"Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation."
Brian Tracy

Sometimes, when I'm thinking "Why does this happen to me?", well, there's a reason why... So, having said this, I am grateful for all the things that come my way.. Both good and bad... God only gives me what I can handle... And I guess He BELIEVES in me so much!!!

If you dwell on how stressed you are, or how tired, or how sick or overwhelmed, you're done. You're dwelling on your empty tank. But if, on those depleted days, you consciously focus on your Lord's inexhaustible strength, your Lord's unlimited power, you will be able to keep driving when you thought you couldn't go another mile.

Self Talk

Self Talk

I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39) If I could have a conference call with my past self, present self, and future self, I believe I would discover one truth: Your love has always been with me. The voices of my self over the course of my life would share stories about testing Your commitments. I tried to measure Your love by running far from heaven's reach. I stretched Your love by pushing the boundaries. I shoved away Your love when my doubt tried to poke holes in Your truth. And Your love remained. I have many questions about my future, but after listening to the course of my life, one thing is certain - my heart will never be separated from the love of its Creator.

============= - One-Minute Prayers for Women

I got served yesterday.

God give me your armour and strength.

Today My Life Begins

My new song "mantra" - Today My Life Begins - Bruno Mars

Once again, my daughter Chrislyn inspired me with this song - her 8th grade class song. She put this on my iShuffle. After listening to it while on the eliptical machine, I realized THIS IS ME.

Today My Life Begins Lyrics

I've been working hard so long

seems like pain has been my only friend

my fragile heart's been done so wrong

i wondered if II'd ever heal again

oh just like all the seasons never stay the same

all around me i can feel a change (oh)

i will break these chains that bind me, happiness will find me

leave the past behind me, today my life begins

a whole new world is waiting it's mine for the taking

i know i can make it, today my life begins

yesterday has come and gone

and I've learn how to leave it where it is

and i see that i was wrong

for ever doubting i could win

oh just like all the seasons never stay the same
all around me i can feel a change (oh)

i will break these chains that bind me, happiness will find me
leave the past behind me, today my life begins
a whole new world is waiting it's mine for the taking
i know i can make it, today my life begins

life's to short to have regrets

so I'm learning now to leave it in the past and try to forget

you only have one life to live

so you better make the best of it

i will break these chains that bind me, happiness will find me
leave the past behind me, today my life begins
a whole new world is waiting it's mine for the taking
i know i can make it, today my life begins...

And so... Yesterday, I completed the 30K in 4 hours and 30 minutes. The run was from Kapiolani Park out to Kuliouou Park and back. Walked the last 4 miles because my feet were sore. Good thing was that I ran 8 miles straight, no stopping. At that time, I made it in 1 hour and about 2 minutes. Not too shabby... And I don't even like to run!!! ACK!!!

I do have to thank so many people for all their love and support throughtout this whole experience - and I haven't even gotten to the actual MARATHON yet! I feel so blessed -

God - for giving me FEET and a healthy body. Thank you for being there for me whenever I felt like I couldn't do it.

My daughter Chrislyn - for the beautiful running music she put on my iShuffle. I wouldn't have been so motivated to run without it!! Thank you my little love!!!

My running partner Deana - although I thought that you were crazy, I'm glad I'm running this with you. You do help motivate me! I still think you're crazy... but that's just me. :P

My Mom - I thought of you when I started the run, when I made my 8 mile, and when I saw the finish line, I thanked you. Thank you MOM for being my guardian angel and watching over me. I miss you so much! Love you always...

Diane & Kimo - Hardass Fitness - even for just that ONE day (so far) what a difference CrossFit with you guys can be! Thank you for taking me back again and helping me be more confident!

And of course, my Sister - I love you! Thank you for support! I know I can always count on you. Even through the good & bad, we are always sisters for life.

To all my friends and family - thank you for your confidence, support and belief that I could do this.

Next up - Honolulu Marathon!!

Senior Luau - Jayna's growing...

And yes, everyone is taller than me...


Best Friends... "Got each other's back"... or at least - arms...

Auntie Rhino - always always documenting with her camera, her iPhone, her everything!! Have to catch her in ACTION.

Ah... Koamalu!!!! I LOVE this baby!!!

Lucky his sister - Chrislyn - brought his Legos!!!

Ah... my little boy... he was soo bored...

Great photo of Jayna and her dad - giving her pikake lei...

Yes, it was truly Hawaiian Food INCLUDING the Malolo syrup juice! Talk about sugar rush!!!

I can't believe it's here... Jayna's SENIOR LUAU. She was just this little itty bitty thing... Slowly watching her grow up before my eyes... Kawailele...

Life's Challenges...

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.”
~ Bernice Johnson Reagon

18 Miles... what in the world was I thinking...

This is what I will be doing this Sunday!!! ACK!!!

The fourth race of the 2011 Marathon Readiness Series is here! Sunday, 23 October at Kapiolani Park start time will be at 5:00AM. The 30K will run along the last 18 Miles of the Marathon course giving you practice and mentally prepares you for the long stretches of Kalanianaole Hwy.

This is the PF Chang's 808race - http://808racehawaii.com/30k/

It's amazing how life brings us joy, sadness, laughter... all kinds of emotions that sometimes (if not most of the time) lead us in many different directions. Good or bad - no regrets. Life IS too short. What the afterlife will be will not include our bank accounts, our baggage, our THINGS. We bring only what our soul can carry.
Today - be happy!

Kids at work

There are days when I am here at my office looking at the photos of my kids... Then - they're right here with me! What a joy!!!

It's been awhile since...

(just hanging with the boy...)

(this is just from her sophomore year...)

