After over 24 hours of travel back from Hawaii, I am curled up with Patacón in my Shenzhen living room, looking forlornly outside at our airpocalypse, already reminiscing about the blue skies in Maui and the sounds of my nieces laughing and playing in the pool.
I do not know what I did in my past life, but it must have been a lot of good to be born into this Baci family. This past week was so full of fun ... and quotable moments from the chica littles.
The week began in Honolulu with Cass and Tom. My youngest sister is the best self-appointed travel agent I have ever met. She does not know it yet, but I am about to begin using her for all of my Asia trips; the woman is a whiz at using Trip Advisor and bloggers to book the best restaurants and excursions. This winter she did the research for us and booked herself, Tom and I tickets to see Pearl Harbor. The past number of years I have read quite extensively about the history of other countries, but there is so much about my own country's history of which I am unaware. The 20 minute introductory film on what led up to Pearl Harbor as well as the events of December 7, 1941, and ferry out to the USS Arizona memorial was informative and moving.
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| The memorial sits atop the submerged hull of the USS Arizona. The shape of the memorial is significant. Alfred Preis, the architect, said, "Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory ... The overall effect is one of serenity. Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit the individual to contemplate his own personal responses ... his innermost feelings." |
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| The flag waved in a soft wind the day we visited. It was at half mast in memory of those recently lost in the Florida school shooting. Being an American, I have a passport that affords me great privilege. I am proud of my country in many ways, though this pride is not unwavering. I hope that we can do right by one another, and the children in our country as discussions of gun laws persist. My friend Lindsay's husband, J.P., recently wrote and published a piece in the MinnPost as part of the discussion. |
After the 24 hour stopover in Honolulu, we flew to meet the rest of the crew in Maui. Living thousands of miles away with my furry princess, I miss out on many moments with my family. I was delighted to be present for so many precious moments on this trip. Especially for times when Gia Boo announces, with a blue mouth from her crushed ice, "A smurf came in my mouth last night." I'm. still. laughing. And happy to note that I have strong control of my bladder.
Engaging in conversations with the littles, or simply listening in to ones they were having with each other, was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Gia is a comedian without even knowing it, but she is also asking those questions of curiosity, like, "How are we on the world?" I cocked my head as I listened to Linds respond, wondering if I would take a spiritual or scientific approach to that one.
Gia is also full of sage advice. I took her to the gym to workout with me the first morning that we were all together. She often works out with Linds and Jon at home. She brings the intensity, and diplomatically reminded me that next time we should get our water ahead of time so that we aren't left to be parched and panting in the middle of a HIIT workout.
In addition to offering her auntie some wisdom, Gia also offered Natalie a tip as Nat was going back and forth with Payton. "She won't answer me back and it's so ruuuuude," Nat complained from the back of the vehicle. "Count to 60," Gia evenly replied. I like that I thought. Usually we give ourselves or someone else 10 seconds to get shit together, but you know, when you're irritated with your sister, it's gonna take more than 10 to stop being annoyed with her antics. I think this is a better rule to live by, in fact, inside the classroom, in line to cross the border back into China, or when Lil P is protesting in the middle of the night. Count to 60.
While the girls were bickering a bit on this particular car ride (the kind of bickering that used to get Linds and Cass and I an "I'm going to pull over and leave you on the side of the road" response), most of the time they were doing a lot of "chilaxing" together, as Natalie put it.
One of my most treasured roles in life is being an auntie. If ever the world has you feeling like chopped liver, get yourself a niece or four. It's one of my favorite things to hear them call out my name as we play in the pool, and to reach for my hand as we walk to dinner. They bring the joy.
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| Are they mermaids or bugs? Perhaps a little bit of both, and certainly the cutest little humans. |
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| Uncle Tommy, papa in training. |
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| Niece number 5 arrives in May! Classic photo of Cass (one of my favorites) ... and Payton with the photo bomb. |
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| First borns with the Mama-Amma |
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| They are the rays of sunshine. |
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| #bacicrew #baciblood #natalieisabella #happyrunsinthefamily |
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| Gia Boo watching the waves roll in and seeing if she can spot a whale in the distance. |
The whale watching that we did together with Hawaiian Ocean Rafting was a family favorite. February is a bit rainier in Hawaii, but the timing was perfect for spotting all kinds of whale-tail waves, breeches, and squealing as a whale came so close to our boat that it seemed we could almost reach out and touch it.
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| This day was also gorgeous and warm. The sun and smiles were out. |
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| Tres chicas bonitas. |
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| Look that way! |
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| That whale tail has the strongest muscle in the animal kingdom! |
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| Just swimming by to say hello ... a jaw dropping moment, |
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| Can't help but smile back when I look at those faces. |
The rest of the week was full of morning mimosas
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| Cheers to my Gram. XOXO |
a scuba dive with Dad
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| Our last dives were in the Galapagos. Pretty darn lucky to dive such beautiful waters. |
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| Diving through underwater lava formations. |
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| Not featured: the frog fish, puffer fish and trumpet fish that we were excited to see. |
Editor of National Geographic's Adventure Classics Anthony Brandt said, "Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family." This is my truth. I do not feel like the same person who left Minnesota for a life abroad nearly five years ago, but I am still the same granddaughter, daughter, sister and friend. I cherish the time we all get to be together. It is time full of laughter and love.
The Hawaiian sun set on this family vacation, and with it rose many memories.
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| Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake. ~Henry David Thoreau |
