Love you Mom!

Mother's Day looked a little different this year being so far away. It's also great to have a new mom, Mallory in our family this year too! 

I was able to talk to my mom & my nana via Skype on Mother's Day weekend. So thankful for technology. It was the first time that I was able to talk and see my nana & aunt Allison. Love them so much. My brother was there and took a photo of them Skyping with me. Too funny! I will say that the internet does not take the place of being there in person though.

Looks like I'm in prison or something...

My family has been a great source of support & encouragement to me while I have been here. It has been such a blessing! It's so hard to believe that I have been away for over 5 months now. Man time flies.

Mom & I were talking about Mother's Day in the years past, and it was funny to remember that for some reason that was the weekend that worked out for me to move apartments almost every year I was down in Mobile going to the University of South Alabama. Mom was always there to help and I am so happy that she doesn't really like a whole lot of fanfare on that day, and it will be so great to celebrate Mother's Day when I get home. Who says that you have to wait until May to do that.

Just wanted to tell my mom that I love you and I miss you a lot!!

Not your typical Alabama gulf seafood!

So the other day some new friends invited me to eat seafood with them. I was excited about this because the great state of Alabama has some amazing seafood. Haven't really eaten any of it since I have been here. Hard to believe because I live on an island! So off we went and here is what I see... It was all very interesting and there were different characteristics with each of the different foods that made it unique.

Not like any other shell fish I have ever eaten! They did not want to come out even with the toothpicks.

My friend Victor is demonstrating how to get them out. Takes a little technique.

These snails are called Balitong. Basically you just suck them out of their shells... I just ate one.

Muscles. Really good sauce too. Although people here call it gravy. I continue to look for biscuits and gravy when they say that!

Speaking of bread. Steamed bread that you use to dip in the different types of gravy.

These are called mantis prawns. They were a little over a foot long! You have to peal their backs and they taste like boiled shrimp.

Crab. They were served in a really good chili sauce.

The seafood is extremely fresh. These crab were caught and eaten in the same day.

These are the men and women processing the fish that were just caught. Looks nothing like "The Original Oyster House" back at home!

Needless to say, I had plenty of food and some great friends to enjoy it with. I think more than one of them asked later on in the week if I was feeling okay after eating all that seafood. Good to go and ready to go back. Eating right on the water reminded me of spending time with friends at the lake in Alabama. Fun times on both sides of the world!