Transformations

Pauls homemade traditional herbal Hawaiian foot scrubs

Bishop Museum

At the Lego Display

Paul made the lei, Natalie just woke up!

 

Downtown Christmas displays

Windward view from Makapuu Hike

 Aloha,

A lot of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual change is happening. Paul and I are both amidst feeling the spirit of the island. (Paul has been having amazing experiences through Kamehameha Schools and reading volumes of history about Hawaii... more from him about all of that in an upcoming blog). I highly recommend up heaving your life every so often for the personal growth. Being in Hawaii and dealing with challenges and change can be, at times, tough, but the rewards are life changing...at least for us. I have been meeting some people lately who have touched my life in a way that will forever warm me. Good, quality people who make an effort to give you a sense of Ohana while you are away from your roots. It is very common for people living in Hawaii to be many miles away from the rest of their family so I am sure that is in part why some are kind enough to reach out to you and make you feel welcome at Thanksgiving, Christmas and generally. But you get the sense that we are all on this island in it together we may as well stick together a little. It's not like that with everyone here but we have been very lucky to meet a good handful.

Aside from meeting some incredible people is the "relentless beauty" (as I like to call it) of Hawaii. You can look from the exact same view point on 2 different days or even minutes and it will always look different, yet incredible. When we first got here I was wanting to take photos at times I didn't have my good camera with me but would tell myself I can bring it next time. But I have learned now you cannot recapture that same view ever. I was taking some snaps by the ocean one evening as was another gentleman who commented to me the very same thing I had been thinking so I know I am not imagining it!

And then there is something else. Something you can't really put your finger on and you don't feel it all the time but when you do it's so nice. It's a feeling of Aloha. It does sound cheesy but if you have ever felt it you know what I mean and it's not cheesy at all. It's like magic, being in a place that just feels blessed. Paul and I have had many conversations about it as he has felt it too. We had both experienced it on our trips to Hawaii previously and now that we live here we know it's not just something about being on vacation.

As I reflect on 2013 and think about what may come in 2014, I feel really lucky. I feel excited for new changes and decisions, a little scared and a lot grateful.

President Obama arrived here late the other night - staying windward side, maybe I will run into him buying some shaved ice! Stay tuned for that ha ha!

The above pictures were taken throughout the last week or so here.

Mahalo nui for all the nice comments on our facebook photos, makes it fun.

Lisa