God knew 9 years ago...

I have been looking for a particular picture for over one and half years.

I found it tonight!!!

When we first moved to Guam almost 2 years ago, I was sad we had this grand new adventure and no Christian to share it with. It wasn't a large outward boohoo, but one of those small things in a deep corner of my heart.

It wasn't long before God reminded me of a whirlwind two day stay in Guam back in 2004...

Ritidian Beach... Only ONE picture... and it's of me... pregnant with Christian!

I can honestly say that ALL of my boys have been to Guam!

Thank you God for knowing 9 years ago that I needed this gift today.

passport

We applied for Ian's passport this week. It was a bit of a drawn out process as you first have to have the hospital birth certificate, then the official Guam birth certificate, apply for a social security card, and then finally apply for a passport. [Insert appropriate amount of island lag time in between.]

Want to see his mug shot?

{ I laugh every time I look at this shot! I wonder if he will hate it when he's older? }

Here on Guam, you don't go to the Post Office to apply for a passport. You go to the Department of Revenue and Taxation, which is a big warehouse of a cinder block building that houses all the government agencies that deal with money, tags, licenses, passports and who knows what else.

Oh Guam with your old school posterboard signs, you make me laugh... See them up there on the left wall? :)

The lighting is not the best. An eerie grayish green glow is cast on everything. Kind of scary, isn't it? Reminds me of those stupid zombie shows.

We should get little Coconut's passport in a month or so, just in time for our trip to the mainland in May (woohoooo!).

If you could travel to any place in the world, where would you go?

Bali is sounding really good to me right now.

psalm 19:1-3

The heavens declare the glory of God;

and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Day unto day uttereth speech,

and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

There is no speech nor language,

where their voice is not heard.

-Psalm 19:1-3

Sun breaks over horizon, dimming the blanket of stars, as stubborn crescent moon fights to shine on a while longer.

How can anyone see this and say there is no God?

Our 2011-2012 Curriculum

This pregnancy has really put me behind schedule in a lot of areas of my life. When the goal of the day is to attempt to be out of bed for more than 2 hours and try to cook at least one meal without puking, one can see how some items related to homeschooling would be put on the backburner.

I am tardy in recording our 2011-2012 Curriculum by a mere 3 months. *cough, cough*

Pish-posh, right?

For the record, we have been educating our boys in the midst of moving halfway around the world, a pukey but precious pregnancy (in which I now feel great!), (me) freaking out (only slightly) about a certain child's venture into puberty, and the usual how can we start the new year when we haven't quite finished up last year?! debate within myself.

Onward, shall we? :)

AUSTIN - 12 years old, Grade 7

Bible:

The Ultimate Devo for Boys

Math:

Math-U-See Epsilon and Zeta

History:

Sonlight Core F Eastern Hemisphere (finish up from last year, then geography- see below)

Mapping the World by Heart (we will attempt this, might be too ambitious?)

Language Arts:

Writing Strands 3

Language Lessons for the Elementary Child 2 by Sandi Queen

5 Minute Daily Practice Grammar

Sequential Spelling for Adults 1 and 2

Science:

Apologia's Exploring Creation with General Science, Second Edition

Rock N Learn Human Body DVD

It's So Amazing

What's the Big Deal?

Foreign Language:

Rosetta Stone Latin Level 1 (Homeschool Edition)

Other:

Spectrum Test Prep 6 by McGraw-Hill Children's Publishing

Dr. Funster's Think A Minutes, Level C Book 1 and Book 2

NOAH - 10 years old, Grade 5

Bible:

Gotta Have God

Math:

Math U See Delta (completed 10/2011) and Epsilon

History:

Sonlight Core F Eastern Hemisphere (finish up from last year, then geography- see below)

Mapping the World by Heart (we will attempt this, might be too ambitious?)

Language Arts:

Writing Strands 3

Language Arts for the Elementary Child by Sandi Queen

5 Minute Daily Practice Grammar

Sequential Spelling for Adults 1 and 2 (if too difficult, will use different level)

Getty Dubay Italic Handwriting Book F

Science:

Christian Kids Explore Biology

Rock N Learn Human Body DVD

Foreign Language:

Rosetta Stone Latin Level 1 (Homeschool Edition)

Other:

Dr. Funster's Think a Minutes, Level B Book 2 and Level C Book 1

I do have a question for y'all.

We have Rosetta Stone Japanese Level 1 that I would like to implement, as tourism from Japan is a major economic force here in Guam. Have any of y'all done two foreign languages at the same time? Thoughts, please?

park day and almost anniversary

When you think park day, what picture comes to mind?

Piney woods, playgrounds and maybe a swimming pool is the norm in our corner of Houston.

