Intro To the Latest Mass of Adventures and A TON of Surprises...

A piece of my vision...

For anyone who has watched or read "The Secret", part of manifesting your life, or in Laymen's terms: taking control of your happiness and your future, is by "attracting it".  Granted, I'm happy as a peach pie typically on a regular basis, but I do love the "Vision Board" exercise I learned from The Secret.  I use my dear friend Google to find images of all things I love, want, strive to be, and places I want to see and then print them and pin them on my "Vision Board" so that I can be reminded of them daily.  A few to name on there are images signifying wanting to have 20/20 vision, surfing a gnarly big wave, rocking out on ukulele, hiking the Appalachian Trail in its entirety, and going to Alaska, Molokai, Europe, etc, etc... This board is HUGE, literally 3'x2' or bigger.

Some magical place along the Appalachian Trail.

One goal in particular started to invade my mind daily... hiking the Appalachian Trail.  So I start thinking and plotting and planning and finally decided that it was time.  I checked out music festivals, places to stop along the way, began managing my funding, and organizing a list of all the gear I wanted and would need.  Then comes the having to put in my notice to work with the explanation that I'm planning a 5+ month trek in the woods, (and stopping to see family and my AMAZING nephew who's growing way to quickly).  I wrote about how I appreciate the opportunity I've been given and how I love my work, but I just have to get this out of my system while I'm young and able.

Go to Work with Mom Day!  Me and the sweet boy
at West Maui Animal Clinic.  I think he was bored... ;)

When I get a response, it's from one of the sweet owner's with a short liner saying, "I heard from a bird, his name's Brian, that you would be willing to accept 2 months leave of absence". My first reaction was, "What the hay?!  That's a bunch of BS!  I'm going to tell Brian when I see him that he's so full off it!"  Brian is an awesome guy and the sweet owner's husband.  So I email her back immediately my first reaction summarized and much nicer that indicated he was blowing smoke somewhere. I hit send... and not 30 seconds later it hits me that I'd been offered 2 months leave of absence to just be able to come right back to my job, in paradise, that I love so much.


Confirming that assumption, I write another e-mail immediately to find that this offer was indeed true.   I started re-planning my trip to knock of other things on my vision board since the time allotted for the Appalachian wouldn't be suffice.  

                                                                                                                                                                                   

The awesome kit that owner and her husband, both
amazing people, made for me for my trip.  Love them!

My close friend, Ariel, took my place at work for the two months, so I felt extremely confident in leaving and I made the huge step in communication and got an iPhone to make sure I was accessible to her with whatever she might need.  Plus, the iPhone's camera is the bomb and has changed my life, (and my irritated shoulder's life), from feeling as though I had to carry my Nikon everywhere.   The sweet owner and her awesome hubby sent me off with granola bars, a sweet pocket knife, a medical kit, warm socks, pepper spray... just to name a few of the cleverly custom made survival kit's goodies; and a very nice handwritten card to boot.   Feeling like the luckiest girl in the world, I'm off...

Lono with his boarding pass at the airport...
Stoked for his first flight EVER! :)

To Kauai first... With the most amazing man... My caring, intelligent, handsome, and most incredible boyfriend, Jun.  And the most amazing dog... You know it, Lono Mono, (for his first flight EVER!).


And as I debated on whether to start a new blog entirely with all of life's changes, I decided to keep this one but am contemplating a name change that I've already purchased, (I'll keep you posted).  I do apologize for being out of touch with most everyone.  Just getting my email down past 100 has been a challenge since being back, but you'll be hearing a lot more out of me soon, I promise!

Kauai post to follow... With pictures of course!  =)

AND BIG BIG SURPRISES COMING SOON!!!

With Love and Aloha,

~Danielle~