I have the best family!

I have been extremely ill lately, and it has been trying with all of the things we have going on right now.  It has put off our trip to the States by about a week, and has severely hampered my ability to get more unpacking done, let alone keep up with the day to day of cleaning our place from just living in it.  Occasionally I am hit with a day of feeling decent, and we are trying to use that time to get out and enjoy Korea and friends before The Kid goes to the States for the remainder of the summer.

I do, however have the best family, because when The Guy is home he and The Kid have happily picked up the slack of having me all but incapacitated, and did a bunch of much needed cleaning.  I am so lucky and truly blessed to have a husband who not only doesn't mind, but sees it as just as much his job to help out around the house.  This includes getting things done when I can't.

While I have been able to find energy and have had bits of time where I can putter around putting things away they have kept up with long overdue chores.  Kid happily jumped in to help him scrub the bathroom floors and toilets, and did the sinks all by herself (which we leave for her regular weekly chores, because she is really bad at rinsing her toothpaste out of them daily).  I don't think I have ever mentioned how much I love our Korean bathrooms, because the door way is raised about four to six inches and the shower wall is elevated, which allows the water to run all over the floor.  It makes cleaning easy, because all we have to do is use the shower head to spray it down, and we don't have to worry about water spilling onto the wood floors of the rest of the house.  You just have to scrub and work the water back to the drain.  Who knew Kid would love scrubbing floors so much (or being sprayed with the shower while she was doing it)!

Thanks, you two!  Things are starting to fall into place here, and now that we have our stuff it is starting to look like not only a home, but our home.

Seven Years Ago Today...

the universe saw fit to bless me w/ the greatest thing that I have ever known.

Seven years ago today, Jason and VBFitU stayed w/ me, dropped their lives, and joined me as my life changed forever.

Seven years ago today I learned what love really is at the hands of people who supported me, and in the eyes of the most perfect person I have even laid eyes upon.

Seven years ago today my mother help my hand and cried tears of joy w/ me, and whispered reassurances that I was going to be just fine.

Seven years ago today I stepped forward on a new journey and never looked back w/ regret.  So thankful was I that this was my choice, to embrace wholeheartedly.

Thank you, Kid, for making the last seven years the best I have known so far.

*This was meant to be much longer, but somehow the files w/ my baby pictures has been corrupted.  :(  Luckily I still have some of the hospital pictures, b/c those are entirely irreplaceable.  Thanks, Jason, for preserving that for me.

To Fifty Beautiful Years

My Grandparents, on my mother's side, just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on the 28th.

I called them a day early, and just now remembered to post something about it.



They know I love them and admire them for still being together, after fifty years, four children (and losing one very young), ten grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, joblessness, jobs on the road, owning a business, retirement, and being a positive force in practically every aspect of my life. Fifty years, that can't be summed up in less than ninety words.

I love you, Nana and Papa, and all the parts of that fifty years that fit into my own existence.

Some Random Photos

We got out and about a little the other night.  My ankle is feeling a ton better, although it really isn't very good.  Probably shouldn't be walking as much as I am, but the crutches are actually harder to use.  It's a long story.  I won't bore you w/ it.

Our friend Brandon's wife visited this week.  She is finishing up her Masters' b/f joining us out here in Korea.  We went to our favorite chicken restaurant and had good food, good beer and good times.  Brandon brought his camera and took a few pictures, and sent them to me via Skype yesterday (can I shill for Skype yet, I totes love them and their phone service, chat service, and everything else.  If you aren't using, WHY NOT?).  He has a nice camera, one which is similar to the one I have a hunch I might be seeing in my future (for those keeping track, you still have 9 good shopping days left till my birthday).

It is nice to have good and fun people to hang w/ here.  It helps to cut the the feeling of being cut off from everyone we love.

That's about all for now!

Congratulations, Stacy!

I just finished reading the blog of my friend, Stacy, who has been fighting T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma for the last two years.  

Her latest round of tests, including a bone marrow biopsy, x-rays, scans, and blood work have come back clear.  She is off of chemo, and it seems that she is finally, after all this time and all the emotional and physical upheaval, able to start getting her life back.

Following along w/ her story all this time has made me grateful for what I have, and also, for the strange circumstances that allowed us to become friends.  Friends who share more commonalities than we originally thought, and who take time to drop friendly notes to one another when it seems the other needed it most.  We have sponsored each other in Cancer and AIDS walks, knowing the incredible amounts of energy the other must have struggled to find.  In no way do I compare what I am going through to what she has been through, rather, it was humbling to see her fight.  It helped me to know that even my worst days would be manageable, b/c if she could do it, I could.  It was incredible to see her live her life, including getting married this past October to the partner who held her though it all, and not let the cancer slow her down if she could help it.

