Happy 2010 everyone!!
What a decade this past decade. Graduated from UBC, moved to Scotland, got my PhD, moved to the U.S., got married, and now have two beautiful children I adore. I can truly say, life has changed for me, and I am doing my best now just to keep up with the pace!
As a new decade begins, there are many things to look forward to, much of which involve or are dedicated to the progress of our chidren.
As many hardships as 2009 has brought to so many people, may 2010 be a year of rebuilding, community, family, love, prosperity and social good for all.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Where To Begin?
It has been far too long since I last wrote, I honestly don't know where to begin. So much is going on, but to find time to sit and write has been difficult.
Update on Lexie seems most appropriate now. Well, my little girl is 6 months old! She sits unassisted now, grabs things and is earnestly curious of the things she holds in her hands. She babbles and coos and even has a tooth poking out of her lower gum now. Lexie is eating solids, having already found a liking for green beans, sweet potato, but her favorite is... squash! :-) She is also doing well with her sleep training - a lot less fussy at this stage of development than her older brother was.
Speaking of Ethan, he turns 3 in a couple of months. Ethan is learning many things every day and is inquisitive about everything around him. He is spoken to in english and mandarin and speaks both, though still prefers/relies on english a lot when responding to instructions in mandarin. He can recite at least a couple of Baha'i prayers in both languages! :-)
The rest of the family is doing well also. Life in Blue Ridge is getting better, though still not quite there on the friends front. If we can move, we will, but if not, we are thankful for what we have here and will make the most of it, for our children especially.
We have been spoiled for several months now with grandparental assistance. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, ironing, comforting presence, games. We will be a mess - literally and emotionally - when back to our lonesome :-) But we are growing and can handle almost any challenge it seems.
I have made some personal goals to get fitter recently. About two months ago, I weighed around 186lbs. Well not quite that heavy, but that is the heaviest I have ever weighed I think. Now, I weigh around 170-173lbs. (I weighed as low as 169.5 :-P) So making some progress. I am trying to "train" for the Atlanta Marathon on Thanksgiving Day (November 26). Should I do it? Registration does not end until August 31st, so I have time to mull it over. (hopefully I can go through with it).
Labor day long weekend is TBS weekend again this year. Tennessee Baha'i School. Should be fun, fun, fun, and Ethan is enrolling in the preschool class (3-4 yr old) even though he will be 3 weeks shy of his 3rd birthday. Lexie will be in the nursery. The night concerts will feature the Prices, which will be hopping and uplifting!! Can't wait!
OK, Ethan is hanging off my arm - and this last sentence has taken me a good few minutes to complete (typing).
I'm off...
Much love!
Update on Lexie seems most appropriate now. Well, my little girl is 6 months old! She sits unassisted now, grabs things and is earnestly curious of the things she holds in her hands. She babbles and coos and even has a tooth poking out of her lower gum now. Lexie is eating solids, having already found a liking for green beans, sweet potato, but her favorite is... squash! :-) She is also doing well with her sleep training - a lot less fussy at this stage of development than her older brother was.
Speaking of Ethan, he turns 3 in a couple of months. Ethan is learning many things every day and is inquisitive about everything around him. He is spoken to in english and mandarin and speaks both, though still prefers/relies on english a lot when responding to instructions in mandarin. He can recite at least a couple of Baha'i prayers in both languages! :-)
The rest of the family is doing well also. Life in Blue Ridge is getting better, though still not quite there on the friends front. If we can move, we will, but if not, we are thankful for what we have here and will make the most of it, for our children especially.
We have been spoiled for several months now with grandparental assistance. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, ironing, comforting presence, games. We will be a mess - literally and emotionally - when back to our lonesome :-) But we are growing and can handle almost any challenge it seems.
I have made some personal goals to get fitter recently. About two months ago, I weighed around 186lbs. Well not quite that heavy, but that is the heaviest I have ever weighed I think. Now, I weigh around 170-173lbs. (I weighed as low as 169.5 :-P) So making some progress. I am trying to "train" for the Atlanta Marathon on Thanksgiving Day (November 26). Should I do it? Registration does not end until August 31st, so I have time to mull it over. (hopefully I can go through with it).
Labor day long weekend is TBS weekend again this year. Tennessee Baha'i School. Should be fun, fun, fun, and Ethan is enrolling in the preschool class (3-4 yr old) even though he will be 3 weeks shy of his 3rd birthday. Lexie will be in the nursery. The night concerts will feature the Prices, which will be hopping and uplifting!! Can't wait!
OK, Ethan is hanging off my arm - and this last sentence has taken me a good few minutes to complete (typing).
I'm off...
Much love!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Weekend With Krishelle
A break from the monotony, this weekend we had a dear friend come and visit us! Saturday morning, I picked up Krishelle from the airport and we drove straight back up to Blue Ridge (home). Since I am fasting also, I had to stop by some place to pick up something to eat before the sun rose. What first comes to mind? Why what else, but the Golden Arches. That's right. Micky-D's (McDonald's) it was. I ordered this southern chicken and biscuit meal with a hashbrown, side of scrambled eggs, and a hot tea. Not realizing this was not the easiest meal to eat while driving... but I digress. I then doubled my order. Then paid. I figured if I could not finish all this food, and if Krishelle had not eaten breakfast yet, she may just be craving for a chicken biscuit and hashbrown? Hee hee ...
I drove. It was raining. And for some reason, either due to the fasting (and the spiritual forces that really work to cleanse your soul) or the weather .. or the combination .. or the not-so-spiritual music I was listening to (Akon).. but the drive to the airport was rather emotional for me.
