Day 2: Things I'll Never Forget About Lori

Our One Year Anniversary!

In October of 2003 Lori & I spent our One Year Anniversary on the Big Island of Hawaii... we fell in love with each other all over again, and it marked the beginning of our life-long love of Whale Crossing as well.

Our friends Stephen & Kriseda were kind enough to loan us their lovely little cottage in Hawi (a small town on the Northern tip of the island,) and we found it to be a very welcome respite from the anxiety and frustration that cancer had so unapologetically brought into our lives.

We had just an incredible time that year---the list of adventures we got into goes on and on. It was on this first trip that we swam with dolphins at the Hilton (he was a youngster named Liko,) swam with sea turtles in various places around the island, and chased a morey eel while snorkeling off of the Captain Cook Monument at Kealakekua Bay.

Lori fell in love with the horse that lived in the lot right next to Whale Crossing, and she would sneak over there day and night and feed him apples by hand. We spent the whole two weeks believing his name was Humphrey, but it turned out that wasn't his name at all... it suited him well though.

We also managed to take at least two wonderful horseback rides in the Kohala Hills, with the magical "sunset ride" being particularly spectacular and romantic.

The photo above was taken on the actual evening of our First Anniversary, October 6th, 2003. We had an immaculate dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant on the grounds of the Hilton Waikaloa, and our dessert was this darling cheesecake with a chocolate mouse perched on top.

After dinner we took a long walk around the grounds (which were huge!) and had fun posing with the various statues, meandering by torch-light, and just generally basking in each other's company.

In the years afterward, Lori always had a funny habit of accidentally using the word "Honeymoon" when what she really meant to say was "Anniversary."

So, we had five incredible Honeymoons together, and I cherish each and every one of them... I only wish I could relive them over and over again.

I love you Lori!