Love You Like A Hurricane

All in all, it was a good weekend, as far as we're concerned. I'm told the events of our few days on the north shore of Oahu would have ruined the time for "most people." I doubt that's true, though I do know that the A-Thon house does seem to have a bit more...well, let's just say excitement than the average household. And that fact has made us a bit less dramatic in our reactions.

The drive out was utilitarian, so we took the freeways as much as we could. However, even avoiding the scenic route, there is a point where all you have is two lane roads. Right about that time the view gets ridiculously beautiful. There is a pineapple farm on the left and a coffee farm on the right. The vast expanse of the Pacific is down the hill before you.

It truly is paradise.

We got some dinner at Cholo's Mexican Restaurant, and then stopped at the grocery store on the way to the house. While waiting to turn left, and yielding to oncoming traffic, we were rear-ended. Gratefully we were all completely fine, as we drive a tank.

The other gal was fine, too, but her car was totaled. All we got was a slightly damaged bumper with a permanent imprint of the Volkswagen symbol. Yaye SUVs!

The next day was the last leg of the North Shore Swim Series: The North Shore Challenge. It is a 2.3 mile rough water swim from Ehukai beach to Waimea Bay. In the winter, the waves are very large and the current is swift. However, in the summer, there are usually small if any waves and the swim would be with the gentler current. Well, the ocean is a wild place, and on Saturday there was 5+ foot surf. Additionally, the current was moving in a winter direction, meaning the swim would be against the current and in surf.
Girl-A-Thon (GAT) wasn't intimidated one bit. I was at a category 1 on the worried mom scale. Dad-A-Thon (DAT) was his encouraging self, and Boy-A-Thon (BAT) was at the beach!

Back at the finish line, we heard the start of the race over the timer's radio. They started about 10 minutes late, so I adjusted my mental time of when I should see GAT and her bright pink goggles. (She had practiced this race on Monday, and had finished in an hour, with her group stopping once.)

After an hour and twenty minutes, I upgraded to a category 2. When I began to see people with whom she usually finishes, I was on the high end of, but still at a category 2. By an hour and half, I had upgraded to a category 3 worried mom.
DAT was at the water's edge for still photos and I was at the "chute" to get video of her running through to finish. I began texting DAT that something was wrong--she should be here by now. DAT reassured me that all was well.
I began to notice the finishers. They were not well. In the previous races, they were tired but smiling. No smiles in the chute today. In fact, there was vomiting, and varying stages of consciousness. As it all began to sink in--she's way overdue, others are ill--I blew past 4 and went straight to a category 5.
I had almost reached my limit of waiting, and began to text DAT again, when he hollered my name and pointed to the lifeguard on a waverunner. GAT had been pulled from the water and driven to the end of the race. I could see she was OK, and she swam about another 200 yards, so I knew she wasn't hurt. I took a deep breath and tried not to over react.
Praise the Lord she was completely fine, though extremely pale and had no energy. She wasn't feeling bad about being pulled out at all. She said, "Mom, I would have been in real trouble if I had stayed in." I told her I was proud that she did the safe thing. We got her a Jamba Juice and Tropilicious Sorbet(they were sponsors) to give her blood sugar a boost, and rested in the shade.
As I sat with my baby girl, she had her sugary treats, her color came back, and she began to breathe normally again. I said many prayers of thanks under my breath, and hugged her enough that she finally asked me to stop. It's a wild ride watching your beloved progeny come into their own...

It's a funny thing this life. I hope our family's excitement always ends so well.

Aloha

Trying to Be Better About Writing

So, that's my goal. Yes, I'm aware of its vagueness. Yes, it's intentional.

Honestly, I think Facebook has stolen some of my need to "reach out and touch someone" through a blog...

Today I am hopefully finishing up the lesson planning and scheduling for the first few weeks of the school year. I wish I could say that it took really long, but the truth is that I procrastinated like a champ. Part of it was my overwhelm mode, and not really knowing where to begin. Part of it was a slight bit of depression. And part was just plain laziness.

