Siblings!!

I am a really lucky girl. Even though I live across the country from my family I have seen 3 of my 4 siblings in the past 3 weeks. Irene flew up at the end of July.

Then we drove to Idaho to see Marie, and we all went to Jackson Hole.
I was so excited... can you tell?!?!
But shh... mostly I was excited to see my brother Stephen, my favorite person in the world... he was here when I got back from San Diego. 
I'm sorry... you probably have great siblings but mine are the best. No battle. 

The Beach and Sea World

Beach Hair!! Something I haven't had for 3 years! It's horrible... but I kind of miss it! 
Not many things better than laying out on the beach.
I heart California.
this cute seal was posing for me. I wanted to hug it.
An amazing sunset at sea world!

Chargers Game and Balboa Park

While I was in town I got to attend the first Chargers game!!! It has been SO LONG since I've been to an NFL game. I still maintain the Utes are just as good...if not better! ;-) This was only a preseason game but they played the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle Won. It didn't matter because the game was so much fun to attend... except for the cranky lady behind us who threatened to call security when we jumped to our feet at an exciting play and stood for a good minute. Apparently she thought you weren't allowed to stand at games. I wonder how much she had had to drink?

At Balboa Park. The museum of man is an anthropology museum. I really enjoyed it but they could have turned on the a/c. I thought I was going to pass out at times.

Botanical Gardens at Balboa Park. 

Still at Balboa Park.

Desert Gardens.... he stepped on cactus I suppose.
Rose Garden.

USS Midway

Ever since I dated a boy who attended the United States Naval Academy I developed an affinity for all things Navy. I ended the relationship, not because of him, but because long distance just didn't work for me. So, naturally while in San Diego I had to go visit the USS Midway, a retired aircraft carrier. What I thought would be a 2 hour tour turned into 5 hours and I only left because my body was begging to be nourished. Please enjoy a few of my favorite pictures.  

Welcome Aboard!
I love Navy!
The top portion of the aircraft carrier.
WOW!! I can't even imagine what all those buttons do! There were about 10 x's more than what is pictured.
Boss and Mini... it seemed fitting to take a picture.
Well... I will always text and drive... even if it is an aircraft carrier!

Welcome To San Diego

I flew to San Diego to spend a long weekend with these two men, with the same name. 

While there, my camera died several times. I think I came back with 500+ pictures.  This was taken with an iphone so the quality isn't that great....but still really decent for a phone. That's why I love Apple. 

we went back later to take more pictures but the gates were closed. We couldn't walk around. These are from the gate.

If you ever want to know where my love of motorcycles comes from... this picture should tell you from who and for what. He took me on a ride on his R1. Amazing.

San Diego sky line.

It's Been A While

Hello All!!! It's been a while! I am currently sipping on herbal tea here at starbucks and using the internet. I have to tell you.... I am proud of my decision to go internetless for a while. This is the second time I've been on the internet since July 30th. (well... if you don't count checking email and google reader from my phone)  Do you know how much you can get done or how early you can go to sleep if you are not wasting your time on the internet? Also, I paid $5 and I can get 2 hours of free internet a day for a month as opposed to paying $40 for internet service at home. Sweet. 

Welp,  I suppose I should do a bit of catching up. Thank you all who have been praying for me and my health. I haven't been to the hospital in almost two weeks now and I think that is a great accomplishment! I know everyone wants to know what the Dr's said but we could be here for a while if I started to list everything. Long story short I think I have a shelf life of 25 years because everything started to break down at once. I take more medicine everyday than your grandmother more than likely...or at least as much. The good news is that I should be able to stop in a few months. There is one lingering problem.... but it isn't a problem yet. It just has the potential to be really bad...so... if you can remember to say a prayer for me every once in a while still... I would appreciate it. 

Also, I went on vacation last weekend!!! It came just in time too!!! I had been planning on going to San Diego Aug 13- 19th but wasn't sure if I would be able to with all the illness going on and random hospital visits. Well... my last Dr's visit was the afternoon of the 13th and then I headed straight to the airport. I had a few pains here and there right after I landed in Southern California but nothing pain killers didn't take care of. I think being on vacation, the beach, and with my best friend has healing powers beyond those of a Dr.  I was really sad to leave and welled up with tears when Matthias dropped me off at the airport. Thank goodness my brother came to my rescue! He happened to be in Utah when I got back and I drove straight from the airport to Provo to pick him up. I literally ran to him and jumped in his arms when I saw him.  There are three men in my life who all other men will always be judged against because no one is as wonderful as they are: My father, Matthias, and my brother. What a wonderful blessing to have spent 8 straight days with 2 of those men! 

