FOUND!

I was looking for a dear friend who I saw in Utah this summer - even though she lives in another state...

I posted a plea here this morning - and not an hour later got an email from her with her email and contact info!!!

I won't tell you her name right now - but soon...

I will share her info with all of you so that you can all forward your spam email to her! You can also post her number in truck stops across the U.S. Also, if you call her directly (and I will post her phone number) she will even PAY YOUR BILLS!!!

You will want her on speed dial!

Fix What You Can Fix

This is my new mantra.

Adopt it yourself and see how it works.

It has already helped me have a brighter outlook on this new day!

Email from Elder Jacob Wright 8/24/09

So i finally got to set up my email account here. We have like a time limit so i am kinda rushing at the moment. everything is great here, the food and people etc. Hows everything at home? I sent a letter a last week so you should get it in the mail sometime this week. My companion is really great, his name is elder crook, and my roomies are really cool too. I am really liking it here and am learning a ton, time just flys by so fast. I will probably mail home some letters for other people i dont know the address to (Skyla and Nancy atm, more later tho) I've never really been one to go on in a letter, so i'll probably be better prepared next time to write a better email haha. this is our first p-day and we got to go to the temple and that was nice. ill send some pics home later. Izzz cold here in the mornings, but gets better as the day go's on. 2 more weeks and ill be goin out into the fiels teaching people, and i know ill be ready for it. we have already talked to investigators over the phone which was fun.

You will hear more from me soon,
Love, Jake (Elder Wright) ;)

True Confessions

On Sunday I traveled from Salt Lake to Honolulu - taking 4 flights to accomplish this. When I arrived in Las Vegas I had about 25 minutes to kill before my flight boarded for Los Angeles. There were no seats available in the waiting area by my gate or any of the gates nearby.

What to do?

The only seats available

Were at the slot machines in the middle.

So I sat.

Well of course you know...

Those seats are for players only

So...

I had to play.

Penny slot.

I put in $1

And won $3.

I decided to let it ride

And bet the max on all lines.

I won $48!

So that's my confession.

Filthy lucre...

All mine!

Some Utah Photos

Well I am sitting in the LAX Admiral's Club waiting for my flight back to Hawaii. Gene and kids don't get back until Tuesday.

Some random photos of our stay in Utah. We stayed in a great townhouse in downtown Ogden. It had 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, full kitchen etc., could sleep 10. And all for only $70 per night! It was so convenient to everything! We will definitely rent this place again the next time we come.

Hannah loved the stairs and was usually crawling up and down them head firts. I got her to pose on one of her climbs.

Here's a picture on Michelle sitting at the kitchen bar.

Gene and I both slept really well at this place - sleeping in until 7:00 on some days - unheard of back home in Kaneohe!

We went to dinner our first night in Utah with the Boman Family. It was just the beginning of our "over-eat" vacation.

I cooked at the townhouse several nights - one night we had our old friend Dave Monobe over for dinner.

The Bomans had a nice BBQ for us one night! Steaks and all the works. It was great visiting with them and with the Hillstroms, both old friends from our former life in Ogden.

My deaf friends had a BBQ for us too on Friday night at Cindy Tuckett Kerr's house in West Layton. It was great to see her, her family, Chris Brown, Heidi Ercanbrack, Pam Tuckett Bowker and Cindy Frew. It felt good to sign again and to understand sign language. I was surprised at how quickly it all came back...and also how patient these gals were with my signing!!!

On my last night in Utah we went to Steve and Kathy's for another BBQ. it was fun to see all their grandchildren! Hannah turned the water hose on all the kids and got them all soaked. Steve and Kathy have such a nice family.

We also went to our niece Rachel's wedding on Saturday at red Moose Lodge in Eden. The temperature was supposed to hit like 106 but, thankfully, it didn't. The chairs were in the shade so it was a very nice afternoon. I'll post wedding pictures later.

So now I'm headed home to see my Carly and Lehua! Can't wait!