Procrastination is a vicious cycle and a trait that I share with my sister and mom. We are visiters, you see (no that's not spelled wrong). We like to hang. We could (and have) spent an entire day in our jammies drinking coffee and chatting a the kitchen table. We have an effect on each other that makes us even worse procrastinators when we are together, too!

I saw Femina had a post about laziness, and it just seems too simplistic to me. If only the solution were that simple: "Don't waste time--you could have a tragedy, and not be able to do what you are able to do now." That kind of "encouragement" has never rung true to me It's too surface-y. Personally, I need divine intervention to truly internalize the gravity of the sin of wasting time...

Wendy Whiner

I realize now that much of my hesitation to blog lately is because I'm in a funk. It's been very stressful for a couple of years, and I rarely suffer in silence. Believe it or not, my scarcity of blogposts has been to spare the world of my kvetching. But lately, I've realized how much I need to be writing my thoughts and feelings. So, I'm trying to begin to write more regularly. (Not sure if it's particularly wise to be writing them publicly, so we'll see what makes it here.)

A few weeks ago, our family ran into a couple that used to attend our church. (I don't know why they left, but have ceased to give a rip when a family does. One left over the "ugly tile" in the women's restroom. I'm not kidding.) The woman of this couple used to attend a bible study that I hosted on Wednesday mornings in my home. I had two grammar school kids then and was a homeschooling newbie. She never missed an opportunity to tell me her concerns about the long term effects of homeschooling my children. Which means that at least once a week, I got her $.02.

Anyway, She hadn't seen our family in about 4 years. The Kids-A-Thon are big teens now, so it was a surprise for her to see them "all grown up." The first words from her to me were, "I was hoping you had given that homeschooling UP." Girl-A-Thon then began to explain how she and her brother also attend a few classes at a Christian school and they enjoy being at home and having a chance to be in a classroom. At this the woman said to Girl-A-Thon, "Well, I am VERY glad to hear that! You know, you need to have friends, and not be stuck with mom all day!"

I did not say a word in reply.
This is proof that He who has begun a good work in me has not left me!

Now if I can just forgive and let go of the indignant frustration I have for this person, God can move on to another area of repairing my heart :-)

Bad Blogger!

Yes, I am terrible at keeping up with this. I need to follow my own advice about writing every day...

I am moved to write about the mob incident at the Wisconsin State Fair. Unfortunately, I think this is a sign of a building tension that is going to overflow during the 2012 election. (The last time I thought something seemed to be more of a harbinger of things to come than was being noticed, was the attack on the USS Cole. I didn't say anything about that thought then, but I'm going to say this one out loud.)

I don't know anything, and I am no military or political strategist. But I do understand when things give off a vibe. And this, just like the attack on the Cole, is tweaking my Spidey senses. Our country is stressed out. We are in wars all over the place, we are functioning in an utterly complete leadership vacuum on all fronts: national, local, and even personal. Every American, save POTUS, has been affected by the economic mess we are in, and 51% of the nation is being paid for by the other 49%. There is an entitlement mentality that has no basis in reality and is perpetuated by an impotent education system that prioritizes condoms on bananas over multiplication tables. We are in trouble.

We need to pray for our nation now more than we have ever prayed for it before. I truly believe we are at a crossroads that will determine just what the future is for our children and grandchildren. Sadly, I think our children and their children will know intimately the experiences of the people who fought to found this nation. I pray that I am wrong. I pray that this nation remembers its roots. I pray that real leaders would emerge and help guide the country. I pray that the violence in our communities will not grow.

Gotta go now--and pray.

Grateful

Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting outside by the pool and I began to really notice my little corner of the world. You know, those times when you seem to remove yourself from the very place and time you are, and really observe?
I observed only a few things, but did so deeply. I saw a bountiful garden (my first really successful one in Hawaii), a green, well landscaped yard, two rascally playful dogs, two growing kids having contests in the pool, and a husband resting in the sunshine. I also observed that I was grateful.
Gratitude is something I've been short on for much of my life. (I could blame my childhood, but that's so been done. I'd need something new and improved to blame, if I don't want to just own up to my own self absorption.) And gratitude is something I'm determined to learn more about and to grow in for the rest of my life.

