Three Little Words: My Amazing Year (Part I)

I've been trying to do the impossible for the last few days...sum up an entire year in Hawaii in one blog post. I could simply say that I lived on the Big Island (Hawaii) for a year, made some friends, worked in a school library, and got a year older, and that would all be true. But this year has been so much more than that, and so difficult to convey. I am truly one of the most blessed women on the face of this earth. I don't know if anyone, aside from movie stars and other popular people, have had so much love poured out on them by adoring little fans. I will be the first to admit that I do not deserve the attentions I have received the last few weeks, nor could I ask for better friends who genuinely wish the best for me and, I think, like me so much that they actually CHOOSE to invite me to things because they really want to spend time with me. Also...I have a car. That helps too.

Life gets busy, hectic, overwhelming - and then there's that moment where you look up and you're standing on the hillside of an island, overlooking the bluest ocean that stretches to meet an almost equally blue sky and you go, "Are you freaking kidding me?! I live here?! How on earth did I end up in this dream?" You breathe deeply of the that warm salt air and vow to drink in every moment, because you might not be here forever.

Living here is a lot of work. My life is school. School is my life. If I had a family...well, I wouldn't, because my entire day is spent at school and then I drive home to work home on more school stuff. I allow myself one day a week, usually Saturday, to be with people in a setting where I can't possibly get any work done, and then it's back to the job. Obviously, if I ever hope to have a family, this obsession will have to change. For now, it is the place where I feel most needed and most effective.
I have so much more to post, but for now, a smattering of pictures ;.)

Becky and I at my school. We sponsored a child for Operation shoebox and bought shirts to match the one we sent him. That's right, we're Star Wawesome...

Home for the holidays. Oh, the joy...

Somebody loves her coffee!!!

We frequent Costco. It provides a variety of entertainment.

This third grade class donated over $100 to put new books in the library!

I taught a lesson around Christmas about giving of yourself. These are some "I will" statements that students came up with expressing how they were going to give of themselves to their families.

The "ho'ihi" tree was a challenge to every class to treat the classroom, each other, and myself with respect. Once their "class ant" made it up the tree, we had a party!