HAWAII: A PHOTO DUMP WITH SOME CAPTIONS ALONG THE WAY

We are back from our trip to Hawaii, even though my body hasn't gotten the memo quite yet.  I am missing this gorgeous scene and other time zone anomalies like pina coladas at 11am. Yesssss. 

We stayed in a condo with my family which meant mornings were filled with the smell of coffee brewing and eight "good mornings." Then we'd sit out on the balcony for a while, discuss the plans for the day and enjoy the view. The days were full and our hearts were full.  

We visited the beach at some point everyday.  Going into the trip, Andy and I wondered what Marin would think of the ocean and the sand.  She felt the same about it as her birthday cake; they were meant for each other.  It was sheer bliss to watch her barrel into those waves.  Fear is for the birds... or moms.

 Marin went for a morning walk with Mimi and Papa. Watching family love her is one of my biggest joys in life right now.  When they laugh at her calling everything a "dote" or enjoy a walk with her like this one, it makes my heart swell with pride.  These moments are precious to me. 

We enjoyed some pool time. Marin smiled for a couple pics in the floaty then begged to be free from all floatation devices, save for mom and dad.  

We hiked Pololu Valley. Andy hiked it with 25 lbs of looooove strapped to him. 

 

 I present to you our family dinner at Tommy Bahama's. We like the color blue so it seems.

 

 We visited the farmers market, and bought honey and strawberry butter.

 

 

 

 

Andy found a beautiful spot for us to have a date night. Our left eyes get squinty when we are tired. Soulmates.

We went rock hunting.
We are in a rock hunting season. Marin picks them out with acute precision then brings them to us. We get wide-eyed over her excellent catch.  We cheer over each of her rocks and take them back with us, trophies.  Papa says things like, "This will be my souvenir from the trip."  Hawaii for this rock hunter was top notch.

 

    And for the grand finale…my whole family in white shirts. Yessssss and hooray for family pics.   Let's go back.

THOUGHTS FROM OUR HAWAIIAN DATE NIGHT

While we were in Hawaii, Andy and I had a couple moments just the two of us. We walked along the beach, had dinner and talked. We drove with the windows down and scanned the horizon. We drove across stretches of black ground, volcanic rock for miles. We could see the deep blue of the ocean just beyond the black desert. On the other side of us, the peak of two mountains, a rainforest just ahead of us. It is the kind of beauty that frightens you a little. We talked about the God who made all of it, and how it displays Him, gentle and fierce all in one form. It could devour you or delight you.

It got me thinking about the two people in the car, how we love and how we are made. To be formed by the same One who made all of this is humbling and freeing. We are free to be both beautiful and fierce, loving and strong, humble but unashamed. We don't have to fit anywhere. We don't have to apologize or be afraid for being loved. We are made by Him and we are loved by Him, the scary safe Creator.

DETOUR.

We are in Hawaii this week, and sometimes when you are headed to paradise, dues must be paid. Traveling with a little one(s) isn't for the faint of heart or for those lacking in SNACKS.

So snacks we had, plus tons of books, games, and diapers for the 12 hours of travel ahead. We were ready for smooth sailing.

Then came the detours.

We planned to be on the same flight with my whole family but were placed on three separate flights because our original flight was having mechanical issues. Andy and I geared up for a two man baby show instead of 10 man. Despite our worries, the first flight went really well thanks to lots of great suggestions from friends about how to keep a bebe entertained while traveling. A small Kleenex box filled with strips of fabric came in for the win. It's the simple things. Besides all our efforts, Marin was enthralled with the take off and landing. No fussing, just hands and nose pressed against the window…amazed.

We landed in Honolulu to learn we weren't ever placed on a connecting flight to the Big Island, where the rest of my family was headed. In fact, Hawaiian air was booked solid for Memorial Day weekend. So the three amigos geared up to spend the first couple days in Honolulu, no fam, no luggage. Cue mommy meltdown which seems a bit dramatic from the comfort of this ocean breeze I’m feeling now. Ha.

Anyway, It's funny because if all this had gone down pre-baby, Andy and I would have been so excited to get a couple days on a different island, oh the adventure of it all. But when there is a wee one, detours get you thinking about diapers and car seats in cabs and more SNACKS and you get to missing all the stuff you packed in your luggage like baby hats and $25.00 baby sunscreen, until all of a sudden your forehead is in a permanent state of wrinkle.

