Aloha, MK!

So, the time came for MK to start her adult life an ocean away from home....

This is the roomy Senior dorm she and Mads moved into, but only for a month. Once school started, they started living with the roaches in the mini Frosh soccer dorms.

"Hello, it's me, your comfy pillow. How about getting a good night's sleep once in awhile?"

I stayed with our friends, Cassie and Clint, and we talked til 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning most nights. In the mornings, Cassie and I would go for a hike or a walk along the beach. My new favorite beach is Lanikai. I waded in up to my neck and was sure this must be like heaven. Cassie even sent me home with a good book to keep me company, "The Secret Life of Bees." What would I have done without her? 

One morning, we ate at Cinnamon's: French Bread made of Portuguese sweet bread topped with guava chiffon. Possibly my best breakfast ever. They also had red velvet pancakes topped with white chocolate mousse (next time :). 

Most days MK sent me on shopping trips to Ross, Longs, and Foodland buying last-minute supplies: fan, alarm clock, 111 hangers, a shower basket..., and then I would drive the coastline from Cassie's to campus. 

I loved watching the team scrimmage a couple times, and once with the soccer boys, who I mistook for football players.

The damage...

Speaking of damage, just a week or two later, Megs (above, left) collided with another player and broke her nose and got 11 stitches on her forehead. The other girl got 13 stitches on her face. Mads sprained her ankle the first day of fitness trials.

Is it only a matter of time, MK?....

At night, the 3 M's and I would go to dinner, and then one night I caught a session at the newly remodeled Hawaii temple.

The last day we went to Waimea, and the girls jumped off the rock, while I drove around for 40 minutes looking for a parking spot.

But the thing is, once you get to the beach and look out across that ocean, it's all good.

I had to rush to the airport, so just a quick photo in front of their Hale, a hug, and "I love you; be good."

I have to figure, what better way to say good-bye to my first-born than to leave her in the ocean breezes of Hawaii on a campus with BYU standards with friends from home and Clint and Cassie as stand-in Mom and "Pops"? So, I've made my peace.

And, we Face-time every Sunday night.

And, we call her after every game.

And, we send her pictures of the kids playing Bite Toes with Dad hoping to make her homesick.

And, we call to ask her if she knows so-and-so who Mia's been hanging out with and what's her opinion?

And, we tell her we're making cookies, because we're mean.

And, we bug her to send pictures.

And basically just bug her.

But she loves it.

Right, Kenz? ;)

Our first glimpse of MK in her BYU-H digs from the Associated Press

#23, front right

ALOHA!