one year ago

This morning I woke up at 4:30 AM and headed to South Jordan for our annual 5K. I picked up Amanda and some coffee on the way there and my car was packed with bananas, oranges, water and ice. The day was starting out eerily similar to last year.

Thankfully, there were a few things that went differently this year. The race went off without a hitch and I didn't have to stand on a street corner directing confused runners. Last year I stood on the corner of 114th South and Riverfront Parkway instructing runners to go all the way around the light post and down the road to the finish line. It was while I was standing there that I got a text from my brother-in-law saying that they had taken my dad to the hospital in Vernal and it wasn't looking good.

I will never forget that moment. I knew right then that nothing would ever be the same and the road ahead looked very grim. The rest of the day is a blur. I left the 5k and drove to my apartment. I could barely breathe or see through my tears but I made it. While I was waiting for life flight to land at the U I cleaned my apartment and ended up breaking a picture sandstone my dad had given me just a couple months earlier.

Family came and met us at the hospital. Then it was a lot of agonizing and waiting while the doctors worked to stabilize him. And when we were finally able to go into the ICU to see him, it was horrifying. That room and that hallway on the 4th floor at the University of Utah Medical Center still haunt my dreams. But when he woke up, he had quite an experience to share. One that changed my life forever.

We held our annual 5k a bit earlier this year so it won't be exactly a year later for a couple more weeks. But the emotions I felt today are just as harsh and overwhelming as they were then. And they aren't backing off. It's going to be a rough ride for a while... again. I'm doing all I can to "hang in there" just like my dad taught me.

sexy legs

I have been super stressed out lately. Sometimes life just gets that way, ya know? There is a lot to juggle as an adult and every once in a while it gets overwhelming and all of the balls come crashing down on you. That is exactly how I felt last week and one night I fell into a slump and didn't leave my couch for hours. 

When I finally made it to my bed and fell asleep I was so happy in my dream that I consciously kept myself asleep longer than I should have. I dreamed that my dad was in my living room sitting on the couch that used to be his. It was natural and comfortable and I was filled with the calm and happiness that he always brought into the room with him. He lifted his foot up onto my coffee table - the one my parents had very early in their marriage that he covered in his copralite tiles several years ago - and he started to lift up his pant leg. I covered my eyes and yelled out, "dad! don't blind us with your legs!" He looked at me with his fake look of shock and began rubbing his calf up and down saying, "ooooh, they're sexy!" I busted up laughing and then he looked over at Vi and pulled up his sock and started explaining to her why they were the best socks ever and why she needed them... I remember thinking, "this feels so real! I can't wait to tell my siblings that I got to spend time with dad again."

It was my first time dreaming of my dad since he passed away 6 months and 10 days ago. I have been waiting very impatiently for him to come to my dreams and it couldn't have happened on a better night. I woke up feeling like everything was going to be ok and I was letting it stress me out too much. Even now, nobody can calm me down as well as my dad can. 

health care, bitches!

today... I celebrate. and yes, that means using foul language in my post title.


this is what it's all about. in the country considered the greatest of them all, nobody should be denied health care because of "pre-existing conditions" and no one should be denied procedures or any kind of health care because they work at a job that doesn't offer coverage. I couldn't be more proud of Congress, President Obama and conservative Chief Justice Roberts today. they get it. they care. and I couldn't be more relieved.

so, at the risk of getting emotional, the truth is that my dad would still be alive today if this law had already been in effect. the cost of an LVAD wouldn't have been considered when the doctors made decisions about his care. he simply would have been given one the minute it was needed, and he would have been on the transplant list months earlier. and there isn't anyone, including my dad's amazing doctors at the U of U hospital, who would say that what happened to my dad was fair or right. my dad was a small business owner, and just like most small business owners, couldn't afford an insurance plan on his own. this exact situation happens over and over. people are dying and suffering every day simply because they don't have insurance. the type of profession you choose, or are born into, is the number one factor in whether or not a person has health insurance. is that really what should decide whether you live or suffer from a disease? NO. and the fact that this ever became an issue in our country still astounds and disgusts me.

