In the New Year!

Busy busy busy is what I have been since the start of the new year. It has been a very good busy and am I loving life :) Here is a little bit of what I have been busy with since starting the new year!

NEW CAR!

Yes it is true we now have a car! We got it from a guy at church and we are so thankful for it! We have been very blessed since being here with having a car to borrow from someone at almost all times, but there is something very nice about having your own car! The only glitch was that the car is a manual and I am sooooo thankful that my Daddy taught me how to drive a stick! So thank you Dad! Laura and Laurie on the other hand didn't know how to drive a stick so I am are currently in the process of teaching both of them how to drive a stick. They are doing great :) Getting a car has been a very big blessing in the new year.

Our pretty car!

School

School has been going great in the new year! We have gotten back into the swing of things and the kids have been doing great! I am so thankful for the job that I have. My kiddos are hilarious and so much fun. The other day during the morning when Kim and I were about the switch classrooms to team teach one of the first graders asked "How do you get pregnant and how does the baby come out??" Oh the joys of teaching first grade! As I am trying not to laugh Kim is doing a very good job at giving an answer without going into too much detail, another first grader has a bit of a horrified look on his face and goes "Man! I am glad I'm not a girl!" Seriously doesn't get much better than teaching first grader :) 

We got to go the Waikiki Aquarium on a field trip this month, which was so much fun! God's creativity and beauty is soooo amazing and evident in the fish that he created! Very cool! I love that at Trinity we get to go on so many field trips, I might actually have more fun on them than the kids.

Doing a little running around before going to the Aquarium

So beautiful!

I think I need a Hawiian Monk Seal as a pet!

Look at the colors!

Making petroglyphs for Hawaiian Studies!

Running!



 Never thought I would be doing this but all of us girls and a bunch of our fellowship group have signed up to run the Great Aloha Run. I am actually really excited about it! It is an 8 mile race. We start out at the Aloha Tower and run to the Aloha Stadium! It has been really fun to have the whole fellowship group getting ready for it! I hated running and never did it before coming to Hawaii and now I am up to 6 miles without stopping :) It is pretty fun. I am very excited because Amy will be here during the race so she will be at the finish line to catch me as I collapse at the finish line ;)

This is where I get to go running! AMAZING

So that is a little bit of what I have been doing in my new year! :)

Things I am excited for:

• Amy Coming!!!!!!!
• Nephew number 3 getting here! Even though I won't be able to see him until he is 5 months old :(

Love

Jessica

 

There and Back

Well Christmas break has come and gone and I am sitting on the plane on my way back to the island. After this trip I have decided that planes really need to be bigger!

I can’t believe that my Christmas vacation has already come and gone! It was a wonderful  break filled with so many fabulous things. Moving away from all my family and friends has definitely given me a new appreciation for everyone in my life! God has truly blessed me with an amazing family and friends both back home and in Hawaii.

My first week of break was spent in Oregon at my amazing sister’s house. I was surprised when I got back to Oregon and it left like I hadn’t ever left, I just jumped right back into everything. Amy was sure to plan a fun filled week for me in Oregon. Here are a couple highlights from the Oregon part of my trip:

·         SEEING THE TWINS!!!!

·         Being greeted at the airport by the a very large and loud crowd of people J

·         Going to Mother’s with girls (and Oliver)

·         Meeting Lily

·         Meeting Autumn

·         Seeing Oliver and Adam walk!

·         Talks with Amy!

·         Going to Peacock lane with Doug and Amy, freezing my butt off while looking at Christmas lights and drinking Doug’s amazing hot cocoa

·         Butterfly kisses from Grace

·         Getting to go to a fabulous cocktail party at David and Kathy’s

·         Giving the Twins their Christmas present!

·         Going shopping with Amy in downtown Portland

·         Playing with Lily (we are best friends now)

·         Being able to drive just a short 5 minutes and play with my Nephews

·         Taking the twins and the girls to Mcdonalds for some fries J

·         The fact that Amara remembered me and was excited to see me!

·         Christmas Eve feast at the Hayes’

·         Opening presents with the Hayes

·         Seeing Grace at her new fabulous job and having her make me a beautiful bouquet!

·         Just being surrounded my family.

After a wonderful week in Oregon Amy, Doug and I headed up to Washington on Christmas Eve afternoon. I got to spend a week there seeing the rest of my family and friends. Here are some highlights from the week:

·         Seeing my parents and younger brother and sister

·         Christmas morning

·         Hanging out with SARAH! J

·         Lunch and brunch with Jessica

• Seeing all the girls from school again

·         Hanging out with Mannie and Nicole

·         Movies date with Jessica

·         Seeing my Dog!

·         Hanging out with my Grandma

·         Getting my super cool new iPhone! (I am finally cool!)

After being in Washington for the week Sarah and I took a road trip back down to Oregon where we spent New Year’s Eve with Doug and Amy and family. Then all too soon it was time to get back onto the plane and head back to Hawaii.

 It was a wonderful Christmas break and I am so thankful that I got to go home and see everyone. I am now back in Hawaii, back to school, back to working and daily life! I am definitely appreciating being back in the heat and sunshine! I am excited to see what this New Year holds!

~Jessica