We were told that lei's are very special in Hawaii- used for celebrations as well as a sign of welcome. We were also told not to throw the lei's away- but instead to take them to the ocean, cut the strings, and release them into the surf while saying prayers. Emily, Anna, and I gathered all of our lei's for the week and stopped on a beach on the way to the airport. We released all of the flowers into the ocean and prayed not only for our continued good health, but for specific children and families that we have met in our journey with pediatric cancer. Emily especially wanted to pray for McKenzie, (she asked if she could still pray for her) that she was right where we knew she was, in heaven, and that her Mom, Hope, would be able to find some comfort and happiness.
It was a wonderful trip to Hawaii, and we were sad to leave. We came home a happier, closer family with some beautiful new memories.
