traveling with the Smileys

5:07 pm.    Ko Olina Beach, Hawaii

Disclaimer:

It is strange that this is my first posting, not counting the one I made Matt write. I think my timidness is an onset of reviewing my posts from our previous summer together, which at the time I thought were sooo funny (particularly the one that I wrote only to Max with Shyler). I realize now that maybe I was too generous with my witty writing abilities in the past. Nevertheless, here I go. Y'all are my friends, right?? You have to love me.... 

Disclaimer over.

This is our last night in Hawaii. I am proud of my light summer tan, despite being out-tanned by my asian cousins. It really has been nice to relax and finish reading twilight. 

Getting here was no vacation however for the Smiley clan. I flew from NYC, leaving at 5 am after going to bed at 3 am, to meet my parents in Dallas. My dad booked this flight rather than direct because he figured I wouldn't want to miss traveling with the family... riigggghhhttt

My leg from NYC to Dallas started out all wrong. I fell asleep waiting for my flight only to be awaken at the last moment by a voice over the intercom saying, "Last call for Smiley." I ran frazzled, half-drooling to board. As I passed first class, still half-asleep, I noticed an open seat, which I promptly took. I tried to look cool. It seemed to be working until I heard the flight attendant talking to a man I couldn't see saying, "Sir, all of our first class seats are full. Are you sure this is your ticket?" 

Sh*t. 

Well, I enjoyed the rest of my flight in coach and was glad to get off as quickly as possible in Dallas. A couple hours later, my family joined me. Everyone, minus J.D.   I later found out through sobs from my mother that J.D. was taking the SAT, which finished at 1pm and was catching the flight after ours out of DFW (50 min away from SAT site) at 2:20 pm. The Jude was a basket-case to say the least.

When J.D. finally met up with us in LA, we found out that he did not get out of his test until 1:30, and was driven by my cousin, Savannah, in the Volvo at top speed. He barely made it. Judy stopped crying finally though.  J.D.'s not sure he did so well on the last few sections. Pray. We want him to be an Aggie.

Aboard our flight from LA to Honolulu, we met a family just like our family only 15 years younger...weird. The three kids were all blonde and blued eyed. The oldest girl was 5, followed by 2 younger brothers, two years a part. The oldest girl was the smartest, most beautiful, and a little bossy, naturally (me). The middle brother was quiet, but deadly. We watched him punch an unsuspecting stranger in the back of the leg and smile innocently when the man turned around ready to kill the offender (clay). The youngest was all over the place. He explored everywhere and everyone. At one point, as the parents tried to rest for mere seconds, the baby took his bottle and dumped all the contents on his head, while giggling (J.D.). They brought us tons of entertainment! At one point, the girl informed me, in a loud voice on the airplane, that she had been stung twice by jelly fish last time she went swimming...once in the stomach and once on the VAGINA (not me)! I think 15 heads turned our way and J.D. nearly peed his pants. Y'all, these poor parents just looked ragged. Let's all wait just a little while longer before we have kids. No, Katherine. I'm not siding with you now!

I love you guys and miss you terribly.

Love,

Paige