Serenity, PLEASE!!!!

I can't believe 2009 crept up so quickly on me. I remember like it was yesterday, coming to Seattle and vowing not to be here long. And yet, here we are, 2009 already half done. My husband has been playing in a cricket (yes, CRICKET) tournament for the past month or so, and so our usual routine for Saturday morning has become: wake up, get the kids up, yell at them that they are NOT wearing their pajamas to the park, and then get them ready and go to support daddy. My kids LOVE it. What kid wouldn't love being outside all day. Kekoa takes his bike and rides to his heart's content until dad's game is over and it's time to go to his cousin's house to play some more. PJ just enjoys all the attention she gets from everyone who tries to carry her, but realize she is just too darn heavy (Note: to all my family, I know she is her mother's child, so please keep the comments to yourself...thank you!! lol)

So, last week Saturday started out pretty much as usual. We woke up, called Aso to make sure they were up and getting dressed. Got ready, and then headed off to the park. My husband was so worried about missing the game, that he got grumpy when I told him we needed to stop to get juice for the kids. So, to get him out of my hair, I told him I'd drop him and the kids off and then leave and come back. Aso, was there and decided she wanted to go for a ride. There is a point to this all, I promise. While we are enroute to the trusty dollar store, Tusi texts Aso about getting a ride home and asks if she (Aso) knows if Baby Williard came home the night before. That ensues, of course, a barage of "oh hell no's" and "what the hells!" I tell Aso to call and find out what happened and so she does. I'm so bothered by the story that I take the wrong exit, have to go about a mile out of my way just to get back on track, and then can't stop saying to myself "oh hell.."

Here's the skinny: Baby Will didn't come home. Bro-in-Law Jun goes to look for him and he straight tells him he don't want to come home. So Jun takes him home and beats him up. So he runs away!!!

My mind is racing by the time I hear the entire story. The mother in me wants to call Leone to check on her, but then I figure, she's probably trying to rest because she most likely did not the night before. The aunty in me is irritated, that Baby Will really did tell Junior NO! And then there's the Soliai in me who wants to go back to the park to let my husband know he needs to watch the kids so that I can go and help find him. Find him. Take him home and plead with his dad and uncle Junior to beat the living day--ok, I'm sure you all get the picture!!

While I'm still taking it all in, I start to wonder about my own children. Is this what will happen when they get older? It's always so easy to be on the outside looking in and say "If that was my kid, I would have beat him within an inch of his life!" or "What a little $#*%!!! He just waits!!!". But, when you're on the inside and it's happening to you, it isn't always so black and white. I mentioned to Aso, that I worry that Kekoa will end up that way. Mind you, I was just thinking out loud, but she starts to tell me how at the rate we're going, it won't be long before that does happen to us! Oh my, I am so not ready for this. What would I do? Just to keep from starting to bawl my eyes out at the thought of having to go through such an ordeal, I began to plan. It's time to put both feet down and start maning up! You see, we've spoiled our children rotten and they know now that they can get whatever, whenever they want. Now, that Kekoa is almost 4, we are trying to put more restrictions on him and he is just not having it.

I talked to my husband about my fears and we have agreed that even though it looks like a long, HARD road, we are ready to travel down it! Please pray for us!!!

To My Darling Children,

In my attempt to refamiliarize myself with a lot of the beliefs and practices I grew up with, I've decided to start keeping this blog. I guess the most important thing that I want you two to know is that you were most definitely conceived in love. You both are and forever will be the most important people in your parent's lives. You are the air we breathe, and our ultimate motivation to be the best that we can be. To provide for you, to discipline you, to encourage you, to let you learn those lessons you NEED to learn, to love you for learning them well. To laugh with you, and cry with you, to lose sleep when you decide to do something you know is wrong, and to stand proudly by your side as reach milestone after milestone in your lives.



Kekoa, my handsome boy. Mommy loves you for all that you are. You are the best big brother any sister can ask for. You, I am proud to say, will be mommy's right hand man. I can see the determination in your eyes when you want to do something. I marvel at your strength at such a young age. I hope and pray that mommy and daddy can live up to what heavenly father has in store for you. May you always remember that you are a son of God, sent specifically to make our lives brighter. May you grow strong, work hard, love freely, and have the patience to help your sister along her way....

Paulette-Josephine (PJ), my angel. Most importantly, I want you to know that you are named for the two most influential people in your mother's life. You have big shoes to fill. I have every confidence in you, because at the wee age of 1 and 1/2, you have begun to show such promise. Daddy and I talk constantly about how you amaze us with your intelligence. Your personality is one we are sure will keep us on our toes. I have said on more than one occassion that I expect to be on a first name basis with your teachers and principals! You are such a sacred gift. I can not imagine how I was able to function without you. May you also remember you are a Daughter of God. May you learn Faith, Hope, Charity, Love, and develop THE meanest jump serve and do your daddy proud!!

All my love,
mommy...

And so it begins...

A very dear childhood friend wrote in her blog that she started it because she wanted for her daughter to have something to read and remember her upbringing by...I thought that that was wonderful seeing as we have, all our lives, been encouraged to keep journals. So, with that so vivid in my mind, I begin my quest to bookmark events in our lives that will maybe one day be something we look back and relish...