Monica (Derouin) Yamada

Wow, 20 years later and a little older, a little grayer and maybe a little smarter.  I can not believe that it has been twenty years.  I had a moment just last year with my daughter at the dinner table, as I sat there I realized that she had only 4 more years of school and she would be moving on to her next adventure.  I just sat there crying, she looked at me and asked what was wrong, all I could say was, where has the time gone.

After high school I went to school for a Travel and Tourism degree, but I still worked for LANL in the summers through the under graduate program.  The summer of 1990 I started to work for Parijto Travel in Los Alamos.  When school started again in the fall they transferred me to their Albuquerque office.  That was nice working for them, because at that time Ted had moved to Phoenix to attend school and I got really good deals working for the travel agencies. I flew to Phoenix almost every other weekend to see Ted.  Once I finished school my great friend from LANL offered me a full time job.  The opportunity of working for LANL was great because I wanted to apply for a job in the travel department; this was a way for me to get my foot in the door. 

In 1993, Ted had finished school in Phoenix and moved back to Albuquerque, and we finally got married in July of 1993, along with all of our family and a few great guys from high school like Rob Hertrich, Steve Armijo, Freddie De la Cruz, Ed Tabor and my maid of honor Tracy Lopez, we had one great and crazy wedding.

Things were great except for the commute between Albuquerque and Los Alamos was getting harder and harder, especially knowing a little girl was soon to arrive.  So in 1995 I took a job in Albuquerque with a property management company.  Working for them I found something I really liked and found I was really good at.  For the next 7+ years I worked for some of the largest apartment communities in town.  I even had the opportunity to work for the number one company in Arizona – Mark-Taylor Residential.  Property Management is one crazy job.  I had the opportunity to meet some very interesting people and hear some interesting reasons why people could not pay their rent on time.  But my favorite one is; “I want to go to Disneyland”.  What are people thinking?  But after doing that and having 2 sons while working, I found working almost 6 days a week and working late hours you do not have time for your kids.  In January of 2002 I received a gift from my parents, to work for my dad and bring my then 18 month old son to work with me. By going to work for my dad, I would be able to watch my kids grow up and go along on those field trips when they asked.  So, that is where I have been for the last 6+ years and loving it.  Gone from suits to jeans!  But just like everything else there is always a surprise around the corner, I have just been given a great opportunity in starting my own property management company.  But this time I get to do it on my own terms and work the hours that I want to.  So that is what I am starting now, the next chapter in my life.

Ted and I have three wonderful kids.  I have a thirteen almost fourteen year daughter – Kiana Nicole.  She is a true teenager, loves texting and talking on the phone and hanging out with friends.  She has been blessed with the gift of being an artist, much like Ted’s mother. She is running track this year for the first time and loves it.  Then I have a ten year son – Tetsuyoshi Tyler.  He is all boy – my little football player and wrestler, yes just like dad.  School is his favorite place to go and talk with his friends, instead of letting the teacher do the talking.  I guess he got that from me.  And then there is “LITTLE TED” my seven year old – Masahiro Zachary.  He walks talks and acts like Ted.  Everyone that sees the two together say they are a pair.  He is into baseball and yes, wrestling.  He will also start football for the first time this fall and Ted will be his head coach.  Ted is their wrestling coach and helps out with football and baseball.  I am the Football Mom now, not the career mom and I love that so much more!  GO RAMS!!!  My life has made a big change in how I live my life. Two years ago I lost my little brother. It was one of those phone calls in the middle of the night that you do not wish on anyone.  It has made me stop and realize that life is too short.  You never know what the next moment will bring you, so now I do not take for granted my great friends and family that I have.  I am still good friends with Rob, Steve, Freddie and Mike from school, Freddie is my daughters favorite “Uncle”, but have some great new friends that I have met along the way in this thing called life.

Ted and I have lived in Rio Rancho for the last 13 years and love the small town charm like Los Alamos.  Both our families have moved away from Los Alamos, so we do not go back often.   But we did drive through there a couple of years ago, boy how the town has changed.  Ted and I look forward in seeing everyone!!