Going places we've never gone...

I'm going to be honest.  Our family is more of a 'fly by the seat of our pants' kind of family.  We aren't big on making real long term plans.  Or maybe it's that we are impatient and when we want it, we want it now.  I'm not sure.  But we've all got a little gypsy blood running through us and when we jump, it's usually fast, and hard!  You know, like marrying Thayne within 2 months of meeting him, or of him asking me to marry him on our first date.  Those kinds of things!  The fact that Kassi had made some plans to be married all the way in June had every one in the family teasing her about being the run away bride.  Would she or wouldn't she?  That was such a long way off.  The fact that Chris is stationed a few thousand miles away was also an issue.  She missed him.  I didn't blame her.  Thayne and I still don't do well apart.  Our kids seem to be the very same way once they fall in love.  That's a good thing!  But she started hinting that she wanted to get married.  Sooner.  And in a far off land... using the excuse that housing would be easier to get in March than it would be in June, or some silly thing like that!  She also hinted that she really wouldn't get married without me or her dad, so what did we think of going to Hawaii, say in 2 or 3 weeks, and just do this!  Her dad didn't faint, not really, I mean he didn't actually pass out.  He just looked a bit... spooked! 

We leave the kids.  On dates, sometimes 2 or 3 days... but never this long, and this far away.  We have friends that want us to go on cruises with them, but we haven't been able to commit because we aren't really sure we want to be that far away from our little ones.  But this was different.  We couldn't let her elope without us.  She insisted that we be there.  So Thayne spent a few minutes (hours) on the computer looking at flights and rooms and kept asking me questions about how or why or when.  I finally told him to just DO something and quit stressing me out.  It didn't help that for the past 3 years I have been really struggling with PTSD after Noah's really traumatic birth, and the thought of being gone that long, that far away brought me to near panic mode.  But I had been working extra hard on that, working through the emotions, and he finally bought the tickets. 

Can I tell you what an ordeal that was to pack for us, and haul Kassi's extra baggage too???  We laughed when we got there and later found out her new father in law had also brought luggage full of shoes for her!  Good thing we love her!  I have re-evaluated the way I pack and next time I will take a couple of outfits, several swimming suits and a skirt to go to church in.  That's it.  That's all.  I WAY over packed last time.  It's a bad habit my girls and I have.  I do believe next time everything will fit in a carry on with room to spare!  And there WILL be a next time!  I intend to say that I never went to Hawaii until 2015.... but then I went 5 times that year!!! :)  I will be taking some kids over in the next few weeks to visit.  And I CAN NOT WAIT!!! 

They picked us up at the airport in Honolulu and we slowly made our way through traffic trying to get to our hotel by Waikiki Beach.  Once we were checked in, we just decided to park and walk, explore the stores and the beach, put our feet in the water and walk along the beach.  From the moment I got onto, and then off the plane, something changed in me.  I relaxed.  I let go of every fear I was worried about.  I realized that I can't spend my life worrying about what will be, I'm just going to take it as it comes and savor the moments as I can.  And enjoy we did!  We had so much fun people watching.  There were so many people there, from so many walks of life.   That weekend would the huge Honolulu Festival and people all over the world would be participating in the huge parade.  Which made it even more fun. 

We ate dinner at Jimmy Buffett's.  Probably the best tasting macadamia nut crust maji maji.  It haunts me even still.  It was amazing!  Best place in the world to kick back and enjoy the scenery.  And people watch, because they were everywhere.   And then we walked, and walked, and enjoyed the scenery so much.  Stuck our feet into the ocean and enjoyed the beauty of it all.  I wanted to experience Hawaii.  To see the sites and enjoy it all.  And we did!  The first night was perfect. We got to get to know Chris better.  The first afternoon we got to do a little site seeing, relaxed and got ready to try new things.... and over the next 8 days, try new things became our motto!!!  I have never been so relaxed in my life.... oh to be there now!!!

Day 1 complete, and not nearly long enough time to go...