All in the Family

Yes, traveling halfway around the world can be stressful. Hawaii and the UK are two islands in two different oceans. Yes, money has to be spent and time as to be rearranged in order to bring family together. It can seem like it will never happen or the distance is too great. However, if an opportunity arises. If a door opens. If Mark is heading to America on business opening up a space in the Sephton household for a visitor - time, money, and distance loose their power.

And so my family visiting adventure continued from Michigan to England where memories were made in the everyday things but also in local adventures. My mom was able to make the trip as well. England showed she can do much more than rain, as the sun broke through on more than one day. We found time for creativity, exploration, and fair share of silliness which are the characteristics that I love most about my family.

On the Move in London

When visiting my sister in England, I always try to take advantage of location by visiting any other friends that might be near by - even just for the weekend. Kara, my friend from PA, is finishing up her degree in London and thus an opportunity presented itself. The weather was on our side as we got to walk the streets of London seeing some sights that she had yet to see. As seems to be tradition with Kara, I always turn up just when she needs me. As providence would have it, Kara was needing my packing skills once again as the day I left she was moving out of her apartment and into another place. As this is my third time helping Kara move (once as I was road tripping through NC and another time in PA) this is a testament to God always providing the aid in our time of need. So glad I could be of service, friend!

There's No Place Like Home

I am so thankful that my job allows me to take a shift off giving me three whole weeks for travel. Nothing warms the heart more than going back to the place where I grew up and feeling that sense of familiarity. I walked to the library and say bikes sitting in the bike rack with no locks. I saw the same trees that always were the first to show signs of fall. Best of all, I saw so many loving faces, received so may warms embraces that I was overwhelmed with the sense that there really is no place like home.

Reflective Hike Down Memory Lane

One year ago I did the biggest move in my 35 years of existence. I had been living in the same time zone as my mom and dad for over 6 years. What made me decide to move to place 6 hours behind (well, sometimes 5 depending on the time of year) is still somewhat mysterious. The core basics of my personality aren't really bright, flashing lights saying that I should work in a therapeutic environment. For those that truly know me they understand. I lack serious amounts of compassion and take everything I see at face value. After all, "Efficient-realisti" is my hyphenated middle name.

Still, here I am. I have crossed that 365-days-of-PQ-employment line. I can't deny it. This milestone is quite big for the industry let alone the PQ world. The saving grace in my journey, however, was that I didn't make it alone. My cohort started with 10 - 4 gentlemen and 6 ladies. Today 4 of us still remain. All amazing ladies that have pushed through some tough moments and had some great laughs.

To mark the one year anniversary of our first day at PQ, we decided to celebrate by bringing things full circle. During our training, we made a pit stop to get our first look at the glowing caldera. Yesterday, we went back to have a little hike down memory lane.

The grey clouds lingered overhead and a heavy mist slowly soaked our outermost layer. The gusts of wind that made others hunch and retreat to warmer places didn't even phase us. A true testament to all that we had seen and experienced this past year.

What I loved about this hike was the way we all knew what we needed to do. One asked a question about some of the funniest moments. Another requested each of us to think of one word to describe the past year. I wondered if they knew they would make it through the year and if there were moments of doubt. The hike continued at a leisurely pace with moments of silence and reflection while others produced crazy speculations of future endeavors.

The hike also included a tribute to all of the staff and students we had worked with. Each was recalled by name and remembered. I am fascinated as to how the mind works. How a name by itself means little, but when coupled with one or two other names the faces magically appear in my mind's eye. The images come alive once again and moments are replayed. So many hard days. So many stressful experiences that I still wonder as to how we made it through. I love, though, how the really tough moments have been soften by time, how the hard edges now have a rounded curve, and how the tender moments always manage to float to the top.


But even after this stroll down memory lane, I still wonder why. I seem like such an odd fit for this place. One of my colleagues even reflected that my stubbornness got me this far. She is probably right with my strategic mind following-up in a very close second.

Mesmorizing glass piece at Volcano's Art Gallery

I read a quote by Corrie Ten Boom that I feel I will be leaning on for the months to come: "Every experience God gives us, every person He puts into our lives, is the perfect preparation for a future only He can see."

I look to a future hidden by shadows of uncertainty. I squint my eyes to try and bring something to focus. But I have decided to change my angle. The days ahead will reveal what this change of perspective will illuminate. The decision was step one. Now on to step two as the journey continues...

