Sunday, August 2, 2009

5 MORE DAYS!!!

Whew! It's been a long 6 weeks and we've got this last week to go. Kayleigh will be home this Saturday. She leaves Hawaii on Friday afternoon and she will be home Saturday morning. I'm SOOOOOOOOO excited to see her!! I've missed her more than I ever have. I haven't blogged much about it because every time I started to write, I'd get myself so upset that I couldn't finish it. She's never been away from us this long and it's really taken it's toll on our family. I know she's almost 15 years old, but she's still our baby! It's really gonna make us treasure the next 3 years until she turns 18.

She's had a chance to do lots of sight seeing but she's been VERY homesick! It's hard for me as a parent because I couldn't just fly her home. At one point, we looked into bringing her home early because she was so upset and it was going to cost us $1700 ONE WAY and that was in addition to what we paid for her ticket. She's been a trooper and she hung in there and now she's on the final countdown. She's got some amazing pics that I can't wait to scrapbook for her.

Thanks SOOOOOO much to my brother and my sister-in-law. She got to see and do things she never would have had the chance to do otherwise. Thank you for putting up with her being upset and wanting to come home. This was a BIG step for her and she was definately out of her comfort zone!

Here are a few of the pics to share....
This pic was taken at North Shore with the tea turtles on shore. She had the chance to snorkle with them but they didn't have the underwater camera that day. This was one of the most exciting things she'd ever done!
This was taken at the blow hole.

This one is snorkling with the small fish.

Here she is holding a sea cucumber.
She had tons of fun boogie boarding.
This was taken in the rain forest. She got drenched that day...yes...it rains in the rain forest but on this day...it POURED!

She loved hiking and having the walking stick. They finally made it to the waterfall where she said it was so beautiful!

Here she is with my 2 nephews hiking to the top of Koko Head Crater. It's over 1,000 steps to the top and the only way back down is the steps!
At the top of Koko Head
Gorgeous view from the top!
She's done alot more than just this...including....hiking Diamond Head, going to the Polynesian Culture Center, going to Sea Life Park, going to the water park, visiting all the beaches, going to the Dole Pineapple Plantation as well as shopping at the mall and swap meet.
The next pics are ones my brother took of her outside. He's been working on his photography skills and I'd have to say....he's doing a great job!

My goodness! She's changed so much in just 6 weeks. I'm looking forward to her coming home and spending the rest of the summer with us. We've only got 4 more weeks til school starts!

5 MORE DAYS!!!

5 comments:

Wendy said...

WOW!!!! What a beauty!!!! It sounds like she's had some amazing adventures. I know you're anxious to have her home, but what a blessing for her to have such a memory!!!!!!

LakeLady said...

I was able to spend the summer of 1965 on this beautiful spot of earth. It was fabulous. I will never forget the fun I had, nor the beauty. This is a summer your beautiful daughter will never forget!

Amy said...

Jill- she's GORGEOUS! Amazing picture! What a summer she's had...but wow- I'll bet you're practically counting the minutes til she arrives safely home!

Cara said...

Those pictures are beautiful! I know you can't wait to get her back home. :)

Jill said...

Thanks everyone :) I can't believe how much she's changed in such a short time.

I really am SOOOOOO ready to have her back home!

If anything, she's learned to be so appreciative of the things she's got in her life. It's made her realize how much her Daddy and I actually do for her. I can't tell you how many times in the last 6 weeks she's told me how much she loves me. I know she misses home, she misses us, she misses her sister and she misses her dog "Nemo".

Yep! I'll be the Mumma standing at the gate crying as her plane lands and scooping her up in my arms when I see her. I used to think the times she went to visit her real dad when she was little were hard, but they were nothing compared to this. I miss my baby and I can't wait for her to be back home!