A tribute to my Dad -- 4/3/1951 - 5/21/2010

I got a phone call from my Mom yesterday evening around 9:00 pm. It was to let me know that my Dad had passed away 2 hours earlier.
Death! what is death? Now that I am an adult, it's harder to bear the loss of loved ones. You realize better that that's the end and you won't see them again in this life. I have lost a real relationship with my Dad since my early teen. However, we kept in touch through visits and phone calls. I still remember the early years of my life when my parents were still together. Being the only girl, I was the closest to him and he was always very proud of me. People always say that I look like my Dad and he liked that.
Although my parents' relationship hasn't always been the greatest, my Mom has taught us for many years that our Dad is how we came to be. She would say, "he is how we found the sun". That stayed in me and my brothers. In our heart, he is how we found the sun.
There was a gap of many years in our relationship, but I will always keep the good memories from my childhood. I give him credit for teaching me the importance of hard work since I was little. He taught us to give more than 100% in what we do. I took this with me till this day. This principle has helped me succeed in life and feel good about myself. I was doing yard work yesterday and thought about the many times when I was just a little girl pulling weeds in the yard with my Dad and my brothers.
I am sad that I never got to say good-bye, at least we did spend time together on my visit home in December. I'll miss him tons, but I know we will see each other again.

Zumba -- move fast and have fun!

I know a girl who went on a 2 week special diet and did loose some weight. Then I know another one who is going on another diet to loose some weight. I don't think I can ever go on a diet. I have to eat or I'll die :-) The only motivation I have is to work out. So, these past few weeks I have had the urge to be more active so bad but haven't had or made the chance to. Something always come up -- slept in, had to stay late at work, or it rains etc ... I finally stopped the clock and went to a Zumba class I hear so much from friends these days. My new roommate took me there.

Boy, it was so intense but I loved it. It's a cardiovascular exercise with Latin rythms. You sweat within 2 mintues you start. I decided I am going at least once a week from now on and will add in some pilates and jogging for the rest of the week. Yay, go Zumba! It reminds me of the work out we get from practicing Luau dance back in the day while I was attending BYU.

a home owner

There is a chapter in each story and there a season for everything. I decided I to own a home last year. I started looking in July and finally found the one.