It’s been over four months since Grant and I left our St. Kitts home for the last time. I’ve procrastinated writing this post for a number of reasons:
1. I refused to admit that our two-year honeymoon is over.
2. I hate goodbyes.
3. I knew that no amount of words, no matter how eloquent, could accurately describe my love for the island and how much it changed us.
But I owe it to my future self to write it now — before all our treasured moments fade into a fond, distant memory. And maybe I can finally write this post without crying. But before I say all the goodbyes and sappy things, I’d be remiss not to touch on our closing weeks on the island.
Thanks to a girls’ trip of my mom and her friends, we crossed off the remaining items on our St. Kitts bucket list. The most rewarding check mark came after completing the strenuous hike up Mount Liamuiga, the dormant-but-not-extinct volcano that towers above the sea at 3,792 feet tall. I knew it would be a challenge, but nothing can really prepare you for hours of climbing up boulders with your hands, using tree vines to pull yourself up, trudging through mud and cautiously placing each step to avoid falling off a cliff. Needless to say, only three of us made it to the summit.
The peak typically remains hidden in the clouds, but we were blessed with a perfectly clear day that allowed us to see its fullest beauty — the luscious green of the trees seemed to pop off the blue sky. My photos don’t do it justice, but it felt like we were in a scene from Jurassic Park. The round trip usually takes up to seven hours, but we made it in dang good time — 1 hour 45 minutes up and 1:30 down. The descent was actually more painful than going up because of the pounding on your toes, knees and back! By the end of it, we were covered in mud, our bodies ached from head to toe, shoes and clothes were ruined, our skin was salty with sweat, we were parched and starving, and one of us even twisted an ankle. We were a hot mess. I am not eager to do it again, but man, it’s worth doing once.
Directly after hiking, we headed to bucket list item #2 — Bellemont Farm at Kittitian Hill. This 5-star boutique hotel sits on the volcano’s base but is still high enough to have breathtaking views of the mountainside, coastal villages and surrounding islands. We treated ourselves to a delicious and well-deserved lunch. Maybe someday Grant and I can return to the island and stay at this exquisite resort when he is a successful doctor 🙂
The girls’ trip would not have been complete without a catamaran to Nevis. I had been on three other cat trips before, but this one was unlike any other! What happens in St. Kitts stays in St. Kitts, so all I can say is we laughed the ENTIRE afternoon — and Grant should be happy he stayed home to study.
Other vacation musts included: soaking up the sun and getting massages at Carambola Beach, {too much} shopping in Port Zante, collecting sea glass, enjoying delicious seafood, playing with monkeys, watching every beautiful sunset and taking pics in matching outfits (so embarrassing). For proof of all the fun, go to the Photos page on my blog under “Girls Trip – April 2017.”
By the end of the trip, I’ll admit I was “vacationed-out” and actually ready to come home. But that feeling quickly vanished the next week when Grant and I spent our last few days on the island. Even though a rare stormy day dampened our plans, we still went to our favorite Shipwreck Beach Bar for a yummy lunch while listening to the rain and crashing waves. We wanted to go to Salt Plage for one final sunset, but completely overcast skies prevented that from happening. So instead, we got up early the next day to hike Timothy Hill for the last sunrise.
Standing on top of that hill, we said “goodbye” to our first home. I vividly remember when we drove up the same hill and gazed out on the island for the first time — full of nerves and excitement, but completely awestruck by the beauty of God’s creation. It seems like just yesterday, but a lot has changed since then…
Grant and I moved to the island exactly two years ago, newly married of just two months, and still trying to figure out the whole living-together thing. Our premarital counselor tried to prepare us for this hard time of life in a foreign country — being away from family and the comforts of home — especially for me, since Grant would be busy with school and making new friends, while I would spend most of my time alone. But being independent didn’t scare me, and I planned to master the “housewife” duties. Little did we know, the Lord had even bigger plans for us.
At that point, we both knew and loved Jesus, but He wasn’t the focus of our individual lives, so He wasn’t front and center in our marriage, either.
I knew I would have an abundance of time on my hands, so I wanted to focus on my faith and relationship with Jesus. Reading the Bible from cover to cover was something I had yet to do, so I planned to do that during our 20 months on the island. After recommendations from several friends, I first read “30 Days to Understanding the Bible” by Max Anders. This helped me fully comprehend what I was about to study and put it into context. Knowing the Bible’s organization allowed me to see the bigger picture and its beauty.
