Christams in Guam

So I still can't wrap my head around a warm, humid Christmas. Not to mention, Christmas lights on palm trees. All very hard to accept as I drive down the rode with the AC on in the car and sing Christmas carols with the radio! I could get used to this. I don't miss the cold at all but I'm not sure I will believe Christmas actually took place this year without my kids and cold weather. I just may have to join my sister in South Carolina when I get back...Mark get the house packed and call Kathy Kouts, we may have to move to a warmer climate! 

This tree was at Chamaro village on Wednesday night when they have a local "festival", local food, craft booths and a band. The senoirs were having a blast. One gentleman looked 75+ yrs old and he was out on the dance floor doing a line dance. It was cute.

I had some local cuisine and even drank coconut water fresh from the coconut and then the guy cuts it open and scrapes out the meat of the coconut for you...very yummy. It was  fun night.

This is the hotel lobby tree. And Christmas music is playing in the background most of the time. At this very moment "I saw mommy kissing santa clause last night" is playing over the radio. I sure do wish this mommy was kissing my Santa Clause right now! Well that is Christmas in Guam so far. I will let you know what else I do when it gets closer.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Jeff's Pirate Cove-My first adventure out on the Island

Jeff's Pirate Cove is a restaurant out a ways on the West side of the Island (I think). I got lost several times trying to get there and back but I did eventually make it there and back to my Hotel1 My husband is a American history buff so this video is for you...WWII bunker. As the story goes, there was a Japanese man who live in the jungle right outside the area around the restaurant for 30 yrs. He was captured in 1972 and went back to Japan where he died in 1997. Can you imagine living in the jungle for 30 years...I think I would rather shoot myself.  These are just a few of the things I saw there.

The owner found these bottles on the shore during walks...pretty cool.

The shells actually have something living in them.

Like a jelly fish-you don't want to touch them. Forgot the name of them. They pop like a balloon if you step on them..oops!

Uploading a video takes forever, so I am not exactly sure what video I chose. i think it is the video of my hotel room and view. I have been sitting here for over 45 minutes and it is still uploading and I need to go to church. I know people want pictures and I want to share but I need to have my priorities in line so I am going to stop and go to church. I will have to try again when i have at least an hour to sit in the lobby of my hotel. I tried 4 times to upload the video at no success. So I will post this and try again some other day...

It is Sunday morning and I just finished my breakfast tart that was beautiful and delicous. The picture is for Jennifer, she likes to photo her food sometimes, so this ones for you...

I talked to Mark this morning (Sat evening for you guys) and he is stressed. He is doing a great job but the kids bicker a lot and that just raises any persons blood pressure.The kids are happy and I walked my computer around the hotel lobby and showed them what I see, they really enjoyed seeing the water. I wish I could take my computer out there so they could hear the ocean but no internet out there. I will put a video of the ocean but that isn't the same. I still haven't gotten in the ocean but I plan on going to church and then coming back to get in the water today. No luck getting in the water today, rain most of the day...maybe next weekend!

I appreciate all the good thoughts and prayers coming my way, but I am just fine. Mark could really use the prayers, I'll take some too but if you only have time for one, put Mark's name in. He has a super hard job to do alone. Everyone has offered to help but I think he is too proud to ask and he knows everyone else is soo busy with their own lives and stressed.

Well as soon as this video up loads I will be off to church...hope it is soon. I need plenty of time to get there because so far I haven't gotten lost on every journey I have attempted so far!-No video, it failed. But I got to church on time and it was very nice. They had a visiting choir that was really great.

Love and Miss you all!

Navy Hospital Guam

This is my job location. It is a very old Hospital and construction on a new hospital is under way now. I hear they will just knock this down when the new one is up and running. So much for updating, just knock it down. Everyone is super nice but I still don't have anyone to hang out with yet. Everytime I just pause in a hallway, someone asks me if I need help...are they polite or am I just that pathetic looking??!!

My sponsor is super sweet and has come in on her sick leave to orientate me a little each day but she is 9 months pregnant and in lots of pain. I don't expect her to be entertaining me.

Some of you know that one of my goals while I am here is to get back into to some type of better physical health and even drop a few pounds. I have completed one week of duty and I haven't used the elevator one time at work...it is 4 stories and I have been everywhere in that hospital checking into every single department just about. Plus I have done a 30 minute exercise at the hotel the last 4 days before work...great start if I do say so myself. I don't see anychanges yet but I have around 80 more days to make progress.

Well I am off to my hotel room to veg. If only I had some veggies to eat...no refrigerator in my room or microwave. Hard to eat healthy...off to the grocery store tomorrow. Thank goodness it is the weekend.

Pictures of the Westin Hotel-Guam

Everyone wants pictures so I will try to please everyone with a few.  So this is the lovely view from the front of the hotel were you wait for taxis and such. The view from my room isn't this nice but I don't have far to walk for a nice view. Amazingly enough I haven't even been in the water yet except for my toes. Haven't been swimming in the pool or ocean yet. I had to watch a water safety video at the hospital that scared the bajezus out of me...lots of drownings in Guam. I'm sure the hotel beach is safe but I am so tired from jet lag when I get home from work I just don't have any desire to swim. I plan on getting in the water tomorrow since it is Saturday.

 Hotel lobby.

The local Island dancers...nothing under there ladies-don't you wish our husband had moves like that!

Well that is about all the pics you are getting tonight because this is taking forever and I just don't have the patience right now. I am tired and ready to veg in front of the TV.  Plus my in-room safe is broken and I need to wait in the room to have a manager come up and fix it. The trial and tribulations of living in a beach front hotel...  :)

Miss everyone back home!

My first day on the island

I got into the airport at 10:30 pm Sunday and it was all a blur. After 26+ hours of travel I finally made it to Guam. It was pitch black outside and luckily my sponsor and I hooked up at the airport and all I had to do was follow her to the Westin Hotel.

My first observation, Christmas lights on palm trees seems very odd to me! Pretty, but odd. The 2nd oddity is that it is warm outside, yet there is a huge Christmas tree in the lobby of the hospital. I have never had a warm Christmas before in my life!!!! So weird to hear Christmas music on the radio and have the AC running in my car! I just can't get over all that. I may not believe that I will even have Christmas this year.

But onto other things...I was up early the next day to a sunny, yet rainy Island. I predict I will see alot of  rainbows here on Guam because it is always raining and always sunny at someplace on the Island. And, if you do not like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change, that "rain, rain, go away" song really works here! I have already seen one full rainbow and have been told that double rainbows are common also but I haven't seen one yet.

The check in process at the hospital is long and tedious but I am almost done. I saw my first 2 pts today (Thursday). So far, so good. I still don't have a phone or all my computer access but it is what it is. Very weird to go cold turkey without a cell phone. I feel like I'm missing a limb!

Well I best get to work. My lunch break is almost over.

Chicago Airport

Well my first of three legs is complete. The 45 minute puddle jumper to Chicago was a success. We stopped of at the USO at the airport with the kids this morning...they are always so wonderful. Free books for the kids and snacks. Even a banana for me. I get 20 minutes free internet via AMERICAN EXPRESS so I better type fast. I already used 12 minutes skyping my hubby and the kids. It was very cool. He has it on his iphone and the kids were walking around the house with me! I was getting motion sickness but it was cool!

The good-byes were hard at the airport. My oldest son had some tears, causing many others to have tears as well. I know he is going to be just fine but sad to see him cry. The other two could care less...grandma is right around the corner for the youngest and that is all he needs and my daughter is just one tough cookie!

Well my free time is almost over so I better post, everyone knows I won't pay!

Miss you all already but looking forward to the sunshine!