anyway, today is a major victory. I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel! ...now, back to my victory dance :)

billy jean

about a year ago I got a call from my dad on my way home from work. It went like this, me - "hi dad" dad - "billy jean!" me - "what? who?" dad - "BILLY JEAN!" me - "dad, what are you talking about?" dad - "Billy Jean! I told you I would remember my favorite Michael Jackson song!" it had been about a week since we had the conversation and his mind had blanked on the name of his favorite song. so, it took me a while to catch on. I loved these random phone calls from my dad...

so, when I realized that was the song The Civil Wars were playing during their encore, my eyes welled up with tears and it took me a bit to get the video camera going. they did an amazing job, although I'm sure my dad would have said they ruined it :) love you dad!

monumental

My initial reaction to Obama announcing his support for same-sex marriage was less than stellar. Trust me, it shocked me too. But, the first thing I thought was, "WHAT IS HE THINKING? HOW COULD HE HAVE EVER THOUGHT THAT MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE ELECTION WAS A GOOD IDEA?!" And yes, using all caps for these thoughts is necessary. In fact, I'm sure that my entire chat conversation with Brad, who bears the brunt of all of my initial reactions, was in caps. I was literally terrified that it was over. That there was no way he was going to win reelection now. 


As I stared at the screen I heard my dad's voice in my head. Just as plain as day. He said, "It's over Christa. Obama doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell to win reelection." Then I imagined him giggling and performing a little victory dance in front of me with that smirky grin he always had during moments like this. I was completely bummed. 

Later that night my political strategist mind finally gave in and let me look at this with my bleeding heart instead. I was overcome with pride. There have actually been several moments over the past 3 years of Obama's presidency when I have felt a sense of pride, but never like I did in this moment. I suddenly understood how monumental this was. The president of the United States, the most powerful person in our country, in the world, was voicing his support for gay rights and equality. ...wow!


This is something I wasn't sure I would ever see in my lifetime. It's actually astonishing how much hatred of gay people still exists in the world. Obama obviously believes in this issue so much that he is willing to risk his reelection and his reputation among world leaders. And then I wondered what it must feel like to be a gay person in this moment.  If I, as a white American straight woman, felt this much pride and excitement, it must be extremely overwhelming for them. 


I still don't know if I will ever actually see gay marriage become legal in the entire United States in my lifetime. There is a lot of work to be done, but just over the past few years a lot of strides have been made. And Obama's announcement was a giant leap in the movement. Here are a few of my favorite things in the wake of it all. 


Jane Lynch on Rachel Maddow - The Best New Thing In The World Today

checking in

Last week, this happened. It was happening while my siblings were on their way to my house for the weekend. So, I was busy cleaning my apartment and blowing up an air mattress while shoppers at my neighborhood grocery store were being randomly stabbed with a kitchen knife. I didn't hear about it until the next day and when I did I realized that it's never taken me that long to hear big news like that before. I should have received a phone call from my dad during the local news asking me if I had been stabbed. But, I didn't. Nobody worried about me or wondered if I was ok. While things like that happening in my neighborhood are always sad and disturbing to hear, this was the first time it had made me feel completely alone.

It's been getting easier to get back into the swing of things and live life day to day, but the pain isn't subsiding. Little moments like this one remind me how much I'm missing without him, sometimes several times a day. And I still have moments where it seems impossible. That there is no way I am never going to see or speak with my dad again. In these moments life feels too long and extremely empty.

