Full circle at Makena Beach

15 years ago life looked a whole lot different.  Brad and I had been married for 5 years.  We were in the thick of infertility struggles with no answers and no end in sight.  We decided a Hawaii trip to Thanksgiving was in order to get away from life for awhile and give ourselves a bit of a reset.  We did a lot of dreaming and praying on that trip, hoping that God would answer our long awaited prayers for a family.  On our trip, we stumbled upon Makena Beach and on the way out I remember telling Brad that I really like that name and if God were to ever bless us with a little girl I thought we should name her Makena.  When we found out the name meant - "gift of happiness" we were sold.  I continued to dream that dream - I even found a prayer journal with Makena Best scribbled in the margin.  I can remember so clearly where I was sitting when I wrote it too - at the same hotel I’m sitting at right now, those same waves crashing in the distance.  

 

Fast forward 15 years and my heart is just exploding tonight.  This is one of those full circle moments in life - the ones where you can clearly see God’s hand at work and I couldn’t be more grateful.  As we prepared to depart on our flight to Hawaii last week, my eyes filled with tears staring at Makenna and remembering that day at Makena Beach.  And today, as we walked into Makena Beach, hand in hand, it was so awesome to be able to share this full circle moment with my girl.  

How perfect was this little snowman we found on Makena Beach when we got there?!  We couldn't resist a picture of it with our snowflakes.

What’s so crazy to me is that that entire time, God knew. He knew as I jotted in my prayer journal 15 years ago that these sweet kiddos had already been created and He was saving them just for us.  He knew that His plans for our family were way better than anything we could hope or dream for.  He knew He’d knock our socks off with not only a Makenna but with an Alex too.  

The best part was the smile on her face the entire day.  She loves hearing the story about us at Makena Beach and was in heaven today soaking in all the love.  We laid around, we jumped in the waves, we walked the beach and we saw the most amazing sunset.  But best of all, we remembered what a good God we serve and that even in the midst of trials and pain He is so faithful.  

So tonight we’re all smiling a little bigger - so very thankful that we were able to take this trip - to not only get away as a family, but to celebrate all the ways God has blessed us.