Valley Hem Geh

Valley hem what?

Valley hem geh means 'let's go home' in the Amish language. My dad always said this growing up as he was raised Amish, and it was a one of the few phrases that have stuck which I still know. Besides shany bay, which means nice legs. I don't know how I know that one. Pop didn't teach me that for sure.

That aside, it's time for us to go home. We leave on Saturday. Just a few more nights in Dom. Nights serenaded to sleep by crickets and bats and awakening to birds, roosters, cows and goats.

Just a few more days of sweltering humidity, multitudes of Chinese take out options, walking everywhere and a simpler life.

Just a few more days of untouched beauty, the smell of salt in the air, and new experiences every day - including mushrooms that grow in the shower.

This was a whole new experience. Can't say I've heard of this happening, but it's been so windy the past few days, and we keep the window open in our bathroom, so this little guy must have blown in at just the right time. I noticed a small black dot in the morning, and it was this size by afternoon. Hilarious. Nothing a little lysol can't handle. Dominica will never cease to surprise me.

Randomness aside, a few things will always remind me Dominica - the smell of coconuts, rainbows, and weed whackers. Along with Chinese food oddly enough.

We've ended our time here with a fantastic BBQ provided by our landlords - delicious. The staff here at Fletcher's has been nothing short of wonderful. I'm sure our experience here would have been much different if it wasn't for them and this beautiful apartment, which is in my opinion, the best place to live in Picard. They have definitely made us feel like family, and I will miss this place very much for that.

I'm sure it's going to be an emotional next few days. Matt is preparing for his Comp Exam by studying hours on end. He's ready for travel just to provide a break I'm sure. As ready as we are to go home, we've had a big part of our lives here in Dominica. We've changed and grown so much, so it will certainly be an emotional exit.

We still do have our calendars full for when we're back home. I've also started a grocery list. I just couldn't help myself. And yes, it consists of ice cream and ice cream sandwiches. Pregnant much?

I also plan on splurging on fancy shampoo, a fresh hair cut appointment is made and getting a new stock of make up from my favorite Mary Kay lady. Maybe I'll start to feel human again. Matt's request? A desk chair. He'll be spending quality time with that getting ready for Step 1.

We'll also be seeing our OB when we're back just to have another look at Baby Wells and make sure everything is up to par. We did our 20 week ultrasound here, and we know if it's bows or bow ties as they say. That surprise is coming!

We wanted to share this exciting news in person with our families, even though it's been so hard to keep it a secret. Our plan is to wear pink or blue shirts home on the plane to Chicago. Our parents are picking us up, and they are going to wear pink or blue, depending on what they think the baby is. So get ready O'Hare baggage claim; you've got an extra special gender reveal/reunion coming your way.

The important thing to know for now is that Baby Wells is healthy. Everything looked great on the ultrasound, and the kicks I'm feeling are proof he/she is active and well.

The other items on our agenda are Target (duh), seeing the rest of our family, and watching my favorite little guy make his t-ball debut. I'll also be heading to Indy a couple times to visit the office, have a UIndy PR reunion and I'll get to be there for the wedding of a dear, dear friend. So happy for this timing! And Matt, well he'll be getting cozy with that desk chair studying for Step.

We also have plans for a big family lunch at my grandparents. The menu? We asked for steak, mashed potatoes, garden salad, grape salad and rhubarb custard pie. Oh America, you're so delicious.

So I just ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers through the weekend. It will be emotionally and physically straining on us both as we finish packing, Matt takes Comp, and we make our journey home.

One Week

I can't believe there's just about one week left in Dominica. If I'm being completely honest, the last few weeks have seemed to drag on and on because we are so ready to go home. But I know there will be much of Dominica I'll miss once we're gone.

It's impossible to begin to put together our most memorable moments here. We've seen and done the most incredible things - things I couldn't even imagine doing before we arrived. We've reached beyond our comfort zones and learned to live in a different culture and a different lifestyle that challenged us on so many different levels.