Well, I think that's about it. I am sure there is much more going on but that's what I will leave you with for now. To keep this post shorter I will post pictures separately.

It Might Be A While

Well, I just wanted to write a blog because it might be a while. I am packing up all my stuff right now. Tomorrow is moving day, and I won't have the internet for a while. I need to figure something out...but I am NOT paying $60/mo for the internet by myself. I will still have access to email from my phone so that will just have to do for now I suppose. 

Also, if you believe in a higher power please keep me in your prayers tonight. I am having RADIOACTIVE fluid injected into my body tomorrow. Then I have to stay completely still so that they can get accurate pictures for the next hour or two. I am not going to lie... I am a little freaked out. I know everything will be OK though.  I just am praying that they find out WHY I am in so much pain. 

Anyway... back to packing. If you don't hear from me for a while, then that's why.

Today's Schedule

4:15am Awake in great pain, and feeling sick to my stomach. Walk to the bathroom because I feel my stomach/throat/mouth may need to use the toilet. I walk 2 ft, knees buckle, and I pass out.

4:17 am. pee.

4:20 sit up/sleep in bed

4:25 get a strong conviction to go to the Dr./ER because I have appendicitis. My stomach has been hurting for the past 2 days but not this bad. That thought is the only thing that convinced me to go to the Dr. I mean who wants to sit in an ER? 

4:30 find phone and call dr's office to find out they don't open until 8:30am. Make plans to be there promptly at 8am.

4:30-6:30. Wait to call people because I don't want to wake them up. 

6:30am call mother. no answer. 

6:45am call Sister who had appendicitis, no answer

7am call mother again. no answer. call house phone. no answer. call house phone AGAIN. no answer.

7:10am call Jade. SURPRISE! NO ANSWER! 

7:11am wonder if I live in a twilight zone and if everyone is dead rendering them unable to answer their phones. 

7:12-7:45 pretend to be interested about whatever is on TV while I am in unbearable pain.

7:45 decide it is early enough to head to dr's

8am go to dr's office, pee in a cup, be tested for h-pylori, and wait a lot. am given STAT orders to go get bloodwork done and have two types of CT scans done.

10am head to get the CT scans done.  Am told that I have free floating fluid on the right side of my body which is probably causing the pain. Two different types of ultrasounds are ordered.

11:20 head across the street to st. marks only to find out that they don't accept united health care.

11:40 am. head to imc hospital, who DOES accept united.

11:50 get a call from dr. saying that imc's ultrasound machine is broken and i have to still get my bloodwork done but i will have to go somewhere else for a ct scan.

11:55 arrive at the wrong building and am redirected to the right building

12:05 arrive at lab. someone else checks me in because of my incredible pain, i spaze out in seizures while being checked in but assure the lady im fine. (it feels like someone stabbed me 12 times in the stomach when i freaked out)

12:20 have bloodwork drawn. nurse refuses to let me walk out and wheels me out and has someone else wheel me out to my car.

12:45 arrive as TOSH to have the ultrasound done.

1pm meet sonographer

1pm-3:00pm have three different ultrasounds done. I will spare you the details... the good news... im not pregnant. well gee... I coulda told you that. The bad news? Confirmed that I have lots of fluid in my stomach but we still don't know why. 

sacrificial lamb?

do you ever feel your trials are supposed to be blessings to other people?  you know... like bad things happen to you so that good things can happen to other people?

it sure has felt like that the past....5 years or so. don't get me wrong. my life doesn't suck by  ANY means or stretch of the imagination.... 

i just feel like i am here to help other people....

when is someone going to be here to help me?

So, remember that one time

when I blogged about this deliciously handsome young man that kept appearing in my dreams but had never seen or met!?!?! Well... the deliciously handsome young man keeps appearing at my doorstep. Out of this world! But... I like it.

Because she asked for it.

