Life as Lil' Red: Berthaliki Kekoa Nui

Destiny, Kaylyn, Me and Lindsay at our beach :) Hukilau!

   Three words: I am back...! I am back in my paradise and completely content. But don't get me wrong, I had such an amazing time at home for those seven weeks! I really got to do so much and spend so much quality time with my friends and family and I wouldn't have traded those seven weeks for anything! But I do feel so glad to be back in Hawaii. It's just so healthy for me here and I feel like I can breathe again :)

   So right before I left, we made our trip to San Francisco and not only dropped my car "Bertha" off to be shipped to Honolulu, but we got to do all of my favorite things that northern California offers to me. This includes: Pier 39, crepes, shopping in Vacaville for great deals, hotel, hotel pool (with fun games with Chase haha), Ghirardelli Square for dark chocolate hot fudge sundays, french bakery, Muir Beach, Stinson Beach, and In 'N Out to wrap it all up. As you can tell, we like food in my family a little.... I've made pretty much this exact trip at least four times before but I know it will never get old for me! And for me, Muir Beach and Stinson beach are some of my favorite places in the whole world. They just make me so happy! I guess I just love beaches, so it's good I live at one.

   Since I've been back, life has been crazy but crazy good as well! I got back on September 8 and the fun started that day! It was so nice to be here without being in classes for a couple days. It was a little interesting getting back into the groove of living on an island and everything, and coming back to my friends who had been here while I was gone. But then classes started and I felt right at home and really just back into my lifestyle here. This semester is kind of crazy because I'm taking 18 credits and still working at the Alumni Relations Office... but I can do it! I'm taking Business 180 Commerce and Enterprise, Anthropology, Doctrine and Covenants, History 202, Biology, Communications, and a Entrepreneurship lecture class. It really is a lot but I think it will be manageable and I'm actually liking most of them so far, they're interesting!

   But forget the boring stuff! First of all- my CAR came!! It finally arrived! I've had it for a little over a week now and I'm in heaven. At first her name was "Bertha," but now that she's a Hawaiian her name is "Berthaliki Kekoa Nui" haha, which Amber says means "Bertha who has traveled over many great waters.." I'm so extremely grateful for it, it's changed my life for sure. Everything is now much more convenient, it saves a lot of time, and I have the whole island to explore now. So with the help of having my car, I've already had three spectacular weekends here, all consisting of: huge bonfires, Waimea Bay, Seasider volleyball games, Kahuku Grill (yum!), crazy dance on campus, Kahuku Red Raiders football game, girl's night, swimming in the ocean at two in the morning, opening social at Hukilau, two nights in Honolulu with all the girls doing some crazy shopping, "planking," fun FHE's, and most importantly: meeting a bunch of new people and making great new friends! My house is seriously so fun this semester too because we have ten girls between the two units and we all get along so it's such a blast all the time!

   On top of all of the crazy good times I've had already, I feel like I have gone through a lot here too already. I was pretty stressed the first couple of weeks for a few reasons, but I really learned a lot during that time and I'm still learning a lot. What I've learned most though is how much Heavenly Father loves me. Through my little struggles I had, I was blessed with so many people who really took time to care for me and help me out, and it was because of my prayers to Heavenly Father for help. So I saw His love through everyone who was there for me. I also learned that the best way to free yourself from your "issues" is to forget yourself and go to work, like President Hinckley's dad said! I have found that when I'm serving others I forget myself and my worries or wants or needs. Then I'm so much happier all of the time! Plus I figured that if I'm so grateful for His love, I should share that love with everyone else. I'm so grateful for this gospel and for my Heavenly Father who loves me so much and for the opportunity I have to do his work and do what I need to to become closer to Him. The other really important thing I've learned is that I need to be more confident and happy with who I am, and that I need to live my life with a positive attitude and hope that I will be taken care of if I'm doing what's right.

   I'm so grateful for this life I live here in Hawaii! It's such a perfect fit for me here. I love the people and the mentality and the "Spirit of Aloha." So yes, I am SO glad to be back and am looking forward to this semester and the adventures it brings! Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks!