Awesome day!

I love Saturdays :).
Today consisted of...surfing, hanging at the beach with my two good friends Mariel and Typhani, watching Typhani stand up on her first surf board, eating Pedros Tacos in San Clemente (yum) with Mariel, driving and smelling the beach air, shopping in a few surf shops, and ending the evening with a family BBQ.

Not too shabby :). Wish I had some pics to top it off...but nonetheless, it was a beautiful California day!

~Em

Love to Kimi and Mike

Tonight I had to say goodbye to Kimi and Mike as they drove away and moved to Pennsylvania. Kimi and I have known each other since our first day at Biola University, and we became instant friends. That friendship grew and we were roommates our Junior year, had lots of fun memories and after we all graduated together, God kept that friendship growing. I have been so blessed by Kimi and Mike and am so thankful that we have continued to stay friends post-graduation and throughout the many years we've know each other.

I stood with them at their wedding, and will continue to stay in touch and treasure the friendship we have as they move onto a new stage in life in Lancaster, Pennsylvania...I love them both so much and I can't wait to see all that God has in store as they go into this new chapter in life. I love them so much and am praying for safe travels as they drive across the US to their new home :).
Love you, Kimu!
~Em

Ps. Here are a few pics...this is 'the fam' (minus Judy) hanging at last year's CF walk and the one below is Kimi and I. I am so thankful for these wonderful friends :)

USC Update

Thank you for praying for my first visit to USC...it was a great visit! I spent the entire afternoon there- the visit was jam packed with chest x-rays, blood tests (yeah..they took 12 tubes of blood, I was a little woozy!), PFT's
and also a sputum culture. I also filled out a ton of forms about medical history and got to meet the entire CF team of a dietician, nutritionist, pharmacist, and respiratory therapist. I spent the most time with Debbie, the RN and clinical coordinator and also my new dr, Dr. Rao....Everyone was great! They took a lot of time to get to know me and help me get to know them, I was very impressed that they had read and discussed my chart beforehand, and they were VERY organized and ready for me- they made me feel very welcome :).

Considering this will be my new 'home' away from home for the many years to come, I was very impressed with the way they ran the clinic, I was impressed with their attention to keeping the clinic clean and exposure between patients low (We all wore masks and gloves, and nobody was in the waiting room together- CF patients can't interact as much due to the ease of passing bacteria back and forth), and they were very knowledgeable and personable...

Minus the drive and the farther distance, I think I'm going to like being a USC Trojan... :)

~Em

Today is USC day!

This afternoon I am visiting my new CF Clinic at USC University Hospital

Please keep me in prayer today as I get to know my new doctors and medical staff, that I would begin to build good relationships with the new people that will be taking care of me. Pray for trust to build and for good and thorough care for all my health needs. Also, pray my lungs are doing well- sometimes I have difficulty with the smog in the summer, so it will be good to see where I am at and how i'm doing.

I'll give an update tonight when I get back, my appointment should take the whole day since its my first time there...
Here's to new adventures :)
~Em

Ephesians 2:10

" For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" -Ephesians 2:10

Thank you, Lord that you created us and use us for your specific plans. I was encouraged by the message at church yesterday...we are created for God's glory to be lived out in each aspect of our lives!

~Em

Praying for Pipeine to a Cure (PTAC)

Today is exactly one month until our big Pipeline to a Cure Event, on Saturday July 19th 2008!!
I ask you to join me today in praying for this event, praying for me at this event, and praying for the many people involved in this event....

Specifically, please pray for:

-The awareness and cause of CF, that people would have open hearts and minds to hear all about what this disease is about. Pray people will be called to respond to that need in finding a cure for CF.

-The committee planning this event- please pray they will be open to conversations with me and pray they can recognize a need for God in their busy lives. Pray for all the details of the night to come into place smoothly and for lowered stress levels.

-The many pro-surfing companies involved, that they would be affected and open that night to what CF is about.

-Pro-surfers, Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton & Dave Kalama as they've become heavily involved with CF through sponsorship and endorsing PTAC. They have a LOT of influence over the surfing community, and their involvement is not by accident- I believe God is working on them, and their hearts are open to God through the avenue of CF. Pray they can make it to the event, and that God would continue to stir in them. If God has opportunities planned for conversations with myself or other Christians involved with CFF, pray for open doors and open hearts.

-Pray for me. I have a huge role to play that night, and continually as God uses CF in my life with the many I meet. I've been placed in a position of influence over many, and I want to be a good steward of that in representing God in all my relationships. I will be giving a 15 minute speech about my life- pray I can construct it well, that God would speak through me, and that my life with CF will be conveyed accurately and vulnerably. Pray my heart would be aware of God's open doors, and that the Holy Spirit would speak through my heart, words and actions.

-Pray for a cure. I wouldn't be involved if I didn't think a cure was possible...This event has the potential to raise SO much awareness and ultimately money for research, that a cure can be found. I know God is in that, and I believe God can use science to show His power- so please join me in praying for a once-and-for-all CURE for Cystic Fibrosis. May God be glorified in this cure whenever it is found.

Thanks...the event is only 1 month away!
~Em

Meeting Kelly Slater (part 2)

See the other post a few days ago called "Meeting Kelly Slater" for the story attached to this picture...

~Em

It's Officially Summer!

That's right...today on the calendar is the first day of summer! And according to the thermometer on the back porch of my house, it is seriously summer because right now at 7:23pm its still 100 degrees outside...yikes!

Happy Summer to all...in all this heat, you'll find me at the beach :)
~Em

Mauli-Ola Foundation- Benefit Concert

Saturday night the Mauli-Ola Foundation, which means "Breath of Life" in Hawaiian, hosted a benefit concert for Cystic Fibrosis! Their goal is to teach kids with CF how to surf so that they can benefit from saltwater and its great affects on the lungs (see this article for more info, i'll post more details at a later date).

The concert was great- we hung out in laguna beach and heard 2 different bands! The main band, "The English Beat" was the main crowd-pleaser :)...Good times!

I was their speaker for the evening. I had the opportunity to share my life's story a little, as well as how I am involved with Mauli-Ola, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. We shared about the great things happening with Pipeline to a Cure also...Thank you Lord for good opportunities!

Here are a few pics of me speaking... and a shout-out to Casey, Meygan and Kylie Rae for keeping me company, it was nice to have some familiar faces to hang out with :)




~Em

New things happening

There has been a TON going on this week-with Pipeline to a Cure, my heart as God calls me to be used in the CF world and use CF for HIS glory alone- Gods brought out some amazing opportunities... and so much more... I'll update tonight, stay tuned!

Love to all,
~Em