Adventures

My view on our walk home from the library.

The past two weeks have been really fun for all of us.  Some of the women in our ward paddle in the harbor every other wednesday evening.  I decided to check it out because it sounded cool... and it was!  Tina, Sivoki (a teenager in our ward), and I were all there for the first time so we got a quick lesson and then they sent us out.  It was harder than I thought it would be and dang... they take their paddling seriously!  To switch sides the person in the back yells "Hup!"  Everyone takes one last paddle on the side they're on and yells "Hoe!" as everyone switches.  They were yelling at us from the back of the boat critiquing- "paddles in together!"  "Keep your top arm up!" "Use your core!". Haha it was actually really helpful to have people making sure we were doing things the right way.  I'm planning on going again tonight- as long as we can actually get our car out of the port today (the process of actually getting our car has been ridiculous.)
A few weekends ago we went to secret beach near Vaitogi with the Reids and Jaenette (one of the dental assistants at LBJ.)  It's a pretty good hike to reach the beach.  Moses was such a champ!  He hiked the whole way down and back up afterwards without anyone carrying him.  Des on the other hand gave me a nice workout hiking back up.  The kid is getting heavy!  The beach was amazing though.  It's hidden away in a cove and we were the only ones there.  The only bummer was there were a ton of little blue jellyfish.  We all had to get out of the water because there were to many and we didn't want anyone to get stung- especially the little kiddos.  I think there must be a crazy migration of jellyfish right now or something.  Everyone keeps saying they've never seen so many jellyfish in American Samoa before.  Hopefully they'll be gone soon so we can swim/snorkel/walk on the beach in peace:)  

After secret beach we went to the cliffs in Vaitogi to see if we could see the turtle and shark.  Jeanette had her cousins come sing the song and throw the leaves in the water.  We saw two turtle after they sang but no shark- totally fine with that!  
Last week Nathan went surfing with Ben (he's a counselor in our bishopric and Dr. Gurr's bro-in-law) and his sons.  He was SO EXCITED.  They let him borrow a board since our stuff isn't here yet and they took him out near Nu'uuli.  There's only a four hour window each day to surf during high tide.  When the water gets to low it's super dangerous because of the reef.  Nathan said you can see the reef as your surfing and it's beautiful- and really scary!
This weekend we hiked out to sliding rock with Jeanette and Leute (another dentist).  It is crazy beautiful out there.  Leute brought some cold Niu (young coconuts), green mango, and papaya for lunch.  We sat out on the rocks and ate it while we looked out at the waves and a ton of turtles swam by.  We swam in some of the deep tide pools after.
For the last week or so we've just been trying to figure out our car situation.  It was supposed to come last monday but the boat got delayed.  We were then told it would be here Wednesday but the boat didn't end up coming until friday.  After about a million calls and fifty trips around the island in borrowed cars I think we've got it figured out.  We're supposed to be able to pick it up this afternoon but who knows if it's actually going to happen.  Luckily we've been able to use the dental van in the evenings and on weekends.  It's kept us sane (and by us I mean me.). We've driven over to the market in Pago every Friday.  We pick up some fresh fruit and try some new local foods every time.  We've discovered some pretty yummy stuff like Oka (fresh raw fish, usually tuna I think in lemon and coconut juice with diced cucumbers), poivai (frozen blended banana- the boys LOVE it).  

The American Samoa post office has a fun puzzle to solve!  Can you figure out the post office hours based off of the signs they have posted on the doors?  Can't do it?  Don't worry- no one can!

I wonder if Des likes watermelon...

Saw the worlds biggest cucumber at the market on Friday.

The Cap Avatele cargo ship behind me.  My car is on there.  Now to get it out of the port...

This poor boy has bashed his head at least five times this week.  He's a wild man!  Jumping off of ramps, leaping from the sofa to his bed, swinging on railings...he gives me a heart attack at least once a day.  He obviously knows how to relax too.  

Moses fell off the bed this week and bit THROUGH his lip.  I was freaking out!  He cried for a few minutes pretty hard while Nathan and I tried to clean the cut but he fell right back asleep and it healed surprisingly fast! 

