Awed by the Island

We've finally recovered from our colds, and we've been enjoying life on our little island. It's hard to believe, but (because Jim had been gone, and then we'd been sick, and then we'd been traveling, and then we'd been sick again) Madeline hadn't ever been to the beach! We rectified that situation last Friday, driving to the North Shore and spending some time on a deserted bit of gorgeous shoreline. Winter isn't the best time for swimming on the North Shore, so we played in the sand and at the water's edge.

Kathleen and Daddy had a great time running around, and Madeline and I had a lovely quiet time, sitting on the sand and nursing. After we were all tuckered out, we hopped back into the Jeep and headed home. It was only after we were driving back that I realized: because I'd been holding Madeline and taking photos, we didn't have any photographs of her first visit to the beach!

I did the same thing this Tuesday, when we climbed Diamond Head with Jim's sister Margaret and her husband Craig, who are visiting from Illinois. I've got photos of Jim and photos of Kathleen, but Madeline and I are completely missing. I've really got to get better about that! Fortunately for us, Margaret is a much more responsible photographer, and chronicled our journey up and down -- even capturing our family all together, not only at the top, but on the way down:

Both girls did great on the trip up Diamond Head. Even though she's not crazy about the Baby Bjorn, Madeline played along and slept on the way up the mountain. She did howl for part of the trip down, but by then she was pretty hungry. Kathleen took the trip in a few different stages. She rode in the Baby Jogger until the path got really rocky, when she hopped out and walked along with us. (We stashed the folded up jogger on the side of the trail, and picked it up again on the way back down. It worked perfectly!) And when it got too steep or her little legs got too tired, Daddy carried her. By the time we reached the glorious view at the top, Kathleen was more than ready for a break and some water.

Even though all the tourists around us were complaining about the steep stairs (a set of 99 steps, and a set of 74 steps, and a bunch more random stairs), Kathleen loved them. Here's a snapshot of her and Daddy on the way down:

So, we've been all over the island, enjoying the beautiful weather and admiring the magnificence of the creation around us. There's so much to inspire here -- the lush, green mountains, the crashing surf, the sparkling rainbows, the watercolor sunset. I find myself constantly amazed that we're able to live in a place with such beauty. And when I take the time to think about the creation, I can't help but think about the Creator. This island is but a small reflection of His own beauty and His power...

For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
In his hands are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hand formed the dry land. -- Psalm 95