tsunami in samoa

i have been thinking a lot about the tragedy in samoa, and that we could have been there. i am grateful that we were not in harm's way, but also wish i could be there to help out in the hospital and in the villages. even though we didn't end up moving there, i will always feel a connection to the people and the island because of the hospitality and graciousness of the those i met.

i know that many of us have family and friends with polynesian connections. i think we all recognize the goodness of the people, and the happiness and perspective they bring to our lives and to the church.

i hope everybody will look for ways to help. i have been in communication with a few friends that we made in our brief time there, and am trying to assess what we can to to contribute. one idea is to put together school supplies for some of the schools that have been leveled. as we get more details on what the needs are, we may ask for your help to do what we can to make a difference.

some of the best photos that i have seen, and a remarkable story, are on paul and melanie brown's blog: tropicalbrowns.blogspot.com. paul is a marine biologist with the national park. it was a thrill to snorkel with him, while trying to catch fish for identification with an aquarium-type fish net at palagi beach.

palagi beach

LBJ tropical medical center

random photos from american samoa oct. 2006

swimming lessons

kai and max are taking swimming lessons together. kai's class got canceled so they ended up in the same class. so fun for them to do it together. they are little buddies and hug each other at least once each class.

KAI

MAXWELL

swim TEAM.

soccer at the summit

today was abe's first club soccer tournament this season. he played goalie and got a work out! we play some pretty amazing teams and we are for sure the under dog. he played hard and had some great saves. my favorite was when he jumped up so high and tipped the ball up and over the back of the goal.

byu soccer camp

abe attended his first soccer camp this summer. it was at byu--notice the y on the mount. i wanted him to go to a camp at a big school (flagstaff is not that big) so he could get experience and also to see how he holds up--yes, that is the haws side of me coming out. i picked byu because it fit into our schedule and i thought abe would like to see where his cousins go to college and where his cousins have chosen to play ball....plus, i just knew it would make dave so happy when i brought all the kids home wearing byu gear. we also fit a real salt lake soccer game in with dave's family and loved it!

birthdays

happy birthday to me.... sadie really wanted me to have a nice birthday. she made this cake, hung signs, wrote on my bathroom mirror, and served me breakfast in bed. my mom and dad came to visit and we went to dinner in sedona. my mom informed me that my pans were terrible so we picked out a new set for my birthday and i love them. i have missed our families lately, so it was really nice to have them here. dave always makes my birthday a wonderful day. he bought me the cutest luggage i have ever seen, with hopes of someday going away together for a few days.

dave's birthday: we were in utah for dave's birthday so we were lucky enough to celebrate with his family. his parents are always extremely generous --dave was excited to try out his new golfing gear. no party is complete without a pinata, plus tim and holly brought a cotton candy machine= one happy birthday!
kai's 5th birthday party: of course, kai chose a soccer theme for his big party. the invites were super easy. just a plastic ball from the dollar section at target. we wrote with colorful permanent markers the b-day info. they turned out cute. we decorated team jerseys, had a few soccer relays, and dave out-did himself with the pinata. it was a huge soccer ball hanging in the goal. the kids kicked a soccer ball at it to break it. it was filled with balloons and candy. it was a windy day, but even with the wind, it was a fun day for kai.
happy birthday papa john! we wish we were there to celebrate with you... but a zip-line in hawaii sounds like a pretty great way to spend your big day.

oak creek canyon

this is a beautiful spot not far from our house. we spent the afternoon with some friends wading and trying to catch guppies. it was an ideal spot for the kids because they could explore, climb and play in the water each to their own level of adventure-ness. they caught about ten guppies and loved observing them. note to self, next time we will let them go before it's too late.

let them eat marshmallows

for family night we made a fire pit in our backyard. amidst all the trees and rocks, it felt like our very own campground. the kids loved it and kept asking if we could do it again. even though we miss grass, our backyard has been ok and it has provided some summer fun. the kids made forts out of trees and rocks and i loved sleeping out under the stars during the meteor shower. there is something about us all in sleeping bags on the trampoline, looking up through the tall ponderosa pine trees, to the night sky and spotting a shooting star. not to mention how cozy it is when everyone sinks to the middle. i will miss the warm, summer nights.