Playing at sliding rock on Saturday.

Nathan bought a fish on the side of the road.  Moses thought it was the coolest thing ever.  

Hanging out on the front porch.

Yesterday we found some little chicks chirping next to their dead momma (I think she got hit by a car) right next to the hospital. We scooped them into a box and walked up the hill to where a bunch of chickens live.  We let the chicks go and one of the hens took them with her into the trees- adopted by their auntie, just like that!  Yep, definitely Samoan chickens...

When You're Here, You're Family Sunday August 16

(Pineapple growing behind Foga and Rudy's house.  Pineapple season is in 2 months.  Can't wait!)

Last Sunday was our first day of church on Island.  We realized we didn’t have a way to get to the international ward (in Pava’iai’, it’s the only English speaking ward as far as we know.)  The buses don’t run on Sunday, our car’s on a ship somewhere in the Pacific, we didn’t have a phone at the time, and we had no one to call to ask for a ride anyway.  As we were walking home from the beach Nathan said “We really need a taxi… but we don’t have a phone or a number to call one.”  About two minutes later as we were walking through the back parking lot of the hospital to our apartment a taxi randomly drove slowly past us with the windows rolled down.  We looked at each other and laughed as we chased him down.  The driver agreed to pick us up at 7:30 am and take us to church.  Amazingly, he showed up on time and we made it to Church on the other end of the island.  I have no idea why he was driving in an empty hospital parking lot, on Saturday evening no less! Heavenly Father was making sure we got our muli’s to church!  Haha

We met a lot of really great people there.  The Wade and LeSa families, who were both in the Poly Provo 10^th ward with Nathan and I when we were newlyweds, were there.  The Lesa’s were just visiting and the Wades live on Island now.  We also met Tina and Adney Reid (they are family somehowJ) who Nathan and I had been emailing with a bajillion questions before we came out.  They may be the nicest people ever.  They gave us a ride home from church, then picked us up two hours later and had us for lunch.  The boys had a blast playing with their four kids.  Adney built a play set in their yard (I seriously think it’s on of two on the entire island) so the boys were in heaven in their yard.

Nathan had his first official day as a dentist on Monday.  His first two patients ever were pregnant woman.  The rest of the staff were teasing him asking if he came to Samoa to be an OB or a dentist. 

The weekdays were pretty low key with the boys since we don’t have a car.  Taking the boys places by bus is fun but it’s hard too.  They fight over who gets to stick there head out the window and it freaks me out because the windows are plastic and they rock back and forth… I feel like they’re going to fall right out!  On one of our bus rides home, there weren’t enough seats for both boys and I to sit together so this really cute older Samoan woman just picked Moses up and sat him on her lap. She scooped him up without a thought and she didn’t even look at me after- she just kept looking straight forward like she had never picked him up.  It was totally natural for her to just grab a kid when a mama needs some help.  I loved it.  Everyone here helps each other out as if they're all family... I guess because they probably are family!

We walked to the library on Wednesday to check out the children’s section.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The library is small but there’s a good selection for the kids.  Moses and I spent a good hour and a half reading while Des napped in the stroller.  They had a schedule that said there’s music time for younger kids every Tuesday and Thursday.  I asked the woman at the front desk about it and she said they aren’t doing it because they have summer programs going on right now.  She said “Summer programs will be done in two weeks.  Once those are over they will probably have a meeting or something and talk about maybe starting music time again in a while.  I think the people who run the kids programs need to take a break for awhile or something.”  Hahaha everything is on island time.  On the way home it started raining and Matt Wade drove by and picked us up.  It's kind of nice that there's only one road.  The chances of someone you know driving by to give you a ride is is pretty high.

On Thursday Tina picked the boys and I up and took us grocery shopping.  We went to DDW’s for lunch after.  It took them an hour to bring our food out to us- island time at it's best.  I didn’t mind though since Mose, Des, and Toa just played next to the outriggers by the patio outside.  It was nice to talk to Tina about living in Samoa too.  She has been here for a year so she answered a lot of questions and eased my mind about some things.   She said she had a hard time adjusting to Samoa even though she grew up in Hawaii.  Samoa is NOT Hawaii.  It made me feel a lot less whimpy and a lot less alone. 

