Rachel and Marcie

My sisters Marcie and Rachel came for one last visit.  They were here for the last week of school, our garage sale, and our stake conference at church.  

It was a busy week, but we were able to sneak in some fun excursions.

 They both took turns coming to school with me.  Rachel came on a field trip on Friday to see some sights in town.  Marcie helped with final tests and the class party.

(Not pictured: Rachel.  But P.S. this was the coolest place!  A must-see in American Samoa - the National Park visitors center.  A "Please DO Touch" place - the kids loved it!)

 

 They also took on the task of getting stuff ready for the garage sale on Saturday.  I don’t know what I would’ve done without their help.

(I just thought this picture was funny.  Our cordless phone sold, so we've been using this old one as a backup.  It cracks me up every time I look at that 80's phone.)



On Sunday they got to hear the beautiful singing of Samoan hymns, see the various puletasi and ie faitaga styles, and experience the confusing mishmash of fa’aTutuila – the half Samoan, half English that people speak here.

 And we went on a Sunday drive to a part of the island I'd never seen before.

Things took an unfortunate turn near the end of their stay.  The weather was stormy, we got the car stuck in the mud, and they got drenched and muddy. 

Then I took Rachel to get a “trim”, but the lady set her back a decade in growth and style.  This was a before picture.  As you can see we were nervous from the start.  We shoulda' just run away.

 
Then we went to Sliding Rock their last day.  It was beautiful until a big “sneaker” wave washed Marcie onto some rocks, cutting her leg, drenching and killing her iPod touch and Rachel’s smartphone, and scaring the rest of us.  So we hobbled away from there quite shaken. 

 We found solace at Coconut Point. 

 Took some BYU promo shots.

That evening our car couldn’t take the excitement anymore and the alternator went out.  So I couldn’t even accompany them to the airport.

Despite these sad events, they said they had a good time.  We’re just grateful things weren’t worse.  And maybe we’ll even come to laugh about all of this in 40 years.

Aloha, ha, ha.