Welcome Baby Pania!!!

Kaiini finally had baby...the Saturday (November 21) just before Thanksgiving. Baby was on her own schedule. She gave Ini a chance to get to the hospital when her water broke at home. If you know Ini, she's a clean-freak (good attribute) so she made sure she called Krysynt to come get her to take her to the hospital, and while waiting for Krysynt she cleaned up after herself. LOL!
She said she had a contraction while in the car (gushing fluids) and then one on the way out of the car...got to the bathroom at the hospital to change into her gown and had another contraction...got to the bed for another contraction (at which point baby was pretty much on her way out), and then one more immediate contraction...when Pania Taleah Puakeamahiluikapualena Kaanga popped right out. I HATE WHEN EVERYONE ELSE HAS EASY BIRTHS!!! lol
She has chooooke hair, and is much cuter than her brothers. haha! She is the cutest thing ever. Pania's doing good as is her mother while she adjusts to having 3 kids. haha! Much harder than it looks...yah!?!?! We love and welcome baby Panz into our lives!!!

Good-bye Nan & Koro

Mom & Dad came down to Provo Sunday to go to church with Ini -- Orem 8th (Tongan) ward, so we went too. After church we ate lunch at Golden Corral (I don't know why I didn't take pics...we ran into Rick's wife Keira there...she looks great!). After lunch we went to Ini's cuz mom was sleeping over there, and I decided to take my kids and sleep over too. hehe! 2 bedroom apartment with my 4 kids, Ini's 2 and Rylan...not to mention 3 adults. Good times. haha!
Here's their pajama party pic...(oh crappo...I'll add it when I get home)
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Mom headed home on Tuesday, November 17th so we had dinner at Ini's on Monday, November 18th. We took some last minute pics before they left for good...dad was heading out on Wednesday so stayed in SLC after this evening. Here are those pics from our last night.

Jungle Jim's w/Nan & Koro

So on the Saturday that they were here, we went to Jungle Jim's in Midvale (700 E & 7200 S), and it was sooooo much fun. It was a mini-50th State Fair for kids in one place, with bumper cars, swings, carousel, music express, playground, flying boat things (I think that covered all rides) and arcade. The kids had a blast!!! We had fun joining them on a few of the rides...haha!

Here are the Brownie's in the real first snow that even we've seen this wintery season (I know it snowed some previous to this, but it wasn't in Provo). Brownies! lol

Kaanga's in the Valley

We always look forward to a visit from my parents...whether it's one or both, it's just always soooo much fun! Well my dad has his annual visit to SLC because of work so we were excited when they both came up. Mom stayed with Ini so Dad could get some work done. They arrived November 12th and stayed thru November 17th (dad left the 18th).

Here's a pic of mom & some grands (missing the Haunga boys because they were still in school)when she came down early Friday morning before having to head back to dad's work retreat.

RinaLasi Photography

On Friday, October 23rd (btw...HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAYNA...who turned 29 on the 23rd...you're almost REALLY OLD!) we were privileged to have a family friend of ours hold a photo session for our family...Rina (Peters) Toketa of RinaLasi Photography. We chose the background that is apparently unbeknownst to some of the best photographers (Rina) until now...my work! hehe! The Utah State Hospital grounds are GORGEOUS and very popular for picture taking! I only wish I knew we could drive up to the Castle...LOL...Sorry Rina...next time. The Castle is the backdrop for many wedding photo sessions. BTW, if you wanna take pictures up at the Castle it's $15.00/session (unless you're taking pics of Staff...then it's FREE!...oh the perks of being a state worker...haha!!!) Anyhow, I thought with how overcasted the day started out, that we were in for it...but at 5:30p.m. when we were scheduled to take our pics, the Lord opened the heaven's with the sunshine and said "You're welcome Toelupe's". haha! I love it!

Anyhow if you click on the link above, and go to the post for "A prayer, a memory & the Toelupe family" you'll see how miraculously Rina was able to capture the beauty that is our family. We can't get over how beautiful it came out! Loooove it!

BTW Rina, we just made it in time (with the picture taking) cuz now the leaves have mostly fallen off the trees...and it's kinda ugz, until the snow settles into the branches...then it's all gorgeous again...at least until Spring, when blossoms are on the trees...sooo gorgeous again...LOL!!!

Thanks again & we love you!!!!

Park City Retreat

This past weekend (Friday to Saturday) we were able to enjoy an overnight retreat with the bishoprics of the Provo Wasatch (Tongan) Stake, and the stake presidency which included the clerks (meaning Shennan was invited)...families included. We went to Park City on Friday and checked into the Park City Marriott, and in a few minutes...changed & headed down to the indoor pool. We were especially looking forward to that extra chance to go swimming before winter. After swimming, we joined my in-laws for Pizza Hut in their room before heading to the Stake Center in Park City for evening activities. For some reason, I was under the impression the activities were for the kids, so I got dressed up and wore my boots, only to come and find out they had a volleyball net setup and basketball going on, while someone else setted up the Wii for tennis. Ummm, if I knew it was going to be game time for the adults, I wouldn't have dressed up, and might've joined in.