I always loved getting those check-in calls from my dad when he was watching the news, but I didn't realize just how much of an impact they had on me. As the only single and childless sibling in the family, it's very easy to feel lonely. My dad's calls reminded me that I wasn't alone and that I meant the world to him no matter what my circumstances were or where I was. I know that I still do, and I know that he is watching over me, but it's a difficult thing to feel. My feelings are all being used up by sorrow and grief.

hands

every time I look at my hands, I see my dad. they are one of the many features I inherited from him. short and stubby, tough, not very lady-like at all. they are hands built for hard work and my dad used them that way his whole life.


my dad used his hands for lots of different types of manual labor. he did things like construction, gold mining, gardening, home repairs, hunting, rocking out on the drums, auto mechanics, and of course, rocks. digging rocks up, washing them, cutting them, polishing them, and gluing tiny pieces of them back together with his magic glue. having his hands, I have often wondered how he was so good at all of this. I find myself very limited in so many things because my fingers won't fit into small places or maneuver well around things. but, I know I can because my dad could, so I keep on trying.


my dad also used his hands to torment us. he was famous for thumping our heads pretty hard when we were in trouble, or just when he wanted to get our attention or get us riled up. he could also do crazy things to our arms and legs that caused intense pain before we even knew what happened. he sure got a kick out of that. he was unbelievably strong and could crunch our knuckles in with no effort and send us falling to our knees begging him to stop. as much as this would hurt or annoy me, I loved the joy and smile it brought to his face and his little "neener-neener" type of giggle it caused. 


he also used his hands to tickle us. whenever we left a hand dangling somewhere, an armpit exposed, or a foot dangling out from under the blankets, he would tickle. and sometimes he would just tackle us and tickle, tickle, tickle all over until we could no longer breathe or fight back or had farted. yes... farted. that always got the whole house involved and laughing hysterically. if we were lucky though, the tickling would end by us getting him to massage out some knots in our back or neck. it hurt like hell, but did the trick.


but, my favorite thing my dad did with his hands were the pats and squeezes when he hugged. he would pat or rub your back just to add that little extra touch of love he knew we needed. and if I was ever standing by his side he would bring his hand around my back and up to my shoulder for a tight side hug and extra squeeze on my arm. everything my dad did with his hands was a way that he showed his love. I hope my hands will do the same. 

31

in two days I will be celebrating my 31st birthday. I've dreaded birthdays before, but never like this. 


my dad was never good with birthdays or any other significant dates. even holidays. he always knew when it was getting close, so he would just call you whenever he thought about it. so, some years I would get a call a day or two or three before my brithday, and some years a day or two or three after. one year he called me on amber's birthday and when I told him it was her birthday, he still didn't call her for a couple more days. it rarely happened on my actual birthday. and every time I would just laugh and say, "thanks dad. I will pretend today is the 11th" 


so, every year at this time I would be expecting a call from my dad at any moment. and for the first time in my 31 years it's not going to happen. there isn't much I wouldn't give for just one more conversation with my dad. the one-sided conversations I have been having with him have been good, but lately I have been really needing some solid reassurance from him. 


one thing I am sure of is that I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for him. and I can honestly so that 31 years in I am very happy with who I am. I couldn't be more proud than when I notice characteristics in myself that are because of him. I love you, dad. and I hope I am doing you proud.

get a clue

I was driving home from work the other day pondering some recent developments in my life when I heard my dad's voice loud and clear say, "christa, get a clue!" and just like that I was looking at everything from my dad's perspective instead of with my emotions. as a side note, and I will go into more detail about this in a different post, when my dad talked to me like this he would pronounce my name CHRITTA in a very goofy voice. that is what I heard.

I'm a girl. that's the excuse I use for letting my emotions rule my decisions and plans. but, I do know that I can change that. my dad was the most logical and calm person I have ever met. he is the perfect example of smart and level-headed decision making. I wish I had a vocal recording of my dad saying "get a clue!" so that I could play it to myself every time I started getting emotional and stressed out. hopefully my brain has it stored securely enough that I will be able to hear it for the rest of my life. my biggest fear is that things like this will start to fade...

one smart and lucky girl

during my last grief therapy session we focused on bringing my best memories of dad out of hiding. this one was so good I had to immediately write it down so that I can go back to it whenever needed.

as soon as I graduated from college I packed up and moved to DC. it was my dream and I could not wait to start living it. I loved it there. it felt right. I was happy. it was the best two years of my life. but, suddenly one day it hit me like a ton of bricks that I needed to move home. the idea came out of nowhere. I intended on living in DC forever and I was very happy about it. but, once I realized that I needed to move home to be with my dad, the thought wouldn't leave me alone. it was like a cancer taking over my thoughts. so, I left my dream job, packed up my car, drove across the country and moved in with my dad in St. George.

