March 30, 2015

Look what came in the mail today!  We are super excited to give it a try.  Owen helped me get it out of the box and get it set up.  Now we are just waiting on some big blocks of ice to freeze.  We have twelve different flavors and lots of cups and straws.

That machine will make a LOT of shaved ice! Yum!

An enormous wind blew into town today.  It knocked down power lines and disrupted life for a lot of people.  Tennis and baseball both got cancelled (which was SO nice!), but Miles and Greg carried on for the golf clinic and Emma kept at it on the high school track, nearly blowing over!

Lance and I rode in the car for over an hour delivering and collecting all of our athletes.  Once at home, I made some pork chops with Mom's bbq sauce and put them in the oven.  I still feel like I'm a couple of steps behind in life.  But I'll catch up, hopefully.

As I dropped off Emma at Polynesian dance, I passed Sunee in the parking lot.  She was there to pick up her girls who take the class before Emma.  We could only roll down the window and say a quick hello before cars pulled up behind us and we had to move along.  I haven't seen Sunee for a month.  And I haven't even talked to her either.  It's sad.  I shed a tear or two when I told Greg about registering Owen for kindergarten and how I didn't put Sunee down as the emergency contact.  I just didn't think the school would be able to get a hold of her if they tried calling in an emergency.  I didn't put my parents, either.  They aren't always here, but I did list them on the form as someone who could check my children out of school.  So, I finally put my neighbor, Kelsey, across the street.  At least she's close.  But as I told Greg, it made me start to cry.  I feel like I have a lot of friendly people in my life, I just don't have a close friend anymore (at least not within the same zip code).  I don't have anyone to call in the day if I want to go for a walk.  Nobody comes over to visit and chat while the kids play in the backyard.  Nobody comes over at all.  I'm not the type of girl who gets invited on the annual ski weekend (that a huge group of girls in my neighborhood go on every year!), and Greg and I didn't even get invited to the adult Christmas party this year.  We got axed.  Ha!

Sometimes I think about how I'm too busy for friends anyway.  It's probably all my fault for not going to book clubs and social lunches...But then I miss it.  I'm a little lonely for friendships, I guess.  And as I get older, I'm learning that it takes a lot of time and effort to start from scratch and build a new "best friend."  Oh well.  I really don't mind being alone.  :)

Mom and Dad texted that their power is out for the night, so they are reading my blog in the candlelight as they sit in bed.  They say they are having a great time, cherishing every word.  I'm thankful for their undying support.  They will always be my biggest fans! :)

March 29, 2017

Wednesday.

Mom and I went to a band festival at Dixie High School to watch Julia's band perform.  She's so cute on the trombone! She didn't want me to come because she thought her band wasn't going to do well.  I told her, Julia, I love watching you so much, I don't even care if your band sounds terrible!

Then I tried to help Mom pick out some new glasses.  I say tried because all of the glasses were SO expensive, that we only had a couple of options.  I think she chose some really cute ones, though.  And they will be super high quality.  She really needed new glasses because her old ones are chipping like crazy.  When we talked about the price of the glasses, she told me the cutest story.  Mom has recently been going through old pictures and cards and papers and organizing or throwing away everything.  She decided that she would read every card before throwing them away.  To her surprise, when she opened a birthday card from her mom and dad, she found two hundred dollars inside!  Neither of us could believe that she had forgotten about that money at the time they gave it to her!  It's been sitting there for years.  And both of her parents have been gone for a while.  She was really excited to use it to help pay for her new glasses.  I said, "Mom," thinking about her birthday in a few weeks, "it's like your mom and dad are giving you a birthday present this year!"  We both smiled at the thought.  It sounded so sweet.

Owen had his first ever T-Ball game today.  He was SO happy about it!  He put his uniform on right when he got home from preschool, even though his game was at 5:30 p.m.!  In the afternoon, I took him to our new elementary school--the one we will be going to next year--and we registered him for kindergarten.  He also had his kindergarten checkup at the doctor's office.  He is four feet tall, which they say is the 99th percentile.  But he is really just off the curve!  He is 50 pounds now, but the doctor commented on how tall and lean he has gotten.  He has 20/20 vision, which is apparently amazingly good for a 5 year old.  Most little kids only have 20/30, I guess.  I decided that even his eyes are mature.  :) And I just have to add that he is reading like a champ now.  He is SO ready for kindergarten.

