WAIKIKI BEACH
We spent a beautiful morning floating around the calm waters. There was a school of fish that just loved Callista. Wherever she walked in the shallow waters, they would follow, much to her dismay.
Ryan and Chloe practiced snorkeling and enjoyed watching the "Callista loving fish" under the water using their snorkels and masks.
THE USS ARIZONA
In front of the Memorial is this giant world map. You can't appreciate what the kids are doing here, but the next few pictures will explain.....
Callista is standing on San Diego, CA, USA.
Ryan is standing on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USA.
Chloe is standing on Tokyo, Japan.
I was completely taken by today's experience visiting the USS Arizona Memorial. I had never put any thought as to how it affected my life. Afterall, it happened 50 years ago, and I didn't know anyone who died there. But as they began the presentation explaining how that was the turning point and was the day the US entered WWII, it hit me like lightning. Because of this one single event, my whole life has been affected, as well as the life of my Father, and my Grandmother. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, Kenneth George Patterson, my paternal Grandfather joined the Navy. He served on the USS Indianapolis and was struck down by a Japanese sub on July 30, 1945 leaving behind a 24 year old wife, and a four year old son (my Dad). I am not ashamed to say I shed a few tears today on this memorial as I realized just how much the attack on Pearl Harbor has affected my life.
Today I pray for those families whose husbnads, sons, and brothers died to protect my freedom. Thank you Grandpa Patterson for your sacrifice so that your great grandchildren could live in
"the land of the free and the home of the brave!"
I enjoyed this experience but you so eloquently described your feelings that I teared up more than I did while actually there last fall.
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