Dayenu!

May 2010 has been quite an adventurous month! From retreats to graduations... From new life to death... From beginning to end! I can honestly say that I've had no time to be bored!


We spent the first half of the month gearing up for CCD events. My kids were up for their first Reconciliation and their First Holy Communion. On the 8th of May, we had their retreat and day of preparation. There were a total of 69 children who had to go to reconciliation and a grand total of two priests to help them! I thought the day would never end! But, God, in his mercy, helped us all to transition through the day smoothly and without any major hiccups! A huge thank you going out to Fathers Edivaldo and Julio for being there for our students!


On May 16th, 69 children were welcomed in to the ranks of those who may consume the body and blood of Christ. Amongst those 69 were a group of 16 for which Audrey and I were responsible. These 16 children were a challenge for us. But, with patience and love, we were able to pull through a year of faith formation. I can't say that we were perfect. But, hey! I think we did a pretty awesome job! To watch our kids go from strangers to inseparable was absolutely beautiful. To see all 16 of them there, dressed for a wedding, was rewarding and beautiful. I can't put in to words how much I enjoyed seeing them receive the Eucharist for the first time.

Of all that I've done in the past month, I truly believe that First Holy Communion was the most rewarding! Not only did I witness my students partake in it but I was greatly blessed to witness my godson, Brandon Patrick, receive another sacrament.

I have been so blessed, being surrounded by people that love me. God has shown me, through 17 small children, just how great his love can be. He has helped me through a difficult month by balancing it with joyous occasions.

This all would have been good enough! DAYENU! But, He continues to bless and amaze me as time goes by!

Say What?

So, I've been having horrible memory lapses all day. I want to attribute it to a week of craziness catching up on me. But, paranoia has me attributing it to other things.


Aye Dios mio! I've just turned 30 (five months ago)! I can't be forgetting things just yet!


Other interesting tidbits of the day (at least to me):

• I've never heard a man say, 'Aye, Señor!' more than I heard it this morning...
• I'm craving sorisos pak pak and Korean hot pot...
• I went on a honeymoon without first being married...
• Celebrated to birth of the church...
• I'm looking forward to a self-induced coma come 5pm!

Other than that, life is good. Pictures and stories of the past week are coming soon!


Shalom!

It's All Yiddish To Me!

For four years, he told me... 'You're such a mashugana!'

For four years, I asked what it meant...

Yesterday, I looked it up. I should have left four years earlier! *wink*

Oy vey iz mir!

But, honestly, I've no regrets!

It's In The Way...

Ever notice how people from different cultures use different gestures when they speak? For instance, someone from Italy would use their hands a lot. Someone from the Philippines gestures with their lips. Someone from Japan, their head and their eyes. I never noticed anything about people from Guam. Maybe the reason for this is that I am removed from the other cultures and look at it from the outsiders' point of view.


Recently, while speaking with a friend from Malta, I suppose I made a simple gesture that, to me, was natural - something that I didn't even realize I did. She asked me a question and, rather than stating my answer verbally, apparently, I used my eyebrows. This resulted in a lengthy discussion about how different people interpret different gestures... well... differently!


To a person from Guam, to raise both eyebrows is an indication of affirming something. It can mean, 'Yes, I want to take a dip in the pool.' or maybe even, 'Of course I know my house is on fire!'. To someone from Malta, it means exactly the opposite.


This friend of mine noticed that Chamorro people use their eyebrows a lot when they are speaking. I had, honestly, never noticed that it was that extensive. But, in the past week, I've tried to be conscientious about my mannerisms. Yes, I speak a lot with my hands. When people call me to ask for directions to my office, I often use my hands to guide them - yes, I'm aware that they can't see me. But, I also realized that my friend was right. When I am speaking, I use my eyebrows a lot! Of course, the head gesture along with the eyebrow movement adds a totally different meaning to things. But, it's all there and it all means something.


I guess what I'm trying to say is this... If you are Chamorro and say you lost your eyebrows in some freak gasoline fight incident where all the hair was singed off your face, you'd be screwed! Either that or you'd have to learn Italian hand gestures and use those instead. But, then people will think that you've got some weird identity crisis going on and can't figure out if you're Chamorro or Italian because you're speaking perfect English with a Chamorro accent and using Italian hand gestures! Mama mia!