A big update

So, I am way behind on the blog.  Between moving and waiting for our stuff to arrive, than getting settled, I have not updated the blog since the job interview in Hawaii.  So I'm just going to give an overview and then start fresh. 

We moved to Hawaii on December 30.  We had a nice 10 hour flight that went really well.  The kids were great and behaved well.  We were picked up at the airport by Riley and Rose and given shell leis. That was fun.  They had brought 2 vans, to fit our luggage and all of us!  They drove us to our new townhouse.  We ordered pizza for dinner that night and then crashed on the beds that BYU had let us borrow until our things arrived.

The next few days were spent shopping for essentials like groceries and household items.  We only were able to borrow a regular mini van from BYU for a week, so we were in a rush to get settled and to buy enough groceries to last for a while.  Our neighbors are super nice and lent us toys, books, household goods, pots and pans, etc. to help tide us over till our things arrived.

Michael started worked at BYU Hawaii as the library director on January 4th.  They gave him a nice welcome breakfast and had made a lovely sign for his office.  (I don't have a picture of it on this computer, it is on the laptop).  While he went to work, I got the kids settled into school.  Jared, Annie, Peter, and Kathleen are attending Laie Elementary School and Carina and David are attending Kahuku High and Intermediate school.  James and Emma are home with me.  They all have nice teachers and are settling in nicely. 

The neighborhood has lots of kids and my children have made lots of friends.  We are now having the conflict of them wanting to play with their friends all the time.  I have had to declare Sunday as a family day so that we have time to reconnect as a family.  We are very grateful for their friends since they have helped our kids make a smooth transition.

Our things finally arrived on January 25 and our van on January 26th.  The unloading went smoothly.  Yay movers!  We have only discovered one box missing.  It is the Wii, so the the kids were very distressed at this discovery.   Having a van again is great.  Filling it up with gas at Hawaii prices, not so much..

We like our ward.  We are in the Laie 8th ward and the Laie North Stake.   I love attending church here.  Every talk, testimony, etc.. all start with, "Brothers and Sisters, ALOHA!" to which everyone replies, "ALOHA!"   I have gotten a calling as the sunbeam co-teacher.  James is thrilled since that is his class.  We have had the opportunity to attend the Laie Temple.  We really like it.   James now looks at our picture of the Atlanta temple and informs me that it is a church not a TEMPLE.  To him, all temples should look like the one he sees daily!

 So that is the synopsis of our move.  I'll update with pictures now since I feel more caught up.  ALOHA!