While in the taxi, headed to the unplanned leg of our vacation, Andy looked at Marin and then at me sitting in all the glory of my frustrations and forehead wrinkles. And he laughed and said, "Look at Marin. She doesn't even know the difference. She is so happy." So we channeled our inner Marin and stopped being big babies. (Okay, I still had a couple moments, BUT Andy stayed a smilin')

We walked in the ocean the next day in our jeans and played in the pool. We watched Marin kick, splash, and giggle through her first time in the ocean. And all that joy in her eyes over the big blue will always be one of my favorite memories.

So here's to detours, 60 hours in the same outfit (yum), and sweet moments with my two buddies.

More pics to come from our travels. Hope you are having a happy weekend, friends!

A little bit of lately + Pics from Mother's Day

We are settled in this new home and…sigh…it is so nice. In fact, Marin and I make sure to play in each room everyday, down to the walk in closet in the master bedroom. The gratefulness hasn't subsided yet. I'm sure we’ll all quit hearing about it someday, but for now, I am so very pleased and content.

Andy and I were driving to his little brother’s baseball game a couple weeks ago, chatting about this overflow of gratefulness for so many answers to the type of questions that start to get left on repeat. We joked about what on earth we should fill that old spot in our hearts with, the spot we used to fill with wanting.  And we laughed like "Man, we gotta hurry up and find something to be discontent about cause all this contentment is starting to feel looonely" So it goes, we've been trying to practice contentment, stillness AND, hey, it's okay to live in a season of BREATH. I'm pretty sure all this stillness will eventually lead to the cross, and then to the cross is all I need. We're on our way.

Speaking of being on our way, Summer has peeked around the corner of Georgia, which means family time, and trips are getting close. Next week (yikes, that's soon!), we head to Hawaii with my family then in July we'll be on our way to Hilton Head with Andy's fam. I couldn't be more excited for all the upcoming time with the people I love. And maybe hubs and I will sneak in a couple date nights since all our sweet babysitters will be in our midst. ;)

Our schedule has been busy busy lately, so it will be nice to stare at each other a bit. We've been doing some tag team parenting because of evenings filled with this and thats which requires lots of texting with questions such as "uh, what time did Marin wake up this morning because she isn't acting tired," and "She almost ate a stick," and "Haven't heard from you two in a bit, everyone still alive?" I'll leave the identity of the text senders to your imagination. J

Last night's events were especially sweet for me. I was able to have dinner with some of my former coworkers and dear friends from my teaching days. Oh the stories! We laughed and laughed then got a little sappy about all the different directions we're headed. Honestly, it made me want to cry because the people at that table were like a family for a time, a family that all worked together to love and guide eighth graders. They taught me so much. Oh memory lane, why can't I capture you the way I want to sometimes. It was wonderful, that's all. They are dear to me.

Well, friends, that about wraps it up. I'm off to peek on Peanut. Much love. And have a great weekend!

A THANK YOU NOTE TO MARIN FOR ALL THE GIFTS (BROUGHT TO YOU BY 5AM)

Hey Little Bear,

I am up at our hour again. Except this time I didn't fall back asleep in the 3 seconds it normally takes me. I'm just here. awake. and watching you in the baby monitor.

 I'm watching your tiny chest rise, fall, rise, fall. I've never before taken such interest in such small details as I do with you. Each breath is important to me. There are thousands of details I observe about you each day and they are all gifts, tiny gifts that make me happy or worried or thoughtful, and it is my happy job to observe all your details.  Sometimes they are everyday details that I go looking for like the way you say "mmmm" when you are hungry. Then there are the details that surprise me. Before I put you in your bed last night, you laid your head on my shoulder, then reached your chubby right hand down and wrapped it around my pointer finger. Yesterday you stood over a vent in a restaurant and your dress filled with air until it looked like you had a train of tulle packed under it. You looked down in amazement and blew right back at it. When you stood from sitting position the other day, your legs were crossed and you twisted up like a ballerina; it was a sight. Last night you walked ALL the way to the front door from the living room! Daddy told me that you belly laughed when he was smearing paint on your hands for my Mother's Day card.  These little moments and details about you make Mommy's heart so full. And it's not because you need me in them, even though that is an amazing gift too, but they are are precious because they involve you. And the smaller the detail, the more precious it is to me because I get to know someone like you, down to your very keen interest in your own belly button. All your tiny details are a gift to me. You are a gift. Your life is a gift.

The very thought of it is astounding.

This is the happiest of holidays. Thank you for all the gifts this Mother's Day and everyday.

Love, Mommy