I walked to the post office in Utulei on Friday and got a PO Box.  Yay for having an “address”!  It’s still crazy to me that we are living in a place with no street names… since there is only one street and a few dirt roads I guess it makes sense.  When people ask where we’re living we say behind the hospital in the grey apartments and every single person knows exactly where it is. 

We went swimming in Aua on Saturday with Foga and Rudy's grandkids.  It was kind of overcast which was actually nice.  No sunburns for us Palagi's.  The kids found sea stars.  Des wouldn't let go of his the entire time we were there.  I hope the poor little star didn't die!  

Odaesha and Seca in the background:)

Mose playing with Povi and Mark

This weekend we checked out some rental houses.  One up the hill fro Pava’iai’ and one in Leone.  We are going to look at a few more we’ve heard about before choosing.   The Reids gave us a ride to and from church again today.  Relief Society was hilarious.  The women in our RS are so great!  A lot of laughing… and spiritual discussion tooJ  I met one of the teachers from the “mormon” school in Pava’iai.  I asked her about signing Moses up once we have a car and she said it would be totally fine to sign him up a couple weeks late.  I’m going to check out the school and probably have him go half day a few days a week.  I think he’ll love it and he needs to make some friends!

Day 1 in American Samoa

Day 1:  Saturday, August 8, 2015

            We got in last night around 10 pm.  It was 2 am California time though so we were super tired and the boys were spent.  Mose and Vili did pretty dang good considering they woke up at 5 am, took a 5 hour flight, had a five hour layover, and took another 5 hour flight.  But it was pretty bad trying to round up our double stroller parts, two car seats, 8 check in bags, 8 carry on bags, and two SCREAMING kids who only wanted their dad and freaked out every time mom held them.  Haha.  Hey, we’re alive today, so that’s good. 

            Auntie Foga and Uncle Rudy along with Valentina and Kristina (the two dentists from LBJ) picked us and our luggage up from the air port and helped us get to our apartment.  On the drive from the airport to the hospital apartments Rudy talked about how when we left Samoa a few months prior Nathan and I had no Idea if we’d be coming back.  He said “it was Faith that got  you the Job at the hospital.  Nothing else could have opened a position that wasn’t there before just for you to come.”  Rudy was right! 

            This morning, I was so so greasy from traveling all day yesterday.  I HAD to take a shower.  When I turned on the shower faucet the water started to drip.  And that was it.  Just a drip.  Haha!  No water.  The sink had water (not hot, but atleast some water!)  So I filled up a pot and a pitcher from the kitchen and had a nice refreshing ‘shower’.  The process took a good 30 min of getting in the shower, dumping cold water on my head, getting out and filling the pot and pitcher at the sink, getting back in the shower scrubbing my hair, and repeating.  So I guess I had a nice workout and a refreshing shower! 

            Lucky for us I saw a maintenance man walking out of another apartment as we were leaving this morning.  So him and a plumber are here fixing the water heater and the shower.

            We had to make about five stops at different cell phone businesses to get my phone up and running and by the time we got all our questions answered the blue sky office was closed.  Better luck Monday!  The first stop was by the market in Fagatogo so we got some koko rice.  Yuuum.  My favorite thing!

          Found two cockroaches in our apartment while we were unpacking.  One in the storage closet and one in a kitchen drawer!  Ewww!   I have a feeling there’s a lot more where they came from.  Better get used to the bugs- the trade off for living on a tropical island!

Taking the bus for the next few weeks until our cars arrive.  The boys love it!  It's a dance party every time we get on the bus because they BUMP the jams.  Haha

Caught a frog in front of our apartment.  We have frogs, two dogs (we named them red and spotty), and geckos as front yard pets.  Every time we walk to the bus stop or to the store at the corner of the hospital Red and Spotty walk with us.  It's pretty funny- they've adopted us I guess!  Mose and Des think they're pretty cool.  Moses will say "maile" (dog in Samoan) when we see them and Des points and says "woo woo woo!" (Des language for woof woof.)