Time to sign this big boy up for kindergarten at Crimson View Elementary!

His T-Ball game was so funny.  Kids were running the wrong direction, falling over, all sorts of funny stuff.  Owen even got a hit off of the coach pitching.  The whole way home, he just kept saying how much fun he had.  He can't wait to play again.  And I was the super mom who made hamburgers for my whole family, wrapped them all in foil, and brought dinner for everyone to the game.  Greg and the girls met us there after volleyball.  Life is so crazy busy that dinner is getting more and more difficult.  I have to really get creative.  But it was fun eating on the blanket, cheering for Owen, while Miles and Austin climbed all over the playground for an hour.  Everyone came home properly exhausted and happy.

Only one of the team's helmet's would fit this kid's head! :)

It's been a good day!

March 28, 2017

I dragged my tired behind out of bed early to go running with Cathy before she headed back to California.  It was good, but I was dragging a bit.  It's rough coming back from vacation!  You start to really realize how relaxed you were and how intense your real life really is.  Wow.

I went shopping with Owen and Lance for a birthday present.
I had to collect the girls from school and take them to the orthodontist.
I took Owen to a birthday party at Battle Evolution, a nerf gun arena.  He LOVED it.
I rushed Emma to her track meet at Desert Hills and dropped her off.
I took Austin to piano lessons.
I picked up Austin.
I dropped off Julia at piano lessons.
I rushed to pick up Owen from the party.
I hurried to Austin's baseball game. He's a good little hitter and player.  We cheered and cheered!
I missed Emma's run. She took second overall in the 400 meters!
I made sure Miles rode his bike to scouts.
I sent Julia with Greg to her basketball game.
I took the boys home and put Lance to sleep.
I left the others home with Miles.
I rushed to the track meet.  I missed Emma running the 200 meters.
I ran over to the middle school for Julia's game.
I watched Julia have an awesome game, until she got into foul trouble (unfairly!), and eventually she fouled out.
I watched Greg get a technical foul.  Nobody messes with Daddy's girl!
I came home and got everyone headed to bed.
I helped Julia finish her homework, comforting her as she cried.
I finally got the house quieted down.
I fell into bed.

Where is the sound of the waves to lull me to sleep?  Where is the turndown service I came to love?  Where is the sweet smell of mango coconut lotion lingering on my skin?  Where are Greg's arms to hold me as we fall asleep?  Where is my beloved Maui?

My brain is foggy.

I keep telling myself to be patient with myself.  It's like a big, churning engine.  Once it has slowed to a stop, it takes some time to get back up to top speed.  I'm that engine.  I slowed to an absolute halt, but now I'm back.  And I'm trying to get back up to speed.  My mom was sympathetic.  She said, "I don't know why we even go on vacation!"  I know she wasn't serious.  It's just that she knows how it feels to come back.  Still, it never hurts a big, churning engine to power down every so often, just to check the moving parts, grease the gears, and then start the slow process of getting back to full speed.  I'll get there.  I've just got to keep chugging along.

March 27, 2017

My beautiful Julia is now a teenager! Thirteen years ago today, after crying myself to sleep for a week straight past her due date, Julia came into my world and into my heart.  She was so big, 9 pounds, 2 ounces, and so adorable.  She has been an absolute joy to me for thirteen years.

I got out of bed completely bleary eyed and jet lagged!  But I managed to make french toast, and thank goodness my sweet mom left crushed strawberries in the fridge.

Somehow I managed to do the Monday cleaning and then run around town getting some presents for Julia.

She's a teenager!!

So cute...ready for the day!

The time on the microwave is 3:27, her birthday is today, 3-27.  

We celebrated at the end of the day--after volleyball practice, after a baseball game, after Cathy and Nate stopped over for the night--with Hawaiian food, and sugar cookie bites, and lots of presents.  The best part was when Lance helped Julia blow out the candles, spit and all.  

It was a great day.  And I love my new teenager.  She's a keeper!

March 26, 2017

Sunday was such a blur!

