I've really gotten out of the habit of my daily blog. My bad, and one I intend to remedy. Today as I sat thinking of Thursday (Thanksgiving) friends coming to join us, menu I am going to prepare, day's activities and such; it hit me. It has really been a great year!
Brian was gone for 15 months on deployment and that was a huge challenge for our family; but one we pulled thru together. We moved to Hawaii, away from all our family and friends. A fresh new start, a new unexplored territory. A few bumps in the road later, some fantastic new friends whom we now count among family and here we are, close to the end of our year. Where has the time gone?
So much has happened during this time. We had twin grandaughters born, my son Jeremy has redeployed, NTC in California, furlough days in our school system, PTSO action packed days with Aaron and his friends. The list just goes on and on. We have climbed the top of Paui Lookout, learned to snorkel, watched the turtles up close in the water, explored the lagoons; and that's just a start. We saw Leeann Womack in concert at Schofield Barracks, witnessed an amazing 4th of July celebration, cried until we couldn't anymore on Veteran's Day and the beautiful memorial service at the USS Arizona. I'm still amazed at all that Brian and I have been blessed enough to witness, but extremely overwhelmed when I think of Aaron and all that he has been exposed too since we've moved to Hawaii. For him, it has been the opportunity of a lifetime and one he is not wasting. He has even learned to play the Ukelele in school in Hawaiian studies.
We miss our family, especially the grandbabies. We miss our friends and home; but all three of us will honestly answer that we're so glad we did not pass up this opportunity to come to Hawaii.
We've made some lifetime friends that are native to the islands and they love to share not only their cultures, but traditions, song, dance and the stories are just so beautiful. One of my favorites is of the "The Kalo Man". It is a simply beautiful story.
In closing, we are blessed, thankful, and most of all looking forward to next year.
