Peyt Sis Land!

Years from now when I look back over our time on Guam, there will be many weeks that stand out in my mind. Of all of them, few will compare to this one in which Peyt's Island transformed into a magical place called Peyt Sis Land. This past week my slightly older sister Courtney managed to finagle a week off work to visit us all the way out here from California. We had blocked off a set of dates for her to come, but as of our trip to Palau, there was no news of a plane ticket, so I came back expecting to hunt down another set of dates since these were fast approaching. Oh no... Court had booked her flight and would be on her way out the very next week!!

 Nick and I love having visitors because it's the perfect excuse to take them all over Guam and show off how awesome this place is. We hit the ground running on Court's first day with the southern island tour.

 Goofing off at Magellan's Landing

Carabao ride - One of 5 things you can only do on Guam

We wasted zero time showing off our favorites... like Inarajan Pools

Spanish Fort... ahoy

Jeff's for gifts and yummies

Caves at Dadi Beach

Surprise sand critters

Guam's ridiculous sunsets

Someone is happy to be on vacation! 

And then dinner... steaks that Courtney insisted be served branded.

So, yeah, that was the first day.

The next few days we spent exploring...

snorkeling at Fish Eye

 And Gab Gab

(thanks Mr. Baracuda for blocking my face)

 And gorgeous Gun Beach

We took Court boonie stomping to some of the Island's best hideaways...

 Inside Pagat Caves

The other side of the Pacific Ocean

And introducing her to the Philippine Sea

Hiking through Waterfall Valley

Making time for nature

 

Hunting down rainbows

Searching for Starfish (and avoiding spiders!)

Sampling local flavors

Climbing mountains

Summitting Lam Lam

And singing at the tops of our lungs.

Creating these carefree new memories and showing Court our slice of paradise unquestionably made for an unforgettable week. But technically, any one of you can come to Guam and have any or all of these awesome experiences (I am thrilled that a few of you yet are going to do just that!). But few of you... dare I say none of you... can come to Guam, do everything in these fabulous photographs, and in a week's time turn this boring, ugly, giant wall:

 

into a masterpiece:

Yes... my amazing sister led the painting of this entire mural, which we started on Monday and finished on Friday of the week she was here. This incredible piece of art on the wall facing our church sanctuary is a story of its own. But now, perhaps, you can see why this particular visit was so extraordinary... because this particular visitor is so extraordinary. Yes, this is my sister, who travels across the world armed with with a doodle pad and Dr. Seuss sticky notes, who always has a song to sing, who creates paintings and parties and possibilities that make our world a more fun, colorful, and beautiful place.

So grateful to spend this week with my sister, merging the one thing I love to do most -- exploring -- with the one thing she loves to do most -- creating! Together, we managed to conquer the entire world... in just one week. One seriously amazing week :)

Final sunset over Peyt Sis Land... love ya Court and miss you already.