Beautiful and oh so fragrent, the plumeria flower is a delight!

O, God, you are magnificent!
You, alone, are the Master Creator!
The waves in the ocean pound out praises to You as they roll onto the shore!

The flowers send out their alluring fragrance…
Reminding all who wander by to stop and breathe it in.


The wind blows all of Your creation-
The palms dance against the bluest of skies.
The clouds gather to offer shade-
As the birds sing out of Your glory.

The flowers wear their most beautiful shades of color to delight our eyes.


Only You, O God, could cause such beauty, and peace, and contentment to reside in this one place.

The fruits of the trees outdo each other
as they produce crop after crop of delicious offerings:
Pineapple, papaya, mango, banana, coconut.
What a delicious feast You set for us!

The fish in the ocean:
The mahi-mahi, the ahi, the opaka- so sweet to the taste.
A most generous gift from you.

The sky above it all pulls out its most awesome colors…
It paints with blues and oranges, and yellows, and pinks, and blackest of all blacks.
It covers this beautiful island with its canopy of beauty.
It shouts to all the greatness of our God.


This mere observer and partaker is humbled and awed…and so very grateful.

Tonja Owens…10/16/08

Pictures made in Maui, Hawaii…October, 2008.

I am so thankful to all of you who said extra prayers for Alex while we were away. He did very well. And actually he was able to be up a little and spend time with both his brothers. He enjoyed this tremendously! And, friends, that has not happened in months and months. So, thank you for praying. And, thank-you, God!

His Granny cooked for him (which he always loves) and Pop delivered. How blessed I am to have my parents close by and so willing and happy to pitch in and help. They are such an important part of my boy’s life, and a source of much wisdom and support. Thank-you, God!

Adam and Suzanne and Ian all made sure Alex had all that he needed and wanted. Do you know what a load that is off of this Mom’s heart? To know that Alex has a support team willing to do all that is necessary when I am not here. That also includes his Aunt Joy and Uncle Tommy, his cousins, and other friends. We are so blessed.

His pain level continues to be quite high, and he is not able to be up much at all. So, even if he can sit up and watch a movie with his brothers or his dad is considered a big event.

God has Alex in His hands, and He alone holds the answers to this horrible illness. I have complete faith that in His time, He will lead us to the help we need. And our part in that is to keep searching…and we will. God is good and ever present…even in the hard times. His grace and goodness allow us to go through each day. We praise Him and thank Him for what He will do…in His time. Soon, Lord, soon.

“Because of God’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

95% of all suitcases are black.

Quite literally, some people roll out of bed and travel in the same clothes…ugh!

Almost every teen and young adult travels with earbuds attached to the ipod in their pocket.

Airports and airplanes are some of the coldest places on earth.

I do not like having to go barefoot through the metal detector.

I do not mind, however, going through any of the other security screening. Those who gripe about it must have no regard for their safety.

Ladies…please do NOT ever wear tennis shoes and socks with your capri pants…it’s just not right.

Men, most of you over the age of 30 should never travel in shorts…it is not pretty!

And, ladies, why, oh, why, would you wear stilettos when you travel? I mean, really, you look totally silly trying to rush through the airport balancing on those tiny stilts, while juggling packages, and trying not to fall. Really silly.

When families are travelling together…if the mother is dressed in a stylish and ‘put-together’ outfit, the rest of the family will be as well. Unless there is a teen-aged son…then all bets are off!

The first set of restrooms you come to when you exit your plane is going to be crowded. Ladies will be lined up out the door. If you will just keep walking till you come to the next one (which isn’t very far), you can go right in and get down to business with no wait.

Does a toddler really need 3 stuffed animals for comfort on an airplane?

What a great idea to put movie and TV screens in the seat backs! Everyone can watch what they want, and there is a great selection to choose from. Smart!

Most folks complain about airline food, but it has improved greatly since they are charging for it now.

Most everyone travelling to the islands is happy and in a good mood. And why not?

Most everyone leaving the islands is tanned, laden with packages, and sad to go. Perfectly understandable.

Every time I used a credit or debit card, I was asked for my I.D. also. I decided to be thankful for that. So each time I was asked, I told the clerk, “Thank-you for checking.” They were surprised every time. But, I should be thankful for that…they were doing me a favor making sure no one else is using my card.

It would be much easier and so much less stressful exiting a flight if the flight attendants followed the lead of kindergarten teachers. Tell everyone to stay seated and then call one group at a time to leave. The ones that sit quietly with the least grumbling would get out faster. I think I will write a letter to Delta.

No matter how wonderful the place you travel to…there is truly no place like home!

Yes, this Island Girl and her Handsome Fellow are back in the Deep South…where no one asks,”Where are you from?”, and every restaurant knows about sweet tea! It was divine! But, it is good to be home, too. I have lots to tell you about, but at this point I am just too tired. Got in about 8 last night, and have slept off and on all day. I don’t have all my pics uploaded yet, so I’ll be back with pics and stories…ALOHA.