My home is not a place, it is people.
Lois McMaster Bujold,

These are pictures from my break thus far. I only have five days left, which is quite depressing. I have not loaded all my pics into the computer yet. I am visiting at my dad's now, but I am going back to Louisville (where JT lives) tomorrow. The weiner dog is my mom's dog Wizard. He is actually a lot fatter than he appears. I am holding my mom's cat Lucy....she does not really like me. JT and I are at mom's house in that picture. The lake picture is from my dad's patio.....it was quite spectacular.

I will definitely update this much more later. However, I am very sleepy right now.

You must keep your mind on the objective, not on the obstacle. William Randolph Hearst

This is yet another picture from JT's visit. I don't necessarily prefer this picture of myself. However, it is, as a whole, a good picture of both of us. This was during dinner for Puja's birthday last Friday.

Tonight, we threw Puja a real birthday party....you can tell there is a lot of exciting stuff that goes on here if everyone gets two birthday parties. It was a little surprise tonight. Lindsey and I made artichoke dip and pesto with cream cheese dip. Lindsey's neighbor, who is also named Lindsey, made Mexican bean dip and garlic bread. Lindsey also bought a cheese cake and birthday cake from a lady at the shacks that bakes cakes and such. It was really fun because it actually felt like something real that we would do at home. I also think Puja was happy. Of course, in true Natalie fashion, I forgot the birthday card at my house. Those of you who really know me shouldn't be surprised.

Anyways, I come home in TWO DAYS! It is two days because it is after midnight here. I am really excited. I spoke to my friend Sarah tonight which made me even more excited. She lives in Louisville, which is where JT lives. We were planning lots of things we wanted to do while I was home. Plus, I get to hang out with my mom and dad and stepdad and Gretchen and get my hair down. I get to see Asia and eat steak and so many more exciting things. I just can not wait. However, I still have two exams. Histology on Tuesday and Neuroscience on Wednesday. Please continue to pray for me and my friends and that we make it through our exams. See you guys very soon!

The only disability in life is a bad attitude. Scott Hamilton

These are pictures from my friend Puja' pre-birthday party at Calibishie Lodges. Her real birthday is Monday, August 14th, but we took her out on Friday night. It was both a great and horrible night all at once. Dinner was fabulous, lobster, crab, crepes, passion fruit drinks..... JT was the dj for the ride coming home.....Needless to say, he brought the house down. Fortunately for JT, he left Saturday morning. He could not wait to get home and have some real food and ice and other small things that make life in the States much easier. Thankfully, I will be coming home on Thursday. Just please say a prayer that I do okay on my last few exams to ensure that I move on to third semester. I would really appreciate the prayers, and shout one up for my friends as well. Also, keep us in mind during our travels. Traveling from here is difficult enough as is. The new added regulations, though completely necessary, make leaving here a bit more difficult.

I hope that everyone has a good week. Can't wait to come home!!!!!!!

Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion. ~Hebbel

Here are pictures from our anniversary. We first went to dinner at the Sunset Bay Club. I ate lobster and JT had King fish. Afterwards, we met my friends for a drink at PBH. It was great that we could actually spend our anniversary together.

Tonight we are going to Calibishie Lodges for my friend Puja's 24th birthday. Eight of us are going...the restaurant is overlooking the Atlantic Ocean....It should be nice since it is JT's last night here. However, I will be home less than a week....actually 5 days from now!!!!!!!!! I am so excited about real food, my baby Asia, my family, shopping, my friends, and everything else.....

"Three Years and Counting"

Tomorrow (August 9th) will be the third anniversary for Natalie and I. Can you believe it? Wait, don't answer that. I'm afraid of what some of your responses would be!

