High Five for Friday: Sick

Glen and I have been battling this stupid sickness for months now. We would always get just the right amount of rest every night to keep it in submission, but we have succumbed in the past couple of days. And if we get sick again from going home next week like we usually do I am going to lose it! I don't know what I'm going to lose at this point, but I like to throw things away when I find myself alone for long periods of time. There's usually something important that comes up "lost" later and I remember my throw away party I had so much fun at. Pray for me.

Besides being sick and hating it, there were some really awesome things from this week and here are five:

1. On Saturday, it was Jaxon's (I have been babysitting him and his little sister since February) first soccer game! He's three-almost-four and loves soccer with his life half the time. Kids are weird that way. This day though, he was killing that soccer life. I mean, compared to me he's got nothing on soccer because he has such tiny legs he can't keep up. When compared to his three year old peers though! Man, this kid rocked their butts! Honestly, it almost felt disgusting to keep cheering for him -- although I managed to continue quite easily. The other two members of his team were shy and couldn't play because of the tear fest they really needed to get to on the sideline, so for the last half of the game (the whole of it lasted 20 minutes, tops) it was 1 against 2/3 and Jaxon the blue team won 4--1.

2. I had promised Jaxon I would go to his game if I was still around and I'm super glad it worked out. He was so stoked when he saw that I was there and the game was so hilarious! Every time he'd score a goal, he would come running up and ask to see the picture I took of him. Oh yeah, and he's really into taking pictures with weird faces right now, which really works for me.

3. After the game, Glen and I went Small Business Saturday shopping because American Express has this really cool deal where you get $10 back if you spend at least $10 with your card (just at three stores). And the Waiahole Poi Factory was listed on their website as a participant! Oh snap, we were excited!

Everyone's poi tastes are different, I understand that very clearly. This poi is very good tasting, but the thickness just wasn't for me that day. I like my poi pretty thick and this was on the watery side for me. For reference, I like when the poi can be picked up with a toothpick and this one was definitely spoon-necessary. The laulau was perfect though. Perfect.

 4. We went over to Waialua the other day and had fun exploring farmlands. We only got locked in once, but that was enough to send us packing for the day haha.

5. Glen is officially done with his undergraduate life now. Ha. He had to present his senior research before that could happen and he did it yesterday evening. There was delicious pizza accompanying a subject I know little about, so that was nice.

Hope I get off of the sick wagon soon. I'm banking on the off chance that serving in the temple tonight will bless me with health again. It's dang cold in there most nights though. So, probably not.

Aloha Friday.

High Five for Friday: Beach Week

Happy day, it's Friday! We plan to have an amazing outing tomorrow, which I'm super stoked about! We've been talking about it for a while and have just never had the time or our brakes weren't working for like a month haha. We thought we could just ride it out until the end possibly, but the car just wouldn't stop sometimes, so we decided to take lil blue in for a check up. Hundreds of dollars later, we can stop again! Success. We're missing a hubcap, but what's that in comparison?

1. Our anniversary was last week Thursday, but we didn't have much time that day to celebrate. So, this is kind of from last week, but it's a big enough occasion to merit expanding into this week's gratefulness too. We went to Ted's for Garlic Shrimp and pie, which was a really good choice. It always is. Here, I kissed my chocolate haupia cream pie and that was a really good choice too.

2. DONOVIN! We stayed with our friends on Saturday, the Richardson's. I've mentioned them a couple times before (here and here). We hadn't seen them in such a long time! It was awesome to be with them again. It's weird how you get so adept to staying in your own area that it seems like such a crazy outing to go across the island (they live in town -- about a mile from Waikiki beach).
Here, Donovin is showing off one of his power stances in the middle of an epic toddler dance to looping music coming from the keyboard behind him (it was "looping" because he kept turning it back on after it had finally stopped haha).

Thanks David and Mandy for letting us take over your living room and feeding us amazing things! We love you guys :) Let's do it again soon, okay? Cool.

3. Like I mentioned in our anniversary post, we hadn't been to a beach in weeks because of work schedules. So, I kind of made up for it (if you can) by going to the beach almost every day this week. Even if it was just for a half hour I made the trip. It was beautiful and lovely and all the good words. This is from Waikiki the night we stayed at the Richardson's. It was a beautiful sunset.

4.  Yoga at the beach is such an awesome experience as long as I'm alone. I don't like when people are there because I feel like I'm either ruining their experience because it's hard not to look at someone while they practice yoga, or I'm ruining my experience by doing poses that are the most discrete. Rough life, I know. It really is a struggle for me though. 

