One year down....

....eternity to go! Karl and I celebrated our 1st anniversary October 25th and Karl surprised me with a weekend at the M Resort. (When we got married we decided take turns planning the anniversary festivities-- so Karl got odd years and I got the even ones.) We had never been to the M Resort and had the Classic One Room Suite on the 15th floor (I highly recommend it). We had such a great time!! We had some delicious treats from Babycakes Bakery.... YUM!

Our room was beautiful, with all the luxuries of the home I'd love to have, complete with a tv in the bathroom mirror (so you can soak in tub and watch tv) and a maid, of course!

And what weekend retreat would be complete without room service!! What a cute waiter!!

It was a wonderful anniversary with my handsome hunter husband!! Thanks babe, I love you!!

An "awwwwwww" moment...

I have the best nephews. Period. I love everything about them. I love the memory of holding them close after they were born and smelling their new baby smell, of watching them learn to walk, of Drake's dance machine moves at football games and Guy's big brown eyes as he asked through the years "Auntie Sia, you're not married yet, right?" and when I said "no" he'd always smile and say "Just checking". I love how we'd get Baby Teni to smile by asking him to show his nifo (teeth in Samoan). This list of things I love about them is infinite. It has been tough having them move so far away (to say nothing of missing my sis and Eddie... nobody can cook quite like Eddie, or understands the Fau girls so well, poor guy!) .

Knowing how much I miss Ana and her gang, Karl and I decided we should spend this Thanksgiving in Oregon (thanks babe!!!--- bonus for Karl and Eddie is they get to do some hunting.... a grouse, some sort of big chicken like bird). So I decided to call the boys and let them know the good news. After telling Drake we would be there for Thanksgiving my "awwww" moment came.....

Auntie Sia to Drake: "So, is there anything you can think of that you want from Las Vegas that you can't get in Oregon?"

Drake: "You."

Awwwwwwwwww.... what a sweetheart. I get all sentimental just thinking about his little voice on the phone!! I can't wait for Thanksgiving!!!

*In true boy fashion it was too much to hope for this response from all 3 boys. Guy got on the phone and was pretty laid back in a "that's cool, but I'm getting ready for school can we talk about this later" way and apparently negotiations weren't to Teni's liking as he no longer will talk on the phone unless the proper incentive is provided-- gotta love it!

Blessed...

As a young child, my dad would tell me stories of his homeland-- a far off exotic place that existed in my imagination as a paradise on Earth. My dad would tell us stories of his life on the plantation, studying by latern and riding the horse through the village. Then came the day when, at age 12, our family went to Samoa, and what existed in my imagination became a reality... and it was more beautiful then I imagined.

The water was clear, the beaches were ideal and it was a paradise for a kid. And it still is...

But what makes Samoa so special is not just the physical beauty but also that, to my sibilings and I, it represents a home away from home and a connection to our much loved and missed Dad. (This is my dad's brother, my Uncle Sale).

A paradise for the body, mind and spirit...

So as I sit writing this blog I am so very blessed to know that in the aftermath of the recent earthquake and tsunami that my family in Samoa survived and are safe and sound. My heart goes out to all those who lost loved ones, some of which I am sure we will find in the future to be distant relatives of some sort (it is a small island after all!)-- but I am so very grateful that our family members are alive and well and that paradise, though battered and bruised, is still a reality for me.