Throw Pillows Explained...

In honor of my friend Mindy Owens who wrote a sweet note under my blog (and possibly the only one who actually reads it), I have decided to dedicate this entry to the Ricks family's love of throw pillows. As she observed, both my younger brother and I would like throw pillows for our new places of residence. He in Alabama, and myself in Hawaii... both needing the pillows ASAP. 


Let's start from square one though. 


According to the online dictionary: A throw pillow, or toss pillow, is a small, decorative type of pillow. Throw pillows are usually placed on sofas or armchairs but are also frequently used on beds and day beds. Throw pillows serve both an aesthetic and a functional purpose....


One may next wonder why in the world the two of us are incapable of buying our own throw pillows (or even want them, being our ages and all). I would guess (and hope) my younger brother may not wish to be seen (as a young male) buying such decorate pillows. I on the other hand, just recently being employed for the first time in three months, cannot justify the expense. But there is more... 


Though we both have great excuses, it does not fully explain the desire to have our mommy send us these pillows. After all, they are not really necessary and if anything just get in the way sometimes. 


So what's the catch???


The catch is that we have the most amazing and comforting mother on earth. Sorry if you thought you did, but you're wrong. 


She loves us in many ways, but one way is by providing the little things in life that make it fun and enjoyable. The little things that most everyone looks over and sees as irrelevant. Some may look at my mother and think her pursuits for just the right blanket or paint color are frivolous or materialistic. To he or she I would say you are a fool and just don't understand, (not to mention if I ever hear you talk about my mother that way, I will kick your ass).  


It's not the items themselves that are the joy of my moms finds, it is the love behind them that makes us feel cared for. Don't get me wrong, I loved having the perfect inexpensive jewelry to match my prom dress and all, but it's not the actual purchase that is special, it is her. 


You must also understand that my mother shops like it is an art form or a sport. She LOVES the hunt. She not only has excellent taste, but she is creative, knowledgeable, and super cost-effective along the way. If most companies were run with the amount of care, time, and effort that my mother puts towards shopping, they would be hugely successful, guaranteed. 


My friends have often noticed that I can be lazy in my pursuit of finding things that go well together or are the perfect combination of colors. Especially in the early college years when I would wear sweatpants and baseball hats everyday. What they fail to see perhaps, is that I am related to a professional shopper who loves to pick things out. It's like growing up with a professional painter and not putting all your personal effort towards painting. When you know someone who does it much better and you have unlimited access to this help, why work to personally perfect that skill?? 


Okay that might be a little dramatic. I actually do have a sense of taste and find more joy in putting things together the older I get. 


Can I just say though... NOT cool trying to decorate my first real apartment from 4000 miles away from my mother. Sure, sure... I'm learning to do things myself, but it's painful without her! 


Just to give you a picture: I went to target a few weeks ago, and as I was on the verge of tears feeling so far from home, I called my mom to just hear her voice. (If you haven't picked up on this yet, shopping makes me miss her more). Being the great woman she is, she first comforted me and then proceeded to get in the car, drive to Target, and go through the isles with me to pick things out. 


Fact: Target is so generic that the merchandise is not only the same, but organized the same on different land masses. 


Two hours, a lamp, a tablecloth, and two floor rugs later... mission accomplished. 


The thing is, it has nothing to do with the actual things. I am trained well enough to do that on my own and would probably enjoy the process. 


But when I wake up in the morning in my apartment, my mom doesn't seem so far. 


Shortly after we picked out the Target items my mother began a search for little things to match my apartment. Since she now had an example of the colors and an idea of what it looks like, she could begin the real hunt. A week later she had put together two care packages that apparently include some amazing throw pillows to match my rug. 


Fact: I've been waiting for the US postal service to deliver my boxes for THREE WEEKS NOW. They were supposed to be here two weeks ago, and if they lost them, I will be a mess. Not because of the items, but because I miss my mom so much and the throw pillows will be a great comfort. 


In conclusion: the Ricks family is super weird... but my mom is awesome. The USPS needs to bring my boxes... and that is my prayer request for the week. 


No... I'm not joking. 


(Okay maybe a little:) 

Proverbs 11:25b

Since moving to Hawaii I have had a few VERY encouraging encounters with various individuals. Sometimes it was just a nice word or a question, but a couple of times I have found myself refreshed in creative ways. 


