Here Comes the Sun: Top 5 Hawaii Memories, Saying Goodbye, Merry Christmas, and New Beginnings

Well it's been a while since I have blogged. It's crossed my mind a few times but something else has always come first. Well since my last post we have taken our trip to visit Lea and Andrew. We did so many fun things and made so many great memories. Instead of trying to talk about everything, I decided to make a list of my top 10 favorite things.

Hawaii Top 10- In no particular order- It was all equally wonderful!

1. Guacamole! (Lea makes the best from her avocado trees)

2.Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay

3.Watching the sunset at Waikiki

4.Spending a girls day with Lea at Bellows Beach (#1 most beautiful beach in Hawaii)

5. Running the Mizuno Half Marathon in Honolulu-The sites were so amazing I forgot that I was running 13 miles.

6. 8lb pancakes at Mac 24/7- After running 13 miles :)

7. Thanksgiving meal on the Lanai with great friends.

8. Jumping off the rocks at Waimea Bay

9. Paddle Boarding on the North Shore- my new favorite "sport"

10. Drinking Bikini Blonde Lager, while sitting with a BFF, viewing he most beautiful sites in the world!

Already planning my next trip!!!

Me and B in Hanauma Bay

Couldn't think of a better way to spend our 1 year anniversary!

Me, paddle boarding- I am a champ! Hahah! I like to think I could be. I don't think I would be any good on waves!

That's me in the air! WAHHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

No turning back now!

One of my favorite people in the world. Fun day! Love this lady!!!

Sushi time!

Beautiful!!!

On a sad note, we also faced a tough loss this month. My sweet grandfather and the best man on Earth passed away on December the 13th. It was pretty unexpected and a big blow to our family. We lost my grandmother in April due to a long illness. I've always heard that it isn't uncommon for a widowed spouse to pass on shortly after their significant other, but I really wasn't expecting it with Pop. Pop was living it up! He was traveling every weekend to far off places such as Tunica to take in the steak buffets, the Tennessee state line to buy lottery tickets ("Somebody is gonna win that lottery, but it ain't gonna be you if you don't have a ticket." He had promised everyone he knew part of the loot if he won it.), and to the Brewer Community Center where he had taken up dancing with his dear friend, Mrs. Ruth.

I thought about Pop on a daily basis. Unfortunately I should have called him or gone to see him more. My Nana and Pop were people who I saw as immortal and couldn't imagine a world without them in it. Now I am left with precious memories. I can still remember the way the smelled, how soft there cheeks were when they would bring me in for a tight hug, how they would sneak me a little pocket money and tell me not to spend it all in one place and not to tell the other they had given it to me. Sometimes I would double up! :)

I will never forget spending the night with Nana and Pop when I was a little girl. A typical night consisted of eating a Mr. Gurley's or Malone's restaurant where it seemed like Nana would talk to everyone for hours and Pop would buy me candy at the register. Later that night we would most likely make a run to Mr. Gunter's store for Pop to buy breakfast for the morning and he would let me pick out an Archie comic book. A few years later it would be Seventeen magazine (Nana didn't approve much of these. Haha!). Nana and I would stay up "to the middle of the night" at my request, watch Mama's Family on t.v., and work the Funny Pages from the Daily Journal. Before we went to bed Nana would tuck me in, go "take her face off" (scary sounding huh?!?), and then we always said our prayers together. In the morning I would wake up to the smell of sausage and hash browns. Pop cooked the best breakfast. We would sit at the table and eat while they both read through the paper and the days obituaries. Those are some sweet memories that I will always treasure.

I got to see Pop the day he passed away. It wasn't a visit I want to remember much about, but I will always remember how his eyes lit up when he saw that Mom and I were there to visit him, holding his hand and him squeezing mine, telling him I loved him, him saying it in return and winking at me as to say "every things going to be alright." I remember walking out the door that day and not wanting to think that it would be the last time that I got to visit him, but my prayer for the rest of the day was that God would bring him home if it was his time. I drove back to Oxford and got the call early the next morning from Mom. It was a peaceful feeling, but just like with everyone you love, a little piece of your heart dies with them. My world doesn't quit feel the same and never will. I lost 3 grandparents this year. Three people that helped to shape, guide, and raise me. I know Nana and Pop are in heaven looking down on us all and smiling. I'm glad that they are together and very proud of the lives that they blessed and touched, and the legacies they left behind.

Look how handsome my Pop was! So proud to be my Pop and me so proud to be his! :)

Me and my Grandaddy Al- An amazingly unique, intelligent, and insightful person. Always very interesting to talk to.

Pop and I at Old Taylor Restaurant this last summer.

Mother's Day 2011. Pop loved to come to Oxford and visit with "his kids."

Nana and I always shared birthday dinner. Our birthdays are two days apart.

Advice from my Nana. She kept this little sticky note on her medicine cabinet mirror.
"Remember the best & forget the rest"

Back to a happier note. Despite the loss the year brought we still have many blessings to be thankful for. We had a wonderful Christmas spending time with our families eating, playing games, watching movies, opening presents, laughing and shedding a few bitter sweet tears. Brandon and I are looking forward to 2012 and what it might possibly have in store for us. We are thankful for one another and looking forward to hopefully making our family a little bigger. A two footed mammal instead of 4 this time would be good! :) Hahah! We are praying for health, success in careers, happiness for ourselves, our families, and our friends. Happy 2012 y'all!