from our porch

On Maui this was a daily sight. Here it is a special event. I've seen two this week! Must be luck coming my way! Or maybe that is the luck!

Give me one moment in time..

Raph almost fell off his chair laughing last night at our school's National Honor Society Induction. I almost had to make him leave.

The students hid in the back of the room. All the lights were dimmed. Whitney Houston's voice bellowed out of the speakers..."When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away and the answers are all up to me..." The students proceeded down the aisle in twos bearing lit candles with the paper plates around them. They split into their assigned seats and one by one blew out the candles as Whitney inspired the mood.

All Raph could think of was the helping hands club in Napoleon Dynamite. I think we should all take a minute to celebrate the silly drama of high school and enjoy the fact that we can laugh about it.

John and Gwen 4-18-07

A long time in the making, this was a very fun wedding. Fun to photograph because it was so damn beautiful. Good friends, good weather, good times. What more could you ask for?

superbowl of hula

This week was the Merrie Monarch festival, which is pretty much the superbowl of hula. We didn't get it together enough to go to one of the competitions (they sell out), but we went to the parade. Highlights included a local school's marching ukulele band, a decorated street sweeper, a nice volcano float, and the groups of fancy horses that dropped gifts in the road for us. It was fun, hot, and exhausting.

An update

I'm 30 weeks (a little less in this picture which doesn't seem like me). 10 more weeks to go, unless this little guy is early, which he and I have been discussing, since that would help our travel plans. No pressure though. Our doctor's appointment double now to every two weeks instead of every month, which is sort of a bummer since every time I go in there they piss me off. This week when I went in, I wasn't on their appointment list. The nurse said "Are you sure you have an appointment today?" When I assured her that I did, she went and checked the computer and said, "Didn't you move to Maui? We have your chart packed up in a box to send to Maui." So twice the doctor stress. Maybe it will help me prepare for parenthood. Otherwise things are good, belly grows, baby kicks, I can bend over with less less comfort. In fact lots of things aren't as comfortable - sleeping, tying shoes, etc. but we're both excited.

We put in an offer on a house in Pgh, though we're trying not to get our hopes up since it's a foreclosure, the bank is taking its sweet time in replying to our offer, and we don't have any job for next year yet. But the house is really cool and cheap and if it worked out, it would be exciting. So we're waiting to hear...And madly applying for jobs.

a whole year a little late

Seems impossible that it has already been a year since our wedding. A little over a year really, but we've been busy. This weekend is our first vacation from vacation - no visitors, no traveling. just laundry and each other again and it's nice. (Not that I didn't enjoy my visitors or my travels, by the way). I feel lucky to have had this year with just Raph.

Full Circle

Cara, my Maui roommate and good friend, spent about a week with us. She was annhiliated by mosquitos, but still had a good attitude. It's nice to have friends. By the way she's standing in front Hale maumau crater on the Kilauea volcano.