one year anniversary

July 26, 2012 we landed for the first time [with the entire family] in Manila.  What a ride that was....and what a ride the first year has been.  It's too hot to move an inch, or else I would've logged on more to describe more of this first year.  Maybe if I had signed up for AdSense, it would've been the incentive to do just that despite. Laugh, chuckle and snicker.

The last weeks in Arizona were strangely surreal.  Back in the 80's when a newly missionary family set sail [so to speak] for new overseas lands there was typically more expressed last minute must do gatherings of sorts before the final good-bye.  Maybe even more endearing words and affection of farewells and best wishes.  I don't know.  Maybe I'm wrong.  But today's ever evolving media technology has buffed the need for that some.  I didn't want to keep verbalizing in public "hey, by the way we're leaving in just a few days....!" The idea seemed selfishly weird to me.  But what a blessings that there was a farewell gathering set up at the station so Mike and we 7 others could hug our farewells to those that knew of the occasion.  Those that came I can still remember the few faces of.  They were very sweet in their words and truly saddened by the quickly approaching departure that would take away the one voice they learned to love so much over the air waves hundreds of miles away across the Pacific.  There's just one thing.  Such gatherings can also make it hard to truly spend the time we would've really liked to spend with each individual/couple/family recalling great memories and what not.  But that's typically the way it is.  It doesn't matter how you cut that social puppy.  A big farewell gathering will always have that as the draw back.

The last two Sundays at church were such odd surreal moments.  I sat there in mushy sentimental [but lonely] moments reminding myself of how I once lamented that there would never be such a thing as last Sunday in Arizona.  But here it was.  Oh, how Jesus truly answers the prayer of a woman who's ached to be a missionary for over two decades...knowing full well that was his calling for my life.  So I sat there for two Sundays excited and wondering a few selfish thoughts.  The teenagers didn't verbalize much, if anything, of the last Sunday regret.  Maybe they kept it painfully to themselves.  Maybe they didn't.

There was more sentimental glee than sadness as the departing moments quickly approached.  While, for everyone else in the family it was the opposite.  All the things I had prayed for were about to come true.  My kids would learn a few things from another culture, their other heritage, another climate, the MK life and perspective, make new friends, appreciate God more, appreciate God's blessings on America more, become less selfish, gain a more servant like heart, become more multi-cultural sensitive...etc.  All the good things that come from being an MK.  Never ever having gone beyond American borders before they had no idea what they were in for.  Sure, that was part of their major apprehension.  What isn't for any kid new to overseas missions, right?  Soon, their lives would change and never be the same ever again....ever.

What an emotional chaotic and beautiful morning of last hugs and kisses.
It was so good to be loved so much.  Last moments in Prescott.  Last moments in Arizona.

Friends came the morning of with coffee from starbucks [for me!!! ^_^] other treats and hugs.  I can't remember who brought the donuts.  Naughty they were for doing so....but it was perfect for Mike, the Krispy Kreme addict.  Adorable Dori came with one daughter and passion to help me literally clear out the rest of our remains and get those 17 pieces of  allowed luggage closed.  Maleah spent the night withe Sierra and Nicole came to give Tori one last hug.  There were a good number of teenage boys to see Dylan and Tyler off.  Tyler's last tears were heavy after having started out the morning with a rush over to Marcus' house [a very dear friend he didn't get to see all summer] to say good-bye only to be told that Marcus was some distance away working.  Oh, wait pain to see your own teenage boy cry so hard.  Oh, such pain.  Probably the most hated moment for him...and the most hated moment for me. I still fight tears remembering those moments because he spent several hours walking back out, up and down our street crying his heart out.

Such a treat to have Charlie and Cathy come, hugs us fervently and Charlie help transport all our luggage...with a small mishap breakdown on the way to Phoenix.  What a dear couple to us.  I just wish we'd had more time to get to know them better before our flight out...more than a year.

