Break's Over

'Morning, friends. At present, I'm sitting up in bed cuddled beneath the warmth of two blankets and the weight of a 10-pound kitty, blogging to the hum of a mini space heater at my left and the drum of the rain on our roof. What the...? We're practically into Summer and it is pouring rain upcountry...but I digress.

I took a bit of an impromptu blogging break, as some of you may have noticed. I'm a total planner, so the decision was difficult to make, but truth be told, it was liberating, too. I love this blog and the act of writing is a necessity, but as a wise friend once said, "Life, first. Blogging, second."

True dat.

I've got a running list of updates cluttering my thoughts (and some on post-it notes slapped all cockeyed onto my laptop - anyone else do this?) and my goal is to find my rhythm once again as we transition into a new month. There is so much I want to share on this here blog---so much to say about life, love, health, and tough lessons learned with regard to patience---and it will happen. Soon.

Right now the parentals are in town visiting so our days have been pretty full; full of laughter, eating like royalty, soaking in the sunshine and enjoying celebratory indulgences. Soon they will be heading back to San Francisco (sad face), but until then, I'm going to enjoy these precious moments together with my family.

Thank you to those that have checked in on me; I feel the love! xo

Life, Lately...Instagram Style

Happiest of Mondays to you!

Before substance-worthy posts commence, here is a quickie-recap of our lives, lately:

01: "No Momma, get off your phone and pay attention to me."
02: Watching a live broadcast of Sunday church service...
03: ...because of THIS. :(
04: Well, this is certainly one way to dull the pain!
05: Hanging with Sofia...always a good time.
06: Beach day!
07: Saturday a.m. treats: Venti Green Tea and lemon pound cake (which went straight to my thighs)
08: Devotionals.
09: Aloha Friday afternoon pick-me-up: Grande Green Tea.
10: The time I left work on Thursday night; 14 hour days are FUN!
11: I love catching a glimpse of 11:11 (my second time that day).
12: Our neighbor's pup, Bella. She's smiling.
13: The best way to start my day.
14: Morning tea.
15: Afternoon tea...and a save-worthy fortune!

Here's hoping your week is off to a great start!

Mmmmmmmmmmmm. Bacon.

(Said in my best Homer Simpson voice)

Did I ever mention that I straddled the Vegan/Vegetarian fence for almost twenty years, and it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I started eating meat again? For the record, I still struggle with this decision and have immense guilt when I eat meat ('That time about a year ago when I was driving behind a truck carrying five adorable cows? I busted out The Ugly Cry. In my car...BY MYSELF). My decision to introduce meat back into my diet warrants a post all its own, but suffice it to say that I had not had bacon in years. Until recently.

O.M.G.

{via}

I had breakfast-for-dinner the other night (Hawaiian style, I might add, with cold rice!) and it was pretty flipping amazing. I was a honestly a little sad when the bacon was over. Shameful, I know.

Peaceful. And Happy.

Late Saturday, after running errands and not yet wanting to head home lest we feel cooped-up, Phil and I headed over to the South side for a little late afternoon sunshine. He was hoping to squeeze in a quick session out on the water and I was needing a little Vitamin D, because I am all kinds of pasty at the moment.

While Phil geared up and prepared to run a little water through his gills, I parked myself on a grassy knoll overlooking the sandy shoreline. I laid out my towels, slathered on the sunblock and soaked up my surroundings:

I immersed myself in the moment, enjoying the warmth of the late afternoon sunshine and the scent of the air around me, now a mixture of coconut-sunblock and the saltiness of the ocean. I settled into the soft towels underneath me, pulled my knees up and basked in the last bits of a Saturday afternoon.

It wasn't until I had popped in some ear-buds and spent an hour listening to church service podcast that I realized just how incredibly happy I was. A kind of happy that makes my heart sing; a kind of happy that only the peace from His word can bring. I have thrown myself--all of me--into my faith, and I am calmer, happier and more peaceful because of it. The joy and the depth of gratitude I feel is indescribable; I am in a really, really good place right now.

* * *

I rolled over onto my belly and peered out over the horizon, smiling, as I watched Phil immersed in his own moment: totally happy and carefree--completely in his element:

Our timing could not be more perfect; more often than not, the water is like precious real estate, but on that afternoon, Phil had the beach to himself. The conditions may have been a little less than ideal, but any day that this boy can get wet is a good day. It's all a matter of perspective.

We wrapped up our afternoon at the beach just shy of 6:00pm, packed up the truck and got back on the highway to head home. On our way, while I'm sitting shotgun and seat-dancing to the tunes cranked up on the radio, Phil suddenly turns down the volume and without a word, points to the left. I gasped.