I really was completely alone here. Excepting the two surfers that paddled out to the furthest break (they were like specs), I was not in human contact for hours. Plus, it's a beautiful beach with plenty of cute birds. To spread the icing all over this delicious dessert of a day, I fell asleep in corpse pose next to this patch of grass/weeds. (Glen wasn't here because he teaches all day on Thursdays)

5. I had a conversation with a friend about many things yesterday, but also about just one. We talked about girls, marriage, the temple, remembrance, righteousness; we got a little deep because a lot of the time it's necessary and we're too afraid of drowning to even start it. Even with all of the topics we touched on, we were talking wholly about what he should be doing. It's different for all of us, but we all end up at the same place even though we take our own path. It was a really good conversation and I'm glad I started it.

Hope this next week is even better than this past one.

Aloha Friday!

High Five for Friday: My Glen

This is a very special Aloha Friday, one that came with haste because of our busier schedules these days. And while today is a HF4F post, it's a bit different because today is.

Glen has been and ever will be my best friend, my companion, my happiness. He has been in my life for a long time, I'm not sure anyone knows the real answer to that, but we'll go with our usual one -- we have known each other since he was 12. He has always laughed, joked, and been goofy; I think and I hope to the heavens that those things will never stop and that I will always cherish them.

This Friday is special because today is Glen's birthday. Not only that, but the last time his birthday was on a Friday was the first time I gave him a birthday present. He was out on a group date all day, which translated into a Harry Potter marathon for me because my brother went on that date too. They were pretty much the only people I hung out with at the time. When quoting line-for-line became a little too embarrassing (only for the lack of audience), I decided to make Glen a present.
I ended up drawing a picture of us from a night he had worn his fake moustache to institute and we went home afterwards and took silly photos together. It was my "I like-like you" gift; so adorable I can hardly stand it.
So, obviously that date didn't lead to anything because I'm Mrs. Gray. Did the drawing tip him over the edge? Probably not. Did I give him an awesome 'like-like you' gift, duh.
And even though we can't find that drawing any longer and the fake moustache was mysteriously thrown away lost in the space-time continuum, I know that it doesn't matter. We are happy, healthy, in love, and filled with hope for our tomorrow. He gives my lungs breath and my smile meaning; there is no denying it.

With that super sappy introduction, here's some more in the form of high fives:

1. Glen always supports me, no matter the cost or time or effort. He is the spark that lights the fire of my hopes and dreams. I would have never finished college without him encouraging me and pushing me to go for it.

2. Glen is science to me. I don't foresee that changing. I am not really sure why I like this so much yet. It's just awesome that we're so not alike in that way, I suppose. He tells me how things work and I tell him Harry Potter facts. It's fun.

3. Glen has some serious brain activity going on. At first I thought it was annoying how he could get an A with D effort when I was teetering on B/B- with word-for-word lecture notes. As time went on and we moved into major classes, we stopped taking academic courses together and my jealousy subsided. Now, I appreciate the fact that he was free to help me or just spend time with me during what would have been hectic semesters for any normal-brained human.It made our experience in Hawai'i sweeter.

4. Glen is a man of service. On his birthday (today), we woke up early so I could drop him off at the hospital to volunteer in the ER. We have some down time right now, relaxing and making our Halloween costumes together, and in a little bit we'll go over to the temple to volunteer there until night falls and the day is over.

5. Glen loves me. Like a ton. He is forever trying to make me happy and my days brighter. There is no greater high five than love from my husband.

Aloha Friday and the happiest of birthdays to my Glen.

High Five for Friday

We just got home from the La'ie Temple... so let's make this quick! Here's my five:

1. We saw Meet The Mormons at the last showing last Saturday. It was a really touching, great film. We really enjoyed it; plus, La'ie Palms Cinemas has thee best popcorn evahh. Let's say it together: real butter. Mmmm. Yeah, it sounds amazing too.

2. Words cannot express the joy and peace that comes to my soul from being at the beach.

3. We took care of my boss's mother-in-law. Everyone calls her Grandma, she loves singing songs about CA (my kind of sing-along partner) and Popcorn Popping. She really made me feel super grateful for the things that I have and remember. She has Alzheimer's and asks you the same questions every 30 seconds. During this picture, she felt really uncomfortable that some weird stranger was trying to take a picture of us. She kept asking me who it was when we had already been sitting with her for about 10 minutes before Glen went outside. Oh, and she eats ice cream... that's it. Go big or go home, you know what I'm saying?

4. We bought some camera stuff and we are way stoked on it! This was taken with a new filter we got that's supposed to be really good for black & white photography. So far, I'm pretty happy with it.

5. We made an awesome video for our friend's birthday. I would show it, but it's still a secret for now. Soon though, very soon. I love it. Anyway, during the filming this beautiful sunset unravelled before our eyes and we just admired it until it was gone. You might think it's fake and I would encourage your doubt because look at it. Some serious nature right there.

Hope your week was filled with goodness too! Also, it's Glen's birthday next Friday... and mine next Sunday... Ah!

Aloha

Tid-Bits From Around the Island.

