christmas in guam part II

Christmas morning was low key because we all decided not to do big presents for each other this year.
It was perfect.
The kids got lots of fun things from Santa and Grandma and Grandpa and were thoroughly satisfied.
Lincoln had asked Santa for Super Grover and Santa was going to get him that Super Grover, even if it meant toting it (and a million other toys) along in a huge suitcase from Canada.
He was thrilled.

Later in the week my parents took us on a hike up to a bunch of caves.
I didn't let my claustrophobia get the best of me this time and scooted my way through a tiny little whole into a pitch black cavern.
That is big time for me, people.
It was actually a lot of fun and pretty dang cool.

We also visited a cultural center where we learned all about the native people of Guam (the Chamorro's).
You have never been on a real tour unless your tour guide is wearing nothing but a loin cloth.
Am I right, or am I right?
To say we were shocked was an understatement, but as the tour went on, it just seemed so natural that he was wearing a loin cloth and I began to feel like all of us were overdressed.
He taught us how to shave coconut and make coconut oil, how to weave palm leaves, and his fellow tour guide (also in a loin cloth) showed us how to climb a coconut tree.
We were impressed.

Lots of the clan went deep-sea fishing one morning and brought home six Mahi-Mahi.
My brother-in-law Matt grilled a few up that night and we were in Mahi-Mahi heaven.
SO GOOD!
Apparently there were a few anxiety attacks on the fishing boat, what with the choppy waters and soaring swells, but everyone made it out alive and they stopped by a pint-sized McDonald's that only accepted cash to ease their sorrows on the way home.

We also attended a baptism one morning, which was beautiful.
That's the whole reason my parents are in Guam, so it just felt so good to see the work in action.
After the baptism my parents took us to two WWII museums, one of which housed a bunch of old vehicles from the war. The kids (and the men) had a grand old time sitting in all of them.

We made a few more trips to the beach to snorkel and soak up the sun between everyone being sick.
Oh, how I love the beach!
And I'd never been snorkeling before and had no idea how amazing it was...schools of the most colorful fish you've ever seen!
I swore I was in National Geographic or something.

Our last day in Guam we went to a Japanese peace garden that was right next to a bunch of caves where Japanese soldiers hid during WWII.
It was actually really amazing, especially the bamboo forest surrounding the caves.
Check out the size of that bamboo. Unbelievable!

And there you have it, a novel about the last half of our trip.
Oh sheesh, looking at these pictures just makes me want to go back to Guam, and they don't even do justice to how lovely it was.
I'll probably be dreaming about it for years to come.
Hopefully we'll go back, but maybe we won't, but either way I'm so glad we were able to go now.
I couldn't be more proud of my parents and the service they are rendering.
They're two of the best people I know and they are doing an incredible job.
I love you guys!