I am proud to know her.  She is one of the strongest women I know, a fighter capable of beating anything.  And now she has.  Most importantly, I am proud to call her my friend, and for the chance to send her Samhain and Yule cards again.

Way to go, Stacy.  May the Goddess smile on you as you continue to heal.

Bright Blessings.

Theme and Variation on a Winter Holiday

Today we were invited by our friends to come out w/ them to the Kaneohe Yacht Club.  We weren't sure if the weather was going to hold off, w/ all of the storms we have had in the last few days, but if you can't play in the rain in Hawai'i, then where can you?

We really only had bad weather driving out to K-bay just past the tunnel.  While the sun didn't quite break through until late in the day it was really nice to get in some sea time.

We had a quick lunch by the pool b/f we loaded up and headed out on the boat.

Here's The Kid ready for her first boat ride.

And The Guy ready for his.  I forget that not everyone grew up in The Great Lake State.  LOL.

Some scenes from off the island:

This one some of you may recognize...

It's where they filmed Gilligan's Island.

There was this tiny speed craft coming up on us as if we were in some kind of James Bond chase scene.  The boys thought it was really funny.

After we rode about a third of the way around we got just past The Chinaman's hat to this massive sand bar where you can anchor your boat and get out.  It is really far from shore, so it looks like you are in the middle of the ocean, but the water is incredibly shallow.  In the morning some people will come out and set up volley ball nets and have picnics, and some of the larger boats will camp here.

The Guy and one of the boys w/ Super Sayin hair.  Ha ha.

It was a really great time.  Sadly, it may have been the last playdate Kid has w/ her friend, but we are going to try to squeeze one more in while we are hotel bound in Waikiki.  Who knows?

They had a great time, and got some more swimming in the pool until I had to drag them out b/c they were PURPLE!  I turned into my father today when I told my shivering kid she couldn't swim anymore b/c her lips were purple.  LOLZ.

Malama Pono!

Last Day of School

It was such a sad and emotional day, leaving this school.

I really wish I could go into all the things that I want to say, and all of the people that I want to thank for the ways that they have changed our lives in the all too short time that they have been in our lives here.  I know, however, that they will never again not be part of our lives.

We have seen The Kid grow, both academically by leaps and bounds, and in her character and personal development.  We have seen her learn to reason and use the tools and skills available to her to solve her own problems and be responsible for her own actions.  We have watched her blossom into an amazing person in ways we never thought possible.  It has truly been one of the most incredible thing that we have ever seen.

And we have become better parents b/c of the time we have spent in the school.  The classes we took opened up a new world of possibilities and opportunities for us in the parent/child relationship.  The chances we had to give to this small community of families have given us a reward far greater than we could have imagined.

It has all been well worth far more than the investment we made.

We are so incredibly sad to say good bye.  Hopefully it is as they said to us, just Aloha for now.

The Kid helps me carry gifts for some of the staff.

Performing in the holiday gathering.

K-2 performance.

This was taken just moments before she knocked over the tree.  Guess I managed to pass on some of my most endearing traits...

W/ her teacher from this year.

Here she is w/ the Head of School.

We are so going to miss this place.  The yearbook teacher made her a very nice collage full of pictures of her from the year, and her teacher made her a photo album from Kindergarten and First Grade.  It was all very sweet.  Tomorrow is her going away party w/ some of her friends from school.

Some Random Photos

Re-Enlistment Day.

The Kid and the kid of the Enlisting Officer walking up in the rain.

I don't think they wanted to catch up, really.

Checking out the view from the Pali Lookout b/f getting the ceremony underway.

The Kid checking out the panoramic.

Getting started.

B/f you re-enlist you are honorably discharged for one day, and then at the ceremony you are given a moment to say anything that you would like to say, and even in some situations do anything you would like to do.

The swearing in.

A more serious one.  ;)

There's the Career Counselor to keep us all official and stuff.

And of course we have to finish up the final paperwork.  Yay!  

Kari is so brave handling all of the kids at once.  She rocks!

LT rocks, and even took some family pictures for us!  But it was rainy and windy!

It was a great moment to share!  Thanks to everyone who was there for us!

Special thanks to Chief and to LT who have been so good to both of us through the last two years.  We owe a lot to them both.  In a way, the Navy owes a debt to them for The Guy's continued service.

We are going to miss you both so much!