Be Grateful For All That You Have

I am grateful I made it to the year 2010. I don't know what is in store for me for 2011. I do know I am looking forward to the New Year. I use to make my New Year's Resolution every year, but then I stopped making them because not all of my resolutions were fulfilled. It's more procrastination then any. I promise to do this or that never really works because you never know what is in store for you.
All I ask is, the opportunity to live long enough to see my grandchildren get married and have children of their own. 
I stop asking for good health. I ruined that a long time ago. I abused my health and myself when I was younger and now I have to live with the fact that my body is slowly degenerating. I live day by day...there are moments when I have great days and there are moments when my days aren't so great.
I can't complain...I won't complain. I live with pain everyday, but I keep going. 
I'm 61 years old....I am a workaholic....I am still able to workout at the gym....I still push my limits at the gym....and I deal with the fact I am getting older, I tolerate what my body is throwing at me, and I do the best I can to overcome my abilities. 
I know I am a strong person and I can deal with most anything that happens to me. There is nothing that can surprise me anymore...
I feel I have dealt with everything that was thrown at me. I've been there, done that. 
My faith has never left me. I left my faith. I had the pleasure of serving 2 temples, San Diego and Salt Lake City. I was called to serve in the Young Women, Primary, and ward missionary. 
I wanted to serve a mission and I also wanted to marry in the Temple. I don't regret the choices I made. I still listen to that small still voice in me. And when I feel I have overreacted, I step back and clear my thoughts so I can think a lot more clearer.
Am I grateful that I was chosen to be here. Am I grateful that I am able to make choices. Am I grateful that I was blessed to bear children. Am I grateful that I was blessed to be sealed along with my children. Am I grateful that I was able to do the work for my mothers parent and seal them. Am I grateful that I was able to do the genealogy for my father so he may know where he came from and who his relatives were that passed on. I am not only grateful, I am blessed that I was able to serve in my callings, in the temple(s), and also for my family. The greatest gift was the gift of doing the work for your relatives/family and to know they will be together. 
Again, I don't know what 2011 has in store for me....but whatever it is, I am ready.
Last but not least.....I am thankful to be part of a wonderful family. I have a wonderful man who devotes himself to his daughters. And soon he will be a wonderful grandfather who will devote himself to his new granddaughter. 
We may have our moments....but my life with him is wonderful and he always makes me laugh. I am thankful that he chose me in his life.

    

Let Yourself Shine

Have you ever tried to figure yourself out?  Don't try...it only gives you a headache!  If you're comfortable with who you are....let yourself shine.  My father was in the Air Force, growing up as a military brat was and experience.  I remember when my mom was giving birth to my youngest brother my dad had to watch the 3 of us.  He would line us up for inspection to make sure we did everything right.  My mom was the gestapo in the family.  She was tough as nails and we towed the line with her.  I come from strong minded, strong willed parents.  My parents believed, if you have something to say, spit it out!  If you didn't have the backbone, you're too weak.  Fight for what you believe in....never back down to know one.
I love my parents, I'm thankful....no grateful that they are who they are.  
Don't figure yourself out....just know who you are and be grateful that you turned out the way you turned out.  
Are you comfortable with yourself?  Are you comfortable with who you are?  Then let yourself shine! shine! shine!  

Saying Goodbye to Yesteryear

Auld Lang Syne.....saying goodbye to 2010 and remembering how I overcame another year.  
Once upon a time I planned out my future.  Once upon a time I made resolutions.  Now I am grateful just waking up in the mornings.....going to work.....being around the people I love.....talking to my family who live distances from me.....watching my grandchildren grow and pray I am able to watch them get married and have children of their own. 
I have a wonderful boyfriend who knows how to make me smile and/or laugh when I have had a rough time.  
There are moments when my own body pains overwhelm me and parts of my body refuses to function correctly.....but despite the pains, I continue to push on everyday. 
I am a workaholic, I push my own boundaries, and I refuse defeat in anything I do physically.  I focus on positivity so I can deal with all that is real in my life.  I refuse negativity in my life....there is no good in thinking in that frame of mind.  
I don't plan my future anymore....I live one day at a time.  I live that way because I want to embrace every moment I am here.  
I wake up every morning and give thanks for the opportunity to start my new day despite the fact that I have a slow start in the beginning.
I'm not complaining....I am thankful I am here.  
I have the strength, the stamina, and the determination to face whatever challenges I have for that day and everyday.
I'm not afraid of challenges....that only makes me stronger.
So goodbye 2010....thank you for a wonderful year. 
I'm ready for 2011....my cup runneth over and I am ready for all the new challenges in my life. 

