What a week.........

We have had a busy week. The kids went back to school from Spring break. The usual Scouts, mutual, school activities, etc. kept us running at a sprinter's pace. One of the BIG activities we had was a show my girls were in with their hula group. The 2nd Friday of each month they perform at a local outdoors shopping mall, tourist spot--and the show was GREAT!!! My sis-in-law is the director of the group, my niece helps choreograh and my mother-in-law mc's the show. There are 6 principle dancers and little Miss Kawehi dances, too. The dancers are all teenagers and they are FANTASTIC. There is even a fireknife dancer. I don't care how many times I see the dances I grow to love them more and more each time. There is just something about Hula dancing, Tahitian, Samoan, New Zealand dancing that I just love. I love the chanting, the music, the meaning behind each dance. This is how the Polynesians tell there their stories. Their geneology was carried down through generations by their dancing and beautiful hand movements, before the written word was introduced to them. I just get lost in the special meaning behind it all. I love watching my daughters be a part of it. CS, my oldest, learned 6 new dances in 2 weeks. So she was kind of nervous to perform last night. But she did GREAT. I cry every time I see her perform. She touches my heart!!! She was really excited because she learned some new dances that are "couple" dances and loved learning to dance with J.D. !! She is defintely growing in her talent, being here in Hawaii. I love it!! So here are a few pictures to share in our Hula love.....

CS and Kawehi
Kawehi and G'ma showing members of audience how to do the hula....

CS and J.D. --couples dance

CS doing a solo....performing a dance she learned in Idaho (thanks Aumau)

My Three Sons.......

Last Saturday we were at the beach for JAG's b'day and had been there for a long time. We had just told the kids they had about 10 minutes before we had to leave. I was standing as life-guard on the shoreline and watched my three sons. Now for those of you who know my sons I think you would agree they are "lively" and like to have fun. As I was standing there watching my three sons play with each other in the water I felt such an overwhelming joy!! You know how they say when you are about to die your whole life just starts kind of flashing in your head and memory? Well, I wasn't dying but suddenly the lives of my little boys starting flashing through my mind...each of their births, their quirks, the events of their lives that have made them who they are...watching my eldest son pass the sacrament at church, their scouting activities, helping G'pa (my dad) take the cans they collected to the recyle place and then stop at McDonald's and get a "cold one"--a drink of lemonade or root beer......so many more memories flooded my mind. I watched them. I smiled. I cried. Allan was standing there and looked at me and asked what was wrong...I couldn't even talk. I just watched these three little boys (because that is what they are too me, even though my eldest is taller than me) be just that..LITTLE BOYS. I have seen movies or T.V. shows that show bear cubs wrestling with each other, they kind of circle on top of each other and roll around on the ground, that is what my boys were doing...except in water. They would jump on each other, dive under the water and come up under another brother...the sweet sound of their laughter made me smile. I stood there thinking where has the time gone. I suppose because it was my "baby's" 6th B'day (and he constantly reminds me that he is not a baby anymore) I was a little more reflective than usual. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to witness those few minutes of pure fun and joy my three sons were both experiencing and also giving me one of the greatest joys a mother can have. Did your mom ever say to you, when you asked her what she wanted for her b'day or Christmas or mother's day, just for you to be happy, or be a good kid or something homemade? Mine did. I remember thinking "Mom, that is kind of lame..what can I get for you?" Now I totally get what she meant by her "dorky" answers (I thought that is what they were when I was teenager) because there is NO material thing I would want in replace of watching my children play, get a long, be happy, have fun, smile and laugh with one another. Motherhood is the hardest job I have ever had. There have been days when I could have easliy said "forget this" and walk away. But I have also come to know that Heavenly Father knows exactly what to do to stop me from giving up...He sets me up. He makes things happen that sweetly remind me how wonderful motherhood is. My three sons play in the ocean....my daughters perform beautiful dances...motherhood is joy. My heart is full.