Hawaii and I have a love/hate relationship... well, ok, honestly, it's more of a crazy love relationship, but there are a few things that, if I'm being completely honest, I HATE about Hawaii.
1st- I hate that I have to shave my legs every day, because in Hawaii one day without shaving can become a monumental day, in a very bad way. And although I’ve managed to go one full week without shaving my legs, I wasn’t brave enough to wear shorts, so I ended up wearing jeans, the only person in Hawaii to wear jeans. Perfect.
2nd- I hate having so much free time in Hawaii. Not that my life wasn’t mostly devoid of free time before I came here, but free time here becomes dangerous. There are too many good books to read (and not so good ones, only discovering that after I read them), the sun is always beckoning, the beach chairs longing for sand, and me longing for a good tan. It becomes too easy to grab a few good books and head to the beach for a nice, long day of ocean waves, crispy skin, the smell of sun screen (or lack of, in my case), and the sun bleeding down with all of its 85-90 degree force.
3rd- Which brings me to my third hate, I hate having enough time to read 5 good books at the same time. Not even waiting to finish one, I start another one, knowing that whatever mood I’m in I can just grab the one that’s most appealing and pick right back up where I left off.
4th- I hate that Hawaii is stocked full of adventurous things to do. They even give it the name, like it’s not enough to call it sky diving, it has to be “Adventure Sky Diving”, adventure hiking, biking, snorkeling, surfing… you get the picture. And well, you can’t live here without trying out all the adventurous things to do, otherwise, you’re labeled as the “non-adventurous type” and seriously, what woman at 27 inching her way to 30 wants to be labeled non-adventurous. I mean that’s all I’ve got left, the young stuff is over for me, it’s all down hill from here, without my adventurous spirit I’m just a 27 year old, weeks away from turning 28 without kids yet still battling baby fat (or whatever they call post-pregnant woman stuff). So each week I tally up all my bruises, and pray that by next week they’ll be healed enough to go out and bruise them again.
5th- And finally, I hate that we ended up living on base. Not because our house is a lot bigger than expected and my lack of decorating skills is sickeningly obvious, nor because of its location being 6 minutes away from Tim’s work (walking distance), obviously these are all very good things. But because it offers every stinkin’ club under the sun. And honestly, who can resist signing up for the gourmet cooking club, bunco club, book club, wine club, yoga club, sister surfing club, adventure club (of course they’d have an adventure club), and women’s bible study club, especially when it’s free! I’ve never been so busy before in my life, and I’m a busy person. I feel like I’m getting the sorority experience I never got in college, except everyone’s included and you don’t have to submit a picture and have girls you don’t know point out all your flaws before accepting you, all you have to be is a military spouse, which I can’t imagine someone living on base whose not.
Yet, this was suppose to be three years of sabbatical for me, three years of refining my Greek and Hebrew, three years of polishing up and preparing for more school in the future, three years of study and thoughtfulness, maybe even three years of preparing for kids, or having kids…. hmmm, oh well, I’m just having WAY too much fun! Stupid Hawaii.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
September in Pictures
Mom's group hanging out at the beach! Yes, I don't have kids, yes, i'm in a mom's group, yes, it's a blast! We take turns watching kids and surfing.
Still cooking all the time, and of course, i'm always up for new recipes! Maybe someday i'll open my own pulled pork sandwich/breakfast cake diner.
Recovering from our 2hr. run/marathon training (yes, two hours of non-stop running!). I didn't look that happy this week, after 2hrs 30mins, amazing what 30mins can do to you. I thought i was going to die... running a marathon was the worst idea i've ever had! Next time i pull something from my "i want to do this before i die" list, i'll tell myself i've already done enough and be happy in my pain-free life.
Tim surfing the small waves...
Tim surfing the BIG waves... note to self, when the wave is bigger than you, don't surf (this is my rule, not Tim's!)
There's never a shortage of rainbows in Hawaii... i always feel like walking around and singing that Kermit the Frog song about rainbows...you know, the one that goes like this: why are there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side (don't pretend like you don't know the song!)