Solids, Crawling, and a Positive Attitude

I need to write down some happenings before we start apartment duty.  We're on secondary/phone duty for two weeks in a row starting this friday.  I've seriously been dreading it for the past month.  One week is draining... two in a row is going to be rough.  Not to mention we haven't been on secondary duty since before Des was born.  It's going to be interesting trying to manage with two kids.  I'm bracing myself.

I keep reminding myself of how grateful I am for our job.  Every time we're on duty I have to repeat in my mind "This is worth it.  This is worth it.  Free rent in LA!"  And every time our duty week comes to an end I am so glad we don't have to pay rent while getting through school.  It really is the best job we could have right now... probably the only job we could have in our situation.  It's a blessing... it's a blessing...

Anywho, this past week Des hit two major milestones; solid foods and crawling... sort of.  He's been pushing himself up on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth.  He is so proud of himself.  When he gets up on his hands and knees he'll look up and smile at me as if he's saying "look how strong I am mom!"  It's so stinking cute.  He doesn't really move on his hands and knees yet though.  To get around he drops down to his belly and slides along the ground by pushing his feet.  Sometimes his face will slide across the floor (rug burn!)  He can get across the living room scooting on his belly so technically we have a mobile baby!

On Saturday, Nathan did the honors of feeding Des his first meal that wasn't breast milk.  Des hasn't taken a bottle since he was three weeks old (he decided to refuse anything but the real deal) so I think Nathan was really looking forward to feeding him.  He was totally ready to eat solids.  The second Nathan lifted the spoon to his mouth he leaned forward and chomped it.  I think he's been waiting for us to feed him with a spoon for weeks.

Des kept trying to eat his bib.  At one point he started crying because he was getting so frustrated with it!

In other news, Moses got really sick after our ward beach day on Saturday.  It started out as a fever but he woke up with a rash on Sunday.  We're pretty sure it's Hand Foot and Mouth because the rash is the worst on his hands and feet.  He started getting red bumps in his mouth yesterday too.  The fever is gone and he's been acting happy the last couple of days but he still can't play with his little friends because of the rash.  Hopefully it will go away without getting worse!

Today we went on a walk and played soccer at Mar Vista.  I wanted to get him out of the house but I couldn't take him around other kiddos soooo soccer it was!  We had fun kicking his little ball around. There's construction going on at the Mar Vista Elementary school so we watched a tractor for about 30 minutes too.  Whatever keeps him entertained!  It's always fun to see what Mose finds interesting. We walked past several bike racks on our walk today.  Every time we did he stopped and played on it for a few minutes before we could keep going.  I love that he has so much fun exploring every day objects.  It makes me appreciate everything a little more than I would otherwise.  Just another reason to love Mose!

Moses can make anything fun!

I could learn a thing or two from Moses' outlook on life.  He has a talent for finding the fun/good in every situation.  I didn't teach him that!  Something to remember as we head into our two weeks of apartment coordinator duty...

Moses is TWO! (and has been for a few weeks...)

I'm playing the catch up game.  I just want to write about my big two year old boy.  Time has flown by and it makes me a little sad to think Mose is growing so fast.  At the same time it has been so fun to watch him grow.  He makes new discoveries every day.  Here are some fun facts about little Mose:

1.  He loves trucks and cars!  for the last 8 months or so any time he hears a siren outside our apartment he gets a surprised/excited look on his face and runs to the window to watch the firetruck/ambulance/police car speed by.  Sometimes he makes it to the window in time and says "Ah! Peece Car!"  Sometimes he doesn't get to the window fast enough and he'll say "Ope.  We miss it!"

2.  His favorite songs are "Itsy Spider" and "Do As I'm Doing."  Often times, I'll start singing a different song and he'll stop me and say "No mom.  Sing itsy spider song."  Other times he'll just say "No mom.  Don't sing mom!"  Haha the boy knows what he wants.  And he knows low quality singing when he hears it.  He dances to the music he likes too... he really gets that left shoulder movin' and groovin'.  He's got some serious rhythm!

