I am posting the last video for the Miller Family Vacation, we had fun jumping off turtle rock and taking pictures at Jeff's Pirates Cove.
They left yesterday afternoon and arrived in Michigan a few hours ago. We had a great time and can't wait until the next time we are all together. (Hopefully, next time with Brandon and Whitney too!)
If you would like to see more of our vacation check out Russ and Amy's blog for more video slide shows.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Visitors!
Hafa Adai Everyone!
We have been having a blast with our families out here... We have been keeping so busy I don't have it in me to give a good long creative colorful update... so I will send you to their fantastic blogs. They are staying up to date much better than we have been able to.
Heath has been able to take vacation for most of the time our families have been here, I was only able to take 2 days off, but am now on summer vacation.... whooohoooo!!!!
Here's the schedule.... Heaths brother Michael was here 2 weeks and left on Thursday, I finished school on Friday, we hosted a going away party for Heath's boss and his wife on Saturday and my family came arrived Sunday and will be here until June 12th.
Check their links below or to the right...
Michael was out here the last two weeks of May (Rachel was out here for one week during that time before she took off for China)
Russ and Amy have posted slide shows of each of the days so far on their blog. The entire Miller family (minus Chase's girlfriend Whitney and Rachel's boyfriend Brandon...whom we greatly miss!!!!!) have been living up the tropical dream with us since June 1st.
We have been having a blast with our families out here... We have been keeping so busy I don't have it in me to give a good long creative colorful update... so I will send you to their fantastic blogs. They are staying up to date much better than we have been able to.
Heath has been able to take vacation for most of the time our families have been here, I was only able to take 2 days off, but am now on summer vacation.... whooohoooo!!!!
Here's the schedule.... Heaths brother Michael was here 2 weeks and left on Thursday, I finished school on Friday, we hosted a going away party for Heath's boss and his wife on Saturday and my family came arrived Sunday and will be here until June 12th.
Check their links below or to the right...
Michael was out here the last two weeks of May (Rachel was out here for one week during that time before she took off for China)
Russ and Amy have posted slide shows of each of the days so far on their blog. The entire Miller family (minus Chase's girlfriend Whitney and Rachel's boyfriend Brandon...whom we greatly miss!!!!!) have been living up the tropical dream with us since June 1st.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
MAYBE THE EARTH IS FLAT
CONGRATS!
VISITORS
FAMILY HERE
I know I have mentioned our Chamorro family here on our blog and have shared more specifically with those of you we have talked to. I would like to share a little more here how wonderful it is to be adopted by a local family. They keep us very busy! And extremely well fed! We just celebrated our 1 year anniversary as part of the family last Month. Can you believe it? We have been on Guam 1 year and almost 3 months already. It has gone so fast.
Anyway, every weekend we have family dinner, and from November on we were so busy with holidays and then in January, our "brother" Joel got married so that kept us very busy for a while. It was great to be a part of a Chamorro wedding! The family did everything including all the food and there were thousands of people, the reception was held in a gym which was packed and people were even crowded around the outside of the building! Two bands played taking turns all evening and then after everyone left it was clean up time, which again the whole family was there helping. It was a beautiful day!
Anyway, every weekend we have family dinner, and from November on we were so busy with holidays and then in January, our "brother" Joel got married so that kept us very busy for a while. It was great to be a part of a Chamorro wedding! The family did everything including all the food and there were thousands of people, the reception was held in a gym which was packed and people were even crowded around the outside of the building! Two bands played taking turns all evening and then after everyone left it was clean up time, which again the whole family was there helping. It was a beautiful day!
(February disappeared)
MARCH AND APRIL
For Heath's birthday we had our first big big gathering here at our place... I was so nervous to host that many people, (and we pulled if off very last minute) but the beautiful thing about family gatherings is everyone brings a dish (or a few) and the aunties took over helping and putting it together. Which they said they loved watching me in the middle of it all in my indoor kitchen, with out the "necessary" utensils for this size gathering. I think I know what I am getting next year for Christmas :) It turned out wonderful and we had tons of food left over, even after everyone "balutoned" (that we learned is required when you eat at any gathering... you must pack plates of food to go- baluton)MARCH AND APRIL
HEATH
Heath has had his evaluation and for a while was studying constantly for his advancement test. He also took placement tests and is getting set up to take classes online to finish his degree.
