Staycation 101: Redecorating

Nothing makes me happier than spending a day at home with worship music blaring throughout the house while cleaning and crafting!  Since I spent most of yesterday cleaning, I thought I would work on a couple of projects that have been waiting patiently for my attention. 

First of all, this lovely yardsale find needed to be hung.  Found it in a pile of very odd artwork... reminded me of a beach we went to several years ago in Moorea, Tahiti.  Paid a total of $8 for this and thought it would look lovely in my dining room.  The other yardsale find was the wicker "table" under the pictures.  Paid $3.00 for this.  Need to work on the decor on top but you get the gist!

 Found this adorable "Monkey Business" display accent paper pack at Creative Memories that I could not resist.  With an extra magnetic frame at the house, I decided to make this cute frame to take to preschool for the parent table and display a few pictures of the children at work.  Still need to put the year on it...

Using the same "Monkey Business" pack, I updated a magnetic frame hanging in my bright yellow craft room.  This picture is of my hanai family in Oahu.  Loved the colors and it really is bright!

Ok... last but not least... I think this is my favorite for the day.  This is a project that Creative Memories sold a couple of years ago... it was supposed to be fall colors with leaves but it just didn't go with the colors of my home decor ... so  I punched out different sizes of circles in different shades of green and added a scripture card.  I think it turned out super cute!

Now oddly enough it has taken me longer to download the pictures and post this then it did to do all of the above mentioned projects combined.  Hopefully I can put together a couple more projects before the day is through but  I will save that for another day of blogging! 

"There will be a day..."

with no more dirt or bugs!

It is 1:30pm on the first day of my summer vacation and I have spent the past 4 hours cleaning... you know all those jobs that take a back seat when working full time... ie. laundry, rubbish, sorting cans and bottles for recycling, scrubbing the kitchen and bathroom, cleaning out cupboards and closets...etc.  It is time for a break and a time to reflect. 

A little bit ago I was on my hands and knees eradicating a 6 leg critter and scrubbing the bathroom floor... ... you know baseboards... around the tub and toilet...tile... etc... and the song "There will be a day" was playing on the radio. 

The song basically is about heaven where there will be no more tears or sadness.  To add some humor I started thinking about changing the lyrics to two items that really bother me (especially on cleaning days!)-  Can you guess what bothers me???  Bugs and dirt!

Yes, I realize one of the downfalls of living in paradise is dealing with the critters and the never ending red dirt blowing through the jealousy windows that won't close.  Try as I may to keep things clean... it is a never ending battle.  There are certain things that get the layer of red dirt wiped off daily... the bathroom and kitchen counters.... other things get a weekly wipe down... dresser, coffee table, desk, etc.  I was wiping down the icebox this morning... opened the cupboard above to put some paper products away and found an ant colony... not just a couple but droves.  Ended up taking the container outside... emptying the box and threw away most of the napkins.  Then proceeded to spray.

Really, I am thankful that one day... these will no longer be an issue and until that they get put into the category as part of the curse.  Hi ho hi ho its back to cleaning I go!

Summer reading

As an avid reader, I am always on the lookout for an exceptionally written novel.  Some friends that recently came out to visit asked if I had read the book "Molokai" by Alan Brennert.  Not only had a I not read it... I had not even heard of it.  (Which is funny since it is based on where I live!)

Last weekend, I stumbled across it in a yardsale box of books for 50 cents.  By Wednesday I had finished the almost 400 page novel.  It is a fictional book about one girl's exile to Kalaupapa from Honolulu with leprosy.  The story follows her life as she journey's through this disease.  Even though it is fictional, the research has been done and a lot of what is recorded is historical. 

Living on Molokai, I found that I couldn't put this book down.  It was so spell binding knowing the history of Kalaupapa.  This is a recommended, must read! 

Birthday week

T minus 7 days til the official "big day". 
Someone recently asked me about the upcoming birthday if this was a big one... I jokingly replied they only get bigger!  This one is not monumental nor does it mark the end or beginning of another decade.  So in all actuality it is your common everyday birthday. 

Growing up my mom did an excellent job of making sure our birthday's were always celebrated... spend the night parties with lots of friends... trips to chucky cheese... special dinners...pool parties... etc.  In her mind it was a day set aside to celebrate the birthday of one special person.  As I have gotten older, I realize how out of the ordinary this was.  Not everyone's birthday was celebrated growing up.  Thanks mom for always making birthday's so special!