I was crying. I was a mess! Ate some egg. Cried. I'm surprised I could see through my tears, my eyeglasses, the rain on my windshield, to see where I was driving! My tea was too hot to drink (right away) .. I was a MESS! And what exactly was I crying about? That would take too long to put to words now, but ALL imaginary situations. My mind was so creative at putting me to tears, I was probably just in need of whatever it is that crying realeases within your body (seratonin? endorphins? I forget), because I certainly felt better afterwards. There's nothing like a good crying session... except for maybe FOOD and (sigh) sleep.
So I made it almost to the airport when Krishelle calls and tells me she had arrived safely and to call her when I got closer. I was there in ten minutes, and we turned right around and ... got lost. That's right, I did not turn on my GPS since I figured I should know the directions by now. And I do. But only from North Terminal to our home and back (or the other way around)... you know what I mean. Krishelle arrived at South Terminal and so leaving, the roads were different and unfamiliar to me.
Turning on Krishelle's Nuvi (GPS) instead - and listening to a British man's voice giving out directions (we have Jill, the American girl, on our Nuvi) - we found our way to the interstate that I know and love. So we were off to the mountains!
We arrived, it was still pouring outside.
Anyways, the weekend flew by in a hurry, and we mostly stayed at home. Kelly and Krishelle and Lexie usually went out for meals, while Ethan, Mom and I stayed at home (we can't eat anyways so figured keep Ethan fed and happy without the wet outside to negotiate). It's been a fun couple of days. Like the "old times" of Durham. Sadly, Krishelle flies back today, so I will be taking her to the airport, and Ethan has "pink eye". Hey, at least we had a healthy Ethan for a day, right? That's a bonus these days!
So just waiting now before we leave for the airport. Krishelle has been fantastic with Ethan - always engaging him with something new, imaginary play, and story telling. She will be missed, by Ethan mostly, and us all for sure.
The rain is getting heavier now. Sorry Krishelle. The rain fell precisely during the dates of your travel to see us. Maybe it is our turn next to visit you - in sunny San Diego!
I drove. It was raining. And for some reason, either due to the fasting (and the spiritual forces that really work to cleanse your soul) or the weather .. or the combination .. or the not-so-spiritual music I was listening to (Akon).. but the drive to the airport was rather emotional for me.
I was crying. I was a mess! Ate some egg. Cried. I'm surprised I could see through my tears, my eyeglasses, the rain on my windshield, to see where I was driving! My tea was too hot to drink (right away) .. I was a MESS! And what exactly was I crying about? That would take too long to put to words now, but ALL imaginary situations. My mind was so creative at putting me to tears, I was probably just in need of whatever it is that crying realeases within your body (seratonin? endorphins? I forget), because I certainly felt better afterwards. There's nothing like a good crying session... except for maybe FOOD and (sigh) sleep.
So I made it almost to the airport when Krishelle calls and tells me she had arrived safely and to call her when I got closer. I was there in ten minutes, and we turned right around and ... got lost. That's right, I did not turn on my GPS since I figured I should know the directions by now. And I do. But only from North Terminal to our home and back (or the other way around)... you know what I mean. Krishelle arrived at South Terminal and so leaving, the roads were different and unfamiliar to me.
Turning on Krishelle's Nuvi (GPS) instead - and listening to a British man's voice giving out directions (we have Jill, the American girl, on our Nuvi) - we found our way to the interstate that I know and love. So we were off to the mountains!
We arrived, it was still pouring outside.
Anyways, the weekend flew by in a hurry, and we mostly stayed at home. Kelly and Krishelle and Lexie usually went out for meals, while Ethan, Mom and I stayed at home (we can't eat anyways so figured keep Ethan fed and happy without the wet outside to negotiate). It's been a fun couple of days. Like the "old times" of Durham. Sadly, Krishelle flies back today, so I will be taking her to the airport, and Ethan has "pink eye". Hey, at least we had a healthy Ethan for a day, right? That's a bonus these days!
So just waiting now before we leave for the airport. Krishelle has been fantastic with Ethan - always engaging him with something new, imaginary play, and story telling. She will be missed, by Ethan mostly, and us all for sure.
The rain is getting heavier now. Sorry Krishelle. The rain fell precisely during the dates of your travel to see us. Maybe it is our turn next to visit you - in sunny San Diego!
Friday, January 02, 2009
My Last Blog Entry
It has been fun writing, and photographing, the goings-on of my life, and my family's life. But this entry will mark my last - for this blog that is. With the soon addition to our family, and since I can no longer add any more photos to this blog, I have started a new one. I am still not sure if the new one will allow me a whole new limit to the number of photos I can post (since I am using my same Gmail account to set the new blog up). But in any case, it has been an enjoyable ride, and one I encourage you to follow, in Ticket For 4...
Monday, November 17, 2008
When Quiet Is O.K.
I rarely visit my own blog, let alone write an entry these days. And when I do make the infrequent presence to my blog it is usually to see if any comments need moderating/accepting and to read up on some of my friends' blogs. Often the case, my motivation to write comes from seeing some of my friends write -- so I encourage you all to keep up with your blogs, lest my own come to a screeching halt for good.
Well, the past few weeks have been hugely trying. Nothing that blog etiquette/management would allow me to divulge however. Sufficeth to say, life's many dramas are over-rated. And the once dreaded silence of normalcy and isolation I now invite with eager appreciation any day.
Yes, we were hoping dear friends of ours would be visiting this past weekend. In fact, it had been a trip planned for well over one year believe it or not. And still, it was not meant to be, for last minute decisions prevented such from finally taking place, and we must now be content with a hopeful reunion in the spring.
If it happens, it happens. Yes, our disappointments we wore on our sleeves. And, yes, the thought of being with our lonesomes was worrying. But unsuspecting to me, this weekend was rather above average and quite satisfying.