In many ways, it seems like our wedding day was yesterday. I can vividly remember Jason Fox (our close friend who married us) and me nervously waiting in the back room of Stanford Baptist Church to get the wedding started and finished quickly. It was a toss-up as to who was more nervous (it was Jason's first wedding, mine too now that I mention it!). We stared out the window into the parking lot watching the throngs of people we did not know file into the church, getting more nervous with each passing moment. If those windows hadn't been so strongly reinforced, we both may have made a break for it. Jason's father-in-law found us and offered us both a cigarette- Marlboro Reds. I will never forget that- if there was ever a time the two of us wanted to smoke (which I never have) it was then! All the nervousness completely dissipated, however, the moment Natalie and I locked eyes as she was walked down the aisle by her father. She looked so beautiful and heavenly! Kevin just looked angry! Of course, this was the same man who, when I first met him, ask me if I had ever had my fingers broken by anyone. Then, I looked at Sylvia in the second row and she looked even angrier!

Not to say the past three years have been easy. I have switched jobs several times and undergone a major, life-changing surgery. On top of that, it is never easy being a coaches' wife but Natalie handles it wonderfully. We have lived in three different states and one foreign country. Natalie finished college with a teaching degree and then decided she did not want to teach. Finally, Natalie not only decided to become a doctor, but decided upon a medical school 4000 miles away from home! Many couples do not go through so many upheavels in their entire marriage, much less the first three years together.

Through all the change and turmoil, I have never questioned three things: 1) my love for Natalie- I am continually astonished that I actually convinced her to marry me (a great job of salesmanship), 2) Natalie's love for me- her devotion only gets stronger with hardships and struggles, 3) God's presence in our lives- we are certainly being watched over!

One last thing I know, we have the cutest dog waiting for us in Louisville!

Natalie is taking me out to dinner tomorrow night. I will take some pictures and post them on here for you to see.

JT

"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"- Jimmy Buffett
I spent the majority of the day at the beach in Portsmouth, a short walk from Natalie's campus. It was very relaxing. The weather was gorgeous today; it was very sunny, the sky was a deep blue that you do not see in the U.S., and there was a comforting breeze off the Caribbean. If you have never seen the Caribbean in person, you can not believe how blue the water is. I was one of three people on this beach, it definitely had the makings of a Jimmy Buffett song. The Portsmouth Beach Hotel restaurant and bar is located on the beach, which provided a nice respite from the sun.
Natalie has her first of nine tests tomorrow. We have not seen a lot of each other, but it is comforting knowing that she is sleeping next to me (it's almost like we are married again!).
My in-laws (Kevin, Terri, Bob, and Sylvia) are in Chicago for an insurance convention. They attended a Cubs' game at Wrigley Field today. So, I have been quite jealous. My favorite player of all-time, Mark Grace, sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the 7th Inning Stretch. It has been too long since I visited the "Friendly Confines." Ironically, I had tickets for the 2003 NLCS Game 6 (the "Bartman Game"), but was unable to go because of work. It was probably for the best because I would have killed that dude! It is going to be a VERY special day when the Cubs bring the World Series back to the north-side. I just hope I live long enough to see it!
You guys mash some Chicago pizza pie (with fresh garlic, sausage, onions, and peppers) and a foot-long hot dog (with chili, cheese, peppers, onions, relish, and mustard) for me.

JT

R.I.P. KEVIN BROPHY #3. I LOVE YOU, BROPH. SEE YOU WHEN I GET THERE. "NO WORRIES."

Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift; We have hard work to do and loads to lift; Shun not the struggle -- face it; 'tis God's gift ~Maltbie D. Babcock

I thought this was a really cool quote considering that starting tomorrow I have nine tests in 2 weeks. And moreover, when the weather can acutally change so drastically as in the pictures, you must be strong.

I am enjoying JT very much. I forgot how much I really love him. I really really do. I hope things are well at home. Sorry for the brevity. Have a good weekend.

Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done.~ Benjamin E. Mays

I am studying like crazy right now. I just wanted to say hello. I know that everyone likes JT's posts better than mine so I am sure he will be posting later. Have a good week!

