Whoa! KIDS!! And Small Concerns

On Thursdays, we have a program for the Youth and Outreach Departments at church called WAMM [With All My Mind]. It’s meant to be a tutoring and spiritual growth program, I would say.

Anyways, this past WAMM, we had more than our usual numbers. On top of the kids that regularly come, we had ~15 more! Kids everywhere! It was good to see.
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WAMM regular activities include: a tutorial/study hall session, dinner, and small groups.
Other activities include: a fun activity [competitions, skits, food challenge, etc.] and a reading time.

For dinner, we’d like to have different persons or families to volunteer to bring a dish and join us for the meal. Any volunteers out there? :D

We’ve had the joy of having one of our young adults come out and plan some activities for WAMM. Everett studies in WA but was on island for a few months for an internship. It has been a blessing to have someone come out and help, even for a temporary stayover. Everett goes back to WA later this week. MAHALO Everett and God bless!
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Personally for me, I’ve been going through some stuff lately that I don’t quite know how to express. At the moment, WAMM can be both a blessing and a tiring thing for me. I continue to show up for many reasons, mainly because it is a time for seeking more closeness with God. That is the best way I know of explaining it. I suppose it is that I believe God wants me there and from that I can trust that the blessings will outweigh the tiredness, and they have.

I’m a little confused on one thing that I will try to explain now. I enjoy being with the younger kids; they bring such joy to me. Though, when it comes to the small groups time, I hesitate to take the younger kids. I’m trying to break my thinking that I am a good one-on-one person to become more all-around, to strengthen my group skills.

My personal want [I’m not sensing a strong guidance from God either way] is to lead a small group of young people whom I can challenge to a deeper faith or better understanding. Not that the younger kids cannot be challenged in that way, but that I wanna be able to evaluate somewhat how the group is growing, something that is difficult to tell with the younger kids.

And then, the older kids tend to be the ones that tire me out. The attitudes. The pretending not to hear me. The reluctance to participate. I am trying to find a balance to patience and discipline, I suppose; I don’t know how to put it exactly. If they were my own kids, I wouldn’t take any attitude at all; that’s how I was raised…and kept in line.

One of the older kids that I seem to be developing a trust with, is one of the homeschooled in the Sunday class. It’s been great to seeing this happen and being in it, but she’s the daughter of a church leader and is busy with so many other activities…. Does she need a small group leader?

So what is difficult is that all the older kids have a leader assigned to them; whether they attend small group or not is a different thing. The younger kids need a leader and so I have been assigned to them. I want to be where there is a need. I like having the younger kids; I’m just concerned that I’m not gifted for them. Or do I continue to try and so develop it?

Could I make time to have the younger kids on Thursdays and possibly an older group on another day?

Oh my.

And all these thoughts and dealings with all the kids, makes me wonder about having my own kids [hopefully] someday. I still want kids, catch that more than one. I definitely do not want more than a set of twins at one time; I doubt I could handle more than that and I don’t think much of in vitro fertilization, I’m not gonna mess with that so I think I’ll be okay. Do I really think I’ll be a good mother?!

Well, I suppose I’ll work on that as the situation comes.
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Yeah, well. That’s it for now.

Mahalo for reading!

More images from the past WAMM
[pics coming up soon, blogger's lagging at the moment]

Kids Say…What?

On my way to service on Sunday I ran into Aunty Pat. The first thing she said was, “See that girl in the pink dress? She’s your charge now.” And Aunty Pat went to the restroom, leaving me with a pouty Kaya.

Kaya said no one wanted to play with her, even though her friend Shae was right next to her. Kaya’s mood changed when she saw that my sweater wasn’t buttoned all the way. she got busy finishing the job. Then Shae said I didn’t need a sweater when it’s warm, so Kaya unbuttoned my sweater and tried to pull it off.

On the way inside Aunty Pat told me that Kaya said she didn’t wanna go in to service because she wasn’t gonna behave. How’s that for self-awareness? And she’s only 3!

I sat with them inside [Aunty Pat, Kaya, Shae, Race, and Shae’s parents].

KUC’s brought back Childrens’ Corner to service. Kaya likes to sit on the stage steps, or I should say, likes to travel along the steps. She started off from behind the pastor. As the pastor stretched out his arms to illustrate the enemy fleeing the God-backed Christian, Kaya fled [crawled] away from the group. Then she came back.
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Back in September, on a previous Kaya Sunday, I let Kaya have another go at photography. She took some pretty good shots.

