Work hard, play hard

There is a season to work hard, and then there is a season to play hard. Our boat company hosted over 1500 people during our 3 month peak whale season. That was a lot of work! Enjoyable work to say the least, but work...we were busy.
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we are in a 6 week dry dock. Well it is forced play you might say. Yes, there is still work to be done, and there's a lot of pressure to be back in the water, but "it is what it is" and now is a season of play too!
So I've been doing just that, and when David, Haley and Andrew can join me...we all go play. You only live life once, right?

A few weeks ago, friends from Hilo came over to camp and scuba. David and I have never scuba-ed, so Chris so willingly and patiently taught David the art of scuba. David was thrilled about this new way to experience the water. He even caught a fish too. I never eat the fish he catches, because when I see them "whole" and their sad little eyes staring at me as they sit, forever, in the fridge or ahem cooler... waiting to be cooked...they suddenly have a name, and a family, and...well need I go on? I sat with the ladies on the beach and played with the pooch...and Jackson, the newest edition to our crew...almost 1 year old. It is so fun to see Chris and Heather as parents. They are doing a great job at it too:) I'm a true believer that parenting is one of the hardest jobs in life, so kudos to all you parents out there. And thank you to our parents for putting up with the amazing and hard times we threw your way.

Well Haley and Andrew leave in about 3 weeks:( We are excited to see where the next adventure takes them. As for us, our plan is to hold on to our rental for another couple months unless another rental opens up or maybe we even buy? We have already been pre-approved for a loan, and tis the time to buy in Hawaii. So whatever door God chooses to open up we'll follow, we just hope He really makes it clear. The picture of Haley and Andrew is at a fresh water pond literally feet away from the ocean. Amazing to have fresh water and salt water so close together. Feels great to get in after a long hike through the lava fields.  We are looking for possible new roommates...interested? Email me kelsey.poole09@yahoo.com

As for work, there's always potential to expand, grow, and change. That's what is scary and that is what I love about my job. Casey and I went 4Wheeling to investigate some expansion to our business. Despite the business side of things, it was so great to be up at 11,500 ft again on a mountain overlooking the prettiest coastline in the world! So refreshing, and so needed!! It was also my second time 4Wheeling,  I wouldn't say I'm the best driver;/

On Saturday, all 4 of us went snorkeling at a place called MahuKona. From the highway, Haley's highly trained and professional whale watching eyes spotted a momma humpback and baby. They performed, breaching, tail slapping/slashing, head lunging, for about 45 minutes. Amazing that it is almost May and  there are still whales around. When the baby is big enough, mom and baby will start making their trek to Alaska. Pretty amazing to be nursing a calf and making a 2500 mi journey. It's no wonder that females lose up to 40% of their body weight. Now that's a diet! God is pretty amazing.

So a random thought, but yet one I've been thinking: What sets humans apart from animals...why is it that we have feelings, a conscience, emotions, responsibility, creativity. I believe it all points back to a God. A Creator God. A God who so loved His creation and He decided to make Man in his image. Man reflects God. Man is not God, but points to a God. Our reflection of God sets us apart from other life. That's a privilege, an honor, and a huge responsibility...what does he want from us then?? Why not make us like the rest of the animals out there? I have to think it is because this Creator God which I believe so strongly in...is a relational God. He wants a relationship with you, and me...

to be continued...

Go work hard, and play hard this week.

Kelsey

Happy April!

Wow,
Sorry it has been a while. Time is a flyin. Well to update you on our past month, let's begin:

My mom came at the end of March. It was great having her here. We celebrated Haley's 24th bday with pedicures and paddleboarding. Haley, Andrew, my mom and David went down into Waipio Valley (related to the Colorado incline). They played with the wild horses in the valley and enjoyed the beautiful beach and waterfalls.

Haley and Andrew are leaving us at the end of May:( Hawaii has been a great adventure for them, but they feel that it's time to leave. Not sure what's next for them, but we are thrilled as they continue on in the adventure. However, we are VERY sad to see them leave.

As for David and I, we still feel that the Big Island is our home. As for the roof over our heads, not sure if we'll keep the house we are in or downsize or...? Who knows, praying God will make that clear.

David and I both love our jobs. The other day Casey (my boss who is cutting the Mahi Mahi in the pic above) took Kim (one of the crew) and I on a holo holo boat trip (play day). We went out to fish, but ended up finding the last of our Big Island whales. About an hour into the trip a Mama humpback whale and a keiki (baby) whale put on quite a show...just for the 3 of us. It was awesome. I kept thinking that was a God thing.

