Tomorrow is September!!

This has been a truly delightful summer. Like every summer in California the weather is now turning to perfect and we will continue with beautiful beach going days! I'm looking forward to a milestone birthday in 2 weeks and starting to reflect on my last uh, 20ish years ;-)

I have been going through "30 before 30" lists. I have a couple to cross off on my list just for the pure fun of doing them before I turn 30. However, All of my major life goals I set out to achieve I have. There is a bittersweet feeling I have about this birthday. In some ways I feel so amazingly grateful for everything I have been blessed to do but I also cant help but feel that pull of what will be next.

Being a Christian I have found joy throughout my life by the Phillipians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  That has been such a glorious reminder for everyday living. To remember that my constant communication with God will allow me to follow Gods will for my life.

If you didn't already know I am a HUUUUGE Pinterester (That is one who spends a LOT of time on Pinterest,ha!) I came across a while back The Birthday Project This was such an amazing and cool thing to do on your birthday. Its basically random acts of kindness according to the age you are turning. So, this year is 30 and I will be doing 30 Random Acts of Kindness to celebrate the amazing life I have been blessed to lead! I cant wait to do this and look forward to inspiring others to pay if forward!

In the next couple of days I will add and check off my "30 before 30" list and let me know any cool things I might need to add to my list!

Happy Weekend and Happy Labor Day!!

Mahalo,
Adina

It's Friday!!

Ahhh it's early Friday morning and I have had a delightful week! 

Husband had a bunch of army stuff this week so this pretty much sums it up!

Hahah! I love this picture! I make him take so many pictures and he's always like "Dina, more!" Yup, More! Ya know why? Because,sometimes you can capture pure gold! No. But, really. I'm so proud of  him and he does such an amazing job leading and caring for our family and is such an amazing soldier! He has so much to give and share and makes me beyond proud to be his wife. Plus, he's super hot! ;-) 

Oh, he just makes me happy! Like giddy happy. :-)

Monday we did the fam day at Incredible Johns for pizza and games and then went to the mall! Guess what it wasn't that crowded! Ya know why?! Because school is back in session!!! WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO! I know there  will be a day when it will be the opposite and as the girls get bigger I will be bummed out. But currently I love when school is in session! Why you ask? It means I can run to target in the middle of the day on a Tuesday and there is not a million and one people in there. We can go to Disneyland and not everyone and their mother are there! 

We(husband and I) live in a world where we are not off of the whole weekend. We work Saturdays and have multiple days off during the week. We love doing things in our own little world. Not with crowds of mass people. I love going to places and traveling on the "off peak" times because its cheaper and less crowded. This goes for holiday school breaks too! We go out all the time not just because we are off school or its a holiday.

Heres the girls riding rides. Greens is way into yellow at the moment. Penny was actually into this. Although she would much rather have ridden the horse(it was out of order) and that white jeep with the rainbows...I wish I had it in real life,ha! :-)

I upped my mileage running this week and really it felt great to go a little bit further this week! Next week I will be back in the 20+ miles per week and that gets me über excited!! 

I'm running the Walt Disney marathon with my awesome sister-in-law and I'm beyond pumped!!

This week I was having major Hawaii withdrawals and cannot wait to get back to my "homeland" haha! It's just amazing there! So, we had Hawaii night and made and island feast and enjoyed Southern California and ate fine island food! I made this super yummy pineapple and shrimp fried rice! Suuuper good!

It's really easy and looks way more complex than it is! 

When we are not galavanting around town or on an exploring adventure. I'm beyond blessed to be hanging out with my little bff's and there is nothing better than living this amazing life with my precious little girls. They are so spectacular and challenge me daily to be a better person and an even better mama. 

It doesn't get any better than a week full of fun and love! Enjoy every moment and don't wait for a special occasion to celebrate your spouse or your children. 

Everyday is an amazing gift we have with one another. The days in between the holidays and birthdays turn out to be way more memorable for us in the long run! 

Mahalo,

Dina 

Babies

My arms are missing a child. My third child is with The Lord. Not a single day goes by that I don't think of how my life would be if I were to have had that one here with me and not our Penelope. Being a mama changed my life forever. The quote that I'm forever reminded of is "when a child is born so is the mother" the weight of that statement is something  that couldn't be more true or more powerful in my life.

My girls here are healthy, beautiful and thriving daily. As a family we do amazing things together and my world is painted with their laughter, smiles, hugs and even whines and tears. My world revolves around them and makes me a better version of myself everyday by having this role as their mom.

Last night I found out about acquaintances that are now starting the process of chemotherapy for their 2 year old. The fact that I even typed that last sentence out breaks my heart and brings years to my eyes almost immediately. I can feel the words popping up in my head saying "why Lord?" Feelings of anger and frustration. The same feelings I have felt before and almost at the same time begin to hear The Lord speak. "I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born" Isaiah 66:9 this verse is something that rocks my world and brings things into perspective for me daily. I mean that. I fail him daily and he continues to bless me.why?! Because he loves me! Because he uses situations to show us and the world how he works. We don't always know at the time how God can use a situation or what other person our life and story can be affecting someone else and their walk. 

I cried in my husbands arms last night and prayed for this family and for ours. That they would stand strong in this journey and that Gods mighty healing hand would bring comfort to this baby and his wonderful family. I also prayed for ours that in the midst of living that we always remember how blessed we are. That how no matter how hard it is sometimes in this world to be content with what we have that we have something so much more. We have a hope in our God that he is in control in our lives. That he has blessed us far more than we deserve not only for by his death on the cross so we might live. But, for the lives we live here on earth so he may shine through us. 

Gods daily reminders of his love and grace cling to me even as I write and they are in the forms of my girls which God has entrusted to Mike and Myself. By walking with him and showing them Gods love and guidance as he has shown us by loving us. To be patient with them when they are driving us crazy and to love them like Jesus loves us. 

Mahalo, 

Adina