My Sweet Matala Siluafaga Gago

The SMILE that lights up the world!

Brian and I with Matala in September 2011

Mom, London, Brian and I with Matala

Matala with her gorgeous smile

My sweet cousin Matala is very sick and is undergoing surgery to amputate her arm tomorrow morning. My family and I have begun our fast this evening for her safety through the surgery tomorrow and also the strength to overcome the emotional pain she will endure from losing a limb. Matala is such a sweet spirit. She has always been such an inspiration to me. Here are some memories I have of Matala from when we were younger and she was much healthier.

Growing up I was always with the Gago's. I don't ever remember going to school, but I remember dropping Mahina and Tulima at school, even though we were the same age. Odd! So, when the kids were at school I was always with Aunty Yasmin and whoever the baby was at the time and of course, Matala. Matala was always at the Doctors office and always had tests to take and so I would always go with her. But I never remember her complaining. NEVER. Even when they were poking her and running all kinds of tests, she just smiled and asked if it was time to go get her video from the video store or her snack from the store. She was always a strong person and never showed her anxiety about the doctors or hospitals and never showed she was in pain.

Matala always wanted to go everywhere and never miss out on anything. The rule was, whoever was dressed, ready and in the "Green Car" got to go wherever it was going, be it the grocery store, the MTC to drop off cookies, the video store to get a movie, wherever. So Aunty would say "I'm leaving in an hour." Well Mahina and I would run out to the car 10 minutes before it was time to go, thinking we were all sly being EARLY...only to find Matala already posted up in the front seat with all the doors LOCKED! She as the sly one! One time she wouldn't unlock the door, she only rolled down one window! So Mahina and I had to jump through the window! And Matala always rented the same movie....NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER! Oh how we hated that movie and never wanted her to rent it! But tonight, I would give anything to be with her watching it together eating our coffee ice cream!

Another rule was, whoever was up, dressed and ready first got to watch their TV show. Well Matala was up at 5am showering and getting dressed! I remember purposely falling asleep in front of the TV so Matala couldn't get in front to watch her show. I only did that once, because she put her chair right over half my body and blasted the TV until I woke up half deaf! Hahhaha!! She knew how to get what she wanted and she always got it!

In the past few years she has gotten a lot sicker and had to be in and out of the hospital and different homes. One time last year Brian and I were able to sneak away to Vegas and pick her up for some fun. We first took her all kinds of goodies for her and her friends at the home she was staying at. We played games and colored. Then she got bored she asked if we could go and watch a movie. Because her health was so bad and she couldn't be around large crowds, we decided to get a movie and watch it at our Aunty's house who was out of town! So it was just the two of us, our ice cream and Mighty Ducks 2! It was Heaven! I also got to paint her nails, which she loves! Then we had to take her home, but not before we made a Krispy Kreme run for fresh donuts! I loved the time we were able to spend with her, even if it was only for a short few hours. Those I will never forget.

Painting Matala's nails

Brian and Matala on our movie night

Matala all into her Mighty Ducks 2 and coffee ice cream!

Matala wearing my hair! Always smiling, even after losing her hair in chemo!

Me and my Matala having some fun!

I don't like to talk about her as if she were dead, because she is NOT! She is still very much alive, with her own opinions, needs and wants! I love her and everything she has given me! She has taught me so much and I love her more and more each day!

One last memory I want to leave you with is this. As I said before, growing up I spent so much time with the Gago's. I loved it there! You couldn't get me to go home! We lived in Salt Lake and they lived in Provo, so it was not far at all. Well, when they moved to Vegas I was devastated! It was so much further now! I had to take a plane to be with them! But the up side was that I got to spend entire SUMMERS there in Vegas with them! One trip in particular, I had been away from my parents for so long and I was starting to really miss them. One night I started to cry and Matala heard me, as she was the only one still up watching her "Unsolved Mysteries" or something like that. She came over to me and asked if I was ok. I told her I was sad and missed my mom. She wasn't a very affectionate person, never gave hugs or kisses or things like that. But that night she rubbed my back and arms until I fell asleep! That was my favorite! She always had long nails and I loved when she would tickle my arm! I love you Matala!

This is how I remember us! All young, no worries, no cares!

The Gago's minus the white girl...Taryn!

Poems By Moana

Moana Lou Kekaikuihala Hiram Hannemann

My Grams and her brother when they were little

Grams with two of her brothers

My mom asked me to help her type some of Grams's poems so that in the near future she can make copies for all our family to have. I was honored because Grams is so talented and has such a great love of her culture, her family and the gospel. I typed about 35 poems and a few pages of her history and loved every sentence. I love that I can feel her love in these poems. I feel like she is near when I read them. We are so lucky to have her here with us today, but how blessed we will be to have her words to bring us comfort when she is no longer here.

