Before I left, it wasn’t easy.  There were moments when I would be so overcome with panic and guilt.  For the weeks leading up to the trip, we emphasized to the boys that I would be spending “girl time” and they would be spending “boy time”.  They were excited about that.  But of course there were times when Manu and Micah thought it’d be a better idea for all of us to just stay together.  I had compiled a list of things I felt I needed to do before I left with hopes that the boys would have just as much fun as I would.  I typed up and printed off a food menu and an activities’ sheet for the boys that I stuck on the fridge.  I enrolled the kids in an indoor play area where Israel could take them during the day and I listed all of the kid-friendly events from the public library.  The weeks leading up to my trip, I bought little things for the boys which I individually wrapped.  I bought a toy mailbox and I asked Israel to put a little gift and one of the cards that I pre-wrote in it each morning on the days they were at home without me.  The cards, written by faith, usually stated that I was having a blast in Guam and hoping they were too.  For Ty, I made videos of myself and asked Israel to show them to him every morning and evening.  I packed a Valentine party bag that was to be opened and used to celebrate on Valentine’s Day complete with Valentine cards for everyone, treats, and more gifts.  I scheduled animated e-cards to be sent out to them every so often during my absence.  Israel’s birthday gifts from me were ordered online and scheduled to arrive by the time they drove back home from Detroit.  And before I left, I had Israel take a picture of me with each of the boys and had him post them as a private album on Facebook where I could dialogue with each of them via the comments.  The house was stocked with their favorite foods and rearranged to be Ty-friendly.  It was in perfect order before I left. 

This sounds extreme.  But perhaps it helps to know that I did this more for myself.  I knew the boys would be fine with Israel.  Yet somehow this whole process helped me feel more at ease.  It helped prepare me to go and enjoy myself.  When I left, the boys were ready to see me off (with the help of some parting gifts), Israel was ready to see me off, and I was ready to go.  I had literally completed everything on my things-to-do list and there was nothing else that could be done in my mind to ensure the boys wouldn’t miss me so much, save cancel the trip itself.  I left feeling free and with a sense of peace.

And that was the longest and quietest plane ride I had been on in a looooooong time.  Wow.

When my sister and I get together, magic happens.  We are all about being active and making the most efficient use of our time.  No wasting away days being lazy.  In the 2 short weeks we had together, we checked off nearly everything we planned to do.  I must say, that out of all of the places that I’ve visited (including Spain, Cancun, and Grand Cayman), Guam has some breath-taking scenary.  It goes head to head with French Polynesia (where we went on our honeymoon), but I think some spots on Guam are even more beautiful.  Not the best sand or the best ocean life, but the overall visual beauty itself is really indescribable.  Because of the coral, the water is a thousand different shades of blue.  There are gentle waves crashing nearly a mile in from the shore which you could walk to (if you’re wearing reef shoes, that is).  It is a clean island and the people are so incredibly friendly and kind.  I had never heard of Chamorros, but I’m so glad I was able to meet some of them.  Guam would have been a totally different place if I wasn’t immersed into the local culture and spent time with those who live there.

So, here’s the crazy list of everything we saw & did:

Famous Places/Landmarks:
– Ritidian Beach
– Mt. LamLam (the tallest mountain in the world – yes, from its submerged base it beats Everest)
– Ipao Beach
– Hiked 1,000 Steps
– Talafofo Falls/Yokoi’s Cave
– Two Lovers’ Point
– Governor’s House & Huge Latte Stone
– War in the Pacific Memorial (Nimitz Hill)
– Adventist World Radio – Guam
– Guam Mission Office (were Louis Torres now works)
– SDA Clinic

Water Activities:
– Snorkeling
– Banana Boating
– Swimming
– Sun-bathing
– Parasailing
– Scuba Diving & Padi Certification Course

Restaurants/Cafes:
– Top ‘O’ the Mar
– Infusion Cafe
– Simply Foods
– VIP Chinese
– Mariana’s Trench Thai
– Taco Bell (our go-to meal after dives 🙂

Tourist Attractions:
– A day at ABC : Alupang Beach Club which is THE BEST on island and Adventist owned!
– Fish Eye Observatory
– 2 Boat Trips (saw wild spinner dolphins & flying fish!)
– Downtown Tumon
– Rented scooters for 24 hours and rode around island
– Skydive Guam!
– Hilton Fireshow
– Sunset Cruise on board the Margarita

Churches Visited:
– Guam Korean Church (whose building was the first Adventist church on island)
– Northern Guam Church (where we played special music)

Other Fun Memories:
– Playing night tennis at the Agana courts
– Planning and having a blast at the Ghetto Valentine’s/Surprise Birthday Party
– Joy-riding on scooters in the middle of the night
– Bumming Internet off of Outrigger Hotel and Port of Mocha
– Playing with my sister’s adorable kittens Remi & Rex
– Watching people ride the Sling Shot
– GAA’s Free Health Screening & Science Fair (where my sister was asked to consult & judge)
– Shopping trips to K-mart
– Padi E-Learning all-nighter
– Spotting carabao around the island
– Hair Salon & Pedicures
– Coming with 100+lbs of luggage and leaving with ~30lbs
– Meeting and hanging out with all of my sister’s cool friends

When I came home, I was ecstatic that my boys were so happy and excited to see me. Ty was a little shy at first, but eventually, his little grin turned into a great big smile, he said “mama”, and stretched his arms out to me. It was a precious reunion. When I asked Israel how things went at home, he said, “I don’t know if we were productive, I don’t know if I did a good job, but we had lots of fun.” And that was enough for me.

It was an incredible trip that I will never forget it! I’m so thankful for this opportunity to find myself again. It was even better that when it was time to leave Guam, I was able to come home to my sweet boys and my hero.