His newest project is to build a surf board out of a light local wood. So, he harvested a bunch of wood during the last new moon and it has been drying out. Just today he has begun to strip its bark and prep it. We will have to document along the way. Right now I need to go snap some pics. He is so excited about this!
My air con went out February 1st so I have been teaching in the 80 degree heat with loud fans to yell over and distractions galore with the windows wide open... We have been miserable, but there is no money to repair them... I am looking into what it would take to pay it myself, just for my own comfort. There have been many other struggles to overcome... lately, I have been begging God for grace and have learned a lot about what I can and can not handle.
On a much more positive note... the island has major trash issues and have begun to implement recycling aluminum at the schools... as a science teacher this has been a great avenue to educate and share my passion about caring for the environment. So, as a science project, I required students to work together with their family's and recycle 500 cans per quarter. In about 6 months worth of time we have filled the bin 11 times! The island just filled the limit for sending it to the recycling plant in CA and will be bringing in something like $18,000 for the schools... so we should be getting our $1600 soon. I am so proud of my students! We have filled the bin more than any of the middle schools! Go IMS! Now if we could just make it easier and possible as well as teach the value of recycling more items. I have seen people fighting the concept and on the flip, have been so proud of those who are embracing this and are open to changing. I will continue to cheer even if only one hears... "Go Green Guam!"
We are busy, life has been heavy and I often find myself living for the next thing... the days end... air condition... the weekend... the summer... the next adventure... But my dad reminded me today that Grandpa Miller always used to say, "Don't wish your life away." Thanks for that wisdom.
Please excuse my grammar and wordy-ness. This is a rough sketch of our life, I just wanted to get this out and haven't the time or mind power to review it. Thanks!
We love and miss you all terribly!
His newest project is to build a surf board out of a light local wood. So, he harvested a bunch of wood during the last new moon and it has been drying out. Just today he has begun to strip its bark and prep it. We will have to document along the way. Right now I need to go snap some pics. He is so excited about this!
RHIANON
I have been swamped with school and am way more stressed than I imagined this job to be! Our school just had an accreditation team from the states come out, and we are now prepping the school for the attorney general to check us for health and safety issues. They come unannounced and have already shut down many schools on island. I desperately want to finish out the year and get out on time so I can have my summer. So we are busing our tails in hopes we pass. Because of this, maintenance is jumping on my requests to take care of the rat problem and the 1st day we caught 3 rats in my room/storage. Next, we have to figure out what to do with old chemicals and very old specimens from the 70's... like, starfish, squid, some kind of hearts and other buckets-o-fun for dissecting. I already cleaned the science storage room, organizing and trashing things from way back when it was a high school... Big job!My air con went out February 1st so I have been teaching in the 80 degree heat with loud fans to yell over and distractions galore with the windows wide open... We have been miserable, but there is no money to repair them... I am looking into what it would take to pay it myself, just for my own comfort. There have been many other struggles to overcome... lately, I have been begging God for grace and have learned a lot about what I can and can not handle.
On a much more positive note... the island has major trash issues and have begun to implement recycling aluminum at the schools... as a science teacher this has been a great avenue to educate and share my passion about caring for the environment. So, as a science project, I required students to work together with their family's and recycle 500 cans per quarter. In about 6 months worth of time we have filled the bin 11 times! The island just filled the limit for sending it to the recycling plant in CA and will be bringing in something like $18,000 for the schools... so we should be getting our $1600 soon. I am so proud of my students! We have filled the bin more than any of the middle schools! Go IMS! Now if we could just make it easier and possible as well as teach the value of recycling more items. I have seen people fighting the concept and on the flip, have been so proud of those who are embracing this and are open to changing. I will continue to cheer even if only one hears... "Go Green Guam!"
We are busy, life has been heavy and I often find myself living for the next thing... the days end... air condition... the weekend... the summer... the next adventure... But my dad reminded me today that Grandpa Miller always used to say, "Don't wish your life away." Thanks for that wisdom.
Please excuse my grammar and wordy-ness. This is a rough sketch of our life, I just wanted to get this out and haven't the time or mind power to review it. Thanks!
