My Brother Ramon's Visit

I have been a naughty and horribly neglectful blogger lately. Same old, same old...there just never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done! But this time I will blame it on my brother, Ramon. Months ago, he bought a plane ticket to come out here for a much needed vacation, and a couple of weeks ago, he finally arrived! As always, I turn into a crazy, OCD-like, house-cleaning mess when I know my family is coming to visit. Those who know me best are probably chuckling as they read this, because the general consensus is "aren't you always like that?" The answer is yes...however, I also happen to possess a secret button on my person labeled "overdrive." So, in preparation for his visit, I pressed it. Perhaps more than once. I stocked up on extra cans of Bustelo, spent an entire afternoon making freezer bags full of empanadillas, scrubbed the house from top to bottom, and cooked up a huge caldero of arroz con gandules. I also stalked my mother repeatedly over the telephone, where I picked her brain over how exactly to replicate her coffee and my brother's favorite foods. Why all the preparation, you wonder? Well, let me tell you why:

My brother is the ultimate, quintessential mama's boy.

I write this with a great deal of amusement, because it is a well-known fact amongst us Colon siblings. We all understand that no matter what anybody does, it will never, ever, EVER live up to the way my mother can do it. Coffee and all. So don't even bother trying.

But I love a good challenge. Which is why I made it my goal to ensure that my brother, who was badly in need of some time away from the stresses of life, had the the best of both worlds: all the comforts of home (i.e., my mom's kind of cooking and pampering) intermingled with the multitude of fun, new things there were to do here in Hawaii. And all the effort was worth it, because we had an absolutely phenomenal time together! I think we may have even temporarily regressed back to our teen-aged selves for part of his visit....I have rarely seen my brother, who is usually very reserved and serious, let go and be such a social butterfly! What can I say? By the time he left Hawaii, the ladies at my Crossfit facility had nicknamed him "Romeo." Here is his trip in pictures:

Visiting Iolani Palace, home to the Hawaiian Monarchy prior to the island's statehood:

Hiking the volcanic crater known as "Diamond Head":

(The view from the top is just GORGEOUS!)

Getting ready to go and hang out downtown with Isaiah and Keith (yup, that's a smile!)

Posing on the beach at a luau:

Of course Ike and I had to get in on the action : )

Enjoying the after-dinner show at the luau:

*Interesting note: Through absolutely NO meddling of my own, Ramon was "randomly" picked out of the crowd at the luau and pulled up on stage by this drop-dead beautiful dancer who proceeded to teach him how to hula. I got it ALL on video....needless to say, he had the HUGEST grin on his face the whole time. Hmmm, I wonder how that happened? :o )

I can't even manage to list all of the other things we did during his visit. We shopped (yes, Ramon secretly enjoys it!), enjoyed the views at Pali Lookout, drove around the island, feasted on delicious pineapple ice cream at the Dole Plantation, lunched at Haleiwa Joe's on the North Shore, and relaxed on the beach at Hanauma Bay. Ramon was able to see Amir's 6th grade graduation, party like a rock star downtown, and experience the Crossfit lifestyle with Ike and I. Which brings me to the final picture of the bunch:

Last, but definitely not least, here he is posing with some of the Crossfit ladies after a morning workout:

This picture was taken on his last day on the island. Bittersweet, I think, because I truly enjoyed having Ramon here with us, and the fact that he was leaving just made me completely start tearing up on the way home. We made some awesome memories while he was visiting...and he even bestowed upon me the greatest compliment ever as we sat drinking our coffee prior to leaving for the airport:

He sipped, looked at me, and said, "It's perfect, Cariluz."

I'll take that any day.

Amir's Graduation Picture

I find it to be incredibly surreal that my oldest boy is getting ready to graduate into junior high school. I still remember when he was a little round toddler who we all called "Meatball." He took a ride with me today, and I couldn't help but think, "gosh, this is really nice" as we drove and then sat with each other, chatting over coffee at Starbucks. I am truly starting to realize what a constant progression the whole parenting road is - your relationship with your children evolves on so many levels as they get older. Despite the occasional drama, tears, and discipline, there is a lot of laughter, hugs, and love, too. I just praise God that I was blessed with the children I have...they are so awesomely different, and each of them brings "that special something" into my life. Congratulations, Amir - I know you will have so many new experiences, and they will only serve to enhance the wonderful character and loving personality that makes you so uniquely "you."