We've seen things that will likely be once in a lifetime experiences such as whale watching, sea turtles hatching, dolphins and sights like Scott's Head where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean.

We've gotten to go on incredible vacations on a whim - visiting St. Martin, and I got to go to Barbados. We've seen beautiful islands such as Antigua and Puerto Rico while flying through.

We've seen some of the most amazing sunsets and rainbows I'll be sure to ever see.

 

I can't even begin to talk about how blessed we are with the incredible friends we've made. I just know that our experience wouldn't have been half of what it was without these people in them. They will certainly last a lifetime.

We've learned so much beyond what we could have imagined from our time here. We are different people than when we arrived. A piece of our hearts will always belong to Dominica. 

As anxious as we were coming to Dominica, we are faced with some anxieties with moving back. We're going back to start a new chapter, a new pace, and different customs that will take some acclimating. We'll hold with us things that we inherited from our time here, and have to adjust back to our American lifestyle. 

There are things I hope we keep, like holding a genuine conversation with those around us, not being addicted to our phones when we're with friends, taking time to enjoy our time together, finding joy in the beauty that surrounds us, and remembering to slow down, take a deep breath and treasure the day we were given.

But for now, we're enjoying our view, taking in the sunsets, and cherishing the days with the people here while we can. Matt takes his Comp exam on April 25. Then it's off to Puerto Rico on April 26 and Chicago April 27. As always, prayers are always appreciated for Matt's study, safe travels, and for our transition back to America.

Month 20

Wow - We are in our final month living abroad. It doesn't seem like it's been nearly two years since we packed up and left for the Bahamas; not to mention, another year and a half of living here in Dominica.

We fly out on April 26, overnight in San Juan, then arrive in Chicago on April 27. We have had a wonderful experience here, and I can't even begin to tell you the highlights. But, we are ready to go home. Ready to be surrounded by friends and family. Ready to drive ourselves. Ready for cheaper electricity. Ready for American food.

I would do it all over again, though. Matt and I have both grown so much in all areas of our lives, and our relationship has gotten stronger with every diverse experience we face together. Even with the challenges, I would absolutely recommend it to anyone considering.

The big day is tomorrow. Matt takes his final for semester four. Then, he will be an official third year medical student. Unreal! It is hard to believe how much knowledge he has taken in since August 2012. After his final, he then has a few weeks to study for the Comp exam. The Comp is a large test covering everything from first-fourth semester. Ross requires his class to pass the Comp before he can take his Step 1 board exam. So, needless to say, it's a pretty big test.

As for me, I'm trying to enjoy our last few weeks here. I took my last trip to Roseau yesterday via the free shuttle Ross provides. I came back with a few of my favorite souvenirs.

I will definitely miss my favorite basket ladies. If you're ever in Roseau, stop by the Vendor Market and grab a few of these. I'm so excited to go home and decorate the nursery and our home with these lovely reminders of our time here.

Next weekend will be the fourth semester banquet. It's a time to honor the fourths and celebrate their accomplishments. It's held at Cabrits National Park. I just hope I can find something to wear as I didn't think far enough ahead to bring any maternity clothes down here. Should be interesting.

The next Saturday is our next scheduled ultrasound. Hopefully Baby Wells will cooperate enough to show us the goods so we can find out if it's Baby Girl Wells or Baby Boy Wells. Any guesses? So excited for this!

And then we have the next weekend to pack, and we are out of here. I'm sure it will fly by!

Pregnancy In Dominica

Sure, women are pregnant here in Dominica every day. I know I'm not the first. I know I'm not the last. But this is my first pregnancy, so that counts for something, right?

Overall, being here in Dom during the first trimester was probably a good thing. Since I felt so crummy, it was easy to hide away and sleep through the exhaustion and all day sickness without feeling too guilty.