Elder Wright

Here is Jacob the day he entered the Mission Training Center in Provo, Utah (Aug. 19). I made him take off his glasses cause he has some that go dark when you go outside. I thought he looked so handsome in his new charcoal gray suit. He tried it on, with no intention of wearing it that day, but once he got it on and looked at him self in the mirror he said, "I'm wearing this. I look good!"

We dropped him a little before noon. He looked happy and excited! One last hug and he was gone...and I cried all the way from Provo to Thanksgiving Point.


So proud of him. He gave his Dad his cell phone and Gabe a BB gun. He gave me an IOU on an arm massage.

Humbling Morning

This morning we went to the Ogden Temple with Jacob. It is the same temple we were married in.

It was so special - the temple workers treated Jacob so special, the temple president was so kind to him. I am so grateful for such a great son who has kept himself worthy in every way to enter the House of the Lord.

His maturity and readiness to serve the Lord were very much in evidence today.

I am truly blessed.

Today's the Day

Hi Hannah & Michelle

By the time you read this it will be Monday and on Monday night you will fly on the airplane with Susan to utah. You will actually fly on 3 planes. The first plane will take you from Hawaii to Los Angeles, California.

On that first plane it will be a good idea to go to sleep. Susan can help you if you need to use the bathroom on the plane. You will be on that plane for about 5 hours. You will be sitting in row 11.

You will get to California in the early morning. You will be at the airport in Los Angeles for about 1 1/2 hours. During that time you can go to the bathroom and maybe eat something for breakfast.

You will then get on the 2nd plane which will take you from Los Angeles California to Dallas Texas. You will be on that plane for about 3 hours.

You will arrive in Dallas at about lunch time. Maybe you will get something to eat at the Dallas airport. You will be there for about 2 hours.

Your 3rd plane will take you from Dallas to the airport in Salt Lake City Utah. You will arrive in Utah at about 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon. We will be at the airport to get you.

Please be obedient to Susan. Remember to go to the bathroom before you get on every plane because the airplane bathrooms are small. Do not wait until the last minute to go to the bathroom.

On Tuesday night we will have dinner with Aunty LeAnn and her family. Maybe we will get to see Heather that night. Heather will cut Hannah's bangs. Heather is Vanessa's sister. You will like her - she has a dog and she is going to have a baby!

I love you girls and am so excited to see you very soon! Remember to be kind to your friends and Susan too (especially as you travel).

Love,
Mom

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

This morning Gene, Jacob and I drove to Salt Lake City to attend a live broadcast of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I have attended many broadcasts but this one was somthing special.

Why you ask? Well..it was the final song that made it so special.

Can you imagine seeing and hearing the Choir in person as they sang "Climb Every Mountain"?

Simply awesome!

Hi Girls

Only 3 more days til you fly to Utah!
It is hot in Utah. It is 90 degrees.It is very green and pretty. There is a waterpark near the townhome we are renting!
Please be obedient at school and get all your work done.
I miss you and will see you soon.
Be kind to everyone.
Ilove you.
Mom

Hello Michelle & Hannah

Well girls when you woke up this morning I was already gone. I am on my way to Utah. Daddy will leave tomorrow morning. Jacob will leave tomorrow night You will fly to Utah to meet us on Monday night - not very long from now!

Tonight and tomorrow night Aunty and Aunty Brandi will be with you. This weekend Aunty Brandi and Susan will be with you.

I hope you have a good day at school and that you are helpful to your friends.

Please be good big sisters to Carly and Lehua! They love you both so much. Make sure you don't carry them because when you carry them they can't exercise their leg muscles.

Michelle - I downloaded 5 new episodes of Rugrats on your Ipod. You can watch them on the plane.

Hannah - Have a great school day with Ms. Juliet and have fun on the monkey bars! Maybe you can read a book to Carly tonight

I love you, remember to always be kind.
Mom

You Know You're From Hawaii

So I lifted this from someone else. Its funny - but if you notice that the numbering is off its cause we Wrights don't do ethnic jokes...