Wouldn't you know, today I got news that a childhood friend's cancer has spread in a ferocious way. For some reason, as I read her news, I pictured the the wildfires of Indian summer in the plains where I grew up. I could see the wind whipping those flames into a tornado. If you've ever seen one (a fire tornado), you know that it brings a deep soul based fear in tandem with its awful dry heat. That seems a lot like cancer getting bad cancer news, to me.

So, that's my goal. Be grateful. Or as my Wyoming family would say, "Quitcher bitchin an' smile."

Monthly Post?

Well, apparently so. Not that I don't dream of time to write to my heart's content about the things on my mind and heart. It's just that darn time/space continuum. It's never really been on my side. More of a nemesis, really.

So many things have been and are going on...

The world continues to be a mess in desperate need of a savior--nothing new, there. However, it is unusual that the French beat us to a fight, and the POTUS still hasn't quite figured out that this presidentin' is hard.
So, on a world and national events scale, it's pretty depressing.
Our personal business issues remain unresolved. So that's depressing, too.

But the truly absolutely worst of it all, is that a family in our church has been struck by a monumental tragedy. Their 4 year old son fell from a two story window and has died due to traumatic brain injury. This, is beyond depressing. It's brought me almost to despair.

An event such as this would be difficult no matter what, but this young family had only recently moved to Hawaii, and had barely gotten into the house where this tragedy occurred. For those of you unfamiliar with life in Hawaii, it's not quite the same to live here as it is to vacation here. EVERYTHING is different. And most things that are simple on the mainland are difficult here. It's just the way it goes. I suppose it's the cost of great weather. Or lush green to look at every day. Or whatever. Anyway, the point is, it's no vacation living here. And this young family is facing the most devastating experience any parent could have in what, I am quite certain, is no paradise for them.

So, that's adding to the funk over here...

On the plus side, we are all healthy and together. And per my request, in lieu of date night, we are going to do a build your own pizza /rent a movie night. I'll be right in the middle of my peeps, hugging them too tight and kissing them too much. Because I can.

Fiddling While Rome Burns

Or, more accurately, giggling while Hawaii heads down the road to perdition.

This afternoon while driving, I listened to the governor of Hawaii quote Dietrich Bonhoeffer while signing a "civil union" bill into law. It was quite a joyous occasion apparently, and humorous, too with lots of jolly laughter and joking.
This was really a bizarre experience for me, as I realized--yet again--that the values I hold are increasingly in the minority.
The governor went to great lengths to describe that "aloha" and "e komo mai" mean all are welcome, and that "our diversity is what defines us, not what divides us." I really wish I could believe that. Really I do. But it was an extremely bad choice in quoting Bonhoeffer--a Christian theologian and martyr--during the signing of a bill that legalizes something specifically named as sinful in the bible. I can't decide if it was a purposeful slap to the face of the many Christians who testified against this bill, or if it was a gaffe of ignorance. (I'm inclined toward the ignorance explanation, primarily, I confess, because of Abercrombie's reputation for a fondness of a particular herb.)

I don't have a gut reaction to the idea of civil unions. Just because the world calls something OK, doesn't make it so. However, I am not naive enough to think that civil unions will be the end of this issue. This, as do all monumental shifts in morality, will have a rather significant ripple effect. I'm not sure specifically how that will play out, but I do know that as we slide down that slippery slope, our leaders will be jolly and laughing all the way.

Cuckoo Magnet

Apparently I have a tendency to attract really crazy people. I knew this was the case in my dating years (I once was asked out by a guy whose car I "borrowed without permission," and don't even get me started on the visiting Iraqi professor during the first Gulf War.) When I told my mother of my revelation she casually said, "Yes, dear, our whole family attracts crazies," as if I'd told her I finally realized we were all blue eyed, or something.

This self-awareness, like most, has pluses and minuses.
First the pluses:
1. I now know I must be more tentative with budding friendships where the other party is just a tad too zealous.
2. It is clear to me that my family is not nearly as crazy as I had generally believed.
3. Hmm...that's all I've got so far.