Our backyard, this is what we see when we look out our back window (minus a few houses!). No one told me there would be mountains in Hawaii...the best of all worlds! I love it here!!
Still cooking all the time, and of course, i'm always up for new recipes! Maybe someday i'll open my own pulled pork sandwich/breakfast cake diner.
Recovering from our 2hr. run/marathon training (yes, two hours of non-stop running!). I didn't look that happy this week, after 2hrs 30mins, amazing what 30mins can do to you. I thought i was going to die... running a marathon was the worst idea i've ever had! Next time i pull something from my "i want to do this before i die" list, i'll tell myself i've already done enough and be happy in my pain-free life.
Tim surfing the small waves...
Tim surfing the BIG waves... note to self, when the wave is bigger than you, don't surf (this is my rule, not Tim's!)
There's never a shortage of rainbows in Hawaii... i always feel like walking around and singing that Kermit the Frog song about rainbows...you know, the one that goes like this: why are there so many songs about rainbows and what's on the other side (don't pretend like you don't know the song!)
Our backyard, this is what we see when we look out our back window (minus a few houses!). No one told me there would be mountains in Hawaii...the best of all worlds! I love it here!!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Disgruntled Days...
I woke-up this morning feeling disgruntled. Disgruntled at nothing and everything. Disgruntled at our stupid cat for trying to paw its way through our closed bedroom door at 5am. Disgruntled at our central AC house for always feeling hot in the morning, no matter how cold we turn it down. Disgruntled at our tempurpedic bed, because I’m pretty sure it’s the main culprit for hoarding all the heat in our bodies and then allowing it to linger there in bed.
Disgruntled at the time, for being late and not early, when I wasn’t suppose to sleep in today. Disgruntled at our annoying toilet that always makes sounds like the ocean and Tiger for always sitting in the bathroom watching it, hoping to see it get up and walk away. Disgruntled at my miserable feet for being covered in blisters and aching even though I have to run another 5 miles today.
Disgruntled at my silly husband who at 3 in the morning abruptly turned, leaned over me, and said, “tough, tough, tough, tough, tough” in his most annoyed voice, then resumed to steal all the blankets off of me, and turned back over the opposite way. Disgruntled that I felt amused (he was dead asleep) until I realized he wasn’t budging on the covers thing and I froze the rest of the night. sigh.
I think your suppose to have a bible study, or pray, or meditate for a while, when you wake-up feeling disgruntled at the world. That probably would have been a better idea than my decision, to sit on the couch and sulk.
Our women’s bible study is doing the Beth Moore study on the book of Esther. The bible study is called, “Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman”. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy a bible study focused on the “toughness” of being a woman. Not that I don’t find it tough to be a woman, on the contrary, I find it extremely tough being a woman, especially on certain days out of each month. But I grew up hearing over and over and over again that men and women are equals. That women are capable of doing all the things men can, and vice versa. That yes, God created us uniquely, but that He also created us equally. That God can call women, equip women, and send women, just as He does for men.
So I tend to shy away from the studies that place women in the “delicate flower” roles. The high heels, make-up, sit at home and watch the children play around your legs while never getting one hair out of order, type bible studies. I’m just not a big fan, because honestly it hasn’t been the reality I’ve seen so far. Although, if you are that woman, more power to you!
Anyways, I’m quickly learning that Esther wasn’t that woman, and that God still used her in a very mighty way. It’s a good reminder that God continues to call women to do mighty things. Just as God called Esther to change the course of history, to encourage a people who felt forgotten and scattered and lost, to remind them that God still cares, that they are still God’s people even in the midst of exile, even when they felt abandoned.
And in that sense, it’s a good reminder for me, that God can still use me, even when I feel lost, abandoned, or forgotten by God or those around me. The book of Esther reminds me, that even in the mundane, trivial, disgruntled days, God can still use me in mighty ways, to do mighty things for His kingdom, and fortunately that doesn’t require me to be mighty. It only requires me to have faith the size of a mustard seed (Mt. 17:20), and to seek God with all my heart. Those are two things I think I can handle, even on disgruntled days.