during the 9 months or so that I lived there we had numerous long talks, pep talks and other education and philosophical adventures. I cherished every single one of them. but, there is one that stands out in particular. I was cooking dinner for my dad and brett and there was a history channel show on in the background about the historical and scientific accuracy of the bible. so, naturally, my dad and I were in a deep discussion about religion, history, science, the bible and philosophy. I both loved and hated these conversations. hated because I rarely presented arguments that my dad couldn't immediately quash. and loved because I learned so much from those conversations. I learned how to adequately speak my mind, a bunch of history, and a ton about my dad.

near the end of this conversation, just as I was plating his dinner, my dad looked at me and said, "this is why you're my favorite. you think for yourself, you aren't a sheep. and you're pretty damn smart too." ...in that moment I felt more joy and love than I ever have in my life. if I never heard a compliment again, I would be ok. he believed it and so did I. he loved me, and that was all I needed. life was good. and I was the luckiest girl in the world.

uncharted territory

For quite a while there I thought I would never post on my blog again. But I suddenly find myself in uncharted territory and in dyer need of somewhere to write about it. Writing has always helped me figure things out. It's a way to wade through the huge mess of thoughts and feelings that are overtaking me and using up all of my energy. There are things I think, but don't quite understand and things I remember and never want to forget. So... this is my place.

For the past eleven and a half years I have lived every day on edge waiting for my worst fear to come true. On January 20, 2012, my father passed away and that fear was realized. Now... everything is different. I am a different person. My life will never be the same, and I am still trying to figure out how, what, when, where, why... It's all confusing.

I was very lucky. I was able to live the first 30 years, 9 months and 9 days of my life with the most amazing father anyone could ask for. I am who I am because of him and I learned so many things that I have yet to take advantage of. I need to get it all down, burn it into my memory, never let it die. And then I need to live a life that would make my dad proud... This is what I resolve to do.

grand canyon road trip!

back in May I took a drive to the Grand Canyon and Phoenix with Brad so he could check out the law school at ASU. we left in the evening and drove all night to the Grand Canyon and watched the sunrise. it was amazing! I still can't believe I never made it there until I was 29. so sad... I can't wait to go again and see much more of it.


Jaime met up with us in Phoenix and we hooked up with Jacque and went to their favorite sushi restaurant - Ra. soooo good! it was my second time there and I hope to go again. hopefully with the same awesome peeps.



we ran into a storm on the way home and I took this amazing pic from the car somewhere between Phoenix and Flagstaff.


it was a pretty awesome trip. and Brad loved it so he lives there now. very bittersweet. time to start planning a trip to visit!

time flies

it's been a REALLY long time. to be completely honest, I just didn't feel like posting. :) and well... I still don't. so, I'm just going to post a bunch of pics to catch up. I"m sure you would all rather look than read anyway, right?

Series finale party for LOST. I made epic Kahlua Pork and Dharma beer. It was so much fun watching the best ending ever to the best show ever with two of my besties: Holly and Janiel.

THE SWELL SEASON! My first concert at Red Butte and my second time seeing Glen and Marketa in concert. They were even better this time, which is hard to believe! And it was so fun experiencing it with Jenny and Lindsay.




Trajan turned 1!!! He is the best nephew I could ask for and the most adorable little blond boy ever. It was a fun dinosaur birthday party.


Lake Powell!! I hadn't been in YEARS! It was so much fun. It was Brad's first time there, too. It is still one of the most beautiful places on Earth and I can't wait to go back.


I love my family. I spent as much time with them as I possibly could.





Cakes! We made a ton. We're getting much better and that's making it a lot of fun.





