Maui Strong

 Maui. Maui. Maui.

We are safe, ok and our family is getting back to our routine and normality. 

It has been a rough couple of weeks between my horse accident, it getting infected and getting super sick from my antibiotics to the devastation that happened her on Maui and then watching our 

little Mia baby girl die in our arms.

Talk about emotions! Sadness, anger, denial, helplessness, survivor guilt, and gratitude rollercoaster. 

Overwhelmed with trying to help. We first started with those we knew. Uncle Kawika had his whole family at his house. We got him food, water and some essential supplies to get his family on their feet and back to Napoli. Then, the boys surf coach and basketball coach both lost everything. At first we didn’t hear from anyone and finally we were relieved to learn they were safe! Everywhere we would go you would hear another awful story! Someone looking for someone, how they ran into the ocean, and other stories I have blocked out of my mind. Left and right we were helping and helping those who were helping. Scrambling to do our best and overwhelmed with how little we felt we could do. Then, it turned into helping connect people with resources they needed, food, water, shelter, etc. Our neighbors‘s friends were evacuated from Kula so we were watching her dog and trying to help them. My horse lady had to get water daily and it still isn’t safe to drink. The winds in kula were so damaging there is debris everywhere, her tents destroyed and thankfully you can’t see much of the fire from the road. We were finally able to go up and ride again. That is another story. Then, the National government and programs came to help and the panic of help started to diminish. We have done as much as possible. All the organizations we are involved in were overwhelmed with volunteers. What an amazing problem to have! However, food was being wasted since so much and the red tape at the shelters for fresh food. Ugh!

When we lost Mia, I had to take her to the shelter to get her ashes. Thankfully I know a lot of people there and was able to get right in. The amount of people there was crazy! 

Teddy bears and backpacks we still have coming to help. 

I can’t thank all of my family and friends enough for helping our amazing community!! All of your donations are so appreciated and helped out a ton! Everyone is so blessed how much aloha everyone had and how much help they received. Maui will get through this!!!!

Morning

 Good morning. 

Dylan has been asking to make pancakes in the Ohana and finally did.

Happy Boy when Dad took him to fly......until....

Oh no!!! :(

A guy they met at the airstrip has an auto shop and in his office he has a ton of 

RC planes so he sold one to Dylan.  Hudson..."What I want."

Hanging with the math tutor Bell.

Bye baby Sampson.

Goodbye morning :(

Cutie!

Pip

 Oh Pip! Oh my.  What have I gotten myself into?  A horse! haha.  I have always been timid around them but now my fear is big!  First day back I had a hard time even getting her out of her paddock.  I kept bracing myself from the other horse in there, flenching like I was going to get kicked.  I finally had Melissa get her because I was too scared.  Then, I was scared even to brush her and pick her feed.  I took it slow and got comfortable touching her again and finally worked my way back to it.  Then, getting on....oh boy.  I told myself before I even got there that I was just going to groom her and hang out.  If anything, ride her bareback.  I didn't take my saddle.  So, finally I decided to get on.  Yep, bareback. Melissa thought I was crazy.  I walked her around and finally got up the nerve to trot.  I didn't want to put her up because again I was hesitant of the other horse in her paddock.  He has never done anything but I don't want to chance it.  I felt better just going up there but still have a lot of fear.  Next week, I did the same. I will bare back it.  Did the same.  This time I did get her out of the paddock but was super timid and scared this other horse may bite her as we were exiting.  Finally got the nerve to shoe them away and do it.  Again, bare backed her and trotted more.  I am loving bare back.  The boys were right! Mom, you don't have to ride her.  Just hang out with her, sit on her, and walk her around!  That is what they love to do and it has been good for me.  I also realize that keeping her at Melissa's is the perfect set up for us! I can ride 1xweek and another girl rides her and does rodeo on her so she stays in shape.  That is the deal, I pay monthly and Melissa gets to use her, feeds her, and cares for her!! Thank you sooooo much!!!  I am able to stay focused on our family and school.  Horses are great but a lot of work, time, energy, and money.  Glad I didn't dive in fully, whew!!! Thank you!  Perfect set up just the way it is.  2x a week and feeling like I needed to do trail rides a lot was making me feel overwhelmed.  Thank you for this realization and keeping me safe through it.  Even though it took my ankle with it! Still swollen but definitely healing slowly. 

Pip got to see the vet for her annual vaccinations.  Got some stuff for her puka on her face and had her mouth looked at from our accident.  Everything is good but she must be a little sore because she freaks out when you take her bit out.  The vet showed me a better way to do it so we could get over this fear together.

Pond 2

Continuing the pond.... 

Paver laying, then rock setting.

Looking good.

4 ton of rocks.  Oh boy, we have to move all of those.

Getting busy.

Building the fountain.

Fountain for me?

Family project.  So cool we are all working on it.

Waterfall.

Bella.

Working hard!

Supervising. Hahahaha...whole family is helping.

Excited to catch fish.

Is she going to fall in?

Finishing touches.

Rough life working on the pond.

Can't see it because of the shadows....but my artwork.  I love yard art recycling.

Miss!

Mom, it is like Barton Springs! - Hudson

Ommmmmm.

Helping spread the pebbles.  Next, we need a swimming hole!! or aviary?!?! 

Are we getting a turtle or ducks? hmmmm...

Airstrip

Dylan was on a mission to fly his plane.  We live on the windiest island which makes it a challenge.  We check then Kuau closest park morning and evening, driven upcountry to check those parks, and gotten up to dawn patrol parks!  He was able to fly the other day at Kuau for dawn patrol.  He wanted to find other people to fly with and we looked up RC maui and found we have a RC club that has an airfield.  I have heard about it many years ago and we have been wanting to check it out and never did.  Dylan made it possible.  He called the number and talked to someone who invited them out to check it out.  Justin took them and he was hooked.  He got the member paper and took it upon himself to register to the AMA website and fill out the paperwork.  Then, he really wanted to go with his paperwork and fly.  So, we did an early morning mission.....

I knew we had a sports park but had no idea there is a go cart track, dirt bike track, race car parkway, and airstrip!! FEMA was using the race car park so that is closed but luckily the other is open.

Kuau.

Happy to fly.

Airstrip...

Wow, great morning.

He is so happy.

Boy playground.

Can you see it?

Fly success.

Amazing.

So fun to watch.

So responsible.

Pond

More backyard improvements and animal collection.

Yep, we want a pond! Turtles, fish and frogs!

Want to know how to make it rain, start digging a hole!  The tarp and liner were suppose to be here on Monday which was perfect to start digging on the weekend.  Then, Monday comes and they sent a used (YES, A USED) liner!!! So, now more waiting.  And the other stuff is who knows were too.

Patience!

We feel we are putting back into the earth from this horrible tragedy that has happened here.  Not to mention a great way to focus and release so many emotions.

So, time to break ground.

There it goes.

Looking good.

Neighbors are here to help! They want to help! And they didn't want to stop!!

They are loving digging.

Obsessed with the digging. So satisfying...great energy release!

Checking in on the pigs.

Swing it!

Outfit is priceless. Safety first!

So strong.

Friends helping.

Wow! For hire?

Working hard? or hardly working?

Hmmm???

Getting there.

How deep?

Working Day 2 into the night.

Time to get some pavers.

So helpful!! So strong.