We spent most of our time this weekend at home. No surprise there. It was cloudy and gloomy and wet outside, with the temperature hovering in the low 40s for the daytime and below freezing overnight. It is definitely wintery, making the indoor environment all the more inviting.
Kelly cooked this pork roll dish that she learned (how to make) from her mom not long ago. We did laundry. Ethan is doing fantastic with potty training now. He knows all his ABC's and is in fact "advancing" to the older class come December 5th! (not our insistance, but the preschool's director's suggestion to move Ethan up). All this means is that Ethan will be with 3 and 4 and 5-year-olds, instead of 2 and 3 year olds only. He is currently 2 years and 2 months old.
Kelly has never had an easy time with pregnancy. It was the same when she was carrying Ethan. Still, the past 3 or 4 days have been surprisingly uneventful. Could this be the end of nauseous feelings? Kelly is nearly 31 weeks, and so it is long "overdue" if this is the case. But I am not counting on it. I have always said that Kelly would have pregnancy-related sickness for the entire duration of her pregnancy. We are just thankful we get few-day-stretches like these where everything is just quiet.
Well, the past few weeks have been hugely trying. Nothing that blog etiquette/management would allow me to divulge however. Sufficeth to say, life's many dramas are over-rated. And the once dreaded silence of normalcy and isolation I now invite with eager appreciation any day.
Yes, we were hoping dear friends of ours would be visiting this past weekend. In fact, it had been a trip planned for well over one year believe it or not. And still, it was not meant to be, for last minute decisions prevented such from finally taking place, and we must now be content with a hopeful reunion in the spring.
If it happens, it happens. Yes, our disappointments we wore on our sleeves. And, yes, the thought of being with our lonesomes was worrying. But unsuspecting to me, this weekend was rather above average and quite satisfying.
We spent most of our time this weekend at home. No surprise there. It was cloudy and gloomy and wet outside, with the temperature hovering in the low 40s for the daytime and below freezing overnight. It is definitely wintery, making the indoor environment all the more inviting.
Kelly cooked this pork roll dish that she learned (how to make) from her mom not long ago. We did laundry. Ethan is doing fantastic with potty training now. He knows all his ABC's and is in fact "advancing" to the older class come December 5th! (not our insistance, but the preschool's director's suggestion to move Ethan up). All this means is that Ethan will be with 3 and 4 and 5-year-olds, instead of 2 and 3 year olds only. He is currently 2 years and 2 months old.
Kelly has never had an easy time with pregnancy. It was the same when she was carrying Ethan. Still, the past 3 or 4 days have been surprisingly uneventful. Could this be the end of nauseous feelings? Kelly is nearly 31 weeks, and so it is long "overdue" if this is the case. But I am not counting on it. I have always said that Kelly would have pregnancy-related sickness for the entire duration of her pregnancy. We are just thankful we get few-day-stretches like these where everything is just quiet.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Times Passing
I clearly do not have the time to keep up with this blog anymore. Sorry to all who still manage to check in on me from time to time .. only to see the same last entry for weeks at a time.
Part of my hesitation to write is due to the fact that I can no longer post any pictures on this blog (I have exceeded the allowable quota for memory) and so without some pictures, it really takes away from the journalistic or "publication" enterprise that I felt when I first decided to start my own blog.
So anyways, A LOT has happened since last entry. Not all recountable. I turned 30. Yay! Always fun getting older. Ethan turned 2! We had a party for him, and he was aware of things like "birthday cake" and "blowing the candle" -- still needed help on blowing his candle tho.
Mom and dad have been with us the past couple of weeks and are in fact going back to Canada this Saturday. They will surely be missed. It has been wonderful having them with us to celebrate Ethan's, mine, Dad's (and Babak's) birthday.
Dad has been so very busy working on a deck downstairs. The deck looks amazing (if only I could post pictures -- though I fully intend to post some on Facebook and perhaps link to this blog). I feel badly just how hard my dad has worked, but to be honest much of the work was self-inflicted, since my dad has many great ideas, or sees a deficiency that needs fixing or addressing quickly, and so the project has grown.
I can't wait until it (the deck) is stained and some screening has been put in place.
Kelly is 23 weeks into her pregnancy, and still feeling nauseous. Surely a record. Though I have a feeling for some weeks to come, if not the entire pregnancy, Kelly will not be feeling all that well. Sorry, Honey!!
And of course I just realized our pregnancy was never officially announced on this blog!!! Apologies to those who have not yet heard. I posted an announcement on Facebook several weeks ago. We are expecting a baby girl in January (14th is the due date).
Any suggestions for names?
Certainly by the time our daughter is born, I will have a new blog set up for the next phase and adventures of our family.
Part of my hesitation to write is due to the fact that I can no longer post any pictures on this blog (I have exceeded the allowable quota for memory) and so without some pictures, it really takes away from the journalistic or "publication" enterprise that I felt when I first decided to start my own blog.
So anyways, A LOT has happened since last entry. Not all recountable. I turned 30. Yay! Always fun getting older. Ethan turned 2! We had a party for him, and he was aware of things like "birthday cake" and "blowing the candle" -- still needed help on blowing his candle tho.
Mom and dad have been with us the past couple of weeks and are in fact going back to Canada this Saturday. They will surely be missed. It has been wonderful having them with us to celebrate Ethan's, mine, Dad's (and Babak's) birthday.
Dad has been so very busy working on a deck downstairs. The deck looks amazing (if only I could post pictures -- though I fully intend to post some on Facebook and perhaps link to this blog). I feel badly just how hard my dad has worked, but to be honest much of the work was self-inflicted, since my dad has many great ideas, or sees a deficiency that needs fixing or addressing quickly, and so the project has grown.
