May 24-30, 2011-Weekend Blogging Warrior

     It would appear that my forced “break” from blogging has thrown me off, and I can only seem to find time to blog on the weekends now.  Life has been so hectic since I last wrote.  My days have consisted of work, taking care of the boys (who are not so motivated at school the last couple of weeks, and so they require extra following up on with homework, reminders and preparation for school events, etc…) putting on the last interactive parent workshop of the school year, helping with preparation for the preschool graduation, going through my own piles of papers and stuff in my house that I haven’t had time to take care of, and finally, actually dusting and cleaning my house and catching up on laundry that has grown from a mountain into a mole hill! The high school graduation is coming up at the end of next week, and with the holiday this weekend, there’s only 7 and ½ days of school left before the summer.  It will be nice to slow down for a couple of months. I haven’t even had a chance to look at the wedding website or think much about plans for next summer, and I’m sure it will be here before we know it.  Hopefully, the summer months will be full of taking care of details for our big day as well as plenty of scuba diving, relaxing at the beach, and camping on Roi.  If we can accomplish those few things, it will be an awesome 10 weeks off from all the business of the upcoming school year. Maybe I’ll even be able to go back to blogging more than once a week! J    

May 23, 2011- Trekking Through the Jungle

     This morning, the archaeologist on island was generous enough to rent an electric cart and offer to tour Roi residents and visitors around to “discover” the newest finds from the past, previously covered over with vines and zipper spiders in the jungles of the atoll.  It seems there are some investors interested in finding a building site for another radar, and in their efforts to survey the site for tracking more space junk in the future, they also found some interesting WWII “junk” from the past, which just goes to show that you can never totally forget or move away from the events of years gone by, because these times shape our lives and often determine where we are going later on.

    At any rate, the archaeologist knew most of the ruins in the jungle were there from old Aeriel photos of the place, but she had never had the opportunity to “hack” through to them before now, so it was quite exciting for her.  She is still in the process of identifying some of the ruins and others are sacred to the native peoples, and so we were not allowed to see those until the locals have had a chance to identify them and decide what’s to be done.  Although, from what she could tell us, we saw some generators from an old Japanese power plant in the middle of a crater deep in the jungle which history tells us was blown up during the war in an explosion that rivaled the nuclear explosions at Operation Crossroads in terms of its widespread blast.  We also saw another ruin, which we all made creative guesses at for now, but which was definitely Japanese because of the materials used and how it was made and also because of the bullet holes in the concrete of the structure from the American attack on the island. 

     The most interesting ruin for me was only a foundation of a Navy chapel (as the Navy occupied the island first after the war, then it was turned over to the Army in the mid sixties and has remained with that military branch ever since).  The cool thing about the old chapel is its shape, like a cross. I would love to have seen this or any of the structures on the atoll in their former glory.  Whenever doing one of these tours, I wish I could transport myself back, becoming a gecko on a tree, to witness what life was like here before, during, and after the war.  At times, it seems there’s not much mystery in life now a days, what with the media and technology recording every aspect of life in this generation, but back then, and especially during a war when secrets abound because you don’t want the “enemy” to know what you are up to, there’s nothing to reveal the day to day life of an island. There were no video cameras to record it and very few photos to show the every day life of the locals before the war and of course, nothing that I’m aware of to show the Japanese presence on the islands except for the rapidly deteriorating buildings from their former rule and the far away photos from the sky taken by American military planes as they cruised over the atolls. 

     I suppose there are some things we’ll never know entirely.  We may get the big picture, but not have the privilege of knowing the small details every time, and that’s okay. It gives life that element of mystery that is hard to come by today and continues to make learning a life long pursuit. There may not be many unexplored and uninhabited lands anymore, like in the days of Columbus, but there are always new concepts and mysteries of life (past, present, and future) to explore. I’m glad I have retained my curiosity as an adult.  I used to ask a lot of questions as a child, and my boys ask a lot of questions of me now, and I don’t always have the answer, so it keeps my curiosity alive and kicking as we research the answers together.  Trekking through the jungle and asking questions of the experts provides me that same sense of childlike excitement from learning something new, something I have yet to learn in my short 36 years on this Earth, and that’s part of the reason I choose to be an educator. I love to ask and find answers to questions, and this way, I get to do that for children, other teachers, and myself every day as part of my job. I get paid to learn and impart learning. What better grown up career could a former curious little girl have! A teacher I have become, but first and foremost a curious young student I will always be.   