Here in Guam, however, a homeschool park day looks a little different...

Okay, A LOT different.

{They were spoiled rich kids (L-R, President's son, Bill Gates' son, unnamed, Donald Trump's daughter) stranded on an island for a year, surviving by eating sharks.

Tough and imaginative cookies, aren't they?}

Totally off-topic, this whole time difference poses another interesting question.

[Whoa, this is a BIG picture of us... me with my old hairdo and David looking as handsome, mean and bald as usual! We look like giants!]

Mine and David's 15th wedding anniversary is on June 29th. However, the 29th here is for the most part the 28th in TX, which is where we were married.

Much thought and hem-hawing later... okay, pretty much a quick discussion on the way to Blockbuster led to us deciding to celebrate our anniversary on June 30th.

It's just weird.

Coco brought up a good point. She said that her birthday is on July 14th. She was born in Korea and yet does not celebrate her birthday on the 14th in Korea, but on the 14th in the US.

Bah! I hadn't thought of that point. Either way, maybe it's because we still are conscious of the time difference?

What would y'all do? Celebrate here on the 29th (28th in TX) or on the 30th (29th in TX)?

.

waiting, new license and it's pretty here

Sooooooo we found out that our stuff is not going to be here anytime soon. Even though it was packed up weeks ago, it is still sitting in Los Angeles and should be arriving here in approximately 33 days.

That's over a month, y'all.

I miss cooking, my pillow, cold a/c, and s-p-a-c-e.

In other news, I handed over my Texas Drivers License and got this bad boy instead. Kinda makes me sad.

Moving all the way to Guam was not that big a deal to me, and yet handing over my Texas license was... Why is that?!

I thought about lying about my weight on the application. Hotel living and eating out all the time is not conducive to rejoicing on the scale.

I would totally have lied had I known they were actually going to print my exact weight on the front of my license!

Please tell me my library card won't be as painful to look at.

Let's move along now, shall we?

The tide has been very low and the waters very calm this past week. Peaceful walks on the beach were just what we needed after being in the hotel all day.

[The sand on this beach is actually very white and soft. What you see here are the marks of the receding water.]

No matter how clear the sky, it never takes long for a storm to brew, empty itself and then stop as suddenly as it came.

[These cell phone pics just don't do justice to the beauty of this island.]

Guam has a small town (but tropical) feel and a population of approximately 160,000. Very opposite of Houston!

You can tell if a town is small in Texas by two things:

1. It has a Dairy Queen.

2. They have one traffic light.

No Dairy Queen here and there are definitely a lot of traffic lights, but let's consider the fact that there is only one underpass/overpass on the entire island. That tells me it is definitely the opposite of big, overcrowded Houston here... and I like it that way.

Would you lie about your weight if it was on the front of your drivers license? What's the population of your town? Do you think it is too big, too small, or just right?

PS All of the [parentheses] and blockquotes in this post are bugging me... too tired to fix it. No one else has notices, yes?

blue monday

{not sad blue, but color blue}

The time difference between Guam and the States really messes with my mind sometimes. Being 17 hours ahead makes me feel like a time traveler.

If you are nice to me, maybe I'll tell you how your day is going to be! *snort*

We had a nice long family walk this afternoon, treading on low tide rocks normally hidden from view. We passed caves and crabs, gun placements and WW2 pillboxes...

I would have loved to have my camera with me.

But water + me walking + passing rain showers + Nikon D300s = disaster waiting to happen!

These after-the-walk shots were the only blue part of my day. :-)

I do wish I could have captured the blue sea stars... maybe next time I will remember to bring the Kodak.

Wouldn't it be fun to glide across the bay with these guys?

So, what do you have planned for today?

Not that I don't already know... *snort*

saturday confessions: week 10

1. I have seen the sunrise here in Guam every morning. This is the view from our balcony, overlooking the hills where the sun rises and clouds roll over every day. Beautiful to behold but it makes it very difficult to stay awake until the sun sets in the evening. I'm glad that my boys know how to be quiet when they wake up at 5:00 in the morning! And that they are zonked out by 8pm!

2. The only acceptable kid channel that we get at our hotel in Guam is Animal Planet Australia/New Zealand. At least we still get a taste of home through Animal Cops Houston. (For the record, we watch it because it is there, not because I particularly like it.)

3. Due to #2 above, y'all should have heard the excitement from my boys when The Price Is Right came on TV! Hooray for a non-animal show!!! Where you can win MONEY!