I can't wait until it (the deck) is stained and some screening has been put in place.
Kelly is 23 weeks into her pregnancy, and still feeling nauseous. Surely a record. Though I have a feeling for some weeks to come, if not the entire pregnancy, Kelly will not be feeling all that well. Sorry, Honey!!
And of course I just realized our pregnancy was never officially announced on this blog!!! Apologies to those who have not yet heard. I posted an announcement on Facebook several weeks ago. We are expecting a baby girl in January (14th is the due date).
Any suggestions for names?
Certainly by the time our daughter is born, I will have a new blog set up for the next phase and adventures of our family.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Back "Home"
I have to write. An entire month has elapsed since my last entry. Several friends of mine met Ethan for the first time have said how they love following his development through my blog. Ahem, hence my renewed efforts in trying to write more regularly again.
I am writing (typing) sitting here in my aunt's and uncle's home in Coquitlam, BC.
Our trip has been pleasant, and I have seen many of my old friends, and driven through many of my childhood neighborhoods and places I frequented in my youth.
BC is a gem of a place. Lush mountains. Mild climate. A multi-cultural shmorgasborg. Over the past 48 hours, for example, we ate Japanese, Thai, Persian and Mediterranean/Greek. I got my wish for a Slurpee, and attended the rehearsal dinner for my friend's wedding (which will be on Friday). I can't complain.
With all the "homely" comforts of returning to BC for this trip, still, there are many things that have changed that contribute to a feeling of "a home no more":
(1) as much as I have grown up with Asian cultures predominating in BC, the singleness, and overwhelming presence in numbers (in the airport alone) made me feel like I had just landed in Southeast Asia, as with our trip back in December to Singapore/Malaysia -- I am one for diversity, don't get me wrong, so long as there is unity. And one obvious way to display a more outward presentation of this unity would be to identify with the very nation they dwell in. Sadly, for me, a lack of "Canadiana" also means, all these strangers, can gladly keep my old home where once my roots grew deep;
(2) my parents no longer live here -- and up until this stage in my life (where I have my own family), home has always been defined by where "mom and dad" live;
(3) a once close knit group of friends, I may still have contact with all of them, but few are in contact with each other -- this point is not surprising in the least, since everyone is prone to "separation" when significant time is allowed to go on without effort made to keep contact. Life gets in the way. Marriages. Children. Professional obligations. And it is impossible to keep in contact with everyone. Nevertheless, this just shows how much friendships formed and nurtured through one's formative days can really shape the person one becomes as an adult and the long lasting influences in one's life -- and can equally define where "home" is.
With two more days remaining in our visit, I look forward to a dear friend's wedding, and to eat some more of my aunt's delicious cooking.
I will also try to convince my close friends to take on a journey to a small Japanese-style cottage in the USA's "deep south".
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
May Is Running Away
Ok, wow, time is just going by too quickly these days ... I can hardly keep up!
Just "the other day" I was typing an entry welcoming the month of May, and now, we are a day or so shy of the half-way point for this month.
Anyways, my mom and aunt are in town and staying with us. It has been so nice having family over. Coming home to a clean house and home-cooked meals is a bonus for sure, but just to have grandma around to play and care for Ethan has been really good.
I've started doing some gardening for the season. What an enormous task it is (compared to my previous living situation with our home in Durham, NC) to take care of weeds and prepare garden beds and plant. Everything just grows so quickly - that is, everything you don't purposely grow yourself, usually characterized by thorny branches or leaves, deep root systems, a lack of aesthetic or beautiful foliage or flowers and a tendency for being invasive.
Otherwise everything else is going fine. Ethan is just developing leaps and bounds and just today "conversed" with Papa Joon for a good few minutes on the phone!! Ethan was carrying the phone and holding it up to his ears, and "talking" to his grandpa in Canada. Kelly captured it all on video, so it will be a task for this week or next to have it posted.
I have a conference in Arlington, Virginia in a few days time that I have not prepared for. I have an exam. Hahaha ... I mean, yikes! I better study.
We have lots of pictures of Mother's Day we hope to post soon too. So stay tuned!
Just "the other day" I was typing an entry welcoming the month of May, and now, we are a day or so shy of the half-way point for this month.
Anyways, my mom and aunt are in town and staying with us. It has been so nice having family over. Coming home to a clean house and home-cooked meals is a bonus for sure, but just to have grandma around to play and care for Ethan has been really good.
I've started doing some gardening for the season. What an enormous task it is (compared to my previous living situation with our home in Durham, NC) to take care of weeds and prepare garden beds and plant. Everything just grows so quickly - that is, everything you don't purposely grow yourself, usually characterized by thorny branches or leaves, deep root systems, a lack of aesthetic or beautiful foliage or flowers and a tendency for being invasive.
Otherwise everything else is going fine. Ethan is just developing leaps and bounds and just today "conversed" with Papa Joon for a good few minutes on the phone!! Ethan was carrying the phone and holding it up to his ears, and "talking" to his grandpa in Canada. Kelly captured it all on video, so it will be a task for this week or next to have it posted.
I have a conference in Arlington, Virginia in a few days time that I have not prepared for. I have an exam. Hahaha ... I mean, yikes! I better study.
We have lots of pictures of Mother's Day we hope to post soon too. So stay tuned!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Month Of May, Mother's Day & Memorial Day
How exciting! May is just 'round the corner (tomorrow!). And hopefully this means consistently warm and gradually, hot, temperatures. Last night was hopefully the last cold night for the next few months. It got down to about 35F, just above freezing. There was a "frost advisory" and so I had to move back all of my house plants which I purposely brought all out since we'd been enjoying 70s and even a day or two in the 80s the past week or more.
