Christmas with the Obamas...

Ok, I know it's New Years, but I needed to post about Christmas in Hawaii with no presents first. Yes, that's right.  I said no presents.  *GASP!*  I know, right??  Not even stockings!  It was my first Christmas without a stocking :(  *TEAR*

(Traci, Ashley and I after walking around aimlessly looking for the beach.  We never found it but stumbled on this giant Christmas tree!)

So, instead of buying presents for each other like we usually do, we decided to take that money and put together brown lunch sacks full of goodies for the homeless people in Ala Moana Park.  These packages included thins like McDonalds gift certificates ($5 per bag), shampoos and conditioners, toothpaste, mouthwash, razors, clementine oranges, candy and more.

But before the big day of Christmas, we volunteered at a women's shelter for Christmas Eve dinner.  It was fun putting on the plastic aprons, gloves and hair nets and seeing how silly we all looked in them!  It was such a great feeling though serving others in need.  My favorite was seeing this adorable little girl walking around beaming because she had a cupcake with HUGE amounts of frosting!  The people that work the facility are so humble and just amazing people.  If I still lived there, I would go and help out more... Although I'm sure there are plenty of places around here I can find!  That's on my list!

When we got back to the villa we stayed in, we assembly lined the presents for the homeless with smiles on our faces as we decorated each bag with stickers and markers.  It had been a long day!

The next morning we went on our adventure to Ala Moana Park!  We were all a little timid at first, approaching someone trying to sleep, or families gathered together, but after the first person, our hearts smiled and we continued on until all 50 bags were handed out to elderly men, single moms and families with young children.  My heart was very full as it began to rain and we walked back to our cars.  Up until then it hadn't felt like Christmas at all.  As soon as we handed out that first gift and saw the tears in their eyes, it felt like Christmas.

(My parents delivering Christmas joy at Ala Moana Park.)

It was a VERY humbling experience.

Aside from that, we had a good time being entertained by Jady Lady.  She's 10 months old now and has been nonstop smiles since she was born!  Our favorite thing to do with her is say "Yes, Ma'am" or "Yes, yes, yes" while nodding our heads up and down.  In return, she shakes her head "No."  It's very entertaining!

(Jady Lady giving me salutations by spitting.)

I also took the day after Christmas to go diving with Marisa and Gabe and to see old friends.  We woke up bright and early and dove a wreck dive, YO and a shallow reef called Nautilus.  Oh yeah, and Gabe decided to put me, the coldest girl in the world, in a shorty wetsuit!  Well, I learned my lesson because on the second dive I was so cold!  During my safety stop at the end of the dive, my hands were numb holding on to the line and Marisa was trying to rub my arms because I was shaking so bad.  That'll teach me to alway bring my own wetsuit...  But at the YO, we had a blast!  we didn't see any whales like I'd hoped for but I did see my first Brown Stingray!  That made the dive worth it :)

(Risa and I having fun at the YO)

(I thought this pix was pretty awesome of 2 eels "kissing.")

After diving, we went to Duke's for lunch to meet up with our friend Wayne.  He and Risa both work there.  It's always fun seeing old friends!  They are trying to get me to move back to the island, it's pretty funny.

(I was already tanner than Risa at this point, haha!)

Next we drove to my old work, Sea Life Park.  This was the very bittersweet part of my visit.  It's so good to see my old friends and visit, but it's also hard.  The last part of my employment there was very difficult for so many reasons.  It's hard to see them still dealing with it.  I gave out plenty of hugs and visited my old animals, whom I miss dearly.  I was very happy to see all of the younger turtles had been released or adopted out.  My sharks were all still alive and Ula was as fat as ever.  My stingrays, although their barbs had been cut, were still cruising around.

When I returned back to the villa I found out my brother in law, Seanie, had worked out with the Obamas on Kaneohe Bay Marine Base Semper Fitness.  He said Michelle Obama was a stud, all lifting weights and being buff, while Mr. President was on the elliptical machine.  Haha, I thought that was hilarious!

(Air Force One. We had to wait 20-30 minutes at the front gate of Hickam because they closed it while Obama drove off Hickam and to Kailua.)

Overall, it was a good visit and I'm glad I had the opportunity to not only get back in the water, but to help some of those in need.  It was a very different Christmas.  Very humbling indeed.