Now, the minuses:
1. My general easy going acceptance of people right when I meet them is akin to a target on my forehead to loonies.
2. I have ignored my Spidey senses at my own peril.
3. Being a grown up means I can't tell people the whole truth about situations where the crazies have been dishonest. (I really hate this one.)

This realization is forcing me to bring my cares and concerns before my Lord instead of anyone else, and I grow in my dependence on Him. Hey! I think I just found #3 for the pluses!

Hello Again, Part II

And another thing...

I've realized another not-so-good net result of the past coupla years: my behavior as a consumer have changed dramatically, as have DAT's plans as a business owner.

Now, even if I could find my fabled "house on the beach for a dollar," I wouldn't buy it. The tax burdens are ridiculous. Do you think DAT is gonna buy that warehouse? I think not. Or add more trucks to the fleet? Uh...notsomuch. And we're not the sharpest tools in the shed, so imagine how much more reserved/conservative/prudent others will be with their resources...

So...Like...Um...Yeah

So the whole seventh grade experience never really leaves girls....Ouch.

I have (sadly, mind you) come to the realization that those women folk with a flair for the dramatic never really outgrow it. As a "guy's girl" I spent much of my adolescence, teen, and young adult years anxious for full blown adulthood. I thought that when all the girls grew up, the drama-rama would end. Alas, I am a bona fide (read 40+) adult, and this is not the case.

(In full disclosure, I must confess the dramatic use of hands while talking, and prolific use of the following: parentheses, em-dashes, and far too many ellipses.)

Back in the Saddle

So, we were off like a relatively well oiled machine this morning. I am grateful to be back at something consistent, but hate having deadlines and living by clocks again. I am by nature a slow mover and procrastinator.
One perk, however, is getting to hear snippets of Dennis Miller as I drive the kids to school. The downside is that I then want to spend the rest of the morning listening to his show and sitting in a cozy chair with lotsa coffee handy.
This morning, I'm online (trying to have an iChat date with Europeanne, but we are experiencing technical difficulties) so I will squeeze in some blogging. What a good job I'm doing, not wasting a moment!
Dennis had S E Cupp on this morning, and I only got to hear a few minutes of her, so I'll be following up with the podcast. She is the author of Losing Our Religion, a book about the American cultural bias against Christians--written by an atheist. Dennis had her on because of this article in the New York Daily News. Her main point is that the atheists are not curious people. To them, all is decided, and only an idiot would continue to seek information on the matter. It's an easy short read and well worth a few minutes of your time.

What I think attracts me to Dennis' show is that he is funny. Quick, sharp and laugh out loud funny. And you know, that's not all that easy to do when talking politics and the state of the union.

A Day Late (or 3 or 4)

So, my friend in Rome discovered this cool thing. I don't really even know what it means or is, but it sounds like a good idea. It seems nicely organized, too. Only problem for me, is it's 10:45PM on January 3, and I should have been ready to roll with it on January 1. Provided I can find whatever in the world a Molskine is and prepare one before the week is over, I just may try to do this Partnering to Remember (P2R) thing. Or I may try to find materials for the guy's Ephesians memory thingy, since we'll be diving into that for Sunday school...

Either way, like my friend, my faith is also sagging and needs some steel reinforcements a la this quote from Donald Whitney:

Memorizing Scripture is like reinforcing steel to a sagging faith, for it strengthens your faith by repeatedly reinforcing the truth, often just when you need to hear it again.

Thanks Anne, for the good info on a great idea.

Post Christmas Post

It was a good couple a weeks around here, and for that we are eternally grateful. DAT had Christmas and New Year's days off and even had an extra day off since Christmas fell on a weekend. (Finally a federal labor law that is useful.)

My mom, "Nanny", came to visit, and that always makes for a happy time. She is an optimist and then some, and it was good to see her smiling face each morning. I noticed when I picked her up from the airport that her amazing blue eyes fade in my memory; so they were stunning all over again. Each day we got up early and shared a pot of coffee, trying to solve the problems of the world. I tried my darnedest not to talk politics or bad mouth Dear Leader, but I just couldn't help myself. I don't think she was too offended. We didn't go anywhere, really, or do much at all, but it was good to have an old fashioned visit. Remember those?