And so my journey of reading God’s Word began. Although there are many reading plans to help conquer this massive text, I decided on a somewhat unconventional way — from beginning to end. This method isn’t usually recommended because it will test your perseverance quite a bit, especially when trudging through some of the Old Testament. But for my systematic way of thinking, it made sense. And I enjoyed seeing my bookmark slowly, but steadily, move through the pages.
I covered about two chapters a day — while also reading the corresponding notes in my Study Bible and additional commentaries, writing my own notes and spending time in prayer. At this pace, I knew I wouldn’t finish the whole Bible while I was on the island, but actually understanding it was more important than speeding through it. After all, the Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint.
Nearly 20 months later and during our last few days on the island, Grant and I both experienced major milestones in our faith. Coincidentally on Easter Sunday, I finished all 1,249 pages of the Old Testament — praise God for that! All I can say is WOW… I didn’t know how much I didn’t know, until getting into the Word.
Two days prior, Grant publicly rededicated his life to the Lord! He always considered himself a “good” Christian, but he didn’t realize what being a true disciple meant until we moved to the island. Grant was baptized on Good Friday, following a beachside worship service. God’s presence was palpable as Grant walked into the cool ocean waters with a glorious sunset throwing shades of color across the sky. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Pastor Brandon immersed Grant among the waves of the Caribbean Sea. Grant arose with new LIFE, amidst the cheers (and tears) of our church family. We have so many beach memories from our time on the island, but this moment will always be the most special.
Feeling called to be in the Word more, Grant joined me in my daily reading. Together, we started the New Testament — and we are enjoying every discussion, question and lesson along the way. I don’t say any of this to boast, but rather to give glory to the Lord for providing time to study His perfect Word, and to honor His movement in our lives.
Our faith journey wouldn’t have been the same without some incredible brothers and sisters in Christ. God sure has a way of putting the right people in your life at the perfect time — namely Brandon and Wendi Grayson. The Graysons are missionaries from Indiana who moved to St. Kitts about seven years ago, started Caribbean Christian Fellowship and share the love of Jesus with everyone they meet. They are the ones who pushed me out in faith and gave me the opportunity to lead Kid’s Club, which was such a blessing (and man, I miss those kiddos).
In addition to the Graysons, we were surrounded by God-fearing couples like Nick & Carrie Mills, Garth & Andrea Slyz, and Aaron & Katelyn Comer. We look up to them as role models in so many ways — as individuals whose hearts are on fire for the Lord, as parents who are raising their children to love Jesus so much, and as the perfect picture of a Christ-like marriage. Because of them and our entire CCF church family, we left the island with a stronger marriage, we will be better parents (someday), we matured in our faith and we will continue to grow in that daily.
We miss the island and our friends every.single.day — the peace and quiet, the slow pace of life, and how quickly strangers become family. Of course, I don’t miss the questionable (and expensive) grocery store items, the need for wifi to communicate, or the humidity that makes you sweat constantly. #islandprobs
But OH, the things I would do to wake up with that gorgeous ocean view, hear the crashing waves, see the palm trees sway in the gentle breeze, smell the salty air, feel the sand between my toes, and watch the sun dip into the Caribbean Sea — just one more time. But for now, I will treasure the memories of the island’s precious gifts.
Looking back, it’s easy to see how God orchestrated each step that brought us to Saint Kitts. This beautiful little island will always hold a special place in our hearts as our first home together, and as the place where we found the Lord. It was the best two years of our lives, and the absolute best way to start our marriage. We thank God every day for leading us there and know that He will continue to guide us no matter where this medical school adventure takes us next!
It’s not goodbye forever, just “see ya later.”
XOXO,
Mrs. Kelsey Ralston
Current life update: After Grant finished his basic science courses on the island (with a cumulative 3.89 GPA, by the way), we moved to Portland, Maine. Grant continued clinical classes, had a preceptorship with a cardiologist and took a Kaplan prep course for Step 1 of the board exams. Once getting over my initial post-island depression, I fell in love with this new city, its perfect summer weather and ALL the lobstah.
It saddens us that our time in Portland is already over — but I was glad to get out before the harsh winter snows. We just made the 25-hour road trip home and moved to the Ralston’s lake house in Oklahoma. We will be here for a few months, while Grant intensely studies for the Step on his own with no distractions. Since Grant will basically be a zombie during that time, please pray for his sanity (and mine).
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” (Psalm 46:1-3)
Acadia National Park in Maine
the real housewife of st. kitts 