We're in Love

Not with these guys. In fact, one of those things jumped on a window I was standing in front of and almost made me pee in my pants. They are everywhere!

We are in love with the people here. Already. We went to church yesterday and realized immediately that we are definitely the misfits. However, after just 3 hours of meeting new people, we were invited over for dinner last night and then again with another family later this week. Last night was amazing. It was authentic. It was sitting in the back yard with the cutest little Hawaiian kids running around while we laughed, told stories, and learned more about the Hawaiian culture. We became Uncle Spencer and Auntie Stacy. We were welcomed and loved and accepted.

Let me just say that I am beyond grateful for a husband who knows how to make friends. Way better than I can. Within about 1 minute of walking into our friend's house, they had him down at the piano, making almost every woman in there cry as he played and sang his Mother's Day song. He knows how to make people comfortable. I learn from him constantly on how to open up to a stranger. I'm pretty sure this experience would not even be close to the same as if I were here by myself.

I'll try to post more often. I'd like to document our time here with the people we meet and lessons we learn. I think it will be quite an experience. After yesterday, I'm glad we made the decision to NOT live on base. If I were to live on base, I would have found myself stuck in a bubble of comfort and normalcy. I would not be out challenging myself in new situations and new culture. I would not have met our friends that we met last night. I don't think I would have truly lived the real Hawaiian life. So here's to new surroundings, new friends, new fears, new foods, new experiences, etc. etc. etc.