It’s finally here! Eight months, 6,282 words and 11 pages later, my Hawaii paper is done. This is a monument. And also just a recollection of my times in O’ahu.

The Very Beginning

I barely know how to begin or write about my time there. The whole experience was one of those things that creep in slowly without your knowledge until it becomes a part of you. There wasn’t a “BAM” or “lightbulb” moment in the whole trip. Maybe that’s why it was so different from any trip I’ve ever been on: it was merely life. It was living; it was feeling; it was caring; it was needing. It was laughing and crying. It was learning and sharing. But I must start somewhere.

I’ve heard the beginning is the very best way to start. So I’ll make the beginning of my trip at the O’Hare airport at 7:30am with Kara, my traveling partner and roommate for the next 13 days. Oh, and I’d only met Kara once previously. So here we are two minors, mere acquaintances really, standing with our luggage in an airport not sure what direction to go. We were directed to a specialty frequent flier security line. I’m thinking that it must be a mistake, but they let us through the line. We didn’t have to take off our shoes, coats, belts, take anything out of our bags or go through the body scanners. Heaven in an airport. We boarded the plane, took off and tried to get comfortable for the 8 1/2 hour flight to Honolulu, Hawaii. The flight was perfectly average. But on the way down, things got interesting. It was Kara’s first time on an airplane and apparently she wasn’t feeling too well. All I remember one moment I’m trying to get a view out the window and the next Kara fumbling around in the pocket of the seat in front of her for one of those little blue paper bangs. If there is one thing I’m a wimp about, it would have to be throwing up. Even after my Mongolia experience when the whole team’s breakfasts, lunches and dinners burst out of them like a water through a fountain I still can’t deal with vomit well. So I just sat there and said, “I’m sorry I can’t help. But are you okay? I just can’t look.” Yeah, I’m a jerk. Kara mended herself well though, and before we knew it, we had landed.

“Baggage claim B” was to be the rendezvous point for us and Joanna, our friend we were meeting. I was looking around for her when I heard familiar footsteps running behind me. I smiled, turned, and hugged Jo. I hadn’t seen her in a month and I hadn’t realized how much I missed her until then. After hellos were exchanged and leis were given to Kara and me, Dawn and the kids arrived at the airport.

I was going to spend two weeks with three kids. For me that was strange and kind of scary. I’m the youngest in my family, and I had hardly ever spent time with kids. I don’t know how to deal with them. If there was a little kid in the room, I would normally place myself in the opposite corner. So I was nervously curious to meet these kids and their mother. Dawn came out of the minivan and gave me a big hug. I knew that we would get along perfectly well from that moment. There was something about her smile and the way she said things that made me overcome my judging forethoughts and embrace this loving woman who would become my Hawaii mama.

Continue reading →