What organized chaotic moments of physical, mental, psychological and emotional frenzy.  There's nothing like being caught up in those kind of moments and wondering what in the world just happened moments later.  Certain life moments just happen so fast the inner you feels ill equipped to keep up enough to truly soak it in right.  Maybe that's the way it is with every move and every geographical change for big families.

As the plane raced down the runway, everyone's hearts were taking a big dive.  So much ache.  So much apprehension and so much "I can't believe this is happening."  Their eyes said it all.  Their faces said it all.  Everyone but me. It felt like a last dash race to freedom.  Something that only I could understand.  For I have yet to meet another soul that ached for this as much, or more, as I.  Mike was just as excited but on a different level.  It was a good excitement as he recalled all the ways God ordained each and every step to this day and the new chapter fast approaching.  The moment the wheels lifted off Arizona soil, there was the heart skip that words could never justify.

Charlie got a smile and a fist bump from Maverick before leaving us at the Phoenix airport.
The hero that helped get all our luggage to the airport.
After all the times we drove to California, this was the first time we'd ever taken the kids out for a cruise through Hollywood.

 The following week in California was probably the best lay over the kids, Mike and I could have ever had.  Not only were they able to hang to all things American, but they were able to do so with one last day with our awesome friends: Pat and Heather Eddolls and company.  We first took care of the rest of the dual citizenships for Dylan, Maverick and Orlando.  Something perfectly necessary to be able to stay in the Philippines without the annual need to renew visas and flying out of country to do so.  On that day we enjoyed a little bit of LA culture as we drove through Korea town and hunted through a thick Filipino restaurant business community to find some great pinoy grub.  The kids were sentimental with their last week of swimming on the California beaches.  They savored the last Papa John's pies with every bite.  They texted their Arizona friends like only kids do in their last week on American soil.  I tried to simply relax knowing the next chapter would start out with so much to do [never realizing what organized frenzy was truly around the corner].

Sam posted on facebook that he was in Ocean Side, California with his relatives.  The boys seemed to pine for an opportunity when telling me about it, not realizing Ocean Side was the day's surprise.  After two hours driving down the coast, they were pretty jacked to see Sam, Josh and the rest of the familiar faces.  All day they enjoyed the pool and beach together.  In the evening we enjoyed some singing together.

Finally it was the biggest fly out day ever for the kids.  It was the long anticipated and new adventure.  While Mike took care of returning the rental van, I sweat through the counter line with the kids trying to reorganize the suitcases, reshifting the weight of each one and filling out the luggage tags.  Maybe she's been around for years.  I don't really care.  But the woman working the lines that day was a divine angel carrying my pieces of luggage back and forth to and from the scale letting me know where the weight was on each one so as none would go over the alotted amount while others well under.  By the time I was done, Mike had made it to us and he was able to finish all the counter check-in dealings.  There's truly nothing like sweating all that with six kids and one of them being only three months old.  He handled it all quite well.  By the time that was over and we had gotten to our gate there was no time to even think about texting Tom Walker [FA 80's alumni].  We'd develop kinda sorta an accountability type of texting relationship over the past year in which we shared Scriptural encouragement.  He'd caught the Jesus fire and was balancing work with seminary school.  I'd planned and promised to let him know when we were at the LAX so he'd know when to pray for traveling mercies.  So much for that.  It was nothing but pure rush until we finally had all the kids boarded and situated in their seats...and the baby was latched and nursing.

Tokyo was the first unlisted stop where we got a little walk about exercise while the plane got cleaned and reset the the rest of the leg to Singapore.  Singapore Airlines turned out to be a nice airline.  We'd heard good things about it and we were thrilled that they had the cheaper one way fair for all of us.  Singapore was the brutal layover where we had to wait for 12 hours.  The airport has a lot of free internet screen stands where you can get on for a limited time.  Of course we checked facebook pretty often.  Told everybody where we were.  Tyler's funny but serious line was "where are all the white people"...."I need some white people".  Something like that.

