how i learned first hand what kina'ole means

Today began at a more appropriate but still somewhat out of control 5am. We decided an hour later to take a walk along the beach to watch the sun rise. Sadly, it was a little too cloudy to see it, but that's okay. We wound up sitting on the pier and watch two fishermen get an early start on their day. Of course, we had to leave when Wyatt demanded that it was "Wyatt's turn" as he threw himself onto the sand in protest. I believe this is how the Groton fisherman got his start.



Still, we had a nice walk, each step better than the last, and as we turned around, we realized we traveled probably 75 yards. But that wasn't the point. It was nice quiet time together, doing nothing but being together. And we didn't have to spend any money doing that. I'm sure Hilton is on it to change that.



After another amazing pancake dinner, we headed back to the room to put on our bathing suits and try something different - snorkeling. We borrowed a float with a clear bottom for Wyatt to lay on and see all the fishies beneath him. Hot Mama and I rented our gear and swam out. Honestly, it could have gone better, between Wyatt's indifference and frustration and my toe getting cut on some coral, but that's okay. We wound up back on shore and just played in the sand and the ocean, sans equipment. He was happy. That made us happy. And sunburned. But happy nonetheless.



To mix things up, we returned our gear and headed to the pool, where we met this young girl who helped Wyatt with his swimming. He was infatuated with her, and rightly so. She was charming and paid attention to him. An hour later, we felt he was just about done, and as we left the pool, he called out to her, "Girl! Girl!" Sweet boy.

Now it was nap time. Usually, this comes with an argument, sometimes in epic proportions. But, after walking on the beach, snorkeling and swimming in both ocean and pool and being up for seven hours, we saw a different side of Wyatt. One where he practically passed out while eating his PB&J, much like we all did in college after a late night that ends with an egg sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts. He was completely punch drunk. He called out to Hot Mama, "Bed!" and then proceeded to climb into his pack-and-play. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a first, an unprecedented occurance, one that will be written about in the annals of history as an upset the likes of David over Goliath, Lyle Lovett marrying Julia Roberts and the Super Bowl victory of the 2008 New York Football Giants couldn't even come close to matching. I had tears in my eyes. I'm thinking of having some coins minted to commemorate it.



We had hired a babysitter to watch Wyatt during the wedding, and decided to give her a dry run today while Hot Mama and I went snorkeling for reals. Her name was Becky, a local college student, and her job was to sit there and watch this lump of exhaustion do nothing for three hours. They both did their parts.

We hired a catamaran to take us out to the deeper part of the ocean, and jumped in. Hot Mama had snorkeled before; I hadn't. It took me five minutes or so to learn how to tread and, more importantly, learn how to regulate my breathing. She thought this was hilarious. I don't doubt her. I probably looked like a plastic bag stuck on a tree during a hurricane. I'm very clumsy when learning something new, but once I catch on, look out.

I took to it.

Maybe too much.

We were snorkeling for turtles. They'd quickly show up above water to get some air and then disappear back down, so you'd have to be quick to see them. Also, for some reason, the water we were in was a little murky, so finding them was even more difficult. Anyways, our guide saw one nearby, and I decided to go down deep to find him. I held my breath and headed downward (see, I told you I'm gangbusters after I get the idea). I'm looking around, my eyes darting in front of me, when all of a sudden, I'm shocked by this monstrous turtle that cuts me off from the side. Honestly, it was about the size of two manhole covers. It scared the crap out of me - not just the size, not that it would attack me, but that it just swam in front of me and I wasn't prepared for that and its size. I swam away quickly, like a lightning bolt, made a u-turn and headed for air.

Of course, Hot Mama saw this too, and thought that this was even funnier than before, especially since she witnessed the entire thing unfolding, like the turtle swimming towards me and our paths passing. She said she never saw me move so quickly from fear like that, and it was a comedy show. I bet.

(For the record, she said she would have reacted the same way. The sucker was a monster).

After finishing off our snorkeling by eating a one-foot hot dog (don't ask), we went back to the room, where Wyatt had just woken up and was flirting with Becky until we arrived, at which point he turned into shy guy. It's his game. He's still working out the kinks.

We decided to spend the rest of the day exploring Waikiki, taking a one-mile walk with the stroller down the shopping center to the International Market, which was basically a glorified Chinatown. Nothing special at all, especially to Hot Mama, who came here as a 13-year-old and had a completely different opinion of it then. We ate dinner at Duke's, which is the sister restaurant of Sunnyside, our favorite haunt in North Lake Tahoe. Then, with very tired legs, we trudged back to our resort for some ice cream that Wyatt thought would look better on his shirt.

At this point, we were exhausted, as you are from reading this, but it wasn't over. There was one more thing left to do, one more thing that perfectly tied the entire day together. We sat on the beach, curled up together, stared out into the ocean and watched a fireworks show.

Now that's a finale.

I was trying to find a Hawaiian word to describe this entire day, and I learned one - kina’ole. It means to do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, to the right person, for the right reason, with the right feeling.

Today was purely kina'ole with my two favorite peeps.

I'll never forget it.

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Read Day Four