After lots of planning and saving up, we went on vacation to Hawaii. It was quite an adventure! We decided to go to Kauai before going on to visit friends on Oahu. Each day was something new and exciting! Mathew snorkeled in the ocean for the first time. We drove up the Waimea Canyon to enjoy a late afternoon literally in the clouds. On the way down from the canyon, we rescued a small litter of feral kittens that had decided that the middle of the road was a good place to take a nap. Needless to say, Mathew got hissed at repeatedly. After several attempts at finding Hawaiian barbecue with disappointing results, we stumbled upon the best barbecue that either of have ever had before or since at Chicken in a Barrel. I was startled by a lizard hiding out in a public restroom, and our days were spent dodging wild chickens everywhere we went! We caught the sunset on one side of the island, and I was determined to catch the sunrise on the other side before we left. Throughout the trip, Mathew seemed nervous and goofy. I had begun to chalk it up to it being our first big vacation together mixed with jet lag. It was our last morning on Kauai before flying to Oahu, and I was determined to get pictures of the sunrise. We got up early and headed out to Kapa'a Beach Park. On the way, we were delayed by a trash truck with flashing lights that looked remarkably like a school bus. After several long red lights and one wrong turn, we were finally there! The sky was streaked with beautiful reds and purples. The trees were a beautiful silhouette against the lightening colors of dawn. We skipped and hopped over driftwood as we raced to get pictures of the beautiful landscape. It was here on Kapa'a Beach just after sunrise that Mathew proposed.