Yesterday we hit the half year mark. We are officially living here, a half of a year, that is living, right?
I really feel like I live here, when I went back to Illinois, I knew I didn't belong there anymore, I mean, the friends felt like home, and of course, the family, but the place, that was no longer home. I drove by Trader Joe's and it wasn't "my grocery", now I am a "Cost-u-less girl" and I don't even crave Starbucks anymore. It is kind of like smoking, I wish I could have it, but for the life of me, I cannot figure out why.
Daily life is happening here, Jason is off to the office, I am running around doing errands, helping friends, playdates, and beach. I hear the weather reports and now have to fight back the smile of pride in our choice, and it is really hitting me because Halloween is no longer figuring out how to get long johns under my slutty costume, but how we can achieve the look with the least amount of material, so our little ones don't die of heat stroke.
I guess that is a little more than just geography changing there, that is ex-party-girl turned Momma too, now Momma of an island girl. The holidays are coming and they are going to be WARM and somehow we will have to figure out how to be grateful and giving in perfect weather, sounds tough, but I am up for the challenge.
Now is the time that we have guests booking up, my Poppa Bill will be here in two weeks, Katie, Walker, and my girls will be here in 23 days, and then two weeks later my Momma and Poppy, they will be here through Christmas, then, two weeks later our dear friends come for a week! It feels good to have people coming.
I love that I will be able to share my home and these islands with everyone. I truly believe that there are no gifts if you aren't able to share them with the people you love. First, I fell in love with these islands, then I shared with Jason, Jason and I shared it with Scarlett, and now, now we get to bring the other people we love the most here, and a bonus, we get to introduce them to the new people we have met and love!
Coming here has made me see such possibilities in the world, we have decided that we are not going to leave after a year, we don't exactly know where we will live yet, if we will buy land and build, if we will just buy a home, or maybe we will just rent for a while, free and clear, able to bolt whenever. My "Dream Board Dream" is to build a beautiful house, live here at least 9 months out of the year, and "house share" around the world, you know, now that I live somewhere appealing.
I want to see everywhere. I want to know what the grocerying is like far and wide, and I want to know friends who live everywhere, and I want Scarlett to know how small this world is, so when she is 37 years old like me, she sees so much wider than I can even imagine now.
The main question that I get from friends and family is "So, what is it like to live on an island?" So I am going to do my best to answer that very question...
Despite the occasional inconvenience like, you know, a tarantula on your door step, or a naked homeless man doing "sideplank" in front of a grocery store in the middle of the morning, life is really similar to life in the states. I feel like the mindset here is a little different in the way of people really trying to live a relaxed and simplistic life, their "work" or "life" isn't as boastfully busy, I mean, not everyone is like that, but they really stand out when they aren't.
People are trying to work really smart so that they can get back to having fun and living here, maybe that was something I was running from, the pride in how much time you get enjoying life, rather than the pride in how hard and long we got to work. Maybe that is something I have discovered here, self worth in living instead of self worth in not having the time to live. Seems simple, but it feels really good to be able to say "I'm free" and not feel ashamed.
What I really want to say about being here for 6 months is that I have fallen in love with the people here, they are incredibly real, there is just a kindness here that is so magical, a vulnerability, a "this is me" mentality and I am happy to be able to raise my little girl here for the last half of a year. We knew we'd love the terrain and the beautiful caribbean, but there is nothing better than the warmth of people and being wrapped in community.
Of course, 85 degrees and sunny every. single. day. doesn't suck either, wink...
