First 24 hours in Honolulu

I am sitting here, in the sand, in Honolulu. (Pardon any errors, I'm on my phone and it's hard to see). I can not get over the blessing that this is. I can't get over Gods greatness. First just that's I'm here and second His creation. The way the water moves, the colors in the waves and sand, the trees that grow up but also reach down to earth. Gods splendor in real live. I can't fathom what his thrown in heaven looks like but I imagine it has all of these elements. It's also the people. All walks of life swarming to this place just to see this beauty. As I sit here, I can't even read as I had planned to do. Because I can't keep my eyes down. I just want to stare at Gods glory. It's like I can see how much he loves us all. He made each grain of sand and every wave that comes ashore, why? To give life to this earth. To bring beauty to a fallen land. And hopefully to remind us to run away from sin and run to Him. This earth we have is incredible but only because He gave it to us. 

If only I could see this same beauty in the mountains like some people do 😉. So what have I actually done since being here? Tim and I walked down the beach a little ways to a nice restaurant and had a big seafood dinner. Then we went to sleep early and enjoyed a full nights rest! This morning I did a little shopping for food and other necessities as well as a lot of window shopping for souvenirs. I took the resorts walking tour which consisted of touring lots of local shops and eating free samples (aka my lunch). Today was supposed to be rainy but it's actually pretty nice. Of course it just started raining on me... but it's ok because it's 80 degrees and sunny. And I thought CO weather was weird.  So I'm working on my tan (in the rain) and not reading (per the plan). 

I can't get pictures to post right now so check my Instagram.

So many blessings

I've been meaning to write this update for awhile but haven't found the right time. Tim has been traveling for work a lot this month, so I've had my hands full. Let's see, I'll go back and start with Halloween. This year I was finally able to put together coordinating costumes for the whole family and it was so fun! I was a 50's house wife in an apron with a spatula, Ben was a doughnut, Micah was a cookie, Maelyn was a cupcake and Tim was flour. We went to a trunk or treat at our church and took the kids trick or treating there. They had a blast and were overwhelmed by the people everywhere and the costumes and the candy! Tim took them home after we hit up a bunch of trunks and the Arvada Fire truck! I stayed and helped with our MOPS bake sale. I went outside and walked around with bake sale items and I think some people thought it was just part of my costume... Then on Halloween we walked up the street, stopping at a couple houses, to Ben's preschool church where they were doing a smaller trunk or treat and then stopped at a few more houses on the way back home. I love handing out candy at our house. It was a beautiful warm evening too, so I was able to sit on the front porch and really enjoy the night. It was a really fun Halloween. The next day we put up the kids Christmas tree, and the lights on the house. The weather here has been so warm this fall that I have not been as eager for the Christmas season as usual. We did have snow this past weekend, and that has gotten me ready! We will be getting our big tree and finishing decorating this week!

This past week both Micah and Maelyn had their specialist followups at the Children's Hospital. I was nervous going into the week. It's been so nice to be feeling normal lately and I just didn't want to get back into 'doctor talk' or for anything to come up requiring more appointments. But they both had great reviews! They are both in the clear for the next 6 months! Maelyn's next visit, in April, will be scheduling pre-surgery testing and surgery for late summer. However we did get to ok to go ahead and plan an early summer vacation. So both appointments went great and left us feeling good about their health and also left us just in awe of the miracles God has done in their lives. God is good, and God is healer. Continue to pray with us for more healing and more medical miracles. 

Maelyn turns 18 months old this week and I'm feeling kind of emotional about it. 18 months is a huge developmental milestone and it is really hitting me that my miracle baby girl is not a baby anymore. It's so good and so huge. It's feeling as big as her first birthday. She's starting to walk more and talking more (it's so cute). She loves everybody's shoes and socks. She is already starting to help dress herself. She loves talking on the phone and playing trucks. She still loves hugs and snuggles and her lovies. 

Celebrating Thanksgiving is so special to me. Every year I have more and more to be thankful for. I am so incredibly thankful to God for my kids and their miracles. I am so thankful for my partner in life, my best friend, my other half, my husband. I am so thankful for our home and our family and friends. I am so thankful for my kitty and my dog, I love them too! And this year I am so thankful for all of our answered prayers. The biggest answered prayer this year is that God has given Tim and I the opportunity to go to Hawaii together, kid free (thanks mom and dad!). I have been praying for so long to get to the beach, to be able to spend time by the ocean. As Ben would say, enjoy the salty breezes. Sink my toes in the sand and just sit in peace and read. And God has blown me away with his fulfillment of this request of mine. Hawaii has only ever been a distant dream, but next week I get to get on a plane (and sit for 7 hours, with no kids on my lap, hallelujah), and then spend 5 days on the beach in Honolulu. Tim will be working for three of those days so I get to literally sit by myself and read on the beach. I AM PUMPED! THANK YOU LORD! I will miss the kids. It will be hard leaving Maelyn for 6 days. But... This momma needs a break and this is the best break I could dream up!