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My Golden Sunshine: Hawaii

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

20131023_JKW_00008-53 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.

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ETTL14

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Once again my dad and I packed up the van and headed to Lake Geneva for Escape to the Lake, an Under the Radar music getaway. Once again we listened to some great music, walked a lot and met lots of interesting people. Over the three days I decided to work my brain and try to remember everyone’s name that I met without asking; so once I met them, that was it. I actually did a pretty good job considering I met over 20 people. Here are a few of them:

Tom and Melody- both there last year. Tom takes Melody for her birthday present each year. Melody is a school teacher. They have a son named Nathaniel.

Mary- drove seven hours to get to the camp. She just graduated college with a degree in interior design.

Zak- came by himself. Has a legit mustache.

Sheryl and her son Craig – Sheryl’s husband is in a wheel chair.

Sarah- Came up on the third for the Burlap to Cashmere concert. She lives in Chicago.

Amy and Walt – I remembered their names with A&W. Walt started going bald when he was 17. As he puts it, “God gives some people perfect heads and the rest he covers up with hair.

Sherri and Tim – were there with Sherri’s sister Grace and their family. Their oldest daughter went to college and with no help from them graduated debt free and was able to study abroad in Spain. Previously they had homeschooled their children.

Erica- Singer for Mercy Child. Her main occupation is photography. She shoots lots of weddings. Lives in Nashville.

Madeline- Mercy Child. About to be married. Also is a photographer. Introduced the Jones to the Cryars making it possible for The Vespers to form.

Kyle- Mercy Child. Amazing at instruments. He learned one of my songs so I could sing for open mic. From Texas, moved to Nashville ten years ago.

Nate and Andrea- Have a record label for people who do music as a side. Host house concerts. Nate is worship leader at their church. Andrea teaches piano.

Lishia and Dave- Gray Havens. Debating wether to homeschool when they have a family.

To remember peoples’ names, I remembered something about them and said their names over in my head. I also reinforced them by saying their name’s whenever possible: “Hello Erica” or “Hey Andrea can you pass the salt?” Very educational.

Although it is getting harder to travel with just my dad, everyone thinks we’re married. which is awkward and funny.

Mercy Child: Madeline, Erica and Kyle Taken on the porch where I got my selfie with The Vespers

Hair

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When I was 12 I wanted a pixie cut. You know, cute, short and risky. Well my hair dresser gave me a bob. And I hated it. I totally hated it. I felt awkward and worse, little. People actually assumed I was my age instead of several years older. For a 12 year old who was already the youngest in her friend group and family, it felt like the worst thing ever.

Yes that liner was for my peacock costume.

So I grew my hair out. I let it grow grow grow. Slowly but surely, as my hair grew out people would guess I was a little older. More people would talk to me or ask me to dance at social events. Granted, it probably had more to do with the fact that I was older, started wearing makeup, and got my braces off; however, it felt like it was because my hair was longer. About a year and a half ago, I finally considered my hair “long”. And I didn’t want to change it. A sense of security came with my long hair. It was part of me. It was a strange status to have: “the one with long hair”. I felt empowered by it. I could look at other people and think I wish I had this or that of theirs, and then think “but I have longer hair”.

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A lot changes in 4 years. Yes it was quite possible that it was me that became more interesting and less awkward and not my hair. I started to realize this. And then I realized that I was letting my hair control me. I was making it too much a part of me. Making it an excuse to put down others. Making it an excuse to make myself feel better. Because my growing up processes including growing out my hair, I felt connected to it. So I started thinking of cutting it.

hair

But still I didn’t want to look younger. And then one day I thought about it and realized that I didn’t care if I looked my age or younger. I don’t care if my other hair cut was better. It was time for something new.

Photo on 6-26-14 at 6.15 PM #4