Back to the Blog Living!

I know that it's been an obscene amount of time since I've posted anything, but after a friend of ours at church gave me the hardest time about my out of date blog (Jason, you know who you are) I am finally sitting down and working on it even though it is 11:00pm, and my bed is calling my name. It's not that I haven't wanted to post. I have actually sat down several times and started drafts to post, but I am always inconveniently interrupted by my wonderful adorable children. But now, after the teasing I received last Sunday I am determined to keep my goal of blogging more often. Since I last posted, quite a few things have happened to our family. I've decided to share them from the past to most recent in hopes of getting you up to date, so here goes!

In April Kiara turned three years old! My little girl is not a little girl anymore. She is such a joy in my life, I can't imagine life without her. Some of the things I love most about Kiara is her compassion for others, the way she shows her love in so many ways, her amazing imagination that allows her to create wonderful things around her, the fact that she doesn't mind just listening and observing things around her sometimes, and her determination to figure out things around her. I was in actually in Chicago on her birthday, but we celebrated when Maka and I returned. She had a great party with all her friends, Lizzy, Elise, Kate, Andrew, Maka, and all of her adult friends as well. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful friends. We ate pizza, macaroni salad, cupcakes, and Gregg Walker made great balloon animals for all the kids!

Guess who forgot to take the tags off the glasses in the goodie bags? It did make for a hilarious picture though.

Another thing that happened in April was the passing of my Grandma Wilson. Thanks to my parents Maka and I were able to travel to Chicago and be with my Dad's side of the family during that time. It was a very special and emotional experience for me. I was able to share my testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the blessings that we can recieve from his resurrection. I know that I will see my Grandmother again someday, and that it will be a joyful reunion. She was an amazing, spiritual, and strong woman, and I really miss her. It is comforting for me to know that she is in heaven now right, looking down at my family and I, and watching over us.

Lauren and Maka after the funeral service. He adores her!

Riley (my cousin Meredith's dog) putting up with Maka's love and attention.

Uncle Bill and Maka chilling on the couch together after a long plane ride for Maka.

Around this time we received a HUGE surprise! We found out we were expecting our third bundle of joy! I'm not going to lie, but when we first found out, I was scared to death. There is something about the number three that just seems so ominous. Afterall, I only have two hands! After some very special words of comfort from my husband, a talk in sacrament meeting, and lots of prayers, I was comforted, lifted up, and my mind was put at ease. The worry and fear was replaced with a lot of faith and hope, and the knowledge that Heavenly Father has got to know what he's doing, right? We were so excited though, and couldn't wait to see what this new choice spirit would add to our family.

In May we celebrated Mother's Day. The kids and Sanoe were so sweet and got me something I had wanted for a long time, a recipe box. Call me a sentimental fool, but it was the best thing they could have got me, and it made me feel so special. I sure do love my family, and it's great to know that they love me and need me too!

Unfortunately in May, we also ended our amazing experience in Bethesda. Sanoe's year in the HHMI program came to a close, and we headed back to Hawaii. It was definitely a bitter-sweet experience, and at times I had to admit, it was more bitter than sweet. We really loved our year there, and we had made so many amazing friends that it was so hard to say goodbye. Luckily we live in this great digital world, and it is so much easier to keep in touch. But before we headed back to Hawaii we stopped over (in a round-about way) in Alaska for some time with my family! The kids and I left Maryland first and Sanoe finished up his last week of work and then followed. We had so much fun in Alaska, and it was so special to see my kids getting to know their Grandparents and Uncles and Aunt. While visiting Kiara caught her first flounder and bullheads, while fishing off the dock. We played with all the old toys my Mom has saved from my childhood, we blew gigantic bubbles, played at the park, went hiking to Rainbow falls, played tons of family games, and my kids got completely spoiled and fell in love with their grandparents, uncles, and aunt Amber all over again. It was so hard to leave, and many tears were shed on both sides.

