To Fresh Starts and Clean Slates

 Back in 2012, in the good ol’ days when I blogged more than once a year...ahem....I remember reading one of my favorite bloggers sharing she would set a word as the theme for her year. I thought-- what a great idea-- and went with it. I haven’t been perfect with it every year since then, but looking back, I really love how a chosen word has inspired and pushed me through a year. Two of the first words I chose were joy and hope, which ended up being two qualities I needed most those two years and in the years to come. In contrast, last year I chose the word uplift, and had all these ideas on how I could serve others and make the world a brighter place. That all seemed great in the hopeful month of January, but in February my life took a sharp left turn when my father’s health suddenly and rapidly declined; and then life decided to go completely off-road into uncharted territory when my much-loved father passed away at the end of May. I had wanted to lift and brighten, but most of the year I found myself in the lowest and darkest places I had ever known. Instead of glorying in all that -I- could do, I watched in awe of what those around me could do. Uplift was definitely a theme for the last year, but not in the way I planned it. I learned how it feels to be lifted up from the depths of grief, only to sink back down again—and still have loving hands reaching down towards me, helping me through each step, waiting with me until I was ready.

I learned that even when we are at our lowest, we can still find ways to love others and serve them. In fact, when we are hurting, sometimes the best thing we can do is look outside ourselves. Love is not a commodity to be hoarded by misers. That precious little we feel we have left within us doesn’t disappear when we share it; it multiplies and fills us back up. And in the end, love is what lifts our heavy hearts.

As I was reflecting on what I most wanted for this next year, all I could think was how much I would like for things to SLOW DOWN. I can’t remember feeling so overwhelmed and inadequate and just plain tired in a long, long time. Last year, I had a New Years Resolutions list that was six pages long (no joke). The very thought makes me cringe. This year I am going to SIMPLIFY. I want all the extra distractions of life to fall away, so that I can focus on the things that really matter. First and foremost would be spending time and making memories with my loved ones. One thing I have thought about often since my father’s passing was how even though his life was so much shorter than it should have been, he made every moment count. He left a mark and an example for each and every one of his friends and family. We don’t know if we’ll be on this earth for another 50 years or if this is our last. I don’t want my time to be wasted. So 2018 is for making memories and treasuring those simple moments.

With an eye to simplicity, I only allowed myself to set two resolutions this year:

1. Be healthy.
2. Finish my novel

Of course I have smaller goals and plans on how to accomplish these, but (without sounding too melodramatic), I already feel weight and pressure lifting from me and it is freeing! While I still feel tired, I also feel ready to move forward. And after all the hiding I have done in the last year, it's about time.

Happy New Year! May this year be kind to us. And even if it isn't, let's carry on.

I’ve noticed that the word-of-the-year idea gets a bigger following each year. What’s your word and why?

My Past Words:
2012 joie de vivre (french phrase that means "joy of living")
2013 hope
2014 gratitude
2015 ——
2016 ——
2017 uplift
2018 simplify

[pictures taken January 3, 2018 on the Old Pali Highway Trail, Oahu]

Yosemite: Day 4

 We decided to go out with a bang on our last day in Yosemite, and headed down to the Mariposa Grove to check out the sequoias.  I'd never seen a sequoia before, so this was definitely something to cross off my bucket list.

London, however, remained unimpressed.  She fell asleep about five minutes into our hike, so I guess giant, ancient forests just don't do it for her.  Or maybe we'd just finally managed to wear her out!  We ended up taking her out of the backpack, because there is no way she was comfortable with her head bobbing around up there.

There are so many fallen trunks that have been there for at least a century--the compound in sequoias that gives the red coloring to their bark also makes them impenetrable to rot.  Seeing them laid out on the ground like this really helps you to see just how great their girth is, which to me was the most impressive thing about them.  And the trunks seemed to go on and on across the forest floor for a mile.

Another cool thing was all the scorch marks on the trunks.  The contrast between the red and the black was striking.  Sequoias actually need fire for their seeds to germinate, so fires happen quite often (and are controlled--and sometimes even started by the park rangers).  Older trees have seen many fires and have some impressive battle wounds.  I never got tired of seeing the charred trunks--I probably took a million pictures of just the black on red.

 Sequoias growing near each other will start to grow into each other to share resources.  This is the only example of that we saw, but there is a much more impressive and famous one further up the path that we didn't quite make it too.  But still kind of cool that they do that.

Cute shot of Grandpa Snow helping Grandma Snow up the path.  :)

My favorite tree was the Grizzly Giant.  It wasn't as tall as some of the other trees, but to me, it was simply awe-inspiring.  For real, I think I walked up towards it with my jaw literally dropped for at least a minute.  It was huge.  It looked prehistoric; its branches were spread out into a giant canopy, gnarled and twisted.  It had some char marks around a gaping cavity in the base of its trunk.  I was ready for a pterodactyl to come swooping down from the top.  It was unreal, like something out of Lord of the Rings.  Favorite moment of the day.

