You know you've lived in Hawaii a while when you keep watching TV when the Tsunami warning siren starts to blow. It does make a difference that our house is out of the tsunami evacuation zone. It's not like I was ignoring a real danger. As long as everyone is home, we are in good shape.
The sirens started around 8pm last night and the first wave was due to
hit around 10:30pm. Since we live out of the evacuation zone we opened
our home to friends that were facing evacuation. We had some friendly
visitors for a little while, just until the first wave hit and it was
clear there was no danger. I did change the sheets on the extra beds
pretty quick! Making a bunk bed is not easy, or fun, or maybe I am just
out of practice. It did trigger memories of previous tsunami warnings.
The most recent one was March 2011. We were at a church dinner at the time the sirens went off. Our church building is much lower than our home, so we just headed home. The waves were small, and no damage was done to the island. Thankfully, that is how they have all gone - warning, small waves, life goes on as usual.
The time before that was moving day for us - February 2010. That was an adventure ..... Our old house was in the evacuation zone, so that just confirmed our decision to move was a good one. The notice to evacuate came before the crack of dawn, so we got an early start to our move, but had no help for many hours as most of our friends and neighbors were evacuating. When they closed the road, the four of us ended up at Koa Pancake House enjoying a leisurely breakfast. I love their strawberry, whipped cream waffles. Last night as the sirens blew, and the memories came to the surface of my brain, I wanted waffles, and my family all around me. Even though that was a stressful day, moving is always stressful, it was a good memory. Waffles and my family - what could be any better than that?
Oh ya, bacon .... I always get a side order of bacon with my waffles. Bacon makes everything better :).
In the time of a potential disaster I would prefer to have my family at my side, so I can see for myself they are safe and sound. I am intellectually glad that last night the kids were on the mainland, far from any potentially giant waves, but I'd still feel better if I could reach out and touch them. In the next few months Ryker and Taylor are headed to China for a year, and Quincie will be sent to a yet unknown location for her mission of 18 months. It looks like the days of having my chicks safely under my wing during emergencies are long gone.
All day Thursday I kept thinking that the date was significant for some reason. I must have checked my calendar 10 times. It felt like I was forgetting something. I ran through my list of family birth dates to see if I was forgetting someone - no, not a birthday. Then this morning I was looking for something in the big plastic organizer of important family documents (always good to have handy in case of an emergency evacuation) and found my certificate of baptism. Ah Ha! So that's why 10/25 felt important to me! I was baptized on October 25, 1984.
Yep, 1984. I was 16 at the time. I am old. What a day that was! The course of my life was drastically changed for the better because of that event. I am so thankful for the friends I had then that were brave enough to share the Gospel with me. Especially Sonja, who was a convert herself, and spent hours and hours trying to answer all my questions. I remember the missionaries that taught me the lessons, Elder Rolfe and Elder Allred. I am grateful for their sacrifice and dedication to bring the Gospel to me, and many others. The youth leaders in the ward were awesome too. They all made me feel like I had found a home, the place where I belonged. My life has been wonderful! I am eternally grateful.
Thankfully the tsunami waves were small, no damage done, and the warning has been lifted. I've checked in with my kids, and they are safe. All is well, except that I still want a waffle, and of course some bacon :).
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