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Dear Malia,
We're celebrated the second anniversary of your birth day today, and loved every moment of it.
Two weeks ago, we checked out EVERYTHING at Disney's Engine Ears Toy Store, like two kids! We finally decided on Belle, who loved books, reading, and looked for the good in others in a shimmering, golden gown, and cascading brown hair down her shoulders) with the book, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST .
This morning we wrapped both Belle and her book in silver paper with pastel polka dots, topping it with a gay blue ribbon with a pair of paper Happy Birthday glasses, thinking your Dad might get a bang out of it. We spent the rest of the day looking forward to your party.
We missed the freeway exit to your Dad's, but it was just fine, as we enjoyed the Orange downtown circle. Refreshingly quaint with lots of bygone character. We drove by your Dad's office and blessed it.
Grandpa Char met us at the door. In the kitchen, we hugged Dad and Grandma Char, who were busily putting the finishing touches on dinner. Out in the backyard was a huge inflated house, filled with bouncing kids. We caught our first glimpse of you. You were nestled in your Aunty's arms. A vision of calm in the midst of mayhem.
We caught up on almost twenty years of Char family happenings. We remet Aunty Jennifer and Uncle Joey. Our last time with them was at Dad's graduation, when Grandma and Grandpa Char brought 300+ anthuriums from Hawai`i, which did wonders for the starkly grey amphitheatre. Aunty Jennifer and her husband have three girls,Cody, Corey, Casey. They came all the way from Kaua`i. Uncle Joey lives in Los Angeles, and Uncle Michael still lives in Las Vegas.
We met your Grandpa and Aunty on your Mom's side. We were all so happy to meet them, and we look forward to meeting your Mom.
You are a part of a wonderful family, who really welcome you.
Your party also reunite some long-time friends. There was Dave and Amy. Shannon, 9, was spending the weekend with her Aunt in San Diego and we missed her dearly. You'll enjoy meeting her, as she is super cool. And then there was Aunty Mickey (Victoria) and Barry with their kids, Grayson, 5, and Travis, almost 2. They are gorgeously hapa like you.
I think you and Travis will be long-time friends. He hung around with us, and we really like him.
Dinner was great: Coho salmon, fried chicken, and honey-baked ham, potato salad, Grandma's pork-and-beans and sherbet punch, chutney, and more. The bouncing must have tuckered you out, and you snoozed through dinner. When you woke up, Dad brought you to us, and we got to officially meet you.
Dad sent us your Christmas picture and recently, shared updated snaps. You are as adorable as your pictures. No, you're even more adorable in person. And you have your Dad's eyes.
Your Aunty from Santa Monica brought out a huge cake with three brightly-lit candles. After we sang "Happy Birthday" to you, you blew all three candles out. One at a time.
After we enjoyed cake and ice cream, it was time to open gifts.
Lots and lots of gaily wrapped gifts: mostly clothes; educational-electronic toys; two rabbits; stuffed frogs, fish and Clifford the Red
Dog; a B-N gift certificate (my favorite kind of gift); and of course, Belle and book, which Greg will now have to read to Malia at least a
1000 times or more.
I loved watching Malia immediately take to our gift. Right way she brushed Belle's hair, pulled off her high heels (smart move), and
looked to check if Belle had panties on (she did).
With these giftsI wish the following toMalia her a handsome beast in her life that she will read to
DINNER WITH FRIENDS
Saturday: Scholarship Dinner with the Hawaiian Civic Club.
What an excellent production! Attention to details: no-host cocktails; lei vendor; live musicians (Jackie and family; Ellie and Thomas Kalama); kolohe hula by Aunty Ihilani, educational booths; pre-dinner snacks of boiled peanuts, soybeans, and gau gee; each table with a centerpiece of ipu and red and yellow lei and ferns; beautiful program, raffle, silent auction, floral arrangements and foliage on stage; a variety of hula from keiki, wahine, kane, makua wahine; "Aloha Chant" by `Ihi; flowing narration by Uncle Wakinekona; colorful costumes; and fabulous lu`au food (poi, rice, dried fish, poke, kalua pig, sweet potato, lomi salmon, chicken long rice, haupia, carrot and chocolate cake).
Table 3: Front row seating; lst served. Mahalo to George & Janice Shigematsu. Great being with this group of terrific people: George & Janice, Ka`ala & Ka`iwi, Ku`uleialoha, BJ and Joe, Paddy & Tom, Denny & Scott, Aunty Hannah & Uncle Likeke. I love this fun-loving, hardworking, dedicated group of people.
Met Lou (descended from a shipmate from Captain Cook's crew, who later befriended Kamehameha and lead his navy, Senior Olympics contender in javelin and shotput, '46 Roosevelt grad) and Bud (nee Arwin, who met Lou during WWII in Honolulu, honeymooned at the Naniloa (missing the tsunami that hit the Hilo-Laupahoehoe coast by a week) and Kona Inn); Jody (73 and looking youthful, also a Roosevelt grad) and Bob (born 1923, hanai'd by the Victor family in Wainaku-Pu`ueo area of Hilo, now Douglas, Kamehameha grad, retired Norwalk High math teacher); Darwin (Punahou grad, mom was a teacher, retired science teacher); and Kealoha & Kaulana Bode, who presented me with a beautiful and fresh plumeria lei from his garden.
I love these moments with kupuna, thoroughly enjoying their fond reminiscing. Wonderful nostalgia of their glory days and fascinating conversation. I could "talk story" with these folks for hours.
Reacquainted with Marilyn Nagata, Lani, Momi, Larry Wong, Maile, Bernice Brown.