Yesterday was a wild but very good day. Well I guess I had better start with the night before cause that was when the fun started.  We had gone to Costco earlier and bought a cart load of meat...pork and chicken.  Then brought it home and put it into coolers till it was time to prepare it.  About 5, we started getting the sheets of foil ready to put the meat in...you have to put two together and seal them so you have one great big sheet...we made about 15 of these ( Stacey and Rick came over and helped too)  Then they open all the packages of chicken and put them in the cooler and pour the marinade over them.  Dave M. got there in time to help with the pork.  It's sliced a bit, then salted and doused with liquid smoke and put in another cooler.  The pork is put in the fire pit first thing in the morning, then they barbeque the chicken on the big grill in the afternoon.

  Kelley was up at 4:30  in the morning to get the fire in the pit started. After another sleepless night, I  was just starting to fall asleep when he got up, so I rolled over and went back to sleep till about 7.  I woke up to the clanging of the tent poles being put together.  Kelley, KC and Rick were out there and were soon joined by a bunch of guys from the high priests unloading tables and chairs.  They had everything set up in just a little while. 

Candice came over  and helped me arrange the serving tables and round tables.  We had some pop up tents for shade that Kelley and Rick helped us put up too.  Everything was looking really good.  I had been making rice all morning and had one of Karen's big roasters all full, but remembered how much people had eaten last year so I kept making more. 

I wanted to get another roaster since we had lost the inside tray to ours one time when we lent it out.  So Candice and I went out on the hunt.  I had already looked at Walmart and Target so we went to Shopko.  No luck, so we went over to bed bath and beyond.  They had one just like I was looking for so we got it.

When we got home, Vickie, Jo Ann, Kim and Carolyn were in the back yard decorating.  They had got some real cute things to add to what they used last year.  Cute sea shells and star fish and sand buckets with shovels to set on the tables and flower leis to decorate.  They set up the Tiki shack and the kayaks to hold the drinks.  Everything looked really cute. They had set up the sound system and the stage too.  By about 3 the guys from the Elders quorum showed up to start cooking the chicken. 

 It had been just kind of muggy all morning, but now the clouds started gathering and turning dark. The thunder started rumbling and  the wind started blowing, sending the cute decorations flying.  I hollered at Kelley to help me cover the sound system, microphones and speakers.  As soon as we were finished, the rain started coming down.  I thought...OK...this will pass over and we will be OK by 6. 

 The guys barbecuing came under the patio to get out of the rain.  It started coming down harder and harder till it was like buckets dumping on us.  Then it slowed down and stopped.  I got out a bunch of towels out  and everybody started to dry things off.  Just as soon as we did, the wind picked up again and in just a minute, it started raining again.  It was really coming down now, then it turned to hail. It kept this up for a few minutes, then just kept raining.  It was about 5:30 and I was starting to panic  People started calling  asking what we were going to do.  I told them we were just going to go for it  Kelley and I tried to figure how we could rearrange the tents so it would be doable if it kept raining.  We moved all the serving tables under the patio and put tents over the round tables and where brother Barcarce would be doing the music.  Bishop Blake had showed up by now along with several other ward members and they all pitched in to help us wipe everything down.  The rain finally stopped about quarter to 6. The dancers had all  shown up and were downstairs practicing and getting dressed.  Brother Barcarce had asked some  of the young women and young men to do some of the dances too so they were all dressed up  and practicing with the  Hawaiian dancers.
I was trying to get all the paper products set up and get the rice into serving dishes and get pans for the chicken and pork and ice for the drinks and tell everyone where to put all the food that was quickly arriving all at once, so I was very glad when Carol and Chris jumped in to help me.   Then I had the nicest surprise...earlier when Candice had been over, I  was disappointed when I had asked her if she was coming to the luau.  She said she was getting her hair done so she wouldn't be able to make it. Well when I was right in the middle of running around like a crazy lady, I turn around and there she is...all fixed up so cute and ready to hand out the leis.  She is just like a ray of sunshine.  I was so grateful to have her help that night.
Stacey had offered up her house for babysitting and had prepared some fun things for the kids to do.  We had asked the young women to babysit and had about five of the reliable ones show up.  I guess they had about twenty kids show (in their own words...twenty that felt like fifty!) up and it was not easy!  Sure do appreciate these good girls for their willingness to help out!  And for Stacey for opening up her home and for all her work in making it fun for them over there. 
Then, it was like a flood of people came in  all at once and pretty soon the back yard was full.  Kelley and his buddies got the pork out of the fire pit, the food was blessed and the party began!  I loved how Brother Barcarce had music and dancing going all the time so it was really enjoyable whether you were standing in line to get your food or sitting down and eating.  The tables were soon all filled and people were sitting all around.  I was really surprised cause I thought the bad weather would discourage people from coming. It was fun to see some people who used to be in the ward.  The Pooles, Wrights, and Northrups came.  I was glad Tammy and Ken came too. They know several people in the neighborhood now, so I think they had a good time.   There were actually several people there who were not members.  I was really surprised when I saw this Bob L. talking to this guy that looked familiar...I did a double take and it was this guy Bonnie and I had taken a flyer to when we went around doing pennies by the inch with the yw and ym.  We had gone up to his door and when he answered,we could tell he had been drinking a bit.  We told him about the luau and gave him the flyer.  He asked us if he could bring some drinks.  We were like ummmm, we will provide the drinks so just come on over.  He asked about where I lived and we tried to explain to him, but never dreamed he would actually come   Well, there he was. When I got a chance,  I went up and talked to him a bit and he was very friendly and nice.  There was also this cute Spanish gal that we had taken the pennies by the inch, luau flyer to.  She told us that she had used to come to our church about 15 years ago but hadn't been active since then.  We told her we'd love to have her come out but sure didn't think she would come.  She had come with her mom and her 5 year old son.  I told her I was so glad to see her and she said she would like to help me in the kitchen.  I said "no no!  please just enjoy the entertainment." She insisted and the next thing I knew, her and her mom were in the kitchen doing the dishes!  I really tried to get them to stop, but she said that is what they do in their culture...they help!  The mom didn't speak any English but just chatted away and smiled and laughed while she washed the dishes.  The daughter, Suzanne, was very friendly and easy to talk to and her son was cute and played with Lizzy while we worked.  She told me that her mom went to a Spanish speaking ward but that she hadn't gone to church for a long time.  She wanted to come to a English speaking ward so her son could get along better there.  I told her when our church was and she said she would try to come!  I felt a real connection with her and like I had made a new friend. 
The night flew by and I think a good time was had by everyone.  It was great how everyone pitched in to help take down all the tents, tables and chairs.  With that many working, it was done in a few minutes!  Carol came in and helped me clean the rest of the dishes.  Sure do love her and Brian.  They stayed and talked for a while about what was going on with their kids...hard to believe they are all grown up men now.  They are good people... always the ones that you can count on to help.
After we got all the leftovers put away (there wasn't too much this year!  they really ate most everything!)  We got a little bite to eat (neither of us actually sat down and ate any dinner) and Kelley and I collapsed on the couch....totally exhausted but happy and so grateful for the way the night went...we were grateful for all the good  family, friends and neighbors who had given their time and service to help us make this possible.  We were grateful for the new friends we had made...and  grateful for Gods mercy in stopping the rain in time for  us to be able to have an enjoyable night.