Looking Back

As we were walking through the airport in Hawaii Thursday morning we were talking about how incredible the past twelve months have been.

One year ago we made a spontaneous once in a lifetime whirlwind 36 hour trip to Pasadena to watch the BCS National Championship. We watched from our seats which were practically on the field as EJ's Alabama Crimson Tide won their 13th national title.

In February we sold our house to a cash paying customer after being on the market only about a month in a terrible market.

In April we found out we were having a precious little girl.

In June we moved into our new house and began making it a home for our little Princess.

August 23rd our world was shaken when Ensley arrived. Nothing has been the same and everything has been so much sweeter since her birth.
Now we are coming home from a dream vacation in Hawaii which was another spontaneous trip of a lifetime.

God has richly blessed us and we are not worthy of any piece of it. What an awesome loving God we serve!
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Aloha-Day Five

Today we just went shopping for souvenirs and ate lunch downtown Waikiki before telling everybody Aloha and Mahalo for letting us stay. I know I've said this the past four posts but I love love love those kiddos and hate hate hate that we won't see them for five months. My brother's family lives about 6-7 hours from us so we don't see them very often either and it's just awful. I think in about two months I will be going through niece and nephew withdrawal.

But anyway we had such a great time! Mahalo Harrisons!
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Aloha-Day Four

This morning we went to church and sat outside under a tent to watch the sevice on a screen on this beautiful Hawaiian morning.

This afternoon EJ, Brian, Jack and Liam went to the Sony Open PGA tournament while the girls went to the beach to take pictures of Ensley (more to follow).

Then later in the afternoon we drove to the North Shore to see some huge waves! There were about ten surfers out there to help give perspective to the size of the waves. The lifeguards had the beach blocked off so you couldn't even get in the ocean because the waves were so powerful. I sat on the beach feeding Ensley listening to the waves and watching their power and was reminded of what a mighty God we serve. Wow! He is so good and so worthy of our honor and praise.

Afterwards we drove over to Matsumoto's for some shave ice and shopping but when it started to rain we decided shopping wasn't necessary.

I can't believe we have to go home tomorrow. I love Jack and Liam and Connor and Meg (and their parents too) so much and hate to say goodbye. I have missed them so much. It has been fun watching them with Ensley. She will change so much before they see her again but I am glad she will be too young to remember the year without her cousins...by the time she's old enough to remember anything they will all be nestled comfortably in their house less than an hour from us.
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Aloha-Day Three

Day three has been amazing. EJ and I went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay this morning. It was absolutely beautiful
and a perfect day!

We are on our way home from Paradise Cove right now where we attended a luau. Our oldest nephew Jack went with us and we all had such a good time. We saw a native climb a coconut tree then he showered us with flowers. The guys each got tribal drawings on their arms and I got a crown...Ensley was too small for the crown so we just put a flower in her headband. Then after dinner the hula dancers put on a great show with a Samoan fire dancer but Ensley wasn't impressed (she fell asleep through the drums and hollering and all). We bought Ensley a coconut bra and grass skirt...pictures to follow!!

Thinking about going home makes me miss this sweet family already. I am teary eyed typing this because I know it will be 5-6 months before I see them again. All the kids have been soo sweet with Ensley...it has been fun to watch them interact with her. I am so thankful we were able to come out here to visit with them and they have been such gracious hosts...what a way to vacation!!

Now off to finish a load of laundry and go to bed to rest up for our last full day.
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Aloha-Day Two

How sweet is this picture of Ensley with her cousin Connor! We are having a blast with the family. I love love love these kiddos so much and can't believe how much they have changed in the last four months. They are all so sweet with Ensley...I think Connor might even try to keep her here when we leave.

Day two I woke up with the breeze blowing through our room while listening to the birds singing praise to God and watching Ensley play with her feet. Ensley adapted to the time change like a champ waking at 730am and 630am on days 2 and 3 respectively. We are so blessed!

After the kids went to school we went for a drive around the coast. Around every curve was another breathtaking view. We saw some whales spraying from their blowhole but never got to see them come out of the water. We also had our first shave ice...which is nothing like the snow cones back home. Then we were driving around downtown Honolulu and Ondrea was showing us some of the places you see on Hawaii 50. When we got to the gold statue they were filming an episode so we got out and took some pictures.

For lunch we ate at Duke's overlooking the water. They had a great lunch buffet with Kahlua pork...yummy!

After Brian got home, EJ, Jack, Meg, and I headed to Waikiki for EJ to try surfing. In the 30-45 minutes they were out there he never got up but they saw a huge sea turtle and an amazing sunset. Meg and I made a Sleeping Beauty sand castle while watching the gorgeous sunset.

Day two has been another day in paradise!
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My Favorite Sound in the Whole World

has always been the laughter of a child, but I can't express in words how much I love to hear the laughter of my child. Listen to how sweet she is.....mmmmmm, I love her so much!

Ensley's First Thanksgiving/Christmas

Life has been a little busier since I've gone back to work so this post is a little late and the pictures are limited because I haven't had time to download my camera.

We drove to my parents house the night before Thanksgiving after EJ's basketball practice. My oldest brother and his family arrived sometime in the middle of the night. Thursday we had Thanksgiving dinner, laid around visiting and playing scattergories.

My brother's family lives in northern Indiana and they get stuck on the interstate with snow and ice every Christmas so they said they weren't coming at Christmas. So Friday morning we all woke up to stockings hung by the chimney with care and two excited little girls patiently waiting to open presents. Then that afternoon we had a family picture taken for the first time in seven years.
My nieces are so sweet with Ensley. They would sit beside her cranking a music box or shaking a rattle always making sure she was happy and entertained.

EJ had to leave early for basketball practice Saturday morning but Ensley and I stayed until Sunday afternoon. And speaking of basketball his girls are 5-1 so far and are playing really well. Ensley and I have been to three of the games and she seems to like basketball. I leave her in the carrier until she starts fussing around the third quarter. Then I sit her in my lap facing the game and she watches contently.

Anyway we enjoyed Ensley's first round of holidays. We have two more rounds to go...one on Christmas and one on New Years. Life is definitely better with her in it.
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