Unintended Bummer

When I re-read that post from yesterday, it seems like such a downer. That wasn't my mood when writing it, but I guess it is what it is. I was actually really happy to be blogging again. And I still am today. Hopefully I will discipline myself to use my time wisely enough to do more of this. It's the cheapest therapy I've ever had. ;-)

Hello Again, Part I

There have been so many times when I have wanted to blog like mad lately. The time has escaped me, or it's been beyond PG-13, or some form of maturity got the better of me. What a couple of years it has been. Oh sure, the first year wasn't too bad, and frankly we planned for it to be rough. But this past one...uh, no, we did not see it coming.

The net result is such a change in both my husband and I that we are really not the same people we once were at all. This is both a good and a bad thing, as is often the case with dramatic learning curves. Between the professional assaults made personal, and the ever expanding government regulation of small business, it's a brave new world nowadays. And one we just don't care to gamble in any more, thankyouverymuch.

Both Dad-A-Thon (DAT) and I come from entrepreneurial families. It's a breed of human being, really. Perpetual optimists, with occasional brushes with skepticism. Entrepreneurs are what makes capitalism work: some crazy dude with authority issues decides he must do things his way, and voila! He's starting XYZ Window Washer Company. It's a gamble, but one that he hopes will pay off, if not in his lifetime, in the lifetime of his children. This spirit is what has changed the trajectory of many an immigrant's life in what was once called The Melting Pot.
Now, however, the gamble simply isn't worth it. And I am sad to say, that though I despise it, I see a future where the only responsible way to take care of yourself and provide for your family is to beat down that independent spirit and get a secure job. I hate that italicized phrase with every ounce of my being. But it is no longer a gamble to risk time and resources in the hopes that you can compete and win in a free market. It's downright stupid. The bet is rigged for all players to lose and the house to win.

About two years ago, a friend asked me if I hoped that one or both of the Kids-A-Thon would run the family biz one day. My answer--a knee jerk reaction--was, "I hope not! I hope they won't have to work that hard." If she were to ask me that question now, I'd still say "No," but I'd follow it with, "The risk simply isn't worth the cost to one's self and family." (Okay, I wouldn't actually say, "one's self," but you get the idea.)

What I've learned from the past couple of years has been hard, but mostly it's been sad. I'm sad that I've moved from letting the kids consider the idea of carrying on their ancestors' legacies, to actively counseling them against the idea. And I'm sad that this nation once fought so desperately for freedom, and is now handing it over utterly unaware.

"Home"

In our small group this week, we discussed the idea of home and all that entails. (Well maybe not ALL that entails, but as much as we could cover in a couple of hours.)

This is interesting in light of the fact that my "home" is in tatters right about now. Which can get me cranky--as it has been in tatters at one time or another for most of the time we have lived in it. We did have a respite for a couple of years--mostly because our construction efforts have been directed elsewhere--but it's been a stressor to live in a work in progress. More importantly, though, it's served to grow me and give me a different notion of home.

All the while I had been trying ever so mightily to create a "picture perfect" home (think Martha Stewart), my home was in different states of construction. This forced me to find that security and safety elsewhere. And as providence would have it, I learned it was Christ all along.

I wish I could say that I've been a model of faith and patience in this area (or any area, for that matter) but sadly, I have not. This latest go around, though, I've been better than my usual self, and I am so grateful to God for that. He has molded me and shaped me closer to Him, and for that, we are all grateful!

But Wait! There's More!

I truly thought the feeling sorry for myself thing was nearing an end....

So, last week, the sewer drain backed up into the laundry and kitchen sinks. Now, before you get too grossed out, the only things draining on this line are the kitchen and laundry sinks. So it wasn't too gross. It was, however, very annoying.

That was right before it became really really awful.

The Roto-Rooter guy is snaking the drain and his snake-thingy gets stuck and twisted and he has to cut it. Twice. That is, apparently, the sign of a very bad thing. As in a collapsed pipe. So that's what it turned out to be. A collapsed sewer pipe, pert-near dead center of my house.

