Valley of the Temples in Hawaii.

I would like to take credit for these beautiful photos, but I can't. Our VERY talented friend, Eric Matsuzaki, took these photos while we were at the Valley of the Temples in Hawaii earlier this month.

I know this looks like it's staged, but it's not!

Mika and Lexie playing with the rocks. They're always so sweet together and share everything.

Mika is always drawn to Buddha's when she sees one, and she sat down next to this one and closed her eyes. She says she's "relaxing and praying to God."

November/December in Hawaii.

We spent four weeks at the hospital in Hawaii with Max and just got home on December 16th. Here are some random photos that were taken while we were there.
I took Mika to the mall to see Santa the day before Thanksgiving. It was the first time for her to see a "regular" Santa in a store and not on base. I was very proud of her because she was a little nervous, but went up there anyway.

Thanksgiving lunch on the beach. It was very good.

Max took this picture in the street!

This big Buddha statue was at a restaurant close to our hotel. Mika thinks it's very pretty.

Mika and Lexie ringing the bell at "Valley of the Temples."

Our dear friends-Eric, Michelle and Lexie. They live in Kaneohe and we were able to spend time together during this trip.

Mika and Lexie.

The Koi pond at Valley of the Temples. Koi fish are very special to us because we visited a park in Changhua County where she was living in Taiwan and fed the fish the first day we met Mika.

Valley of the Temples-a beautiful and peaceful place.

Mika playing around with Lexie and Eric. She was telling Lexie "hang on, don't fall off!"

Max was with us, but not in these photos.

Our visit to Hawaii for Max to see the doctors and have surgery.

This was our Thanksgiving day lunch. It was delicious.

Mika was using a bath towel to dress up and entertain herself while Max was at the hospital.


Recovering after surgery.

Max's Thanksgiving day lunch. He didn't feel good on this day, so he looks a little tired.

A few photos that were taken during our hospital visit in Hawaii....

Here are a few photos that were taken while we were in Hawaii to see the doctors. It was the week of Thanksgiving, so we had some time off to sightsee and relax for a couple of days.

Uncle Dennis sent their birthday gifts to the hotel while we were there. He was a tiny bit late because he had ordered the Angels baseball souvenir, but that's ok, we still love him anyway!! (Their birthdays were in September!)

An example of our new life...where can Max eat and what can Max eat??!! We always order the biggest, fattest, most calorie busting thing on the menu for him. He has to eat a minimum of 4,000 calories EVERY day to maintain his bloodsugar.

Merry Christmas....we made it home in time!

As most of you already know, we've been at the hospital in Hawaii with Max since November 20th. We're so happy to finally be home in time to celebrate Christmas! We're so thankful for all of your prayers and support over these past four weeks, and we are so blessed that both of his biopsies came back benign and he's now feeling much, much better with the new medicine and the new nutrition plan. We're especially thankful for our dear friends, Eric and Michelle (and Lexie too!) who surrounded us with joy and love while we were in Hawaii and made us feel like part of their family.
I'll be posting more photos as soon as I can.
Merry Christmas!

A few extra photos.....

I had some extra photos, so I thought I would just post them together......
We went to "Seaside" arcade and I won some Halloween stuffies with the claw game!

Mika is learning how to use a knife and fork, so she's practicing with pancakes and a child safe knife.

My friend Yoriko made Mika a bento box lunch.

Mika loved it!!

I'm in the process of teaching Mika how to read. She loves to learn new things!

At a soba restaurant

Mika was excited to see a Japanese school group. They wear color coded hats when they go out for a field trip. So cute!

Mommy, Mika and Daddy.....
(Max was at school)

Enjoying a sushi lunch while Max is at school. Mika loves these little yogurt drinks and used to drink them when she was a baby in Taiwan.

Fresh sushi! Yummy. The chef is scorching some crab meat and mayo.

Halloween decorations off base at Mihama Village.

Mika enjoying a "kids set" at the Thai restaurant.

We enjoyed some Thai food for lunch and I had shrimp cakes and beef salad.

Pineapple rice.....

Max didn't feel too good on this day, so he looks a little tired.

This was Max's lunch-chicken with cashews.

Max got an ice cream for dessert off base.