It took a lot of work to bring them all back in, and although starting today already the warmer temperature begins, I think I will wait until this weekend to bring all the plants out again, and do some gardening for the first time this season/year.
Actually, I had planned to do some gardening last weekend, but it rained a lot (which I will never complain about again, given last summer's drought). A bush/shrub on the side of our home that has really grown out of control (i.e. I have not pruned since we moved in) fell over (presumably because the roots were so shallow still and it had grown so quickly?? and wind pushed it over?) and I had to do a rescue operation to get the plant upright. Hopefully it will strengthen it's roots and thrive again. So nice. Not sure what type of plant, but it produces TONS of white flowers that are so over fragrant (smells kinda like Jasmine??) .. so much for being a gardening enthusiast when I don't actually know any of the names of the plants I have around the house.
So anyways, May, May ...
Mom is coming to visit on the 10th. Yipee!!! Will celebrate Mother's Day in Blue Ridge. There's a quaint little "Victorian" style lunch place we discovered a couple of weeks ago that we would like to take Ma and Tita Flong (my auntie, mom's sister) for lunch.
And of course Mom will be staying through the Memorial Day long weekend. Kelly is on call that weekend, so we have to plan something local, but at least we can spend time together. Perhaps another excursion on the lake with our canoe? Speaking of which, the lake (Blue Ridge) is soooooooooooo full and looking picturesque. Just this morning it was "glassy", completely smooth surface reflecting all the trees and docks and boats, and because last night was near freezing, there was a mysterious "fog" rising from reflective surface .. I wish I had taken a picture.
A conference for me (18-21st) in Arlington (VA) will mean I will be away while Ma and Kelly and Ethan will be together. I have this CRCP exam to take (stands for Clinical Research Contracts Professional ???). Wish me luck. When was the last time I took an "exam"? This conference is for business professionals in the clinical research/pharmaceutical industry, and since I jumped straight to work without any previous knowledge or training of how to negotatiate budgets and contracts, I figured it would be nice to supplement the experience I have now gained, with some formal understanding of the process. Who knows, I may learn a thing or two on how to increase revenue for our company.
It took a lot of work to bring them all back in, and although starting today already the warmer temperature begins, I think I will wait until this weekend to bring all the plants out again, and do some gardening for the first time this season/year.
Actually, I had planned to do some gardening last weekend, but it rained a lot (which I will never complain about again, given last summer's drought). A bush/shrub on the side of our home that has really grown out of control (i.e. I have not pruned since we moved in) fell over (presumably because the roots were so shallow still and it had grown so quickly?? and wind pushed it over?) and I had to do a rescue operation to get the plant upright. Hopefully it will strengthen it's roots and thrive again. So nice. Not sure what type of plant, but it produces TONS of white flowers that are so over fragrant (smells kinda like Jasmine??) .. so much for being a gardening enthusiast when I don't actually know any of the names of the plants I have around the house.
So anyways, May, May ...
Mom is coming to visit on the 10th. Yipee!!! Will celebrate Mother's Day in Blue Ridge. There's a quaint little "Victorian" style lunch place we discovered a couple of weeks ago that we would like to take Ma and Tita Flong (my auntie, mom's sister) for lunch.
And of course Mom will be staying through the Memorial Day long weekend. Kelly is on call that weekend, so we have to plan something local, but at least we can spend time together. Perhaps another excursion on the lake with our canoe? Speaking of which, the lake (Blue Ridge) is soooooooooooo full and looking picturesque. Just this morning it was "glassy", completely smooth surface reflecting all the trees and docks and boats, and because last night was near freezing, there was a mysterious "fog" rising from reflective surface .. I wish I had taken a picture.
A conference for me (18-21st) in Arlington (VA) will mean I will be away while Ma and Kelly and Ethan will be together. I have this CRCP exam to take (stands for Clinical Research Contracts Professional ???). Wish me luck. When was the last time I took an "exam"? This conference is for business professionals in the clinical research/pharmaceutical industry, and since I jumped straight to work without any previous knowledge or training of how to negotatiate budgets and contracts, I figured it would be nice to supplement the experience I have now gained, with some formal understanding of the process. Who knows, I may learn a thing or two on how to increase revenue for our company.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Blue Ribbon Foods
Yesterday our Blue Ribbon Foods order arrived!!
We got a huge commercial-strength freezer (21 cu ft.) packed with 6 months worth of food! When Kelly and I first sat with Sylvia (our BRF rep .. who also happens to be a Baha'i!) to discuss the various BRF plans/options, I have to say it was a bit overwhelming. I never think of our food requirements in terms of "26 weeks of poultry" or "28 weeks of beef" ... or X number of pounds of ground beef to last X number of weeks or months. I can barely plan ahead for the following day or week, let alone for half a calendar year!
When all T's crossed and signatures in place, I thought for sure we had ordered way too much food. But yesterday, when everything arrived in neat packages, and the two BRF delivery men packed our brand new freezer with such order and precision, it hardly looked like a mountain of food we could not finish. In fact, it actually looked LESS than what I had imagined we would be receiving. Odd, but Sylvia assured me, after two months, our freezer will still look the same (i.e. the food WILL last at LEAST 6 months).
Anyways, I would promote BRF to all of my friends but this program is only available in the southeast USA. There are several other "food programs" around in the country, and in Canada, but I have to say so far (day 1) has been pretty nice.
