A Weekend in Santa Cruz!

Two weekends ago (yes, it's taken me this long to update my blog...sorry folks...prepare yourself for an awesome but long story), I had an incredible opportunity to go to Santa Cruz with the Mauli-Ola Foundation to help put on a surf day for kids with CF in the Monterey/San Francisco/Santa Cruz area. It was an AMAZING weekend- my first weekend away from the hospital.

My dear friend Erin came with me and we enjoyed getting away from LA and the 6-hour drive up central California. We had a great time catching up- talking, and singing to some tunes, it was a really relaxing time. After arriving and meeting up with the other friends from the foundation who had made the trip also, we enjoyed our first evening in Santa Cruz with dinner on the pier (I'll post more pics once I get a copy of hers- I forgot my camera!). Brissa, Steve, Erin and I enjoyed a relaxing seafood (yum!) dinner and then got our sleep before waking up early on Saturday morning for the surf day...

Which was amazing! Our surf day ended up being a dream come true for me and many others who participated. We enjoyed a RARE 90 degree day on Cowell's Beach in Santa Cruz and had also a RARE 6 CF adults and 2 kids join us for the day. For me, it was a day filled with joy. I was able to get to know and spend time with CF adults which is not only rare but just doesn't happen in this day and age of CF. We are not 'supposed' to be around each other, due to infection control- but thanks to the grace of God and our extreme efforts to keep our coughs and germs to ourselves we enjoyed a day of pure blessing- talking, getting to know each other, swapping stories and just relating like none other. One of the best parts of the day (an un-expected gift) was the opportunity to reconnect with 2 dear friends Isa and Ana Stenzel- CF twins who I've known since I was 10 years old (see pics below). Isa and Ana have been such an encouragement and blessing in my life, they were my CF camp counselors back in the 90's and we lost touch shortly after camp. We haven't been able to reconnect until just this year and none of us could ever have dreamed we'd be SURFING together almost 15 years later!! God is so good!

We made some great connections and had a blast at the surf day- followed by lunch with the CF adults (following contact precautions of course) and dinner with the Mauli-Ola Foundation crew at a beautiful home in Santa Cruz! Erin and I drove home Sunday morning rejoicing over the relaxing weekend, fun stories, and rejoicing over the people we spent the weekend with.

I couldn't have asked for a more encouraging weekend. I spent the day with new and old friends- all of which we just knew each other's stories. You know that feeling when you can just be 100% yourself and it's so comfortable? It was just like that with people I just met that day. We had so much in common, it truly like being with family. The twins and I just picked up where we left off- we had so many stories to share, life to catch up on and we literally didn't stop talking for hours. It was so good for my soul to be with them. I am so thankful to have been out of the hospital and able to spend the weekend in Santa Cruz!! The CF community is an incredible group of people- I am blessed and priviledged to be a part of it and to be an adult in the small population of CF adults. I definitely hold the memories from this weekend so close to me and thank God for my new and old friends.
~Em

Isa and I next to a huge pelican on the wharf!

My dear friends Ana and Isa, we reunited after 15 years. This was their first day surfing!!

Getting ready to surf...

Lunch with my new friends :)

Loving Life...

I've been a little behind in my blogging as I was getting my feet back on the ground last week...so time for a little update before I head to work this morning...

Update: Last week was an awesome week back into things! I was able to surf a couple times, go back to work and feel like I'm living a normal life again. The IV meds are out of my system and I'm glad to be feeling like myself. I'll be going to the dr. on Wednesday for a check-up to see how I'm doing.
As I surfed early Friday morning, and watched the sunrise over the cliffs, I was reminded of God's goodness and faithfulness (I wish I had a picture to show you the gorgeous sunrise! But I forgot my camera). I love surfing, it felt so freeing to be back in the water :)

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
Lamenations 3:22-24

~Em

Volcom Tour

About a month ago (right before I went into the hospital), my friend Monique and I were given a tour of Volcom, the surf clothing company down in Costa Mesa...It was awesome! Volcom is totally stoked to get involved with Cystic Fibrosis by sponsoring events, helping put on surf camps and being involved with the CF/Surfing Connection. They invited us over to tour the place and we got to see everything- it was a blast (and so informative, I had no idea how much work went into clothing design, marketing etc.)...

We met some awesome people (team directors, photographers, art/design guys) who wanted to hear my story and really understand CF...here are a few pics of the people we met...Not to mention, we each got some sweet bags of Volcom gear :). Thanks, Volcom, you guys Rock (especially Steve who made the connection)! I can't wait for some awesome events ahead!
~Em

Thank you, Volcom!

Last Saturday, the Mauli-Ola Foundation put on a Surf Experience Day for Cystic Fibrosis! Mauli-Ola is a great organization, it means "Breath of Life" in Hawaiian, and their goal is to raise awareness for CF and help get the surf industry to partner in teachingkids how to surf. They do so in a very safe way so kids don't have contact and CF contact rules are adhered...and the kids have a BLAST!

Last Saturday, they partnered with Volcom, and Newport Surf Camp and held a morning for kids with CF to learn to surf! It was a BLAST!! Volcom brought a ton of shirts and gear for the kids, and brought about 10 of their team riders to help teach the kids- it was super fun!


Check out the video and pics they posted on their website!!
Thank you, Mauli-Ola, Newport Surf Camp and Volcom!!
~Em

http://www.volcom.com/news/article.asp?sid=&articleID=2839

Interviews and Press...update

See the first post below to read the first one of this series.

Yesterday, we did lots of press and interviews for Pipeline to a Cure! Two tv stations were there- KOCE and KABC, and also a reporter from the OC Register (newspaper). On top of that, I got to surf with Mickey Munoz and Jericho Poppler ...two of the most famous and legendary surfers in the history of surfing!! They are both incredible, lots of fun, and I felt like i gained a TON of surfing wisdom from them :)...Not to mention, they wanted to talk about my life with CF and they are 100% involved in helping out the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation!

All in all, it went well. As of now, I know that ABC and KOCE will air the pieces today or tomorrow, i'll hopefully post it on here when I get the chance...and the OC register should print an article by the end of the week. I'll keep the blog updated :).
Thank you all for praying, this has been a BIG change in my life- i'm vulnerable, and open about my life to people and all along praying God will be seen...
~Em