This is my first journal entry after Hula left for the MTC in Provo, UT. I wrote this 3 day's after she left. 

10/11/14

It has been 3 day's since Hula left for her mission. It is finally setting in that she will be gone for 18 long months. I miss her Terribly! I don't know how people do this everyday. I cry often but try not to draw attention to myself. I don't want to make the other kids sad or worry about me. Before Hula left she asked me to forgive Anthony for all our troubles & to make him my best friend. For her, I am trying. I always wanted to just love my husband & be loved by him but it is not easy! We both have way too many issues. He seems to be trying too. I wonder if she asked him to do the same for me? I've decided to just take things one day at a time. I'm going to take better care of myself. I've been so busy with life that I've lost myself. 

Malia

Second journal entry:

This passed week has been very difficult for me. Without Hula here I've noticed there is just an emptiness. This Saturday Zeke & I went to the swap meet. Anthony & Gabriel set up & helped with breaking down. It was nice to work without Anthony judging my every move or harping on the boys about every little thing. We made above our quota. We pray for Hula daily and it is so wonderful to see the kids pray for her all on their own. Today is Sunday. The first Sunday without Hula & we did not make it to church. I really wanted to but I knew with all that happened the week before last that Ant would not want to go. I'ive told him that I won't argue about it this week but that we need to go to church! He agrees. We'll see.....

Malia

(just in case for some reason you don't know what happened the week before Hula left for her mission here is a summary) The adversary was soooo strong in our home. I have heard other people share their stories of this but never quite understood it. It's like having Satan sitting in your living room causing havoc on anything and EVERYTHING! I guess when your life is a mess and your doing all the wrong things then there's no reason for satan to bother with you. But when you're choosing the right and making great choices then he wants to destroy you!!! Well satan was basically camping out at our house that whole week and it was horrible. We fought about the craziest things. We found fault in everything and worse of all Hula even thought about not going on her mission. I told her "if you don't go then he wins." It got so bad that even the cops had to come to our home and our lives were just miserable!!!! I'm sure some of you know exactly what I am talking about. Thank fully through the power of prayer and the help of good people (The Niimi's,) They flew in from California for Hula's farewell and they helped counsel me through this. It all brought us closer together.

About 2 weeks after Hula arrived at the MTC my sister Dawn called me to ask me if I got her email? I freaked out and ran to my computer. Sure enough she had responded to an email that I had written to her and here it is:

about things that may take your focus off of what you are doing. Just know that we are ok here. I am really trying to do what you asked. (About dad) we pray for you daily. Man I miss you so much! It sucks to not talk to you everyday. I'm keeping a journal if all the things going on over here. I don't want to break any rules by talking to you Its your day today so I'm going to have Cali pray. She asks everyday when your coming home. Ed sheeran is christinas helper on the voice ;)..k we love u!!! ♥ mommy

It's been really hard for me too. But I too am writing a journal, the one you gave me. And like I said, I've been writing you everyday. I miss and love you soooo much! Thank you for telling me ed sheeran is on the voice right now. OH MY GOSH! I seriously just made the funniest sound and everyone looked at me like I was crazy, But the sound I made would confirm that I am. lol. But honestly though, you can tell me anything. anything that has to do with anything. I've taken so much more photos than this, but so far thats all this slow computer would let me send you. the picture of all of us is my district, not the zone. the zone is not much beigger but we are the last english speaking missionaries on the West campus, which is really cool. The sister missionaries in this picture are the only sisters in our zone, I feel happy about that for some reason.

So let me introduce you to my district. The one giving shaka is of course Elder Clark The one in the red next to me is Sister Silva. The one in the Blue on the ground is Sister Hollbrook, Sitting next to her is Elder Smith. Next to me, Standing, Is Elder Helgesen, Next to me, sitting is my companion, Sister Jacobson, Next to her is Elder Patton. This is my district, now you have faces with the names. haha. 

it's ridiculous how much I miss you all. And honestly, Being here at the MTC Feels like a Mormon hogwarts. lol... But seriously, thats how I feel it as. We walk around singing hymns, everyone asks eachother what scriptures are better rather than talking about spells and the dark Lord. haha... I have no idea how else to explain it as. The first day I arrived the only thing that came to my head was: "Hogwarts" lol.

