FLASHBACK FRIDAY- as she walked away

In a flash, I'm right back to this moment. This photo was like the 2nd or 3rd week of the schoolyear... the boys were together at a Montessori School and Dani was new to being on her own. Her first time in preschool - Great Bridge Presbyterian Preschool.

She cried every day when I walked her in and walked away. Not surprising to me since all my kids cried on their first day of school... and the 2nd... and the 3rd. What can I say? They just love being around me!



When the school told me to try the car drop off - I was real hesitant. There was no way she would get out of the van... we'd hold the entire line up and cause some drama!

Well, we tried it and she was all smiles in the van. I didn't know what to expect when I opened the van door. I wasn't ready for her to jump out and walk away like such a BIG girl without even looking back.



As she walked away - I got teary and found myself crying! I couldn't believe it! When did she get to be so brave? And why was I crying? Because I'm a mommy, that's why!

I guess the saying is true... it's easier to WALK AWAY then to be LEFT BEHIND. She was in control and my little baby girl found the strength to walk on into her classroom! She knew I'd be back... afterall, school was kinda fun!!



Three hours later I was right back at the school ready to pick her up and always so excited to see her BIG smile as she walked towards me.

DANIELLA when she was 4 years old

I'll have to experience another "walk away" very soon... I've experienced it before - and it's just part of our Navy Culture. To meet new friends and to either walk away or be left behind. It is never fun. EIGHTEEN MORE DAYS and we'll have to say good-bye to some really good friends on the island... or until we meet again...

Morgan's 11th Birthday Party at Hangin' High

Morgan enjoyed celebrating his 11th birthday at Hangin' High with his family & friends. I love that in the few short months that we've been here on Guam - he's made some REALLY good friends. The four from his class that came are all on the HONOR ROLL and in the top of their 5th grade class...

CLASSMATES L to R: Alina, Serena, Camarin, MORGAN & Noah

"Auntie Boni" gives the kids instructions before climbing...

my little hangin' high monkey's... MO & RYAN

Noah . Serena . Matthew climbing

"Auntie Boni" owns and created Hangin' High - We are so glad that we met her at Morgan's orthodontist office! Morgan calls her place, "his 2nd home"

Alina & her mom, Leilani I met Leilani at the commissary when we first arrived on island. Mia was waving to her from the grocery cart and blowing her kisses. As we stood in line to check out we struck up a conversation and discovered that our kids were in the same 5th grade class. Since then we've only seen each other in passing and waved hi & bye to each other from the school car pick up line. Well, I'm so glad that she decided to stay and hang out during Morgan's birthday party because we finally got to talk & get to know each other... and when Dale sat down and talked to her, within the first 10 minutes of their conversation they narrowed it down to the fact that she's related to good friends of his THE ACOB's from San Diego. Seriously, what a small world!!!

Leilani & Dale

Camarin & Alina came to the party together... they kinda look like twins standing there waiting... both are such sweet girls!!! All the kids were! It was such a great mix of kids!

CAMARIN

Camarin climbing, Morgan belaying & Serena cheering her on, "GO CAMARIN, GO!!!"

SERENA

Serena is 1 of 5 kids in her family - and believe it or not - this was her very FIRST Birthday party to attend. Ironically, her mom is cousins with Boni (Hangin' High owner). We were honored to be the party that she came to for her first birthday party!!! Serena's little brother was zonked out on the nap couch with Mia... ha ha!

Mia took a 1 hour nap in the middle of the party... EVEN Daddy DALE snoozed for a bit! (see collage pics below)

Serena was a great first time climber... Morgan was so happy to belay his friends and introduce them to his favorite sport - ROCK CLIMBING!

Noah with his mom & siblings...

Noah is one of Morgan's best friends at school - and I'm so glad that they were able to just hang out for the afternoon and have fun!

Pastor Nanbu with his boys - Matthew & Michael

Pastor Nanbu is the pastor at the Ypao-Ordot Seventh-Day Adventist Church... and the boys always have a GREAT time whenever they're together! We're so glad that they were able to come and "HANG HIGH" with us!

L to R: MORGAN, Michael, Ryan & Matthew

the McMONIGLE family...

L to R: Tracey, Justin, Cynthia & Alexi

Justin & Lexi join us on Wednesdays & Fridays for KIDZ CLUB at Hangin' High... so it was so nice to have them help belay some of the other kids at the party, too! Our kids call each other "cousins" and have chosen to be "related" - since we're like family. We share our duplex house with them so I guess you can technically say - we live under one roof! They are leaving this summer and I know it will be a sad sad day for our kids when they have to say goodbye!!!

Group photo of the kids right before digging into PIZZA for lunch!

COOKIE CAKE TIME

* we were happy to have Logan join the party...

Chris, Ryland & Amy We're so glad that the Morrison boys (and their fearless leader - AMY) came to celebrate with us... the countdown has already begun and they will be leaving Guam in less than 30 days. We have been so incredibly blessed to have their friendship! It will definitely be a SAD SAD day when we all have to say goodbye to them!!! But only until next time... because this is truly one of those lifelong friendships made!!!

RYLAND & MIA harnessed and ready to go

As you can see Mia just LOVES her guy - RY (she asks to see him EVERY DAY!)

... below is just a little collage of Mia at the party... she comes to Hangin' High with us 2 - 3 times a week and is always so patient to watch and cheer everyone on! At the party she actually got a chance to get harnessed and fly up and down the zipline... see the video below (thanks AMY for taking it!)

MIA ZIPPING on the ZIPLINE - and LOVES LOVES LOVES it!

Mia loved ziplining so much... she asked to go again! Amy called her, "Little Miss Fearless" - hmmm, I'll have to agree on that! I have to admit... I did get a little nervous watching my baby girl fly so high up in the air!!!

the Grog & the Carabao @ the Dining Out

We attended a DINING OUT for the Naval Hospital last night... a formal event with a lot of silliness and "roasting" within the hospital. It's an event to bring everyone together in a formal setting (in what you wear) but in a very silly and fun way. Dale was actually selected to be Mister Vice, which was basically the emcee for the night. As you can imagine, he was in his element! At one point he even broke out in song... a twist of the song, "Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music. Now that we've been on island for more than 8 months - we've met some incredibly GREAT people, which made for a more enjoyable event


Arriving early... hmmm... imagine that! This is one event you do not want to be late - since it would mean being sent to the GROG or to be "charged" a fine!


If anyone wanted to speak... they needed to ask permission from Mister Vice BEFORE addressing Mister President.


Parading of the BEEF... is one of the crazy traditions during a DINING OUT. You can only imagine the laughter and the noise when out walked a real Carabao (LUCY - apparently, a local & favorite Carabao) was greeted with a loud applause... which of course caused this to happen....

From a distance all I saw was the tail go up... and I knew what was to follow (Poor Lucy!) So glad I wasn't sitting at that table... although it didn't matter because the foul aroma oozed on over to our table!


Once OUT - the two guys in suits did "rock, paper sissors" to see who had to clean up the mess! What a crappy job! Literally!!!!


...the reaction of everyone was too funny!


THE GROG - a concoction of anything and everything mixed together to create a ALCOHOLIC & a non-Alcoholic drink... and since this is the Naval Hospital Dining Out... they created the GROG with things you'd find in a hospital!!!! *Are you getting the idea that this is a fun event?!*


getting ready to drink THE GROG!


TOASTING...








Between the three of us... we have 12 kids. On Memorial Weekend - the RaMcCanson Family of 18 will be hangin' in Saipan for some R&R and a little "get-away".


... a little dancing to burn off those extra calories!

A great night with friends!!!