Eureka!

We've found it!

After almost a month of searching, we have finally found a daycare worthy of our dear Maxwell!

...Which translates into "the daycare that makes Mommy the least nervous to leave her only begotten son." And the corollary (as my dad would say) to this discovery is that I am now available to join the workforce. Bittersweet.

Since July, I've had the priceless opportunity to be Max's primary caregiver 24/7 (of course, with the exception of "Daddy duty" hours). And during that time, I've seen him grow and learn and be all the things that make him Max. With all his "firsts" that we've awaited and celebrated, tomorrow will be a "first" that I can't say I've been looking forward to. But at least I know that Max loves to be around other kids and that he'll be in a clean, safe environment with very caring and qualified people. The biggest reassurance, though, is that I get to see him again! ...before rush hour! Ah, yes. The beauty of working part-time.

Wow. I can only imagine how heavy-hearted God the Father was to send off His Only Begotten Son to this unclean, unsafe world filled with very uncaring and unqualified people. It's a good thing the Creator loves to be with His created! And an even better thing that reunions are a big part of God's plan. ;) Speaking of reunions, tomorrow I get to see my hubby again after a 3-day assignment off-island! Yay!! (I'll let him expand on the details.)

So this is it. Keep us in your prayers for a smooth transition into a new world. Anchors aweigh!

Guam Revealed - Part 1

After several minutes of quiet excitement and anticipation, there emerged from the security-restricted doorway 2 faces that made home feel not-so-far-away. Max required a little transition time to reacquaint himself with Grandma & Grandpa, but after lots of hugs & kisses (and the comedic gestures that only occur between grandparents and their grandchild) he appeared quite content to have 2 more sources of undivided attention.

Despite the unpredictable precipitation pattern, it was great to have Mom & Dad Miranda spend some time with us and experience a bit of Guam life. It was also an excuse for us to slip back into the touristy exploration mode. When the sun was out (or when the rain was up), we made sure to visit the island's most beautiful sights. Many of them rich with a stories of the past...

Just behind us is the bay in which Magellan landed upon his discovery of Guam in 1521.

Further out towards the water is an old Spanish fort--Fort Nuestra Senora de Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude)--complete with intact watchtower...

...as so well-demonstrated by Mom here!

One of the several tiny uninhabited islands along Guam's coastline.


Near the northern tip of Guam, a cliffside lined with coral--evidence of the water line's previous location.

Ga'an Point--a component of Guam's "War in the Pacific National Park" complex--where Japanese and American forces battled for weeks during World War II.

The beautiful Talofofo Bay on Guam's eastern coast.

With Navy privileges, we seized the opportunity to lounge at the military's own Gab Gab Beach.


...and to explore Guam's UNDERwater sights! We were tickled (literally!) to have exotic fish nibbling bread at our fingertips.

Our last day of sunshine before Mom & Dad left was spent admiring the Talofofo Falls which had been somehow converted into a sort of amusement park by a Korean entrepreneur.








One of the park's features was a replica of "Yokoi's Cave" named after a Japanese sergeant who fled into hiding during WWII and was not discovered until 1972 by 2 hunters...who informed him the war had ended! This mural illustrates the structure of his hideout.










Within just a few steps, a scenic gondola lift ride, and an obligatory walk through the "Ghost House" (ask Mom & Dad), we reached a place of beauty and serenity... which, apparently, mosquitoes enjoy also.

Well, that sums up the outdoor portion of Mom & Dad's visit. As captivating as those scenes were, however, I think it was all the "resort fun" they had at Leo Palace that made Dad ask if they could come back next Christmas! We'll save those pictures for the "Leo Palace Revealed" entry!

Having my parents go out of their way (and out of their continent) to come spend time with us was really a sweet blessing and a reminder of how God uses family to teach us what it means to belong. And for the relatively nomadic life we're living, that sense of belonging is invaluable. Praise God, He's been fulfilling our need with awesome friends and neighbors... and even new found relatives! (More on that later!) Of course, in the greater scheme, all of us who've been adopted into the Family of God know that Home is a long way off, but what a comfort to belong with those who journey there together--all the others on the water, too.