15 Years!

15 Years ago yesterday, April Fool's Day, my family moved from sunny Southern California to tropical Hawaii. I was 15 yrs old, finishing up my freshman year of high School. Leaving behind my first 'real boyfriend', and two best friends was no easy task. In fact, I did not want to move, even if it was to Hawaii. I started to plan my escape. My step-father was in the Army, and we moved around quite a bit, every 1-3 yrs, and I had had enough!

Needless to say, I did not go through with my plan. (yes I really had one, and I think it would have worked, temporarily anyway) My mother was a pro at moving our family, but if I had tried a Houdini stunt, it would have caused complete chaos.

It took well over a year to finally get used to living there. Hawaii is very different from any other place I had ever lived. There was the heat, the roaches, learning to understand pidgin, and being a minority for the first time in my life. I did not fit in with the locals, I was after all a haole, but eventually made friends and discovered the ocean.

I love the ocean! I miss the ocean. I really really miss the ocean. I wish I could go for a swim or go diving or just stick my toes in the ocean. I miss the ocean breeze, miss kissing Jaime and tasting the salt on his lips. I miss going for 'shave ice' at the end of a day at the beach. I miss sand being in my bed, and stuck to my scalp. I miss digging sand out of Noah's ears and nose. I miss licking lilikoi (passionfruit), and crunching the seeds. I miss waking up to the smell of tropical rain entering my bedroom in the middle of the night. I will never forget the smell of sugar cane burning during harvest.

Aaahhhh, I miss Hawaii.