1. You buy large quantities of toilet paper in case there’s a longshoreman strike…
2. You don’t understand why anyone would buy less than a 20 lb bag of rice…
3. You would serve spam as a meat for dinner…
4. You can taste the difference between teriyaki and kal-bi
5. You know what a plumeria is and which color would die first: yellow,white or red…
6. You know why there’s shoes and slippers outside of front doors…
7. You know why there are alphabets on trees or any posts on graduation day (this isn’t how everyone does it?!)
8. You know what lei day is…
9. You know what is the “stink eye”; and how to give it…
11. You can correctly pronouce kalanianaole, kalakaua and aiea
12. You know what is in the big breakfast at mcdonald’s
13. You know what a “huli huli chicken” is…
14. You can name 3 varieties of mangos…
15. You have at least one family member whose name is “_____ boy; or “tita”…
16. You have said “wat, owe you money?,”; “karang your alas”; or “da kine”…
17. You know the difference between being hapa and being hapai
18. You give directions using mauka and makai…
19. You know what is “hawaii pono’i”…
20. You know what it takes to get into kamehameha school…
21. You know how to correctly pronounce “Likelike”…
22. Someone says the word “UKU” and your head starts itching. eeww…
23. You raise your chin to say “wassup” instead of nodding. (like one haole)…
24. When making “Shaka” the back of your hand is facing out. (Except I am partial to the ‘lazy shaka’)
25. You say, “Nori” not seaweed paper…
26. You say “Brah” not “Bro”…
27. You despise the movie “North Shore”…
28. You know why Sharks Cove is called Sharks Cove…
30. You laugh at couples with cheesy Aloha attire…
31. If you get one pair of “tata” slippers…
32. When you e-mail mail people in pidgin…
33. You know what is “Morgan’s Corner”. (And it still scares you!)
34. If you’re immune to “leptospirosis”.
35. When it’s 70 degrees and it’s freezing to you.
36. You use “tako” instead of worms or fluorescent pink fish eggs for bait…
37. You got lickins’ with “da rubbah slippah”…
38. If you can walk through Waianae and not get mobbed…
39. You know that “Kukui nut” is not some mental person…
40. You’ve given Kahi Mohala’s number out to a guy/girl you didn’t like… (This is a good idea, haha!)
41. You call it “saimin” not “Top Ramen”…
42. The surf report is on your speed dial…
43. Your local kids wear slippers and shorts in November in Michigan! (inside the house, of course!)…
44. “Dressing up” means shorts and a aloha shirt.
45. You say “shave ice”, not snow cone or shaved ice…
46. Rainbow Drive-Inn is a special date.
47. You go Kam, not Aloha, swap meet.
48. You know pineapples don’t grow in trees.
49. When you hear the words fund raiser, you know it means Zippy’s Chili
50. Your mouth waters when you hear the words li-hing mui.

Poke Bowl

Did you hear about the Poke Bowl you can get at Foodland??? Any poke they sell - they pile it on rice for $4.99!!

2 days in a row I've devoured them! First I tried the ahi shoyu poke bowl, then last night the limu ahi poke bowl

Broke da mout!

Planning Jacob's Farewell

We've scheduled a BBQ farewell party for Jacob this Saturday from 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the District Park. That is our kind of setting - lots of run around room, playground equipment, bathrooms, lots of parking and did I mention free? (and only 3 blocks away).

How many are coming? Who knows! We've invited a bunch so planning for maybe 100?

It will be a great opportunity for Jacob to see everyone before he leaves. He has invited his girlfriend Sam and her family so we will get to meet her parents (and sister I think) for the first time.

Our good friends, the Featherans, are helping us with tables, tent etc. but that's as fancy as it'll get - it's a bring-your-own-lawn-chair affair.

I have been so touched by the friends who have called to ask "What can I bring?" - I am usually not a "potluck" person so its been hard - BUT, the friends who have asked are really close friends and will get irritated if I don't allow them to help.