We had the joy of reuniting with our family.  We had the exhaustion of traveling over night.  I had the stress of driving home from Las Vegas (since Greg hadn't slept at all!).  We had the overwhelming gratitude at finding the house spotless, dinner in the crockpot, and the whole family at church with my mom and dad.

I took some time to unpack, take a quick shower, and freshen up for church.  Then, I stood on the driveway, waiting for my family to come home!  When I saw them round the corner, I started jumping and waving.  Of course, Dad backed up as if to leave, and then made like he would drive right past!

Eventually we were all reunited!  I was so happy to see everyone.  It felt great to be home.

Greg and I went to sacrament meeting.  We STRUGGLED to stay awake, but we made it.  Then it was a lovely evening at home, relaxing with the kids.  We had a delicious dinner too.  Thanks to Mom.

The kids with Grandma!  What a week!
Back row, Left to Right: Julia, Lance, Grandma, Miles, Emma
Front: Owen, Austin
Oh, how I love these people!

We spent a good part of the evening laughing and talking about the new Hawaiian Shaved Ice machine Greg had ordered while we were in Hawaii.  It hasn't arrived yet, but the kids are over the moon excited.  We just can't get enough of our beautiful Hawaii.  :)

March 25, 2017

OUR LAST DAY!

It felt a little sad.  We tried to make it another fun day, but our hearts were a little heavy.  We got in the Jeep and drove to this famous little Kihei Cafe that everyone raved about for breakfast.  We were so sad to see that they only accepted cash.  Greg hadn't even brought his ATM card.  And I had left my wallet in the room with lots of cash AND a bank card.  So, we drove back to the hotel and enjoyed another visit to the lovely Grand Wailea Breakfast Buffet on the veranda.  It's hard to complain about that!

Even though we had to clean up and check out, we still sat by the ocean for hours.  We talked and swam and relaxed.  When the wind picked up, we moved to the pool area.  We felt so lucky because we had absolutely gorgeous weather every single second of our trip, but the forecast for the entire next week was stormy and rainy!

So much fun...so many great memories...so many selfies!

We had lunch by the pool, and then finally decided to try out the big water elevator.  It was so fascinating!  It was this big shaft that when the door was sealed shut, it filled up with water and the whole group floated up on this large tube.  Then once everyone gets out at the top, they release all the water out of a volcano in the pool, and the tube slowly floats down for the next guest.  It was a way to get to the top for the water slides, which we rode down.

After a day in the water and the sun, we showered and cleaned up and enjoyed the breeze blowing through the beautiful open-air lobby for an hour or so.  About this time, Greg's eye got so itchy and swollen.  His whole face started to get swollen on that side.  We decided to make our way to the airport and stop and get some allergy medicine.

With some medicine in him, Greg started to feel better, but he ended up having a miserable flight home.  He had heartburn and couldn't sleep at all.  I did much better, thanks to my new discovery of ear plugs and a sleep mask on an airplane!  I will never fly the red-eye without those things!

Our trip was so magical and so fun.  It was so hard to see it end.  I am so grateful for our time on Maui, for everyone who helped at home, and for Greg, who works so hard to make all my dreams come true.

We kissed the islands good-bye...until next time...

Time to go...

March 24, 2017

Friday.  Greg was in meetings almost all day.  I had many hours to be alone.  After a good run, I found a spot by the pool under the umbrella.  And I swam and read and relaxed.  I ordered a salad and a strawberry banana milkshake! It was so enjoyable.  I wrote a letter to each of my kids in their special notebook--the ones I've been keeping since the day each of them were born.  That took a few hours, and I had tears spilling out from under my sunglasses.  I have so many emotions wrapped up in my children!  It's a whole lot of love. :)

Kind of a strange picture....but I went off the path and ran along the sand for a while.  Totally fun!

My lunch time view.  It was so peaceful!

Finally Greg came and joined me.  It was late in the day.  We decided to stay poolside until sunset.  We were actually eating at the Molokini restaurant near the pool when the sun dipped into the ocean.  We caught some amazing NCAA Elite 8 action on the big screen.  Then we slowly made our way up to our room.  All day I had been reading a great business/self-help book called, "The One Thing."  It had so many great ideas and thought-provoking points.  Greg and I spent a long time deep in conversation about it.   I read it in our room until I was sleepy while Greg watched the highlights from the sports world.  It was another beautiful day.