Well I love you so much.. Please write often even though I'll only be able to write back once a week. I love to hear from you. I was getting very home sick when Elder Helgesen would come back with mail and boxes for everyone but me. And I know thats not your fault because you probably didn't know my address.. But honestly, I was sad. lol. 

Anyhoo... I've got to go.. Love you sooooooooooooooooo much and I can't wait to hear you all on Christmas!

Love, Hula

Receiving this email and this picture just made all of our day!!! It was such a joy to get this. 

The Begining

So here I am only 11 months in to my daughters mission and I finally figure out how to make a blog. (Thanks to my friend Robyn Kailiponi who took the time to teach me.) Needless to say I am very behind but if you know me then you know that being behind is my norm.

In this post I will take you back to the first days after Hula left for her mission. Every post from here on out will be in sequence to the day she left so that even though this blog is behind, you won't be. :)

Tuesday October 8,2013

All day I have had this pit in my stomach. Wishing I could make time STOP! The only comfort really for me is knowing how excited she is about serving a mission.

 Ever since she was little she wanted to serve. Secretly I had hoped the desire would go away. Only because I am selfish and because I couldn't bare to be without her.

When she was 13 she got the opportunity  to go on a week trek to see how the pioneers did it back in the day. The trek was to take place in Wyoming. Well of course I said NO! However...somehow, someway, Heavenly Father made a way for her to go. You see she has always been an ill child. Severe Eczema as well as Asthma and I just couldn't imagine her being all the way in Wyoming and not having some kind of attack. My mind was going crazy imaging all the possible scenario's. But she went and it changed her life. She learned all about the church history, what the hand cart pioneers had to endure and the kind of life they must have had. She came home (to California) with such a positive out look and a renewed spirit. She was healthy the hole time. Not itchy at all and never needing her inhaler. In fact her skin glowed.

Now here we are 6 years later and my baby is leaving me again. Only this time it's for a lot longer. 18 months. All her purple bags are packed and she'll be leaving on a jet plane soon. First stop is to the stake center so she can be officially set apart as a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Missionary. The tears that I had been trying so hard to keep in came pouring out of me. There was just nothing I could do to stop them.

We then made our way to the airport. I refused to let anyone else come to see her off (so sorry about that, I just didn't need you all to see me break down) You are all invited to her homecoming. :)

At the airport we each held her close and forced ourselves to let her go.

One of the hardest things was watching her slowly walk away. I wished so badly that we could have afforded to fly her to Utah. But that just isn't our reality right now. Anthony yelled so loud as she neared the escalator "we love you Hula!" everyone turned to look at our crazy family. I don't think any of them had a clue of what we were going through but no one said a thing to us. I did noticed some ladies with sympathy in their eyes and for a second I thought they get it.

Cali was very sad that Hula was leaving and she did not like me taking her picture. Now that I'm looking back I realized no one got a pic of the two of us saying good bye. Maybe it's for the best. Like I said, I was a basket case. (whatever that means)?
Anthony got this idea that if we drive behind the airport we can see her plane take off. So we hurried to the truck, piled in and raced all the way around the airport to reach the back of it. I stood there holding Cali as tight as I could, willing her to stay young for a bit longer and tried my hardest to stop crying. Her plane was starting to move.

She was off..on her way to Provo Utah to the MTC (Missionary Training Center). We made our way back home, Stopped to grab some ice cream first and went home to watch our favorite family show The Mentalist. I cried some more but more to myself and kept one of her shirts handy. I had survived!
At 3:00 a.m. my phone rang and it was her. Letting us know she was in Utah about to board the shuttle to take her to the MTC. I could tell in her voice she was nervous. Excited too but more nervous. She let me know that I wouldn't be hearing from her for a while and to just know that she will be fine. She told us she loves us. and hung up. Relief flooded over me. Knowing that my baby girl was safe and on her to the next chapter in her life.....

Sister Weber playing in the rain

Sister Weber said "look it's raining just like back home" our friend Jeni and her daughter Bella were taking her and her companion out to lunch. They encouraged her to go play in the rain. And she so enjoyed it.