(first) 4th of July on Guam

Our fourth of July weekend was looking pretty pitiful for a while. On Wednesday sirens were going off in our neighborhood alerting us of a Typhoon. We went from TCOR 4 to 3 and started the preparations for the storm.

Our Bishop canceled church 3 days in advance and we started to settle in for weekend at home. It appeared that this was going to be a big one. But things changed. The storm system ended up heading north. Phew. We had a very rainy weekend and almost needed a boat to get to church and back. But no damaging winds.

We spent the morning at the pool with our friends and then us Mom's all headed to our kitchen or to the store to throw together some food for a barbecue that night at the Shepherds home.

These kids NAVY kids looks great all decked out with their USA gear. Thanks again for the darling dress, Aunt Sharan. She loves it. 

Isabelle, Lexi, Ally, Kara, Ryan, Braden, Sophie, Ella, Lydia, Emma & Kate.

Lisa, Seth, Ken, Becky, Tyson, Laura & Tandy

The kids had so much fun all evening. They had games, painted nails, played a big group pretend game, made balloon animals, patriotic bracelets and we ended the night with a boom. POPPING balloons. Guam's firework shows and concerts were all canceled due to the storm so we made our own noise. (They don't sell fireworks for personal use here either.)

This happened to be my first time celebrating the 4th of July and not being on actual U.S. soil. Guam feels like Guam. It is a U.S. territory but it doesn't feel much like the United States. However, I never imagined growing up as a little girls in Canada that someday I'd be married to an American Citizen, how works for the US government and living on an American Navy base.

Every single morning at 8:00 a.m. sharp they sound the American National Anthem. On a good day it wakes me up. Actually that has only happened maybe twice in 9 months. But we hear it. If we are outside we must stand at attention and face the sound.

I am grateful for this country. I am grateful for freedom. I am grateful for those who have fought for it and I am grateful for my awesome American husband who works so hard at his job to provide such a good life for us.