~Aloha~

So, Hawaii. Where to start. A couple years ago we (Mom, Josh and myself) were in North Carolina with my Uncle Ron for Christmas. It was a really great trip. I'd flown to DC and Josh and I drove down and then back up in time to spend a day or two and New Years Eve in DC and then I flew home. After I'd been home for about a  month I called my brother to ask him what his thoughts were in going to Hawaii for my 30th birthday and Christmas. Our Mom had always said she wanted to go to Hawaii or someplace warm for Christmas. This way we could celebrate my 30th together and then be there for Christmas. Mom and Dad gave their stamps of approval as well as my Uncle. So, Hawaii. It's been almost two in the making. It didn't seem real until I was on the plane. I can't say that I even had a countdown (which is unusual for me) until basically the last day before I left. I packed last minute (which isn't unusual for me) with my weeks in the making list by my side. My flight left early and my dear friend Diane and her hubby picked me up for airport run.

Forgive the sort of photo dump...we are a family of picture taking...this post will have pre-leaving through the first full day in Hawaii.

This was Ezme the morning I was leaving. She didn't want me to go without her...

Several months before I left I'd seen a story about this student who'd created a no-water aquarium display to instill peace and tranquility to travelers in the airport. I was excited that I'd be able to see it when I was leaving as it is behind the security checkpoint. It was beautiful.

Once on the plane I got a little giddy. It was a long flight, but I kept busy...and then we had to fill out the Department of Agriculture forms for Hawaii before we could land. No biggie...except as I was writing my age I realized this is the last time ever I would be able to write that I was in my 20's. Turning 30 doesn't scare me...just another year, but I still had to capture my last recorded on paper age in my 20's.

Welcome to Hawaii complementary Mai Tai...thank you Alaskan Airlines! I was the only one of the whole lot of us that got this perk.

Landing in Kona. I was amazed and in awe by this airport. Mostly outdoors. Glorious.

Hula dancers welcoming people.

Cool statue.

Originally we were only scheduled to have a rental for two days as I had slacked and not gotten anything reserved before everything was booked. Thankfully, we ended up having the vehicle the whole time we were there...and a big vehicle it was that I drove all over the island. 7 passenger, large Ford Explorer anyone?! Once I got used to the size and discovered that there were sensors that would beep when I got near something as I was backing up I didn't mind driving it at all. It traveled well and came in handy when we were on some rough roads.

View from the condo we rented on my first evening there.

Before Mom, Dad and Josh got in I went and picked up a few groceries.
Bob's Red Mill (Oregon based) products across the ocean!

Cute birds coming out of the grocery store.

After sunset I headed back to the airport to get most of the rest of the group. My uncle had missed one of his connections because another flight was delayed because of weather, so he wouldn't be joining us until the next day.

I sometimes like to make faces....Dad caught this one. Cute, eh?!

 Josh arriving!

Morning at the condo. The first time Mom, Dad and Josh got to see the view we had.

Plumeria...we had a bowl of dropped Plumeria blossoms on the counter all week. It was sad when we had to dump them.

Good morning from our wonderful lanai. It was amazing.

My Dad named this dove Oliver. He visited every day (or his twin did, or his cousin did, or his sister did...but it was Oliver no matter what...)

 Waiting for Uncle Ron to arrive!

He made it!! Woohoo!

We went to lunch at a Thai place. Josh tried to teach Mom how to use chop sticks. Cracked me up.

Down by the water...Dad, me, Mom.

Josh, Dad, me, Mom.

 Brother and sister! It's been a year since I last saw him, and will sadly probably be a year before I see him again...

Brother and sister!

Sea urchin...we think.

Brother, Dad and me.

With the Uncle!

There were these weird black crabs that were on the rock wall and on the rocks in the ocean and they'd jump...creepy.

Several clinging to a rock...all sizes of them.

Hibiscus. There were so many colors of them. I wish I'd gotten pictures of them all.

