As my title says--yes, we are still here----just very, very busy!!  We have something going on almost all the time.  However, this past Saturday we actually had nothing going on----we were so glad to have some free time!  We went to the pool and beach and went on a little walk or "field trip" as the boys call it(:  It was alot of fun and they were worn out by the time we were done----which ,of course, is always a good thing!!

Jack loves to wear his water wings---I was surprised at how well he's done with them----that's a Guam baby for ya(:

He loves to go down the slide---he tries to say "Ready, set, go..."

I thought this picture was so funny---It looks like the boys are rescuing Ken from drowning!! or maybe drowning him!!

Scenery shot of the pool---actually a hotel/resort that we joined.

While on our walk we found this little spot where homeless people build shelter---Wesley thought it was cool!

We also found this swing that Chase loved---of course!!

Scenery...

We also found a walkway that was built up along the cliff line----it
had some steep stairs but we managed---the view was beautiful.

It was a big day for Jack... and Ken too!

Well, summer has started and we are busy!!  Our "Camp Team" arrived last week and the summer day camp program has started and there's no stopping now--at least not until August!!  We are having fun already and can't wait for the rest of the summer.

Anyway, I wanted to post a few pictures of Chase--my dare devil.  Here in Guam we have one of those rides called "The Slingshot".  Well, he has been begging since his was 3 to go on this ride.  I can't even watch it without getting goose bumps.  So, he was finally old enough (minimum age is 5) and just tall enough.  So, we told him for his graduation present he could go---of course Ken had to go too.   This thing scares me to death.  We have a friend who is a pilot and he won't even go on it.  Basically you sit in this round thing and they strap you in and then  to quote the description---"You are catapaulted vertically 270 feet into the air at 100 mph with a force of 6 times gravity." SCARY!!!  Apparently not to Chase, though. We purchased the DVD of the ride and he was smiling the whole time---he LOVED it.  The only part that scared him was this creepy voice at the beginning before they shoot off.  He said he would do it again if we could get them to turn off the scary voice!!  He is such a crazy kid!!!

Before the ride---Excited!!

Getting ready...

Up in the air!!

Landed!

“Rules”After
posting these rules, each player proceeds to list 8 relatively random
facts/habits about himself/herself. At the end of the post, the player
then tags 8 people and posts their names, leaving them a comment on
their blogs to let them know.

1. I hate my nose.  When I was a kid everyone always told me I had a big nose like my dad---I got a terrible complex about it and to this day I can't stand my nose.

2. I love pickles but I can only eat them if I have orange kool-aid or tang to drink with it---I love the way they taste together.  I've tried to eat pickles without the drink and I just can't!

3. I am obsessive about my children's hair and clothes. Their hair must be combed before going anywhere or doing anything. They must be wearing a nice outfit with no dirt. (Ha, I have 3 boys)  Ken says I am damaging them---I need to stop flipping out if they get messed up! Luckily Jack doesn't have any hair yet!

4. I never want to have a girl!  I really don't---i loved having 4 brothers and I love having all boys--no girls here!

5. I LOVE baseball!!!  I have played since I was little and I love to watch it--can't play alot now though--bad shoulder.  I LOVE the Cubs!!!

6. I am addicted to hot chocolate!  I drink it almost every morning and/or evening. I didn't think I would be able to drink it here in Guam with it being so hot but it doesn't bother me a bit.

7. My dad is my hero---always has been always will be--humanly speaking of course!

8. My biggest fear is that my children will die or that I will die and they are too young to understand what happened and would think I abandoned them.

Ok---I tag Alice, Lisa, Chris, Felicia, and Trisha--I know it's not 8 but some of my friends don't have blogs!!

Chase graduated from Kindergarten on Tuesday May 15.  He got to have his favorite dinner--meat and potatoes and carrots as he calls it and then he picked his favorite dessert which is cake-batter ice cream with M&M's, Oreos, chocolate chips and marshmallows from ColdStone---he takes after his mother(:!!  He also got a present which he has been wanting for a while. It's a foam making machine---he was very excited.

Anyway,  there are 3 kindergarten classes at our school and there are about 25 kids in each class.  Every class does their own little program and they all sing together at the beginning and the end.  It was very cute!!!  They all did a great job.  We really do have some great teachers here---though we think that Chase's teacher is the best!!  She's also a very good friend of ours and we are so glad Chase could be in her class this year.  Just to clarify, in Guam people give you a lei when you graduate--k-5, high school, college etc.  There are many different kinds ---not just ones that are made of flowers.  There are candy ones, ones made of toys, ones made of shells---and some even have money in them. Anyway, just wanted to clarify that so those of you from the States weren't wondering why Chase has a  bunch of things hanging from his neck!!

Foam Machine!

Ready for Graduation!

Waiting to start..

Chase's class

Singing

Chase saying his part about the earth..

Singing "He's got the whole world..."

Another speaking part

All 3 Kindergarten classes

RECEPTION

Car lei from Mom and Dad

Chase and his teacher

Chase and Kevin

Chase and Kesley

Chase and Gaby

Family minus Jack---the guy who took the picture told Ken to bend down ---that's why he's leaning like that!!

Chase and principal---Mrs. Henson---we LOVE her!!

Chase and Pastor Herron

Chase and Miles

Chase's drawing of himself---too funny!!

Ok, many of you probably have sung or heard of the song "I may never march in the infantry".  Well, here in Guam we have a different version and the other day this is what Chase was doing..... I just loved the goggles with the boxers---He's a strange child!!!