The Road to Lava

One month after my first adventure to find lava, a second opportunity presented itself. How could I turn it down? The first time, I went for it knowing very little but feeling the rush as one never knows when the lava will stop flowing. A couple of other discoveries were made on that first venture out: 1)  the flow was fast approaching the ocean and one didn't have to hike as far back on the lava rock fields as I did, 2) A gravel road was the first big leg of the journey making hiking simpler, 3) This gravel road could also easily cater to a person on a bike, making the adventure that much faster.

So with the help of Auntie Lyn's bike rack, Annie and I loaded our bikes, drove 45 minutes, and peddled our way down the road to the lava. The lava flow had already crossed the gravel road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park so now no hiking was even necessary. It almost seemed too easy! 

In the end we did have to hike about 100 yards to the edge of the old island to see the formation of the newest part of the island. Night fall had already arrived but the glow of the flowing lava illuminated the waves crashing against the newly formed rock. Although the video does it little justice visually, the sound of the waves can be heard but the heat is something that you really only can experience in person. 

Thanks Annie for another great Monday adventure (and Happy Birthday!).

Let the Celebrations Keep Rolling!

One of the perks of having a birthday directly after Independence Day is there is already a celebratory feeling in the air before my birthday arrives. Festivities for the National Holiday start days before the actual day, I feel like my birthday is just a tag on that gives me permission to keep the celebration rolling. And that is exactly what happened.

July 3rd: As most of my friends are also co-workers, after our shift ended we went to one of those only places in Hilo open that late: Ken's House of Pancakes. Thanks Hannah for the strawberry pancakes!!

July 4th: Classic Car Show, Potluck with Texas Holdem lesson (I was a very good student and made a couple friendemies - a shame no money was involved), and fire works in Hilo Bay.

July 5th: Kozmic Cones Ice Cream (Thanks Auntie Lyn), Big Island Candies free samples, Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes, Big Chair Hunt to stage my "420 months" photo (Thanks HomeWorld for humoring me and being my photographer), Airport Drop-off/Car pick-up (thanks Brianna for letting me use you car!!!), and journey to over 9000ft to see plants, stars, and the galaxy.

A little birthday reflection:
"Thank you everyone for the fabulous birthday wishes! I had a marvelous day full of old classics and new wonders as I put on my 808 thermals and ventured to Mauna Kea's visitor station (9200ft) for some star gazing. After seeing the Milky Way, Mars, and Saturn and its rings I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for all that had to happen to get me to this place and moment in my life. Like trying to fathom the depths of the heavens, I will never truly comprehend it all. (Sigh.) Feeling blessed."









July 6th: The first real challenge of my 35th year of life: Hiking across lava rock to find the molten variety flowing from inside the earth. In about 4.75 hours, I put 11+ miles on my legs. Yes they felt like jell-o.

July 7th: Snorkeling at Two Step beach, exploring some Hawaiian history at Pu`Uhonua O Honaunau, lounging at A-Bay, and line dancing potluck.

I will say that at this point the celebrating died down. It was a full few days with so much exploring, but I had one more day of celebration in me. It just so happened to fall on my dear niece's birthday as well (Happy Birthday Eva!!)....

Today, July 10th: Botanical World Adventures - complete with two waterfalls, a maze, an arboretum, and delicious cupcakes. (Thanks Annie for the sweet treat and Carrie for running a marathon to get the tickets and then giving them to Annie so this day would be possible!)

What a fabulous week!

Wrong Turn Payoffs

My off shift thus far has involved the usually medication that I self-prescribe when I need a shot of compassion: Call the Midwife - a fabulous show with strong female characters that demonstrate such passion for what they do. 

I must confess that I watched the entire first and second season. For those that have seen the show know how this is not hard to do. However, too much sitting and not enough doing is also a recipe for disaster for my well being. So when Annie texts me and asks if I want to go to Shipman' s Beach. I immediately reply with a "Yes! ....and where is that exactly?" 

The perfect opening for an adventure that included a 2.5 mile trek and a wrong turn, we found ourselves on a white and black sand beach that isn't on the Kona side of the island! 

Although the beach was lovely and the conversation on the hike very interesting and entertaining (per usual) the wrong turn we took had an added bonus: Macnut samples and very valuable information about the lava flow that is happening. As seeing lava is on the top of my list at this point, that old adventuresome Heather that was taking a nap suddenly woke up. With my birthday just around the corner, I knew exactly what I would be doing during my half-shift break. Thanks Annie for taking a wrong turn. I enjoyed the detour immensely.

