Hello Blogger World.

Confession: I have been a bad blogger. I have become one of those who is always looking forward to reading everyone else's new blog posts but doesn't even take time to write my own. I even check my blog lists daily to read about all the new and exciting things in everyone else's lives...

So, in lieu of not posting the past few months, I don't know where to start. Africa trip? Birthdays? School Interviews? Family Visiting?  Kidney Stones??... none seemed like a great attention grabbing topic... So I am just going to fast forward to the present.


We had a busy week of work with Thanksgiving squeezed in the middle. Thursday we were invited over to the Stoker's (our church family) for an amazing meal and time of fellowship. We all had a great time with old and new friends around the table. We played some board games, then I had to head into work. Ben participated in some Black FRIDAY Thursday shopping at Ala Moana. He and his friends enjoyed watching all the crazy shoppers and didn't participate much in the shopping itself.

Last night we had a couple hours off together, so we decided to stay in, order pizza and watch movies. I just love nights of relaxation at home. It was GLORIOUS to say in the least!

This week we are looking forward to picking out our Christmas tree! (yes! we are finally starting our own "Christians Family Traditions" :)  Lights and decorations are already starting to go up all over the island. We have to decorate more here as we don't get the snow to contribute to the holiday feelings. PS. I did purchase a scarf to wear. It's not worn for the chilly temps, rather for fashion (?). I wear it with a short sleeved shirt by the way...

With the Holiday Season here and more to come, I try not to dwell and focus on the fact that we are not in Iowa for the holidays. Rather, we are trying to embrace this time as a couple. Its not easy though, hearing of all the get-togethers, family time, amazing food, and games that are being played. We have come to realize that before our move, we took this "family time" for granted, BIG TIME.  You do NOT realize it until you move away. There no way you can. Seeing our family quite often made it routine. We are thankful for this time away as we have learned to really appreciate our families. (no worries, Mom and Dad. We have plans to move closer to home someday :)


What WE are THANKFUL for this year:

--Our family and dear friends back in Iowa (and the surrounding area). Their love for us makes it all the way to Hawaii... that's how awesome they are!

--For being in this weird, in-between phase of D.I.N.K.S. (Double Income, No Kids).

--Jobs that we enjoy and are challenged in daily (okay, so maybe this is more for Janell than Ben). God willing, Ben will soon be at a better place and will be much much much more challenged.

--For our health.

--Social Media/Technology. such as Facebook, Email, Skype, Cellphones that are readily available and make communication so much easier. Funny how 3,000+ miles away from home doesn't usually feel that far.

--For the cooler, brisk weather (yes, its all relative I know...)

--Ollie. for his obsession with us- okay, mainly Janell, personality, and cuddling on the couch after a couple night shifts.

--For already having our Christmas Cards printed and in hand... I am on top of it this year, I tell ya.

--For finally feeling like we are "settled" here after a year of not feeling that way. Funny how quickly that happens when you buy your own furniture and bring your dishes from home. :)

--For our small group and the solid relationships we have be able to form. God knew we needed that.

--Financial Stability. To be able to spend money on each other and be able to buy gifts for family and friends.

--Baking. One of my favorite hobbies. Subsequently, Ben enjoys eating :)

--Our iTunes filling up with Christmas jingles from: Mariah Carey, Michael Buble, Mannheim Steamroller. I am finding the classics we grew up with are the BEST.

--Our Marriage. for the process of continuing to grow closer as one.

--First Prez. such an awesome church and place to be challenged/grow in your faith.

--For the beauty of Hawaii and to have been given the opportunity to live here and call this place our home.

--Hope in the future. As we have NO idea where God wants us or what we will be doing next year, we are  encouraged that He's got it all figured out for us. No planning needed on our end, even though we may try.

--For God. who loves us and blesses beyond measure and reason.


Happy Holidays- 

the Christians

Summer Shenanigans.

So summer in Hawaii has finally arrived! As many of you just read that,  you may be feeling shocked that I dared to write that sentence. What can I say though? You can feel the 5 degree difference from Winter to Summer... :) Sorta.

So as I typed the word shenanigans, I wondered "what does that word really mean?" According to my handy dandy Google Search Dictionary:  

Shenanigans are silly or high spirited behavior. 

