ALOHA!

Aloha! Greetings from Oahu! We have been on the island for one week and three days. We have been blessed to have a free week of vacation, due to the holiday. So, it really has been a week in paradise. We are currently staying at the hotel on base, while we search for housing. This week has been AMAZING! If it is any insight to how our tour here will be, we have so much to look forward to. The weather is sunny, warm and beautiful. It is usually somewhere between 75-85 degrees with the occasional rainbow in the sky. There is always a breath taking view in sight, whether it is the enormous mountains or the endless ocean. You cannot escape or deny God’s beauty on this island.

We have gotten many things accomplished with our time here. We were able to celebrate Thanksgiving (our second one together. It’s hard to believe that last year we got engaged the day before, time flies!) While it’s challenging to prepare a Thanksgiving feast in a hotel with only a mini fridge and a microwave, we were able to do quite well (and had plenty of left-overs for the rest of the weekend, the best part!) We searched long and hard for a place to live and believe we have found our home! We fell in love with the North Shore area, specifically the small beach town of Haleiwa. We found a little beach house one mile from the beach and only 15 minutes from base. It is perfect! We are already turning into beach bums! Nic started in-processing today and will report to his new unit next Monday. Bridgett has started the search for school substitute positions and has some interviews lined up.

While things have been busy, we have managed to squeeze in some fun J. We visited the busy city of Honolulu several times and walked the world renown Waikiki strip. We spent Thanksgiving day snorkeling at Hawaii’s famous Hanauma Bay (Hawaii’s best snorkeling spot). We watched the Van’s Triple Crown World Championship Surfing Competition at North Shore. We’ve spent lots of time in our soon to be home town of Haleiwa in the town market and enjoying the local food. Speaking of food, we have eaten unbelievable well in the past week, experiencing everything from Thai from a bus, big city restaurants, the favorite local taco joint, Hawaiian shaved ice, to sidewalk whole chickens roasted on a flat bed and enjoyed on the beach watching sea turtles. Even though it is December, it has not been too cold to swim and enjoy the biggest waves we have ever experienced (roughly 25 feet high!) One thing we are very excited about, is a good church only ½ mile from our soon to be home. We went this Sunday and were welcomed as if we were family. We look forward to getting involved and serving in the North Shore Christian Fellowship Church.

Many things here are very different from back home and will take some time getting use to, such as: things are more expensive; there is no Super-Walmart (but there are regular Walmarts); the speed limit does not exceed 55 MPH anywhere on the island and the drivers don’t exceed 45 (it seems like); town and street names are unpronounceable to southern twang or new comers; the beach is only a 20 minute drive in any direction (but that we can get use to).
With that said, we will let our pictures do the talking!

Statue of Duke at Wakiki

A huge Hawaiian tree

One of the beaches a mile from our house


Hanauma Bay- Hawaii's best snorkeling spot

A Hawaiian lifegaurd stand

Snorkel gear looks good on everyone, right?

Aerial view of Hanauma Bay

One of the winner's of the surf competition

Our future beach home

Three bedrooms (we have plenty of room

for when you come visit!)

Hope our stuff arrives soon so we can decorate!

The kitchen

The bathroom

To our faithful readers, we would like to renew our commitment and promise to post more often. We love and miss you all! Please come visit soon, we have a place for you to stay!