I love this small, quirky island that we now call home. I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around what our family purpose is. It’s never easy being the new person in town, but we have been trying to build friendships wherever we can. It has been interesting observing the workings of Saipan. Everyone seems…
A Year of Hurtful Firsts
It’s been a year of many firsts. First tragedy in our family. My first Christmas without my parents. First time experiencing an outpouring of endless love from around the world. It’s the first time I have ever gone through the emotions of real anger, deep sorrow, intense grief and what seems like unending loneliness. It’s…
Permanent Shine With a Bit of Ramen
We have been on Saipan for a month and feel like we have adjusted back to island life rather quickly. When we had moved to Tinian four years ago we weren’t quite sure about our decision, but this time around feels different. We feel like we belong. Maybe it’s because we have matured or maybe…
Finally on Island Time
We have been on Saipan for over three weeks now and have been working hard to set up home and get over jet lag before I start working. The last week I have been doing some ESL tutoring, so the house has been put on hold for a while. We also had the privilege of…
Only For a Moment
The loss of those we love leaves an indescribable pain that you soon learn will never go away. It might lessen, and even hide away for a while, but it is always there. How bad it aches simply depends on the day. Mom and Dad have been gone for exactly six months today. It is…
Vacationing WITH Children: A Must
Vacationing with three children between the ages of two and five is intense. There must be a balance between adult and child activities as I don’t believe in making life, including vacation time, one hundred percent all about the children. Our children love doing everyday activities with us. They enjoy walking places, and can walk…
Like A Camel To A River
I’ve moved so many times in my life that the process of saying goodbye has somehow become quite simple. Yet that does not mean I won’t miss those I’m leaving behind. It also does not mean that I am a closed, cold-hearted and disconnected person (believe it or not, ignorant people have referred to me…
21 BOXES
Anyone questioning our intention of living on a tiny island in the Pacific and thinking we won’t be gone for long obviously has not seen how many boxes we shipped: seventeen big boxes and four small ones. Everything we will need to set up home is in those boxes. I remember when we moved to…
Moving Across Oceans
Packing up your life and moving across the oceans is not, and never will be, an easy task. This is the fifth time I am moving across oceans and I cannot say it is my last; who knows where our final destination will be? Only God knows and He is quite good at shaking up…
Madalyn and Her Nonna
“Momma, can you give me the picture of me and Nonna and Nonno? I can’t see Nonna.” I take the picture frame off the shelf and hand it to Madalyn. “Ah, now I see Nonna.” She is sitting at the table eating her snack, gazing at the picture taken of her and my parents a…
Mom’s Day
Today is her day. And if you ever forgot it you would find her feeling sad. Mom loved celebrating her birthday. It didn’t matter if we went out to eat or stayed in, what mattered was that there was a cake and that there were gifts. Dad always got her jewelry, nothing extremely expensive, but…
My Parents’ Home
The process of systematically digging through ashes and rubble to find any remaining childhood memories is not for the faint of heart. The smell alone is enough to make you want to quit. And yet you push through because you hope to find something that you can hold on to. It might seem silly or…
The Cortes Odyssey 