Some Lady

I said I would blog about Hawaii. This is that post.
But this is also not that post. If you want to get a complete travel-log, feel free to look through my Facebook Album "My Time in Paradise," read the descriptions, and piece it together. Or you could, you know, ask me.
Instead, I've decided to focus this post on one aspect of our trip.
The whole reason we took the trip in the first place.

That's right. Aria

I guess I can do this chronologically.
Which means that I get to start out with a very funny story.
Eliza and I planned to leave at 6:15am to get to the airport on time for the flight. We were out the door at 6:35, and got there alright and everything. Mom walked us to the gate, because some airports let you do that now.
I haven't been on an airplane in 4 years. It was really exciting. I was in the best mood ever. I was beaming all the way through take-off because it was finally sinking in... I am going HAWAII!!!
That euphoria lasted all the way to baggage claim in the Honolulu airport. It's a good thing that Eliza was there, because I was making wrong turns all over the place. We didn't take the most direct route (because we were a little lost), but we ended up in the right place in plenty of time to grab our luggage when it started coming around the claim area. It was a pretty full flight, and everyone was clustered around where the bags dropped, hoping to grab theirs as soon as it fell.
Not me. Eliza was sitting down somewhere, but I was standing patiently on the farther side of the baggage claim. I thought it was a great plan, I could see the suitcase as soon as it fell, and then wait for it to come over to me, grab it, and go without getting in anybody's way. Genius.
From a distance, I saw our suitcase drop onto runny-thingy (technical term), and got ready to grab it when it came my way. My genius plan was dashed pretty quickly when I saw some lady walk through the doors on the other side of the room, pick up my suitcase, quickly check it, and walk out.
I was a little stunned. Should I... run after her? She was already out of the doors she had come through, and quickly walking away. Eliza was still there, and I couldn't go running crazy around the airport without her (because I might never make it back). And I wasn't 100% sure that it really was my suitcase. Lots of luggage looks similar. People switch it all the time.

I decided that it wasn't a big deal, and that I'd keep looking for my real bag. Eliza joined me again shortly thereafter, and I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that some lady had just made off with my luggage.
I was telling Eliza about the lady  that had stolen our luggage when...

... she walked through the doors again.


... and she was Aria.

Aria's room mate had made leis for us. 

 
We were all very relieved. We passed around some big bear hugs, and started breathing. We swapped stories of "the baggage claim lady"  from our very different perspectives while walking on the way to the car.
This story was suddenly very humorous.

What was the point of this story?  
Through the whole thing, I never said, "Some girl"or anything like that.
I immediately (and unconsciously) thought lady.
because that is what Aria has become.

Awwww, Alayna, that's really cute...
I am serious.

She cares about her ward, and takes her responsibilities seriously. On Saturday night, having forgotten to buy the cake-mix for the "linger-longer" treats after the block for the next day, we ran (literally) to Foodland and got there 5 minutes after they closed. She begged/pleaded/persuaded them to let her in, got the cake-mix, had to borrow eggs from the guys next door, and stayed up way late making the cutest refreshments ever.
She didn't even make a big deal out of it the next day. But once the story got out (after I spread it around a little), it pretty much became legend.

There is a LOT of stuff to do in Hawaii, and Aria planned it so that we could make the most of our time. And we did.

She was the perfect chauffeur and travel agent and (despite her allegations to the opposite) everyone knew her. There were a LOT of introductions. Everybody likes Aria.
(I am a frequent reader of Aria's blog, so it was super cool to meet the people she talks about.)
I really enjoyed meeting Aria's friends Emma and Mathew. They are siblings. Emma is kind-of my kindred spirit. Aria was talking with Emma at first, which left Eliza and I to talk with Mathew. He asked me a kind-of weird question,
 "Do you and Aria have similar personalities?"
I surprised myself by saying "No. Aria's a lot nicer than I am."

It's a funny thing, but sometimes you don't realize how true something is until you've said it out loud.

This is Aria's house.

I know that Aria has gone a little bit crazy trying to plan for when Eliza and I came. She still had some finals to do, but we were the priority.

Not many people would babysit an 11-month-old-boy (whose name just happened to be "Will Turner," no joke) on the day of their music performance, bring him to the concert, sort-of host a party afterwards, and then walk to the pick-up place and absolutely refuse to be paid for it.
But Aria would.

Aria is a happy person. Other people's excitement and happiness make her happy too.

The week was a happy, busy one. It passed quickly.

Just like the fact that we were in Hawaii didn't fully hit me until we were in the plane, I didn't think about having to leave until Aria walked us into the security check.
And the full force of the imminent departure came crushing down on me in an instant.
My eyes went warm with tears and it was hard to swallow. I didn't want to talk and give way to my sudden emotion. I tried to hide it, but Aria saw and gave me the biggest hug ever.

It said I love you. I also felt is say I'll see you at Christmas.
Suddenly, Christmas seems forever away.

It's tough to walk away from your big sister.
Knowing she is going to Cambodia and will surely bless the lives of the people there, but acknowledging how different things are going to be. How different things already are. How different we are.
How much better Aria is.

Being in Hawaii with Aria showed me the person that she has become, adding a whole new dimension to the blog/Facebook posts that hinted at her growth.
My big sister Aria is some lady that I'm really going to miss. Those Cambodian Orphans don't know how lucky they are to have her as a teacher.