January 2, 2013

Aloha 2013 …

We did it.

We gave our children an adventure for Christmas. It was their only present. And it was so awesome.

We spent the past ten days on the island of Oahu in Hawaii with the Hubby’s parents who are serving a mission for our church there.

Hawaii, well, it pretty much rocks the planet Earth forwards and back. Don’t believe me? Take a look at that picture up there.  Where does that happen? A tiny boat on a big blue sea with the sky and the clouds all joining together in one humongous Aloha!?

It happens in Hawaii. Where I happened to catch it on my camera.

We are exhausted. It is the best kind of exhaustion though. The kind where your face hurts from smiling so much and your mind hurts from being blown away every day by the sheer beauty of a place and your stomach hurts from eating way too much delicious food and your feet hurt from walking on so many lovely beaches.

We are all suffering from a severe case of the jet lag. As I write this it is 1:35 in the morning and I can’t sleep. I have to get up in four hours to get my Big C off to school. Who makes kids go back to school the stinking day after New Years? I’m sure they don’t do that in Hawaii.

So, I’ll be chronicling bits and pieces of our trip in the next week. There’s too much to share. I didn’t get to take as many pictures as I wanted because my camera battery died and I forgot to bring the charger.  But I remembered the sunscreen!

All this to say, I’ve missed you. And I’m glad we’ll be back together in 2013.

PS. At time of posting, I got three whole hours of sleep. YAWN.

8 comments:

Erin said...

Welcome back and Happy New Year! Can't wait to see/hear more about the trip...it looks lovely!

Apis Melliflora said...

I'm looking forward to the sunshine and good cheer of your Hawaii posts!

Hope you get some sleep today!

Aiketa said...

Happy New Year Samantha and family!!!
I am really looking forward to your pictures from Hawaii... I'm sure they will be incredibly beautiful. This first pic you share is already so beautiful and peaceful.
And I'm more than sure that this a holidays that your kids will remember for ever!

I agree going back to school on January 2nd is no good... I was lucky that we don't do that in Spain. Kids have holidays until next Monday. The reason is that we celebrate the Wise Men, when usually kids receive most of their presents.

Ronalin said...

So glad you are back but even more glad that you had an amazing time!!

Stacey Gerlach Moe said...

Welcome back. Can't wait for you to share the stories. Hawaii is definitely a magical place (that is where I have seen the most spectacular rainbows EVER!). And what a great gift for your family. So much better than toys! :)

Anonymous said...

Welcome home from paradise.
Wishing you happiness all year long.
Linda

JulieB said...

Good luck on that jetlag! Glad you had fun. What wonderful Christmas memories for your family!

Sue said...

In a couple years when Mack is a little older, I want to copy. Skip all the presents and go on an epic adventure as a family.