Last Friday they had "Field Day" at school.  They set up games for all the kids and have food, face painting etc.  It's one of those end of the year activities.  The boys loved it and had a great time! 

Chase and his friend Keana--- she's so adorable!!

Keana, Chase and Gaby---uh oh 2 girls---we're in trouble!

Wes loved the Jumping House!
 

Face Painting---they just had to be tigers!!

Chase and his friend Andrew.

Wes getting his face painted--he's not so sure...

The finished product!

The two tigers!!! Notice Wes is trying to be a tiger---silly kid!

Well, Jack had his 1st birthday this past week on Wednesday!! We had a party for him on Friday.  I really cannot believe that one year has already gone by.  I'm so thankful for little Jack--he was our surprise and at the time it seemed so hard to deal with pregnancy and moving across the world etc.  but I wouldn't change any of it for anything!  He is such a precious baby and I can't imagine life without him! Happy Birthday Jack----we love you!!!!

His favorite book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar so I chose that as the theme.

He was so excited about his balloon!! This car one is huge---it was a gift from someone!

He thoroughly enjoyed his cake

He wasn't quite sure about these clothes... I liked them however.  Thanks Trish!

Yea, a Barney toy--thanks Auntie Marie and Uncle Cliff--Gaby and Brianna too!

What he really liked was this ribbon---of course!

Ok, so we are finally back after over 5 weeks of being gone!  I'll just give a brief summary for those of you who don't know and then I'll try to get some pictures posted.  Wesley ended up not having hirschsprung's disease---this is a real answer to prayer.  We saw one of the top  GI Dr.'s at Childrens Memorial in Chicago.  They ended up putting Wes in the hospital to "clean him out" Well on top of IV's and blood tests etc. they put a tube down his nose into his stomach which fed a liquid into him that made him go---when I say go I mean GO!!  It usually takes kids anywhere from 3 hrs to 12 hrs to be completely cleaned out---well, after almost 40 hours he still was not completely cleaned out---they could not believe he was so full---he actually had a very bad impaction--so bad that his breath was even smelling gross!  He ended up having to have 2 enemas also and even then he never got to where there was just water coming out--which is what they wanted.  Anyway, he had the biopsy and it came back negative for Hirschsprung's.  After that he ended up in the hospital another night because he was running a high fever with no explanation---after yet another blood test and a catheter to obtain a sample over which Wes was NOT  happy the fever finally went away and they let him go the next day. He said he wanted to leave because there are too many "pokey things" in the hospital and it's a "crazy place"!  Poor guy did not have a good time.  They ran another test and determined that he has a very sensitive colon---meaning that when he does have to go it hurts very badly--which is why he doesn't go---he obviously doesn't want it to hurt and it does.  They have put him on medication for at least the next year and then we will re-evaluate.  He is feeling SO much better!  He is not lethargic anymore, no more fevers and shaking---he's running and playing and getting into trouble!  He is such a happy kid now and we are so thankful!  They are hoping that this is all that's going to need to be done but only time will tell.  Thank you so much for all of your e-mails and prayers.  It meant so much to us! 
We were able to go to a few fun places while in Chicago.  I'll post pictures.  Best of all I got to see a bunch of my friends from high school and from NBBC  (Rob and Trisha) where we used to live and one of my BEST friends Cari!!  I miss you Cari!!  We had alot of fun!
Well, so much for the short post--I'll go now!

Playing in the Snow---Wes said he never wants to do that again!  Chase didn't mind it but said he prefers the beach!

Eating at Krispy Kreme--we don't have one in Guam--however, they have on in Bali---does that make sense?

Bowling!!!

Wes with my sis Liz

Future Astronauts!

  

Wes in the hospital
He tried so hard to be happy!

The Boys! You can never get them all looking and smiling at once---Chase is covering his ears because Wes kept saying Cheese and making him mad!

View from the hospital room---

Crazy kids!!

Jack the Pirate

Me and Wes --a bit blurry but I liked it!

Well, I won't take time for all the details --Our internet won't work so I'm using someone else's computer--However, we are going to Chicago for Wesley's surgery--we leave this coming Saturday and we are not sure how long we will be gone. We got several different results from the biopsy and they will probably have to do another one in Chicago---they are not sure what part of the colon is affected etc. So, we are not sure what exactly will happen next.  We are just so thankful that the insurance approved Chicago and that they are paying for 2 of the tickets.  A couple of families from our church donated money and we were able to purchase the other two tickets with that money!!  Ken is in Hawaii as I write ---we had to get Jack's passport ASAP because we have to fly through Japan so, Ken had to take Jack to Honolulu to get the passport in 24 hours---everything seems to be going well there--he will be back Wednesday night and then we will head out on Saturday.  Sorry, if this is a little unorganized I'm trying to be fast.  I will keep you all updated as much as possible.  Thanks so much for all your prayers and encouragement! 

Just an update on Wes.  The results from the biopsy came back positive--this is what we were expecting.  We have been advised by several Dr.'s that the surgery needs to be done there in the States by a specialist.  We will most likely be going to Chicago. So, we are now making plans---we have to talk to insurance and find a Dr./hospital etc.  There are alot of details .  We would appreciate your prayers as we begin a long process.  Wes has his good and bad days---we are just thankful we have found the problem and can work on fixing it.  Thanks so much for all your prayers and encouragement--it's means so much to us.

Oh yes, and on a lighter note---GO BEARS!!!!  WE LOVE CHICAGO!!!