Happy Birthday Bob!!!

in some families birthdays come and go without much incident but in our home birthdays are a big deal!
i think birthdays are a wonderful time to celebrate the wonder of someone being born into our world and celebrate their continuing life among us.

one of our traditions is breakfast in bed and presents right away in the morning (like Christmas morning)  when the kids were small i used to hide the gifts through the house and yard.  i would place little clues on their breakfast tray and after they ate and opened up their cards they would mad dash throughout trying to find their gifts.   as the kids turned to teenagers they weren't as enthused to go running hither and yon but i still did it because matthew, our youngest was still 'game' to go find them!   over the years the kids got very creative with the breakfasts too... complete with flowers, special garnishes and unique touches.  i think the most memorial birthday breakfast for me was when david had the brain wave to give me a 'green eggs and ham breakfast' which was 'interesting' because once i cut into the egg the green and the yellow yolk made the egg blue!   ummm....gross!  i managed to eat one egg.  i have to hand it to david though:  very creative and dr. suess would have been pleased!

this morning is bob's birthday ... he will have breakfast in bed.  he bought some turkey bacon yesterday. i smiled when i saw it knowing that would be his birthday preference.   so i will make him bacon, eggs, toast and open up a jar of homemade blueberry jam that amy marshall gave us (seems like the perfect occasion!)  later we are going out for a birthday snorkel, and then going out for dinner with our friends marco and liliana.

yesterday we gathered with friends at infinity bay since it is a beach day and many people are already 'out and about'.  we had such a great time together.  many people showed up to wish bob well and to help us celebrate another year of his life!


i bought one cake at eldon's which cost a small fortune and decided to make another one. all was well until i decided to take the cake out of the pan and immediately the cake began to split like an earthquake!  i thought oh nooooo!   i managed to get the cake back into the pan but it looks like a topographical map and i almost made another cake until i realized that cool whip is a wonderful fluffy substance and if anything could cover my 'mistake' it would be that.so i iced it with chocolate icing and then slathered on the cool whip and it worked like a charm!  i was grateful and it was delicious!

a birthday collage:  click on it to view large

sunday is typically our snorkel day so after most people had left bob looked at me and said, so you wanna go for a snorkel?  it was after 4 pm and the waves were a little rough but we went out.   it was a little murky and we didn't see much but it was still great to be out on the water.  i had a 'run-in' with a barracuda which was pretty darn scary!  i was out in the shallows swimming over sea grass because lately the turtles have been coming in to eat it when suddenly i turned and was face to snout with a big barracuda. i am telling you i never swam so quick in my life!!   they say that barracuda won't hurt you but i think i surprised him and i wasn't about to invade his space and find out if he liked me or not!

we stayed at the beach long after the sunset, the colors only get better with time.

so this morning, on the day of bob's birthday i am thankful that he was born in the same era as me and that we met, married and have been sharing life together.  today i celebrate him:   his love for God and people, his practical wisdom, his quirky sense of humour, his organizational prowess, his infinite patience and his faithful and loyal commitment not only to his family but to many friends over the years.

happy birthday bobilicious!.  i love you!  xo

happy birthday bob

so grateful that susan helped hand out the cake

yum!  this is the earthquake cake but was delicious after all

still looking good bobby boy

bob dancing up a storm while we sang happy birthday to him

the perfect sunset to a lovely day!

back home

taken from the air...almost home!

dinner on the deck... doesn't hurt one bit!

the sunsets are still as beautiful as ever!!

this dress and doll used to belong to emily when she was a girl

... rebecca was thrilled

met these girls on the plane and took them for a tour.  fun!!

jonesville bight... taking it easy!

punta gorda... the real roatan!

look at this cruise ship!  it's huge!!!!!

on sunday we went to infinity bay...  caught up with friends and snorkeled

such a happy day to be reunited with my little buddy!

when we got in on saturday at 4:00 there was a lovely breeze and although it was warm it felt 'right' to be back

life has an interesting way of unfolding and while we were standing in line

at the airport in nova scotia we met a family who was going on a cruise

when i found out they were actually coming to roatan (what are the chances of that?!)

i asked if they had a tour set up and they said it was the only place that they didn't have anything arranged

so... you guess it.. i offered to take them out.

today,  thursday i am going to do that.

another interesting thing happened on our flight home:

 once on our connecting plane in houston i met a lady i knew in vernon bc

(what are the chances of that?!)

as we were talking another lady from new york came up and said

'do you live in roatan?'

then she asked if i would take them out on a tour

amazing huh?

that is how God works

so this week has been busy

not only with tours but catching up with friends, dinners out,

reconnecting with people, working at the shop,

yesterday bob met up with an island lady and she shared some of her struggle

it is hard on the island.

there isn't any work.

that is one of the hardest parts of living here:  seeing the poverty and the desperation

we are praying what is our part in helping them.

please join with us that we would discern His will

after i do the tour today we are going to the Roatan Hospital Concert Fundraiser

and we are going to have a table of the 'made in roatan' stuff for sale.

we are trusting it will be a good sale so we can bless the artisans in our shop

my waking thoughts and going to bed thoughts are of our kids...

as good as life is here and as blessed as we are

i constantly think of them and miss them

i believe that they are in good Hands though:  HIS!

thanks for reading this, praying, supporting!
Lord bless you today.

while in canada

i just thought i should write to say that i have decided to keep this blog a roatan blog...  so while in canada if you want to follow what's happening just go to my other blog.

www.debi123.blogspot.com

the view from dave and nancy's