Home in the Islands

We are on Oahu for almost two weeks, and Daddy is so happy to be home, the place he grew up, and is most dear to his heart. The warm air, cool breeze, lush green, turquoise blue sky and water are just breathtaking. We are soaking in the beauty and relaxing on a much needed vacation.

Daddy took us around places where he grew up on Oahu, sharing memories with the kids of where he lived or hung out. He told them about being scared as a boy of launching off into the Kipapa Gulch if the brakes on their car failed (which never happened) as they got to drive down the road through the gulch. They heard the tale of the "Green Lady" the (whom the local boys feared) who tried to grab him and how his brother had saved him. He showed the kids the storm drains that he slid into and wandered around to explore the neighborhood. He also showed us the canals where he built rafts or floated in  through the reservoir. Was this the same guy who is always trying to keep the kids aware  and safe? Adventure boy also jumped roof to roof to get around town. His Mom was even surprised to learn about the storm drains on this visit. Oh yeah, didn't want to worry Mom. There was a lot of fun to be had as a boy living here!

In front of Daddy's home where he lived the longest and Grandpa and Grandma now live in Mililani

Happy to be hugging Mom and Dad

We drove and had fun in the car. The kids were just so happy to be in the sun and warm.
Daddy showed the kids where the wheel rolled off the car and the ditch they landed in as a boy. Elena may not remember this trip, but the pictures of her joy and laughter we have in high number. We are hoping she can say Aloha by the end of the trip.

We saw the school where Grandpa worked, Daddy's schools he attended, the neighborhoods her hung out. He showed the kids the library where he read all the books in the kids section (it was next door after all, and he started early with both parents as teachers). The kids not only heard great stories about running up into the mountains as a boy, but they got to see the mountains behind the house where he lived.

He told the kids about the beaches, and showed them why he loves being relaxed and free at the beach and in the water. He shared some of his best memories of having cookouts or relaxing afternoons bodysurfing on the beach. The kids threw the ball, they played in the sand, they relaxed in the breeze,  and they were beginning to understand.

Waimea Bay and fun at the beach

Let's check this beach out.

When everyone was good and tired he took us to his favorite treat, Matsumoto's Shave Ice. The kids now have this as their favorite treat for the vacation! They shave the ice off a block so it is very soft, almost like snow, and then they add flavoring or a scoop of vanilla ice cream at the bottom. It may look like a snow cone, but it tastes amazing. Our kids picked root beer and banana, or tropical flavors, whatever you choose it won't disappoint.

We went to Sunset Beach and drove along the North Shore. We saw the beauty of the mountain ranges, the old Sugar Cane factory, the coffee bean crops, the former Pineapple Plantation, and the shrimp farms. We saw the relaxed beach culture, a glimpse of the Bonsai Pipeline, and the local folks enjoying hanging out on the surf and sand. We took the kids to the L & L for lunch, and they now understand what plate lunch is.

The resorts we passed were beautiful, manicured golf and beach heaven. But the natural beauty wasn't manufactured, only preserved and dressed up a bit. The word paradise is here for a reason. Turtle Bay was one of the many reasons this area is a worldwide tourist destination. The combination of deep green and lush along the mountains so close to the sea with soft blues and misty foamy water make it breathtaking.

Turtle Bay

We ended the day watching the sunset fade across the sky, and playing on the beach near Ka'ena Point. The wind was cool, and the sound of the waves breaking was incredibly soothing. The soft sand beckoned us to remain barefoot and some of us would have been content to sleep out or at least stay a few more hours into the night.

The kids learned the power of Moana, watching the pounding waves.

Joseph wrote his name in dwarf runes in the sand

The point when Mom knew all the packing and flights and stress to travel to get here were totally worth it! 

Playing on the beach, running in the sand. Thousands of miles from the burdens of being a Doctor to the sickest of the sick. We watched Daddy become a boy again on the beach with his kids.

Elena with Grandma Pat walking together.

God's gift to us: drinking in the beauty here in these islands...the beauty that has inspired the songs and the culture and the love of so many. The beauty that almost hurts, and makes you want time to stop. It pierces us because we know we long for it, and want to be close to it, we are meant for it. No matter where he is, this beauty calls to Dad, and to Mom now too. A foretaste of how wonderful heaven will someday be, the place where beauty never ends.