Divas Need Their Sleep, Too....

My little miss conked out after a day of shopping : -)

Amir's Track Meet

Last year, I discovered that my oldest boy Amir was a pretty awesome runner. Being an avid runner myself, this makes me happy - it's nice to know that I have a potential running buddy in the making! On Thursday, he had his first track meet for the season and did great. He ran the 4 by 100 meter relay, as well as the 4 by 800 meter relay. And of course, being his momma, I screamed my little heart out for him! Watch him go (he is in the lead):

The school did an outstanding job at the meet, and Amir ended up finishing first in his races. Here he is afterwards with one of his good friends, Haleigh:

I can't wait to see what the season holds for him!

Easter

I woke up on Easter Sunday feeling better than I have for quite a while. I don't know if it was the anticipation of one of my favorite church services, or maybe the migraine medication I had taken the night before (LOL) but I jumped right out of bed and was rarin' to start my day. As you can see, the kids were too! I was able to catch a few pics of them clowning around as we prepared to leave the house for church:

As you can see, we are very "Aloha casual" here on the island : )

The church we got to is called New Hope, and I have to say that it has been my saving grace here in Hawaii. That church has such a wonderful spirit of love and fellowship, and incredible outreach to both the adults and youth. The membership has grown so tremendously that there are seven campuses throughout the island, and this island is pretty small, compared to the rest. Our pastor thought it would be a good idea to try and gather everyone from the respective campuses under one roof for Easter, so we took over the Blaisdell Center (think of the Wachovia Center in Philly) downtown and this is what it looked like:

That picture was taken from our seats up on the upper tier, if you can believe it. And what was really cool was that there was a musical guest to sing for us after praise and worship: Michael English! I don't know how many of you have heard of him, but you may know him through his song, "In Christ Alone." That is one of my favorite songs ever - it just gives me chills whenever I hear it. He shared with us his story - how he had risen to fame, fallen from grace, and found redemption again in the arms of Jesus Christ. It was...well, in a word, awesome. We all enjoyed the service, even the kids....and for my 2-year old to sit still (for the most part) and not yell out even once during the message was an accomplishment in and of itself!

We had a mellow and relaxed day afterwards. I had to get my nose back in some books, and the kids spent much of their time on our lanai hanging with their friends.

As for other news, Amir now has braces on his teeth (could you tell in the pics? He hopes not) and will be graduating from the 6th grade next month. I say it a lot, but sometimes he makes me feel so old! I got his graduation pictures on Friday - it's a big deal in Hawaii - and he looks so grown in his cap and gown and kukui beads. I promise I will post the picture once I get a chance to scan it on my computer. Johnny just turned 9 in March, and is getting ready to head into the 4th grade. As for Isa, my munchkin is keeping me constantly on my toes. It truly is amazing how much the little ones pick up at that age...I have to be EXTRA careful what I say and do. I am sure you all can relate ; )

And that's about it in a nutshell at the moment. I have to run, Isa is asking for her potty and that, beautiful people, is music to my ears!

Could Use Some Prayer

I have not posted as frequently as I used to, and I have to admit that I actually miss it quite a bit. Unfortunately, I don't have as much free time on my hands these days. Another contributor has been the recurrence of some health issues. Because they were starting to affect my daily activities, my doctor suggested I get some additional screening to try and narrow down the possibilities of what's wrong. So, a couple of days ago I went for an MRI with contrast (this is when they use magnetic resonance imaging to view the inside of your head, then inject dye into your veins to get a better look). I should be getting the results back soon, and hopefully there is nothing wrong that cannot be fixed. Your prayers for a good report would really be appreciated.

