Time to go back to Hawaii for three reasons: 1) our sweet Elsie’s baptism and 2) Jonah and Aja are setting off for their next adventure and 3) it is pretty ugly and cold in Park City and warm and lush in Hawaii!
This family never ceases to amaze us an had put a new roof on their cute Hawaiian house, sanded the cement and added huge big windows in their dining/all purpose room at the back of the house, cleared out closets, bleached walls and baseboards and put everything they didn’t want to take on their at least nine-month adventure in a nice dry space under the house.
We were glad to be able to help just a little bit around the edges to get them ready to leave their cozy house as they take off for Europe with their five extraordinary kids. Aja just takes it all in stride as though it was nothing different than what she has been doing every summer when they rent their house while they spend the summer on the mainland.
The wrap-up is no small deal though…last swim meet, last meeting with their delightful congregation at church, last few days at school for their two elementary kids, last Joy School for three-year old Po, last scout meeting for Jonah and Camden, last Young Women’s meeting for Aja.
Grandfather was immediately “crowned” by the little girls as soon as we stepped in the door and the fun just never stopped. Baby Ezra, who is a solid brick of gold when it comes to babies and his mom, who is the same when it comes to mothers. This family creates never-ending delight!
This little joyful little girl is pretty happy by something her her Grandfather (who is obviously sitting next to her in his favorite shoes) said.
Jonah does a magnificent job with their morning devotional every morning, reading scriptures from his iPhone just before the elementary kids leave for school. And Camden, though mostly horizontal, soaks in every word and answers the myriads of questions Jonah asks with perfection!
Jonah has also become an amazing tennis player! He plays every day! They somehow managed to take time out of the tasks at home and play a little doubles with Grandfather, Aja and Ana.
While Ezra figured out how the Macadamia Nut Cracker worked and explored the area!
Ezra also spends quite a lot of time here, playing games with us until he gets “ready”!
We slipped away for a couple of hours for a little sun on the beach over by the famous Mama’s Fish House.
One of our favorite things is walking the kids to school. Here is Elsie, an astonishing artist with her latest creation just outside the door of her schoolroom (with her little side-kick Po peaking around the side.
The kids spend a lot of time on their trampoline with friends. These three girls jumped with Ezra sitting in the middle for an hour….until he was entirely exhausted and needed a little R&R in the tub!
On Saturday morning, it was so great to be at Ana’s last swim meet where she won the 200 meter race and came in third in the Individual Medley race. She has become an outstanding swimmer!
Then Saturday evening, we enjoyed “the main event”, which was Elsie’s baptism. Grand father gave a terrific talk on baptism and Ana gave an excellent talk on the Holy Ghost just before the confirmation.
After the meeting all Elsie’s little friends from the war simply drenched her with candy leis (a ward tradition and a sugar-averse mother’s dream)! As you can see, Elsie was heavy-laden and delighted!
Po just cannot wait to get her hands on that candy!
The next day was this family’s last Sunday with their ward family. It was Fast Sunday, which means that church members fast for two meals for a particular purpose (often for a family member or friend in need) and then give the money they would have spent on food to the bishop to distribute to the poor. Speakers come from the audience as those who feel prompted go to the microphone and express their feelings for Jesus Christ and their families. Ana did a magnificent job and quoted Helaman 5:12 from memory and her grandfather talked about the importance of “Wonder.”
Jonah taught Ana’s class because the teacher wasn’t there and Richard and I sat in and soaked in his excellent lesson! The kids were eager participants and so respectful and attentive! All 13 year olds except one 14 year old.
Aja, an excellent musician, played the organ beautifully and was released as the Ward Music Chairman, Jonah as a Cub Scout leader and Aniston as the Beehive President. They are going to leave a hole in the ward family!
After the meeting we all headed for a gorgeous spot on Maui, THOMPSON ROAD!
On the way the Jacaranda trees were showing off their gorgeous purple flowers at every turn!
A drive down Thompson Road is like going to the Scottish Highlands for a few hours!
See Oprah’s nice little house and guest house at the end of the road:
We are going to miss this fabulous family at the reunion this summer:
Camden must have seen a snake.
We were invited to break our fast by sharing a delicious dinner at the home of the Eyre Family’s dear friends, along with the missionaries. Jonah’s bean burritos with homemade wheat tortillas were a hit as usual!
And then Grandfather and I were off to take Ana to Hana to take her final tests. More on that coming next!