May 22, 2011- Back in the "Shark Tank," literally and figuratively!

     It’s just another Sunday where we are privileged enough to show off the magnificent underwater world of Roi-Namur to residents of Kwajalein. My back door neighbors had an opportunity to come up without their children this weekend, and they wanted to dive the famous airplane graveyard and also hopefully see some sharks.  Well, we were able to do both, and it turned out to be a nice morning in the water and the shark tank of the atoll called the Pacific Ocean.  As soon as we returned, however, the rain started and really didn’t stop for the rest of the afternoon and evening, so we stayed in, watched a movie, and relaxed until bedtime.  We have to be ready to root for our team first thing in the morning as the Canucks are playing the Sharks in their California "Shark Tank" of an ice rink for game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at 7 am our time! Go, Canucks, Go! J We hope you don't see too many sharks in your zone in the morning!

May 19-21, 2011-Making Lemonade!

     All I have been able to think about, besides trying to stay caught up at work, take care of my youngest son’s foot, which got infected after closing a door on his big toe over a week ago, and getting ready for the end of the school year with all the thank you luncheons, last soccer games of the season, and final days of homework and studying for end of the year tests and assessments, is going to Roi to see my honey and dive this weekend. I can’t wait for summer, even though the weather is summerish all year, the lifestyle throughout the year is just as busy as a normal school year anywhere in the world.  The island of Roi is slower and reminds me of summertime on Kwaj though because there are no families and thus very few commitments to sports games, birthday parties, dance classes, etc…to attend when there, so it’s my “summer in the middle of winter” place to go and relax, away from the busyness of Kwajalein. The fact that my fiancé is a resident there and spoils me by cooking, washing dishes, taking me diving, etc….when I am at his place doesn’t hurt either. J  I am still a very lucky girl to have him and to have the privilege to be a sudo Roi rat and enjoy life on both islands more than most ever residents of either island have the opportunity to do so during their time on the atoll.   At any rate, it’s been a while since I’ve been to Roi, so I have been very excited to get there all week.
     Every time I step foot onto Roi-Namur, there’ s a nostalgia that instantly washes over me.  This island was my safe place for so long. It was the one spot that was just for me and the boys, so to speak, away from the painful memories of my life on Kwajalein over the years, away from all the things that reminded me daily of the fact that I couldn’t be with my babies as much as I wanted, and that I couldn’t provide a home for them because of the restrictions of my previous contract job.  Here, I had a place for them every weekend that I had them fully and completely to myself. I had a “normal” family life to provide them with planned fun activities, two “parents” to love and guide them, and I had total uninterrupted quality time with them for at least 2 days in a row and sometimes more when it was a long weekend or a break time from school. 

     Now, I have what was just a dream for me for so long, a home they can reside with me in, and more times than not, they are up to have breakfast with us, then out the door to play with friends. We have to let them know when we want to hang out with them and play games or cook together, so they are aware not to plan anything else ahead of time, but that’s part of them growing up.  They were younger during our “Roi Days,” and even though it was not an ideal situation at the time, we made lemonade out of the lemons life had dealt us, and I miss our times here.

     Even though it is just me this time, I am still happy to be here, simply because I miss it so much.  I’m already planning a trip for over the summer where we can all go camping and hang out like we used to on Roi.  Hopefully, they will appreciate their times here with us this summer even more since they rarely make it to the island during the school year anymore.  There’s just too much going on. Summers on Kwajalein are quiet. Most people go for a month or more to the states to be with family, so many of the boys’ friends will be gone, and there will be no sports, boy scouts, or any of the other variety of events that take up their time during the school year, so a Roi trip for the whole family is definitely in order. 