The things I've found most intimidating during the first trimester? The food. The smells. And being able to cook anything at all. Raw chicken? Blech. Eggs? Instant vomit. Any type of seafood smell? Game over. But I'm certain that would've been the same in the States.

Now that the nausea is subsiding a bit, the cravings are kicking in. I had a few cravings here or there during the first trimester. Mainly for The Usual Spot restaurant here in Picard. And mainly for their cabbage and green beans. That's a sentence I never thought I would write.

I'll tell you what though, pregnant women in the States, be grateful for the ability to run to the grocery when you have a random craving, or driving through at the best worst fast food place to curb the hunger, or just going to get some ice cream. It's a luxury. And let me tell you don't ever, ever take that for granted.

With the struggle to keep grocery shelves stocked consistently, our conversations are somewhat like this.

Me: I could really go for some apples. I think I could keep those down.
Matt: The grocery didn't have any.
Me: What about frozen fruit for a smoothie?
Matt: No milk. I guess I could use water.
Me: Ugh. I'll just have another dinner of green beans.

It's very fascinating to me how your body knows what nutrients it needs, and that's typically where your cravings come into play. For example, I don't eat the red meat here. Plenty of people do, and I'm sure it's fine. I've eaten Taco Bell at home and all. I realize it can't get much worse than that. But I just don't care to. I get my iron from my prenatal and try to eat as many green veggies as I can (hello, cabbage). However, I can't tell you how many dreams I've had about a burger. Or a steak. Or anything else in the red meat category. I've even sunk so low as to google menus of restaurants I've been craving. And dreamt of what it will be like when I can have it. I imagine an angelic chorus will ring out with the first bite. That's embarrassing to admit.

So that leads me to bacon. Turkey bacon is at the grocery that comes from America. I know, technically not red meat. So I'll eat that - more than I care to admit. And Matt does an excellent job of making it super crispy, so I'm basically eating burnt bacon, but it satisfies the craving for the time being. Probably not the best thing to eat, but hey, it could be worse.

The other thing I've been struggling with is the heat. It is grossly hot and humid here. Dominica 'winters' are still hot in my book, so I've been on the struggle bus with this one. Splurging on the AC has been the solution.

The last struggle is the car rides. The girl gets carsick in America. Which spells disaster for Dominica. Mix that with pregnancy, and no one has a good time.

But, there are definitely positives of being pregnant while here.

Besides being able to hibernate, I'm not getting wrapped into the big baby rush extravaganza. There's not much I can do here to get ready for baby. So I'm not getting overwhelmed with the shopping and pressures of the commercial side of it. Plus, I'm not even delving into the online forums of scary moms. I think that can be the most intimidating thing about pregnancy and motherhood - other moms. So I'm getting to lay low on that one. And very grateful.

Matt and I can also bond just to the two of us to our little one. Sure, school is a major time suck for Matt, but beyond that, it is just us three. And that is really special.

There are some things I can do to prepare. Like spending a ridiculous amount of time researching car seats, strollers, etc. And I stalk (let's call it what it is) other mom friends, especially posts like these, for their recommendations on what their little ones preferred and what worked best.

I'm sure all pregnancies have their ups, downs and certain challenges. I'm sure mine's not unique. But that's ok.

Baby Wells is growing and healthy and that's all we could hope for. Even if it's on a Dominican bacon diet. With some cabbage and green beans on the side.

Next Stop, Michigan

We are officially headed back to the Midwest!

I can't even tell you how heartwarming it is to be able to say that. We've been living in the Caribbean for 19 months. 19 months that have flown by in all honesty. But it's still quite a while.

Matt got his assignment for his fifth semester. Ross gives the options of staying in Dominica, Miami, or Saginaw, Michigan. Being that Saginaw is less than three hours from my hometown, we have been eagerly aiming for Michigan.

And we finally got the good news he was accepted!

While we have had an incredible experience here in Dominica and in the Bahamas overall, we are so ready to be close to home, close to our family and friends, and back to the comforts of America.