On the flip side, the kids and Isaiah are doing just great. I plan on hooking up a lengthy post with pictures and more detailed updates as soon as I get my health issues back in order. Believe me, there is so much to fill you in on!

There's Nothing Like...

...walking into the bathroom, only to find that the toilet is clogged because "someone" wanted to see if their toy cars could float in water...yup, the maintenance folks were loving me that day...

or:

....going to a store with your potty training child, only to have her pull up her dress and yell "go poo-poo!" loud enough to have half the people in the store look at you like you just grew another head...

and of course, my favorite:

...walking into a commander's call (squadron pow-wow) feeling all professional, just to have someone whisper in your ear that your daughter's Strawberry Shortcake stickers are all over the back of your BDU pants.

Kids are a trip ; )

The Things That Keep You Going

Over at Crossfit Oahu, the workout facility where I spend several days a week, there is a quote that a lot of my fellow Crossfitters like to repeat when things get difficult:

"Start by doing what's possible, then do what's necessary, and pretty soon you are doing the impossible."

That saying has gotten me through many a tough workout - but recently, I have found myself applying it to more than just those times where I am drained from the WOD (workout of the day) and feeling as if I am about to drop. It actually comes in handy at other times, too.

Like those times when you have spent the day running your kids to every single kind of appointment, class, or activity known to man and still have to get home in time to make dinner and knock out 3 loads of laundry.

Or those days when your child is asking for help on their homework, and you realize that you don't even know to help them because you no longer remember how to do algebra. Google, here I come....

Or how about those mornings where you are groggy because your youngest just would not stay asleep the night before, so you stayed up with them and now have a billion things to get done - and have no idea how you will manage to do them. And not looking particularly attractive, either.

Not that these kinds of things have happened to me or anything.... ; )

Mom & Titi Ely's Visit

As you may already know, I was extremely fortunate to have my mom and her sister from Puerto Rico, Titi Ely, come out and visit me for 3 weeks. I had to get express permission from my father to borrow them, of course : ) But they made it out here in one piece and had an activity packed visit. And when I wasn't working or doing schoolwork, I went along for the ride on their adventures around the island. They flew over to the Big Island to check out the volcanoes at night, went to a luau, explored the Polynesian Cultural Center, strolled Waikiki, and even jumped on a bus tour to see some of the sights. Of course, I think their favorite part was the shopping, but let's keep that between us. Here are some pictures from their visit:

I wish they could have stayed longer, but their husbands were running out of food and clean laundry, so I had to send them home. And back I went to making my own coffee every morning...I am sure my father is snickering right now!

It's Finally Over!

After months of preparation and a week of non-stop scenarios, in-your-face inspectors, and constant alarms, our base operational readiness inspection (ORI) is finally over! Sorry, I know it probably sounds like I am speaking gibberish again. This is an inspection that - as the name implies - tests our readiness as a base in all kinds of war-time scenarios. It is a pretty big deal; this is the type of thing that can make - or break - the careers of a LOT of people. So pray that we all passed!Otherwise, I will be supremely irritated that I spent 7 days straight, working 12-hour night shifts, dressed like this for up to two hours at a time:

Welcome to MOPP 4. This is how we have to gear up in the event of a chemical/biological attack. Just in case you didn't know, it is HOT inside of these things. And if you have even the slightest hint of claustrophobia, you'd probably go stark raving mad and rip the whole outfit off, gas mask and all.

Not to mention the fact that you sweat like a pig in that get-up. Ew. You don't want to know what some of us looked like at the end of our shifts. Believe me when I say that I took great joy in coming home each morning and showering for a LONG time before going to sleep. And now that freedom is mine again (sort of, LOL) it is time for me to catch up on all the schoolwork I missed while trapped in that suit!

The good news is the kids and I have not been alone, although Isaiah is still deployed. At the beginning of the month, my mom and Titi Ely (her sister from Puerto Rico) flew out here to keep me company, help with the kids while I was working, and to have some fun on the island! It has truly been a blessing having them here - I actually feel kind of spoiled, because only my mom could pamper me like this. I am so used to being the person who does everything in the house - the meals, the cleaning, the chauffeuring and refereeing of kids - that it is sheer luxury to wake up and have someone hand me a cup of Bustelo and say that everyone is accounted for!

