Promise Fulfilled -

Today God blessed us with the most beautiful day. We awoke to the bluest skies and soft ocean breezes. The ride over the bridge to the Navy base and to the U.S.S. Utah Memorial was memorable. The Memorial is a true tribute to the men who died on this ship during the attack at Pearl Harbor. We were met by Mr. Taylor, an honor guard and a Navy Chaplain. Mr. Taylor paid tribute to my father in true Navy tradition. My dad was a true hero and a man who served his country well in World War II and the Korean Conflict. He and his six brothers served in the Navy during World War II and were honored in the Congressional Record of Honor. It was hard for me today because it was like burying my parents twice. The Naval Honor Guard gave my dad a three gun salute and taps was played. The flag was at half-mast at the Memorial. Chaplain, Lt. Dennis Kelly, delivered a wonderful Christian service after Mr. Taylor told of my dad's service career. I was given the flag and three of the shell casings from the three- gun salute. John and I placed mom and dad's ashes in the waters by the U.S.S. Utah's remaining hull. Dad's ashes were taken by a gently moving current towards the wreckage of the ship and mother's joined his. At long last their ashes are where they wanted them, where they began their life together some 67 years ago. Promise fulfilled dad..........with honor and love for my hero.

May 5

A little ahead of our happening today, but on May 5, Alexis turns 20 and we are celebrating Hawaiian style. We're going to a Luau at Paradise Cove where we will take a ride in an outrigger canoe, make a lei and get a tattoo........yes I said a tattoo.....temporary of course. This is a called Polynesian body art. Aloha until we blog again!

The Trip

Our total time to get here was around 15 hours. So we were tired when we got here. Hawaii is five hours behind Alabama. So the time change had an impact as well. All our flights went well, except we almost missed the flight to Hawaii. Our plane from LA was on time, but by the time we got to our gate our flight to Hawaii was scheduled to depart. We were blessed, they held the flight and we ran......yes I said ran....can you envision me actually trying to run, to the next gate? Continental Airlines was great. We made it and five and a half hours later we landed in Honolulu. We have taken lots of pictures and will post. Today is the ceremony for my parents so will try and post after that. We have had trouble with Internet here and have just now been able to blog.

At the end of the memorial is where we will have the ceremony for my father. The remains of the U.S.S. Utah, which was sunk on December 7, 1941 lies just as she did when sunk. 58 of her crew members went down with the ship. At the end of this pier is what is left of the U.S.S. Utah. It like the Arizona have been left just as they were.

Everything is set for the "fulfillment" of a promise. The Navy has a service scheduled for the scattering of my parents ashes from the deck of the U.S.S. Utah in Pearl Harbor. So 67 years after their meeting and marriage at Pearl, their ashes are returning. We will be sending pictures and updates. Please be in prayer for us.