March 23, 2017

Thursday in paradise.  I know it's an extremely crazy busy day at home.  I'm soaking up all the relaxation I can, while I can, because I'll be back at it in a few days.

After sitting on the beach for a few hours, reading this crazy book about women's basketball in the 1920s, and how everyone was so concerned that basketball was much too strenuous for girls so they made special rules, like girls weren't allowed to dribble and the defense and offense had to stay on their own half of the court to prevent much running, I got brave enough to go play in the sand.  Alone.

I shaped a whale.  And it was so fun.  And every child that passed by for the rest of the day stopped to admire my creation.  :)

My Whale!

I did some writing and some reading, and when Greg came to join me, we went out and bobbed in the waves.

Before coming on our trip, I bought some Spa Finder gift cards.  I used a few the other day, but I had extra in case Greg wanted to go get a massage with me.  He was a little hesitant.  He's never had a massage before, or been to a spa, of course.  But as I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that if you are ever going to try a spa massage, this was the place to try it.  You might as well start with the best!  So I booked us for a couples massage.  By the time we were walking in the doors in the late afternoon after our swim in the ocean, Greg was visibly nervous.

I tried to give him a few tips and reassuring words, and I kept my promise of no "spa selfies" with him (he was adamant!), but in the end, I had to kiss him goodbye because the men's and women's spas are mostly separate.  Again, I got to soak and dip and relax in all of the baths and pools for an hour before my massage.  It was so peaceful and fun.  I kept thinking about Greg and wondering how he was faring.  I had thought that late afternoon might be less busy than the morning, but the women's side was humming with spa goers.  And a large number of them were very n*k*d.

By the time I came out onto the beautiful veranda that overlooks the ocean in my robe and slippers, I was anxious to see Greg.  He was there, waiting for me and waiting for our names to be called for our massage.  The look on his face, literally, was worth a thousand words.  It was a strange mix of shock and horror, and relief to see me!

Apparently, there were many men at the spa.  And apparently, many of them were taking advantage of the "swimsuit optional" option.  And apparently, some of them were there with their partners.  And apparently, Greg just wasn't so sure if this was his idea of fun!!  Ha ha!

The massage part was great.  I enjoyed the best massage imaginable.  She helped work out my back in an amazing way.  It felt so heavenly.  At one point, as I turned over, I took a peek over at Greg.  I had to stifle a chuckle.  I just knew this was the sort of thing he would be rolling his eyes over.  And if you can roll your eyes while they are closed, I'm sure he was doing it!  But actually, when it was all over, he agreed that the massage felt nice, and well, it was an experience, to be sure.  For me, I'm just glad to know that I no longer need to feel bad if I ever want to go to the spa and leave him behind.  Greg said he would have found infinitely more pleasure up in our room watching the Sweet 16 games, than lounging around with "swimsuit-optional" men in a hot tub.  I'm still laughing at the thought.  Oh, good times.

Lunch by the pool!

Kissable lips! Greg's always the jokester!

 After fixing ourselves up, we went down for our dinner reservations.  Thanks to the Disney Jr. show, Octonauts, I knew how to pronounce the name of the restaurant--The Humuhumunukunukuapua'a. And it was as beautiful as the name is long.  We ate over the water in these big tiki huts.  The sun set into the ocean while we dined.  It was beautiful and delicious.  Greg's steak was on a bed of kale.  He didn't really like the kale, and I'll admit I didn't really like it either, but it just totally solidified Greg's final take on spas and massages and kale--that's not the life for him!  And I love my man just the way he is!

Ready for dinner

Beautiful Evening for Dinner at The Humuhumu...

We ate in Tiki Huts over the water.

We loved the scallops Greg ordered!

My salad was amazing!

Crispy Mahi Mahi on a bed of forbidden rice.  Are you kidding me?? That's delicious!!

Greg's steak (marinated in Dr. Pepper---when they mentioned Dr. P, he was sold!)  on a bed of kale!  It was the best steak ever.  We are gonna have to try the Dr. Pepper marinade at home.