I have to get back to a paper I am supposed to be writing at the moment, but I still have a lot to share and some great pics to post. So hopefully I will have some more updates in the next week for you to check out!

A Venting Moment

One of the things that you have to accept when you are either

#1. In the military, or

#2. married to someone in the military,

is that it brings its own unique set of issues, conflicts, and at times, weird interactions that you try to learn to take with a grain of salt. One such issue is that unless you yourself are also a service member (and if you aren't in uniform, folks don't always know off the bat, anyway), one of the tendencies in that world is for everyone to identify you by your spouse. Essentially, it can be like having zero identity aside of your husband (or wife, in all fairness...but those are few and far between). And the kooky thing about it, is that once you start playing along - and often, you don't have a choice - you can find yourself doing it to other people! For example:

Scenario - I have met another adult female at a children's football game

Me: Hi, I'm Carmen! (I give her the "once-over" to try and determine if she looks like an enlisted or officer wife - trust me, sometimes there's a difference - and hopes she doesn't notice)

New Person: Hi, I'm (insert name here). Is one of your children playing? (after sizing me up too, she determines that I am not a threat and she scans the field as if in search of my kid)

Me: Yes, my son is playing. He is number 32. What about yours? (I purposely try to delay the inevitable question I know she wants to ask)

New Person: Oh, he is number 12. (She pauses - auugh, here it comes!) So...*what does your husband do?

*Note: This question can have several variations. I have heard everything from "what squadron does your husband belong to?" to "what rank are you guys?" to "Who do you belong to?"

Me: (Inwardly groaning) He's a loadmaster in the C-17 squadron. His name is TSgt M* (Geez, now I have to ask her what HER husband does now...it's part of the ritual) What about yours?

New Person: (proudly) Oh, he's in the same squadron! Actually, his name is MSgt So-and-so! Wait a minute, doesn't my husband supervise your husband? How funny!

Me: (Oh, great - ha, ha, ha, so funny) Yes, yes, I guess that's ironic isn't it? Well, gotta go, have a nice day! (I book it out of there like I have fire on my heels - I can tell this conversation is going to either irritate the heck out of me or end up with me saying something I will get in trouble for)

Okay, so that's just a little taste of some of the interactions that I have experienced. Trust me, that one seems minor, but there have been plenty more, some uglier than others, and some less so. But (and here comes my venting) what bothers me most about it all, is that there is this air of one-upmanship that exists in most female military spouse communities...it is part of the reason I tend to avoid those types of social settings because I simply have a problem playing along. What can I say? I DON'T ROLL LIKE THAT. I don't choose my friends, or who I will speak to, based on who their husband is or what rank they are. But unfortunately, a good number of people do operate like that, and it makes me want to scream!

Oh, what the heck, I might as well: AUUUGGGGHHHHHH! There....I feel better.

I have thought about it many times, and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with being proud of your spouse - and I am very, very proud of mine - there is something very "Stepford-ish" about some of the women I have met. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it is like there is no sense of self. Everything is about their husband's promotions, accomplishments at work, deployments, etc...some even wear their spouse's rank and authority like it is theirs! There are no introspective conversations about life, love, our dreams...or even mundane conversations, like what you bought at the store that day or fed your kids for dinner. BORING and MIND NUMBING. In all honesty, I just don't have it in me to humor folks like that most days...I enjoy having an identity all my own.

It may have taken a while, but situations like that are my timely reminder that I am so fortunate to have acquired a group of wonderful friends - great people I can rely on for just about anything - who have their feet planted firmly on the ground, as opposed to having their noses in the air!

And just so you don't think that I am not exceedingly proud of the work that Isaiah does, I will include some pics from an article in the Air Force news where he was featured on an airdrop mission. You go, boy!