Pictured: 1) Fort Young Hotel, where Nat and I stayed this past weekend. 2) Roseau, the Dominican capital from a lookout high atop the city. 3) A cross built by the British at the lookout that towers above the city. 4 & 5) Pics of Nat and I. Nat is standing in front of a waterfall on the hotel's property.

I wanted to give everyone some pictures Natalie and I took during our visit to Roseau this weekend. The outlook over Roseau and cross pictured were very impressive. We also visited Trafalger Falls (a huge waterfall in the center of the island) and Sulphur Springs (a natural hot tub of sulphur-infused water). We ate a fabulous meal at Ft. Young. Nat and I shared a seafood casserole that had crab, marlin, scallops, shrimp with a white wine sauce and cheese. Of course, Natalie was much more excited about the Creme Brulee!

The hotel was very nice. The pool was a highlight for me. (I guess most of you heard what happened to my parents' pool, I'm such bad luck). It was an infinity-edged pool, one that looks like it does not have an edge. It looked like we were swimming in the Caribbean Sea. Our room had a nice balcony that sat high above the Caribbean. It was a great place to chill. The hotel was originally a fort built by the British in the 1700s and named after the first English governor of Dominica. The fort and island were eventually overtaken and controlled by the French until the natives won their independence in the mid 1900s. There is a huge Anglican (the church of England) and Catholic (French) influence on the island.

By the way, I actually saw a basketball court during our trip to Roseau. They are very rare in Dominica. The Dominicans are rabid about cricket and futbol (soccer). Someone suggested that I move down here and coach the Dominican national basketball team and try to take them to the Olympics (kind of like the Jamaican bobsled team)!

Nat is busy studying now. However, busy is a poor choice of words; she has nine tests that start on Friday. Needless to say, our time together has been drastically cut back. She continues to amaze me. I wish all of you could see her dedication and work ethic. Not many people I know could handle the workload here, much less being 3000 miles from home. She is so special! I am so fortunate that God created her and saved her for me. It is nothing short of a miracle how God brought us together. If you have the the interest and about two days, I will be happy to share all the "coincidences" that brought us together (I put coincidences in quotes because our meeting and subsequent relationship was anything but chance). Many days, I do not think I deserve her. Anyone else feel like that about their spouse? It's a very intimidating feeling. I mean, she is going to be a doctor and all I can do is coach basketball!

There is not much to do while Nat is in class, so I have been hitting the gym on campus up. I am doing an hour of cardio work everyday and also lifting weights. My health is great. I feel like a new person (and hopefully look like one also). I have also been reading quite a lot and working on basketball and school stuff. Until next time,

JT

"R.I.P. KEVIN BROPHY #3. I MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU."

I was fortunate enough to attend Natalie's flag-football game versus the 3rd and 4th semester girls on Friday. This is a big deal at Ross UMS. Virtually every student came and lined the field, there was tailgating, heckling, and even a few skirmishes. I felt like I was back in the South. These people really get into this football game every semester.

Last semester, Natalie's team won and she was the MVP of the game. This was the first time in school history that the 1st and 2nd semester team defeated the 3rd/4th. Natalie was treated like a rock-star leading up to this game. When we entered a bar on the night I got here, the entire bar began chanting, "MVP! MVP! MVP!"

Unfortunately, Natalie's team lost 20-13 this semester, but it was a very good game played after 48 hours of non-stop rain. Natalie played very well at cornerback for her team. She is very athletic, competitive, and intuitive when playing sports. She is not a good loser, something we have in common!

Natalie and I just returned from an overnight visit to Roseau, the capital of Dominica. We had a great time. I will post some pictures from there tomorrow. I am having a great time with Natalie. See you guys soon.

JT

"R.I.P. #3 KEVIN BROPHY- I'M STILL COMING TO GRIPS WITH YOU BEING GONE. I'M STILL PRAYING FOR YOUR FAMILY AND THOSE OF US THAT KNEW YOU. I'LL SEE YOU WHEN I GET THERE. WE ALL LOVE YOU."