luke + kari: Hawaii

luke and i are in hawaii! we got here late in the evening on july 24th, my cousin picked us up from the airport and were able to find our apartment and everything just fine. but it has been quite an adventure so far. we have mostly been looking for jobs, a car and housing for fall semester (we are only in our apartment for a month), so we've been really busy with that. we have met some really nice people so far, and that has been a blessing!

it's hard moving to a place and not knowing many people, especially when you don't have a car and you need a car to get certain things done! i'll admit it, there have been times these past couple of weeks where i have wondered if we made the right decision moving out here. i get kind of bummed when i think about the things we left behind...especially with the baby, and knowing that i probably won't get all of the nice things that my friends have gotten for their babies. we'll probably buy cheap used things. and i really wanted to make all these cute things for the baby, like my friends have done, and i probably won't get to do all that i wanted. and i think it's easy to feel lonely in the beginning, just with not knowing many people. but i know that part will change.

but then i am grateful as well, because i feel like being here will help me really appreciate what i do have. i feel like i will be able to learn a lot from being here. it sure is beautiful! it's not quite as nice and organized as orange county, but i expected that. but i love that the ocean is so close, and that i can swim in the water and not freeze to death! and it's so beautiful! it's fun to just see the different places here and just be mesmerized by it's beauty. i feel like i have been a lot more active, just in the last couple of weeks, and i love it! and i love the laid back lifestyle, and people seem to be really friendly here. i don't love the sticky feeling from the humidity, but i'm getting used to it.

i am excited to be here! i think it will be an adventure and that i will get used to a having a different lifestyle here. it definitely has it's perks. but luke and i both felt like this is where we needed to be at this time in our lives.