Pearl Harbor

 

Pearl Harbor….beautifully sad.  I’ve always wanted to go so when we had enough miles for a free stop on Oahu on our way home from Korea I took it. The tour was great.  They took us to see some things in Honolulu and explained some Hawaiian culture and history. We had a native Hawaiian guide that was phenomenal. We spent almost 5 hours at Pearl Harbor.  The water shuttle to the Arizona runs every 15 minutes so you get about 12 quietly, somber minutes over the ship to read the names and understand what really happened that day.  Then we went to the Missouri. Because Harry Truman was President at the time that’s the battleship they signed the war to its end.  We wandered around it for probably two hours looking at and reading everything. Then back to the park where there were movies to watch about what happened and tons of artifacts and articles from the war.  Truly amazing stories. My daughter loved the history of it all and it makes what you read in the books really real!  #pearlharbor #ussarizona #hawaiiwithmydaughter

Heavy week

 

It’s been a rough week.  I’m not sure about the kids. I haven’t seen anything different for them.  But I have struggled.  It was nice that Cole talked to me Saturday. I heard the hunting chimes ring just once.  I know that was him. It was calm and they’re under the deck roof but still rang. Monday was 3 months.  The realization, yes I know it, that he’s gone is really settling in. He’s not just in KS and hasn’t visited. This week is my birthday…- big one and he’d never miss that.  

Then tonight I got into my husband about something and he explained that he’d had a roughy week and day.  He saw a kid that reminded him of our son and he said the rest of the day sucked.   I told him to share that stuff with me.  I suffered in silence all week because I’m always afraid to bring others down.  I stayed late at work one day because a co-worker was helping me deal with it and talk about it all.  We need to do this together.  We’re the parents.  I know it hurts us the most and I need to stop being afraid of my sadness sometimes making others sad.  I have to really start dealing with and not hiding it all. 

Oahu….short visit lots to do

Aloha!

1969 Bronco pick up with my cousin?  Yes thank you. 

Kualoa Ranch. Lots to see

 This was just the first half of the day. We got to Oahu about 10am and we were promptly picked up by my cousin who is in the military. He took us to as many sites as possible on his day off.  We started with lunch and Kualoa Ranch which is the home of many movie/tv scenes from Jurassic Park/World, Jumanji, Magnum PI, 50 First Dates etc.  Pretty neat how many things were filmed on this massive ranch which is also the home to many bomb shelters from the war which is probably part of the allure.