Holly Days: Running around Guam

A few more items got crossed off the Guam bucket list this week. First item: Paddleboarding. When Abe and I came out to Guam to check it out last summer, I spent an afternoon paddleboarding and loved it. I knew it was something I wanted to do when we came back. The price of buying a new board shocked and frightened me when we got here. I have been trying to make friends with paddleboarders ever since. Last week it all came to fruition. My friend Jenny hooked us up with some boards and we had a great time. Sierra and Addie were able to give it a try too and they were naturals. While we were out on the water, I saw a blacktip reef shark swim right under my board. These sharks aren't very big or dangerous, for that I was grateful. This ranks right up there with ideal ways to spend a warm sunny day, luckily that is about all we have here.

Loving the paddleboarding

A few of us taking the kiddos out for a spin.


Sierra looking like a pro.

This week we also sent our friend, Mairenda, off to BYU-Hawaii. We have really enjoyed getting to know her. She lives near-by and comes over often. When we heard her story we were anxious to try to help her. Mairenda grew up in Pohnpei, one of six children. Her father passed away when she was six. After taking a few classes at a community college on Palau, she came here and works cleaning houses so she can send some money home to her family in Pohnpei. She lives in a house with 16 others which has no electricity or indoor plumbing. Abe has worked with her through the admission process. We haven't sent any kids off the college yet, but it felt like we did this week. Good thing we have Facebook to keep in touch and help her get settled at school. I don't know there is one single reason we came to Guam, but if there was it might be Mairenda. We are so thankful our paths crossed. Getting to know her has been such a blessing.

Mairenda with the crew

Mairenda's send-off party


Mairenda in front of her house with Kaoline.

Another Guam Bucket list item: Guam Perimeter Relay. Running on Guam has helped me meet some amazing ladies. There are lots of runners here and I was able to hook up with a great team. The relay was much shorter than Hood-to-Coast, but still made me wish I had trained harder. The race doesn't actually go around the whole perimeter of the island, it is more of a diameter/southern half perimeter route. The hills and heat made me glad the finish came when it did. The ten of us covered 48.6 miles in 6:10:08, that is a 7:37 mile average. Not bad for a bunch of moms all well into our 30's, with 29 kids between us. We were hoping we would win, but a group of tiny young things took the title from us. After having such a great time, we weren't too heart broken. This will go down as one of my great Guam memories!