Sutherlands in Samoa

            I talked to my parents today, both were a little disappointed that my latest blog post was not about their trip. I have written several drafts of that certain post. I just can’t decide on what I really want to talk about or my tone of the events. I mean do I really tell you guys that I hadn’t seen my parents in 1 year and it only took 3 days for me to get annoyed by my Mom telling me what to do and her and my Dad bickering about his driving? I decided that yes, I do tell you this. Why, because it’s funny and it’s my family and I love them for it. I mean you think they would be able to contain themselves for the first hour of seeing their daughter that they hadn’t seen in a year, before my mom threatening to move by herself to the mountains. Which after doing the Robert Lewis Stevenson hike (if you heard the story my mom probably referred to this as a vertical rock climb) I know the “moving to the mountains threat” is just silly. Today she told me she was going to move to the city alone.

            So my parents came, saw and conquered Samoa. They went to church and had the traditional To’onai meal with my family. I think they both were surprised, and my mom a little relieved, that the food wasn’t that strange. My dad had a chance to sleep outside and my mom was able to sleep with walls every night. There were no bug freak outs!!! Most importantly, they learned what I like to call “the art of doing nothing”. There was a lot of “so what do we do now”, just enjoy where you are. I think my mom was a little disappointed in the lack of shopping, my dad wasn’t.

            The trip was good for them. It’s so hard to understand something until you can actually see and experience it. I think that they were able to realize that this is my life right now, and to me everything I do and am surrounded by is normal. They may use the word “poor” but I like to use “simple”, but I mean who wants to describe their lifestyle as poor? But they can see that I live in simplicity, and I am okay without the luxuries I used to have. That’s all any parent ever wants though isn’t it? Whether there in Samoa, a different state or across the street; they just want to make sure there child is safe and happy.

After Samoa my amazing parents took me to Hawaii for a week, A little taste of America with the relaxed island attitudes. Heaven.

HUGE THANK YOU TO JOANNE AND MIKE MALLON. Wish you were there, you guys are amazing <3

Hawaii was perfect. I got a haircut and a pedicure. My mom and I were able to do some mother daughter time shopping around the endless amounts of stores. Great food and GREAT TV. And the beds, like lying in the clouds! Oh ya the scenery was pretty beautiful as well J but yes this was me in Hawaii, when most want to go to the beach and learn how to surf. I wanted to go straight to a star bucks and get a iced coffee and bagel, and catch up on the ridiculous but addicting reality TV.

 Did I mention how great my parents are? Thanks Mom and Dad