We love and miss you all terribly!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve we celebrated Christmas with the family that adopted Heath and I. We were even in on the gift exchange and there were lots of jokes about us hyphenating our last name. They really have welcomed us in as their own. Though we miss our family and friends back home dearly, we are blessed to have people here to spend the holidays with. We felt so loved by the gifts they gave us!
After tons of great food, cousin BJ's amazing dance group performed for the family... Auntie Bic Bic is part one of the dancers so they encouraged her get up an join them... she is in the purple. We just think this little guy in the front is so cute! And the little girls with garland, plumerias and coconuts... truly a tropical Christmas.
I just love watching the cute mother dancers perform... they have such grace and elegance and their smiles just beam... it is beautiful! 
I think the teens had fun with this one!
And the grand finale dance these ladies choose men from the family to join them... one of the cousins choose Heath... it was a hoot! They were hilarious, all of the guys were funny especially the Uncles... they really got into it.
Heath was my favorite though... he was great at cheezing it up too!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Christmas Eve's Eve
As Santa's helpers this year, we dressed up and passed out treats to the children for the mayor of our village (our adopted Chamorro family)
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
My Birthday Dive
Picture 4 is a Starfish (pillow-like)
Picture 5 is a Lion fish (poisonous)
Picture 6 I am feeding lots of hungry little fish.
The dive was on 12/19... the camera time must have been set to the states timezone.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Heath's Kitchen
Hey everyone check out my new blog that I am starting.
I am just highlighting food that I am cooking each week.
Enjoy!
Heath
I am just highlighting food that I am cooking each week.
Enjoy!
Heath
Friday, October 26, 2007
Rain, Storm, FIRE, WIND, Kum-ba-ya
As rainy season is in full force here on Guam, our home in California is experiencing quite the opposite, as it faces the threat of the fire-storm.
Our place is safe and our tenants and friends doing well, struggling with the air quality, but safe and even back to work. It has been hard to keep up with what is going on back there but we do know that things are dying down, the winds have changed direction and Oceanside has remained untouched. It is as if God's hand has been on our surrounding area.
Surrounded by fires to the East (the school I worked at) to the South (just beyond the coffee shop I worked at) and North (Camp Pendleton where Heath worked) we have just been on the edge of our seats. We have been concerned as we have heard people are being evacuated all around our place, some of the major freeways are shut down, and reports stating the only thing stopping the fire is the ocean. Ahhhh, at this point things look much better and we don't expect to say, "buh bye cute lil o-side condo"
Check out Ben and Chara's blog, they live only 3 miles from our place and have been documenting all along, people are even finding refuge in their home. Thank you all for your prayers and concerns. We will keep you posted as we learn more.
Check out the google map of the fire
Does anyone else know the upbeat kumbaya, you know with motions and everything... "rain, storm, fire, wind, kumbaya?"
Our place is safe and our tenants and friends doing well, struggling with the air quality, but safe and even back to work. It has been hard to keep up with what is going on back there but we do know that things are dying down, the winds have changed direction and Oceanside has remained untouched. It is as if God's hand has been on our surrounding area.
Surrounded by fires to the East (the school I worked at) to the South (just beyond the coffee shop I worked at) and North (Camp Pendleton where Heath worked) we have just been on the edge of our seats. We have been concerned as we have heard people are being evacuated all around our place, some of the major freeways are shut down, and reports stating the only thing stopping the fire is the ocean. Ahhhh, at this point things look much better and we don't expect to say, "buh bye cute lil o-side condo"
Check out Ben and Chara's blog, they live only 3 miles from our place and have been documenting all along, people are even finding refuge in their home. Thank you all for your prayers and concerns. We will keep you posted as we learn more.
Check out the google map of the fire
Does anyone else know the upbeat kumbaya, you know with motions and everything... "rain, storm, fire, wind, kumbaya?"
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Renters!!!!
We have renters again!!!!
Wow, we are so thankful to have that stress behind us!
This couple sounds amazing... like we would hang out if we still lived in the good ol O-side.
Thank you to all of you who helped us out... especially to Ben and Chara for handling all the crazy details and being available to show it and the Fullers for taking time out to do some repairs and paint touch ups and Ronnie for checking on police reports and Kevin for contacting our neighbors for us, Tam and Nyoka for posting an ad at the hospital and many of you who put the word out for us! We are sooo grateful!