Also on Sunday, Kendal was having technical difficulties with his camara. Joel said Kendal needed lessons on how to take care of it. I shrugged and said that I give mine to a 3yr old.

Btw, I still don’t tell my mom when I’m gonna misbehave.

Mahalo for reading and enjoy the photos!



Photography by Kaya
This one's by me. Kaya's drawing the world.

The Three-Year-Old Truth

I have something to confess. It’s been three years since this happened, but well, people are starting to find out anyway. I might as well get everything out in the open.

Four years ago, there was this guy…and…3 years ago…

*deep breath*

…my friend gave birth to a baby girl!

Okay, that was for JayLee, whom I’m surprised was the only one to make a joke implying that I had a secret love-child! :D
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It started when I began to make FB updates about getting beat up by a 3-yr old. Over the summer I’ve had the opportunity to spend time with Kaya while her grandma worked around the church. Kaya is…a handful! She is a very strong-willed child who likes to have her way, is quick to pout but just as quick to smile, and reminds me of myself. Except that I’ve never been quite as vocal as Kaya can be!

Kaya jumping for leaves; Jennifer shooting one-handed.The only difficult part is that Kaya is tall for her age. And she can play kinda rough so that’s what the updates on the beat downs have been regarding. She likes to harvest leaves from trees. If you see a bare branch around church, especially a low-lying branch, it probably means Kaya has visited. She likes to be lifted up to reach the higher branches. Guess who gets to lift her up!

Kaya thinks I'm a tree, for climbing purposes.

We’ve gotten into this little game where Kaya pretends to carry me on her back. She likes hearing about how strong she is and how she’s got more muscle than me. *checks arms* That last part might actually be true at the moment. Excuse me while I go lift some weights…

…I should finish this entry first. I’ll lift those weights later.
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There’s No Yelling in Church!
It just seems to me that church mothers don’t really yell or raise their voice to their children during church. I suppose hanging out with Kaya, it kinda creeps me out a little that church mothers are so…nice. I was watching for even a stern look from a parent when I saw a kid running a little wild.

My mom had no problems reining me in at church. If she hadn’t, we probably would’ve been kicked out for excessive abuse of hymnals. Let’s leave it at that.

They're so cute at that age.Anyways, Kaya was having a pouty day and arguing with another little girl. Kaya ran away to her grandma without me. I followed her. She wanted to come with me so we went back outside. More arguing and an attempt to run to Grandma again. I called her, loudly. Kaya stopped, turned around and very slowly came back to me. I had to explain that if she ran back to Grandma without me again that she wouldn’t be able to come with me and I would go away. No more running away.
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Kaya is VERY good practice for hopefully becoming a mother someday. Keep in mind that I was/am a strong-willed child myself, so I pretty much know how to handle Kaya. I mean, each child is different but so far so good.

She already knows to say “thank you.” I’m getting her to say “you’re welcome” when someone says “thank you” to her. She’s very smart. She loves to watch plays; she’ll be very still and quiet if taken to a play. She’ll even shush you if you make a noise. Only, if she sits in my lap, her head is in my face and I’m eating her curls. I had to watch half the play with a tilted head and my neck was aching after! But it’s okay.

Since Kaya can be very pouty, it’s such a great sense of joy when I can get her to smile again. I think I get just a tiny sense of what a mother feels.

But no biological clock ticking here! I’m waiting on God’s timing for all of that and am content to find a husband first. Of course, that’s all if God wills me to have a family. :D

Grandma usually has Kaya on Thursday mornings. One Thursday afternoon, I was ambushed by the little joy. I took my new toy out and started taking pictures. Kaya, of course, wanted to take pictures herself. I carefully showed her how and to make sure she had the strap around her wrist. We had no accidents, except that she hasn’t quite got the use of the video feature yet. She actually took a few good shots. I think I might hafta hire her to be my assistant one day.

Mahalo for reading! And in a few months, the updates shall change to beat downs from a 4-yr old! I’m so looking forward to that.



Here’s a few of the shots from our photo day:


It started on a pouty moment.


Then she came out and terror spreads over my face out of necessity.
R: Grandma, as seen by Kaya.


L: Playing keep away with the camara.
R: Kaya catches me trying to lick my clavicle.