Truth be told, I am a little anxious about coming home. Living here and through this experience Matt and I have both changed quite a bit. It will definitely take some acclimating to get used to living outside of our bubble, but I'm eager to do so. All the while trying to not wish the last of our time away here.

So fifth semester is a transition semester from lectures to clinical settings. Ross is actually changing this program, as Matt's class is the last class to go through it as it is currently structured. This semester is shorter, running from June 1 - Aug. 2. Perfect timing for Baby Wells's anticipated arrival of Aug. 28!

But for the most important question - what to do with the name of blog. Cornstalks to Palm Trees signified our move from Indiana to the Caribbean. So now....?? Cornstalks to Palm Trees to....Cornstalks? I'm open to your suggestions. It obviously needs some work.

Matt takes his last mini of semester four on March 24. Then he has his final and a clinical exam to finish off the semester. This semester has certainly flown by.

We've seen some pretty incredible rainbows and sunsets in the past few weeks. A good reminder to soak up the sunshine and Caribbean Sea view while we can.

A Dominican Ultrasound

Matt and I have both adapted quite a bit to the Dominican culture and have tried to embrace our surroundings to get a full, well-rounded experience. But beyond the medical clinic on campus at Ross, we haven't had to delve into the local medical care. Well, at least for me, as Matt has attended clinic and such. But being on the receiving end is a bit different.

When we started thinking about getting pregnant and planning our ideal situation, we decided we wanted to be pregnant on the island, and come home with plenty of time to deliver in the States. And, we were lucky enough for our plan and His to match, so here we are.

I was under the impression all of my medical care could be done through the Ross Clinic barring everything was normal and healthy. We had known the clinic just got a new ultrasound machine, so I automatically thought that meant we could be totally taken care of there.

False.

For the most part, yes. That's where I've been going to see the doctor for routine appointments. However, there isn't a designated radiologist at the Ross Clinic to read the ultrasound. It's used for emergency purposes only is what I've been told.

Well, ok. That's fine. Not a big deal to us. The only radiologist on the island has her office in Roseau, the capitol city. But she does come to Portsmouth near us every other Saturday for appointments. So when it came time to schedule my ultrasound, we made the appointment, hired a taxi and drove into town.

Now, I have to say, for my own sanity, it was a good thing Matt and I have been on island and adapted the way we have already. We are familiar with the culture and respect that culture, so we weren't totally freaked out by what was ahead. Just more nervous because it was a different experience. We didn't know what to expect.

So, we drove to the 'office' in Portsmouth. This is the building.

You'll notice there are two blue doors. One says Professional Offices. The other says Apartments. Easy enough. We tried to open the door for the offices, but it was locked. So I called the doctor's office to tell them their door was locked, but they let me know we were actually supposed to go in the door labeled Apartments. Ok, that worked.

The tech came downstairs to meet us to assure we headed in the right place. We walked up the stairs to the second floor and wound around to a teeny tiny apartment. Even smaller than our first apartment here. 

I'm assuming since the radiologist doesn't maintain an office in Portsmouth regularly, it was just easier for her to use this space. Whatever works.

We walk in. The tech puts out some plastic outdoor chairs for Matt and I to sit. Keep in mind this is an apartment, so we were seated in the living room/kitchen. The tech had his laptop out and was sitting at a wooden kitchen table. The kitchen was to our right. And a twin bed was straight ahead. Not exactly what we were expecting, but we can handle that. At least the AC was on.

The tech was very friendly and welcoming. He charged us up front - $150 EC. Which is roughly $40 USD. We pay cash - that's what they accept. No insurance, no credit. So then we waited. Not too long, but they needed to finish getting set up.

I was able to sneak a few pictures while the tech was in the 'bedroom' helping the doctor get ready.