Last night for dinner I cooked a top sirloin, medium-rare in about 10 minutes. Kelly had a chicken cordin-bleu (?? no idea how to spell it) and we both had steamed asparagus (super thick and green) and green beans for veggies. All in all, it was a quick meal, delicious, and supposedly very healthy and "top grade" foods. (whatever THAT means). But clearly it was enough to be sold on the program, and I have to say, it is nice having a "grocery store" in your basement freezer.
Hmmm.. what to try tonight??! I'm thinking tuna sashimi! (did I mention we got sashimi-grade tuna and salmon steaks?) Simply cut and eat raw :-D (I bought 16 steaks of tuna, Shar, since I know you won't want to miss this!)
We got a huge commercial-strength freezer (21 cu ft.) packed with 6 months worth of food! When Kelly and I first sat with Sylvia (our BRF rep .. who also happens to be a Baha'i!) to discuss the various BRF plans/options, I have to say it was a bit overwhelming. I never think of our food requirements in terms of "26 weeks of poultry" or "28 weeks of beef" ... or X number of pounds of ground beef to last X number of weeks or months. I can barely plan ahead for the following day or week, let alone for half a calendar year!
When all T's crossed and signatures in place, I thought for sure we had ordered way too much food. But yesterday, when everything arrived in neat packages, and the two BRF delivery men packed our brand new freezer with such order and precision, it hardly looked like a mountain of food we could not finish. In fact, it actually looked LESS than what I had imagined we would be receiving. Odd, but Sylvia assured me, after two months, our freezer will still look the same (i.e. the food WILL last at LEAST 6 months).
Anyways, I would promote BRF to all of my friends but this program is only available in the southeast USA. There are several other "food programs" around in the country, and in Canada, but I have to say so far (day 1) has been pretty nice.
Last night for dinner I cooked a top sirloin, medium-rare in about 10 minutes. Kelly had a chicken cordin-bleu (?? no idea how to spell it) and we both had steamed asparagus (super thick and green) and green beans for veggies. All in all, it was a quick meal, delicious, and supposedly very healthy and "top grade" foods. (whatever THAT means). But clearly it was enough to be sold on the program, and I have to say, it is nice having a "grocery store" in your basement freezer.
Hmmm.. what to try tonight??! I'm thinking tuna sashimi! (did I mention we got sashimi-grade tuna and salmon steaks?) Simply cut and eat raw :-D (I bought 16 steaks of tuna, Shar, since I know you won't want to miss this!)
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Hungry Hungry Hippo
Well, since it is my "lunch break", and I am not actually eating anything (because I'm fasting), and since I can't find any other (better) time to sit down and write a blog entry these days, here goes one ...
(not claiming any responsibility for how this entry will make sense or not since blood/brain glucose levels are surely waaaay low ... not too mention tummy grubmling is quite the distraction!)
So for the last day of Ayyam-i-Ha and the first day of the Fast, Kelly, Ethan and I spent time with our friends the Teskes in Jasper. Bella and Adib were their usual playful selves but were also overcoming some sickness. Still, Ethan loved playing and chasing and interacting with his friends.
We went to a local park with a toddler playground (on sand, instead of the usual mulch). Adib and Bella had a bunch of toys to play in the sand with including a bucket, dump truck, shovels/spades and the like. Ethan enjoyed scooping sand and filling up the truck or the bucket or any other place actually. Needless to say his shoes were filled with the grainy stuff! :-D
Ethan is now 17 months old. (did I write an entry for this milestone? hmmm... I don't think I did!) Another time maybe. He still only has 8 teeth (4 up, 4 down) and according to a pediatric report that Kelly showed me once, Ethan has up to 19 months (old) before his first set of molars are to break through/come in. Of course all of this is relative, since we know of some babies who went their whole first year and more without a nubbin' in site. So the pearlies will just have to come in when they come in. It is not preventing Ethan from eating a whole lot, since he manages to break his solid foods well, albeit a bit slower than Kelly or I would like.
I have a bunch of picture to upload still.
Yesterday, our family attended a work conference in Atlanta. Never again! It was such hard work coordinating Ethan and the various sessions, not to mention the huge disruption to his "regular routine" which toddlers live on (where/when to heat his food, where/when to sleep, where to change diappies). I think we will take each investigator meeting from now on, separately, either Kelly or myself, the other staying home with Ethan. These conferences are simply not family-friendly.
OK, 12:30pm, and I've noticed a couple work emails have just come in. And my tummy has stopped grumbling (for now).
(not claiming any responsibility for how this entry will make sense or not since blood/brain glucose levels are surely waaaay low ... not too mention tummy grubmling is quite the distraction!)
So for the last day of Ayyam-i-Ha and the first day of the Fast, Kelly, Ethan and I spent time with our friends the Teskes in Jasper. Bella and Adib were their usual playful selves but were also overcoming some sickness. Still, Ethan loved playing and chasing and interacting with his friends.
We went to a local park with a toddler playground (on sand, instead of the usual mulch). Adib and Bella had a bunch of toys to play in the sand with including a bucket, dump truck, shovels/spades and the like. Ethan enjoyed scooping sand and filling up the truck or the bucket or any other place actually. Needless to say his shoes were filled with the grainy stuff! :-D
Ethan is now 17 months old. (did I write an entry for this milestone? hmmm... I don't think I did!) Another time maybe. He still only has 8 teeth (4 up, 4 down) and according to a pediatric report that Kelly showed me once, Ethan has up to 19 months (old) before his first set of molars are to break through/come in. Of course all of this is relative, since we know of some babies who went their whole first year and more without a nubbin' in site. So the pearlies will just have to come in when they come in. It is not preventing Ethan from eating a whole lot, since he manages to break his solid foods well, albeit a bit slower than Kelly or I would like.
I have a bunch of picture to upload still.
