Thank you, Amy. Thank you very much.

Right. So, it's 6:40 or so on Sunday morning, and I have yet to sleep. I went to dinner with Amy last night where we discussed a number of things. One of those things was her strong desire to see me become active on Facebook. Once upon a time, I looked into Facebook, but decided I didn't have time for all the poking and whatnot, so I cancelled my account. Later, I felt like a loser, so I opened it up again, but never did anything with it.

Until today.

It seems I've just spent every last one of my allotted sleeping hours updating profile information, uploading pictures, and requesting relationships with people like you. Hey, c'mon, let's all be friends.

(Now, if I can find someone to Twitterfy my Palm Treo, I'll be all connected all the time...)

In which I tell you all that I am...

Several friends completed this list and wrapped it all up with an open-ended challenge, and since I am not one to pass on a challenge (unless said challenge involves running or giving up any sort of chocolate), I'm in. If you've not yet done this meme, consider yourself challenged as well.

I am: a wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, cousin and friend
I think: therefore I am. :)
I know: where my car keys are.
I want: to live a life pleasing to God.
I have: a long, long way to go.
I wish: I were finished with this blasted degree.
I hate: clutter and disorganization.
I miss: the dreams I once had.
I fear: dying young.
I feel: tired and my allergies are taking me down.
I hear: nothing more than the clickety-clack of the keyboard.
I smell: Apple Jacks on my breath. (Hello, midnight snack!)
I crave: the aforementioned chocolate, preferably in cookie form.
I search: for purpose and meaning.
I wonder: if my life will ever match my desire.
I regret: poor decisions I've made as a parent.
I love: my family. I am so richly blessed.
I ache: for the babies I've lost.
I care: too much about what others think of me.
I always: check my Google Reader. It's an obsession, really.
I am not: that nice to myself.
I believe: God has my best interest at heart.
I dance: along with my children.
I sing: loudly and often out of tune.
I don't always: do the right thing.
I fight: when it's necessary.
I write: better when I'm depressed.
I win: at nothing. I'm the world's unluckiest person. Seriously.
I lose: my patience more than I ever thought I would.
I never: do well on a diet.
I confuse: my husband. Sometimes I even do it on purpose -- teehee!
I listen: when I'm spoken to.
I can usually be found: doing something with the kids.
I am scared: of being totally alone.
I need: mercy, and grace. A nice big helping of both, thank you.
I am happy about: homeschooling, our recent vacation, and the upcoming holiday season.

Frivilous Spending / Unprovable Ideas

One sunny Hawaiian morning (Friday morning, to be precise), I sat taking my Kona coffee and reading the Honolulu Advertiser on the lanai. (Sigh.) Therein, I read an article about how NASA had just granted the University of Hawaii 8 million dollars in seed money to determine the cosmic origin of water. NASA has given nine similar grants to other universities, and evidently, there's more money to come.

(Click here to read the article for yourself.)

That's 80 million dollars to theorize where water may or may not have come from. $80 million in small change spent on unprovable ideas. In a time where fathers are killing their whole families because they can no longer make ends meet, I think that's frivilous spending. What do you think?

Aloha, O'ahu (and in that, I mean "goodbye")

We left Hawaii last night around sunset. The breeze spilling into the open-aired Honolulu International Airport was as warm as ever, and we stayed out in it until boarding was inevitable. Only James was ready to go home.

The flight back to Texas was crowded and uncomfortable, and I spent most of the very long journey peeling Gracie off the sleeping stranger to her left. Though James and I were up most all night, we were fortunate that both kids slept nearly the whole way. Once in Texas, we were greeted by rain and the normally welcomed chilly Fall weather. I guess it's time to return to reality.

Oh Hawaii, I miss you already (though I am a tiny bit glad to be home).

An under dressed Gracie trying to stay warm

Babbit the Aloha Rabbit: Day Eight

On our eighth and final day in Hawaii, James celebrated his 38th birthday. (Happy Birthday, Honey!) We stayed at the hotel, beginning the day with brunch followed by some time at the shark and manna ray pools.





After returning to our room to ready our bags for departure, we went back to the lagoon where the kids flew finger kites and built the world's biggest "sandcastle" (term used loosely) with James.




As they frolicked and cavorted, I snuck away to a nearby resort that stocked a supply of ice cream cakes. The kids and I had been planning to surprise James long before we ever left Texas, and we were fortunate that everything worked out. The kids were so excited to bring Daddy a cake, and though we were without plates and proper flatware, we made do and enjoyed it all the same.