"We Thank Thee, Oh God, For a Prophet

I couldn't let today go by without saying my "thank you" and "good bye" to President Hinckley. I am happy for him...to be with Sister Hinckley again. I imagine there are many at the reunion in the spirit world right now welcoming him back. It's an interesting time when our Church President passes away. I feel a bit sad to think that we won't see his, or so many other, familiar faces anymore. But then there's also an excited, secure feeling. I know that the brethren will convene in the temple to appoint his successor soon. I know that they have the authority to do this and that our new prophet will keep the revelation for the church flowing, uninterrupted. I am thankful today to have had my life blessed by President Hinckley's work. Especially his temple building and his challenge to read the Book of Mormon. I have been able to attend the temple in each place I have lived because of him. I have a renewed appreciation for the Book of Mormon, but mostly an invaluable lesson learned about following the prophet. When I read his challenge in the Ensign to finish the Book by the end of the year 2006, I remember thinking that I didn't have time to do it. And immediately I thought, "if I can't follow such simple instruction, what does that say about me?" Needless to say, I did it, and I learned some things about myself for having done it. He was a man that we could relate to, and I love him. So I thank Heavenly Father for Gordon B. Hinckley, and for all of the great men who have led His church, and I look forward to living during the presidency of his successor. I know this church is true.

We Love Cookies

There's really nothing interesting going on over here right now, but I wanted to post something. Too bad Alex was eating his cookies at school when this picture was taken, because really this is one of the Ritchie family's favorite things to do. I wish I could say we loved carrots or broccoli or something like that. But we just don't, and in this foreign place, we actually just like cookies even more. I eat way too many cookies, and at least one day last week, I even let my kids eat a cookie for breakfast. So there. The only thing we like better is cookie dough :) I'm looking at this picture and realizing how much my kiddos have grown recently. They've all changed in the last week. Emma's hair is longer and her face has "grown up" again. Same with the other three. As they continue to grow bigger and more beautiful, I continue to get more grey hair! Not cool.
I liked this picture of Ivy because it captures one of her special talents. She can put on a sweet face and appear completely innocent in a matter of seconds. This is not her actual personality. As soon as the flash went off, she was actually trying to rip the camera out of my hand so that she could see! She's a pistol, and I wouldn't have it any other way! Plus, I think this child's hair grows at an amazing rate of speed. There's actually a portion of those little braids that isn't braided at the top-it's what's grown in over the past two weeks. She's my baby doll :)

Oh, I am enjoying reading some of the juvenile fiction books that Joe has in his library. I'm kind of going down memory lane picking up books I read when I was in school. I just read My Side of the Mountain. I haven't read that in years! I take a fair amount of teasing for this, but I have to say that when you're busy and super tired, go ahead and read the stuff your second grader is bringing home! I actually learn a lot from the juvenile non-fiction and have fun occasionally escaping into a simple, quick read. I convinced Alex to trade me Johnny Tremain for My Side of the Mountain, yeah! That's been one of my favorites since like 5th grade. At least I'm reading something :) Which reminds me...Emma is doing great with home school! I hope she'll be able to return to school next year, but for now this is working out well for her. I've been really worried that I'm not doing a good enough job, but today I realized that she's made a lot of progress. My Emma is writing words and sounding things out. This is such a big deal for her!!! I'm very proud of her and all that she has overcome. I think that tomorrow I'll post some of her worksheets. She actually has pretty good handwriting, and I am really enjoying the experience of seeing her understand things that I am teaching her.

Well, now I am just rambling, so I'm outta here for tonight!

Getting Back to Normal

Christmas vacation here was three weeks long! It was great. We had almost none of the usual Christmas stuff going on here, so it felt more like a summer vacation. I think we all were itching for a schedule again, but I have to say that I hate to send Joe and Alex back to work and school. It's so great having everyone at home! We had a good time together. No stress, no places that we HAD to be. We did take two outings to remember-one to the zoo and one to Boca Chica. The zoo was a lot different than any I've been to before (duh). I felt like we were in a jungle and they don't have fences at all of the habitats here, so it was like walking around with the animals. It was fun!

(The walk back to the zoo entrance.)

(Flamingos-there were swans in this area too, and fish!)

(The monkey habitat-the zoo keeper took a boat out there in order to feed them!)

We took a taxi to Boca Chica so that we could go to the beach. We got a good deal on the taxi which was nice, and we spent all day in the white sand! There were no waves (which I actually really missed) because of an outcropping of rock that ran the stretch of the beach we were on. It was nice for the kids because it was shallow out a few hundred feet, so they were able to splash and play-Ethan floated around in his little floatie-without us having to worry at all!

The water was clear and when the sky was clear the water was all the shades of blue.

I really enjoyed watching the kids play without us having to worry so much about safety. I also really enjoyed watching the local vendors selling things at the beach, and contrasting them to the rich, spoiled tourists that were all around! There was artwork everywhere! People selling paintings on the walk to the beach and carrying paintings around on the beach. There were Haitian men fishing with harpoons and selling very fresh fish! The fish are beautiful here. They are silver and blue and pink...all so brightly colored! They would catch them and then bring them to a pier near us and clean them. It was fun to watch! While the old, wrinkled, tanned Europeans sunbathed and had people bringing them fruit and rubbing oil on their backs, the people who I thought were really having fun were the Haitian children! They were all on the end of the pier taking turns jumping into the sea. They were in their underwear-and they were having a blast! They seemed very pleased when I walked out to them and asked if I could take their picture!


I had fun talking to a Haitian woman who makes money braiding hair. She wanted almost $50 to do corn rows in Emma's hair! I told her no way, but she wanted to earn some money so we told her what we could pay and Emma got five braids on each side of her head :) Ivy got two for free. This woman spoke Creole, Spanish, and English. Her English was learned on the beach! Emma-my Emma who won't let anyone touch her hair-sat there eating an apple while a complete stranger braided her hair! It was great!

One of my favorites was a little boy selling hats. He came by with the banana leaf hats that they weave and I was almost out of cash, but I asked him how much. Then I asked him how old he was. Nine years old and helping his dad earn money by selling hats at the beach. His dad made them, he said, and they sold those and also fruit. The one I chose was a little small, so the little guy took the clip out of my hair to show me that it would fit better that way! I have to say that I really like being around the local people of the lower classes. I hate to even say the word "classes" but such is life :( Really, people are people. Why do we have to be separated because of something so foolish as money? But separated we are by money. Well, that's another post that's up and coming! Anyway, all in all I would have to say that there are things about a good old U.S.A. freezing cold Christmas that I missed. But Christmas in the tropics is something I think I could get used to!