Boxing Day...

Today's Boxing Day consisted of rest, relaxing, sun, snorkeling and boat rides. We spent the day at Managaha, the island just west of Saipan. Mr. Camacho, a father of one of my students offered to take us there with his boat. We met him at the Palms and off we went! So much better and faster than the ferry!

Once on the island we found a shelter spot, lathered up sunscreen and headed to the busy side of the beach to snorkel. We saw some awesome fish, schools of them. After the first session of snorkeling we headed in for lunch and napping and then more snorkeling. Some of us napped in hammocks and on the beach while others collected more seashells. During the last snorkeling session Beth was lucky enough to see an octopus crawling along the ocean floor. Her scream woke me up from my nap! ;)

It was a great day at the island, but didn't end there. Once we showered up back here, we followed Pastor and Sandy over to Wolf and Tokie Mojica's house. They had invited the staff and some church members over for a day-after Christmas dinner. It was incredible food, an even more incredible house and some great conversations. I think the family really enjoyed meeting and talking with all the people we have come to love and call family here! :)

And now here we are, watching Jake's new Christmas present: The Dark Knight!

We are so blessed to have family here with us. We are all really enjoying our time and loving showing them our island and new home! We can't wait to have more come and visit...

:)
Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. We spent Christmas day at church, opening gifts, eating a chicken dinner from a bakery on the back deck, snorkeling behind us at Sugar Dock, driving around Garapan, drinks at the Hyatt happy hour and dinner at Tasty's Restaurant! Such a great day and filled with laughter and love with some great awesome people. I love Tim, Jana, Jake, Beth and Becca and love that I am a part of their family! Thank you for coming here and helping make our first Christmas away an incredible Christmas so far.

Enjoying planning your New Year and relaxing for the rest of your vacations!

Love,

J & J

The whole family at the Hyatt Beach!

Enjoying Hyatt's Happy Hour Smoothies
waiting for our boat at the Palms!relaxing at Managaha!

After an awesome dinner, Beth, Becca and Mom VD standing in front of Wolf & Tokie's house!

Christmas Day!

Today is Christmas and Jake and I want to first wish you all, family and friends, a very Merry Christmas. May you enjoy this time with those around you and remember us as we remember and miss the snow and you all, but will be celebrating our Christmas on a beach. :)
The second thing we want to share is that we were blessed with the greatest Christmas gift this year, Jake's whole family coming out to visit us.

They arrived on Tuesday night around 9. We took them home, walked around our campus, hung out on the beach so they could put their feet in, and got them settled in for the night. Yesterday was filled with a Winchell's coffee/donut walk, beach cruising (we hit up Obyan Beach, Ladder Beach, Lau Lau, Forbidden Lookout, and Tanke Beach) We swam at Obyan together for awhile and it really hit me that we have family here and it's Christmas and we are swimming in the water. WOW! We are truly blessed.

After all our swimming we came home, showered and relaxed for awhile and then drove around Garapan and the rest of Beach Road so they could see all the places we go. We ate dinner, walked around, came back home and played German Uno, while making them stay up until a proper bed-time. Something Jake had to do to me when we first got here too! :)

It was a good night...and today is Christmas. It doesn't even feel like Christmas today, especially because we'll go to church (normal), open presents (normal), except that we plan to open them down on the beach (not normal), pick up a Christmas dinner from the local bakery (not normal), go snorkeling afterwards and then head to PIC for sunset smoothies (another not normal activity for Christmas Day). We are excited though and wish you all a wonderful and blessed Christmas Day today.
We love you all!
Love,
J & J

Holidays!!

The Holidays are here and Jake and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! :)

We have a half day of school left and then we are done for the Christmas Break...and it couldn't have come any sooner.

Jake's Parents and sisters (beth and becca) will be arriving in Saipan on the evening of the 23rd and neither of us can wait. It's going to be great to have family here to share and show the island and our life for the past 6 months!!! We plan to relax and enjoy the beaches and ocean, as well as explore and hike as much as we can too.

Our break will go fast though, with family here til the 31st and then Jake and I are flying out on the 1st to Osaka, Japan. We will be going on a mini 4-day vacation to Osaka and Kyoto Japan and that is also something that neither of us can wait for!!!!

Saipan brings such great opportunities and it's so awesome that we are! :)

Thanks for all your prayers, thoughts and Christmas cards so far!!! Keep 'em coming!!!

We love you and are thinking of you all in this season.

Love,
J & J

Jake and I at the Street Market!!!!!!