Jade asked where the "fun posts" were; referencing my blog about her arrival home. Well, public, the truth of the matter is that I have discovered most of our fun is not meant to be shared. Mostly because it would cause great embarrassment to either herself, or ME. There are lots of pictures taken with the promise they will never end up on facebook. But, here is a fun video. She was basically selling this peanut butter to me trying to convince me I needed to try it. In her defense, I tried it, and it was the best peanut butter I have ever had. It was much more sweet than American peanut butter. Please enjoy.

Decisions Decisions

What are you supposed to do when your heart continually aches for something your mind knows will bring nothing but hurt.

It is out of my control.

Despite my most valiant efforts... there is nothing I can do.

I Think It's That Time

For me to go private. If you are a blog stalker that's more than OK. I just would rather know who is potentially reading my blog. If you would like to continue reading please email me.

efymandi{at}yahoo{dot}com

She's BACK!!

  SHE'S BACK!

Jade is back!!

I know I haven't updated in a while and I'm sorry. I have been so consumed with myself, work, and the homecoming of my long lost love, Jade Ozawa, and her arrival and return from Taiwan where she has resided for the past 18 months.

She arrived back home on Monday and I have been with her ever since. I will upload pictures and videos later. I just wanted to let you know I am alive... but I have been in Vegas since Sunday and I will be here for another week. 

Look forward to fun posts!

Surprise visits!

Ben Spies. The Texan Terror rider of Superbike.

This weekend I went to the Superbike World Championships at Miller Motorsports Park here in Salt Lake. ( Tooele to be exact). I got to be in the middle of all the hoopla. I was down in the pits for the start of the second race. How awesome!  And It was all thanks to this guy.
Oh how I love him! I know I recently blogged about him (see here) but I don't think I can describe enough how happy this man makes me.
How cute is that face? For the past ten years we have stayed friends. I have confided more in him than I probably have anyone else. 
I am so grateful to have such a wonderful friend in him.  He is such an amazing person and he really cares a ton about me. It was such a nice surprise for him to fly in last minute to Salt Lake, even if half the reason was to go to the Superbike Championships, he got me passes too and I know the other half of the reason was to see me. So I can live with 50/50.
What a fabulous weekend!

Roe vs..... Roe?

Ha.

I just found out that the lady "Roe" in Roe vs. Wade is now PRO-LIFE! Ha. She was led away in handcuffs today after a protest of President Obama speaking at Notre Dame.  

An excerpt from her book Won By Love says:

"I was sitting in O.R.'s offices when I noticed a fetal development poster. The progression was so obvious, the eyes were so sweet. It hurt my heart, just looking at them. I ran outside and finally, it dawned on me. 'Norma,' I said to myself, 'They're right.' I had worked with pregnant women for years. I had been through three pregnancies and deliveries myself. I should have known. Yet something in that poster made me lose my breath. I kept seeing the picture of that tiny, 10-week-old embryo, and I said to myself, Abortion--it brings out the kid in you! It's as if blinders just fell off my eyes and I suddenly understood the truth--that's a baby!

"I felt crushed under the truth of this realization. I had to face up to the awful reality. Abortion wasn't about 'products of conception.' It wasn't about 'missed periods.' It was about children being killed in their mother's wombs. All those years I was wrong. Signing that affidavit, I was wrong. Working in an abortion clinic, I was wrong. No more of this first trimester, second trimester, third trimester stuff. Abortion–at any point–was wrong. It was so clear. Painfully clear."^[4]

 HA! I never cease to amaze myself at the random and odd things I learn everyday by reading the news and researching things on the internet. Now I just wonder if she will flip positions again in a few years supporting abortion again.

I dunno... does anyone else find it ironic that the person behind the iconic and breakthrough case for abortion now fights hard against it? Hmmm..... interesting indeed.

Mt. Ogden

This past week has had its ups and downs. Friday morning was a huge up but by Friday afternoon it was a huge down. I was stressed and just wanted to go home. I had a golf date with a friend in Ogden. I hadn't been in years and couldn't wait to go but by the end of the day I just wanted to go home and lay in bed. I decided to suck it up and go. Well... Driving to Ogden from Salt Lake after work isn't fun as it turns out. It took me an hour to go 22 miles. I was NOT a happy camper. By the time I got to the golf course I just sat in my car for 10 minutes to try and calm down. I was so overwhelmed from the bad day/traffic.  I finally got out of my car and met my friend. It kind of sucked at first because I was stressed and it was apparent I hadn't golfed in years which was even more stressful. It wasn't soon before I was laughing at myself and enjoying being outdoors with amazing scenery, amazing weather, and being able to hit a ball. 

