Mother’s Day is special

LIHUE — Lilli Kawamura said growing up on a farm was hard work, but never hard enough to forget Mother’s Day.

“We raised everything,” Lilli said. “In Germany, we raised cattle and planted our own grain that we sold. We worked seven days a week, even if Germany observed a six-day work week — even the grocery stores closed on Sunday. On Mother’s Day, you’re supposed to do something special for your mom — like go to church with her. It’s the same all around the world. My dad was a farmer, but on Mother’s Day, he made sure he had flowers for mom. Life was hard, but those were the good old days.”

Rocky Pascua, who along with husband Vance own Ainofea store in the Kukui Grove Center, welcomed newly-discovered family members, Kelela Wakefield and her daughter Remy from California to her shop.

“The credit belongs to Ancestry.com,” Kelela said. “After getting the kit for Christmas and completing the steps, we discovered family members we never met.”

Rocky Pascua said Mother’s Day is just a special time for her.

“Mother’s Day completes me as a woman,” Rocky said. “I feel special having the kids giving me a special phone call on Mother’s Day, or just getting together as a family. I’m a Foster Parent so I get to be a mother for the second time.”