Friday, June 20, 2008

Aloha from Hotlanta!

Hello All,

ok, so it's not really THAT hot here, it's summer after all....just couldn't help myself I guess...


ANYCRAP! We're back from Chicago (actually got back Monday, but finally caught up enough to catch up on blogs & stuff...) Anywho, ohana is doing better, haumana is almost all caught up (still have to work with one in MO...but so far so good....) & am finally getting started on the costumes & all that rot! Already miss friends & family & students, but hope to see them all again soon!!! (in fact my eldest was begging to stay another week up there, but we had to come back & take care of stuff here...) otherwise...I WAS tempted....but , back to business ...

...anycrap, catching up on all the swaps & craft stuff today (also put off due to our extended stay...) I'm sure I've pissed off enough people out there on swap-bot, but am trying to make up for it!

Anywho, it's only a month now till our competition ( man time is FLYING!!!) It seems like I just started babbling about all this competition stuff & now it's almost here AHHH!!! (sorry, had to get that out of my system....) I'm sure everyone is SICK of me talking about Orlando, this & Orlando that, but I can't help it, I'm easily excited! But, it IS exciting for us. It's also a first for me leading the pack ( & knock on wood...) everything is working out pretty well! (not trying to jinx us or anything like that...) I mean, we've been in competitions before, but I've never done the chanting & stuff like this, so I am very excited ! Plus I really do have some of the BEST haumana a kumu could ever ask for, so it's a combined effort that will truly get us through all this! Wish us luck everyone!!!

ok, enough of the babble...

that's all for today, hope all is well for everyone out there...will be keeping in touch one way or another....until then...
malama pono,
Tina

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Hey Remember me???

Aloha Kakou,

Hey! Howzit goin'? Long time, no post! Anywho, just to quickly catch up...I've been out of town for a couple weeks (actually still up in Chicagoland.....) Anywho, had a BIGGGGGG ohana scare with my mom. & even though she's not doing all THAT great, she's doing better than we first had thought & she'll be hopfully starting a new treatment soon...(long story short, my mom has been battling Pancreatic & Liver cancer for 5 years now & just the fact that she's survived this long with a very nasty type of cancer, has been on experimental treatments, since she has been diagnosed, she's still with us & has just been taking it day by day....) So, our 1 week trip has turned into 2+ weeks (since we're still here...) It has by NO means been a vacation, but it has been nice to see all my brothers & TONS of family ( & I think that has helped my mom recover as well as she has been doing...) we're just all worried how things will go once we all head home & my brothers who are still here, try to get back into their normal lives (whatever that has been..) :) For those of you who have been keeping track with mom, if I haven't gotten back to you yet, I will fill in all the details when I see you, or talk to you, so sorry I haven't returned all the calls & e-mails yet, but she is doing ok, they might start a new treatment, she is home, they are now running some tests for other reasons, & they are NOT starting hospice with her (her Dr. doesn't think we've tried all that we can yet, so there are still options for her...)

Anycrap, while I've been up here, have met with haumana twice to practice for Orlando (time's tickin' & I'm starting to go into "crazy-lady" mode...not "baby-Hannah" yet...& honestly hope I DON'T go that far....) will practice one more time on Saturday & then will be heading to Kansas City to meet up with the last haumana that I haven't seen in a while to FINALLY get everyone on the same sheet of music. & (Knock on wood!!!) we'll be good to go!!!!

Still, with all the family stuff & hula stuff, I am trying to not go too insane (like I was ever sane to begin with...) but thank GOD all is better than it could be! (ok, if that even made sense...) Anywho, I promise to try to keep up with all this & that & the other the best I can....I think I'm going to go jump in my bro-in-law's pool now & have a beer! I need to just chill-lax for today!

A hui hou & Malama Pono to all (keep the prayers going for mom, for those of you who know what has been going on all along...) & for those who are just tuned in, well, heck, it never hurts to send a prayer anyone's way who might need a little more help every now & then...Mahalo nui loa! Aloha pumehana,
Tina