...that's it for now. but, there's a lot more to come!

through the woods

these past two months have been the scariest I've had in a long time. but, I made it through! I felt calm going into surgery which was shocking. and the first thing I heard when I woke up was the nurse canceling my room for the night and explaining that I would be going home. I immediately starting grabbing my neck to make sure they had gone through with it. that was a mistake. grasping a fresh incision is never a good idea. it was there alright and I then realized how hot I was and began kicking. everything was hazy and strange... and then I was wheeled into a tiny room where my family was waiting.

turns out the surgery was only two and a half hours instead of four because when my surgeon got in there he found a pretty healthy thyroid rather than a cancer-ridden one. so, he only took the right lobe and tumor and then closed me up, sent the tumor in for more testing and sent me home.

recovery hasn't exactly been a bowl of cherries but it has been a lot easier than I expected. after a few nights I got used to the pain that came with every toss and turn and I eventually found bandages that didn't try to eat the skin off my neck. Tylenol kept most of the pain away and the worst part was being so extremely tired and weak. but, it's been two weeks now and I'm back into the swing of things and feeling pretty normal.

I had my follow up with Dr. Sharma yesterday and he went over the results of the more detailed testing they did on the removed right lobe of my Thyroid. turns out the amount of cancer in the tumor was so miniscule that there is no chance it spread! so, I am left with a functioning Thyroid and no need for any chemo or iodine treatment! great news all around! the incision is healing pretty well, but there was a stitch knot sticking out that he removed for me. it's longer than I imagined it would be, but the scar will hardly be noticable when all is said and done.

my hormones do seem to be suffering. be careful everyone - I'm moody and a little emotional. in four months I will go in for more testing to see if I need medication to balance my THC levels but for now, everything is good. life goes on. a HUGE weight has been lifted. I am healthy again!

I can't even begin to thank everyone enough. I got so many flowers and cards and visits and prayers and calls... I am so lucky to have such amazing friends and family! thank you all so much!!! I hope I can repay you all somehow...

fear

I have been scared of a lot of things in my life. Things such as heights, snakes, semi trucks, guns, etc. But the things that I fear don't compare at all. My fears have weighed on me for as long as I can remember. They run deep. And they aren't there without reason. For one, I fear becoming an old maid. This is because I was raised Mormon in a small town. All I knew was that marriage and babies came before 20. Although I am very happy, I have far surpassed that cultural deadline.

I fear losing those closest to me. I've been to a lot of funerals that hit way too close to home and my dad has miraculously survived 5 heart attacks. To this day unexpected phone calls from family and close friends tie my stomach in knots and suspend my breathing.

I fear failure. Losing everything I have worked for and/or everything I own would be completely devastating. I have a deep sense of accomplishment that keeps me going every day. I'm not sure how I would function without it.

But most of all, I fear for my health. And more specifically, I fear cancer. The idea that something could take control of my body by slowly and quietly killing it while there is still no cure, has haunted me most of my life. My Grandma Ekker survived breast cancer. I was too young when it happened to know all of the details, but I knew she was changed. She had a mastectomy and was forever changed physically. But, I noticed a deeper change. I felt that it had knocked the wind out of her soul. Life weighed heavier on her. Since then I have seen cancer suck the life out of many. And not just those suffering from it but from everyone around them. It's draining. It's taxing. It's harsh and unforgiving. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy and I have continually prayed to keep it far from me and those I love.

Five weeks ago I went in for my annual physical. Despite the fact that I never had health insurance growing up and rarely saw doctors, I have made it a point to be very diligent about my health care. This was a normal day for me. Part of my yearly routine. But this time was different. My doctor found abnormal hormone levels and a high white blood cell count so he referred me to an Endocrinologist.

To make a long story short, I was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism and the doctor decided to take a closer look. It took less then a few seconds for him to locate a large tumor on my Thyroid and decide to do an ultrasound. Because of the size and abnormality of the tumor I was instructed to get in for a biopsy as quickly as possible.

My doctor made every effort to put me at ease with the situation. I walked away feeling like everything would be fine, which made the days leading up to the biopsy a lot easier. However, it also sent me there very ill-prepared. It was one of the most painful things I have ever had to tolerate. I ended up nearly passing out from the pain and having to stay a while before I could be discharged. This put the fear back in me.

