Easter Weekend

It hardly seems possible that we've been here almost 2 months. We've settled into a daily routine (more or less) and I've become pretty good at getting around on my own. But something about celebrating your first holiday away from home still seems strange. Last year we spent Easter Sunday with both of our families (it was also our 1-year anniversary that day). I remember how special my mom made that day. She decorated the table for Easter dinner in the colors of our wedding and made the most delicious meal. And having the whole family together was so much fun. Today it was just the two of us. But aside from the fact that we were missing our families and our church, we had a pretty great weekend. Plus, we got to talk to my family on Skype this afternoon. My grandparents were there for dinner, and we were able to say hi to them, my parents, and my sisters! How did people ever survive without the internet?

Ryan has been on Easter break since Thursday, and he goes back to class on Tuesday. So we've been able to enjoy a little more time together after the craziness of his schedule the past couple weeks. Thursday night we went out for dinner. We visited this little Italian place not far from campus. Actually, the front of the restaurant said "French Bakery and Cafe" but they serve pasta, pizza, and tiramisu. So I call it Italian. Last time we were here we split a pizza. This time we tried their pasta, and it was incredible! I had penne with a mushroom, garlic, and parsley cream sauce. Heavenly! Ryan had the Russian - penne with smoked salmon in a cream sauce.



It was a beautiful evening and we enjoyed sitting outside in the open air restaurant. We also ran into a really nice couple that Ryan had met last term. I was happy to finally meet them and make some new friends. After dinner we walked about a half mile down the street to Rick's for some ice cream. Now last Saturday we went to Rick's for their pizza. And I have to say it was the best pizza I've had on the island. But last week we were too full to have ice cream, so here we are again. Considering the fact that ice cream in the grocery store is so expensive, you wouldn't expect it to be very cheap at a restaurant. But you can get one scoop (which is more than enough) in a cone for only $1.69. Ryan had the mango ice cream and I tried the pistachio. Both were delicious!



After ice cream, we walked back past the Italian restaurant and to the IGA for my usual Thursday grocery run. We stocked up on milk, eggs, produce (they had some beautiful romaine lettuce) and a couple things for the bake sale I'm organizing on Friday. (More about that later.) We ended the evening by watching a movie and eating pop corn - the perfect end to the day.

Seeing as how we are here for Ryan to go to medical school, the rest of the weekend consisted mostly of Ryan studying at the library and me hanging out at home. He is so diligent, and I'm proud of him for working hard this weekend and getting some projects and papers finished. And we've still had time for relaxing meals together and good conversations. Speaking of meals, a friend inspired me this weekend with a delicious recipe for braised short ribs that I can't wait to try. And another friend gave me a recipe for Japanese hibachi - one of our favorite meals. So hopefully this week the grocery store will cooperate and I can try some new things. But this weekend, I relied on an old standby for Saturday dinner - hearty tomato soup, salad, and grilled cheese sandwiches. I forgot how much I love that meal!



Today we celebrated Christ's resurrection with fellow Grenadian believers. The service was beautiful, and I was reminded again how thankful I am that we serve a risen Saviour! My favorite part of the service was the little 7-year old girl that sang "The Old Rugged Cross" so sweetly. The song leader even asked her to sing it again when she finished! We truly look forward to each opportunity to worship with these dear people.

Usually Sunday night signals the end of the weekend, but Ryan has one more day off before returning to class. So tomorrow we're planning to go to the pool and a beginner's pottery class in the afternoon with some friends. Never a dull moment here!