Another beautiful sunset!

Just lovely!

We walked over to the Wailea shops when dinner was over.  Ice cream was calling Greg's name.  It was a beautiful night time walk, hand in hand, and a great end to a relaxing, gorgeous day.

March 22, 2017

Late last night, when it was around midnight back home, I clicked onto the video monitor in Lance's bedroom.  It was dark, but I could see the back of his head resting softly on his pillow.  I could see the outline of his little legs and feet sticking out of his blanket.  I watched him for a few minutes, noticed that I could see the slight rise and fall of his breathing, sighed to myself and clicked off my phone.

I chatted with each of the kids a little bit before bed.  I'm not used to hearing their voices over the phone line.  They always sound much younger and smaller than when I am talking to them in person. I'm missing them all a bit.  And I'm anxious to relieve my mom and dad.  If I think too long about how they are running my life, I feel so guilty I can't breathe!  So, I just don't let my mind think of it.  I told my mom that I'm just pretending I don't have a family!  It's a luxury to turn off all of the day-to-day worries and stress I usually have.  I feel a relaxation I haven't felt in years.  How can I ever thank my parents enough?

I started the day with a lovely run along the beach.  It was awesome!

My morning run... :)

After breakfast with Greg, I spent the whole day sitting on the beach.  Greg was in meetings most of the day, so I read and napped and even swam in the waves by myself.  At one point I was out bobbing in the waves when I looked back and noticed Greg sitting in my chair.  I rode a wave in and walked back through the sand to see him.  He was on a short break from his meetings, amused to find me out in the ocean.  He kissed my salty lips and sat with me for a few minutes before heading back indoors.  I realized something about myself.  A lot of the things that I do "because the kids want to," are really the things I want to do.  I almost rented a boogie board because I love doing that with the kids so much!  But I wondered how it would look riding it alone.  The beach is really crowded, so lots of people would see me! I've also wanted to build a sand castle and sit at the edge of the water and let it splash over me.  And I'm tempted to go back and ride the waterslides a few more times!  Those are all things the kids love to do, too.  I really do love being with my kids.

I'm enjoying my alone time.

I finished reading George Q. Cannon's book, My First Mission, the other day.  So then I started reading, "The Lake House,"by Ella Carey.  I finished reading it on the beach.  It is about this grand old lake house (very similar to the house in The Sound of Music) that was locked up and abandoned during World War II.  After the Berlin Wall came down, many old aristocratic families were able to go back in and repurchase their land and estates.  It was a fascinating story to read about life in the 1930s as they knew it, and then life now, as the family went back to see the remains of what had once been.  It was a great read.

I'm loving all the reading time with the sand between my toes!

I finally sauntered in about 5:00 to have a shower.  One of my favorite things to do in the whole wide world is to spend the day in the water and the sun, and then shower off and get fixed up for an evening out.  I love a nice, hot, steamy shower.  I love lotioning my sun-kissed skin.  I love applying my make up and fixing my hair and putting on fresh clothes.  It's my favorite time of day to fix myself up!

We are LOVING our time together!

We enjoyed another sunset dinner on the beach provided by Greg's conference.  The food and conversation were delightful and interesting.  As we were finishing up our assortment of desserts, the only light left was coming from the glow of the tiki torches.  There was a light ocean breeze and a sleepiness settling over us.  We excused ourselves and slowly walked, hand-in-hand, along the winding pathways back to our hotel room.

And another day ended with our doors wide open, the sound of the waves lulling us to sleep, wrapped in each others' arms.  What a glorious day on Maui!

March 21, 2017

Running along the boardwalk, exploring all the waterslides and the swimming pools, sitting in lounge chairs on the beach, reading for hours, working on crossword puzzles together, putting our feet in the sand, swimming in the big waves, eating fresh fish and shrimp on the patio at Tommy Bahamas, shopping till we dropped, and finishing the day with ice cream cones in the fresh, night air.  I had to wrap my arms around Greg right there with our ice cream cones in hand and tell him how much I love him.

Romantic love is an interesting thing.  I've done my fair share of people watching while here.  I'm always interested in seeing the people who are together. It's hard to hide very much while wearing a swimming suit.  Most people are fairly ordinary looking.  And yet, when you are in love, you see something special in your mate, something that other people don't see.  Greg and I see that in each other.  Beyond all the human flaws and ordinary parts, we see someone we love.