For Easter, some friends of ours, Heather and Chris and their 10 month old Jackson, came over for the weekend. It was so great to spend time with them. Once again we realize how much we miss our old stomping grounds...Hilo. Miss our HMC family and friends:)

David is done with the night shifts at Target and he is back to working "normal" hours. He seems to be happier.

Well, lots of randomness. But that's life.

Love you all.
Kelsey and David and Kapule

**Picture of Haley and I on the ocean taken by Casey Cho owner and captain of www.adventurexrafting.com :)
**Picture of boat taken by Haley Hendrickson (btw she has a new website up and running www.haleyhendricksonphotography.com)

Wow, it has been almost a month since I was last on blogging to update you all on our lives here in Hawaii. To our blogger followers, I'm sorry for the pause in blogging. It has been a very busy month as our adventure continues here on the Big Island.

February was a great month as we had over 700 guests join us for Whale Watching with Adventure X Rafting. With 2-3 trips a day, our boat was staying busy. We witnessed whales breaching (80,000 lbs launching out of the water), to whale muggings (whales coming directly under the boat and hanging out for several minutes). One day, we had an underwater camera on board and our captain captured this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae49xMoZlQA&feature=youtu.be

It is always a blessing and privilege to be able to witness activity of these amazing creatures. Wow, God is so good and so creative! It's also great to interact with so many people from all across the world, He's even more creative in how he made every person so unique...yet we are all created in His image.

David is still working nights at Target. He has one more week left of that, and then will be back to a more "normal" schedule. It has been a very stretching experience for him as a leader, but I believe he has learned a lot through this management opportunity. He and I on Saturday had a little excursion to the Northern part of the island called Hawi. We did a little hiking, a little eating, and a little beach going. It is always nice to go explore a new place.

Haley and Andrew continue to be a joy to have as roomies. I love working with Haley on the boat when given the opportunity. Though I have to admit, I am excited for life to settle down a bit, and to maybe do a little more exploring of the island with them. We don't know what's next in their future, or how long Hawaii will be home for them, but we do love the fact they are here now and the growth God seems to be doing in ALL of our lives.
Movies have been a fun pasttime for us in the evenings as each evening we take turns making dinner (a wonderful part of community living:). It has been fun to enjoy that part of life as they really take great joy in movies and tv shows. It seems to be a nice way to conclude a busy day.

Yesterday, I had a bit of an incident. As I was heading into the water to kiteboard, I "bumped" my foot on a rock or a shallow coral reef. Thinking it was just a little scratch, I continued to kiteboard for the next 30 minutes. However, the "little" scratch continued to bleed while in the water kiting, so I decided that instead of chumming for sharks I'd head in and land my kite and see what this "little" scratch was all about. Well, the little scratch turned out needing 14 stitches and 10 days of antibiotics. (sorry for the graphic picture above, but thought those who can stand the sight would be curious what my scratch looked like). My doctor said it was a good thing I came in to Urgent Care, as it was a deep wound and close to some major blood vessels. As much as I hate doctors and emergency rooms, I think it was a good decision to get it taken care of professionally (although David did a great job playing home doctor as he tried to clean the wound himself in our tub). So I'm forbidden to enter the water for a week, and get the stitches removed in 10 days. All things work together for the good...so maybe this is a forced rest from a very busy life I lead? Who knows...I'm bumming...but trying to see this as a positive opportunity for...something?

Uncle Mike, came out to visit for a day. It was great catching up with him, we missed you Aunt Elizabeth!

My mom comes out for a week on the 25th. I'm looking forward to spending some time with her as she relaxes on the beach:)

Art and Donna from Hilo came a few days ago to get out of Hilo's rain. It was so good catching up with them and hearing what God was doing in their lives. We really do love company...so whether you are in Hilo or on the mainland...please come visit:)

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for your prayers, love and support!

We will be back in Colorado May 13-17 and Indiana May 17-22. Hope to see some of you then!!

Love, Kelsey and David

The 2 boat/whale pics above were taken by my boss. This just gives you an idea of what I saw with the baby whale. This isn't the same whale, but Casey took this a while ago. Humpback whales are very curious animals, and like to explore boats. So when you are here on the Big Island...come check out Adventure X Rafting!!

