Here are some more pics of our trip. Really we did have a good time, and I am almost overwhelmed when I reflect back on our trip of the amazing sights, smells and sounds we experienced, along with all of the love we felt from the majority of people we encountered (with the exception of waikiki, pretty beach, amazing shopping, nasty rude people)- Enjoy the pics!
So after the funeral was over we got to do some "touristy" things Friday night we went to PCC with my sis in law Manu, Sipa, the kids and Sipa's cousins Jr and Hano. We saw the dance show and it was really amazing.
For those who have been before, we were there on the first night of a new program, so you'll have to go back and see it again, I was told by Sipa's family who have all been many times that it is really so much better now! We went back the following day with Sipa's other sisters and their families. We had so much fun walking around seeing the villages and listening to them compare what they remember from the islands compared to what's there. I loved Samoa's and Tonga's shows the best, but perhaps I'm slightly biased. We(Sipa) made smoke at the fire making station in Samoa. We all got faux tattoos in Fiji, and while waiting for the rest of us,
my bro in law Litoni, sat down at a fake fruit stand and starting yelling "coconuts, 5 dolla, 2 for 10" some asian ladies went up to him to "inspect" his wares not sure if he was serious or not, we were all on the floor laughing! It's definitely a place I'd like to go back to and spend more time looking around, and I really wish we'd planned ahead and gone to one of the buffets to eat, they looked soo yummy!
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So my goal of post more regularly hasn't been met so far, but once again I'm going to try to do better. For those who don't have facebook to see my status updates about my brother-in-law. Sipa's oldest brother, Kotoni, died in his sleep March 25, very unexpectedly, at the age of 42. We don't know the cause because they didn't do an autopsy, but Sipa, the kids and I flew out to Hawaii (which was an adventure in itself) to be with Uini (Winnie, my sister in law) and their 4 kids, Manu, Leni, Moli, and KJ ages 17, 16, 14, and 12. It was a great time to be there with family, to support each other and share stories. We didn't get to do a lot of sight seeing/ touristy stuff, but the things we did do I'll post those pics in another post. All of Sipa's siblings who aren't locked up (there are 2) and the one who's been deported, and of course Viu who passed away 2 yrs ago, were there along with my father in law, and his wife. I realize through times like these how grateful I am to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the plan of salvation, and for the knowledge that I have that we will be together again someday. I love my in-laws. I know so many people who don't, or merely tolerate them, but I love mine and thought it was the greatest thing to be in Hawaii, one of most beautiful places with most of my nieces and nephews, and brothers and sisters in law. Sorry for the occasion but so neat to be there as a family.
