A Very Hawaiian 2016 Recap

Well it’s safe to say 2016 was one heck of a year. There were a lot of highs but also, many lows. I started the year with an anniversary trip to Hawaii. My husband Mark, his father Ed, his brother Eddie and I took that 10 hour flight back to the islands. We started back on Oahu for a day and of course we had to stop at Dole Plantation for some pineapple ice cream!

Mark also decided to take on a crazy hike that may (or may not) be illegal.  The hike has been nicknamed the Stairway to Heaven (originally the Haiku Stairs) for its spectacular views! Consisting of 3,922 VERY STEEP stairs that span along Oahu’s Ko’olau mountain range, this path is very, very dangerous!  The top used to be a radio station for the Navy during World World 2.

I do not recommend doing this hike. To avoid the police at the bottom of the stairs, we had to sneak through a residential neighborhood, in the middle of the night, and then trek through a bamboo forest. After a rip in my pants and mud on my shoes, I gave up half way through the bamboo forest. Luckily, there was another couple from Australia walking through. I was able to dump my husband off with them and I went back to the hotel. A few hours later, I went back to pick him up and he had some amazing photos to share!

After Oahu, we went to Maui to spend our anniversary. January 15, 2015, Mark and I stood on the gorgeous Wailea Beach, in front of the Grand Wailea (our FAVORITE hotel), and pledged our love for each other. It was one of the best days of my life!  A few days after, Mark and I went back down to the beach and laid some of my mother’s ashes. During her fight with cancer, my mother always talked about her happy place… a beach in Hawaii. It was only fitting to take a piece of her and lay her at her happy place. On our anniversary, Mark and I went back to Wailea Beach and watched the sunset. I could feel my mother with us.

The last stop on our trip was to the Big Island. My highlight from the entire trip was our open door helicopter tour of the island including active lava fields. We spent the rest of the trip relaxing and it was the perfect start to 2016.

The rest of 2016 was a blur. It was my first year as a full time photographer. I couldn’t figure out a routine that worked for me and I was shooting more than ever. Our trip to Hawaii in January was more than relaxation.  We were visiting real estate and decided to invest some money into a vacation rental property. It sounds awesome, but we were not prepared for all the little stuff that is involved with buying an out of state property. We finally figured it all out and I was on the next flight back to Maui in May. My dad and I spent 5 days on the gorgeous island of Maui painting and cleaning. However, I ate breakfast every morning to this view from our lanai and our property is right across from the infamous Sugar Beach!

I will never forget the weekend I came home from that week in Maui. Thursday night I was on a red eye home and landed back on the east coast Friday, around noon. Later that afternoon, I was at the hospital shooting a fresh 48! The next day, I shot an all day wedding. Then, Sunday, I had 2 family sessions. My life of a full time photographer was in full effect and I was loving life!
The summer of 2016 was full of weddings, newborns and cake smashes! July and August are my busiest months for babies!! To celebrate, Mark and I took a spontaneous trip back to Maui. It’s not often we get to travel alone and we knew we both needed it. We spent time on the beach, swimming in the crystal blue waters, and doing some sight seeing in upcountry! My new favorite place in Maui in the Ali’i Kula Lavender Field.  The views stretch for miles; from Kahului, to Kihei, and even the West Maui Mountains, there was nothing like that view!

I started my annual fall mini sessions earlier than usual this year. I knew I was going to need surgery in the very near future and wanted to make sure I was still able to take care of my loyal clients’ needs! I was booked with over 50 sessions for the month of October. If you haven’t noticed, Mark and I work hard but play harder! Before Mark’s busy retail season and to take a break from my 50 sessions, we went with our close friends to the Bahamas. It was a quiet, UNPLUGGED, week! I spent most of the week like this!

I never travel without my camera, so you know I had to do a family photo session with our dearest friends! I even got some candids of the babes on the beach!

From what seemed like a pretty amazing 2016, all that fun came to a crashing halt. I went in for laparoscopic surgery on December 15th to remove a cyst from my ovary. I have been suffering with extreme pain on that side for 18 months!! Multiple ER trips and many second opinions, I finally found a doctor who didn’t tell me, “Cysts are normal in a woman’s cycle.” With laparoscopic surgery, a camera is entered through a small incision in my belly button. I was told the damage to my pelvic area was so extreme, they couldn’t see anything using the camera. Cue the scalpel, and I was cut open. That “very normal” cyst was 9 centimeters big had completely engulfed my ovary and tube, then started to attach itself to my bladder, colon, uterus and pelvic wall. I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis and it was everywhere. The good news is I have been diagnosed and this can be treated. The bad news is I lost my left ovary and tube and the doctors discovered a blockage in my right tube. Now, we know why we have been struggling to get pregnant all this time. Unfortunately, all these answers are just the beginning on our road to parenthood.

Three days in the hospital and a 6 week recovery, I am on my way back into the studio to start my 2017. I am very much looking forward to what this year is going to bring Mark, Kauai and me!

Cheers to the new year!