(yup, me and my 20+20)

It's certainly been awhile since I've posted.. gosh like 2 years worth!!! So much has changed since then. And I turned the big 20+20 already!!! Kids are definitely grown and my oldest is graduating this year!

Not sure how much I can update, but here are a few pics that I think will be helpful to see who's who and what's going on.

Still playing soccer - we came in 3rd this past spring... pretty darn good considering we were absolutely LAST when we first started. I LOVE our team!!!

Thing 1 - graduating 2012

Thing 2 - at SHA - and got on the Intermediate Soccer team. Yippee!!

Thing 3 - he's just plugging along... still LOVES his Star Wars...

Me? Well, needless to say I'm working FULL TIME and enjoying my work! The people are so wonderful and I do honestly love coming to work!

Life has its ups and downs and I think I will continuously go through all of that until I go onto the next life. It is what it is.

Be good to yourself! Thrive! Exercise! Be happy and be true to yourself. That's what matters most. And yes, always have God in your life. He will help guide you through the good, the bad, and yes the very ugly stuff you don't want to go through.

Soccer Starting up - Leahi Moms!

Aloha Everyone!

Well, it's that time again - to join up and enjoy the vast fields of green and cleats. Yes, I've joined up with Leahi Soccer Club to be a part of the MOMS team - Leahi Moms.

Princess Meredith has been calling and coming out for a challenge - I'm all there. Don't need the spare tire coming out any more than it needs to! Ugh...

Anyway, please check out the website and if you can, come to the games! It'll be fun!!!

http://sherrierapoza.htohananet.com/blog/_WebPages/LEAHIMOMS.html

Much Mahalo to Sherrie Rapoza for getting this team together! Mahalo to Coach Jeff for coaching us as well. :)

Okay! Okay! It's a New Year!!!

Okay, so I know it's so overdue for me to update my blog.
Hopefully in a few days I'll get the pics and stories and everything all done...
Please stand by...

Crazy Soccer Gurl on KHON!!!

Typing Test!

So... You really want to know how fast you can type??? 

Well, thanks to my good friend, Darrah, here's a website you can find out - www.typingtest.com.

Yeah, the last time I did a typing test was waaaaaaaay back in high school. If the test is accurate, I can type approximately 65 - 70 wpm. 

What's yours?

Lei Day in Hawaii Nei...

Happy Aloha Friday!

Here in Hawai'i Nei, we celebrate May 1st - Lei Day. What is Lei Day you ask? Well, here's an explanation from one online user:

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. People celebrate May Day by participating in Lei making contests and performances. Schools usually have some kind of program with a king and queen and their court. All of the students dance. Selections can be a hula, other ethnic dances, and sometimes a folk dance or May Pole dance. Leis and flowers are seen during the day. 

Soooo... My daughter's May Day program was just yesterday. Yes, and I was one of the many parents in the crowd documenting Chrislyn's contribution to May Day 2008!!!

More Celebration...

We had a lot of fun this evening... Just laughing... hanging with all the casins...

Even Manang Aurelyn who is (at the moment) battling breast cancer. We are all so truly blessed to be so close and we can still laugh with each other, even though we haven't seen each other in so long!

Thank you Auntie Pipay for having us over, enjoying all the Filipino food! For Manong Junior and his cooking, and gosh darn Manong Rey and his bartending! OMG - GREAT kamakazes and a great "O" he made for all of us. It's been awhile...  :)

Uncle Manning...

It's been 11 years since my Uncle Manning passed away. His legacy lives on in his children and grandchildren. Every year, we celebrate his legacy - not his death.

Now it's been a long time since my sister has come to this event because usually on a weekend, she has a wedding to shoot. This weekend, there was a reason why she was not working.

Sis, Lesbo, Bean - long awaited photo...

Sis and Mots - laughing at the "bul-bul" water

Me and Mots - miss her!!!

Not even all of the first cousins but from 

L-R: Warren, Ger, Lita, Me, Rey

Back Row: Divina, Josie

Us casins - LOVE YOU ALL!!!

MS Walk with Friends

Nowadays, in our day to day lives, we are all so caught up with work, running errands, kid's sports and school activities... whew! I'm tired already! Who has time to do anything else??? If you can sleep in on a weekend it's a done deal.

This morning, I thought about sleeping in to catch up on the week's long overdue slumber I desperately needed. And then I remembered, the MS Walk. God gave me two working legs, and a healthy heart for a reason! I got up, got ready, and left the house at 6:30 am to head towards Ala Moana Beach Park. 

I was privileged to hang with Team Papapa and the Riggers Club to support our good friend, Lisa Papapa. She was just recently diagnosed with MS and is in the early stages of this disabling disease. Click here for more information. In fact, she was featured in Wednesday's Honolulu Advertiser front page.

Throughout our walk, there were volunteers holding signs that stated facts like:

- 900 people are diagnosed with MS in Hawaii

- 78% of monies raised go towards research, funds, medicines

-75% of women are diagnosed with MS

The statistics alone were mindboggling.

If you are interested in donating to Team Papapa or Lisa Papapa, please go to this website - National MS Society - and you should be able to still donate to a specific family.

Here is Team Papapa aka Riggers Club 'Ohana, ready to start our walk!

Lisa and her daughter, Cori, the one featured in the Honolulu Advertiser. It really does take a lot of faith and hope and strength to do what her daughter does! I cannot even imagine what Cori feels each time she has to inject her Mom with her medicine!

Lisa, I totally admire your grace, your smiles, your patience and your strength despite all that you are going through! God had blessed me, to know a wonderful and loving person in you. I am in awe of your positive presence! God bless you and your family!