanellis and she has a very clear and real love for Jehovah. After only visiting her for a few weeks, she asked for me to come back multiple times a week to study more often. She had her first baby girl back in October and she has said multiple times that she wants her baby, Lara, to grow up loving Jehovah as well. I'm so proud of her and even while I'm gone she's been keeping up with her study and even went to her first meeting last month.
I'm really excited to be able to go back and continue her study.
I got very close to a lot of friends in the English and I'm so glad I did. They all helped me immensely when we first moved there and made me feel better about leaving home, since they've all done the same thing we are doing. We go to the beach every Monday together and it's one of the best days of my week.
One family we met from England have basically turned into a second family to me. I was over their house and spending the night more and more often every few weeks. We stayed up till four in the morning with the girls, Lucy and Esther, watching new episodes of our favorite show, trying not to cry during The Impossible and me annoying Heather with my burping. (sorry not sorry)
I remember when we first met, I think I speak for both sides when I say we thought we didn't have a lot of common. But after getting to know each other, we realized we are more alike the we ever would of thought, bonding over Queen, The Greatest Showman and Marvel. (A whole lot of Marvel.)
Im so excited to see them again and spend all night talking about Avengers Infinity War. (If you guys are reading this you know what I'm talking about.)
Another family had a big dance party a few days before we left and it was the funnest last party in a while. I can't wait to get back and see all my friends and brothers again.
About a month before we left some friends from Nashville, Tania and Romary, payed us a surprise visit. (at least it was a surprise to me.)
It was so good to see them again and be able to spend the next two and a half weeks showing them my new life. We took them to the best beaches, up the cable car and on the hottest service days. I think they liked it, according to their plans to come back.
My uncle came to visit for a couple weeks too, except this surprise was a little different. After the first week of meetings, service and driving out to the best beaches, they surprised all the kids to a few days at a resort on the island.
Oh my GOD it was so nice. I did get a little stomach sick from eating my weight in free food but other than that it was one of the most relaxing weeks in a long time.
Also we got a DOGGO! I LOVE HER SO MUCH! HER NAME IS KONA AND I MISS HER SO MUCH! (excuse the caps doggies make me excited:)
We left her with a brother back in DR to take care of her while we're gone. Sadly, depending on where we end up living, we may not be able to keep her, so hopefully the brother can find her a good home. :(
Then it was time to come back home.
The flight back was uneventful, as usual. I slept and ate peanuts till we ended up in New York.
Our first stop was Delaware.
We made it into New York at around ten p.m. (I think, maybe, I don't remember much I was very tired)
Our old friend, Chris, picked us up and took us to my grandparents house. We were greeted by warm hugs and a very warm fireplace because it FREEZING outside. We didn't exactly think through buying the tickets back home in the middle of February.
I didn't hit me that it wasn't a great idea till I got a horrible cold and lost my voice. Oh well.
The next day I was going to surprise my cousins and some of my close friends at our book club. Besides one, no one knew I was coming. It was so good to see some of favorite faces again after so long. We all shouted and played and laughed even though I sounded like a frog. (Don't worry, I wasn't contagious. I think. Too late now.)
We spent the rest of those two months seeing family and seeing old friends again.
Aunt Devon and Uncle Jarrod sacrificed their house for our giant chicken and waffle party. I made white chocolate and bacon waffles and I must say I did a pretty good job. (they can't lie, they liked them too.) Luckily, neither Me, Dylan or Hayden burnt the house down, so I think dinner was a success.
We ate till we looked like the blueberry in Willy Wonka, watched the Princess Bride and played ultimate spoons the rest of the night.
I spent a lot of time out in service with my cousin, Jael, trying to keep my time up and spend as much time as I could with my family and old friends. She introduced me to a lot of her pioneer partners from there and other congregations, and now I can say I have even more new friends.
We had our big annual game night at my cousin Jalen's house. We played Apples to Apples, Secret Hitler (great board game, be ready for arguing) and played flashlight tag once it was dark outside. Can't wait to do it again next year.
Me and my dad went to Philadelphia with some friends and family to get my first real cheesesteak. We saw the Declaration of Independence, found clues from National Treasure and ended the day with Pats cheesesteaks VS. Genos cheesesteaks.
Final verdict: Genos won!
We took some pretty "gangster" pictures of Uncle Jarrod on a pink bike and of my dad doing his Nacho Libre poses and ended the day with ice cream.
It was a great 'goodbye' trip before we headed our way down to Nashville.
We spent a lot of time with my Tio Dan and Titi Jess and with my little cousins. We went to their congregation while we were there, it turning into another home. The brothers there are so loving and treated us like if we had always been there. I miss them a lot and it'll be great to see them again one day.
Soon enough it was time go to Nashville and see our old congregation after a year of being away. I'll post more fun things we've done since we got here next week. (Yes, I actually will, I promise) Stay tuned!
Thanks for reading!