Aloha Maui!! Maui had a different purpose from the beginning. First of all, instead of staying for a week, we were only here for 3 days. Secondly, instead of staying in a condo, we stayed at the Westin Resort that was a tropical paradise. We decided we would splurge on these few days and kick back and relax.....now you can think of Todd and I sitting on the beach with an umbrella drink in our hand! The Westin was beautiful. Of course, it's open air, but you walk "in" to waterfalls, pink flamingos, and exotic birds! With 5 pools and a 250 ft. water slide, everyone was happy! I could have sat on the balcony and watched the whales go by! I get so excited every time I see one. That is something that I would never get tired of seeing: Pacific Humpback whales jumping out of the water! We did manage to get in some "planned" activities. We went to a Luau, and it was awesome. We sat on the ground (that was optional, but when in Rome, or in this case, Hawaii), ate Hawaiian food, drank maitais and watched the hula show. The show told the story of the Hawaiian people and their culture. We loved it! The children thought it was way cool! Our other event was getting up at 3:00 in the morning to go to the top of this mountain, Mt. Haleakala, to see the sunrise, then get on bikes and bike 21 miles down. So, here's how that went....We got to the top, and it was freezing. Not just freezing but raining and sleeting as well. We waited......keep in mind that we got up at 3:00 a.m. to do this.....then all of the sudden this Hawaiian woman started singing and chanting. I mean with a force and determination like you have never seen. Todd thought there was about to be a human sacrifice! And then she stopped as abruptly as she started and said,"the sun was suppose to be up, guess it's not going to show up today." Let's review, 3:00 a.m., no sun, freezing cold and wet, and now I have to bike 21 miles down............... hmmmmmmmmmm? Thank goodness we were with a great group. We decided to drive part way down to the point where the sun was out, and it wasn't raining, and bike the rest of the way down. And, it was a blast! We biked through eucalyptus trees, tropical flower farms, and fruit orchards. The smell was amazing. Don't forget that we made the trip up the mountain in the middle of the night, so in the dark we did not see any of this. It's kind of like life isn't it? When you live in darkness you see things totally different than when you live in light and with the light. Can I get an amen on that one?! And praise God for the light! Although the adventure didn't turn out exactly as planned, we had a great time and hopefully we will see the sunrise next time! (They say it's a life changing experience to see the sunrise on Mt. Haleakala). We've got lots to come back and do in Maui....and thank goodness, we can't wait to come back! We've left lots to do on each island. No sense in doing it all the first go around! I'm already anticipating the question, "what was your favorite island"? The Hawaiian islands are like my children.......all different, but each one brings something to the table! Each one is beautiful and full of adventure and excitement! We've had an amazing time in Hawaii. We've lived a different life for sure, leaving the condo ready to snorkel, surf or hike, never knowing what beach or trail would call us. We've had fresh fish everyday, served every way. We've had the sweetest pineapple you have ever put in your mouth daily! I don't think any of us are ready to leave. And, that's how it should be! Hawaii is known as the rainbow state, and we saw the most beautiful rainbows everyday. I don't know about a green leprechaun at the end of the rainbow, but I do know there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and that is the islands itself. Aloha Hawaii and mahalo for an incredible time!
On to the next adventure....We are headed to Scottsdale, AZ for a few weeks. We're headed there to visit with Aunt Janice, the one that got all this started in the first place! But don't worry, the adventure is not over. My head is spinning with what she might have planned.....Grand Canyon, Sedona, desert tours, rock climbing and hiking! And of course, there is In and Out burgers! Todd has business in Scottsdale, and we are going to be on some serious school work! Believe it or not, Peyton and Rainey are almost through with their entire curriculum! Chancellor, not so much, but he's doing well! Thank you to all of you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers! By the way, Peyton's Blog has pictures and slideshows. I'm not smart enough to put them on! www.peytonzaugg.blogspot.com
Callie
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