Kauai

Today is conference Sunday. I love Conference. What could be better then laying in bed and listening to inspired messages and beautiful voices singing my favorite hymns? Not to mention the occasional dozing that can be done and the immense amount of snuggling that bonds our little family together.

Speaking of family, the kids and I had the opportunity to go to Kauai over spring break and see lots of family. Family is a funny thing. We love them, or we feel compelled to love them. We hope that they love us or feel compelled to love us. We go to great lengths to please them, prove our love and make lasting memories. What creates that bond? I know that there is a bond, because the absence of a bond creates a painful void. Is it parental familiarity, womb envy, DNA sharing, common ancestry or just sibling rivalry in a spirit of kindness? I don't know. I am pondering the very subject as I write. I really do not expect to ever understand it, but I do know that I love my family.

My parents just finished a beautiful house right on the beach so we literally jetted off to visit the new abode. Me and my little crew of 4.

My highlights included a Kayak paddle to Hanalei bay. This was accompanied by my dad, my son Ethan and my nephew Griffin. We started in the calm, reef protected bay of Anini Beach and explored the coast line. We found a small water fall entering the ocean and climbed up the smooth black lava rocks to a small pool of fresh water. There were huge crawdads in the small stream. As we attempted to leave the shelter of the reef, the bottom or our kayak's drug as the swells retreated into the ocean. It must have been comical to watch my father and I paddle, push and bounce our way over the barrier. Once outside the reef, the ocean was rolling with awesome swells. I love the feeling of being on top of the wave. Feeling that the ocean is breathing and I am on the chest of a watery giant. The view was amazing. Deep green mountains, creased with white paths of long waterfalls, the blue breathing ocean, the white foam from the waves and the smiles of my family. Griffin and Ethan caught a wave on the way into Hanalei bay and had a fantastic ride.

When we got to the beach, we watched a group of spinal injury patients have a surfing clinic. I borrowed some sun screen from one of the event coordinators and she offered us some refreshments which were welcomed by Ethan. It was neat to see the recovering patients have the incredible opportunity to get out on a surf board and ride the little waves.

Later Grammy arrived with the rest of the crew. They brought surf boards, so even though my arms were tired, I paddled out with Ethan to the big waves of Hanalei bay. It was a long paddle and painful with my sore arms, but that is what Mothers do for their surf crazed children. We didn't do too well, as Ethan was on a beginner board in advanced waves and I was just not committing as the waves were big and the crowd was dominating. I did manage to take a direct hit to the side of my shin bone with a board and I am still sporting a mangled muscle, 3 weeks later. Thanks to arnica gel it did not get too discolored and by the next day I could hardly feel it, but it hurt so bad when it happened.

All the cousins went crabbing one night. That is such a fun activity for the kids. I love walking behind them, watching the flashlights, listening to the squeals and screams and looking up at the stars. One of my nephew's came to show me how to hold a crab (which I may have taught him 10 years ago) it was very sweet and then funny as he accidentally squished the crab while telling me to hold it gently. Thanks Morgan.

Going to Uncle Greg's Playground, I mean house was the highlight for my kids. There are skateboards, bikes, ropes to climb, rings, swings and best of all a boat. We all had alot of fun wake boarding, water skiing and surfing behind the boat. Ethan and Sydney wake boarded. Ember surfed with me and Sophie liked doing doughnuts in the back of the boat. Sydney was impressed that her mom could ski on one ski and make walls of water. I love that I can still out perform my kids. I know that they will be teaching me new things before too long so I better enjoy my last years of superiority. I loved being behind the boat. I have missed that. Thanks Greg.

Ember and I were both up early one morning and we made a mechanical bird. The idea was in the Family Fun magazine and Captain had all the supplies organized on his work bench. I love that he keeps everything, and keeps it organized. I bet he didn't even know that he had everything to make a mechanical bird! (Okay, he probably did.) Thanks Dad.

There was also the yummy food, friends that we had not seen in a long time and new friends. 

Family is good. Bonds. Kindness. Love. Patience. Fun. Learning. Adventure. Kauai.