3.  He's been throwing more and more tantrums lately.  I have to say, most of them I don't find funny... In fact I find them very overwhelming as his mama. But the other day I couldn't help but laugh.  It was so ridiculous.  After his bath he was crying- scratch that-  SCREAMING for 45 minutes saying "No mom.  Take. off. my diaper. mom.  I wan. touch. my poke!!!"  I was dying laughing.   He was so upset because I wouldn't let him run around naked.  This kid!

4.  He is learning to be a good older brother.  He still has the urge to hit Desmond on occasion (I have a hunch this urge will continue to creep up throughout their growing up years.)  But not nearly as much as he did when Des was first born.  Now he'll share his toys with baby brother and even give him kisses on the forehead.  Nathan always says "I know ya" to Des.  The other day Moses leaned down to Desmond on the floor and said "Hi brother.  I know ya!"  It was pretty cute.  Proud mom moment.

The next picture I took Mose was poking Des' eye.  Yeah, this one is much cuter.

5.  Moses is a scooter pro and has been since 18 months old.  We were so impressed when he started figuring out how to scooter.  Moses will take his scooter out while Nathan skateboards and they'll race.  His face lights up whenever he races dad- he feels pretty cool rollin around the apartment complex with dad.

6.  Mose has learned most of his shapes.  He's in the process of learning his letters (he's got about half of them down pat), his numbers, and his colors.  It amazes me how much he knows.  Everyday I'll ask him questions thinking he probably won't know the answer but low and behold... he'll answer them!

7.  He loves Mista Dog.  He won't go to sleep without him.  When I go to get him out of his crib in the morning he's always holding him.  Always.  This morning when I got Mose out of the crib he threw Mista Dog in and said "See ya at nap time Mista Dog."  Haha such a ham.

8.  Some of his favorite foods are pb and j's (hold the crust), cubababas (cucumbers), banas (bananas, he has to hold the whole thing by himself), quesdeeyas, kumquats (there's a tree in our apartment complex that he picks them from when they're in season, he calls them baby onges [oranges]), aacados (avocados), chick nugs and fries from McDonalds (bad mom for feeding this to him... I know).  He also loves milk and apple juice.  He really likes smoobies (smoothies) too.  Sometimes if he lets me cut his finger nails we'll walk to whole foods and get green smoothies after.  We both like them and he has no idea he's drinking spinach.  Win, win!

9.  We've been going to story time at the visitors center every tuesday this summer.  This past week the sister missionaries taught the kids about love and families.  After I asked him who he loved and he said "Jesus."  YES.  Another proud mom moment.  A few weeks ago MoPa was babysitting Mose. My dad told me he went to get Moses out of his crib after his nap and Moses started telling him the names of all his stuffed animals- "Mista Dog.  Mista Bear.  Mista big monkey.  Mista yittle monkey." Then he looked up at the pictures hanging on the wall (we have some pictures of some BoM and Old testament prophets, and Jesus).  He pointed to the one of Jesus and said "Mista Jesus!'

After his second week of nursery.  His necklace says "Heavenly Father and Jesus love me."  He since learned he loves them back.

10.  Moses thinks he is pretty funny.  He likes to make jokes and laugh at himself.  As a result, I find myself laughing with him every day.  I'm pretty lucky to be able to spend every day with such a funny guy:)

To sum it all up, Mose is the coolest two year old ever.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOSES LUTERU BECK.  Your mom loves everything about you.

A few weeks ago we had a firetruck birthday party out at our apartment playground.  We had lots of family and some friends come to celebrate with us.  We borrowed a firetruck cake pan from someone in my parents ward.  I thought I'd be able to decorate it myself... how hard can it be right?  I've seen hundreds of homemade cakes on pinterest that look perfect!  Haha well, the night before, around 11, I was trying to decorate it.  It was looking pretty sad when Nathan walked out of the bedroom; "Here, I'll do it... I do this kind of thing every day in dental school except its in someones mouth!  This will be so easy!"  And sure enough he fixed the cake!  It looked awesome too!  I do get some credit though... I baked it.  Annnd I put the little square candies on.  Basically i did the part that took no skill.  Lucky for me, my husband is awesome at pretty much everything he tries.

Forget dental school.  Nathan is the next Cake Boss.