Disgruntled at the time, for being late and not early, when I wasn’t suppose to sleep in today. Disgruntled at our annoying toilet that always makes sounds like the ocean and Tiger for always sitting in the bathroom watching it, hoping to see it get up and walk away. Disgruntled at my miserable feet for being covered in blisters and aching even though I have to run another 5 miles today.
Disgruntled at my silly husband who at 3 in the morning abruptly turned, leaned over me, and said, “tough, tough, tough, tough, tough” in his most annoyed voice, then resumed to steal all the blankets off of me, and turned back over the opposite way. Disgruntled that I felt amused (he was dead asleep) until I realized he wasn’t budging on the covers thing and I froze the rest of the night. sigh.
I think your suppose to have a bible study, or pray, or meditate for a while, when you wake-up feeling disgruntled at the world. That probably would have been a better idea than my decision, to sit on the couch and sulk.
Our women’s bible study is doing the Beth Moore study on the book of Esther. The bible study is called, “Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman”. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy a bible study focused on the “toughness” of being a woman. Not that I don’t find it tough to be a woman, on the contrary, I find it extremely tough being a woman, especially on certain days out of each month. But I grew up hearing over and over and over again that men and women are equals. That women are capable of doing all the things men can, and vice versa. That yes, God created us uniquely, but that He also created us equally. That God can call women, equip women, and send women, just as He does for men.
So I tend to shy away from the studies that place women in the “delicate flower” roles. The high heels, make-up, sit at home and watch the children play around your legs while never getting one hair out of order, type bible studies. I’m just not a big fan, because honestly it hasn’t been the reality I’ve seen so far. Although, if you are that woman, more power to you!
Anyways, I’m quickly learning that Esther wasn’t that woman, and that God still used her in a very mighty way. It’s a good reminder that God continues to call women to do mighty things. Just as God called Esther to change the course of history, to encourage a people who felt forgotten and scattered and lost, to remind them that God still cares, that they are still God’s people even in the midst of exile, even when they felt abandoned.
And in that sense, it’s a good reminder for me, that God can still use me, even when I feel lost, abandoned, or forgotten by God or those around me. The book of Esther reminds me, that even in the mundane, trivial, disgruntled days, God can still use me in mighty ways, to do mighty things for His kingdom, and fortunately that doesn’t require me to be mighty. It only requires me to have faith the size of a mustard seed (Mt. 17:20), and to seek God with all my heart. Those are two things I think I can handle, even on disgruntled days.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
DELAY
Sorry for the long delay! I'm sure most of you thought Tim and I fell into the ocean and were eaten by angry dolphins, or maybe you thought Hawaii doesn't receive internet connection, that it really is like the tv show LOST, and some evil, weird guy named Ben is jamming all the satellite devices on the island. Well, the sad truth is, i've just fallen behind on life and i'm only beginning to catch back up. So to spare you all the gruesome updates and details, I'll just post a few pics and write when i have a bit more time. The last few months have been packed full of adventures. Life here seems new in every possible way, but we are truly enjoying this new season of our lives!
celebrating our 4 year anniversary (yeah, that's actually the ocean behind us, not a painting or picture!)
our first camping trip
first sun rise on the beach
Tiger checking out the new house (not a great pic of the house, i'll blog about that later!)
Tiger, after eating a quarter of foam, surgery, and a huge, fat bill! stupid cat!
tan lines, waterfalls, late night suppers...
more to come soon!!
celebrating our 4 year anniversary (yeah, that's actually the ocean behind us, not a painting or picture!)
our first camping trip
first sun rise on the beach
Tiger checking out the new house (not a great pic of the house, i'll blog about that later!)
Tiger, after eating a quarter of foam, surgery, and a huge, fat bill! stupid cat!
tan lines, waterfalls, late night suppers...
more to come soon!!
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