GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Lyn Worley relaxed in her Kahala home Thursday and thought about the two worry-free years she will have after being picked to live there by landlord Genshiro Kawamoto. CLICK FOR LARGE
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Home gives boost to mom and 4 kids
THE WORLEY FAMILY
Since moving into 4578 Kahala Ave., the Worley family has embarked on research into the home's history.
So far they have concluded that the four-bedroom, Tudor-style house has been home to former Hawaii astronaut Lacy Veach, as well as a famous pianist.
"I really think we've got a terrific house," said Lyn Worley, a Sacred Hearts graduate and mother of five. "It fits us."
With four children, ages 4 to 14, living with her, she runs a busy schedule, whether it's shuttling them to cheerleading tryouts, singing practice or their classes at Kamehameha Schools.
Her eldest daughter, 20-year-old Tori, is still living with her grandmother, but may move in later.
Rules in the home are strict. No television is allowed except on Fridays, and in addition to finishing homework, everyone is expected to pitch in with chores to keep the house tidy.
Worley has an hourlong commute -- she works full-time as a clerk at Holomua Elementary School in Ewa Beach. But she says the home was an answer to a prayer.
A friend of hers had written the letter to Genshiro Kawamoto on her behalf. The lease to her rental home in Waianae was about to expire when Kawamoto chose her for one of the Kahala homes.
"He's like the grandparent my kids have never had," said Lyn Worley, who also likened him to a fairy godfather.
Earlier, she hung up a small banner in the front yard with the words: "Mahalo, Kawamoto-san."
The Worleys have met most of their nearby neighbors, and so far have found them warm and welcoming, bearing cards and plants.
"We look forward to meeting new people around us," Worley said. "We haven't met anybody that's not nice."
That's how she had expected it.
If people don't want to live next to Hawaiians in Hawaii, she said, then they should probably move from the islands.
The kids -- Jordan, 4, Starla, 7, Chaz, 11, and Tesia, 14 -- are now more involved in school and activities since the move into the new home, according to Worley.
They're still a ways off from graduating from high school, but already have aspirations.
Jordan wants to be a fireman when he grows up, Starla wants to be a mom and older brother Chaz wants to be a doctor.
Tesia Worley, the current Miss Hawaii Teen USA, aspires to be an actress or model, with backup plans to be a pharmacist. She's looking for sponsors, and getting ready to compete for the national title in June.
"We're just grateful for his love and generosity," said Tesia Worley of Kawamoto.
The Kamehameha Schools freshman described the neighborhood as "peaceful and quiet." There's more space, she said, and it's nice to come home after a busy day.
Lyn Worley said sometimes it's just a matter of timing and circumstance that puts people where they are in life.
She has for four years been on a waiting list for a self-help housing project in Nanakuli, and is still waiting. The Kahala home came at just the right time.
"It's about timing," she said. "God's going to put you in the right place at the right time."