After Effects

Hurricane Sandy had gone through West Virginia about 1- 2 weeks before I got there.  When Dennis got there the still had snow on the ground.  At his home area they got 3 feet.  Up in the mountains where some of his relatives live they got 7 feet!!  Can you imagine?  The snow was very wet and heavy and left behind much devastation.  The trees broke off like they were toothpicks that snapped!!  Some people were with out electric for over two weeks!!

 

Sunrise

This was taken from the bedroom window where Dennis and I slept.  What a way to start the day!!

This is a huge holly tree on the McCoy homestead.  I sure wish Mom could see it now!  She always love holly trees/bushes.

Brandon was only able to spend one night when we got there as he had to go back to Ohio to work. 

Here he is in his "new" car 

Christmas Concert 12/5/11

This past Wednesday evening, we had our Christmas Concert by our School students.

It opened with a beautiful instrumental by three of our Staff

L ~ R: Aaron (our Associate Pastor), Tonya (1st grade teacher) and Gretchen (music teacher).  Aaron and Gretchen are married and are expecting their first baby in March!  She and Tonya are cousins.

Dennis welcoming everyone

Our Early Childhood Unit (Pre~K, Kindergarten and 1st grade) singing

We have several bands here at Wesleyan and this is the Beginner's Band.  These students have only been playing their instrument since about October and did very well!

Gretchen talking to the audience

This is the Cadet Band with . . . . .

Robinson and Aaron on the drums.

Left ~ Right

Geovanna, Sandrene and Krista playing a trio on the woodwinds

Stephanie, Kendra and Melissa

Kendra and Melissa are Seniors this year.  We will really miss them!

This is the 2nd through 5th grade choir.  They did well, too!

Mavrick, Jerome, Juawon and Jehu playing in a brass quartet

The Intermediate Band

The Advanced Band

 We have a lot of talent at Wesleyan and on Wednesday night they showed it!!  This Wednesday, we have a drama along with the Junior High and High School choirs.  Looking forward to it.  If you don't have anything to do, why don't you join us?  The program starts at 7:00 pm!!

Our School Staff Christmas Dinner

Around the beginning of November, I found out that a committee I'm on here at school was supposed to plan the Staff Christmas Dinner.  I also found out that I was the Chairperson!  Oops!!  So, I did some fast planning.  Then when I knew I was going to West Virginia earlier than we had planned things sped up even faster :o)  This is where we finally decided to have it ~ Pappagallo's!  We had ate here once before and that was for the Premier and his wife's anniversary party.

Here are the other ladies that on the committee with me ~

L~R: Mazie, Debbie and Hermina

They are dear friends of mine!!

The room we were in was so pretty.  Do you see the windows in the background?  More on those later.

The lighting in the room was not good for picture taking!  Anyway, there was a pole that they had decorated with lights making it into a Christmas tree.  Of course, the picture didn't turn out, but hopefully you get the idea!  Notice the thatched roof?  They just varnished it recently and it was beautiful!

 

The next three pictures shows you what was behind the windows above!

They really performed for us.

 They were beautiful!

A huge turtle shell on the wall above the chafers

More people were beginning to arrive.

This is the table where we sat.

The other two tables.  There were several who weren't able to attend!

We played a Christmas Charade game and here Lorna was trying to act out here part.

My good friend, Treaty and her husband, Buddy

and more good friends!  This is Karen and her husband, Edmond.

After a delicious buffet with lots of good food with desserts and fun playing a game as we were leaving I took several pictures outside.

Two of our teachers as I was in front of them . . . . .

and then following them :o)

What a beautiful place and evening!!!!

Dennis said he thinks we found a home to have our Christmas Dinner next year.

 

Appreciation Service

Before we came back to Cayman from the States, we heard there was going to be an Special Appreciation Service on the Sunday after we got home.  We weren't really sure what all it was going to include!  Instead of waiting until right before Christmas to honor everyone that does anything for the Church this was what the "special" service was.  Then they honored our Assistant Pastor and his wife which was really nice.  And then they had Dennis and I go up front for the same when they presented this huge fruit basket to us.  After that, they had us go down in front of the steps that go up on the platform.  Someone announced for the people to come up front to us with their cards and to show us their appreciation.  We got a lot of beautiful cards and gifts!  What a nice welcome home!!

After Church was over, they had a big catered dinner for the entire Church!  When we were getting ready to go down to the cafeteria someone knocked on our door and when Dennis answered it there stood our Assistant Pastor.  Did we ever laugh when we saw him!  He was prepared to serve!! haha!

Dennis greeting the people before we ate

The Church Board Members served the food!

My family may remember my good friend Sharon!  She is so funny!!  She serves as our local Community Police Officer.  Almost every morning or afternoon she comes by the school and checks on everyone.  This particular Sunday morning she came to Church and truly surprised me as this is only the second time she's ever come!!  She calls me "Grand Master D".

This is Myrtle and her husband Michael who attend our Church.  About 3 or 4 months ago, she went up to Cuba with her daughter who was going to see a doctor there.  While they were at the hospital there, my sweet friend Myrtle had a very bad stroke.  It didn't paralyze her, but really affected her memory very, very bad.  She didn't know much of anything or anyone by name including her own children.  When she was able to come back to Cayman she was immediately hospitalized.  I went with Dennis to visit her and she didn't remember our names but yet knew who we were.  It was so pitiful to see one who is usually so vibrant and full of life so bad off!!  It was really, really sad.  She was hospitalized several times off and on.  Now she knows us by name and is able to come to Church once and a while.  Myrtle is truly a miracle!!  I love her smile!! 

Catch~Up Time! Visitors To Grand Cayman

Playing Catch~Up!

Yep!  That's what I'm doing.  I have a couple hundred or maybe even several hundred pictures that go back to August.  So, for right now, I'm going to start, umm, I'm not sure where :O)  It will be random, I'm sure.  Maybe nobody or not many even look at my blog anymore, but I like to post everything on here as it's so nice to be able to look back at in the future.

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My brother, Jim, had told me that some friends of their's were coming to Grand Cayman on a cruise.  Yesterday, December 5th, Sue called me.  We picked them up at Dairy Queen and took them to Sea Harvest for lunch.  We had a very nice visit with them!  When we left home the sun was shining, but when you looked across the Sea toward George Town you could tell it was either raining or getting ready to rain.  Well, let me tell you that the heaven's opened and there was a downpour for probably about an hour!!!  Dennis drove as close as he could to the restaurant and we still got drenched until we got to the door.  But if it was possible, Dennis was worse than us as he had to walk quite a distance from the parking lot.  It was horrible!  In spite of the wet weather, we had a nice time and I got out of the office for a little while which rarely happens :o)