May 18, 2011- 20/200

     My son's eye surgeon (the one who removed the offending congenital cataract back in mid March) told us that he would be happy if "his patient" reached "large print" reading or 20/200 vision in the weak eye, but that it is much more likely he would never get any sight back in that eye since he had been living with the cataract for so long.  Well, today we had an appointment with the doctor to look at my son's toe (which had been caught in a door and become infected), and out of curiosity, we asked him if he would attempt to read the eye chart as he does seem to already be reading out of that eye since returning from the trip stateside. At first, he didn't want to, but finally agreed.  He read the first big "E," then the next 3 letters on the second line with me covering his strong eye really well to make sure he was not tempted to look through his fingers or something like that.  The third line was turning black according to my baby, even when he moved up close, so no reading could be done on that one, but the 2 lines that were read are interpreted on the chart as 20/200! Ha! I love filling up the pessimistic (just giving you the worse case scenario) glass of the "expert," and I can't wait to see what the doc says at his appointment this summer.  If he gets no more than 20/200, it was totally worth every minute of work, travel, and "pennies" to reach this new "milestone" for my son today!

May 10-17, 2011-Back Online Again!

     The eight days covered by this post are a blur to me now....snippets in time I will never get back or even remember specifically since I have no written words or pictures from those days to "capture" them in time, even in the most mundane of ways.  I could have written about them anyway in a Word document or I could have written in one of my many "pen and paper" journals stuffed in my bedside table drawers with just one quarter or one half of the pages full, but I didn't. I recognize now my dependence on technology, on being able to "hook up" and write my blog and complete my every day job, research, vacation planning, banking, saving/investing, and shopping occasionally.  It was like, "well, I'm off-line, so I can't do my blog." I honestly didn't even think about keeping up with it by writing each night in Word, then saving it to post all at once when I had a chance....maybe subconsciously I needed an excuse to take a break or maybe work and life got so busy and overwhelming that the blog fell to the way side (which is the most likely and plausible schedule), but whatever the reason, the important part is that I am back online again, looking forward to sharing life with you all once more!

May 7-9, 2011-Now, that's my kind of weekend!

     Mother's Day, my fiance's birthday, my best friend's absolutely fabulous Greek Pizza recipe, touring a Coast Guard ship, hanging out at the beach and cooking out with my boys and my friends, and doing two amazing dives, one on a WWII era sea plane and one on a WWII German cruiser, put all these things together and what do you have? You have my favorite kind of weekend where every experience is one to treasure for a lifetime! I wanted for my fiance's birthday to be more than special this year because in years past I haven't been able to do much due to lack of funds and traveling that we were doing at the time or lack of boating and navigating skills to take him out diving or bake a cake due to my lack of a stove in my BQ, etc..., so this year HAD to be different, better, especially considering that MY birthday in February entailed receiving 2 rings, becoming engaged, and going to a National Hockey League game to watch the Vancouver Canucks play in VANCOUVER on my actual birthday! I knew I could never top that, and I certainly wasn't trying to, but I did want to plan and at least partially cook a meal for him for once (now that I have a house and stove to cook in), plan and take him on a really cool dive for once (now that I have resources down here to graciously assist me with that), bake a cake, sing happy birthday, and blow the candles out with him, and I was able to arrange all of these things with the help of a few friends and my boys! It certainly didn't hurt that it so happened to be Mother's Day on his birthday this year too, so my fiance made me feel that all the fun plans were for me too while we celebrated his big day. What a sweetheart! :)
     It's been years since I've dove on Kwajalein. Since entering the scuba diving world again a couple of years ago, I have been diving exclusively on Roi, so I can't thank our diving host enough for two of the most amazing dives I've ever been on.  One was on what's called a PBM Mariner, which was a patrol bomber "flying boat" used in WWII and dumped like so many planes after the war in the Pacific Ocean when it was no longer needed. It's a massive plane fairly in tact still as it sits silently on the bottom of the ocean. It's a sea plane, and I believe the first I've seen underwater with the floats underneath the wing for the "splash down" landing they were designed for.  As we descended upon the top of the plane, a lion fish bowed up on my darling dive buddy, showing his barbarous, beautiful, poisonous fins. Leaving him to his solitary place at the head of the plane, we cruised around the back and sides for the short time we had on this deeper dive.  It was quite a sight to see, and there's nothing really to describe it.  I simple can't wait to dive it again!
     The second dive was on the Prinz Eugen, a German Admiral Hipper-Class Heavy cruiser used during WWII and which sank after surviving 2 nuclear bombs during Operation Crossroads (the nuclear bomb testing in Bikini atoll) in 1946. According to wikipedia.com, "She survived the Able and Baker tests (July 1946), but was too radioactive to have leaks repaired. In September 1946, she was towed to Kwajalein Atoll and capsized on 22 December 1946 over Enubuj reef, where she remains to this day." One of the propellers sticks up out of the water, and I have seen it many times on boat rides and sails through the lagoon. I have even snorkeled around it, but never dove it in my almost 15 years on island, and I never knew what I was missing beneath the surface until now. It just goes to show that you can never really know a book by it's cover or a boat by it's propeller, so to speak, until you've have a chance to see inside it or at least view the "big picture" underneath the water.  Amazing weekend! Couldn't ask for anything better...