4. I watched the local news this morning in hopes of learning how to pronounce the names of the different villages around here. (Guam isn't mud hut villages or anything, but villages as in little towns.) The slow speech, lack of murders (although there is crime on the island), and the less-than-slick appearance of the broadcast made me smile. What a difference from the news we'd see in Houston-- which is also why I stopped watching the news altogether years ago.

5. We are now owners of the iPhone4. So far, I am only irritated. While the iPhone has a better camera (see pics in this post), I much prefer the ease of use and larger screen of my DroidX.

6. Last night's supper was yum. I give you the French Terrier-- chili, cheese and french fries stacked on an all beef Nathan's hot dog.

I am linking up with Melissa's Saturday Confessions... just disregard the fact that it is already Sunday here in Guam. (I need to figure out how to change the clock settings on my blog.)

50mm friday - first flight

David flew from Guam to Cairns, Australia last night-- his first flight as CAPTAIN!

I am so proud of him. Not only of his hard work and skill, but for the fact that he has sat as First Officer for YEARS when he could have upgraded to Captain long ago.

Why would he give up the prestige, pride and pay of Captain to sit as F/O for so long?

FOR US.

Family, quality of life, many extra days at home that we wouldn't have together if he had upgraded sooner. Thank you for that, baby.

I'm linking up with Hallie Westcott's 50mm Friday. Feel free to join us!

why Guam?

1. It's pretty there.

2. David is being based out of Guam for his job with the airlines. He will upgrade to Captain (woohoo!) and be home almost every night.

No really, he is so excited to be around me!

all. the. time.

3. It's a temporary move with a short commitment of 1.5 years. We could stay longer if we would like, but this is the minimum requirement for them to pay for our move out there. It's not cheap to pack and move two vehicles and household stuff 7500 miles!

No picture for this one because... ummm... I couldn't think of anything.

4. The flying is amazing.

Exhibit 1 is David's landing in Kwajalein. Can you believe people live and work on that tiny little strip of land in the middle of the gigantic ocean?

{It's a slightly dull first minute, but it gets much much better. Just hang in there!}

{There is no Exhibit 2 because uploading to YouTube is too much work.}

5. It's a great opportunity to travel and explore that side of the world. We were blessed to visit both Palau and Hong Kong during our temporary assignment there in January and February. Just think of all the places we could go in 18 months!

I think Noah was embarrassed to be seen with me.

But y'all see why I am making that face, don't you?

6. Family time. What I am looking forward to the most is the time that we will have together as a family. No soccer, no Scouts, no running around doing "good" things... slower pace, fewer distractions, and discovering things together.

These guys are worth it.

Even if they aren't very excited about going for fear of missing their friends too much.

I think they'll change their minds about it once we get there.

If you had this opportunity, would you go? There are lots of pilot families that could go but don't. Wondering if I'm the crazy one or if they are...

isaiah 52:7

I couldn't help but think of this hymn as I gazed upon the hills and ocean beyond.

I am thankful that MY GOD REIGNS!

Not only in the days of sun, but in the shadows as well.

Our God Reigns

How lovely on the mountains are the feet of Him

Who brings good news, good news;

Announcing peace, proclaiming news of happiness:

Our God reigns, our God reigns!

Our God reigns!

Our God reigns!

Our God reigns!

Our God reigns!

He had no stately form, He had no majesty

That we should be drawn to Him.

He was despised and we took no account of Him.

Our God reigns, our God reigns!

It was our sin and guilt that bruised and wounded Him.

It was our sin that brought Him down.

When we like sheep had gone astray our Shepherd came

And on His shoulders bore our shame.

Meek as a lamb that's led out to the slaughterhouse,

Dumb as a sheep before its shearer,

His life ran down upon the ground like pouring rain

That we might be born again.

Out from the tomb He came with grace and majesty;

He is alive, He is alive.

God loves us so, see here His hands, His feet, His side

Yes we know, He is alive.

Our God reigns!

Our God reigns!

Our God reigns!

Our God reigns!

what i see

Want to see what I see?

I have to warn you, some of it is pretty and some of it is messy and all of it feels like summer.

View 1: from the balcony

It is mighty pretty, isn't it?

View 2: from the entryway

It is mighty messy, isn't it?

Housekeeping has obviously not arrived yet.

Notice that we brought the necessities like Xbox 360 and laptops with us. Even with that beautiful view, we appreciate our electronics!

View 3: from the hallway

I still get a little dizzy looking down to the lobby. We are on the 13th floor. The sign on our door says we are on the 14th floor, but I don't believe them. When you are riding the glass elevator up and your floor is the one immediately after floor 12, it's not hard to do the math. My dorky boys and I make some sort of crack about it every single day. :)

View 4: where we go to take a break from our room

Stunning views of Tumon Bay from those big windows, but we're too busy playing Skip-Bo to notice. Sometimes I spice up our routine by offering a candy prize for the champion of the day.

