a happy man

Look how darling Dalboy is here. And the toddler with the golden locks..yeah, thats Denver. So cute, so sweet. Kevin is looking pretty happy and content. I ran across this picture this morning after Kevin left for a business meeting in Annapolis. His surgery is a week from today. He has been keeping himself real busy so as not to have too much time to dwell on this cancer. Problem for me is that I am a pre-stressor...dentist appt.,new school starting, a surgery that is hopefully going to eradicate the evil cancer from your husbands body etc. I worry and worry, but come "showtime" I am generally calm and rational. Hmmm, next tuesday..an entire week of worry. It does Not help to be alone right now. It makes me realize how awful life would be without Kevin as I go over all the "what if's" in my mind. Not that anything should go wrong..but I have watched way too many episodes of "ER" and "Grey's" to Not imagine various scenarios. Especially if it is late at night and I am alone. Of course it Is going to be just fine. Yikes..who invited Cybil to this party ?!!!!!

adaptation

Kevin took the boys to utah this week-end for a BYU football game ( he got off the red-eye from Hawaii, had Kelly drop the boys at the airport and they all caught the next flight out to Salt Lake...to no one's surprise.) So it was just me, myself and I that went to our AZ ward this morning. I sat alone, I am a big girl..I can do that. But as the meeting started I soon realized that it was the Primary Program today. It was the first time since 1986 that I haven't had a child participate in one (although we have had our share of children - mostly Dalboy - who refused to say their lines from time to time..but there was always another sibling in the crowd to preform - mostly Kelly .) Being fresh off the open wound of leaving Kerriann in Hawaii this was Not a good place to be alone. So I did elaborate doodles and even wrote kerriann a note - because that is what I normally do in sacrament meeting. I stuck it out and went to my other meetings.

Kelly and Bo's ward meets in our same building, just a couple of hours later. So I stayed and went to their sacrament meeting because Kelly was preforming ( see above..most things never change.) I sat down with them and the whole row - in the middle bigger section even - was family. Melissa ( Bo's mum ) was there from utah tending two of her granddaughters , Bo's sister ,husband and two young boys, and then my favorite little Bowen branch - Kelly, Bo and Cooper. It made me So happy to take over a whole row again..just like old times !! Although the Bowens aren't as loud and rowdy as our clan. But it was lovely. Adaptations happen..but if you give it a bit something new always comes around.

aloha oe

ja, we can save the turtles.

BYU Hawaii campus

This is my happy place.

Shouldn't saying good-bye to my children be common place by now ?! Ohhhh, This was a Tough one. We were having such a great week together there in Laie..and then the brutal truth of us having to go home reared its ugly head.

Kevin says the day before we leave, " you two are so close..this is probably going to be hard." Hmmmm, I guess I have only been thinking about it for the past couple of years!! This was no drop-your-daughter-off-several-miles-down-the-road-at-Provo kind of deal. This was MTC curbside worthy. Ouch. There is this big,old ocean between us now. I have a hard enough time when our vacation comes to a close..but to leave Kerriann behind was brutal.

But the week we had there with her only served to confirm that she is where she is suppose to be. What an awesome opportunity for her ! I love the smallness of the campus. Not too big, not too medium sized..just right. Waiting in lines - which was merely a fact of daily life both at Cal and BYU - are non-existent there. The dorms ( hale's) are a stones throw away ( even for my wimpy girl talents.) The parking lot for the dorms only has a spattering of cars. Most students get around on cruiser bikes. She liked her classes. Thinks her single room is ideal. Everything is just going so well.

I remember years ago when Amie was getting ready to attend college down in Cedar City and Sue was so concerned over how much life was going to change with her gone. Well, we all learned a lesson..not very much. Kerriann has seen Devin, Kelly and Dallin go on their walk-abouts and come back to the family. I think it is reassuring for her and me. Our family is a constant,going away to college doesn't change that..just adds a new flavor to the pot. wow..heavy.

Sabbath day in Paradise

You know where I am then. Hawaii. Everything looks and smells and sounds so familiar now. It feels like home. And now with Kerriann living here..it truly is a part of our home.

I wake up super early our first morning on the island. I sit out on the deck to watch the day come on. As usual I can hear the hotel staff setting up the lounge chairs down around the pool before I can even see them. the surf sounds delicious. Kerriann joins me as the sky begins to lighten. She looks across the Turtle Bay complex. There is one woman also out on her deck..only one mind you..and Kerriann says - doesn't that woman look like Chere ? ( a dear neighbor/friend back in Alpine.) And - of course - it was. The world is such a teeny, tiny place !

Our setting Kerriann up at BYU Hawaii has been full of moments like that. I am so happy that she has chosen to go here. It seems like such a great fit. This morning we went to her new ward with her. There was Chere and several other Alpine mums sitting behind us, and then Dan Ord comes in and sits next to Kevin. How fun and familiar. We meet her new Bishop..Fatafehi Niutupuivaha. Awesome. The ward is a wonderful swirl of Polynesians,Asians and - Kevin counted- 5 white boys. Toto, I don't think we are in Utah anymore.

We ate lunch at a shrimp truck with Dan and his son Nick that is just starting here too. We adults are so jealous of the experience they are about to embark on !! How lucky they are. I want to stay and go to this college !

The good news is that I still have 5 more days here.

Aloha.

a rare sighting

I rarely publish pictures of myself. I didn't get the photogenic gene that most others around me do. There has been 33 days of 110+ weather in Phoenix..seriously..I am sure it had to be 94 days. what does one do with all that indoor time..look through pictures of course. And i thought to myself - yeah, I like those pictures. they show the love around me. Put them on the blog.