I'm happy we've had this time together.  Free from the usual distractions of life, we are free to fall in love all over again.

As Buddy the Elf says, "I'm in love!  I'm in love!  And I don't care who knows it!"

March 20, 2017

Today I spent the morning in the lovely Grande Spa.  It was beautiful, with hot tubs and cold plunge pools, and waterfalls you could sit under for a massage.  They had five different salt/essential oil baths of varying colors and purposes.  They had full body spraying (pounding!) showers, a sauna, a steam room, and a Japanese bubbling hot tub with another cold plunge next to it.  It looked and smelled fantastic.  They let you come an hour before your massage and spend that time dipping and soaking in all of their different baths and pools.

Then a lady named Helga calls your name and takes you into this little room.  She has you lie down on the table and then she scrubs you head to toe with a sugar scrub and sprays you down with water to exfoliate your skin.  It was rough.  And interesting!

After my scrub, I soaked in the pools for a while longer--trying not to look at those who were enjoying the "swimsuit optional" rule--and waited for my massage therapist to call my name.

A few things were on my mind as I let pounding water cascade over my shoulders, or as I floated in a thick blue bath, or as I sat breathing in steam so heavy you couldn't see your hand in front of you.

The view from The Grande Spa....ahhhh!

A few years ago I spent hours going through Grandma Fowler's life history before it was bound into books and given to all of the family.  It was a precious time for me.  I could hear her voice and feel her memory near.  Together with Grandpa, she became very well-off financially in her life.  They built a large, beautiful home.  They owned a famous, busy restaurant.  They had a large, successful family.  They traveled the world together.  But she often would say in amazement as she stood in famous places around the globe, "I'm just a little girl from Binford Alley in downtown Ogden.  How did I get here?"  She grew up in poverty, always hungry and often without a proper place to live or sleep.  With the pressures and burdens of a difficult life, her father turned to alcohol, which later took his life.  Grandma was often frightened and alone.  So it was always with amazement that she looked at the blessed life she ended up with.

While lounging around the spa, I kept thinking of Grandma's words.  "I'm just a little girl from Binford Alley."  I know I never had anywhere near the hardships she had, but I'm just a little girl from Hooper, Utah.  How did I get here?  My mind was flooded with memories during my early married days.  I thought of the hours I sat in the dingy, downtown Toledo, Ohio welfare office with my precious daughter, trying desperately to look like I didn't belong there.  I thought of the apartment we lived in that, although it was very nice, was in a rough neighborhood and we were the only white family around.  And there were skirmishes and suicide attempts and police cars.  One night, our neighbor's car was getting stolen and she was out screaming and wailing.  We were so distraught to see the men pushing it away.  Then we learned from other neighbors that we were witnessing a repossession.  Apparently, the bank or the car company or whoever 'steals' it back in the middle of the night.  I thought of how Greg and I rarely, rarely went out together.  We couldn't afford it.  I thought of how humbling it was to stand in line at the grocery store and organize my items in piles so I could use my WIC coupons and then my food stamps.  It took extra time, and I was always hoping no one would get in line behind me.  My face would burn red if they did.  But I was so, so grateful to have enough food for my family to eat.  We were so dependent on everyone for everything.  We flew home when our family paid for it.  I got a haircut every time I visited my sweet mom and she scheduled it for me.  I wore my little sister's clothes and relied on hand-me-downs for my own girls.  And there was a constant stress and fear that our meager financial aid during medical school would run out.

But unlike Grandma's desperate younger years, Greg and I were happy.  We were in love, and Greg was working as hard as I've ever seen him to secure a future for us.  We felt that we had signed up for all of this, and that if we could endure, then a bright future was ahead.  While we anticipated it to be super difficult, we failed to anticipate all of the wonderful, beautiful experiences we had too.  We were poor.  Very poor.  But we quickly learned that being poor didn't change the amount of happiness we could feel.

