Slacking is not even the word... I didn't think that I'd go this long without posting anything! Life in the Ulufale household has been many things... busy... trying... fun... mostly busy... The kids have all gone back to school. Kiale in 2nd grade, Maia in 8th and Kalani in 9th. Sports still rules our free time. Maia is Cheering for the Puyallup Roughriders, the team that Kiale is again playing football for. Kalani had Sidewinder tryouts last month and is once again playing for the 14u fastpitch team with them.
The summer flew by so fast! It started with Kalani's graduation from Concordia, followed by our trip to Vegas the very next day. That was Charlie's first time there, he wasn't too impressed with the city itself, but we did find an awesome Hawai'ian restaurant and the time with our Sidewinder Ohana was lots of fun. Spent lots of time with our extended family here this summer. Made it to a Kikaha race to support them... Kiale even got to paddle when he stayed at Uncle Apua's while we were in Vegas and he LOVED IT! Had our annual 4th of July party with around 70 or so people this year. That was FUN, FUN, FUN!
There have been a few trying times lately... Caused by outside factors, of course. We'll be back in court for Child Support issues soon. It amazes me how no matter how much Charlie does, both in supporting the girls and financially, it's never enough for some people. I've seen greed at it's best in the last few months. This is nothing new, so he and I just laugh about it. I've learned that money is just that, money... You can't take it with you when you die, and it doesn't define you. People will, however, remember the KIND of person that you were and how you TREATED OTHERS. We've been floored by what Kaila and Kalani have been told and not told, and they are both forming their own opinions about situations now. I've seen how a parent can ask a child to LIE to the other parent and then not own up to it. What can I say... not much surprises me anymore, but like I said, it's so LAUGHABLE!!! Pathetic and sad, but laughable...
On a more positive note, Kaila has "come back to the island". It's going to be a slow healing process because of all the things that has happened, but time will heal all wounds. After she and I talked, we figured out that there were so many things that she was/wasn't told, things that would have probably changed how the situation played out a year and a half ago. We were both angry about the hidden truth, but are concentrating on mending instead of dwelling on the past. She's struggling with the mistakes that she's made over the last few years, mainly with not keeping her grades up. She and I are working on ways to get her to college, however the options are minimal right now. She'll get there, and she knows that her dad and I will do whatever we can to make that happen, since she has no other support. The poor child is basically living in a house where her turning 18 is the goal so that she can get out, and may just get kicked out from what the girls tell us... Inspite of everything that has happened with us, we still love and support her because she is ours. She still knows where her support system is!!!
So life here has been all of the above and more. Charlie and I hit our 10 year mark last Spring and we're still happy and going strong! He was so cute... He told me that he was "never leaving me". When I asked if I was stuck, he said, "No, you can leave me, but I'm gonna follow!" Big poppa....