Well right now I am sitting in 15D on Hawaiian Airlines flight # 3 LAX-HNL. I am sitting with my new friend Kerri, I added a photo of her to give you a visual while you read. I independently sell jewelry and I am traveling over to Oahu to throw a party for a good friend of mine. I’ll share some photos while we are on island. I am really excited about spending some time over there, however it is the first time that I have flown to Hawaii without my son. He and Dad are having a boys camping trip while I work. Not a bad work gig huh;)
My family and I lived on Oahu for 13 years and we still have a home over there, to be honest it is really the only place that I have ever lived that feels like home. Hawaii to me represents safety and comfort and new beginnings. It is also the place that I have lived the longest during my life…………but I am getting ahead of myself…….I need to go back to the beginning again…..
On April 9th, 1993 is Sisters, Oregon, on my parents ranch, I married my high school sweet heart. I was 18 years old and 5 months pregnant with our first daughter Kylie.
I remember the day that I first saw him….. my husband… My best friend and I were on a scavenger hunt with our youth group in Bend, Oregon. We were riding in a passenger van along with other kids from our church. I was 17 years old and a senior in high school. The rules of the scavenger hunt were simple; find all the items on the list given to us by our youth pastor and snap a polaroid picture as proof. Some of the items were a red baseball cap, someone wearing a cheerleading outfit, someone in blue sweat pants etc….
The van we were using was low on gas so we stopped at the local Texaco gas station. I looked out of the back window of the van, across the top of the pumps and saw the most beautiful human I had ever seen. He was working there as the gas attendant. I leaned over and whispered to my best friend, “Kara….. Do you see that guy over there?….That’s the guy I am going to marry” Im not kidding those were the exact words I spoke to her. Kara looked across the pumps to where I was looking and squinted her eyes, just a little bit as she turned her head and said to me….”Hey, I know that guy……his name is Josh, he goes to my school.”
Well, long story short….. I did not get out of the van that day, nor did I find the courage to speak with him days later when I skipped school and found myself in Bend 20 minutes away walking through the halls of Kara’s school and happened to see him. Hahaha you see that was the effect Josh had on me. He stole my words away, he left me breathless and nervous and without confidence. As you get to know me you’ll understand that I don’t struggle with words or breath…….. or confidance, for that matter. Please don’t misunderstand, I am not snotty, my mama just raised me to be secure, really secure, with who I was. Josh, with a look, could turn me into putty!
Rabbit hole……..hahahah sorry, I do that a lot. Please hang in with me!!
Again, long story short, hahahaha I married that guy!!! That guy that left me wordless and breathless and full of putty!!
I love that you are sharing. Your story is amazing. Love ya! January
JANUARY!!!!! On my friend!! How are you? I think about you so often!! I wish we were still living close together!! How are the boys? How is Sam? Thank you for reading and responding, it really is encouraging!!!
Whoa I see lilia in him!