Still.  I can't forget those days.  And I can't know why I am so lucky to be able to luxuriate in one of the most beautiful spas on one of the most beautiful islands in the world.  I certainly didn't earn this.  I certainly don't deserve this.  I leaned my head back into the warm water swirling around me, and suddenly my heart swelled up so much with love that tears sprang to my eyes.  I'm just a little girl from Hooper, Utah.  And I don't know how I got here! Then the words, men are that they might have joy, came flooding into my mind and heart.  I started to pray in my heart.  I'm so grateful that I'm enjoying these beautiful days with my husband.  I'm feeling so much joy.  And I'm so grateful for ALL of the beautiful moments I've enjoyed in my life.  Mixed up in the memories of our poor days in Ohio is an overwhelming feeling of joy.  Because I've long known that joy is a feeling inside of your heart, independent of situations or circumstances.

That night we sat at a table with many doctors and PhDs for a beautiful sunset dinner on the grass overlooking the beach.  It seemed I was the only one without grand, worldly accomplishments.  So I mentioned our children and then showed off a picture.  Everyone was amazed to see such a large, beautiful family staring back at them.  They were curious to know how difficult it was having a family through all of the years of Greg's training and school.  I kept hearing the words come out of my mouth, "We loved it.  It was so fun to live there.  We have such fond memories of those days."  That is all very true.

Sunset dinner with the love of my life.

Life has a way of ebbing and flowing.  Sometimes you have a lot.  Sometimes you have very little.  I'm grateful that I've experienced both, and that I can remember it all.  One absolute constant in my life has been my love and devotion to my Savior, Jesus Christ.  And His love and devotion to me.  I am trying every day to be the best that I can possibly be for Him.  I know that He is the source of my joy, and any true happiness in this life.  One thing they always say about prosperity is that people forget God.  How could that be?  I feel Him as much as ever in my life!  I know He is aware of me and my family.  I know He loves me.  I know He expects a whole lot from me.

So that was the essence of my prayer that morning.  I pledged my heart to Him again.  I'm just a little girl from Hooper, Utah, but if there is any good on this earth for me to do, well, then, Here am I.  Send me.

March 19, 2017

Sunday in Maui.

We found the church in Kihei, even though the LDS Tools app sent us to a house one street before the church!  We eventually found it and joined the Kihei ward for Sacrament meeting.  We got a good sense of the island life when the Bishop said, "We'd like to thank all those who came and cleaned the church yesterday.  Not many came, but thanks anyway."  And then he said, "Sorry we don't have a printed program.  We are out of toner for the printer."  And he said both of these things in a slow, Hawaiian, no-worries type of way.  Then Greg saw a HUGE spider crawl out from under our chairs.  And a boy slipped and fell on some water dripping from the high windows, which were all open.  We were definitely on the islands!

Church in Kihei

The theme for the meeting was the Atonement, which was great since I had just studied and taught about that in Young Women's last week.  I enjoyed thinking about my Savior again.  And then as we sang the closing hymn, I Need Thee Every Hour, my heart sang out with gratitude.  I need my Savior.  I love Him.  And I am so grateful for His atoning sacrifice.  I felt the spirit so strongly.

After church, we explored around the town a little in our Jeep and then explored around the grounds of our hotel.  We finally sat in some lounge chairs under an umbrella on the grass overlooking the ocean.  We spent hours here, napping, talking, and reading.  I started reading, "My First Mission," by George Q. Cannon about his mission to Maui.  It is AMAZING so far.  His experiences are so inspiring.  And it was awesome to read it while sitting on the very island he is talking about.

Greg and I had fish tacos for dinner, and then sat on our balcony.  Greg was watching through the binoculars for whales while I kept reading about George Q. Cannon.

We got word from home that they realigned our ward boundaries, which put the Young Women's President into the Red Butte ward, therefore dissolving the Young Women's presidency and releasing ME!  This was totally shocking news to all of us.  Greg and I had long wondered if we would be back into our old Red Butte ward, but for now we just missed the cutoff and are still in Coyote Springs.  I'm happy about that.  But I'm so sad about our presidency.  I have loved the Young Women's with all of my heart.  Who knows what will happen, but my sweet Emma sent me a little text that said, "I will miss you in young women's."  She included a little tear drop.  That text says it all.  I have loved being in with my girls.  I will miss it all so much.