Fan Palm Tree.

Sea turtle. We couldn't decide if this guy was alive or not. He wasn't moving, though.

Exploring...

As Mom took this picture I was asking Josh if he'd take a picture of me. I had told him I'd meet him part way between the rock I was on and where he was rather than tossing him my camera. I didn't want it to fall in the water. We did the hand off of camera and I turned to go back to the rock. When I turned around he'd accidentally dropped my camera in the water...sad day.

I was able to retrieve all the pictures from the memory card that I took out almost immediately and this was the last picture that the camera took...

 This is when we were taking the battery and memory card out.

Mom's camera to the rescue.

Sun starting to set. It was so pretty.

My driving the big car.

Sunset from the condo! I could get used to this.

At the grocery store again...check out the avocado size difference! Got some pretty amazing pineapple there too.

End of days 1.5...more to come of time in paradise!

In an instant

"Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends." --Joan Didion

This past weeks events with the shooting so close to my home at Clackamas Town Center and then the massacre of so many innocent children and those given the task to protect and teach them have rocked people world and reminded us once again that life can truly change in an instant. One instant you are joyfully shopping for a Christmas gift for your best friend or your sister and the next you've been shot. In one instant you can be molding the minds of our youth and in the next having your body riddled with bullets while you attempt to protect those little lives. 

I have to admit that these events have instilled a slight unease in my life. A hesitancy to go to some public places and when I do I am much more cautious and conscientious about it. In a conversation I had with Stasia on Wednesday evening, before the horrific end to the week, we were talking about the Town Center shooting. A place both of us frequent and have even been to together several times. I had said I wasn't sure if I'd go back before the New Year or not. Stasia said she would, and soon. The more I thought about it and with the events of Friday, I decided I would go to the Town Center in sort of an effort to "take back the mall" as I've heard some say. I did and it felt weird, but good. I went to the food court- (I was craving a Jamba Juice smoothy)- the epicenter of the activity from what I can understand from news reports. Walked through Macy's where there were security guards I've never seen in places I've never seen, but overall the mall had it's usual pre-holiday buzz. There were a lot of people in this space. Parents, kids, life, where just days before life had been taken in such an unfortunate way. 

There were lots of stars that had been obtained for people to write messages of hope, remembrance, and even questions on that were hung on the glass partition at the overlook down to the first floor. There were a few signs and with the exception of knowing of the unfortunate events and the stars and lack of the usual light, Christmas music things felt normal. I wondered if this was a good thing as a sign that people can move past these events; or if it was a bad sign that we've come to be slightly desensitized to these events. We see these awful things happen, but days, weeks and months later are they still impacting us, those of us not directly affected. When the next major event happens do we move on to that. Not forgetting, but not being as influence. Not a fully formed thought, but just there. 

Anywho...Stars.

Clackamas Town Center sign with flowers and plants brought by the public.

Marquis sign.

Flags at half staff in memory of the Newtown CT shooting that occurred just days after the Town Center shooting. Such unfortunate things happening in the world right now.

I also had an interesting conversation at work about God in those places. I had heard someone say that God wasn't in the Town Center or in that school during the unfolding of those events. I had a hard time digesting that. I have a hard time believing that God isn't everywhere at all times, even in times of sadness and pain. I think, I know that God was there. He was the strength of those teachers as they shielded their young students from flying bullets, He was the courage it took for those shoppers and workers had to run for their lives when they didn't know if they'd be shot. He was there when first responders arrived at both locations and He was there when family members crumpled with the news of the life of their loved one being taken. He is there with all of us as our hearts heal as a country, as a community, as individuals in the days and weeks and months to come. He is there. He is everywhere.

I also really like this quote that was circulated on Facebook in the days following the shooting:

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." ~Fred Rogers 

God is in those helpers. 

