Our month started off with an unforgettable run on Kauai's stunning north shore. We participated in the Ke'e Beach to Hanalei 8-mile run, this was a beautiful course that runs along the beautiful coastline. To make it to the starting line on time, we had to rise and shine at 3:30 am to catch a shuttle at Hanalei to get to the start by 5 am. I was looking forward to running the empty road and so happy that Brittany and Ellie joined me and of course Gavin!
As we waited for the 6:00 am start time, we took advantage of the beautiful beachside location and enjoyed the sunrise. The wind was so chilly that morning. None of us wanted to run or carry a jacket during the race so we had to tough out the early morning wind chill. I was not loving the hour wait.
This was the most relaxed starting line I have ever been to. There was a volunteer using an iPhone to track the time. As soon as her phone switched to 7am she yelled "Go!" and we all took off. The adrenaline rush was thrilling as everyone sprinted off, and I was amazed at how much faster I ran compared to my usual pace. The morning was simply stunning, and it felt incredible to be moving my body amidst the picturesque scenery.
I had a funny experience running with a few high school boys up a hill, who were convinced they'd run with me before. I corrected them, explaining it was my first year participating in the race. They were puffing their arm muscle and chest showing off their speed. But they soon fell behind and I heard them gasping and grabbing their sides. And that was the last I saw of them.
I pushed myself to my limits and crossed the finish line in an impressive 1 hour and 4 minutes, placing third in my age group. Gavin also excelled, finishing third overall! To celebrate our run we indulged in an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast with fellow runners, sharing our favorite parts of the race and how perfect the morning was. It was fantastic seeing all our friends together. I am so grateful I have been able to continue running since high school. I don't know where I would be with out my runs.
One of my good friends on the island, Kassidy, is expecting a baby boy in July. She shares my passion for books, so Eve had the perfect idea of throwing her a baby shower centered around our favorite children's books. We displayed the books alongside food inspired by their stories and gave Kassidy a basket filled with our favorite childhood books as a gift. We have an amazing friend group here that seems to grow more and more each month. I'm not sure how I would have found friends without attending church. It's not every day you meet people that feel like family. We have a lovely group of girls, and it was amazing how we all coincidentally dressed in blue and yellow without even planning it – what a coincidence!
For the activity, we painted alphabet blocks. I'm not exactly artistic, and I wanted my block to look good. So I chose to draw a simple kite and drum that ended up not being very impressive. Despite this, I enjoyed watching the others paint while snacking on cookies. As always, my sweet tooth got the better of me!
Another highlight of June was turning 26 years old, and I'm feeling like my youth years are slipping away. But I'm determined to make the most of them! The day before my birthday, I celebrated with a paint night with some of my girlfriends. We munched on sugar cookies and followed a beautiful tutorial on painting tulips. To our surprise, all of our paintings turned out beautifully! We enjoyed listening to classical music and creating together.
On my actual birthday, Denise and Presley joined me for a hike to Makaleha Falls. We thought the hike would be easy for them because they are hikers but it turned out to be more challenging than we expected for them. We've taken friends on this hike before, only to realize they're not as prepared as we thought. Nonetheless, they were troopers and handled the hike well. Presley was especially sweet, writing me a kind card and giving me some of my favorite candy.
That afternoon, Gavin and I went house-hunting on our street. We saw one property that was an extremely good deal. We got pre-approved for a loan and scheduled a viewing with our realtor, who happens to be our good friend Kirkham! The house was definitely a fixer-upper, requiring new floors and a roof, but it was livable in the meantime. It's fun doing adult things like this every once in a while. Even though we knew getting a house would be a long shot. It was exciting pretending it was ours that afternoon.
We ended the night with an amazing sunset barbecue on the beach, followed by an episode of Criminal Minds. I'm feeling excited to be 26 years old!
This year's girls' camp was hosted by the stake, which was a huge relief. However, I struggled with the way they planned everything. I worked hard to get all my girls to attend, and fortunately, all but one made it! We camped on a beautiful property on the north shore of Kauai, surrounded by a grove of coconut trees and with a stunning view of the ocean in the distance. The location was charming.
Unfortunately, the stake had some unusual rules in place. The property was located in a gated area, and the stake's young women president was only sharing the code with a select few due to concerns about respecting the neighbors' privacy. As a result, she designated specific times for people to enter and exit, which caused some inconvenience. Along with the strict gate code policy we weren't allowed to take any pictures. She wanted to make sure the land remained private once we left.
To make matters worse, the stake didn't have any spiritual activities or organization planned. I found myself taking charge of meal preparation and coordination, as I couldn't find the other leaders. It felt like I was making things up as I went along, trying to keep things running smoothly. We did have some free time, beach time, swimming, and movie time, so I took it upon myself to organize devotionals, sing songs, and have a faith-building mirror walk around the property. I was trying to do whatever it took to help the girls have a good time.
I was touched to hear the girls sharing their testimonies about feeling the Spirit during camp our last night. That's what camp is all about and I was relieved everyone had a good time. We did lots of swimming, made beaded hair accessories, built sand temples, and bonded as a group. I loved spending time with all the girls! It was an unforgettable experience for everyone involved – especially me! Go Kalaheo YW!
During one of our days off Gavin and I explored the stunning Nāpali Coast on a zodiac. We enjoyed the fresh salty air and warm sea breeze. I miss my boat days at times so it was comforting to be back on a bumpy zodiac. One of the highlights of the morning tour was spotting dolphins swimming alongside us. Unfortunately, Gavin and I were left feeling very ravenous as we arrived at 6:30 am without breakfast, only to be promised breakfast that wasn't provided till noon. Despite our growling stomachs, we managed to persevere and still enjoyed the breathtaking views and experience of being out on the ocean. I am in constant awe at the beautiful island.
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