We're here!!

I'm writing from the table by the windows in our room at the YWAM Base in Hawaii...enjoying the cool(er) evening air coming in the full wall of windows, listening to the silence of the kids sleeping and faint music from Brazilian night at the Banyan Tree Cafe.

We arrived Wednesday evening after a long day of travel - the kids did really well on the flights, and three out of four slept at least a bit on our San Francisco - Kona flight (can you guess which one never slept???)  We landed just after 7 (so 11 Alberta time), and by the time we got our luggage, picked up our rental van, grabbed something to eat, and got to campus, it was close to 9.  A few of the leaders of our school met us and took us to our room and prayed with us before leaving us to get settled for the night.  We unpacked just the bare essentials and got the kids (and ourselves) to bed as quickly as possible, since by that point it was around 2am our time!

It was a bit of a long night as the kids were all mixed up with the time change - K was up a few times, and the others were up very bright and early!  Fortunately campus life starts early as well (breakfast is 6:15 - 7:15).

Thursday morning we headed to Target to pick up some essentials like diapers, wipes, towels, some cleaning supplies...shampoo, soap, paper towels...coffee, laundry soap, formula, etc, etc ETC!!  Our cart was full to overflowing - it is amazing how many things you need access to on a daily basis!

Friday we had campus orientation and our first meeting with our class - seems like a great group of people and we're really looking forward to getting to know them over the next few months.  It was hard for me to be away from the kids all day but hopefully I will quickly adjust to our new schedule.  Gavin and Abby started their school Friday afternoon and both really enjoyed it.  There is some academic teaching, but mostly the emphasis is on spiritual development.  We're so excited for them to have this opportunity!  The school classrooms are actually right underneath our apartment, so they don't have far to travel.  (And we don't have to worry about being too loud for the neighbors downstairs in the evenings!)

Our big event today was walking UP to Walmart for a few items we had missed at Target.  Apparently it's only a little over a mile away, but a lot of the trip is significantly uphill, so it feels like a lot more than that!  Fortunately it was overcast today (which is why we decided to make the trip), but it was still 26 degrees and humid - we were all pretty sweaty by the time we made it back home!  We definitely won't be trying it on a sunny day, that's forsure!

I've only taken a few pictures so far...been busy trying to get everything unpacked and organized and settled in.  We did get a loft room (thank you to everyone who prayed for that!), so the older kids are sleeping up in the loft, and Katrina is near us, in a little 'room' made by hanging sheets.  :)  They've all done really well so far with sleeping: the older kids are so tired from playing outside most of the day that they crash soon after they hit the pillow, and K has been sleeping pretty well even with all the noise around (the building was not built for soundproofness, I will say that much!)

I need to head to bed soon, but we are enjoying it here so far and feel a little more settled each day.  The weather has been kind of 'cool,' they tell us, but plenty warm for me!  It does cool off a bit at night (probably only 22 or 23, but it feels cool!) and we are able to cool our room down with fans.  I will be honest and admit that I've had a few moments where I've wished for the +7 or 8 back in Alberta!  I'm not a fan of the humidity, but everyone assures me that I will acclimatize in a week or two.  :)

We are so thankful for everyone who has prayed for us as we've been planning and packing and traveling.  Please continue to pray for us for health, continued good sleep for everyone, and adjustment to our new schedule of days away from the kids.  I will hopefully be able to post some pictures in the next few days!