Aloha 'Oe

Our last Sunday at church, Kahalu'u Ward, Hawaii.

June 6, 2010

 I loved the time we got to spend in the Kahalu'u ward.  

The people were so warm and inviting, and I loved the atmosphere of family and tradition.  I appreciated the time I spent serving in the nursery and the ladies I got to work with, they taught me so much about myself and being a Mom.  Jason and I have been through a lot of ups and downs, and I am so thankful for the righteous and dedicated home teachers we had, I will never forget Brother Faga and the kind spirit he brought into our home every month.  I am going to miss the big ward parties we used to have (with ALL the food) and the wonderful people we got to know.  It is so hard to say goodbye.

On our last Sunday at church on the island, as is tradition, the ward sang Aloha 'Oe to us.  The spirit is so strong and touching when I hear this song sung (in Hawaiian) and needless to say I had a million emotions and tears I was holding in that Sunday.  Once again I feel so blessed for the time we got to spend in Hawaii, and so thankful.

ps. Our house smelled like flowers for days, from all our leis... I think we counted 45. I love Hawaii!

I've Created A Monster

Clark and his (well actually my) Nintendo DS.

Someone needs an intervention.

It all started as a way to keep him still and quiet when we went to church, and out to dinner.

It was so nice to have him happy and occupied, so we could do what we needed to do.

Now, with all the traveling and changes it has turned into another security blanket.

He is so addicted.  He has to play all day, and all night.  

Last night he ignored all his aunties and uncles and his favorite little cousin, to play on the damned thing.

Needless to say, Mommy is putting her foot down.  I am refusing to re-charge it, and I have hidden all other electronic play things/toys... well until we are back on the road again.  And he is going to have to start earning his time to play.

Poor little Clark is going to have a hard day.

I have to admit it is kinda cute to watch him try to play and figure things out. 

His favorite is Mario...and I love to hear him say, in his little pretend Italian accent, "thatsa so niiiiice".

Jay's Promotion Ceremony

June 1, 2010

Jason and Capt. Vogh

Jason invited me and the boys to his work to watch his promotion ceremony.  I am so proud of him, and all the hard work he does.  And I am so happy that he seems to have finally found his stride in his career (yes, I said career, we will be CG lifers).  He knows what he wants to do, and he is excited about it.  

Way to go Jay!

(Sorry the pictures are so crappy.  I had to stand in the WAY back, fighting Harry, and trying to take pictures at the same time.)

(Again, bad picture I know, sorry.)

Giving him his first class pins.

On the left is Jason current Chief (well, until we left Hawaii) Dan Perkins.  And on the right is Tom Heimann, Jason's old Chief from when he was stationed on the CG Cutter Sherman.  By some weird chance Tom just happened to be vacationing in Hawaii the week of his promotion, and Jason invited him down.  Tom was/is such a good friend of ours, and Jason loved working for and with him.  I thought it was special that he was able to come participate.

After the various awards and what not, the honorees have a chance to stand up front for everyone to congratulate.  Naturally Clark thought he needed some praise and he took his place at the end of the line next to Jason.  I thought it was sweet that everyone played a long and shook his little hand.  Clark was so good that day, so very good.  I am proud of my little man too.

Tom Heimann, Jason, me and the boys, and Dan Perkins

I am proud of you Jason!  Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day!

Hey-Hey

A funny thing about Clark, that I don't want to forget...

Clark always used to say, 'yeah yeah'.

When he wanted a treat, when he was answering a question, when I was finally able to decode whatever mumble-jumble of words he was trying to get me to understand.  Sometimes he would get so excited about it, "Yeah Yeah Mahi, Yeah Yeah!" in his excited high pitched voice.

(For example)

Clark, do you want to take a bath?

"Yeah, yeah!"

Do you want a cookie? 

"Yeah, yeah!"

Oh, did you mean you wanted to go down the slide?

"YEAH YEAH!"

It was so cute, and it was one of my favorite things about him.

Now, he says "okay" in reply to everything, except it sounds like "hey-hey".

Clark, do you want to go outside?

"Hey-hey."

Would you like a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast? (His favorite.)

"HEY-HEY!"

Clark, do you love your cousin so much?

"Hey-hey."

I don't know what changed, he has only started saying it these past couple weeks.  I think it is so funny.

I do say 'okay' a lot, especially when I don't want to do something, so maybe he got it from me.

I love my Big Tuna!  As challenging as he can be sometimes (a lot of the time) he really is so loving and fun to be around.  

I don't know what I would ever do without him.