Moses was pretty happy about it when he saw it the next morning.  He said "Oh! Fire truck!"  He had fun playing with the Pratt boys, Henry, Kaia, Amon, Cal, Charlie... all his little buddies that came to the party.  We ate burgers, yummy salads that Nana and MoPa brought, fruit kabobs (another pinterest idea...), cake, and ice cream.  The kids played with sidewalk chalk and kept each other entertained.  Lots of cute kiddos running around!  

Opening presents with some help from James.

On monday, his actual birthday, he woke up to a new table and chairs (20 bucks for the whole set at ikea!), and a rug to play cars on (playing cars is his current obsession... maybe because we live in LA and we see cars ALL THE TIME.)  He was pretty excited about it.  We went to lunch with MoPa and Gabby that afternoon to celebrate.  He ate a lot of fries and got a sucker afterwards.  

I love this boy so much!  He is so much fun to have around.  Nathan and I are blessed to have such a fun, funny, determined, smart little boy in our lives.  He has taught me many things in the two years he's been around and I'm so grateful.  

Grammy and Grampy's 60th Wedding Anniversary

This week the boys and I drove to Utah to go to Grammy and Grampy's 60th wedding anniversary celebration.  Cyd hosted a really fun party for the whole family on Friday night.  I'm so glad we were able to make it.  

Nathan had to stay in LA for school so MoPa drove out with us SUPER early wednesday morning- thank goodness!  There's no way I could have survived the drive (and the entire trip) without his help.

Moses was in heaven from the minute we pulled up to Gram's house.  He played with Nico and Sienna all wednesday evening.  

On thursday morning we stopped by Grandma and Grandpa Cooks so they could meet Des and Avery for the first time.  Both the babies (massive babies I might add) were passed out in their car seats almost the entire time; pretty cute.  We spent the rest of Thursday with Cam, Meag, and the girls up at Sundance.  We got suckers and played on the grass while we waited for Shannon and Teesh to meet up with us.  We rode the chair lift with the kids.  Mose loved it.  Des, not so much... He screamed the entire way up and finally fell asleep going back down thanks to MoPa rocking the car seat.  Afterwards we all went back to Gram' s and ate burgers for dinner in the backyard.

I took the boys to eat breakfast at Kneaders with Tawni friday morning.  Her little Owen just turned three months and I was dying to see him.  Such a sweet little boy.  I have to say, trying to eat out with both the boys was a terrible idea- a ruckus the entire time.  Between the screaming and the food flinging I didn't get to talk to Tawn much but it was so so good to see her.  Can't believe she's a mama!  After breakfast we headed to BYU with Cam's family and then ate lunch up the canyon at vivian park.  There are few places as gorgeous as Provo Canyon in the summer!  Summer in Utah makes me want to move back... but then I remember the 7 month winters I spent there for 10 years and I appreciate living 10 minutes from the Ocean in perfect weather year round. 

Friday night was the best.  Aside from Nathan, our entire family was able to go to the party.  I learned a lot about Grammy and Grampy from the quiz Cyd made.  I had no idea that Grampy paid for their honey with gambling winnings he won on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.  Or that Grams mom used to flip the porch lights on and off when Grampy would walk her to the door (Grams mom called it Morris Code! Haha)  Before friday, it had been years since all of my siblings were together.  We had some good laughs.  I wish we got together more often.  I miss hanging out with my family- there's nothing quite like spending time with your own peeps!  We all got to meet Lin's boyfriend Marlo- we like him:)  Afterwards, our immediate family went back to Grams to hang out for a few minutes before Lin had to head back to Nephi.  It was hard to say goodbye since we all know it will be awhile before we get back together again.  Love my family!  

MoPa and I decided we'd leave at 3 in the morning on Saturday so the boys would be sleeping the majority of the time.  On friday night Moses started screaming at midnight so we decided to leave right then- if we're going to be up we might as well be driving- so we drove through the night.  It was rough!  We got so tired that we started laughing so hard at everything.  It was actually kind of awesome.  Luckily we had our Diet Cokes and candies to make it through.  It was nice to come home to Nathan after a long night!