So here's the menu -
BBQ Chicken (made with my special secret recipe)
BBQ Ribs (made with another one of my special secret recipes)
Hot Dogs (the red ones - cause I love Michelle and she loves them)
Hamburgers (this one is still a maybe...thinking about it)
Noodles (Aunty Leo ordered!)
Sushi (Aunty Leo again!)
Pasta Salad (my not-so-secret recipe)
Potato Salad (Kookie Laumatia specialty!)
Chinese Chicken Salad (by Gourmet Chef Friend Larry Medal)
Baked Beans (our neighbor Bob Meyer's specialty!)
Rice (Rochelle Featheran's got the biggest rice container I know of!)
Ice Cake (old fashioned kind courtesy of Ice Cake Queen Korey Teruya)
Cup Cakes (Brandi doesn't know this yet but I am going to ask her to buy these=D)
Chips (my super secret recipe - buy them at the store!)

Is your mouth watering? Then come on down!

Invasion of the Time Snatchers

So as most of you know I am a very organized person (usually). I can remember appointments etc. without having to write a note to myself (usually). But nowadays it seems things are getting out of hand...

This morning I remembered that the new kids' Guardian Ad Litem was coming over at 9:30. Luckily she called and said it would be more like 10:00.

I say luckily because this is what I forgot. Michelle's therapist was coming over at 9:00. She was on time.

The Guardian Ad Litem showed up at 9:50 so I kicked the therapist out.

I also forgot that Lehua's Enhanced Healthy Start worker was coming over at 10:30 so when she showed up I kicked out the Guardian Ad Litem.

Its 11:38 and the Healthy Start gal just left.

Whew!

Honestly, 7 kids is no work at all compared to the time it takes to deal with all of the adults assigned to offer us "support services"! This week alone I have spent 12+ hours either meeting with, talking on the phone to or corresponding with these "helpful" folks.

And its all the same - same questions, same discussion...

I'm tired - and its only Wednesday - and the dreaded Catholic Charities social worker is coming back tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Questions, Answers & Blood

So yesterday this social worker comes over to talk about the new kids etc. She had made an appointment for 3:00 - fine. She came - she was nice enough. But she stayed 3+ hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What's up with that????

And while she was here:

1. She had to talk to each of us individually.
2. Jacob talked about preparing for mission and importance of Family Home Evening (yea!)
3. Gabe talked about his performances and importance of Family Home Evening (yes!)
4. Hannah talked about the ocean and a doctor kit (huh?)
5. Michelle talked about how she didn't want to talk to the lady but wanted to go outside with Elvis (yea!)
6. The lady let Lehua play with her file folder
7. Lehua got a cut on her finger from the lady's file folder and bled everywhere
8. Gene had to take Lehua to emergency cause it was bleeding so bad and wouldn't stop
9. Jacob had to go along to apply pressure to the bleeding finger
10. Hannah wet her pants twice.
11. Michelle, Hannah and Carly got into 3 screaming fights over the toy doctor kit Carly got for her birthday.
12. I had to find Gabe a ride to the airport (for his trip to Scotland) cause Gene had taken the car to the hospital with Gabe
13. Michelle kept nagging for dinner saying "But Mom I am so hungry."
14. The lady kept asking her stupid questions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are a social worker - get a clue - tune into what's happening around you and adjust!!!!!

Dinner was at 7:30 - rice and eggs

The Good News
Lehua's finger got glued (can't wet it for 3 days - yea, right - try that with a 1 year old!)

More Good News
Gene did sneak out later and got Panda Express for he and I - sweet date!

REALLY, REALLY BAD NEWS
The lady is coming back on Thursday cause she didn't get to talk much to Gene cause SHE made my baby's finger bleed so bad he had to leave and take her to the hospital!!!

New Picture

So trying a new header picture. Our friend Viv, the photog wonder, did some quick pics yesterday after church. Its hard to get everyone looking and smiling at one time! Other pics

She sent some other great shots which I'll post later.