Yesterday, our family attended a work conference in Atlanta. Never again! It was such hard work coordinating Ethan and the various sessions, not to mention the huge disruption to his "regular routine" which toddlers live on (where/when to heat his food, where/when to sleep, where to change diappies). I think we will take each investigator meeting from now on, separately, either Kelly or myself, the other staying home with Ethan. These conferences are simply not family-friendly.
OK, 12:30pm, and I've noticed a couple work emails have just come in. And my tummy has stopped grumbling (for now).
Monday, February 25, 2008
February Family Birthdays
Happy Birthday Mom (Feb 19th), Carmel (21st), Ryu (22nd) and Shar (23rd)! February is always a month packed with celebration in our family, what with four birthdays in as many days, as well as Ayyam-i-Ha, parties, dinners and get-togethers are simply the norm. This year for Ayyam-i-Ha, we are putting together gift packages for all of Ethan's preschoolmates, along with a short blurb on what Ayyam-i-Ha is and what it stands for.
Briefly, Baha'is celebrate Ayyam-i-Ha as a time of gift-giving, service, fellowship (hence the may parties) but more importantly, for spiritual preparation for the fasting month (19 days) that follows. Ayyam-i-Ha is celebrated from February 26-March 1st (plus February 29th on a leap year - which is the case this year!). The fasting month is from March 2nd to the 20th (sunset) and Naw Ruz (New Year) is on March 21st - coinciding with the start of spring (for us Northern hemisphere folks - start of Fall/Autumn for our friends in the Southern Hemisphere).
While fasting, Baha'is refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, making for large(r) breakfasts before the sun rises, and sizeable dinners with plenty to drink once the sun sets.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Sweet 16 (Months)
Ethan's 16 months has passed with little notice. It has been such a busy time for our family lately, I honestly don't know where all the time has gone. This is probably the longest I have gone without writing a blog entry. Sorry!
Ethan is doing well. Kelly and I should really be taking more videos of him, since he is just developing and changing daily now it seems. Speech is still (always) lagging. This can be frustrating for both parents and Ethan. His wheezing is now a regular occurrence and it is just a matter of time before he is "officially" diagnosed with asthma.
If not for Kelly, who I defer most/all of Ethan's health concerns to, I would not be able to stop worrying. I mean, breathing, so essential, the most essential of functions, to keep an active life - the very definition of this stage of toddlerhood that Ethan is in. But otherwise little slows Ethan. He is experimenting daily with things he gets away with which he should not. For example, climbing on to the dining chairs, and then on to the dining table. Pushing his toddler chair up to the kitchen counter to help him reach objects we purposely store in high places like the kitchen counter. Sticking his hand in the toilet bowl (he has sort of lost interest in flushing the toilet several times at least). And on and on...
Work is picking up for me, and Kelly and I have a bunch of meetings lined up that will just contribute to that added level of complexity that comes with having to coordinate everything which leaving home with a toddler demands. But time just zips by when we are stretched thin like this.
Ethan starts preschool next week. I start a full week schedule (instead of half days on Wednesdays).
Kelly is looking in to a CME course in June in Vancouver. Maybe we can coordinate our trip to BC then and make for a short vacation to catch up with friends. Long overdue!
Ethan is doing well. Kelly and I should really be taking more videos of him, since he is just developing and changing daily now it seems. Speech is still (always) lagging. This can be frustrating for both parents and Ethan. His wheezing is now a regular occurrence and it is just a matter of time before he is "officially" diagnosed with asthma.
If not for Kelly, who I defer most/all of Ethan's health concerns to, I would not be able to stop worrying. I mean, breathing, so essential, the most essential of functions, to keep an active life - the very definition of this stage of toddlerhood that Ethan is in. But otherwise little slows Ethan. He is experimenting daily with things he gets away with which he should not. For example, climbing on to the dining chairs, and then on to the dining table. Pushing his toddler chair up to the kitchen counter to help him reach objects we purposely store in high places like the kitchen counter. Sticking his hand in the toilet bowl (he has sort of lost interest in flushing the toilet several times at least). And on and on...
Work is picking up for me, and Kelly and I have a bunch of meetings lined up that will just contribute to that added level of complexity that comes with having to coordinate everything which leaving home with a toddler demands. But time just zips by when we are stretched thin like this.
Ethan starts preschool next week. I start a full week schedule (instead of half days on Wednesdays).
Kelly is looking in to a CME course in June in Vancouver. Maybe we can coordinate our trip to BC then and make for a short vacation to catch up with friends. Long overdue!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
All Fun & Games
Immediately after my flight from Las Vegas landed in Atlanta, I was making my way to meet Kelly, Ethan and friends to celebrate Kelly's successful passing of the Pediatrics board exam. Renea (her partner, Richard), Josie (and housemate Sarah), and the Teskes joined us in congratulating Kelly, with dinner at Okinawa in Ellijay. Our party took up an entire (and private) hibachi table/section. The children, Adib and Ethan, were especially interested in the cook and his tricks (and of course the flames!). Ethan kept on repeating, "Wooooooooooooow" albeit he was saying this for everything the cook did, even when the cook was merely cracking an egg.Most of us then returned back to our home for what is quickly becoming a sort of tradition - games and tea and cake!! This night, however, there was another special reason to have cake: it was Sarah's birthday (today)! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Lakhanis Visit
Last weekend the Lakhanis came to visit us. Carmel, Vipul, Kavi and Layli spent the weekend in our home. We took them to downtown Blue Ridge and did a bit of shopping and browsing through the many stores selling local art crafts and furniture, and many antique shops. We went into art gallery stores, fudge shops, and the Great Eats delicatessen for lunch.
