Grateful For...

I am so grateful for my family. I am blessed to have such a fun, beautiful, crazy, caring, loving, supportive family.

There is nothing like family. 

I got this picture today from my cousin and I think it's awesome!

My cousin Holly's wedding. It was a great day!

I am so grateful for...

Dad & Berna, Mom & Dan, Amie, all my aunts, uncles, and cousins, Grammary & Poppy Steve, Grandma & Papa.

The Desert Will Always Be Home

The moment I walked out of the airport and into the warm Arizona desert air I knew I was home. Well, not really home since I was in Arizona and wouldn’t be in California for a few days but in my heart I knew I was where I belonged, in the desert.
I guess I just realized I am a desert rat at heart.

There’s just something about the dry heat and flat, brown, Joshua Tree covered land that speaks to me. And there’s nothing better than a warm, comforting desert evening, in fact that’s probably the best thing about Lancaster.

My short, week-long trip home (in Arizona and California) was great! It was so easier the second time around coming home and settling into the life I love and miss.
I’m so grateful I got to spend time with my family in Arizona. It was so good to see and hug Poppy Steve and Grammary. My first night there Grammary made a wonderful dinner of spaghetti with meatballs. I seriously don’t remember the last time I ate spaghetti with meatballs, it was so good and she also made a homemade apple cake and chocolate brownies!! The next night we had family dinner again and I swam a little in the pool. It was a relaxing 2 days. I didn’t want to leave.

I got to meet the newest member of the AZ family, Leon

Poppy Steve

&

Grammary

In that week-long trip I think I saw more family than I’ve seen in years, which was pretty neat. Grandma Sonia, Greg, Tory, Kassandra and her boys met me for an evening in Arizona and we got to all Skype with mom and Amie. Then I flew to Burbank where dad and Berna picked me up, it was so good to see them! And we went straight from the airport to a Mexican restaurant and then for the remaining days I continued to eat Mexican food and cookies!

I was able to see Papa, Cola, Dana and Barbara all in one night. The next day I drove down to Northridge to see Zach and the next night we celebrated his birthday at his parent’s house with his family. Then the next morning him and I were on a plane headed back to Guyana. It was so good to see everyone!!

I loved being home and I can’t wait to return to where my heart belongs, in the desert.

7 Years Ago

It’s hard to believe 7 years ago today my older cousin, Brittany passed away.
She was 25 years old.

I remember that day like it was not that long ago. My mom and I were in San Diego attending Andrea’s sister’s wedding and when we got to our hotel room that night I had a lot of missed calls from my dad. My phone rang and it was another cousin who told me that Brittany was in a car accident and had passed away. My mom and I were both in shock. I laid awake that night thinking about all the times I spent with Brittany and how much I looked up to her. She was beautiful and full of life.


I grew up with my cousins. Almost every weekend, birthday party, and holiday we were together, playing outside or at park, having picnics and sleepovers. We were close. However, as we got older we drifted apart but my cousins have always been my cousins…my family. And knowing one of us is gone is still weird.

As I think of Brittany today I also think of her mom, dad, brother, and daughter.
I think how they must be feeling today and how life has been unfair to them but yet; they have also been so blessed because Brittany touched their hearts.

And as I think about my own life, seeing as I’m 25 now. I think there’s still SO much I want to do and accomplish in my life. I think about how important my family is to me and how I wish so badly we could all be together, always. I think about how life is too short and how we all need to live life to the fullest. I think about all the people I love and miss and how I can’t wait to hug everyone again and tell them I love them. And I think about the importance of happiness, laughter, smiles, and love.
 

Day 8

The best advice your dad ever gave you.

My dad has always told me, "life is too short" and he's always encouraged me to do the things that make me happy.  Dad loves to have fun and that has definitely rubbed off on me.
I remember so many weekends spent at the park, playing on the slides and swings, throwing the football around, and going on the nature trail. He also use to love taking us swimming and for picnics along creeks. Then all our fun turned into summer days spent out on the lake/river riding sea doos.

If there's one thing I've learned from dad it's been to truly enjoy life.
When I told him I was thinking about joining the Peace Corps, which he was not too keen about at first he said, "do it if it will make you happy".  And I knew he really meant it.  No matter what he has been supportive of my decisions and I know he is proud of me. 

And I will continue living my life to the fullest, thanks to my dad!

Day 7

A deceased person you admire.

My cousin Brittany passed away 7 years ago and she continues to be someone I admire. She was so beautiful, talented, smart, courageous, loving, kind, and funny.  She was a mother, daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend.

I have a lot of good memories of her and wish she was still with us today.

