Just the Facts, Ma'am

Last week Monday, the office girls, Karen's sister Jo, and Marita S spent the day boxing up the office and getting things ready to go to the new gallery. We were all moving a bit slower than usual that day - Karen had some folding chairs fall on her toes and smashed them so bad she couldn't drive! Luckily Jo came to the rescue, brought her to work and helped us move stuff. Both Kelly and I had gotten bit by something over the weekend...mine must have been a spider because it soon turned into a red, flaming hole in my thumb that wouldn't stop throbbing.

Thankfully, Suzanne Maria Rose Ching came over and gave us some medical attention. She gave us enough TLC to get us on our way to the gallery. I have to also thank Ms. Hanna Levitz for her many phone consults during the whole spider bite incident.

(Just a side note here about Suzanne Ching - last Tuesday was her birthday!!! Happy Birthday, Maria Rose!! We love ya!)

So then on Tuesday, Eric rounded up a bunch of strong menfolk to help us move the big stuff to the gallery and the storage space below. They worked so hard and moved all the prints, posters, pretty much all the big stuff to the new space. Just a few more runs and we'll be set and ready to go!

On Tuesday Pat Lokatos and Andy Yim also helped pack and move stuff to the new space. I have to also give a BIG shout out to Joyce Nunokawa who has been faithfully (obsessively?) sorting the thousands and thousands of Peggy's photos. Thank you Joyce!

As Pat, Andy, and da girls know, I was starting to feel a little sore throat on Tuesday. I went on my way to get myself well since our flight to Kona was at 10:00am the next day. We got all packed and ready to go, but that night my throat was still bothering me and I felt feverish. I was so mad that I was getting sick right before our big second honeymoon!

I figured I would get better and did all the usual stuff - hot liquids, vitamin C, zinc, blah, blah, blah...well, by the time we got to beautiful Hualalai I had a fever and could barely swallow. I tried to get myself better, but sometimes life has other plans for us. We spent most of the night trying to find medical attention and trying to decide if we should drive to Waimea ER (an hour away). We made it to the morning when we made the executive decision to "Abort Mission". We called Hawaiian to change our flight and flew home at 11am.

When we got to Oahu, we drove straight to an Urgent Care facility (thanks to my Mom for that tip) and saw a doctor who diagnosed me with a bad case of Strep Thoat. He gave me a prescription for antibiotics and a lidocaine gargle. I feel like I've been asleep ever since.

So, here I am. I feel like I just woke up from a really long and weird dream. I am feeling so much better - just weak and a bit achy. I have to say, as much as I like to avoid them, antibiotics sure do work. I'm like a completely different person than I was just a couple days ago.

The good news is that the hotel was able to refund the money that we didn't use and so we can try again soon. We'll have to wait until after our Grand Opening of course. If we planned it once, we can do it again. And my parents have just been so wonderful. The kids did great at their house and my mom and dad came over the night we got back to help Eric with the kids, make dinner, etc. My mom even made her yummy potato leek soup for me - its so good and always makes me feel better when I'm sick.

This whole debacle was really a lesson in letting go. I tried really hard to focus on the facts (I am sick, I need a doctor) instead of the drama of it all (this was supposed to be our big romantic getaway and full circle moment, why is this happening, why me?). I recently read this really great quote from Eckhart Tolle that I love:

"The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking. Separate them from the situation, which is always neutral, which always is as it is. There is the situation or the fact, and here are my thoughts about it. Instead of making up stories, stay with the facts. For example, "I am ruined" is a story. It limits you and prevents you from taking effective action. "I have 50 cents left in my bank account" is a fact. Facing facts is always empowering."

Isn't that great? Now, I'm saying I was laying there in bed at Hualalai just meditating peacefully like Eckhart Tolle - no, not even close - just ask Eric. But, I have come to peace with all of this and refuse to turn it into a "story". It is what it is. I also kept thinking of what Peggy always said, "Everything happens for the RIGHT reason." I'm sure there is a right reason for all of this...one that we might never even know.

One thing I do know is that I am married to the most patient, loving, easy-going, and understanding husband in the whole world. Eric was so amazing throughout this whole thing. He is so much better at going with the flow and accepting things than I am. I really learn from him. I was so sick and I whimpered to him, "What should I do?" and he looked at me and said calmly and lovingly, "I think...you should just accept this." What a guy.

Eric handled everything with such efficiency. I could barely talk or move, so he made all the phone calls, did all the packing, handled everything and NEVER, I mean NEVER complained once. That is an amazing man. I feel so grateful and so in love - guess it was a romantic getaway in a sense, just not the type we had in mind.

So now we're back to focus on the move again. In another interesting turn of events, it looks like it is not exactly "goodbye forever" to the Alika Avenue house. It looks like it is official that Jason and Jenifer will be renting the house from Dr. Chang - they are planning to move in April 1 (no that's not an April's Fool's Joke!). So Eric and Jason will be working today to begin moving Elroy to his Alohi Way place and we will spend the next couple weeks really clearing out the rest of our stuff.

Speaking of April 1 - that is also Karen Lilinoe's birthday! It is a milestone birthday, so a heads up that we will be planning something - although Karen is planning to be in Vegas for her actual birthday - you go girl!

OK, that's it for now...I'm off to rest and get better for the weeks ahead. Have a great weekend everybody!