We love and miss you all!
Wow, we are so thankful to have that stress behind us!
This couple sounds amazing... like we would hang out if we still lived in the good ol O-side.
Thank you to all of you who helped us out... especially to Ben and Chara for handling all the crazy details and being available to show it and the Fullers for taking time out to do some repairs and paint touch ups and Ronnie for checking on police reports and Kevin for contacting our neighbors for us, Tam and Nyoka for posting an ad at the hospital and many of you who put the word out for us! We are sooo grateful!
We love and miss you all!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The Longcores Big Day
Congrats Keith and Holly... your day was beautiful!
My Girls
Goodbye Family Photos
(the handsome guy in blue is Rachel's sweet boyfriend)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
This Weeks Top 40
While I was off island, my substitute had one of my classes write to me about what they wanted get out of my science class.
(1-10 is from one student… so random.)
1. I would like to know how they made animals
2. Who made up the name fire?
3. How did they make water?
4. Who invented the light bulb'?
5. Who discovered volcanos and lava?
6. Who invented desks?
7. Who invented shoes?
8. How did they make paper?
9. Who invented backpacks?
10. Who came up with the word pencial?
11. How does the sun stay up?
12. What is the most poisiend plant that will hurt you in 60 seconds?
13. How does the center of the earth look like?
14. I want to know how a shock wave from a bomb can kill one person
15. Why do we have ants and snacks on earth?
16. Why do they call it a Coco Bird?
17. I want to learn everything that happens in space.
18. I want to learn about how do mold get on food
19. I want to learn, why do ships disapaire when their in Burmuta triangle
20. How fire was made with out gas or a lighter
21. I would like to learn why there are different nationalities
22. Mrs. Wilhoit can come any day.
23. How do we grow hair?
24. How does earth rotate?
25. Why does fish breath in water?
26. How does earth float?
27. Why do they got 4 different kinds of ocean?
28. Why does a dog have 4 legs?
29. How dow rokist get blast off in the blue sky?
30. Why dose elefint get so big?
31. How do people become hard workers?
32. How was salt water created?
33. Who invented cloths?
34. I want to know who was the first human to live
35. How do animals live without food?
36. How a star makes itself?
37. Why mushrooms only grow when it’s raining season?
38. What are all the names of are body parts?
39. How come magnits push the other when its same side as the other, but when it is opusite they stick together?
40. I would like to learn how to make potions
(1-10 is from one student… so random.)
1. I would like to know how they made animals
2. Who made up the name fire?
3. How did they make water?
4. Who invented the light bulb'?
5. Who discovered volcanos and lava?
6. Who invented desks?
7. Who invented shoes?
8. How did they make paper?
9. Who invented backpacks?
10. Who came up with the word pencial?
11. How does the sun stay up?
12. What is the most poisiend plant that will hurt you in 60 seconds?
13. How does the center of the earth look like?
14. I want to know how a shock wave from a bomb can kill one person
15. Why do we have ants and snacks on earth?
16. Why do they call it a Coco Bird?
17. I want to learn everything that happens in space.
18. I want to learn about how do mold get on food
19. I want to learn, why do ships disapaire when their in Burmuta triangle
20. How fire was made with out gas or a lighter
21. I would like to learn why there are different nationalities
22. Mrs. Wilhoit can come any day.
23. How do we grow hair?
24. How does earth rotate?
25. Why does fish breath in water?
26. How does earth float?
27. Why do they got 4 different kinds of ocean?
28. Why does a dog have 4 legs?
29. How dow rokist get blast off in the blue sky?
30. Why dose elefint get so big?
31. How do people become hard workers?
32. How was salt water created?
33. Who invented cloths?
34. I want to know who was the first human to live
35. How do animals live without food?
36. How a star makes itself?
37. Why mushrooms only grow when it’s raining season?
38. What are all the names of are body parts?
39. How come magnits push the other when its same side as the other, but when it is opusite they stick together?
40. I would like to learn how to make potions
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
We Are All Home!
All my traveling friends are home now!
Now I can really relax and look forward to growing our friendships!
Now I can really relax and look forward to growing our friendships!
Sean, JoRae, Luke, Jeannie,
me, Tyla, Kendrik
me, Tyla, Kendrik
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