The last stop on our hike before we turned around was a tunnel tree.  They cut a tunnel through the (still-growing) trunk for tourism promotion purposes decades ago.  One really cool thing is the tree is still trying to heal itself from the wound--when you look up at the top of the tunnel inside the tree, you can see spots with sap dripping where the tree is still trying to seal itself back up.  Obviously this was the best place to block up traffic and take a GIANT FAMILY PHOTO!! ;)

And here is my father-in-laws masterpiece from our return hike.  Hopefully no rangers see this and yell at us/send us a fine.  You're not supposed to walk off the path, because sequoias have shallow root systems and walking on them can do them harm.  But Dave had to get this shot--and ya gotta admit, it is pretty cool. 

That about sums up our trip.  London did much better on the way home--she only barfed four times instead of ten!  Thanks to everyone for your comments, messages, e-mails, and likes on facebook.  I had so much fun sharing this and reading all the responses!  Before I wrap up all the Yosemite fun, I wanted to share these photos Dan's great-uncle Fred e-mailed us after reading about Half-Dome.  These photos are scans from slides he had from their trip to Yosemite in 1955!

Aren't those the coolest?!  I've been gushing over them to Dan since Uncle Fred sent them to us, and I'm so glad he said I could share them on the blog.  Thanks for reading, everyone!!

Yosemite: Day 3

We are finally settling down into a routine around here, for the first time since I don't know how long.  Probably since I got pregnant heebie jeebies.  I got some cleaning done, have been running a million errands, and even knocked out a project or two.  Plus, London is back on a regular nap schedule, which has literally been like my heaven on earth.  Yesterday she took one giant marathon nap...it was incredible.  I felt like a new woman by the time she woke up!  You would think I was the one who took the nap.

On our third day in Yosemite, we mostly hung out in Yosemite Valley.  We did a quick hike up to Yosemite Falls, which I'm sure the peeps who had hiked Half Dome the day before we're thrilled about. ;)  But it's the tallest waterfall in North America, so I mean, ya gotta see it while you're there, right?  Plus I am all about my hiking and nature walks, and I'd missed out on Half Dome, so I was probably excited enough for everyone.

Are we having fun yet??

London had a blast playing at the pool down at the bottom of the falls, while some of us scrambled up the rocks to some pools a little higher up.  I gave up about 3/4 of the way to the highest pool, because the rocks were getting pretty treacherous for an off-balanced pregnant lady.  But I had fun up to that point.  I wish I had taken my camera, but I was worried it would get a little banged up, and I didn't even have my phone on me to take some crappy pictures.  Bummer dude.

The whole gang!

We also went to the visitors center and checked out the Ansel Adams Gallery.  Earlier on the trip, we kept joking, "I'm no Ansel Adams, but I'll see what I can do."  Ummm, yeah, after looking at some of his work up close and in person, I can state that with even more confidence than before.  I would love to have a print of his blown up all huge for our home though.  Incredible.  He really captured the majesty of the park in a way no one else could.

Mason learns about Native American culture in the visitors center.

That night at the cabin we had a lip synch competition with all the families.  We performed "The Brady Bunch!" I was going to post a video, but I've been having some technical difficulties...I did manage to create this super fast madness.  So you get the general idea.

All the lip synchers were so cute!  But I don't think I'll ever forget Aunt Vicki's family and their rendition of California Gurlz.  Katy Perry and Snoop Dog (Lion???) never looked so good!

I'm already missing all the trees, winding roads, sheer granite cliffs, and the late night talks.  Can't wait to share our last day with you guys--Sequoias!

Yosemite: Day 2

 On our second day in Yosemite, a group went up and hiked Half Dome.  Dan (maybe a little reluctantly...) went with them.  At 25 weeks pregnant, for some reason an 18 mile hike that included climbing up an almost vertical cliff while hanging onto steel cables just didn't sound all that appealing to me.  So I stayed home with London and kept it real at the cabin.  Fortunately, Dan and his parents snagged a few pictures for me.

Dan's favorite part of the hike was up the Mist Trail, as you hiked up past Vernal and Nevada Falls.  In fact, he wishes he had just done that part of the hike and turned around--he got altitude sickness at the top of the dome, so it was hard to enjoy his triumph when he felt like puking.

Please note the line of people clinging onto the cables for dear life.

 One of our favorite things at Yosemite were these signs they had posted on all the roads, "Speeding Kills Bears."  We read that 15 bears are killed each year by speeding cars.  But only one was spotted on this trip, by Dan's aunt on the trail.  He looks so cuddly.  Although I have to admit, if I had been there in person, I probably would have been running in the other direction as fast as I could!

We managed to have some fun at the cabin too.  London especially enjoyed her peanut butter sandwich at lunch...or maybe just the peanut butter in her sandwich.  She's developing a special talent for mess-making.

Before I wrap this up, I'd just like to give a special shout-out to my mother-in-law, Carrie.  She kicked her fear of heights in the butt on this hike!  What a trooper!  (This is my favorite picture of her on the hike--I love how she is leaning as far away from the edge as possible hahaha.  I would be doing the same thing!!)