We're having a Luau!

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I’ve spent a lot of time in the recent months reflecting on my dad’s life and the impact he had on me as his daughter; the good, the bad, the things I wish I would have done differently, and the things I will never have the chance to do with him again.  Even in his final days as his body dwindled & suffered greatly, his mind remained sharp and his gift of conversation was very present until that, too, was finally taken away. 

In this season of remembrance, I recently recalled one of the most hilarious memories I have from my childhood.  It took place one scorching summer afternoon in 1991 when we attended a luau in our little town.  This event was a fundraiser for our local hockey association, so in all things hockey-related, my parents loaded up all of their tots – foster kids included - to partake in the festivities. 

Hockey association supporters near and far showed up in Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts, and leis for an afternoon of tropical celebration; a very different scene from the bundled-up folks who would frigidly cling to their Styrofoam mug of hot chocolate while cheering on the team during the freezing winter months.


(My mom had a knack for perming my hair & my foster sisters were lucky enough to be subject to this one.  But seriously, how cute were they?)

After the meal, games, and other fun, the hula dance contest was about to commence.  I had a vague idea of what my traditional and graceful movements would look like.  I had practiced, after all.  Us younger kids danced in our age category….

….the teen kids took their turn and competed in their age category…

And finally, any desiring adults were called up front to dance in their category…

My dad surprised me when he stood up in front of the crowd, wearing in only a grass skirt and one very serious look on his face.  Was it nerves?  Was he going to play it reserved?  I kept my eyes locked on that face wondering what on earth he was doing up there.  I knew that face. 

There was a twinkle of mischief in his eye and the tiniest hint of a smirk on his lip.  If you knew him well, you knew his Poker face was anything but strong. 

The band started playing at lightning speed, and that dad bod took off in full throttle dance moves.  He shook his hips and swung his ghostly-white legs and ultra-tanned arms as fast as he could.  I gasped and covered my mouth in shock for a while until the most profuse laughter erupted from everywhere. 

The sweat poured down his face but he did not stop for anything.  Those dance moves were serious business, and he was determined to out-hoola any other adult who dared to dance against him.  Two minutes passed, then three.  He had not skipped a beat, and nearly collapsed in exhaustion after the song finished.  He won the contest, needless to say. 

I wish we had my dad’s epic hula dance on video. 

And then there’s Gary.  My late father-in-law, who also loved to get a good laugh out of people.  That’s one of the things I miss most about him.  He loved to play pranks and startle anyone who might be in works of his prankster scheme. 

I remember Gary wearing one of four things in the years of knowing him:
1. A bright yellow Carhartt sweatshirt when the Northern Minnesota weather was cooooooold.
2. A gray t-shirt decorated by his grandkids’ painted hands and feet. 
3. No shirt, obviously.  That man lived on the lake!
4. And finally, his bright and bold Hawaiian shirts that he deemed appropriate for any and most occasions that, A) required a shirt, and B) didn’t require the aforementioned Carhartt sweatshirt because of the inclimate weather. 

August 4th would have been my parents’ 44th wedding anniversary.
The following week, August 11th, would have been Gary & Sue’s 44th wedding anniversary. 

To honor our dads zest for all things fun & our parents’ wedding anniversaries, we’d like to invite you all to our Adoption Fundraiser Luau to raise monies for our adoption.

Saturday, August 4th, 2018
Fox Hollow Banquet Hall
5pm-10pm

Please RSVP to this event via Facebook so we can get a head count!  Many more details will follow as they come together.

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