So why am I blogging about my birthday... well after church today I stopped at the post office to pick up my mail and got a card in the mail from Starbuck's for a free birthday drink of choice.  It made me smile to get something for my birthday! 

Summer Prayer letter

Summer 2011

As I was sitting down to do a prayer update, I realized that it has been a while.  Seven weeks of summer care is finished... my one week of vacation starts in a few hours... and then the official 2011-2012 school year starts.  Wow... time just needs to slow down!

This has been a summer filled with highs and lows... praises and prayer requests... blessings and those things that make you go "hmmm???".  Friday afternoon I came home from finishing summer care, exhausted and mind reeling over several things going on in the ministry on Molokai (ie... enrollment, finances, decisions, families, etc).  As I sat back pondering what I could do to solve these things, I was convicted that I needed to pray. 

Recently Pastor Randy has been going through a series from Ephesians entitled "living beyond the ordinary".  If we are called to live beyond the ordinary, then we are called to trust when things aren't comprehendible.  All the things that I have been attempting to do in my own strength, I need to trust that if Christ has called me to do it... then it will happen in HIS time.  On the other hand... if He hasn't called me to it... then I need to relinquish it.  After a time of being on my face before Him releasing all of these things to Him, I was able to lay the burden down at His feet and sleep peacefully with the assurance that He is doing a mighty work.

So I share all of this so that you can partner with us in prayer as we live beyond the ordinary. 

Praises:

- completed 10 years of teaching on Molokai

- we finally received our certificate of accreditation with a score of 98% through the National Association of Educating Young Children (NAEYC).  A three year process to better the education for our little ones!

- newest addition- Juliet- see blog for pictures

- leadership opportunity in Egypt over fall break

- headed to NC for Christmas... thanks to donated airmiles!!!  It has been 2 1/2 years since I have been back to visit family!

Prayer Requests:

-Finances-  Due to low enrollment last school year and rising costs on island... (ie For the school/ church campus our water bill ($xxxx) and electric ($xxxx) per month), we are scraping the bottom of the barrel.  I am really glad that our heavenly Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills...  

-Enrollment- Please be praying that as we start this school year that God will send the children He desires us to serve and that He will provide the subsidy for each family.

-Airfare to Egypt

-Church/Ministry Staff

You can stay updated with all the latest Thoughts from Molokai at http://hynangel.blogspot.com/.  Thank you for your faithful support.  Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated!  May you truly live beyond the ordinary. 

In need of an adventure!

Two years ago, I put together my "100 things to do" list that I would like to do... 

When I first started,  I made a point to go out and do things.  Things to work towards.  Then life just stepped in and kind of got scheduled... you know routine.  Over the past few weeks... I have been desiring an adventure... a change of pace so I reevaluated ny "to-do" list. 

So recently, I have...

• applied to grad school at UH Manoa to work towards a Master's in Early Education Curriculum.
• officially registered for the Honolulu marathon on December 11th
• lost 60+ pounds putting me within 20 of my ideal weight
• been invited to come teach a conference in Cairo, EGYPT this fall.
• debated whether to seriously get a tattoo or remain one of the few people to not have one.... hmmm???  Still haven't made a final discussion.

I am headed back to NC for a 2 week visit at Christmas so if anyone wants to join me for a trip to Biltmore Estates or a hike on the Appalachin trail, let me know!

Newest addition

God has an amazing way of blessing us when we least expect it.  After Tink's death in January, I had no desire to go out and get another animal.  Just too tough on the emotions.

Recently after taking a couple of days off from summer care, I came into preschool greeted with a small "mew" from under the icebox.  After some coaxing a small black furball appeared....  Meet JULIET....

She needed some medical treatment and is still working on getting to 100%.

It is fun having a kitten in the house again.  So very playful and always on the move.

 Her favorite place to sleep is the potpourrie dish on the coffee table.  I very quickly learned to put it in a bag as potpourrie was being thrown everywhere.

As you can see... Romeo has truly found his Juliet!  He carries her around the house and she cuddles with him.  At the moment, as I blog... Juliet is curled up on my chest... purring  herself to sleep.  Welcome little Miss Juliet!