L: "No no no..."
R: Kaya showing off her pretty slipper.


L: Gotta have the butt shot. Well, it is my good side.
R: Kaya loves her mommy.

A Night of Eyes and Ears

My good sister-friend Jennifer has been rehearsing a role in Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon; it opened last night and will run through this Sunday at the Mamiya Theater on the Chaminade campus [see the link at the end of the entry for more information].

I called Aunty Shirlynne and she called the Aunties and gathered a group to go for opening night. Aunty Pat picked me up and we had dinner at her mother’s house. Good Korean food, so good, I ate too much! Well, to be truthful, Aunty Pat encouraged us to finish all the food and so placed a second helping on my plate. Aunty Pat, her sister June, Kaya and I piled into Aunty Shirlynne’s van and we were off.

I entertained Kaya, who’s 3, on the way. When we got to Chaminade, Kaya took my hand and we walked/ran down the road to the theater. We sat in the front row. Now, Kaya who is very smart and cute can be more than a handful, she can be three handfuls at times. But, Kaya loves plays, possibly an influence of Hannah Montana, and is very behaved in the theater. As soon as we get in, she’s holding her finger to her lips and shhh-ing me.

Kaya had sat mostly in her grandma’s lap [Aunty Pat]. During intermission, she sat on Aunty Shirlynne’s lap because Aunty Shirlynne had candy. I took the red Lifesaver and Kaya took the green one. Kaya showed me and said she’s only gonna lick it. Then, while sitting with Aunty Shirlynne, Kaya would lean over and drop her head on my shoulder. She was playing with my hair and looked at my ear and I started a little game with her about ears, don’t ask me. Mothers have to be very smart and creative people to keep a 3-year-old entertained and out of trouble I think.

Kaya went back to Grandma who so nicely suggested that Kaya sit in my lap, so Kaya came back over and climbed up and intermission was over. Kaya is tall for 3 years and so her head falls right in front of my face, little neat curls in my mouth. I had to tilt my head around her, crinking my neck and I’m watching the rest of the musical at an odd angle. But Kaya is so darling, she held my hands and such. At least I got to have her when she’s behaved.
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So, one of my friends has said that they consider me the “cultured one,” but I didn’t know what “Brigadoon” is about. I was a little confused in the beginning when this group of actors come out on stage in the second scene, a group which was mostly Asian including a former Farrington girl straight from Kalihi [GO KALIHI!], wearing kilts, a lot of tartan and with some kind of accent not quite Scottish but heading towards Scotland.

When my SF Jennifer came out on stage, it took me awhile before I noticed the other actors again. I hadn’t seen her perform since high school and so this was a real treat- she is wonderfully good! Back in school, she was more in the background like me, rather reserved. The first time I saw her on stage, I wasn’t sure it was her! Maybe I should try acting, but I doubt it; once in youth choir was enough for me I think. Anyways, she’s so stunning, I had to work hard to take my eyes off of her and pay attention to the play itself.

Well, in Lerner and Loewe style, “Brigadoon” is thoroughly entertaining, full of wit and good songs. It includes a wedding, a miracle, and a sword dance ending in a fight. Jennifer has one of the good secondary roles, after the stars. She also has a solo and I’m reminded of her powerful voice. I’d recommend seeing “Brigadoon;” I think even the men will be entertained enough to enjoy it.
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After the play, we waited in the plaza. We told Kaya we were waiting for the other Jennifer. She said her favorite character was the “purple one,” meaning Jennifer who wore purple. In about 5 minutes, Jennifer came out and had changed clothes, so I don’t know if Kaya is at the point of recognition that Jennifer is the “purple one.”

To emphasize the significance of the night, Jennifer is the friend who lost her mother earlier this year. This was the first production after that and we tried to fill in for her mother as best as we could; her mother always came to opening night. Jennifer did very well, performing without flaw and crying with us afterwards. I know her mother is proud of her strong daughter.
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It was such a good night. The pictures are on Aunty Shirlynne's camara so I hope to show them soon. Mom couldn’t make it last night so I’m going again tonight with her and Julie. I can’t wait; I was anxious to see Jennifer last night but even more tonight ‘cuz she was great! So please, if you’re on the island, check out the link below and then check out “BRIGADOON!”

Hope to see you there! Mahalo.Brigadoon