Labor Day Weekend

I really enjoyed my long weekend. I got in a couple good dives with Harry. I usually get to go on more dives over the weekend, but he's been busy studying and training. And yesterday we ran up to Tapochau first to fill the tanks for the generator. Our Lau Lau dives have been fun lately. We saw some turtles, squid and nudibranchs. I have some turtle pictures but we don't have the pictures uploaded yet, so I'll have to post those another time. Part of our weekend was spent going from place to place deciding where the best place was to hang out while the power was out. Oleai was without power too, as their generator kept breaking down, so we only went there once this weekend. It was the first time in a long time that I felt hot, tired and sweaty for 3 days. It's getting harder to get up in the mornings, I'm just so tired from waking up in the night sweating. I'm sure everyone else is suffering out there too. Another local friend is leaving with her whole family. I think they are moving to Seattle. And a local businessman, who is also a friend of ours, is trying to sell his house and business and move away, too. His family are already gone. There seems to be quite the mass exodus. It makes me wonder who will be left when all of this finally winds down. I guess it won't be us. We have decided to move on as well. We are shooting for the beginning of next year. I guess it's time - all the signs seem to indicate that it is. It's a bittersweet moment in our lives. We have loved living here, until lately. We have made so many friends, shared so many great moments with friends and family. Our kids grew up here, and we are part of the community - Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce, etc. Our lives have truly been changed and blessed by the years we have lived on Saipan - 12 years, 3 months so far. It has been our home, the longest we've ever lived in one place. But I guess now we begin the process of closing out this chapter of our lives, and preparing for a new journey. With the cost of shipping, we won't be able to ship anything back, so I guess we'll just be starting new.
But before we leave, we still have a fall party coming up and the holidays, of course. Sarah is looking forward to cooking for our last big dinners out here. We'll need to find homes for our two girl kittens. Both are spayed and have all their shots. If you know of a good, loving home for the cat girls, please let me know.

We still have some decisions to make about things, but I guess the biggest decision has been made. I have been reading the blogs of some others who have already left - about their adjustments back into life in the states. So far they seem to be enjoying the grocery stores, fresh food, regular power, and seeing friends and family again. Each one also expresses a certain amount of missing Saipan. That is bound to happen. Life out here is different, it changes you and somehow grows on you. I doubt anyone who has been here ever forgets it. Especially not people like us, who let ourselves become a small part of the island. Well, more posts on this topic to come, I'm sure. But for now - peace. Enjoy a Bali sunrise.