May 5th and 6th, 2011-World Events

     If you've been following my blog at all, you'll be sure to notice that I am not writing nor posting this one on May 5th or 6th, but I am still going to write about where my head was at on those days because I did have the foresight to at least put my title in on May 6th, fulling intending to complete the actual writing of the body of the blog later in the day. Needless to say, work, life, computer troubles, and world events have taken me away from the blog and finally and completely broken my "every day writing dedication," at least for the last couple of weeks anyway.  Oh well, I'm proud to have been able to keep it up and write something every day for 9 plus months before breaking the daily writing cycle! That's more than I've ever been able to dedicate and come through for myself in terms of keeping up my personal journaling consistently.  Anyway, back to the subject of this blog...
     When I wrote this title, I had just received an e-mail from my mom, detailing the absolute devastation Alabama was and is still experiencing from the recent rash of tornadoes that ripped the countryside and many people's homes to shreds there.  Also, at the time, the news was full of information exclusively dedicated to practically only one subject, the death of a much hunted for terrorist, who I choose not to name because he's been given too much attention that he doesn't deserve from any of us already.  I know God loves all his creation, but sometimes we make ourselves very hard to love by choosing to commit unspeakable acts of murder and crime that most human beings have a very hard time forgiving each other of or maybe we forgive, but we never forget, so that leads to more death and war when avenging what was done to us.  I don't necessarily disagree with our tactics to take care of a threat to our freedom, to our country, to who could have easily been my friends and family murdered in cold blood, and especially in the name of a God who is so different from the One I know with all my heart and soul. I don't disagree, but I hate to see problems solved with violent means and in ways that lead to more potential violence, but that's something I guess I need to give over to God because it is a much bigger problem than I am equipped to handle or solve.
     So after reading my mom's e-mail and grieving for those struggling to rebuild their lives in the wake of nature's disaster area and turning on the TV to see nothing but more threats coming out from other terrorists to avenge the death of their leader, I honestly didn't know what to write that would make a difference to anyone.  The world is in trouble, in so many ways, so it seemed somehow insignificant and selfish to spend time or rather waste it, some might say, writing about my everyday "problems" like not being able to hook up to the Internet. Somehow, the blog didn't seem so important to me anymore.  But, as life tends to do, it's continued on in the wake of all the chaos, and my blog still sits, unattended to, so it's time to get back to business.  I can't stop living because of the horrible turn of events that's taken place over the last few weeks. I can be thankful that God has blessed me so much and keep praying that he will give me strength in times of trouble as no one escapes tragedy entirely in life. I can continue to find ways to give back to the world, to help those in need, to pray for those in turmoil and grief, so that's what I'll do. I hope all is well where you are and with your family. Enjoy life as much as you can, take joy in the little things, and remember that there's always someone somewhere in the world whose life is in chaos, and so much worse than your own, and they need our prayers and whatever else we can do to help, even if it's only in some very small way...
    