Christmas, 2 Birthdays, and a Great Surprise!

I know I am behind the power curve on getting this posted, but every time I try to get on the computer, I end up doing completely unrelated things, like balancing my checkbook online. I know, I am such a barrel of excitement. : )

Christmas was pretty jolly this year - and now that I think about it, it was pretty loud, too! Anytime you cram a bunch of Colon siblings and their families under one roof, you end up with a house of rambunctious mischief and rehashing of old stories and memories. We inevitably talk, tease, cuddle, and act like your typical crew of miscreants who can think of no better way to show our love for each other - and I think it totally rocks. I meant to take a slew of photos, but was having so much fun pulling my brother's hair and teasing my nieces and nephews that I kept forgetting to actually use the darned camera. Luckily, my brother's wife Charline and my niece Iliana took enough to satisfy my quota. Here are a couple:

Jose's three kids (Joseito, Miguel, and Arianna) along with two of mine (Amir and Johnny)

Tata and I...boy, do I have a large head or what?

The next day, we packed up early in the morning and headed out to Lancaster, PA, to spend the weekend at this wonderful hotel that we have been going to for years. The Amish country is just so peaceful and family-friendly, and the kids were begging to go. We thought it would be a nice way to celebrate our respective birthdays, as well. Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that my oldest son Amir and I are "December babies." If you have ever had your birthday near a significant holiday, you may share my pain on that one (LOL) - as a result I don't usually do much to celebrate my birthday, because it is somewhat redundant when everyone else is still on the holiday high. It's actually kind of ironic because when I think back to when Amir was born, I can still (vividly!) remember spending that particular birthday in labor! What a gift, right? But, I digress.

Despite the freezing cold, we had a blast shopping (well, at least Mom and Isa and I did) while the boys swam, played, and basically exhausted their grandfather running here and there and everywhere. Isa also got in on the swimming fun - thank goodness for the indoor water park - and took particular joy in kicking water all over anyone who dared to come near. Some more pics for your viewing pleasure:

Now for the best part. As you probably know, we came out here minus my husband because he was set to deploy overseas during the holidays. I have to admit, although I am used to him being here one minute and gone the next, I was missing him quite a bit. And based on how he was sounding during our telephone conversations, he apparently felt the same. He was scheduled to leave Hawaii on my birthday, so after that point we no longer chatted. The days passed on and my mother and I had just finished cooking up a storm for our family and friends who were coming over to spend New Year's Eve with us. The doorbell rang and when I opened it, there stood Isaiah! Oh, I can't tell you how excited and happy I was! I jumped around for awhile and then kind of attached myself to him while he explained how he got there. The short version of it is that his flight to his location had been delayed, and he ended up in Baltimore with a free evening on his hands. So he rented a car, drove up to NJ, and poof! Ended up on our doorstep. What a blessing that we had some extra time with him before he departed - we didn't really get to say a proper good-bye when we left Hawaii because of work and all of the rushing around prior.

New Year's Day rolled around and Isaiah had to drive back down to catch his flight - I think it was easier for me this time around, but it was much harder for him and the kids to say good-bye. One of the things about deploying is that you often have to get your mind in the right place before you leave. I know he was happy to see us, but I think having that so fresh in his memory made it a bit more difficult for him to leave without shedding a tear or two. And Isa didn't make it any better - she is quite the Daddy's girl, and I pretty much had to pry her away from him as he walked to the car. That made me tear up, and him too!

But all in all, I must say that this was a memorable holiday. I am getting ready to return to Hawaii next week, and while I will be glad to get back to some warm weather, I will miss my family terribly. I also do not relish the thought of returning to an empty house. But as one of my church friends always takes care to remind me, it isn't really empty, is it? God is always present, and that is ultimately the best kind of reassurance as I get ready to assimilate back into my typically hectic and somewhat harried schedule.

We would really appreciate any prayers you could send our way - especially for Isaiah, whose job often requires him to fly into less than ideal places. And while I am not an especially mushy person, I just have to say this one thing: I am SO thankful to have you all as my family and friends!