36 hours later my Endocrinologist called me with the news. All three of the samples taken for the biopsy had come back cancerous. Despite his best efforts to comfort me, the word cancer threw me for a loop. I wasn't prepared for it. I'm still not prepared for it... I spent the next couple days crying and then I hit the internet to educate myself about what was going on. It turns out that my doctors were right. If you have to have cancer, you want it to be Thyroid Cancer. And if you have to have Thyroid Cancer, you want it to be Papilary Thyroid Cancer which it turns out I have.

Two weeks later I met with my surgeon. My mom came with me for this appointment. We scheduled my surgery, a Total Thyroidectomy, for May 25 at LDS Hospital. I had about a month to prepare myself for the procedure. Despite all of the comfort I have received from my doctors, my research and my friends and family, I am scared to death. I have never been a patient in a hospital let alone undergone a 4 hour surgery removing one of my organs. I have had a hard time sleeping and I start to panic at least once a day. I have had very disturbing dreams that involve my insides coming out when the doctor slices my neck open.

I fear the surgery and I fear the effects it will have on me. A scar on my neck, critical medication for the rest of my life, yearly checkups to look for returning cancer cells, possible vocal chord damage, the painful recovery, and so much more. My mind won't stop coming up with more reasons to be scared. But, in less than 48 hours it will all be over with. I do have a few things to look forward to. For one, I will no longer have Hyperthyroidism. I look forward to never experiencing the symptoms of that again. Hopefully my metabolism will normalize as well.

The best thing that has come out of all of this is the realization of how many people care about me. Sometimes it's easy to forget that. I'm definitely loved.

I look forward to my post-surgery life. My life as a cancer survivor.

the swing of things - Feb. 2010 playlist

I spent February getting back into the swing of things. after going so long without a full-time job/normal daily routine, it took some work to get used to it all over again. I made this playlist to give me the energy to do so. I think it's one of my favorites of all time.

1. better. regina spektor
2. hideaway. the weepies
3. your ex-lover is dead. stars
4. merry happy. kate nash
5. the guy that says goodbye to you is out of his mind. griffin house
6. heart. stars
7. scars. allison iraheta
8. the way i am. didi benami
9. the truth. kris allen
10. you and i. ingrid michaelson
11. drifter. joanna
12. foundations. kate nash
13. the calculation. regina spektor
14. farewell. rosie thomas
15. ready to love again. lady antebellum
16. let it be. kris allen
17. far away. ingrid michaelson
18. come out of the shade. the perishers

enjoy!

MORE

it finally happened! I'm back in the working class again! it took a very long time. a LOT longer than I ever imagined. but, my new job was definitely worth the wait. I am the new Development Coordinator at The MORE Project. !!! (do those explanation marks give you an idea of how excited I am??)

it is perfect for me! I am a total bleeding heart and have always wanted to work for a nonprofit. from the moment I stumbled upon the website and throughout my series of interviews, I knew I wanted this job more than anything. and I have loved EVERY second since I was offered the position. it has given me more than I ever dreamed it could.

not only do I absolutely love what my work does for the poverty-stricken children and families in Brazil, but I love the every day things I do at the office. I also love everyone that I get to work with every day. I really don't think I could have found a better fit for me! so, here's to me FINALLY finding what I was meant to find.

and here's a shameless plug to end with - check out The MORE Project's website! there is so much you can do no matter how much you can give. I am amazed at the amount of support we get every day despite the horrible recession we are all dealing with. even if you can only give $5 a month, or $35 a month to sponsor one of the children in our program, it goes a LONG way and it is appreciated more than any of us can truly understand. so... yeah. I love my job!

looking up - Jan 2010 playlist

January was a great month. I got to spend new year's with Stacy, Wayne, Nynaeve, Trajan and Steve. We watched Beauty and the Beast and played Candy Land and Scrabble all night. It was perfect.

Then I got to fully cater a wedding in Provo, thanks to Riehl Events. It was my first big success as Crave Catering.

A week later I went to Hanksville with Steve to visit with family and see the sights. Pictures from that are in my last post.