May 4, 2011-Movie Night for Mom!

    Sometimes we moms just need an evening alone to veg out with a movie or two.  That's what Wednesday on the atoll was for me.  After a long day at work (every day seems long lately as I am just in a little bit of a slump motivation wise), I knew I needed to prioritize and clean the house, but all I could think about was going to the store, picking up a couple of movies that I know my fiance would NOT be interested in watching with me (or the kids for that matter) and laying on the couch all night. So, that's what I did, and I have no problem admitting my laziness.  We all go through slumps. That's where I'm at right now. No motivation to write creatively for the blog, no motivation to clean the house, no motivation at work (just going through the motions and doing what I have to do to continue to get the job done, but not with my usual gusto), and no motivation to change my level of motivation leads to a lesser me, but I know it is just a temporary state I go through once or twice a year. At least I've been able to keep up with doing my yoga 5 days a week! It's been a crazy year so far, but what year doesn't turn out to be crazy in one way or another. Life is never predictable. We just have to learn how to roll with it, up's, down's and wherever it takes us. 

May 3, 2011- Dial-Up Woes...

     Well, my recent foray into the world of laptop computers and new technology such as enjoying wireless, high speed internet has backfired on me now that I have returned to the island of dial-up.  You may remember that I mentioned my old laptop computer dying on me before I left for the states last month, so I purchased a new one, my first Apple, and while at my parent's house, I got more than used to getting up in the mornings, taking my computer downstairs with me and hooking up from the breakfast table or checking e-mails from my mom's easy chair in the evening before heading to bed.  While traveling, I could hook up in the airport or from the hotel room without a single wire and without having to go down to the lobby and use the "business center" or wait for the dial-up noise pattern I can hear in my head as I write. I have finally become spoiled by the latest technological advances that I haven't been privy to all these years on the atoll. The funny thing is that I was always the first one to say, "Having dial-up is no big deal. You get used to it, and you can still do all the things you would anywhere else. It just requires a little more patience."  After all, I couldn't have completed my bachelor's degree out here without a few online courses, and I would never have gotten my Master's degree at all without the "dial-up" system that allowed me to complete the entire degree online.  And that was back in the late 1990's to early 2000's, but now it's a decade later, and what do we still have, dial-up. 
     Finally, at least for me, it is getting frustrating because when I want to upgrade and purchase a new computer, I also have to purchase a modem for the dial-up, which was something I didn't even think about while enjoying the wi-fi at my parent's house. Bottom line, I am having to spend extra time at work to catch up on my blog and other personal computing needs because I can no longer hook up from home without an external modem.  My finace was kind enough to help me out by ordering what I needed, but that was only a couple of days ago, so now it's another waiting game, waiting for the mail to arrive, so I can go back to dial-up.  Never thought I'd be so excited to be able to connect to the internet through my phone line again.  At any rate, that's why you have only been hearing from me every few days.  The dial-up has gotten the better of me.  :)  Oh well, that's one of the few disadvantages (or some might consider it an advantage...depending on how you view America's growing "need" for technology to take care of even the most simple tasks) of living on an atoll. 

May 2, 2011-4-H Highlights and Marshallese Melodies...