Even the word "mischief" is used in some dictionaries... hmm.

Well I don't really think we are up to too much mischief over here on the island, but we are enjoying   the "high" God's creation gives us every. single. day.

So here are our shenanigans:

We decided to hike KOKO HEAD CRATER. I (Janell) have wanted to do this hike for some time. Ben needed some convincing. but we finally just decided to do it! lets just say the some 1,048 steps (but who's counting anyway) lead us to some of the most breathtaking views.

 

 

  

...see, I told ya. 

 

...at the top!

 

 

Here's a photo I took walking back from the dog park at sunset.

 

We spent our 4th of July at where else... da Beach!

 

 we came across this little fella...

 

A Honu! (sea turtle)

  

Yum, Spam Musubi!

 

 What is Spam Musubi you may ask? -- The Hawaiian version of a cold cut sandwich.

 

(thanks google for the better image)

Its a piece of spam, sandwiched in between white rice, wrapped in seaweed. It's served at room temperature.

May sound disgusting, (and you may have just thrown up in your mouth a little bit) but you cannot judge it before trying it. I'm here to tell you that first hand

Well, if that didn't get the tastebuds jumping, this should.

mmmm...Malasadas! :)

 These warm pieces of heaven are sold around the island out of these trucks.

We were lucky to be shopping for Ben's Africa trip and were a shopping stupor when we stumbled upon this truck in the parking lot. 

For the record: the debate is over. "original" is the best.

 

God's Covenant

 

(I took this photo on my way to work. God knew I needed this before a long night shift.)

 

I ran a race in a grass skirt.... we knew it was only time.

 

 

We enjoyed a lovely evening at Roy's (a hawaiian fusion restaurant) with our friends mid-week.

 

Sheena and I

 

There's some of what we have been up to lately. We have also been busy keeping busy with the usual (work, youth group activities, small group). 

Ben has been extra busy plugging away at the Med School Applications and preparing for his trip to Africa in two weeks. GULP!...We just pray that GOD continues to prepare him for this awesome opportunity. We only can imagine how much God is gonna rock his world over there in Swaziland!

We are looking forward to the next two months as Brent and Michelle will be visiting us here in August and we are planning on doing some island hopping. Destination: Maui. 

God has blessed us so richly here in Hawaii. We literally thank God over and over every day with all He has given us. We are also so thankful for our wonderful family and friends back at home reading this. You are in our thoughts and prayers often!

Aloha and God Bless,

Janell

April Updates

As we were reflecting, April usually isn't one of the twelve months you look forward to during the year. How come...

January: anticipating the new year and new beginnings, February: Valentine's Day and many family birthdays, April-                 ? May- Graduations and summer break, June-August: SUMMER :), Sept/Oct: beautiful fall weather and changing of the seasons (on the mainland), November- Thanksgiving & December: Christmas, time with family and friends. April on the other hand is between Winter and Spring and is usually too cold, snowy, or rainy to really enjoy being outdoors. Besides the obvious fact that we don't deal with the cold or snowy weather anymore, we actually had a quite rainy month. BUT besides the rain, we had much more to look forward to.

Moving in to our NEW PLACE

 

Ahhhh... finally a kitchen!
 

...now I can be a real wife again.

Ben taking (and rocking) his MCAT after many months of of class and studying!

Surprising my family on a return trip home for graduation week. (We got 'em good. :) Thanks again Kim!

 

Brady made an excellent cake for Sunday dinner :) 

 

And Ollie still remembering me after 3 years of joint custody and abandonment...

 

So it became official: I was taking him back to Hawaii with me, thus giving a whole new meaning to the phrase, "you lucky dog..."

Relaxing in his new home.

"Hawaii isn't too bad..."

 

AND

 Running another half marathon!

 

It has definitely been a busy but good APRIL for the both of us! We look forward to coming home in just a few weeks from June 9-19 ish... dates are still tentative as we still don't have finalized work schedules for booking flights. We are hoping to do that this week.

We are looking forward to our return trip and to spending time with family, friends, wedding celebrations, boating, and possibly catching a Twins game. 

Look forward to seeing all of you again soon,

Janell