Why I Love The Japanese.

My friend, Stephanie posted this to her facebook and it really brought a tear to my eye.  After the death toll reaching close to 4,000 people and over 7,500 missing, this is how the Japanese are responding:

"The Japanese people are demonstrating a true allegiance to social order and calm as they search for loved ones or wait in lines for basic necessities.

There is not a hint of looting or violence, even as residents must wait in line for 12 hours to buy food. Everyone remains calm and polite, earning the admiration of the world.

"Supermarkets are cutting prices and vending machine owners giving out free drinks as people work together to survive," remarked a writer in the Telegraph, as he wondered why we saw looting in disasters past, but not in Japan.

There were also reports of citizens voluntarily turning their lights and appliances off, so as to save energy for the rest of the population."

This is one of the reasons I love the Japanese.

Fear Of Earthquakes Raised by 8.9

This morning a little after 5am I received a text from my little sister Tiffany asking how I was and if we'd had any tsunamis.  Um... What the...?  I rubbed my eyes and hopped online.  Immediately I saw the news that an 8.9 earthquake had struck the coast of Japan causing tsunamis in the Pacific.  The damage was just devastating.

I immediately reached out to my friends in Hawaii since they were some of the first to receive the Tsunami Watch.  I can still hear the tsunami sirens in my head.  They go would go off in the beginning of every month while I was at work.  I got used to them and having to calm the tourists down.  I couldn't imagine waking up to that sound in the middle of the night, grabbing essentials and heading to higher grounds.

After hearing all was well and that Kauai got the worst of it (about 4 feet), I discovered that they had closed Huntington Beach, my hometown, and their neighboring city Newport Beach.  There was no evacuation but because of the unpredictable currents of the ocean, they kept everyone out.

All of my loved ones and ohana in Hawaii are safe, thank heavens.  Words cannot express my heart for those in Japan and those with families that have been affected.  MY prayers and heart are with them during this tragic event.

My friend had this to say on his Facebook post: "I'll just say this about Japan, I am grateful an earthquake that size hit there and not some third world country. I mean, it is amazing the size of that quake and Tsunami yet only 500 people or so confirmed dead with less than 1000 missing. Only Japan could have been that prepared and for all the religious nuts, God did bless Japan by giving them the knowledge to know how to prepare their island for such a disaster."  Amen, Donavon.

Philly Fun.

While in Maryland, I did a quick road trip to Philadelphia specifically for a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich with my two brother in laws and my baby sister Ashley.  We woke up at 4:30am and were on our way before the sun even rose.  With a breakfast of raw carrots and broccoli, we crossed through 3 states until we got to Independence Hall.... before everything was open.

(The most amazing rest stop EVER.)

(I'm no football fan but I love that all of the sports arenas are all next door to each other.  It would suck if there were a hockey game, a baseball game AND a football game all on the same night!  Thanks heavens all 3 don't overlap!)

We knew we'd get there before we could get food so we thought we'd enjoy some American History.  We ended up getting back into the car and driving to Valley Forge while we waited.  We did the driving tour after checking out the museum and gift shop, per my request.  Simply amazing what these men lived in/through.

(The Unknown Soldier and The Eternal Flame.  Speechless.)

Upon return to our original history lesson, we visited The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, The Unknown Soldier's Tomb and The Eternal Flame, and more.  Simply amazing to be in the same halls as the men of independence.  I love the feeling of history coming alive, which is why I'm part History major.  It's just amazing to imagine these important events happening right where I'm standing!

(Independence Hall and George Washington.)

After our tours we got back into the car and headed for Geno's (suggested by my dad's good friend, Bobby Bear) and partook in a delicious cheesesteak (mine with onions).  Talking with Chris, we decided it was a good thing we went to Geno's since they claim to be "the best" in Philly.  That is until he looked across the street at Pat's, which is apparently "the king" of cheesesteaks.  Dang it!  Well, I had to do it.  After all, how often do I go to Philadelphia?  Exactly.  So, I gave my cup of soda to Seanie to hold while I ordered another cheesesteak from Pat's (this time sans onions since we were taking it to go along with the rest of the girls').

In the end, I vote that Geno's is correct in that they are the best between the two locations.  Mmmm!

All of these photos were taken from my phone because I forgot my camera battery charger. :(  For more photos, see Ashley's facebook: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=289869&id=507759098

East Coast Babies.

January 26, 2011 my 4th niece, Nixie Rose, was born.  She is the second daughter of my younger sister Tiffer and her husband Seanie.  Yes, these are the sibling I lived with in Hawaii and they are the same that have inspired me to move to the East Coast.

(Introducing, sweet baby Nixie!)

(Auntie Hollie with both the babies, Jaiden and Nixie.)

(Tiffer's talent at work!)

 Just kidding.  Well, maybe someday, but they'll probably be gone by then.

I took a red eye flight with Traci, her husband Chris and Gina, and of course, didn't sleep a wink even with the Ambien sleeping pill I took.  The morning we landed was Jady's 2nd birthday.  Our plan was to meet Nixie, the newborn, and help celebrate Jady's birthday.  Oh and there was a quick trip planned with me and the boys and Ashley in there to drive to Philadelphia to get a real cheesesteak.  (I have been to Philly once but was too afraid to even get out of the car except to go to the hockey arena, lol!)

(We had a lot of fun wrestling on the air mattress.)

(The younger half.)

(The Benincosa Babes.)

(Jady tries taking pictures with her new Disney Princess camera.)

(No surprise to see this little girl singing!)

(For the kids, Seanie and Chris made a maze of boxes.  Ash was one of the kids.)

(Ash and I stayed up all night waiting for the snow.  when it finally started to come down, we ran out, coats bundled over our jammies!)

(Seanie built a ramp and totally landed it, lol! It a was a fun, little one, too!)

Success!  We conquered all of the above!  We even had a snow day our last day there and were able to play in the backyard, sledding on trashcan lids, throwing snowballs and making snow angels!  Thanks to Seanie, we all made use of his multiple pairs of snow pants!  It was such a blast being with every one of my sisters again!  That doesn't happen too often anymore these days, unfortunately.

I'll post the Philly road trip pictures later after I steal them from Ashley's camera.  If you're impatient, they're on my Facebook page, lol!