Heavenly Father blessed us with the Book or Mormon and Bible so that we have a record of what occurred, to bring a strength and comfort and show us the way to return to him. I am so grateful that my Grams took the time to write such beautiful words that bring such joy to our lives. I am excited to continue typing these poems for my future children and those that come after.

I love my Grams and Papa so much! I am so lucky that my mom and dad made it a major priority to spend time with my family and especially my grandparents! The few years that they stayed with us in Kingwood, Texas were the most amazing years! We grew so close and really created a bond that will last forever!

Brian and I were so lucky to have a skype session with

Papa and Grams while we were in Costa Rica

This is the most recent picture of them in Vegas last month

I will end with one of the poems I typed tonight. Enjoy...

He Knows Me!

My Savior loves me,

This I know.

He guides and protects me,

He helps me grow.

He answers my prayers,

He shows me the way.

He blesses me

Each passing day.

He is happy when I am.

I must be obedient,

Do the best I can.

Be kind to others,

Try to forgive.

The blessings are many,

We must speak the truth.

I’ll be with Jesus,

He’ll come again.

He’ll be King

To rule and reign.

Moana

I love this one!

24 Hour Fitness! Please Work Your Magic!

Today I signed up for a 2 year membership with 24 Hour Fitness! I am very determined to lose this weight! I had to sneak into 24 last night with Brian and my cousin Jason because my membership expired! I loved it so much I went TODAY to sign up again! I am definitely on a fitness high and hope it stays with me!!

Yesterday I started using My Fitness Pal app on my iPhone again, after like 2 years of NOT using it! I love this app because it helps me keep an eye on what and how much I'm eating! I find myself saying "I better not eat that because I don't want to log it!" And I love when I work out and I get to log it and see how much I burned! I hope I keep it up!

Tomorrow my mother in law and I are going to try Zumba at 24 Hour Fitness. I have tried it at a church class and I loved it because I love the people and the instructors! I hope it goes well tomorrow at 24. Wish me luck!

These are a few pictures of where I wish I was! I hate seeing pictures of crazy skinny models with perfect bodies! They aren't me and I will never be that skinny! So here are pictures of ME to help motivate myself! I was once that small, I know I can do it again!

This was me at my senior prom!

This is Brian and I on one of our first dates. Probably in 2005.

Weekend Surprise...For Nui

This weekend was such a treat for our family. We made the 10 hour trek to Provo, Utah to see our favorite Nui guy who is currently in his second year at BYU! It was so wonderful to see him and to watch him and London interact! London just loves his big brudder Nui and misses him so much while he is away at college. This trip was especially great because London said "Nooooo E" for the very first time! We were all so excited that we kept giving Hi-5s and clapping! He is growing up so quickly and speaking so well these days! We were so happy that Nui was there to see that special moment! Here they are watching videos of London laughing!

Thursday was full of driving and trying to keep the 2 year old happy and in his car seat. Friday we got to do a lot of shopping and found some great deals! Brian got Quicksilver shirt and shorts for $3.99 each. I was the one who got the best deal and scored a few dresses, skirts and shirts for a very cheap price. Friday night we were able to see an awesome band called Te Vaka perform and were super excited to see our favorite performer Alex Aiono open for them! He didn't play as many songs as we would have liked (like 20), but it was great to see him on stage and see how comfortable he is! He is definitely an amazing performer and we are excited to hear all the wonderful things he is doing these days! There were so many Aiono's there to support Alex and we were so lucky to visit with them after the show at the Amazing In and Out Burger there in Provo. It was so good to catch up with everyone.

Te Vaka

Alex with some of the other performers

My love and I at the show

Saturday we spend the day at Chuck E Cheese with Aunty Jess, Uncle Kent and the kids! It was so much fun! The adults had way more fun than the kids!

Sunday was bittersweet as we had to say our goodbyes to Nui. London cried a little when he realized we were leaving! It's hard to be away from Nui, especially since we are so close. One quick story, when I was a senior I was about to apply to colleges and Nui cried everyday saying he didn't want to me to leave and he wanted to come with me. We are 6 years apart, so he young at the time and we had never been away from each other. After much thinking and prayer, I ended up staying and going to a community college in Kingwood. Less than a year later, we found out my Mom would be switching jobs and moving to California. The move was tough for Nui since Kingwood was the only place he really knew. I am so glad I was there to make the move with him and get all settled in. It wasn't too bad of a deal for me either, since I met my husband just one month after our move! All things happen for a reason. So when Nui was a senior and trying to decide where to go, I BEGGED him to stay with me and not leave...what did he do? HE LEFT to a different STATE! So much for that! But we are happy he is at BYU and we know he is there for a reason! We pray for him everyday and cant wait to see him again soon!

Kisses for London

This was taken the first time we dropped Nui off at BYU! London looks so little!

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Love, The Elmer