meanwhile.....on Guam

We jumped back into being on Guam with both feet and have been busy with friends.

Enjoying pool time and beach time and BIRTHDAY fun!

TC was 7 last Thursday and after summer school she picked Chili's for her family lunch date.

Of course, she is our social one - so she told everyone that it was her birthday and watched the kitchen through our entire meal for the employees to come out singing and clapping.
(and then pretended to be embarrassed!)

We postponed the birthday dinner with friends until Friday night and grilled burgers and hotdogs and played in the sprinkler.

Since I can't post photos of the girls - here is one of the photo bomber, ZION!

The next morning was Liberation Day.  Although my experience is limited - I would say it's the biggest event on Guam.  It is the day that the island of Guam was liberated from the rule of the Japanese during WWII.

(*Last year's Liberation Day post can be found here and here)

God Bless America!

Celebrity!
Thankfully, we had just pulled this movie out and watch it.
Yes, the ORIGINAL!  

Local entries 

from the different islands around Guam.

this is not a good shot - but it was a girl
in a bird costume on a man's shoulders
SO COOL!

made from coconut shells!

Military representatives

The floats that squirt water are very popular!
(It's so hot!)

RED HORSE
It's my understanding that the Red Horse Battalion
is similar to the Seabees.

the kids scrambling for candy.....

What a surprise!
They were throwing FRUIT!
This is called a Star Apple
or Star fruit

NavFac and some of the wardroom kiddos!

The last float is always the Liberation Queen

As I stood in the heat and watched the parade,
my mind wandered back 68 years.

I could only try to imagine myself as a 18 year old boy -

who had just graduated high school a little over a month ago....

eager to join the Marines and help my country.

I don't think anyone can prepare themselves for the realities of war.

To be riding in a boat up to the shores of Guam -

bullets and bombs dropping into the water around you

the heat and the humidity;

 dressed in full battle gear

expected to charge up the beach and into the jungle in completely unfamiliar territory

the underdog

on the low ground

with your enemy above you - on high ground and familiar with their surroundings.

I am in awe of this kind of courage -

I don't possess it.

Thank you to our military past and present for your sacrifices
and the courage and willingness to sacrifice on my behalf.

I am grateful.  

Thornton Family Update

Well....school's been out for a month and we have been back and forth to the Andersen Air Force Base 6 times trying to get on a Space "A" flight....

In between that time - I have been trying to make sure we had "just enough food" until the next flight -
and that everyone had clean underwear in their bags that have been packed, unpacked, repacked for the last 30 days.

The girls have been in summer school and the boys have been sleeping in as long as I will let them.
(Mike declared that you miss breakfast if you sleep past 9)

We have been to the pool and the base gym often.
We have been down to GabGab a couple of times.

We hit up the 4th of July festival on base for snow cones and cotton candy.......
and of course, the All-American Guam Carabao, Lucy.

and a couple rounds of bowling and some sleep-overs too.

We also have managed to see a few free movies on base
to include:
The Avengers - three times -
(doesn't everyone love a good superhero movie that saves the world?)
Battleship - twice
(doesn't everyone love a good superhero kick-butt military movie that saves the world?)
and Men in Black III
(doesn't everyone love a good superhero, kick-butt military spy movie that saves the world?)




Michael turned 15 - and Mike made him a soccer chair.  (if you missed Mike's chair creation for JJ's birthday - click here)

Yes, it's real turf on the back - (from the left-overs of Blue Jacket Field) 

Afternoon at GabGab - complete with a rainbow.  So cool!

Michael is also playing on the NavFac Captain's Cup soccer team.
(*I am excited and nervous that my 'baby' is playing with adults....yes, grown men!)

And driving next year?   I am certainly not ready for that!

Other news:

Foster care update:
The girls are in their last week of summer school and will be having a long visit with their parents this summer.  I am happy for them, but it sure will be strange without them around after almost 7 months.  We don't know until the next court date (August 17th) if the judge will return the girls to their parents permanently, or if they will be coming back to us for the next school year.  (I suspect that the decision will depend on how the visit goes.)  In the meantime, it'll just be the Thornton 5 - we don't want to accept other foster children if the girls need a place to come back to.

We won't be without something to do in relation to foster care though.... I am working with Harvest House (a foster care ministry of Harvest Baptist Church) to support their Back to School Event for foster children through Project 127 Guam.  Check it out - LIKE the Facebook page and get involved.  You certainly don't have to be a foster parent to PLUG-IN and help out.  Also, invite friends to join.
The harvest is plenty - but the laborers are few.

Running Update:


In addition to my 1000 mile goal for 2012,
I have decided to jump up to the next mileage and do a half marathon.
I have done a few 5K races, a 10K and a 15K....so the next thing is 13.1 miles.
I'm not to the place yet where it sounds like a good idea, but I am still using advice from the book,
Run Like a Mother - and I am cross-training to build strength and endurance.
My cousin, Scott is trying to kill me, motivate me with WOD's from his gym,
Crossfit Confortare - if you are in the Wake Forest area of North Carolina;
Check him out!   He'll be the one all tatted up with a smokin' hot wife.
just sayin'

I also passed the 1000 mile mark since I started running last year....

For 2012 - I am at 618 miles with a pace of 10 minute miles....
so at least I'm getting faster.

Here are my June stats (*for accountability purposes:)

25 runs for a total of 100 miles
average pace:  9'51 per mile

Oh yeah,
and last but not least in other random news.....

We had a crab in our house.

I'm not kidding......I have NO IDEA how it got in here.
(*I think Mike has an idea, that he's not admitting too)

Yes, it was alive.

Be on the look-out for more summer activity posts.

Heaven knows what will happen!