Say it in Hawaiian

Happy Thanksgiving ~ Hau’oli La Ho’omakika’i (pronounced how-oh-lee la ho-o-ma-key-kah-ee)
Thanksgiving Day ~ La Ho’omaika’i (pronounced la ho-o-my-ka-ee)
Thank you very much ~ Mahalo nui loa (pronounced ma-ha-low new-ee low-a)
Thankful ~ Ho’omakika’i (pronounced ho-o-ma-key-kah-ee)
Celebration ~ Ho’olaule’a (pronounced ho-o-lau-lay-a)
Holiday ~ Lanui (pronounced la-new-ee)  
Hospitality ~ Ho’okipa (pronounced ho-o-key-pa)
Reserved For ~ Malu No (pronounced ma-loo no) This is ideal for place card settings.
With my love ~ Me ke Aloha (pronounced may kay a-low-ha)
Family ~ Ohana
Close Friend ~ Hoa Pili
Friend as close as relative and is treated as such ~ Hale Aikane

Stand Strong

So much pressure being a girl.  When you're a little girl everything you do is cute.  Mommy and daddy think you're the most adorable child on the planet.  Nothing you can do will make them mad at you, they think what you do is so adorable.
Now you're a teenager.....Life Sucks!!!  Oh dear, there's a boy in my life.....he's so cute.  I think he's the best thing that happened to me and we'll be together forever.
Oh I hate it....I hate life!!!  My boyfriend dumped me and I don't want to live.  Oh he broke my heart and I don't know how to deal with this.  My family don't understand how I feel, they tell me I'm too young....I'll get over it, think about what you want in life.  My friends try to cheer me up and say, you'll find someone better, he wasn't good for you anyway.
My heart is breaking and no one can see or understand what I am going through.  I have to go on because everyone says I have to.
As a mother and grandmother.....I once was a girl just like you.  Just when you think you want to die, you don't.  I have 6 granddaughters.....all I can tell them is, honey it will get better.  You have so much to look forward to, don't settle for second best in anything......you're better than that, believe in yourself, your worth it.
So you, whoever you are.....you know who you are.  Cry your tears, feel your heart break, mope around and tell yourself it's the end of the world, get pissed off, and lash out.....when you're done doing all of this, pick yourself up and move on.  This isn't going to be the first time a boy dumped you......it certainly won't be your last.  But you can make it your first time to dump a boy, walk away, and go forward.....see how he likes it!
All I'm saying.....it's not the end of the world.  There is someone out there that will be worthy of your love and affection.  Hang in there.....just when you least expect it, that one special person will take your breath away and leave you speechless.     

Hawaii Calls

Hawaii Calls....Listen and you can hear the ocean as it breaks on the shore.  The ocean beckons you, calls to you, sings to you.  
When I listen to my Hawaiian music, I feel a sense of longing to see my home once again. 
When I dance, my heart longs to embrace Hawaii once more.

OK....back to reality.  Don't get me wrong, I love my home....I still have families there and I hope to go back home to visit them soon.  
I said, visit....possibly 2 weeks, maybe 1 week.  It would be very difficult for me to stay any longer then 1 week, I get rock fever if I stay any longer.
Anyway, the islands to visit....Kauai (the Garden Isle), Hawaii (hope you can find ways of amusing yourself because Kona and Hilo Hawaii shuts down around 9pm), and Maui.

Oh....if you should hear funny kine  talking, it's only pigeon.  If a brudda come up to you and say, hey brudda, how you...he's asking you 'how are you'
You have to listen closely, he is speaking english....it's called 'broken english'


If you visit Waikiki Beach.....NO! you are not in Japan.  The last time I was home it was in 2003....we have a lot of Japanese restaurants in Waikiki and their entrance has a sheet hanging, that's their door.


I must admit....I do miss the beaches, the sunrise and sunsets, the FOOD, my family and relatives, did I mention the FOOD.
Next year I will plan on this trip so I can show my boyfriend my home, my culture, my FOOD, my language, and my family.
For a haoli boy....he speaks good pigeon.

My Roots

This title is solely about my own roots.....

I was born on and island called Hawaii.  We were once a sovereign island that was governed by royalty.  When royalty no longer existed, we became a territory....we were a Territory of Hawaii. 
From a territory, we became the 50th state.
We are a melting pot of different ethnic backgrounds. 
My lineage migrated from Spain, to the Philippines, then to Hawaii. 


The Spanish family name 'De Vera' is classified as being of habitation origin.  Habitation names tell us from whence hailed the progenitor of the family, whether it be a town or village or a place identified by a conspicuous topographical feature.  In this instance, the surname 'De Vera' drives from the Castilian term 'vera', of pre-Roman origin, meaning 'river bank'.  It is therefore possible to imagine the original bearer of the name as someone who resided near the bank of a river.  Alternatively, the surname De Vera is of habitation origin, in this case derived from Vera, the name of several towns located throughout Spain.
One of the earliest references to this name dates back to the thirteenth century, when one Fernando De Vera, a resident of Valencia, took part in the struggle for the recon quest  of that city in 1245.  He was compensated with the feudal domain of Bussol, situated in the province of Alicante, which was awarded to him by King James the first, the Conqueror.  Another member of this family, Luis De Vera, was named Knight of the Kingdom of Valencia by King Charles the second, on November 30th, 1868.  Notable bearers of the name include Pedro De Vera, who conquered the island of Gran Canaria together with his brother Diego in 1483.  The aforementioned individuals traveled to the island with Diego De Herrera and Dona Ines de Peraza.  The chronicler Abreu Galindo states that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella had been advised of the discord that existed on Gran Canaria between the Spaniards who were the first to arrive.
Therefore, they appointed the aforementioned Pedro De Vera as governor of the island.  The family name De Vera is also found in the Philippines, as shown by a record of the marriage of Pedro De Vera and Maria Roque, which was celebrated in 1852, and the birth of Andres Ungos De Vera, which was documented in Mangaldan, Pangasinan in 1875.


Our Crest emblem:


Blazon of Arms ..........Vair argent and axure
Translation ................ Vair represents Dignity and Nobility
Crest ........................... Three Ostrich Feathers
Origin ......................... Spain