Cool snail, huh?

Well, the snail is actually huge and disgusting looking to me, but the shell [WOW].

After the monsoon, there were massive areas of sediment wash outs from the mountains...

and our garden! 

It wasn't actually bad at all; I was a bit scared for the little cilantro's though.

All around the island, the sea had channels of brown.

It was pretty cool looking. I can see now how monsoons can just wash away an island.

A little scary thinking about that when you live on the edge of one though.

This is at the Dole Plantation.

The Holland's came to Hawaii for a family vacation and we got to hang out with them for a bit.

Tay and Janae got here a bit early, so they stayed with us.

That's a rainbow back there, but it's kind of hard to see because of the sun being all awesome and bright.

I remember the first day Glen and I got to Hawaii, there was this massive double rainbow

spanning the entire sky [it felt like that anyway].

I had never seen such a thing in my life.

I saw how that double rainbow video was made. Witnessing one in person is kind of magical.

It doesn't matter if other people saw that rainbow that day, I felt like it was for me.

I was in an unfamiliar place with imminent danger from that inescapable sea.

There was so much to do in the very beginning too; I felt trapped.

I was far from busting out in tears, but it made me feel safe because I knew that God cared for me

and would watch over me.

So, here's another. Although not so awesome as the first, still really awesome.

There is a hint of a second one there.

This is from the Holland's sweet suite [ha].

They were staying in the Marriot something something.

It was near Ewa, which is on the Southwestern side, and looked much like Southern California.

The pools were awesome! We are planning on going back there over the break

to see just how cool they are.

This is from the North Shore, it is the first beach we went to when we got here.

Kawela Bay is right next door to Turtle Bay Resort.

This is also the best picture that we got with Tay and Janae with us.

Weird, right? I mean, someone lives with you for a couple of days and you don't

have evidence of it at all?

This is what the sand is like at most of the beaches.

It is astounding sand.

It almost refuses to stick to you if you are dry, but once you get wet

you are sandy for days.

It just sticks.

The La'ie Temple Grounds.

The street that you see here leading up to it is called Hale La'a.

This literally means "sacred house" or "house of the Lord".

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ [Mormon] is the Lord's church.
And I know that this structure in this picture is the house of the Lord
 as the road leading up to it suggests.
I know that a person will come closer to Christ through the teachings of the Book of Mormon.
These things I know because I have tested them.
I did not know just five years ago. I would go to church and participate in activities,
but being physically present, means little else than that.
The change that took place was when I started to read that book.
I did not open it trying to challenge or prove it, I just read.
Having that openness of mind, led me to know that the things the Book of Mormon teaches
are actual events, and the stirring of my soul through those words could not be mistaken.
I know Christ through that book in companionship with the Bible.

To read the Book of Mormon is to read the word of God.

51 Days In.

Marshallese came to the temple and we got to help!!

They are from Lae in the Marshall Islands

(look it up on Google Earth, it's crazy).

300-400 people live on Lae and 51 of them came.

This was the first temple trip ever

from this specific atoll and Glen

taught most of them while he was there.

 This is Todd.

Glen didn't baptize him, but Todd told him

that he was the one who opened his heart

to the gospel and that Glen is

the reason that he got baptized when the

elders went back onto the island.

He is awesome!

He knows English really well because he

walks with the elders all the time

and has learned it by listening.

So, I could actually have conversations with him.

This is Elmon (El-uh-mohn) and Taklyn (Talk-uh-leen).

They gave us these really cool shells to peel the skin

off of breadfruit.

We're excited, Glen loves breadfruit.

I'm not sure about it yet.

They're all very nice and welcoming.

 This was the view from the place they were staying

at on the other side of the point that

we live on.

So gorgeous!!

It was the first time they've seen a mountain.

They were all so amazed by how big the island was.

Glen picked them up from the airport at 3 am,

so they couldn't see Honolulu, except for the lights,

but when they got on the ramp coming out of the airport,

the lights in the city were so many to them.

They kept on asking how big the island was!

The kids loved to play with "Eldah".

It was fun to take pictures with/of them.

Most of them only see cameras when the missionaries

are there, so they get really excited and want

to look at the screen after for ages.

We went to Walmart with them and this was on the way to town.

They were amazed at how huge Walmart is

and how many things were there for so cheap.

They loaded up on hooks and fishing line.

They said that one hook can go for a dollar and

they were buying 30 for $2.

These flowers are on campus and they're huge!!!

A storm came in last night!

A really heavy one.

It only lasted for 10 minutes though.

And then, it was beautiful Hawai'i again.

I feel so blessed to be here.

It is amazing how many things can go right

in such little time.

We are happy and doing well. 

And there's another Marshallese group that came in

today for the temple from another island Glen

served on called Ebeye.

It's also finals week...

I'm procrastinating right now.