The DeShayne Family

Donn, Nece, Ajja, Shen, Daly, Deme & Roxy

101 Lunalilo St.
Wailuku, HI 96793

808 242-9025

Hello from Maui,
We hope all who are reading this are well and at peace. This year was one of continuations. We continued in the same activities and continue to be grateful for our luck and well being.

Daly in Paintball Grove on Giggle Hill

The year started off with Ajja continuing to teach Gymnastics in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania and Shen attending Iowa State University. Deme was in third grade and Daly a freshman at Baldwin High. Daly played JV soccer and Deme practiced Gymnastics and went to meets.

Visitors created great moments for us and fortunately living on Maui lures friends we might not get to see without such picturesque bait. Toward the end of January Mike and Diane Michaelis returned Maui. It is always great to see them.

In February Nece's brother George Renaud and his wife Donyel came back to Maui bringing their yearling son Carter. We went whale watching and snorkeling. Carter is a fine fun lad. In March I got to see Frank and Kate Jones during their visit from Washington.

In April we made our annual selling trip to The Merrie Monarch Hula Festival. With the help of Deme and our friend Teri we ran two locations. In May we gladly got our two eldest home for the summer and managed a few great family outings.

Summer Family Portrait in Iao Valley in July

The kids in Waihee River on Father's Day

Summer also gave us more visitors. Dave and De Knudson from Sioux Falls SD came with their two grown sons to revisit Maui. Two high school friends in one year...a treat for me. Next came Nece's cousin Bill Rieman and his wife Lisa who enjoyed Maui in a very 'laid back' and sumptuous way.

At the end of July Ajja flew to a California wedding and then back to Pennsylvania. August sent us back to Made In Hawai'i Trade show on Oahu and Shen back to U of Hawai'i as well. After we returned Nece danced in Uluwehi Guerrero's annual Hula Show.

Goofy Girls

Our Kids at Ho'okipa

For most of the year that we thought we would be moving from this house we have lived in for 20 years. The owners wanted to sell and with real estate 'out of sight' on Maui we were concerned we would have to leave the island. Finally their family decided to keep the property so we still have more years here. This exercise in terror made us realize that our next major move will be off island, so in early September Donn went to the affordable Big Island and narrowed down an area we like and we are actively looking for a place that hopefully can be our home when kids become more scarce.

This fall found Ajja back to Pennsylvania, Shen back to UH for his Junior year and Deme began participating in level five gymnastics competitions. This year saw her get her "kip" and her "back handspring." We did not know how well she was progressing until she called home from an Oahu meet and said, "I won." I said "the vault?" "No... everything!" she answered. But the day before the state meet she was in bed with the flu and didn't travel with the team. But the young are strong. I took her over on Sunday to compete and she won the bronze in the 8 yr old group. She stayed and returned home with the team so Shen picked me up in his new '89 Camry and took me to the airport.

Deme considers Halloween

Wishing you the best of Holidays and hoping you have a meaningful 2005.

All the best,

The DeShayne Family

Ajja, who would like to return to the dance, was accepted recently for audition by the Springs Dance Co. near London. She ventured across the pond, with a side trip to Slovenia, to make the final six but did not win the job.

She will travel to Illinois again this year to share Christmas with my sister Jill's family and my folks. Shen will be home from Oahu to enjoy the holiday with the four of us. We hope who ever you spend your holiday with that it is a special time for you.

Aloha,

Donn and the DeShaynes

PS. If you have the time here's a link to a gallery of more 2004 pictures