A few weeks ago I was hired to help coach a youth basketball camp. I was assigned the six and under group, which was probably divine intervention being that my basketball skills barely exceed a six year old. It was incredibly entertaining to observe the little kids attempt to dribble basketballs larger than their heads and to pass using every bit of strength they possess. 


As much as I enjoyed the job and making a little money to buy groceries, one camper was the highlight of my week. 


Of the 22 kids attending the camp, there was only one girl. Her name is Kelsey and she is six. I instantly adored her simply for being brave enough to play with so many boys, but she was very shy and a challenge to bond with. During lunch on the first day of camp I asked her what she likes to eat. She told me spaghetti, but "only a certain kind". After momentarily pondering how this six year old has obtained a high maintenance pallet for this seemingly simple pasta dish, I asked her what she meant. Her eyes instantly lit up and she exclaimed "ONLY from Zippy's". 


Zippy's is a local fast food restaurant that I have often made fun of because their menu includes every food known to man, including spam. So needless-to-say her response gave me a huge smile. From the Zippy's conversation on she was my little shadow, for better or worse:) 


On the last day of camp Kelsey ran up to me, gave me a hug, and handed me an envelope. Later I opened the card and couldn't help but feel incredibly refreshed by how cute it was. 

I found the verse on the card to be a perfect fit: "...those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed" Proverbs 11:25b


Did I mention that the note had a gift certificate included?? Zippy's... $5... can't beat that.


Camp is over and I doubt I'll ever see Kelsey again, but her little note stays on my refrigerator door to remind me that even when it doesn't seem like it, the little things matter:)

A Tour...

Just in time for my monthly blog entry (ha)... A tour of my current residence and the surrounding areas. 

That's right, I have officially moved into an apartment. I'll be honest, for a bit there it felt like I may never find a good place. Hawaii real estate is tricky. By "tricky" I mean way over-priced and often in pretty crappy condition. The first two places we scouted out both smelled pretty awful, had tiny little rooms, and ceilings so short that Richard couldn't fully stand up inside. While he isn't actually living with me, (don't worry grandma), I did think it was necessary to find a place he could comfortably stand in... call me crazy. I'm convinced that the ceilings here are shorter because most everyone who lives here seems to be short as well. 


Anyway... after looking at several places, I found the PERFECT place. 

It falls in the "perfect" category for a few very basic, but key reasons:

1) Richard can stand up inside. 

2) It's not really big, but offers enough space to have a few friends over, (just as soon as I make more than one friend I think this will come in handy). 

3) It looks clean. This may not seem like a big deal, but TRUST ME, it stands out. 

4) It has a bedroom air conditioning unit. Being that I'm located on the first floor and don't feel totally safe leaving windows wide open all night, this is huge. 

5) It is 4 blocks from my boyfriend's house. Some may see this as clingy, (psh whatever... we lived 4000 miles away from one another before), but if you have ever tried to commute on the H1 highway for more than a few miles than you understand how wonderful it is to be in walking distance. 

6) The surrounding area is beautiful. 

I live at the bottom of a mountain/hill that is part of a big valley. I'm surrounded by the city, ocean, and the valley. Sort of the best of all worlds:) 

So enough talking and on to the tour... 

Behind my apartment is an area known as Palolo Valley. My running loop is around this area. 

This is the view of "downtown"; a conglomerate of a few different areas. This is where most business and tourist activity goes down. The street in the picture is actually the one between Richard's house and my apartment. (Information only valuable to my mother, but I'll include it all the same:). 

This is Diamond Head- a mountain which tourists frequently hike up and locals are almost always surfing at the base of. I myself like to walk or run around the parameter. This is on the opposite side of my apartment as the valley.

So that is all for the tour at the moment. I'll show some inside pics just as soon as the throw pillows my mom is sending arrive in the mail. (Another amazing story in itself...) 

I miss everyone very much. While I appreciate the amazing location I am in, no amount of scenery will ever make a place more wonderful than just being with people I love. (When you sell that line to Hallmark, I expect some of the profits).

A few small leads in the job department... but nothing set in stone yet. I may just keep looking for part time nanny jobs to hold me over till Christmas. All the prayers are appreciated!