Then it was our turn. We were the first appointment, so we made our way into the bedroom/exam room. This is where the AC unit was held, so it was freezing in here. Not complaining. I should point out that the wall that separated the bedroom from the rest of the apartment didn't quite reach the top, so it gave an outlet to the rest of the space for the AC to circulate. This eliminated all sense of privacy as even though the door was closed, there was still open space for conversations to carry.

The exam table was converted into a exam table from a day bed. There was a protective cover and a paper lining on the mattress. I laid down and Matt got comfortable. Then, our doctor started the ultrasound. She explained what we'd be looking for and took her time to make sure we understood. 

Once it started, this most amazing site was on the screen. It took my breath away. Matt's face lit up, and tears rolled down my face. There it was. That was our baby. It was real. How incredible.

She looked at all the screens, showed us the placement of everything, reassured us there was only one baby, and most importantly, that Baby Wells is healthy.

And then, we got to hear the heartbeat. It was the most wonderful sound I have ever heard. More tears. More overwhelming emotions.

The doctor was wonderful in answering all of my questions, being so patient and explaining it all so clearly. She also explained things in medical terms for Matt, and Lehman's terms for me, which is nice. At the Ross Clinic, they typically see all medical students, so they use the teaching vernacular. I'm not a medical student. I have no idea what most of that means. So it was nice to be able to understand the doctor myself and not have Matt translate. 

And then there was Matt who was so overwhelmed with seeing Baby Wells and fascinated with the medical side of it too, that he kept bouncing back and forth between Daddy Wells and Dr. Wells. It was endearing to watch.

Our appointment came to an end all too quickly. She printed out a few pictures for us, and told us to take a seat back out in the waiting area.

While we were out there digesting the beautiful site we just saw, her and the tech were preparing our report. Not ten minutes later, the brought out our report and photos in a sealed envelope and sent us on the way.

We were so over the moon that day. It's something we will never forget. And it of course gave us another learning experience to cherish here in Dom.

The important thing to take away for our experience is even though the facility wasn't the same as in the States and the procedures may be different, we still received great care. As I was laying on the day bed, I never felt as though the radiologist wasn't competent or incapable of providing quality care. 

Again, I was glad we had been here for awhile so we weren't completely overwhelmed by the physical qualities of the experience. But we were able to fully enjoy meeting our little one. Our Dominican ultrasound will be a memory of a lifetime. 

Momma Miller

Having my mom visit was one of my favorite weeks here in Dom. Being able to show her how we live, see the culture and really immerse herself into our new life here was something I will cherish.

Matt and I could talk till we are blue in the face about things here in Dom. I could write a plethora of blog posts and take hundreds of pictures, but you don't get it until you are here and experience it for yourself.

Plus, it's just good to have your mom around no matter how old you are.

We picked her up from the airport and it was a shock for me just having her on the island, seeing the things Matt and I only see. The drive back was fascinating as she was taking it all in for the first time - things I tend to overlook such as the flowers and driving on the left side of the road. But Bruno did a great job of pointing out to her the wildlife, beautiful views and history of the towns so that she got the full experience.

We started dinner off at La Flambeau, a restaurant right on the water. I made sure she got a taste of the local flavor with the freshly squeezed passion fruit juice and breadfruit chips for the meal.

Matt had exam that Monday morning, so we took our time wandering through Picard. I showed her the grocery (and the prices) pointing out the selection of items. We stopped to get a fresh papaya from a street vendor. And of course got juice from the juice shack. Delicious.

Of course, it rained off and on all morning. Typical Dom experience.

Matt finished his exam, and after lunch the rain cleared and we made our way to Secret Beach. Secret Beach is exactly what it sounds like. It is a secluded little oasis around the bend from Coconut Beach. So secret, you have to take a boat there. And you can't be seen from the main beach. It is stunning! 

It was so wonderful to spend the afternoon lounging in the water with both Matt and my mom. It was Matt and I's first time to Secret Beach, too. We were the only ones there and started off the week in the most perfect way.

Plus, we also planned our announcement in the perfectly named sands of Secret Beach.