I'm a wild and crazy mom like that.

Please notice the Japanese tourists taking a picture of their food. They always take pictures of their food, even if the food is ugly. But tourists are a post for another day.

View 5: view of Noah-boah because he makes me happy and willingly complied when I asked if I could shoot him at 1.6.

What is the view like in your neck of the woods?

PS Noah needs a haircut.

Koror, Palau

When David was little, he watched Man with the Golden Gun. James Bond chasing the bad guys in a speedboat, racing through islands of rock. He sat through the credits to see where this spectacular place might be-- Palau!

David fulfilled his childhood dream of visiting these emerald islands and crystal clear water.

And we got to go too! Eeeeeeeeee!!!

{All of these photos were taken with David's Droid phone or with a cheapy underwater camera that we rented (cheap as in quality but not in price. Oi!).}

The water was inky with deep blues and bright turquoise, yet clear to the bottom. I can't even explain how that is possible.

Can you see why they call them the Rock Islands?

So many shades of blue and green...

Our first stop was a cove that the locals call the Milky Way.

We couldn't snorkel here as the water was too cloudy blue to see. David dove down to the bottom and brought up a handful of white limestone mud to smear over our face and body. (Kicking myself for not having a picture of my mud smeared boys!). The mud is supposed to be very good for your skin and is even sold in spas.

It was bluer than the fake blue of a swimming pool!

The Big Drop-off on the southern corner of Palau was our next stop. This vertical reef wall is popular for both snorkeling and diving.

We opted to snorkel. :) I am so proud of my boys! They weren't scared a bit!

The Big Drop-off is as close to diving as you can get with its bright coral and colorful fish. The pictures just don't do it justice! Picture the gray coral down there as vibrant yellow and red.

The water over the top of the wall ranges from 10-20 feet deep. But the side of the wall? The water turns midnight as the depth of the floor drops 1000 feet!

The day just got better and better...

We had lunch and then swam a short distance from shore to snorkel with black tipped SHARKS!

These guys look far away, but they were literally right below us!

The only advice our guide gave us was to not reach our hands out to the sharks. Uhhh... okaaaay, I guess I can resist that urge.

We still can't decide what was the most exciting adventure in Palau.

Was it the brilliant colors of the Big Drop-off?

Swimming with sharks?

OR swimming with these guys?

Oh man, Jellyfish Lake was SO COOL!

I love this shot of Austin holding one in his hand. (Ack, where is Noah? He loved the jellyfish too.)

Don't worry, these guys don't sting!

CLOUDS of them.

They follow the sun through the lake, constantly brushing up against you. The boys showed NO FEAR.

Me? It made me jump as if a big roach had run across my hand! But when the water is that thick with jellyfish, you just can't avoid it.

So I held one in my hand and realized that it wasn't so bad, quite fun actually! They feel like Jello. :)

Even in the rain, Palau was the most beautiful place I have ever been. I kept thinking WOW, when God created the piney woods of East Texas, He also made this place!

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
-Isaiah 40:28

His understanding and ways are so much greater than my ways. And His creativity and imagination render me speechless.

It sounds so cliche but words and pictures could never do justice the breathtaking splendor of Palau. What a gift and blessing to behold it with my own eyes, to etch the landscape into my memory!

chamorro village market (FOOD!)

When this is what you have stashed in your hotel room for the week...

Being greeted by the sight and smell of this brings much happiness!

Goodbye week of $9 burgers and $15 pasta. Hellooo $1 BBQ pork on a stick!!!

It was seriously the BEST food I have had in forever and worth waiting in the rain to catch the Chamorro Village Wednesday Night Market shuttle.

With the rainy weather and crazy large crowd, I didn't get many pictures and didn't hang around for any music or dancing or whatever else they do there. We ate our pork, washed it down with some fresh coconut (milk? water? juice?), and shopped a few vendor tables.

Sweets for the boys.

And sweets for me!

I had never had Cassava Pudding Cake before... coconut, sugar, milk, tapioca (yucca, cassava, too tired to look it up). Interesting texture, eaten at room temperature (at least I did), and only slightly sweet. I'm saving half to have with my coffee for breakfast. :-)

We also ventured out to visit the dentist for Noah's loose crown today. Hooray for finding a pediatric dentist that accepts our dental insurance(!!!) and for no work needing to be done!!! (Is it terrible to have ended the day with cotton candy like we did?)

While I have had more Korean food here than I ever get to eat in Houston, I miss cooking at home.

If you spent two months on an island, what food would YOU miss the most?