Summer just never feels complete until we've walked along a coast and for us there is no better ocean to set your eyes upon than the Pacific, but seeing it from Hawaii is something we will never forget. This trip to the Big Island was the grand finale of a truly awesome summer traveling all over the United States. We left our home on July 1st and as of this post have still not been back, although we are furiously driving there now to get home before school starts, with hopefully enough time to shop for school supplies.
My Great Uncle Chris and Aunt Theresa could not have been more kind about letting all 5 of us, some more feral than others after a long, wild summer, stay with them for 10 whole days! Their love for their home is abundant and spills over you like a warm blanket as they shared their lives with us. Aloha ʻĀina, Love of the Land, is what they taught us. These words are woven into their lives and are a part of everything that they do. Because of Chris and Theresa, we saw Hawaii in a way most people will never get the chance to see and for that we will be forever grateful to them. Mahalo!
Over the past 10 days we've shared meals, laughter, hugs, adventures, and memories some from ages ago and many that were in the making. We've hiked to waterfalls, jumped from waterfalls, seen the oceans coasts and corrals, explored wondrous places that even now seem like a dream. We've walked on sacred lands and shared in the reverence that such a beautiful place can bring. We've laughed, played games, and gazed at the stars. Over the past 10 days we've shared our lives and now we go home filled with friendship and happiness knowing of another place in this world and the love we now share for it.