All in all, I forgot all about my troubles after golfing. I felt on top of the world, and I can't believe I let it go this long since the last time I went. I am definitely making more time for it in the future!! 

The view from one of the holes. Click on it for a bigger picture. It was taken from my phone so I guess that's why it is so small.

Dear Mr. President,

You are The President of the United States. You are the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition.

I don't know if you got the memo... but you are NOT a stand up comedian. 

I have to say... I think you are funnier... and if you were in a movie I would go watch it... but everyday I swear I lose more respect for you. Somehow you just don't seem like the leader of the free world anymore.

Did anyone else see the Annual White House Correspondence Event tonight?

Are You My Mother?

I just wanted to say how much I love my mother! She is such a beautiful, amazing, and inspiring woman. I am so glad she isn't just my mother, but a great friend as well.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you mothers out there!!! 

And... Happy Mother's Day to the best mother ever... MINE!

Neighbors Make A Difference

I love my job.

I love my company.

I find joy in drinking my herbal tea from my Key Bank coffee mug every morning.

I am "Proud to be at Key" ( something we get evaluated on in our annual reviews)

It is important for me to work for a company that I am proud to work at.

When I applied for the position at Key Bank nearly three years ago I didn't know about them. Coming from the fabulous Texas First Bank I knew what it felt like to make a difference in the immediate community. Texas First Bank taught me what it meant to work at a community bank. I came to know so many local business owners and people in the community who came in all the time. 

 I learned to love banking and to teach people how to manage their money, and help them when they needed it.  TFB valued their customers and their community and they were such a large part of it. Just because I was in Utah I didn't see why I needed to work for a company that was any less involved in the community. 

But here was this company. Key. Never heard of them. (We don't have a "footprint" -as they call it- in Texas). I researched them online. I went to their website and looked up the philanthropy they do. When I got my first interview, a phone interview with an HR person at the corporate offices in Ohio, I interviewed HER. I knew I was a great bargain and that they would hire me with my background in banking and personal achievements, anyone would....so why should I pick THEM?!?!?  I was impressed and 2 face to face interviews later I was hired on.

I worked as an intern, sometimes 5 hours a day others two and a half. I never really participated in extra Key events because I had a ton of work to do and not nearly enough time to do it and I was a full time student with no time to spare.

Now that I am full time,  I decided to participate in our "Neighbors Make A Difference" day. I happened to be on the longest project. A Habitat for Humanity home that went from 9-3. Other projects were only 2-3 hours long and indoors. I arrived at the site hesitant. I am not one for manual labor. 

Jill Taylor, the PRESIDENT of Key Bank in Utah learned how to build rooms and the inside of a closet!! 

The day was nice and the company was amazing. I can't believe that my company paid me to go out in the community and improve it. Nationally 8,000 Key Bank employees volunteered. I am so impressed that I work for a company that committed so much payroll money in the year of one of the worst recessions, for employees to not be at work in a time when everyone is busy. It is only a few hours a year but how many other companies can boast that? Especially 19 years running!?!?! That means the world to me to be part of a company like that. 

Bankers become builders. Raquel rocks the nail polish, designer sunglasses, and popped collar as she secures the wall to the stud.

As I said, my project was Habitat for Humanity but nationally people volunteered at shops that make furniture for people that need it, animal shelters, homeless shelters, food banks, ymca's, habitat for humanity , schools, the list goes on and on....

It was fun to see a bunch of bankers become builders!!! What added to the great experience was that my bank sponsored the house we built. It is amazing to think that someone will have a house because of my bank. Because of the hours we put in, and the money donated, someone can have some sort of stability in their lives, more importantly, a place for their children to have stability. 

I am still on such a high. I have scrapes up and down my arms, my fingers are raw, my hand hurts, but I am on a high. I haven't felt better in a long long time.  I am grateful for wonderful organizations like Key Bank that realize banking is important, but so is the community your bank resides in!!! Even more, I am grateful I am a Key employee!!!