The Arizona Memorial floats above the sunken remains of the U.S.S. Arizona in between Ford's Island and the shore of Oahu which means that visitors are required to take a short boat ride to the memorial. Before boarding the boat, you watch a twenty minute video about the attack on Pearl Harbor and the start of World War II. 
It always makes me cry. And it also makes me very proud of the men and women who fight during times of war and who give their lives for the defense and protection of our country. War is never good, it is never easy, but of everything I have ever read, studied, or watched of the World War II era, there never seemed to be any doubt to the validity and rightness of fighting in this battle. World War I was called the great war, but World War II was called the "good war." I wonder if that's because Americans knew they were fighting for a just cause. I wonder if we will ever have a "good war" to fight again, when the entire country is united together in one purpose, one cause, one outcome. It almost felt that way in the months after September 11th, but that unity of country has since been lost. We didn't have it during the Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, or the current war in Iraq. I wonder if we will ever have it again. I think our country has become too divided to ever unite in that way ever again.
But at least we can still feel unity in our mutual respect for the sailors, marines, airmen, and soldiers who lost their lives during the attack on December 7, 1941 and in the four years of war that followed. And I always silently thank Heavenly Father for the fact that my husband is in Navy but works on land, in a cubicle, and not in the claustrophobic confines of a ship or submarine.
And that I don't have to worry about him being buried at sea. An old roommate of mine at BYU married a man in the Air Force ROTC and at the time I thought that there was no way that I'd ever marry someone in the military because that wasn't the life for me and they don't get paid very well. But that's before I understood what the military does and how each branch operates and how your pay is dependent on the cost of living of the location in which you are stationed and how many dependents you have. Even when David and I started dating, I kept wondering to myself why I was dating him, because I'd told myself I could never be a military wife.
And you know what? I couldn't be happier to be married to someone in the military. (Especially the Navy. Go Navy! They have the best uniforms. Just sayin'.) I'm so proud of my husband and what he does and what it means and how it's changed his life. And even though he doesn't plan on staying in the military, I think that his military service will be the key to all his future success.
And my friend who married the Air Force officer? She's been living in Japan for the last few years, has three kids, and loves the military life. It's not the life for everyone, but it's been a good choice for us.
I loved this shot of the American flag (hanging from the back of the boat) framing the U.S.S. Missouri across the water. The Boy Scouts leader in our ward asked me to teach the class for the American Heritage badge and our visit to Pearl Harbor made me even more excited to do it. I can't wait to impart my love of American history on young minds.I'm sorry. I get a little emotional on the topic of America. I can't help myself.
Anyway, here is David, me, and my sister Bobbi waiting our turn to board the boat to the memorial. My sister spent one week in Hawaii and was already much tanner than me. I like being pale and stuff. The sun and I don't get along, especially since I had a doctor who pretty much told me I was going to have skin cancer. (Yay?) But I also suddenly realized that my hair is getting really dark. I have this vision of myself in my head in which I'm blonde and skinny until I look at a picture like this and think "Is my hair red? When did that happen?"
Oh well. I always did want red hair anyway. After our visit to Pearl Harbor, we drove to the Pali lookout, which is one of my favorite spots on the island. You gives you an absolutely stunning view of the windward side of the island.
Photographs simply can't do it justice. Plus it was a tad hazy so you don't get the full impact.
It's very windy up there. But it feels oh so nice.
My sister and her husband. After the Pali lookout, we drove back to our condo, sat and chatted, and introduced them to the wonder that is the Wii before taking them back to the airport.
It was so nice to have visitors. For the first time in months, I didn't feel like I was 15,000 thousands miles away from everything and everyone. Anyone else want to come visit? We have really comfy couches.