There's plenty to do at/from Singapore Airport: replenish on diapers, massage chairs,
stroll a baby, food, movies, city tours.....etc.

The home stretch to Manila was only a few hours.  We were all exhausted.  So ready to find a bed with comfy pillow and some Z-time.  It was the perfect entrance home despite that it was already dark.....just like the visit the year before. All because the MABUHAY sign was all lit up.  That always makes the perfect landing for this pinay.  Makes the heart thump with yummerlicious joy to be welcomed home.  Rainy season had already begun so the HAWT humidity was high.  " home Home HOME" was all these fingers could muster as the facebook post while we waited through the customs lines.  AT LAST is all the rest of the body could say in sinc with the pitter pattering heart.  Yes, indeedy.....at last.  Tori's first words to me in quiet afflicted breath, "I can't breath".  To this day we still josh with her and have a good laugh over it.  

Our Welcomers once outside the airport: Rolli, mommy Luz, Rynen, Ron and Joyce.  We all packed like sardines with our luggage and took the first curious ride to our temporary abode through the city, to Cainta and into Brookside.  Orlando was sleepy feverish but fortunately, nursing in the car is a big help.  Ron and Joyce treated us to some Yellow Cab pizza.  Sleepy as we were we chowed down and swilled.  The following morning Ron and Joyce came back with milk, American cereals, fruit and a few other breakfast items....oh, and STARBUCKS.  Looking back they most definitely went above and beyond to help make us feel at home from that first night through the rest of the year.  We did several outings in which we were more familiarized with places to shop for needs and wants.  They were awesome with the first Christmas too bringing a tree with decorations...and STARBUCKS again.  They are quite the treasure.  May alzhiemers NEVER remove the many memories of their generosity they carried out in so many ways.  God's angels come in different disguises.  

After the first night's rest American cereals, mango, papaya and starbucks help officially get the
tropical island living to a rather delectable start.

Last week, on his way home from work and looking for a jeepney, Mike texted of his significant moment:  suddenly he realized he feels like he belongs here.  It usually takes that long for any foreigner to be able to say that to themselves.  The year was well saturated with initiations of sorts: fender benders, traffic violations (both of which foreigners get majorly price gouged by the locals), slow filipino timed processes of sorts...etc.  If you can graciously weather through a myriad  of such adjustment initiations then you've earned the right to call the Philippines your home for sure.  

an eighth of the view that always takes my breath away

the evolved back view of Faith Academy.  The additions are nice and all, but I will always miss the 80's stage.

Tonight we dined at Romeo's overlooking the school and the city.  The girls' hightlight was not surprising.  Camp.  They came home with big  smiles that bounced off the walls with new found spunk.  They'd spent new memories with new friends and they just couldn't stop telling me all about it their first night back home.  Tyler said that the high school retreat is what got him all cuddled into the new school and island life like a bug in a rug having been able to spend quality time with new friends and they entertain themselves outside of the school setting.  But if my memory serves me correctly, he was also able to woo them further into his affections with his [what is now termed] dub step moves at talent night, last night of retreat.  Dylan couldn't pinpoint any specific time when he felt he had finally gelled into his new life chapter.  It was all pretty much a time caressed gradual transition from "I can't stand being away from my AZ friends" to "mom, I don't know how to act with my new friends without being dorky" to "okay.  this works.  it all works."  None-the-less, the kids are a bit more settled in this life chapter as a missionary family.

for some reason there are times it takes more than an arm and a leg cooperation to get Mav into a family photo

Here's to the ongoing work to help young Filipinos apply what they know and love about Jesus to their daily lifestyle choices and/of entertainment.  We pray for more radio frequencies where we can provide tens of millions more young people with family friendly  and  God-honoring Christian music lyrics.  American families have a radio buffet from which to pic.  Filipinos only have the plethora of the neutral to the not so neutral forms of entertainment which desensitizes them from applying Biblical principles to the things they watch and listen to.  To my people.......