The kiting pic was taken by Emily at White Dot photography in Hilo Bay...windy!! Blowing 25-30 mph.
Wow, it has been a long time since I've updated you all on our lives. I guess we've been that busy. Well here we go, the update begins:

David:
Currently, my hubby is not feeling too good. To avoid getting sick, I escaped to Hilo for a couple of days to kiteboard. Yes, I'm a bad wife, but David insisted he did not want me home so I would not pick up the stomach flu, sore throat, cough, sinus stuff, and headache. Doesn't sound like fun, huh?
He missed 2 days of work and slept, and I enjoyed 2 days of intense kiting.
Work for David is going well, he is still in the middle or a remodeling project at Target and is working nights. Our times to see each other tends to be around the dinner hour. God seems to be stretching him in the leadership aspect, and we are praying for a change of position once this remodeling project is done. He is working toward being what's called the Presentation Team Lead, which means his hours would be at 4am-Noon...giving him enough time to play and see each other:)

Me:
Our whale season is rocking. For the most part we have been doing 2 trips a day, packed almost every trip! God is good!! Just the other day, I was so blessed to experience a baby humpback whale, belly up, come and brush against our boat. I've never been so close to a humpback whale in my life, and although a baby, it still is about 15 feet in length weighing over a ton in weight.
Haley reminded me, that when we listen to the whales sing live through our dual hydrophones on board, that they are probably singing to their Creator. All of creation truly sings praises to God, and we get to listen everyday!

Haley and Andrew:
Are our fantastic roomies! We love having them here! Andrew is now starting to do more with Aflac, anyone need insurance talk to him? And Haley has truly been a tremendous blessing helping take a lot of the responsibility with the boat! She is also trying to launch her photography here on the Big Island. www.haleyhendricksonphotography.com.

We still have not found a church, and unfortunately, I work most Sundays. In His timing, things will work out. We find fellowship with Haley and Andrew, and friends from Hilo:)

Signing off,
Kelsey

Aw, Shucks that's life...

One phrase I learned quite well when working with children with autism was the phrase, "Aw, shucks that's life". Folks with autism don't do well with change and when something interrupts their schedule/routine in life, they tend to get anxious, worried, or upset. (hmmm...hit close to home?). Well, "aw shucks" phrase was used to help them grasp reality once again. The reality in life is that hardship and struggle is inevitable. Well, David and I had our "struggle" this week that brought us once again to the famous phrase. Haley and Andrew also had their struggle as well...read on.

We'll start with Haley and Andrew. Unfortunately, their car got broken into. Haley, after work, came back and had her car window broken and door handle pried apart. A couple thousand repair job, if they choose to fix it. But they are handling it terrifically, and are just waiting and watching God move in the situation.

As for us, we bought a new car, well used car, but new for us! In the first hour of ownership, as David was driving it home, he suddenly found himself on the side of the road with no power. As you can imagine, we were not happy and could not understand why such a thing had to happen. However, our dealership took upon the expenses of towing and repairs. After a whole days worth of tests, they found out that it just happen to be a bad sensor in the engine. So we are now proud owners of a 2001 Honda Civic with 89000 miles! The "newest" car we've ever owned.

On the good side of things, I did get a new 2012 12 meter kite and was able to ride it for about an hour and a half the other day. I hope it can take me to the next level in kiting:)

Well life goes on...more to come...

Kelsey

The New Year

Happy New Year or Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!
Tis another year with new goals and new dreams. In fact, I just finished writing down my new year's resolutions from physical goals to spiritual goals, from travel to my relationship with David. Now, if you are like me...the momentum of a new year seems to die quickly, the goals seem to be forgotten., priorities get rearranged once again, and life can continue to be disorderly and chaotic, the important things once again being put on the back burner. So as a friend, I ask...what do you do to keep the momentum of New Year's Resolutions.

Well, as most of you know we did have an 11 day visit from Dad and Mom Waliszewski and Trevor. Running, the beach, and paddleboarding seem to be the only words in their vocabulary while they are here in Hawaii. We had some very windy days before Christmas, which made the beach more difficult and paddleboarding especially hard, however, all in all their trip to Hawaii was great! For Christmas, I was able, thanks to my great boss, bring Trevor and Andrew on our last trip Swimming with Wild Dolphins. Not only did they see and swim with Dolphins but they had an 80,000lb Humpback Whale swim under the boat. What we like to call a Whale Mugging.
Mom and Dad and Trevor were treated to 2 days of Whale Watching on our Big Yellow Boat the Malaialena. The first day seemed a bit "slow" in sightings, however, the second day we witnessed about 6 breaches in a row from a massive Humpback Whale. They all enjoyed their time with Adventure X Rafting.