     The highlight of Monday was our end of the year 4-H picnic and recognition ceremony.  We invited our Ebeye friends to join us and met down at the beach for an early evening of fun in the sun and some picnic foods to wrap up our successful year of activities and events.  After eating and presenting the participants and adult volunteers with certificates, ribbons, and prizes, we enjoyed some Marshallese melodies from our Ebeye Citizenship Group.  In the Marshall Islands, the way to say "Komol" (Thank you) is with a song or two.  They almost always sing acapella, in Marshallese, and with lots of range and smiles.  Over the years and my work in the islands, I've been honored to be a part of this tradition several times, and I never tire of it.  It is always a special part of the end of any event, class, celebration, etc...and their melodies will forever remain in my heart, even after my years in the island have come to a close.  The 4-H Ebeye Citizenship club has also become a special part of my last few years here.  I keep saying that next year maybe we'll take a break from it, but I can never give it up.  Our annual picnic to Nene, campus clean-up, reading night, Kwaj island tour, and so many other events over the years which we have so graciously been asked to be a part of on Ebeye have become an essential part of making my quality of life here even better. I can't imagine not having a relationship with the host nation here, and frankly, I feel sorry for those who have never taken the time to learn more about the Marshallese culture or visit Ebeye, Third Island, or an outer island, especially since it is not a hard thing to do.  You simply hop on a boat or ask a Marshallese co-worker to show you around sometime.  They are usually very honored and pleased to allow you into their lives and share their culture with you.  They are so generous, kind, and appreciative.  These are traits that appear to come naturally to them, and there's much we as Americans can learn from their way of life.  It's all about family and taking care of each other, about enjoying life, and finding contentment in the circumstances life has placed you in, and who cannot appreciate that or gain understanding from being a part of that type of culture.  Of course, their way of life is not perfect, and not everyone is so good to each other all the time, but for the most part, I've had nothing but very positive and enlightening interactions from my time with the Marshallese, and my life here would be so much less full, exciting, and plain without the color, wisdom, and insight I have gained from being invited into their hearts and lives, and I can only hope I have provided them with some sort of service as well...I guess that's what the 4-H club is for me, my service to them, my thank you for all they have done for me and my family.  The hightlight of 4-H for me is the Marshallese Melodies that bring me so much joy and remind me of how much reaching out of your comfort zone and giving of your time and energy to serve others freely brings back to you personally, making life rich in ways that money, power, and fame never could. 

May 1, 2011-Ballroom Dancing and High School Stage Band Delights!

     Tonight, my fiance and I attended the 23rd annual Ballroom Dinner Dance event put on by the high school stage band, and the long term music/ballroom dance teaching couple residing on the island.  It was our second invite to the event, and it's always an honor to attend and enjoy what the talented teenagers of the atoll have learned from our amazing music teachers over the years.  The couple who puts on this show serve as the band and choir teachers for the elementary and high school students. They just so happen to be married and have raised their children out here, most of whom are grown and married themselves now.  They have lived here for around 3 decades and during that time have dedicated their lives to providing culture to our island and the children growing up here through their love of all types of musical endevours and chosen career paths.  In addition to working with our children daily, they also teach ballroom dance classes in the evening to adults.  These adult students had a chance to show off their skills as they boogied the night away to the wonderful instrumental music of such greats as Count Basie, George Gershwinn, and many, many more.  The dinner, the dancing, and the music were all absolutely worth the cost of the event. The money earned from it goes to buying new music for the band next year, which benefits all of us from the students to those who attend the event and enjoy the newest additions to the band's repoirtaire.  My finace and I did not dance either year, but I hope we can take some lessons soon and cut a rug next time. After all, we have to start preparing for that first wedding dance as a married couple coming up next summer, so this is the perfect time to begin thinking about taking up some dancing recreation together soon!

April 30, 2011-Back to the Busy Life...

    It's Saturday once again, and there are many activities planned and yet not quite enough time to do them all. You would probably never guess that life on a tiny, tropical island without malls, movie theaters, museums, water and theme parks, or even cars and long distances to travel could become so scheduled with events that you have to pick and choose what activities you are able to take part in, but it does.  It's the American way, I guess. Because everything is so close, we end up over scheduling even more because we can make it to two or three events in one evening since it doesn't take a half hour to get to each spot.  Crazy, huh?  But you really do have to be careful not to burn yourself out, taking time for yourself and your family to rest up, and enjoy what island life can be instead of making it too much like the rat race of life back in the states.  Tonight, we had soccer games, double feature movie events, and friend's religious events to attend, and we did not make them all, but we did end up exhausted by the time we finally arrived home for the evening after 11 pm.  I think I'll take tomorrow to relax...oh, wait, not going to happen because the Ballroom Dinner Dance takes place that evening. Oh well, back to the busy life, at least for a few more weeks. Can't wait for the lazy days of summer to start! :)