SUP

SUP stands for Stand up Paddleboarding- a new sport I have fallen in love with. A little easier than kiteboarding, this sport requires patience and balance. This past weekend, David and I camped over in Kona. After work on Friday (on the boat) my boss let me take the new Stand up Paddle board for the day to practice and have fun. It is so relaxing to just cruise around the water, looking at the coral reefs below, and thanking God for his creativity.

Unfortunately, I've not been on the boat in a while. Friday we had a terrific day swimming with the dolphins and snorkeling with Manta Rays. On the way back we hit something, and our engines died. Thankfully, we had such a great group of folks on board, especially since we had to get towed in. So the boat is in repair, at least it's the slow tourist season. David was suppose to work with me on Saturday, what would have been his first time out on the boat doing the dolphin swim, but despite the craziness, we still had a great time in Kona. We even met up with a few families from the church and just fried on the beach. (Yes, fried. We all came back looking nice and toasty, even after several applications of sunscreen).

I'm really starting to get the hang of kiteboarding. I am so thankful of getting to do this life long dream and having a supportive hubby. It looks like we are going to move to Kona for at least the summer. We found an even smaller place than what we are living in now, but I think it will do. The way I see it, we are either going to be working and/or living at the beach. All we need is a place to store our things, a bed to sleep in, and food to eat. I think this small little studio will be just that until we can figure out what we are suppose to do. Let's just say, any house we get after this we are going to be REALLY thankful for...I'm sure it's going to be one of those stories we tell our kids someday..."Well kids, your dad and I lived in..." David keeps applying to jobs in Hilo and in Kona, we are praying something opens up soon! I guess we are taking a step of faith in this move....

So just a funny but also gross story. Reader discretion advised: We were bombarded by cockroaches last night. It was disgusting! I don't know why they all decided to come out at once but we had like 5 in the kitchen and 2 flying around as we were trying to go to bed. It gives me shivers just thinking about them...and they were huge...I have a fearless husband who is willing to sacrifice sleep for a wife who says "Honey, I hear another one...can you kill it". Hopefully, not that many cockroaches in Kona.

David is no longer working graveyard shifts, but his hours have been cut. He works 12 hr day shifts Wednesday and Thursday. I continue to work in SPED, when I'm not working on the boat.

I believe we have some visitors coming this summer. Some possible friends from FFI, Dani and Ryan McAfee, and maybe even some family.

Happy 26th Anniversary Gary and Ronda Poole!

Hope all is well. We treasure your prayers as things seem unclear at this time.

Kelsey

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Seasons of life

Hmmm...nothing like a thunderstorm. Currently, I have soup cooking in the crockpot, dishes done, and I'm all snuggled on the couch enjoying the flash, crack, and boom of the thunder and lightening display here in Hilo. Needless to say, it's relaxing. Although, it does make me miss the Colorado thunder and lightening shows over the plains. What beauty!

A little shout out to my mom, Happy Birthday mom! What an inspirational woman you are to me. Thank you for all your love, encouragement and support. I hope dad treats you special today, above and beyond a "normal" day. I wish I could be there! Carmel Frapaccino? Anyhoo...Love you so much, you are the best mom in the world!

An update on our lives. This past Thursday we moved out of our 3 bedroom house into a friend's ohana house (1 bedroom/bath/kitchen and living area). It was sad, but we knew that the house was too big for just the two of us. Working with teenagers, it was perfect, but for the two of us it required a lot more cleaning than I had time for. So, David and I have titled this season of our lives as "Transitional". We are only able to stay in this ohana for the month of April (rent in exchange for cleaning which has been such a blessing). But that leaves us not knowing what to do come May...the story of our lives lately. So your prayers are appreciated.

David is still a night security guard every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. He's been applying other places, but nothing seems to be working out. We are just glad for his employment. We are praying about another youth pastoring opportunity on Oahu, but we need confirmation from God if it is his will. It would break our hearts to leave this island, and we are unsure if we are ready for such an endeavor.

I am staying busy as always, and loving most of it. With the boating opportunity, my job has recently increased. I continue to work on the boat, and now do reservations and sales calls which I love. This past Monday, the gal who I split the job with and I went around to some of the hotels meeting sales agents and letting them know that our whale watching season ended and we are now launching into the Swim with the Wild dolphin season. We did a trip this past Sunday, which was such a blast. Although I had to miss church, I loved being in God's creation and was singing His praises while enjoying a wonderful boating trip and seeing the beautiful whales and dolphins that he made for our enjoyment. When I'm not doing boating stuff, I do continue to work in the classroom providing one on one teaching to children with autism.

Although not official youth pastors, David and I continue to have times of great fellowship with some of the teens. We are so honored to be a part of their lives and witness the cool things God is doing in them.

Tonight, we head to Art and Donna's house for our weekly night of Survivor. Really, it's just an excuse to hang out with good friends and talk about Jesus.

Kiting is going well. I've had the guys working with me on self-launching and self- landing a 14 meter kite...that's a lot of power if anything goes wrong, but I've had an excellent coaching staff:)

God is working in our marriage in incredible ways. Sheree, one of my woman mentors, gave me a book called Help Meet, talking a lot about our role as woman and wife. David and I also sat down and listened to Troy and Kim Meeder on FamilyTalk with Dr. Dobson, and was very encouraged by their testimony.

My husband has literally shocked me as I have come home to clean dishes, letters on my pillow, a disinfected bathroom, repairs on the car, running, and jobs applications done. To top it all off I was craving chocolate today, and the next thing I knew he had a chocolate bar from 7-11 in my hands. I don't know what has gotten into my husband, but I love it and never want it to change. He's inspiring me to become a better and more Holy Spirit transformed person and is definately setting a standard in our marriage!

In the pictures: me kiting (pink kite) the other guy is my instructor Glen..., and some of our teens up at the Harris ranch!

Aloha ke Akua,
Kelsey
Send us an email: kelsey.poole09@yahoo.com

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