Books Read:

Miss Pedegrin's Home for Peculiar Children

The Marvels

Paintings:

The Gift of Giving Gifts

These days, I am seeing a trend in my gift giving. Lately the gifts have been for those that are leaving, and is tradition to my closure practices, I search to find something that I can create that is a connecting point of my experience with that person and the place I interacted with them. For the two co-workers leaving next, their gifts fell right into play.

The challenge comes in those gifts you are expected to give every year. I try my best to take notes during the year. Discovering what people are interested in or finding something that is connected to a memory we share. This year, while my painting hand itching to create something, the medium was not a hard choice. The toughest part was figuring out the subject matter and facing head on the idea that what I see in my head will not be exactly what I will see on paper.

And so this Father’s Day, my gift to my dad was really about me. It was a representation of what he brought into my life. Music. The type of music is a minor detail compared to the deep appreciation he has for it. It is a wonderful, on-going gift that continues to be given. And for that, Dad, I am grateful.

Unsettled

Saturday, June 11, 2016 - King Kamehameha Day

I am not going to lie, my last shift at work just seemed off. I couldn’t find that sweet spot that I usually step right into. I usually know what I need to and where I need to enter and exit. I have mulled it over so many times in my head; analyzing the finer details that made me feel so unsettled. Whether being pulled by those above me or those around me as I found myself in one crisis intervention after another, I never found a moment to just breathe. During the car ride home, I just wanted to escape from everything around me, but how can one do that when wedged between a wall of luggage and a co-worker in the back seat of an SUV? So I endured the ride home with ear-buds in hoping the universal sign of leave-me-be would ring loud and true. It didn’t even matter that I only had two songs on my iPod. My desire to be transported to another time and place was so strong that I gave thanks for the repeat button.

Sunday, June 12, 2016 - Beach Day on Kona side

Usually I find rest in the fabulous thought that while I do work 8 days in a row, I then get to jump into a 6-day vacation. I usually find it very easy to relish in these glorious 6 days. With adult responsibilities and to-do list getting longer and longer, I felt a weight on my shoulders the moment I woke up Friday morning. I needed to get things done but was unable to talk myself into getting started. Pressure looming.

It took until Tuesday morning for some of that pressure to be released.

I find it interesting how the unsettled feeling inside was also reflected somewhat in the adventures, activities and conversations I participated in not to mention the events happening around the country. 

Even now, as I sit and reflect on the past 14 days, I am unsure of what to make of it. I wander from event to event, wondering how all of the pieces are going to shift next, trying to anticipate the next tipping point. I am at a loss of what I need to do – if anything.  It could be just as simple as the fact that I have been working at this job for 10 months now and have taken only 1 shift off. Maybe it is just time for another break. I could too be stuck on the way things used to be, wanting to turn back time before all of the changes that are taking place even began.  Or maybe it isn’t just one thing. We all have bad days. We are human and finding ourselves in a funk every now and again does seem commonplace. However, I find this ache within me questioning.

Monday, June 13, 2016 - White Rd Adventure with Annie

I went on a hike with Annie on Monday. Prior to going, I had heard other people’s tales of their experience on this trail. I patched the bits and pieces together in my brain. Although I had a great time exploring an unfamiliar place, the experience I was having was just not adding up. There had to be something I was missing. Too much of what I was gathering wasn’t fitting in place. I ended the hike with more questions than answers.

Who knows? Maybe at 4pm today, when I receive that ever-anticipated email speaking my next 8-day assignment into being, the unsettled feelings with vanish. At this point I am not really entertaining any other ideas. I will cross those bridges, only when I am 100% sure that they exist.

Continuing to Release

As I continue to release the artistic push I feel inside, I am finding that I am still looking to the next project. I finish one and I move on to the next. I am drawn to ones that tell a story. The more and more I research paintings to study the more and more I am discovering how I am drawn to simplicity. As a person I am very detail oriented and very realistic. I see every color and every line. Although you can be very detailed with watercolor, the medium has a unique characteristic that allows you to use as little paint as possible while still offering great effects. That is what I continue to play with and learn as I am slowly figuring out what I want to say when the time comes. So the study continues…