Tuesday Matt had the majority of the day off, so we made the long drive down the Caribbean coast to Scott's Head to see where the Caribbean and Atlantic meet. It's one of my most favorite places on the island as it is such a unique experience, the water is a gorgeous shade of turquoise and you get a stunning view of the island.

After Scott's Head, we went to see the twin waterfalls of Trafalger. 

Then to top off the day, we headed to Screw Spa, the natural sulfur spa. I've been here a few times, but Matt had yet to experience it. Needless to say, I didn't think I was going to get him or my mom out of the warm, soothing water. Unfortunately, I didn't get to enjoy due to Baby Wells, but my feet got to soak up the relaxation a bit. And of course we enjoyed the fresh fruit dessert treat after. I've grown accustomed to the fresh fruit here, but for mom, tasting the sweet bananas and delicious oranges reminded me of how lucky we are to be surrounded by the delicious foods here.

Then to top off a near perfect day, we drove up to Morne Bruce to overlook the capitol city of Roseau. Absolutely stunning!

Wednesday Matt headed back to class, and mom and I took it easy. I had an appointment that day, so mom got to experience the Ross Clinic. She also got to hear Baby Wells's heartbeat. After that, Matt took us on a brief campus tour, then her and I spent the afternoon relaxing at the pool. My kind of afternoon.

Dinner that night was at De Champ so we could show her the beautiful view and watch the sunset. Unfortunately the clouds prohibited the fantastic view, but dinner and company was excellent.

Thursday was a busy day! And it was Matt's birthday! Poor guy had class, so he insisted mom and I went on an adventure that day. But that didn't stop us from making him a birthday breakfast. Complete with pancakes with birthday sprinkles and all!

Then we were off to the Carib Reserve. The Kalinago are the last remaining tribe of native Caribbeans. The Dominican government has set an area of land for them to live much like a native american reservation. They make cassava bread in the reserve, which I had yet to try. It was different, but good!

We did a little shopping at the vendor booths, but then made our way to Roseau. We stopped by the vendor market to visit my favorite basket ladies and do a little souvenir shopping. Then of course we had to make our way to the leather shoes to see what they had. There are some new styles that we just had to purchase! After that, it was a quick lunch and then we stopped by the Juice Man to get a refreshing treat. Mom pointed out she was surprised I would get juice from him, as his 'stand' is a wooden booth of sorts. She said it's definitely not sanitary compared to U.S. standards, but it was the best juice she's had. Just another one of those things that I overlook, but good to be reminded of!

Then, we were off to the part of the trip that I looked forward to the most - whale watching! That was the one thing mom had wanted to do here. So we made our way to Anchorage Hotel and Dive Center and got ready to go out on the catamaran for a minimum of three hours.

Dominica is known for whale watching as sperm whales are widely seen in the waters here. Matt and I went whale watching and were lucky enough to see them on our first trip. They boast a very high success rate!

Regardless of seeing whales, you still have an excellent experience as they educate you on the procedures and the whales themselves. It's a very enlightening trip. Plus, the scenery of the island is beautiful.

Unfortunately, the whales weren't out that day, but we did spot hundreds of bottle nose dolphins. Such beautiful creatures! They swam and jumped alongside the boat keeping up with our pace. So fascinating!

We made it back to Picard to celebrate Matt's birthday! He decided on pizza for dinner, then I had gotten a cake and locally made ice cream for dessert. Happy island birthday!

Friday morning we relaxed and packed for mom's departure. Her flight left that afternoon. It was hard to believe it was time for her to leave already!

We had such an amazing week. Perfect weather, perfect experiences, perfect timing on everything. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

It was definitely sad to see her go, but knowing we'll be HOME in just a couple months make it that much easier. Plus, after all that driving, neither Baby Wells or I were crazy about getting into a car any time soon.

57 more days folks. Then we will be back in the States permanently. Can you believe it?