A Living Nativity

Yesterday was a full day. Brunch and Crafty Wonderland with Cindy. I always enjoy my time with Cindy. And then Friday night Holly had called to see if I wanted to join her and Isaiah for a Living Nativity. I said yes, as I have fond memories of seeing a Living Nativity at home in Wyoming when I was growing up. Little did I know that the church that does this (a Seventh Day Adventist Church in Kelso WA) is serious about their Living Nativity. The parking lot was full and they had tickets for groups. When we arrived our group ticket was 39 and they were currently on group 11 or something. We thought we had a long wait coming. Thankfully little boys like visiting the restroom and just mosey-ing. And having a snack. We then were able to go into the sanctuary for live entertainment from area groups and the church worship band and before we knew it (almost) we were making our way to the door to be heard through the Living Nativity. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. Camel and all...

Isaiah is right in the middle of the picture...short with a red shirt and I think he looks so grown up in this picture. He was ringing his bells (aka Mom's keys) for the Jingle Bell song.

Forgive the dark pictures...we couldn't use flash at all...

If you look on the left of this picture you can see the head and neck of a real camel. Living and breathing and SO soft and gentle. There were lots of other animals, too. This was the most impressive. Where do you get a camel?! I was unaware of the ability to rent one...

Into the town of Bethlehem...it was a happening place and a bit overwhelming if you don't expect it.

Some sheep....

Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus.

Now that I've had this experience, I most definitely need to do it again since I now know what I'm in for. It was an enjoyable night out. I always enjoy spending time with friends and the kiddos of friends.

All Lit Up

Concordia, my Alma mater has grown. A lot. They have new buildings on campus, more students and more staff, and apparently Christmas trees and Christmas tree lightings. I got one of the many flyers that I get from CU announcing the Choir and music ensembles Christmas concert and in smaller print it announced the 3rd annual tree lighting. If you know me, you know I love Christmas trees and the lights. I love the glowing beacon that they seem to be in this, the darkest time of the year. They make my heart happy. I once said that if I could go to every Christmas tree lighting-big or small- in the area I would be a very happy girl. So, that being said, I couldn't pass up a stroll through my old campus and a tree lighting. At first the evening looked as though it would be drier than the Pioneer Courthouse Square tree lighting. It shaped up to be just as wet by the end of it.

Here's the tree pre-lighting. During this time I also got all caught up with one of my old profs, who it was great to see.

And, now it is all lit up.

They choir did a sing-along. They stood in the rain. Poor choir. It was REALLY wet. Most of their programs disintegrated in the wetness. They were troopers though.

So pretty. The OCD side of me would need to do something about that dark gap in the tree just above midway down on the right side...Yes, now that you see it you'd do something about it, also. Right?! It's not just me....But still very pretty!

Thanks, CU. And, keep growing!

On the other side of things

Every year for the past six I have taken participants from work to Providence's Festival of Trees. Three of those years I organized getting all seven of our sites to the event. Big undertaking. This year we gracefully bowed out of the event due to the implementation of a new medical record and the undertaking that has been with trainings, extra staff meetings, extra work--period. It's been an adventure. Since I didn't spend all day and all my energy there this year, I decided that I would go down to see the trees. I rarely see the trees as I am busy managing buses, drivers, volunteers, participants, loading and unloading buses, and all else involved in getting fragile seniors (easily 60+ of them from all over the Portland metro area) to a single destination. Oy. It makes me tired to think about it. 

Anywho, this year I was on the other side of things. I was a spectator. It was nice, but different. These trees are crazy and are auctioned off for the benefit of many Providence departments....so, without further adieu...the trees...(some of them anyway)....

The top hat topping this tree intrigued me.

I enjoyed this quilt.

The pictures below are of the Hospice tree. I liked it as it was the most tastefully decorated tree (in my opinion and of my decorating preference). Also, since I am a hospice volunteer I really appreciated it. African themed...

So, next year....on this side again or back to the other side?! We shall see!