After an overnight stay in Seattle and a long flight, we arrived in Hawaii and were met by Sanoe's parents who helped us get back to the house. After a few minutes of break we started hauling stuff up from the storage room. The first thing was Kiara's bike. She was so excited to ride it, and was actually able to do it right off. We were all so proud, especially Kiara. Sanoe started school a couple days later, and I unpacked and got the house situated at least a little bit. I think I have decided I dislike unpacking more than packing. Finding places for everything is so daunting, and discovering yet again, that you have too much stuff is so frustrating.

After our fun vacation, we had to get back into the groove fast! Sanoe started his third year with his psychiatry rotation first (which he has decided is definitely not for him!), then surgery (which he enjoyed), then internal medicine outpatient, and internal medicine inpatient. That is what he is finishing up now. The rest of the summer flew by fast. I celebrated my 25th birthday! I can't believe it. For a birthday gift, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Noelani, bought me some pot, plants, and seeds to start my own little garden on our lanai (porch). Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the wonderful garden I had at one point, and then just before Alana arrived my plants got hit with some kind of fungus/mold and never recovered. But just last month we finally got the community garden plot we had applied for in August. So I've started getting that ready to plant, and I'm sure this time my experience will be much better:) The summer and even fall were so hot and humid here. I couldn't wait for Alana to arrive so I could get that little extra heater out of my stomach:) Since it was so hot we spent a lot of time at our friend Becky's pool, or the beach. My kids and I love the water, and both Maka and Kiara are becoming much more comfortable in the water and getting so much better at practicing their "swimming". We spent the 4th of July with Sallee (Sanoe's mom) and her boyfriends family at the beach. Noelani and her two adorable children were visiting during July so all the kids had a wonderful time playing in the waves and sand, and there was tons of food to munch on throughout the day. Thanks Sallee and Stuart for a wonderful time!

In August, Sanoe and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. Sanoe was on call on our actual anniversary day, so we went out to eat with the kids a couple nights before at one of our favorite restaurants. It was so much fun. We loved it and the kids loved it too! August was also full of lots of growing and changing for all of us. I just got bigger and bigger! Kiara learned to write her name, and now writes it all the time, whenever she can. I am so proud of her, and all the things that she has learned over the last year. She has gone from a little girl to a grownup little girl. She asks such insightful questions, and sometimes they make me chuckle. Like when Sanoe had his first overnite call at the hospital, and I was telling Kiara and Maka that Daddy had to spend the night at the hospital, Kiara asked, "So is Daddy going to a slumber party at the hospital?" I just love her, and the way that she makes life so interesting. Maka started talking, and loves to tell stories and jabber all the time. It's so hilarious when he gets all excited about something and just starts jabbering and talking away like there is no tomorrow. It is so special because you can just tell from his tone and expression that at that moment that story or event is the most important thing in the world to him. As a mother it is so hard to explain to others just how much you see your kids bloom and grow day in and day out, but it sure does happen, and sometimes too fast. It's so exciting to see their smiling faces each time they conquer a fear, create something new, or accomplish something they couldn't do before. It's times like that, that I feel even closer to my Heavenly Father because that must be similar to what he feels when he looks down at us from heaven. I am so grateful for my wonderful children and loving husband.
In September the kids and I went to the Aloha Parade with some great friends of our the Nitahara's. Mahele let me know about it and we met up down at Ala Moana. It was so much fun seeing all the beautiful hula dancers, marching bands, and floats. The kids loved it! They talked about it for days after, and can't wait for the next parade.

Above: My kids sporting their cool sunglasses! Below: Mahele, Karter, and Keira, very special friends of ours. Mahele is a great friend and always calls to include me in the fun things she does with her 5 amazing children. She is such an amazing mom. I hope that I can be that cool when I have five kids! Keira and Maka are only a couple weeks apart in age, and Karter is Kiara's age. They love to play together.

We also celebrated Sanoe's 28th birthday and the whole family went out to eat at his favorite restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory. It was a great dinner, and fun just hanging out, and catching up with each other.

Above: How Sanoe feels about turning 28! Below: Kiara & Maka sure love Uncle Adam!

We also got a new twin bed for Kiara and twin mattress for Maka. I couldn't find a trundle bed, like I really wanted, because their bedroom is so small, but this arrangement works great for now. But Maka still moves all over the place when he sleeps. This is one of his favorite sleeping positions!