Our God is an amazing God.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram (@angieonmaui) have already seen these, but beauty warrants a second-look.

* * *

So, yeah. We are enjoying some seriously happy days around here and feeling ridiculously blessed. On that same note, a few of my friends--in real life and here in the blog world--are going through some difficult times and experiencing a sadness that is weighing heavily on their hearts. If you are reading this (and you know who you are), please know that I am keeping you close to me, in my thoughts and in my heart. Hang in there. You are loved...and you will get through this.

(Quasi) Christmas in May

There was a night not too long ago that on the surface, felt a lot like Christmas. Sure, most of it may have been aesthetics, but when I consider the gorgeous view, the wild peacocks hidden in the perimeter of trees on the property, the gathering of friends and the generous spread of food provided by the hosts, it wasn't too far off the mark.

I like that we have friends who share similar tastes and who take delight in the little things that exist purely to bring joy. Our friends had us over for dinner so that we could enjoy their outdoor Christmas tree before they took it down (because it's almost summer, after all). Yes, an outdoor Christmas tree.

And in case you're wondering, it's every bit as magical as you're thinking.

That evening, we sat on the deck of their charming, plantation-style cottage and watched the sun set to the symphony of peacocks in the distance. And speaking of these musically-inclined creatures, have you ever had the privilege of hearing their song? It is a beautiful sound, although I can understand how it might become annoying to those who hear it every day. Their cry is somewhere along the lines of a high-pitched horn; I listened with amusement as they called to one another from the east and west sides of the property. Every so often a pocket of silence would ensue, only to have one cry start the whole cacophony all over again.

We settled into the comfortable porch sofas and enjoyed dinner, conversation and laughter that had my sides aching (my friend Caprice is very good at that). When the sun had disappeared and darkness reigned, the Christmas tree took on a whole new meaning. And you know what came next, right?

Oh, yes.

How could we not? There was something so inviting about that tree; the temperatures had dropped enough (which made me appreciate my decision to wear jeans and a sweater that evening) so that the chill in the air made my ears cold and my cheeks pink, but it was hard to resist. So I didn't. I crawled under there like the grown woman I am and marveled with the delight of a child.

At the risk of sounding like a freak, dare I say that I am actually looking forward to Christmas? I know we're not even into Summer yet, but December is my favorite time of year and it's been a whole five months since I've heard a Christmas carol. And Lord knows I love me some Christmas carols.

Life, Lately...Instagram Style

Happy Mother's Day to all you Momma's out there (and to those who are Momma's to fur-kids...we count, too!); I hope you all felt celebrated, appreciated and loved today. I had a special post planned for my own Momma who faithfully reads my blog, but I'm putting a pin in that one, because she'll be here visiting shortly and I'll have SO much more to share (Love you and can't wait to see you, Momma!).

* * *

Here's a quickie re-cap of our week...Instagram style!

01: Our friend took us on a flight around the island today. It was EPIC.
02: The Cessna.
03: After church, I broke down and bought an old-skool CD. I *love* Laura Story that much.
04: ...and His love pours forth from Heaven. Amen.
05: Impromptu late-afternoon trip to the beach.
06: Another blissful view.
07: Seeking on Saturday morning.
08: I cut Phil some slack and didn't make him watch this with me. Total chick-flick and I loved it.
09: A darn tasty Green tea.
10: Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!
11: I love, love, LOVE vintage trucks like these!
12: The Hubs bought me my first caramel frappucino in a year...and I couldn't even finish it.
13: Spent a beautiful morning in a blossom-filled pasture.
14: 'Cause it's Cinco de Mayo, 'yo.
15: 82 degrees and still cold. Tall Americano? Yes, please (3rd Starbucks in a week...yikes).

{Are you on Instagram? Let's be phone-photo-friends! @angieonmaui}

Captain Phil: Come Fly With Us!

Words will be few on this post because I prefer to let these photos of God's creation do the talking. Care to take a short but breathtaking charter flight over the island of Molokai? Yes? OK, then...Capt. Phil has turned on the "Fasten Your Seatbelt" sign. Please place your chairs in the upright position as we prepare for take off.

* * *

NOTE: My husband is not actually a pilot; our good friend, is. Phil just happened to be the "co-pilot" that day.
All photos taken with a DSLR, Go Pro and video frame-grabs.

See the small group of late-season whales down there?

We realize you have a choice when you fly. Thank you for choosing Captain Phil Airlines. Aloha.

* * *

Pretty amazing, right? The trades are supposed to lighten up this weekend and early next week, so we're thinking a flight over East Maui/Hana might be in the cards.

Happy Thursday, friends.