As for work, it has been wonderful having Haley come work for ADVX. She has picked things up so well, and seems to be enjoying the job. Unfortunately due to the 40knot winds and then some engine trouble, we did have to cancel the majority of our trips before Christmas, however, once the winds calmed down and our engines were fixed, we had some pretty incredible Whale Watching trips after Christmas, and we hope to continue with the great Whale Watching as the season progresses (the majority of Humpbacks are here Jan-March).

It's been so great having roommates (I hope they can say the same as they get to live with David and I and our quirkyness). I love being able to share life with another Christian couple. With all four of us loving Jesus, life seems good:) Haley and Andrew are hoping to get involved in canoeing. There is a canoe/paddle club just down the road that offers recreational canoeing. Andrew has plugged himself into a gaming community in Kona every Wednesday night. Not sure what they do...but I know he seems to enjoy himself with the guys. If you are looking for some entertainment I have 3 words: Zumba, Haley, and me! Yes, the secret's out...Haley and I have taken up Zumba (in the privacy of our own living room fortunately). Coordination and rhythm are not my strong suit, but I'm working on it. I think I get more of a work out laughing...then I do with actual Zumba. The wind hasn't been great kiting wind...I'm hoping that will soon change. I'm looking forward to a new 12 meter Switch kite on its way:) A very generous Christmas present!! David is still playing hockey with the boys. He also now has a kayak. A few days ago, he went out on his kayak and I went out on my stand up paddleboard and guess what we ran into? A small pod of dolphins! For about 10 minutes we enjoyed the dolphins completely to ourselves....until a zodiac decided to join us and scared them away. It was pretty remarkable. While watching dolphins, a whale decided to breach in the background...boy, God puts on some pretty spectacular shows.

Well, what's 2012 going to bring? We have a political election going on, still in an economic crisis, wars and rumors of wars, and Jesus coming back? etc. We can sometimes get so caught up in things we cannot control, instead, I hope you take time to enjoy the little joys that God brings in life. For us, just a few days ago, it was dolphins and a whale breaching...what little show/joy is God allowing you to participate in? I believe those little things in life are just ways he tells us how much He loves us!!

May 2012 be a great year!
Kelsey

Mele Kalikimaka 2011!!!

Hello all,

Mele Kalikimaka and Aloha from Hawai’i!

Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year. The snow (and yes the Big Island has snow… it’s on the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa as I type this), the cool weather in windy Waikoloa town and the festive music on the radio reminds me of all the great memories of Christmas’ growing up. It isn’t quite the same as a white Colorado Christmas, but enjoying the remarkable geography of the Big Island sure gives it a run for their money. This time of year is a most joyous occasion, from the food and fun, and we are glad to be sharing it with Andrew and Haley, as well as the rest of the Waliszewski clan, Bob, Leesa and Trevor. We’re preparing for a great Christmas here in Hawai’i, but we miss each and every one of you on the mainland during this time!

Kelsey and I are so thankful for everything going on in our lives right now. We are able to play to our hearts’ content as I spearfish as Kelsey chases the wind kiteboarding. My work as a Team Leader (assistant manager) at Target has been quite the growing experience, but has been an enjoyable ride and one that seems to be getting better and better as I stay on and learn how to be a manager in the world of retail. It’s nothing that I thought I would do, but I love working alongside of the awesome crew at Target 2412 in Kona and enjoy seeing how I can help a business operate! Kelsey’s job is just kicking into full swing for the winter Whale Watching season. Imagine being able to take boat trips to watch amazing humpback whales play in the warm Hawaiian waters, and then get paid for it! Her work at Adventure X Rafting keeps her very busy, but it also keeps her in a place where she thrives - working with people to provide visitors and kama aina (locals) with a remarkable trip to see some of God’s most amazing creatures up close!

In all of the busyness of this season, we hope that this season finds you all enjoying time with family and friends, and full of the expectation of real meaning of the season. I have been so in awe at the unfair, minding-blowing move of God that happened all that time ago when the King, the creator of everything wrapped on human flesh to begin His campaign of redemption. When the Father sent Jesus to the world, the entire earth was waiting for His arrival, as it now waits for His return. And what a glorious day that will be! Kelsey and I hope and pray that you may experience the arrival of Jesus in your lives in new ways in 2012!

Gloria! In excelsis Deo!

David and Kelsey Poole