The activities portion started with a take-off from the Newlywed Game. We had a couple representative from each of the wards in the stake, and the women were asked questions they thought the spouse would answer, and vice versa. It proved to be a ha-larious time, my mouth was sore from smiling & laughing at everyone else. We were spared from being the couple to represent Provo 10th. Whew! After this everyone went on to play sports, and at around 11pm we decided it was time to sleep...but not without stopping at 7-11 for a snack (slurpee & other things).

The next morning the Stake Presidency & Bishoprics met for their training at the Stake Center while we chilled, then cleared out of our room before the wives had to join the husband's at 11:00am. My mother-in-law & I left the kids with the babysitters (Thanks Tilly, Olo & Xanadu!!!!) and headed over to the chapel for a quick breakfast before joining the men. We joined the men in the chapel where we heard from the Patriarch of the Stake & his wife, Brother & Sister Tautua'a. I appreciated each of their testimonies about being a supportive wife to a husband in such a calling, as he carries the burdens of the ward, and likewise, keep your wife happy. The funniest thing I thought was when Sister Tautua'a stressed confidentiality when she said that the wives are not the bishop, so don't try to find out everything your husband knows as a bishop. "Don't be the first to know everything about the ward, be the last!" Also be there to support your husband in his calling, as he is called of the Lord, and the Lord will take care of you & your family. Many tears were shed that morning, but most especially when President Makai, our Stake Pres told the story of the container. They decided as a presidency that we would send a container from our stake to help those in Western Samoa (as they weren't American so not likely to be aided sufficiently by the government). He had relayed the cost would be $4,100 to send the container. He had put in a request to the Area authority of the church, afterwhich it was denied. He mentioned he had gone to the temple and asked Heavenly Father to help him find a way for that container to get to Samoa, as we didn't have the money (I know, and we were on our retreat...LOL). He never told his wife about it or anyone else outside of the presidency knowing that they were denied. He went again the next day to ask the Lord for help with the shipping of this container, no answer. So he went again, the day before the retreat and again asked for help, trusting the Lord would provide a way. On his way out of the temple a man who shared his session asked President Makai if there was anything he could do to help out with the Samoa Relief effort, to which President Makai says "Well, we need $4,100 to send the container to Samoa." At which point the man takes out his checkbook and proceeds to write a check for $4,000. Not a dry eye in the chapel, as we all knew the Lord answered his fervent prayers. I'm sure we were able to come up with the extra needed $100.

President Makai also reiterated living within your means, and if we get any means we will definitely be working on that commandment. :o) After President spoke, he invited a few from the congregation to get up and bear their testimony. I was so impressed with the men in the different bishoprics. I love and appreciate that they all do everything they can to help & serve the members of their wards, and especially appreciate that we can trust them to go to them with any problem in confidence. I love this stake and all the awesome people who serve on it. I love our Stake Presidency and truly know they are men called of God to serve us at this time! I LOVE OUR STAKE!!!!!

On a side note, here are a few pics from our trip. LOL.

Pool Time with the Kids! Yay!!!

More Pool Time with Kiddies!

The Royal Princess...

And her sidebusting mommy ready for activities night (fired!!!)!

Good morning Park City! We Love You! LOL

My Sister's Keeper

This movie will ALWAYS have a place in my heart. I watched it the only way I could (online). I'm not sure why I didn't cry sooner, all I know is that at minute 42 of the movie, all memories of my eldest and best sister Leah Puapikake Kaanga - whom family & friends always knew as "Sister", going through her treatment with leukemia, ran through my mind and the floodgates opened. I was bawling and was trying to keep most of it in so that my husband wouldn't hear me choking up on my tears. lol. When I looked back though, he was already asleep...thank goodness, because the crying continued through to the end of the movie.

The rest of my 'ohana & close friends of Sis, will probably have the same outcome from watching this movie, but I do recommend it (if you haven't already seen it). It was beautifully played out. Babes...you are gonna need a lifetime of tissues if you think you are gonna (or maybe you already have) watch this. For those of you who don't know my sister's story, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in 1992 while she was in the MTC. After discovering her cancer, Sis came home for treatments, and was even able to see her mission companions whom she met while in the MTC, as they were on their stop-over in Hawaii on their way to Japan. So sweet!

We looked to family for a match and found my other elder sister "Babes" (as family & VERY close friends call her) a.k.a. Lara (lol...you like that I put your real name as the a.k.a.?!? lol) to be the best match (the keeper). Eventually they both went on to the University of Utah Medical Center where the transplant took place. Unfortunately for Sister, her body ended up rejecting the transplant, setting up her timeline for the rest of her life on this earth.

I am grateful for the gospel and the Plan of Salvation as it allowed all of us, including Sis, to plan for her departure from this life. She was deciding what material she wanted to line her coffin as well as the color of the coffin, she decided who would speak at her funeral, and what flowers she expected. She had planned it all out. I know the Lord planned for her to be on the earth for a set timeframe, but I can only imagine how our own lives would be if she were still here.

"Sister, I wished you could've been at so many highlights of my life. You were (and likely are up in heaven) so kind and loving, a great listening ear, a confidante, a friend, a strong woman, and most importantly always a great example of a daughter of God. I love and miss you very much, and hope you got our lot for our mansion reserved already. We'll see you when we get there."