Peyt's Island Turns One!

Following closely on the heels of our one-year anniversary on Guam is the one-year mark of this here space which I have grown to really love in so many ways! So today's post is a reflection on Peyt's Island, sprinkled with some of my favorite pictures from the last year. Yes, friends, I have hit a new low and am blogging about my blog.

I actually started the blog kicking and screaming a bit. There's a bit of self-centeredness that can't be avoided when you say you have a blog, or worse, "you should read my blog." It's one of the reasons I still don't blast links to my posts all over Facebook for the world of acquaintances to be privy of. And "success" in blogging is typically measured in how many hits are on your page, how many followers you have, how many comments you have on each post. It can be easy to get caught up in the numbers and trying to think of ways to get people to read or comment more. And while I do LOVE your comments and can't believe I have over 15,000 hits, I have to remind myself, that is soooo not the point here!

I started this blog for three reasons. Initially it was intended to be a way to keep in touch with friends and family back home. In terms of assessing that goal, I think Peyt's Island has been a tremendous success! I absolutely love putting a post out there and getting an email or Facebook message a few days, weeks, or sometimes even months later commenting on the pictures or just wanting to say hi. It gives me a chance to check in and see what's up in your world too. It was also really nice when I found myself back in the States recently and didn't have to spend a lot of time catching people up on what we have been doing or what life has been like here on Guam. Of course, none of this is my doing. I just put it out there. It's all of you who take the time to read and stay engaged, which is what means the most of all. Even though we're 7,000 miles away from our closest family members, we still feel connected and loved when we find out you were thinking about us way out here.

The second reason I started Peyt's Island was to have a way to keep my writing skills current. When we moved here a year ago, one of my biggest fears was that I would be bored. ...? Looking back now, I have to laugh at that. I STILL don't find enough time each day to do everything I want or plan to do. And it's not because I waste time (okay, maybe a little), but there's just so much out there to do! I will say that very little of it involves writing or any level of critical thinking, so in that regard, Peyt's Island has been a great way to stay in shape outside of the gym. I have been able to challenge myself in some ways and use my creativity in others.


The third reason I started the blog was to have a record of this two-year adventure to take with us on the other side of things. In fact, while I've positioned this as a keep-in-touch blog, many of these posts I've written primarily for moi. I have always been into journaling and particularly love reading my old journals to see what I knew then or have learned since. But my journaling is often sporadic and left until evenings when long days in the sun have tuckered me out. Keeping these records on Peyt's Island has an accountability factor in that, if I know people are taking the time to come see what's going on, I want to have something new to share. In addition, Peyt's Island has allowed me to interweave pictures and stories together, and it's way more efficient than scrapbooking. I already love looking back at old posts and seeing if things panned out as I thought they would or reflecting on how things have changed.

And on that note, I can't help but look back over my very first post, July 21st, 2010, our First 24 Hours in "Paradise." It's funny to see how many of my first impressions were right. I still think this place is absolutely gorgeous, especially since we've had so much rain and the hillsides are lusciously green again. I still run into people I know all over the island, much moreso now that I know even more people. Things definitely run at a slower pace here, but it's one I've grown to appreciate. And there are some decent restaurants here after all, you just have to ask around to know which ones are worth going to. And my reason for wanting to come here, to have more time with Nick, has panned out beautifully. So I have to say, all in all, my first post had a pretty great outlook considering what I know now.

In fact, the biggest surprise to me when I read that first post comes not from anything I've written, but instead, from one of the comments:

Clay said: "glad y'all are having fun! See you when you come back."

And this one little comment, to me, sums up all that we did not expect to happen this past year and all that I did not expect Peyt's Island to be. In all, I have written five posts dedicated to friends and family members who have transitioned to the next world, and one post about my good ol dog Blue. Two of these posts were for grandparents who lived long, inspiring lives. Three of these posts were for friends under 30 whose day came much too soon. This is probably the area where Peyt's Island has taught me the most. It has given me a place to sort out my thoughts, to grieve with others, and to honor a life by piecing together a few words in the right order. And it is the feedback from loved ones of those written about that I have found to be the most rewarding.

And so today, Peyt's Island enters its second year. I can't thank you all enough for your encouragement, your interest, your enthusiasm that has followed us on our journey here. We have packed a lot of life into one year, and the best part is, we've managed to do much of that together, even despite the great distance that separates us. And the second best part is that I happened to start Peyt's Island on Liberation Day, which means there will be ice cream and fireworks tonight to celebrate. Woohoo!