20. What is a memory you have of your childhood?

Going to Hawaii was probably one of the coolest things of my younger childhood.  I went to Oahu with my maternal grandparents when I was 11 years old.  It was amazing to see the most amazingly crystal blue ocean you could ever imagine.  The most beautiful fifteen foot waves on top of it.  The sea creatures below it.  The coral reefs that go on for miles.  The customs that the people had opened my eyes.  How they eat rice with every meal.  How they have the clay roof tiles.  All the things that an island community would do opened my eyes for the first time, the reality of a "world beyond" Iowa and all I knew at that time.  All the memories I have from that trip are still almost as vivid as if I had just came back.  My first meal, the place we stayed, the places I saw, the U of Hawaii stadium and flea market outside it, North Beach, and everything else.

What I remember most is my grandma and grandpa.  My grandpa is still alive, but my grandma is not.  They were always super funny, but my grandma gave me one of my favorite memories ever.  After a LONG day of walking around, we got back to the place we were staying and were all super tired.  We took the elevator from the parking ramp below the hotel and as we were going up, we all hit the proverbial wall.  We were pooped as pooped could be.  It took awhile to get to the floor we were on, and we all just became quiet, as the moment hit us that we were about to be "home" and could rest.  When out of the total silence, from the direction of my grandma, I heard a loud and long fart!  My grandpa and I looked at each other, then looked at her, and she laughed so hard, with her eyes squinting almost shut.  We all laughed the entire rest of the night, and joked about it for years after.  I loved my grandma.  Miss her still.

Thank you for Hawaii and our memories, grandma and grandpa.