Just returned from a great week in Kauai. We were looking for the right place to recuperate and I think we found the perfect location. At the start of the week I “accidentally” deleted the connection between my mobile phone and my work email so I was completely clueless about work all week. I highly recommend this accident to all of you who need to get “off the grid.”

We knew Kai’s name was a common word in Japan and Hawaii… but I had NO IDEA how commonly “kai” (meaning “ocean” or “sea”) is used throughout the islands. His name was everywhere! I was riding my bike one morning and saw “kai” on so many signs (see Java Kai below). Honestly, I was thinking to myself, “Dammit, I came here to forget… not to be constantly reminded.” Then I had a different thought. We weren’t really there to forget (we certainly will never forget Kai). We were there to rest. We were there to start taking early steps toward living with the memory of Kai and his presence as he grows up away from us. To remember that joy is still all around us. All the sudden the “kai” signs became good. God took my negative thought and twisted it back to something good. He reminded me that Kai is exactly where he needs to be and we are where we should be.

-Russ

Bike ride along the eastern coast

One of our many good reminders. And good coffee, too.

We took a Kayak to this waterfall

On the beach

Breakfast at our room. Great view. Great food.

Hike above north coast