Mainland USA... first stop CALI

2nd Cousins - Ramirez & Savala Crew

Coming back to the mainland for the summer, after living on Guam for 2 years has been a nice change of pace.  It's eye-opening to see how much there is here.  The conveniences.  The options.  It's a bit overwhelming!   I'm sure I will enjoy coming back to the mainland... but I know there are parts of Guam that I will miss terribly.  So glad that we still have a little over a year left to enjoy the slower island life of GUAM.  It has been a wonderful tour so far... except having to spend most of final year without daddy (Dale) with us.

Mia w/ Chloe

We stopped in California first and adjusted slowly back to the time zone.  It was so nice to spend time with family.  My cousin, Gladys picked us up from the airport and we were plesantly surprised with the cooler temps California was having.  We had to put on sweaters... ahhh a nice change from hot GUAM! Our kids got re-acquainted and enjoyed each others company.  Mia especially enjoyed their new dog - Chloe.  Such a cutie pie!!

-with my beautiful niece Cassandra

Driving on the freeways in California was a big adjustment for me.  On Guam the speed limit is basically 35 mph... and a few stretches of 45 mph.  So you can only imagine me trying to follow my cousin in California... speeding down the freeways at 75 plus miles per hour!  I had to self-motivate myself that "I can do this... I can do this..." as my niece, Cassandra laughed at me as she sat in the passengers seat.   I'm usually a fast driver... but that proved to be too much too soon!  Especially not knowing where I was going and everyone driving much faster... and how very crowded it was on the road.

Our first day in California was a marathon.  After traveling approximately 15 hours... we arrived in the west coast at 5am... took a mini nap and then saw the LION KING, the musical show that night.  It was amazing!  The music, the costumes... too bad at one point I found myself fighting to stay awake!  But what I did see was incredible!  Mia is still talking about it!

While here on the mainland... Daniella requests Olive Garden as often as possible... Ryan was craving Chik-fil-a and Morgan, at the stage that he's in, will eat anything and a lot of it!  Mia just goes with the flow.  The one thing she STOPPED drinking a lot of was milk. This is around the same time Dani stopped liking white milk.  Mia used to drink it all the time.   I guess this is a good thing... since water is easier to have when traveling!

Ahh yes, the ease of traveling now that the kids are older.  No more diapers.  Kids are grown and able to help.  Even when our seats were scattered throughout the plane... the kids did fantastic!  Thankfully, kind strangers moved so Mia & Dani could sit next to me.  Can you imagine NOT moving for a child?

 

HERE'S the MAIN reason we made our stop in California... it was to meet the newest members of the family... the TWINS!!!  Kaia & Noah!   And of course their big sister - Arielle!  Only 3 1/2 months old... I just couldn't wait to see them and hold them!  What good little babies they are too!  Already on a schedule and growing like weeds!

 

These are Dale's younger sister, Evelyn & Jake's kids.  So these are the ONLY 1st cousins for our kids.  What a special time to be able to get together and let our kids hang out and reconnect.  We're excited that by next year, we'll be closer to them and able to spend more time together since we're "penciled" in to move to San Diego, CA by September 2011.  Nine years on the east coast... and overseas twice (Italy & now Guam) it will be nice to connect with the west coast side friends and family!

Thanks Jake & Evelyn for letting us invade your home and hang out for 3 days.  Look how quickly you're catching up to us in numbers!!!  :-)  Do you dare have another to make it four?!

Joshua 1:9

We started a new blog called, STRONG and COURAGEOUS.  It's basically another chapter, if you will, of this blog... just one that the kids and Dale can update from time to time.  Letters to Daddy and basically our LIFE while daddy is gone.  The new blog started on July 11 - the day Daddy Dale left for his training before his 8 month deployment to Kuwait.  The blog title is from Daniella's favorite bible verse found in Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your GOD will be with you wherever you go."


http://www.everyday-joshua1nine.blogspot.com/

It's the beginning of our countdown for Dale's return to Guam.  Life without my hubby and without the kids daddy is just not normal!  We miss him a lot!  But we also support his decision to be where he is.  We pray that he will be a light to all that he comes in contact with... and that his talents will be used wisely!  We know that GOD has great things in store for him there... and that this time apart will pass quickly.  Skype will be our BEST way of communication while he is in Kuwait for the next 8 months.      He's currently training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California and we are currently hanging out in Florida, enjoying time with my parents and all the conveniences the mainland has to offer especially after island living for the last 2 years.  March 2011 is his approximate arrival back to us.  Daniella is hoping it will be before her 10th birthday on March 14th.

I'll make some updates of our summer on this blog soon!  It's been way too long!  So much has happened since finding out about Dale's deployment!

When one door closes...

"When one door closes; another opens... but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."  - by Alexander Bell

What doors are closing on you today?  What doors are opening up for you today?   Where are you standing... are you staring at that closed door feeling sad for that lost opportunity?  Or do you surround yourself with people who will help you open the next door for you?

... it all adds up!

Math, it's everywhere.  I'm currently in the midst of it on a daily basis.   Quizzing and testing my kids their math facts... multiplications... division.  Teaching short cuts and fast tips... but reminding them that there are some things they just have to know and memorize.  I'm sure there are times it drives them crazy - but they'll thank me later... that's what I tell myself anyway!

Well, we've known for 6 days now and I've only shared the news with a handful of family & friends... because that's how I deal with things when LIFE throws me a curve ball (again, math!).  When I say things out loud... it becomes a reality.  So far I've been okay and at peace... until tonight.   ... until my girl did the calculations in her head.  

When she heard, "Daddy will be home when you turn 10"... all she could say was... "but I'm not even 9 yet!"  (she will be in a few days 3.14)  That's when it hit her... and she quietly retreated to her room.  Only to come back out 5 minutes later to hug me with tears in her eyes!   That's when it hit me... and that's when I cried.  Not for me.... but for my sweet girl who absolutely adores her daddy!

The countdown to Kuwait begins...  JULY 2010 - MARCH 2011

Mom & Dad Ramirez

We had a surprise visit from Mom & Dad Ramirez!  Although too short... we were so happy to have them visit us on Guam!  The girls enjoyed painting with LOLA and embellishing their jeans with hand painted flowers... and the boys had fun playing basketball with LOLO.  Just being TOGETHER, sharing stories, eating dinner & laughing was the highlight of it all!  We hope they can stay longer next time!