One of Clark's favorite heroes

The trip is coming soon. The trip to see my brother FINALLY get married in Oahu. Emma and I are so excited! Clark has to work and we will miss him so much.

I will miss him and all that a husband and a dad offers on a trip, but especially on this trip. I will miss holding Clark's hand while the vows are being exchanged on the beach. Emma will miss Daddy.

I will miss having Clark there as I tell Emma that her Grandpa Compie grew up on the island. That the last time that Mommmy and Daddy were there on Oahu, Grandpa (Clark's dad) was with us and he told us so many stories. I will tell her the ocean was Grandpa's park and the hours he swam there exploring.

Now, Emma will add to the generation of island swimmers. Emma has been to Maui before but not Oahu.

Clark's dad passed when I was about 4 months pregnant with Emma. While he was being prepped between surgeries he would call and ask how the baby was doing inside of me.

It is in honor of him, Emma's middle name is Noelani, which is translated as "Gift from Heaven."

I might tell her that according to Grandpa Compie's memoirs what happened on the day Peal Harbor was bombed,

"We were living with my grandmother when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor one Sunday morning and destroyed the islands. It happened soon after my uncle had taken his place as head of the house and began caring for his mother. I was too young to remember anything in detail, but to me the attack was a great display of smoke, fire and explosions. Oh, there was the incidence of one of the planes coming at our house firing his wing guns. (I found out later that the plane was trying to knock out a pill-box which was above the house. My oldest cousin Poli-ann was the one who took me with her to the edge of the bluff and thats how I saw every thing. The house was in Makiki on the top of the hill. We could see Waikiki on the left and to the far right the devastation and destruction of planes , bombs, smoke and fire. As my mom and auntie came running to us another plane came from the right and was so close, we saw the pilot’s face. We probably saved both those women by having them leave the house. I know that Poli had saved me. Soon after the planes passed over and we could hear their guns shooting , we ran down the hill to get away. Then there was silence and everyone was in awe at all the destruction. Of course, I was too young to understand any of it."

These are some of the stories that Emma will hear this trip and one day, one day when she is old enough to understand, Clark and I will take her to Pearl Harbor and to Grandpa Compie's old home. One day when she is old enough to understand the family history and the family trust. One day we will tell her of one of her dad's favorite heroes and the dad that is missed.