I spent the next weekend in Wendover with Amber, Gregg and Brad. We got a sweet hotel room, ate some amazing buffets, listened to some live music, and gambled our pocket change away.

I watched all the seasons of Friday Night Lights. I'm obsessed! What an amazing show! I have fallen in love with Taylor Kirtsch and finally understand football.

A few days later I got a call from The MORE Project and was offered a position I had been dying to get! I couldn't be happier with it. It's an amazing organization and I work with great people. It is definitely worth the wait and all the hard work of these past several months.

While all of this was going down, I was listening to this playlist. It's perfect for everything this month meant to me.

looking up
1. july flame. laura veirs
2. walk over me. dirty blonde
3. i run to you. lady antebellum
4. devil town. bright eyes
5. begin again. colbie caillat
6. cigarrettes and rain. chris o'brien
7. don't you evah. spoon
8. fireflies. ron hope
9. i'm the only one. melissa etheridge
10. need you now. lady antebellum
11. i'm yours. ron pope
12. off i go. greg laswell
13. i want you back. colbie caillat
14. back to her. five way friday
15. chasing cars. natasha bedingfield
16. all we'd ever need. lady antebellum
17. hard times. dirty blonde
18. fearless. colbie caillat
19. sesame street. joshua radin

enjoy!

the beauty of home

I grew up in what the world calls "Majestic Southern Utah." I never understood why people were so enamoured by my natural surroundings. everything was so blah and drab. I hated the drive no matter where I was going. I hated the view from my windows. I hated every place my mom took us camping. all I ever wanted was to move somewhere green and wet and lively.

so, I did. I moved back east and smothered myself in trees. I even lived amongst the corn fields in Iowa for a while and I loved it. I savored every moment, every sunset, every view. I was heartbroken that I had lived in such an ugly place for so long.

a couple weeks ago I went home to visit my mom in Hanksville. it was very strange. I felt as though I had never been there before. I suddenly saw southern Utah through the eyes of a foreign tourist. every corner was a priceless painting I couldn't wait to see. everything was breathtaking. and it was even winter! I took a ton of pictures and just couldn't get enough.

that night as I was trying to fall asleep I suddenly felt a deep sorrow for wasting all those years wishing for something different. there are countless miles of beauty that I have never noticed or tried to discover. I vow to never let that happen again. I can't wait for the snow to melt and the winds to dry up the desert so I can venture back to my homeland.

I'm alive!

I have no idea why I haven't been writing. I love to write. putting my thoughts and experiences into words and posting them for the world to read has been my release. so, obviously, I'm pretty tense. I'm going to do my best to give you a very quick update on the past few months.

Thanksgiving was great. very small. both my parents, me, rachel, sam, amber and gregg. delicious food, lots of games and movies, and loads of sleep. I didn't take any pictures... strange.

in December I worked at a couple amazing events for Riehl Events and was offered a great job doing exactly what I was doing when I got laid off. the problem was that they paid a LOT less then I was making before and were located a lot father away. it was a tough decision, but I had to turn it down.

Christmas was pretty much amazing! stacy, wayne, nynaeve and trajan showed up over a day early and surprised me. we had a great time at my place for a few days and then headed to my dad's in Torrey.




we then headed to Hanksville for the Powell family Christmas party. turns out it was the last one we will ever have. I'm still really sad about it, but also excited to start traditions with just my immediate Ekker family.




the 26th is my grandpa's birthday and this year he turned 70! we made him a pretty sweet cake to celebrate. he's looking pretty darn good for 70!



it is brett's birthday on the 28th, so we made him this cake.

we did have a little bit of drama - of course. brett decided to wreck his friend's motorcycle and dislocate his shoulder. he scared all of us, and they told him he would probably need surgery, but he is doing ok now. no surgery, but his shoulder will always be a little disformed.

the last day there we had trajan and randee blessed. we even got to take a family picture!






look how big the Ekker clan is getting! crazy! it's amazing how close we all still are and how well we all get along. I love my family! I'm so lucky to have the one I do.