Mele Kalikimaka...

...is the hawaiian way to say Merry Christmas to you!! Well, a lot has happened since the last blog! Tiffany and I moved into a new condo at Hilo Bayshore Towers, a bayfront 15 story condominium on the north side of downtown Hilo. We live on the 7th floor and the view is spectacular! We are still waiting for our first view of the whales that are supposed to be coming in for the winter months.

Josh has been hard at work at Engineering Partners and Tiffany has been really working hard to make the condo more like "home." That means tons of decorations and cleaning and cooking.

This past weekend we were given a weekend away on the Kohala Coast near Kona at a resort called the Fairmont Orchid. We had a lot of fun! We went snorkeling and found sea turtles. Josh had a bright idea to grab a sea urchin, but then it stung him and he got prickels stuck in his finger. Ouch... but it was kind of funny. We had a lot of fun with his co workers and was just a great and relaxing weekend. We are thankful for the opportunity and we are so blesseed!

We are looking forward to spending Christmas here in Hawaii. We have had packages arriving from our loved ones and are excited about opening presents and having Christmas breakfast! We are going to have breakfast tacos! Its kind-of a Mitchell tradition that we are trying to continue!

We will also be going to sing Christmas carols at the hospital and then spend some time for Christmas dinner with some of our local friends here. We are looking forward to that too!

We want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Mele Kalikimaka!

Josh and Tiffany

Hanukkah in Hilo

So, a lot has happened since our last blog. Last weekend, we bought a car! We have named it "Queen B" or just "B" for short. Why, you say? Because it is a BLESSING, because it is BEAUTIFUL, because it is not the "A" car that we wanted...but oh well. It is a 2000 Subaru Legacy Wagon with 172,000 miles on it...WOO HOO!!! We just want to keep it moving!

Also, this week is Hanukkah and on the first night we celebrated with Pastor Ron and Judy and Wilke and her boyfriend Brandon. It was fun! Tiffany made Hanukkah cookies and Judy and Wilke made Matsa Ball Soup and Potato Pancakes. Wilke sang a blessing in Hebrew and then lit the Menorrah and then we sat around talking for a while in its glow. Also, Judy decorated the house with Hanukkah things and even put up the star of David in Christmas lights in the window. It was pretty.

The other great news we have is that in two days we are moving into a condo! It is right on Hilo Bay on the 7th floor with a beautiful view of the entire Bay, Ocean, and Downtown. The Lord has really blessed us and it came just in time, as Ron's daughter moves back to Hilo on that day. We will have to upload some pictures once we get it decorated!

We miss everyone back in Maryland and elsewhere...we really feel so far away with the distance and the time difference. We thank everyone for the weather reports (SNOW!!!) and the holiday cheer and hope that everyone is doing well and is excited about celebrating Jesus' birthday!

Until next time,

Aloha!

Tiffany and Josh Mitchell