Since then the A-Thon O'hana has:
*boarded up half the house in order to
*cut the floor of the house in half with a
*concrete wet saw after digging with a
*jackhammer for two days which was exacerbated by
*a day of tropical rainstorms

And oh yeah, on the day this all started, we got the puppies spayed/neutered and they both had issues and came home in the cones of shame stoned out of their minds. Whew. It's almost as exhausting to write it as...what am I saying? Ugh. It must be the lack of sleep.

Can I just say that so far, I have learned that saying, "What next?" is a bad idea, unless you really want to know.

Wow...Long time

It seems like this blog belongs to someone else. It's been so long and so much has changed....

Life feels like it's been put on the spin cycle, and occasionally feels more like a blender (that would be because of the blades...no blades in the washer...)

We're coming up on a year anniversary of things just plain going south on us here at the A-Thon house. For my own thrills and giggles, I'm going to write it all down chronologically. Enjoy the little stroll down memory lane, why don't you?

2009
July: Truck stolen. First new car I ever had. It was a gift from Dad-A-Thon. Police cared not one little bit.

September: Had a small heart surgery. It went well, but I had been having progressive issues with a lifelong heart defect that were scaring me. On the plus side, I am symptom free, and we did hit Disneyland while in LA.

October: I turned 40. Not even going to open that one up all the way.

November: Had an abnormal mammogram that seems to be fine, but now I get them every few months, just to be sure.

December: My dear friend Chris died of lung cancer. I still miss her and can't believe those boys will not have her anymore!
State of Hawaii decides it needs money and will get it by auditing all businesses.* We have a business. Oh the fun.

2010
January: Disgruntled employee sicks DOL on aforementioned business.*

February: Dad-A-Thon's car is hit (and they ran) while parked. Repair cost $2K. Niiice.

March: This one is a plus and a minus--whilst dealing with what could truly be called one of the worst years EVER, we decide to adopt TWO doberman puppies. Thank the Lord they are so cute.

April: Started working full time (and then some) to help Dad-A-Thon (see December and January for more info).

May/June: chaotic life that the A-Thons have worked so carefully to avoid is now the new normal.


*still ongoing


There. That brings us to now which is me feeling pretty sorry for myself and wondering just what happened to my cushy life?

Proud Mama

Yesterday was the Hawaii State Championship Tae Kwon Do Tournament. I was scheduled to take Boy-A-Thon (BAT) and then leave to go to the Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii (CHOH) Conference. BAT had recently had a small surgery on his lip and was still a bit swollen and sporting stitches, so my main goal for him at the tournament was to not get hit in the mouth.
Fortunately, my goal was achieved, and even better, BAT won a gold medal in forms and a silver in sparring for his belt/weight division! It was exciting and nerve wracking all at once. I like forms (kind of a TKD ballet of sorts, to show the different moves one has learned). Sparring was tough to watch. It's really a fight with kicking. And watching two 14 year old boys who each weigh 130 pounds go at it, was not something I recommend for most moms.
My friend Chris was very involved in TKD. In fact, at this tournament last year, she won a gold medal, just weeks after having a lung removed and while undergoing chemotherapy! To show their love for her, the team of which my son is a member all donned blacked armbands.




Then, each medal winner donated his/her medal to be placed in a frame and given to Chris' family. These kids work and train very hard. For them to give their medals up, isn't easy, but not one kid hesitated.
As if I wasn't already emotional, there was an announcement that the tournament organizers had created a special award for the competitor that showed the most indomitable spirit at the tournament. That award will be given at each state championship and will be called the " award. I was bawling.

So, I decided to stay for the whole tournament and watch my son, instead of attending the CHOH conference and getting a shot in the arm to encourage me in my homeschooling journey. I'm glad I did. I'm also grateful for a fellow sister in Christ this morning who encouraged me that I did indeed do the right thing. It always help to get a second opinion. :-)

New Babies

Well, to say this weekend was very uncharacteristic of us, would be an understatement. Let's just say that when the weekend was over, we were driving home with two Doberman puppies. I'd say we are nuts, but being the mature adult that I am, my only response is, "Yeah, but they're sooo cute!"