Be Free of Hep B!

Last week was Asian Heritage week. We volunteered to hand out Hep B information for Meredith. Little secret (I went to get into the ballpark to watch baseball twice!). It was fun and I got to have a hot dog and watch baseball. This pretty much was an ideal evening!!
Chris and Emily Page standing with a Berry on Berry Street outside the ballpark.

Jess to Mer: Mer, I love lots of relish! Mer's interpretation: Enough relish to feed the whole country of Panama! Can anyone see the hot dog?

Mer devouring her dog at the ballpark.

Page sisters at the ballpark!

Saving Asian Livers One Step at a Time

Mikey, Meredith, Heather, the Page football, Wendy, and Jess before the race. Yes any good race whether ran, jogged, or walked requires a football for distraction from the mundane feeling of running.

Jess and Jaren pre-race. Oh yes and the Page football.

Idaho and Idaho M!

Meredith's Crew before the race.

Meredith's Crew after the 5K to save Asian Livers with our very own Meredith! She is kind of a big deal.
Gorgeous park, fantastic exercise, showing our love for Meredith and all that she stands for, saving Asian livers, running for the Jews (MCB at least), and sacrificing for complete strangers! What more do you need to start your Saturday off right!? The LiveRight 5K was all of the above and completely worst any soreness for a chance to save even one liver that morning.

The facts are these:

What is Hepatitis B?
Hepatitis B is a disease caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Chronic (lifelong) infection with HBV can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. About 60-80% of primary liver cancer worldwide is caused by chronic HBV infection.

1 in 10 Asians have HBV (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HBV)

1 in 1,000 Caucasians have HBV

For More info: http://liver.stanford.edu/

Riley and Jess----Idaho "Gangsters"

Riley and I. He taught me how to wear the "gangster" hat. Riley is definitely one of the coolest/favorite cousins I have (I can say that since Jordan is on a mission, hehe).

Josh sent me this cool NY hat from his trip to NYC (that is ten sizes too big, but ironically my big head hits quite well). He told me I better wear it to his game for him when I flew in. So I did and he was so surprised/shocked (he was just daring/joking with me), I looked ridiculous but anything for that kid. Yes I wore the hat the entire game too. I am a sister that delivers!

Mini Me

Matty and Avery
What was she thinking?
Oh no, she is stuck.
What now? Believe it or not but Avery actually got out of this stool all by herself.
Avery got a mitt and ball for her birthday! Starting early!
My Uncle Rich made the comment one afternoon on the phone that it really is hard to miss me because having Avery around is like having Jess around all the time still. After being around Avery for a week I have to agree completely. I love her spunk, her wacky faces, and her stubborn personality. While I do have empathy for Matt and Amie because I know what a pill I was, I still chuckle to watch her because I see me so much and eventually I turned out alright. So Matt and Amie....there is light at the end of the tunnel! ;)

Sami Jami

In March I got the sweetest gift in the mail. A book called "Jessica" and a note from Sam Jam. The note read as followed:
Dear Jess,
I miss you SO MUCH! I was thinking of you, then I went to my Grandma Kay's house and she showed me this book called Jessica! I thought it was cool, it was your name! It's a cool book......I think! I love you SO MUCH!
Love,
Samantha

The last paragraph in the book says about Ruthie's friend:
Ruthie Simms didn't have a dog,
She didn't have a cat,
or a brother,
or a sister.
But Jessica was even better.

I remember the day Sam Jam was born and holding her in my arms. Looking into those eyes I thought I could see Heaven and knew that Sam Jam was an answer to my prayers. That little girl captured my heart in that moment and has had me wrapped around her finger ever since. I am so glad that Sam Jam has been able to be part of our family and spend so many hours in our home. I had always wanted a sister, but Sam Jam was even better!

Families Are Forever

Every visit to Idaho seems to fly by faster than a hot yellow bullet bike on I-880. Yet one thing always stays the same and constant. Family. My Dad got called to be the Bishop of their ward the weekend I was home. We teased my Dad beforehand that inviting our family would be a dead giveaway (considering the quantity we have), yet as we walked into the sacrament meeting and I saw the concourses of family members gathered to support my Dad I was overwhelmed with the love these individuals that make our family up have for my Dad and each other. Family really is what makes life memorable and enjoyable. The only thing I really ever find myself missing at times is my Family and those in my family or those that know my Family can probably understand why it is hard not to miss a group as wonderful as my Family.

Gini and Lillia
Lindy and Oly
Isabel
Jace and Lillia (they match! It was quite the feet to get Jace to smile)
Jess and Morgan
Poncho Villa and Joshy
Grandma Erickson, Jess, Jason. Yes, we have told on occasion that I look like a Coleen Junior. :)
Amie, my favorite Sister-in-Law

Susie Q and Jana Banana!! Happy Birthday to you both! They were both super excited for me to be in attendance because a Berry/Erickson Birthday song isn't quite the same without my voice. All we were missing was Jed to take the bass part, next birthday we'll plan ahead and get us both on the phone to sing. For those that have never been privileged to have a Berry/Erickson Birthday song, you are missing out and if you ask me I just might give you an encore. :)
Megan, McKenna, Susie Q, Morgan, Gini, and Lillia
I think Morgan was about sick of the camera at this point.
JT and Amanda! Yes, this is JT favorite and most frequent expression. :)

Grandma Erickson and Morgan!

Josh The Stud!!

This past week I went Idaho and got to watch Joshy Squashy play baseball and I think he's quite the stud! I watched him hit a home run, I was gushing with pride, almost as much as Matt was!! He is playing varsity and JV. He truly is earning the Berry name by the way he is playing. He has had big shoes to fill, what not with Matt being so amazing and being the brother to a one handed wonder, but I think he's doing amazing!

Love this FACE!
This face is a typical Berry baseball face.