We watched another sunset, then crawled into our bed and watched it get dark outside.  With the doors open, and the sounds of the waves, we drifted off to sleep in paradise.  What a beautiful sabbath day!  Greg and I wondered as we were falling asleep, could the Garden of Eden have been any more tranquil and beautiful than this!?!?

Getting ready for the sunset!

Beautiful sight! (GREG AND THE SUNSET!)

Wow!

So happy to be together...

The grounds below our balcony.

The perfect end to a beautiful Sunday in paradise.

March 18, 2017

Today we landed on Maui.  We upgraded our rental car to a Jeep.  Best decision ever!  And we started our day-long journey around the island on the famous Road to Hana.

All I can think is that when God created the earth, he spent a lot of extra time on Maui.  Somehow, some way, I am lucky enough to be here to see it.

We were so excited to get out on the open road!

We pulled over into a parking lot and changed into our swimsuits--literally changed right next to the Jeep!  We were feeling the true Aloha spirit!

The Road to Hana is so extremely lush and tropical.  It is miles and miles of narrow winding road with massive waterfalls right on the side.  It opens to gorgeous vistas of the clear, blue ocean, and rises and falls through forests and beaches.  It smells and feels amazing.

Greg and I put the top down on the Jeep and in the most relaxed way possible, drove along the Road to Hana with an audio guide on my phone leading the way.  It was so breathtaking we almost couldn't take it all in.  I just don't think anything I can say will do it justice.  We took lots of pictures, smiled and laughed as we went, loved driving the Jeep, and had one of our most amazing days ever.

When I started to get a little carsick, I climbed into the driver's seat and took a turn driving.  I've never considered driving all that fun.  But let me tell you, in a Jeep, with the wind whipping your hair, on the Road to Hana, around an island, driving was an absolute blast!!

We hiked down into a ravine so that we could get close to the Three Bears waterfalls--a big one, a medium one, and a small one.  Awesome!

The Three Bears Waterfall

A kiss for good luck!

We stopped at the famous black sand beach.  We hiked down into some hidden caves, which were eerie, a bit.  Then we hiked down to the beach.  Black, crushed, volcanic rock makes the beach look the way it does.  And the view out to the ocean was incredible.

The Black Sand Beach has a cool arch carved out of the rock jutting out into the ocean.  It was beautiful!

Getting a feel of the Black Sand Beach!

My Hot Husband --whistling at me as I walked back. :)

I could've looked at this all day.

I'm feeling pretty happy to be alive!

Relaxin' while waiting for lunch at the beachside Hana Cafe.

Koki Beach.  Wow--one of the most beautiful little beaches on the island.

Koki Beach--we wished we could stay here all day.  

Our last stop was this crazy long hike up to an enormously tall waterfall.  It nearly killed us because it was very steep and five miles round trip!  After flying the red-eye flight all night, hiking and exploring all day, and being out in the hot sun, we were exhausted.  We were drenched in sweat, but we persevered.  They used to allow you to swim under the falls, but due to recent flash flooding, swimming was prohibited.  Darn... we were hot.  A good portion of the hike was through the bamboo forest.  It was amazing.  As the wind would blow, the bamboo would knock against each other and make this strange noise, like a wind chime.  It was shady and thick.  We loved it.

Resting in the Bamboo Forest

Apparently, bamboo grows really fast!

We made it to the falls, but swimming wasn't allowed.  It was still beautiful to see the tall, cascading falls.

Driving for hours, trying not to hit any cars coming around the bend on a one-lane road!

WHAT A DAY!!

To finish the day, we got back into the Jeep and continued on around the island.  Most people turn back because the road gets a little treacherous, but we pushed on.  We drove a few more hours on narrow, windy roads, switching off drivers, until we eventually made it to Wailea and our absolutely gorgeous hotel--The Grand Wailea.  Exhausted and dirty, I climbed into a hot bath while Greg took a hot shower.  Then we fell into the bed, which faces the balcony and the ocean.  We watched the sun set in to the water.  Then, we left the glass doors open and fell asleep to the sounds of the waves and the breeze of the island...

...and it was only 7:30 p.m.  I'll always remember the day we drove The Road to Hana.