Day 2

15 things you adore about your spouse.

Since I don't have a spouse I'm changing this to

15 things I love/miss about my sister.

1. I love that she is my sister & friend
2. I miss living with her
3. I love how goofy we are around each other
4. I miss talking to her everyday
5. I love how smart and beautiful she is
6. I miss going to the lake with her
7. I love her laugh
8. I miss baking cookies together
9. I love her sense of style
10. I miss getting ready to go out at night together
11. I love that she loves the Dallas Cowboys as much as dad does
12. I miss her telling me like it is
13. I love that she calls me "little sissy" when she's really my little sissy
14. I just really miss her
15. I love the bond that we share

Day 1

A favorite childhood memory with your siblings.

I loved growing up with Amie and we share so many childhood memories it's hard to just pick one. But I think my favorite memories were when we were really little and we'd load up dad's camper and go camping on the weekends. We loved getting to choose our cereals from those little travel packs in the mornings.

Amie and I each had our favorite Disney movie, mine being the Little Mermaid and her 's being 101 Dalmatians.  We had everything Little Mermaid and 101 Dalmatians...clothing, bedding, hair goodies, socks and little suit cases.  One weekend we went beach camping and of course we got to pack our Disney suit cases. It turned out Amie left her fully packed suit case at home and we were too far to turn around for it so mom took her to K-Mart to buy her new clothes for the weekend.  I remember thinking it was so funny and she was sad she didn't get to wear her 101 Dalmatians bathing suit that weekend.  

I'm pretty sure this picture was taken that particular weekend so many years ago.

Happy Father's Day

A very happy father's day to my dad!!!

Dad, thanks for being my dad and for all your love and support! Wish I was there to give you a hug!

Love you!

I can't wait to go to the lake with you next year!!

Happy father's day to all those fathers out there!

 Happy birthday to my grandma!!

Family

It was so good to see my family!!! I love you guys so much!!

 Ange & Reggie

 Mom & me at the tulip festival

 My dad

My colorful cousins & aunts

 Mom & her girls

 My sissy & cousins

 Dad & his girls

 Cousin Holly, simply beautiful

 Berna & dad with their girls

 Dad, Uncle Jim, Berna, Aunt Tery, Aunt Linda, Aunt Diane

My cousin Dana

Happy Easter

I already have so much to blog about...flight issues including a 5 hour delay leaving Guyana and having to spend the night in New York (a whole post will be dedicated to that craziness). How cold I am. Seeing friends and family. Falling in love with Reggie. My emotions since being home. How good it's been hanging out with Andrea and her family. All the yummy food I've been eating. And much more (and more to come)!

I just wanted to say Happy Easter to everyone!

I just love him

I had a great night last night dying Easter eggs! I don't remember the last time I did that.

Prayers For Poppy

I am asking everyone to say a little prayer for Poppy Steve. He is having major health issues, they think it's lung cancer and things aren't looking too well.  This has been very sudden and we should know more next week. But in the mean time please send him, Grammary, and the rest of the family positive thoughts and little prayers.
Poppy Steve is one big teddy bear, a real jokester, and a good man. When we were little we were always amazed by this magic tricks and loved listening to his many stories.  No matter what kind of mood you are in Poppy always puts a smile on your face or pulls a coin from your ear.
I'm sad I haven't seen him in a few years but I'm hoping I'll get to see  him and Grammary when I'm home.
Poppy, I love and miss you. Stay strong. We are thinking about you everyday and keeping you in our prayers.

Grammary & Poppy celebrating Grammary's 80th

Congratulations

My mom is now a certified yoga instructor!

I'm so proud of her. Way to go mom!! 

Great Last Few Days

I can't believe how fast the time has gone but it has been nice being in CA and seeing friends and family. It was fun going to the beach and the Kings game and out to dinner. Thank you everyone. I will miss you all and you will be in my thoughts and prayers. I will keep in touch and I'll see you in 2 years (if not sooner).
Here is to adventure!!
* I don't know when I will be able to post again but when I get the chance I will let you know that I've made it and how everything is going.

Some Fun Before I Go

Since mom and I have moved to Utah we've wanted to do a snow sport. She made sure before I left we accomplished that...so we went snowmobiling. It was a lot of fun and peaceful!







Thank goodness Dan was with us...he has experience and was there to get us unstuck. I was trying to turn around and my snowmobile got stuck and it was in pretty deep snow, about mid thigh on me. I have never experienced being in snow like that before. I am glad we finally got to do a snow activity together thanks mom and Dan!


Bowling
I also got together with some friends from work for some fun bowling!



I am really going to miss them.