What you can do in a lifetime.

Yesterday, while riding a boat into the ocean (I was wearing flippy floppies) I realized something.  It wasn't like an epiphany or anything like that, it was more like.. WHOA A HOLY CRAP, this is what I get to do like, everyday.  And I poop you not (I told my dad I wouldn't use swear words anymore on my blog) I could live on this island forever*.

*If I had Levi Wigglesworth, access to decently priced food, a job, and the ability to visit my family often enough that I wouldn't have to miss them.  Friends...well, you're all expendable.  Sorry.

I also thought, man, I have gotten to do some amazing things with my life.  While I haven't traveled extensively as some have, I have had the opportunity to go places and I have been privy to experiences that some people, mainly nature loving nerds, have dreamed of.
Once when I was a kid we had to make a list of things we would like to do before we died.  Since I misdiagnosed with lupus and thought I was going to do before the age of 35 because doctors are horrible people that mess everything up, I didn't think I would get to do the things I wanted to. 

But I mean, when I was a kid my bucket list included such gems as: Kiss Han Solo, ride a spaceship, become an archeologist because both Indiana Jones and Dr. Alan Grant dug up cool stuff, even though Dr. Grant was a paleontologist; but what did I know, I was in THIRD GRADE, become a marine biologist and ride a whale, have a goat farm, live with a pack of wild ponies...but I digress.. the point is, my life is boring but sometimes I do cool things.  One thing I always wanted to do was live in Mexico because I'm a half of a Mexican and that has always been important to me..well check.  Done.

While there I saw a hump back whale surface with her calf and she was so dang close to our boat that we almost capsized.  I saw a freaking WHALE in the ocean... A WHALE.  It was in Banderas Bay while on a trip to Islas Marietas.  If you didn't know, the hump back whale is enormous. Now you know, just in case you failed to pay attention in third grade and no one else ever told you about how majestic and huge whales are.

I have seen manatees, dolphins, whales, sea turtles and sharks, all in their natural environment: A tank at SeaWorld...just kidding, that's where Michael Phelps lives.  

I guess the point I am trying to make, is that it isn't what you see in a lifetime, its what you do with your life time.  I have always wanted to change the world, make a difference, be part of a movement that makes an impact on the world.  Being on Guam, it has made me understand how truly awesome I think the world is.  Just like those stupid Discovery Channel commercials where the sing about it.  The world is awesome to me, and every experience is like brand new and I want to appreciate each experience astonishment and wonder.  

The world, with all of it's scientific explanations, will always be unexplainable to me. 

And with that, here are some pictures of me exploring my world.  Pictures are of dolphins and pilot whales.  Not pictured: Blue starfish, a single jellyfish, coral, flying fish and whatever else I saw in the water.

Dolphin watching and snorkeling:

 

I went to Jeff's Pirate Cove today.  It was neat, I guess but it wasn't as cool as everyone made it out to be and the food is ridiculously over priced.  The atmosphere of the place was fun and it's cool that its right on the ocean and we got to go snorkeling there today as well.  I saw giant coral that looked like pumpkins, trigger fish and some sort of fluorescent tiny blue fish and black and white ones that were the same kind.  Also, sea cucumbers galore.  I was afraid to put my feet down for fear that I would squish one.  We also saw Portuguese man o' war that had washed up onto the shore.  Dr. Dan informed his students that they would earn at least half a grade on their final projects if they allowed themselves to be stung on the thigh or any other highly sensitive area on their body.  No one allowed that to happen.  They also have a small marine museum and lots of photos and information on Shoichi Yokoi.  He was the Japanese soldier who lived in the jungles of Guam for 28 years, unaware that the war had ended.  Yep.  That was my day today.

 

So that was my day.  How was yours?

I am 29 going on 16.

I have about 12 hours left of being 28.  This will be my first birthday away from my family and all of my close friends, instead I am spending it in Guam with new friends that are absolutely amazing and like to tell me that I don't look a day over 21.  This makes me feel good about myself.

Things that make me feel bad about myself:
Being 28 and turning 29.

Sometimes I wonder why I made so many bad decisions before making good ones?  Why did I, in the words of my amazing father, take so long to be a fully functioning adult?  I don't know dad, I just don't know.  I don't know that I will ever be an "adult", someday I will pay my own bills and next year I might actually be a college graduate who is going to grad school.  All I know is that I am stuck somewhere in between being an adult and desperately refusing to give up any child like attachments to my parents.  I love my parents beyond words and they are the most incredible people I have ever met.  My birthday has always meant so much to me because it goes far past just an excuse to celebrate and shower me with praise.  Being adopted has always left me with so many questions about who I am and where I come from, it left me doubtful about my ability to be loved and to love others in return, it made me question my worth as a person and question the justifications for my biological family to give me away.  My birthday isn't just about me and the day I was given away, its about the day that a family knew that I was coming home to them and that they would love me unconditionally through every mistake.

 I have never been so far away from home for so long and even though I don't feel like I miss my mom and dad, I miss not being able to go home when I want to or when I need to see them.  I appreciate my parents more than my own life and I even though I tell them I love them, I don't know if they realize how much I appreciate them, how much I need them in my life.  So even though it is my birthday and everyone should be handing me gifts and giving me puppies with bottles of vodka attached to their bows, I have to give my parents props for being so awesome.

My dad has a better sense of humor than I do.  He also has a better work ethic than I do.
My mom is beautiful and will always look like an angel to me (according to most women who see pictures of my dad, he is handsome).

So, now that I have actually shown emotion, or at least written about the fact that I do have emotions buried deep down inside of my base level of rudeness, onward to things that I have done in the last week or so.

Last Saturday we went to Gab Gab beach and it was AMAZING.  Once on a day cruise, I saw a humpback whale surface with her calf and I just knew then that God existed. I  got goosebumps when I think about the ocean because I love it so much.  Anyone who knows me well knows that goats are my animal kryptonite, manatees take my breath away, Baby Levi is the love of my life and sea turtles absolutely turn me into a giddy pile of adorable mush.  I saw a sea turtle in the sea.  I swam by him while snorkeling.  I swam under water in the ocean BY A SEA  TURTLE. If you can't fathom how awesome that is, then you obviously have no love in your heart.  I also saw lots and lots of tropical fish.  It was neat.  On Sunday, Nicole and I went on a boonie stomp to Talofofo pool. 
The hike down the mountain was fun.  
The hike back up made me want to vomit and yell at people.  I did neither of those things.


  
 

I was trying to get an appropriate photo of how curly my hair has become while here.. This is all I could get.

Darryl, Alex, Nicole and I went to Under Water World in Tumon, and then walked around some of the shops.  I went into Marc Jacobs and held a Stam bag.  It was heaven.  If I was a fast runner, I would have stolen it.

I also managed to wear make up and put on decent clothes and went to a Valentine's Day dance.  
I can't find the picture.  But that's about it.