Beach Front Capoeira

Celebrating Our 4 Year Anniversary!

Lots and lots of loves.

Conquering Koko Head Crater Once Again

Well, we did it again. We conquered the crater and the 1,000 plus steps. Awesome, awesome views that totally make the pain worth it. I think this will be our definate thing to do each month. Especially after today; we found more trails that lead off to other mountain ridge trail ways and possible rock climbing (wink, wink Johnny Boy). Enjoy. Loves.

Let the cooking begin

Its amazing the time it takes to get back into the swing of things after being gone for so long. However, now that all our household goods are back and everything is starting to find its place again... let the cooking begin.

We have a bed!!!!

I don't really care for anything else that was delivered today; oh the bed, the bed is what I am most excited for. Sleeping bags on the floor does not make for a good nights sleep.

Utah Christmas and Redeployment Visit

Wow, it sure is good to be home again. Sorry to those I meant to visit, but didn't get a real chance to while I was in Utah. Diogo and I had such a good time and were able to really soak up our families. We love you guys and can't wait to officially be home for good. It would be good however if you all just moved here to Hawaii instead; come on, it's way too cold in Utah peeps! Loves.

Our Christmas Greeting to You All...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The many faces of GOING HOME!!!

Bags packed, empty room... HURRAY, we are journeying back home to Hawaii :)

Our Last Sunday Here On BAF

Today, I was officially released as the Bagram Branch Relief Society President, marking the last Sunday for Diogo and I here in Afghanistan. It has been a challenge, but also a huge blessing to be able to serve the women here on Bagram. Both, Diogo and I, have met some truly neat, neat people here in our Branch. Deployment is rough, but we have been greatly blessed during our time here. We also have had the opportunity to be part of history here in Afghanistan on many fronts. Our Branch is part of the first Military District in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The district was organized a little over 1 year ago and consists of 4 branches (Kabul, Kandahar, Bagram, and Salerno). There are also many service groups plus a few remote locations. There are over 400 members of the church in Afghanistan. This picture was taken on our first Sunday here. Now, time seems to have flown by. Its bitter-sweet; its hard to say goodbye to some, yet we are anxious and ready to return home.

Super Talented

Little background: There is a joke between Jurat, our dear friend at the Afghan bank, Diogo and I. When I first worked with Jurat, he told us that his name meant "Carrot Juice" or so we thought. For weeks we called him carrot juice, laughing and thinking "what a funny and peculiar name, but ok." (haha) Turns out there was a little misunderstanding. However, we soon stood corrected. What Jurat was really telling us was that his name means "Courageous" and NOT carrot juice. Haha. Because of Jurat's Afghan accent, apparently we weren't able to understand him correctly :) So funny, it seriously cracks me up.
So, as Diogo and my time is coming to an end here in Afghanistan we wanted to give something for remembrance... Diogo is soooooo talented. He took a close-up of Jurat's face, drew it again in microsoft paint, and added a few additions. We later took it to a shop here on Bagram and were able to put it on a t-shirt for him. Haha. Think Jurat will like it? Check it out:

Front of the t-shirt

Back side of the t-shirt

The super talented and adorable Diogo O Belo.

Wild Afghan Pomegranates

Yesterday Zubair gave us a big bag of local Afghan fruit. The best thing inside the bag... four HUGE, the biggest I have ever seen, wild Afghan Pomegranates. We enjoyed some this morning for breakfast and man, oh man, they were soooo deliciously juicy. So good!

Brrrrr

Mmm, a cup a day of Stephens Raspberry Hot Chocolate sure takes the chill away.

"Kickin' the cottage cheese up a notch!"