Will write more in a separate entry or update this one. For now, I am trying to upload the many pictures we took that weekend. I have run out of space on my Picasa and Flickr accounts, and so I am trying to open a Photobucket account. There are many free photo album sites. Any recommendations? Or, since I am clearly a trigger-happy photo enthusiast, I should just invest in a real (paid-for) account with unlimited space?
Anyways, soon I hope to have these pictures up.
One thing I will say about this past weekend, it was relaxed and so much fun being with our old friends again. And what an adorable - and ALWAYS smiling - lovely baby girl, Layli.
Will write more in a separate entry or update this one. For now, I am trying to upload the many pictures we took that weekend. I have run out of space on my Picasa and Flickr accounts, and so I am trying to open a Photobucket account. There are many free photo album sites. Any recommendations? Or, since I am clearly a trigger-happy photo enthusiast, I should just invest in a real (paid-for) account with unlimited space?
Anyways, soon I hope to have these pictures up.
One thing I will say about this past weekend, it was relaxed and so much fun being with our old friends again. And what an adorable - and ALWAYS smiling - lovely baby girl, Layli.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
NYE With The Teskes
Happy 2008!! We rung in the New Year with our friends, The Teskes. Sevda and Michael graciously hosted dinner prior to (Nineteen Day) Feast.
THANK YOU!!
And when the kids retired for the evening, and our other friends and guests had left also, the few remaining watched a bit of Planet Earth while sipping hot tea and eating chocolates. (Totally laid-back, home-style New Year's). When suddenly, engrossed in a scene of mountain cats and baboons, Orville reminds us it was midnight! Out with the sparkling grape juice, a few toasts, a group photo later, 2008 was officially ushered in. Kelly and I, exhausted as we were then called it a night, but apparently Sevda, Michael and Co. still stayed up to watch Memoires of a Geisha. Ah, good for you guys. We slept the night at the Teskes and are now back at home.
And guess who decided to come back? Sparky!! More later. (Josie, we need the cat food back! Hahaha)
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Holiday Meals With Friends
Josie and Sarah and company invited us to join them in their Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners in their home this year. And so the turkey I had purchased to cook for Thanksgiving - all 18lbs of her - was kept frozen until this past week when Kelly and I offered to host dinner and games at our home.
It was the first time I had ever cooked a whole turkey by myself. With the help of mom's own recipe, and some searching for other "tricks" online, I pulled it off! The bird tasted pretty good! :-D Hahaha... I just wish I had taken a picture of my cooking labour prior to us all digging in.
But here's a picture of our spread after all was had.
And so with this, I would like to return the thanks to Josie and Sarah for making us feel like part of the family, and now, we truly have a family with whom we can play the many games we all enjoy!!! Hahaha.. A sort of belated Happy Thanksgiving in a way.
Here's to many special gatherings together!
Happy 2008 to all.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Jetlagged & Sick
We made it back home! After some 30 hours plus of travel we made it home from Singapore to Blue Ridge. The journey, difficult enough as it is for a single, healthy person, was made that much more daunting for many reasons: (1) Ethan and Kelly were both sick, (2) we lost one seat on the return flights for Ethan and were down to two for the three of us though we paid for three seats, (3) we had 2 huge checked in luggages and 5 (five!) carry-ons (is this even allowed?) plus a stroller, (4) Blue Ridge is still a two hour drive from Atlanta after all those flight hours, and "so on and so forth" :-D
Our colleague, Renea, picked us up from the airport. Luckily she had spoken to our supervisor and colleague, Dr. Tidman, and was told by him that we would be delayed through immigration in Atlanta so to not arrive when our flight arrives but 30 minutes to an hour later. Boy was he right! And we had totally forgotten to remind Renea before we left or even while we were in Singapore that we would be delayed through immigration.
And so, we arrive in Atlanta airport, and are greeted by long lines queueing up for immigration officers. Not surprising, everything takes that much longer in the U.S. and you just can't help but harbour all these negative thoughts and feelings for why the officers take so long to do their job (compared to the many airports we had passed through on this trip in other countries). Lest, finally, it was our turn, and a cue on my passport always signals "special" - for "special registration" that is. And off we were for another hour in a smaller, stuffy room where persons born from certain countries are always detained a bit and screened. Myself, I was born in Iran - probably the *number one* country being flagged these days by the U.S.
But the veteran that I am, now having gone through this NSEERS process half a dozen times or more, I was patient and answered questions briefly and succinctly and in time was granted the stamp I needed to proceed to baggage claim. By the time we had arrived to the carrousels, the place was literally desserted. It had taken that long through immigration for me, that only our lonesomes from our flight of hundreds were left to collect luggage.
And anyone who's flown into Atlanta's Heartsfield-Jackson (??) airport knows how confusing and long the walk from baggage claim to your car can take!!
Alas we meet up with Renea who had been waiting some 30 minutes - though would have been a heck of a lot longer had she not been fortunate enough to speak to Dr. Tidman before picking us up.
Atlanta was 38F, few degrees above freezing. Penang, Malaysia was 32C (90F?). So it was a change to get used to :-P I am the type that enjoys having four seasons. I welcome cool to warm and back, but this was extreme even for my liking.
A 2 hour drive later, and we were home! Lug all our stuff and we were inside our home, but still freezing since we had put our thermostat way down while away. A few hours to warm up the whole house later, then we were fast asleep -- at 4pm! LOL
We awoke at 10:30pm, did some unpacking, ate something, went back to sleep at just past midnight or 1am. Ethan woke up (and so we all did) at 5:30am for good to start our day.
And this patterns has continued for the past couple of days, each getting slightly better and back to our regular cycle though still not right. Two days ago was bed at 6pm instead of 4pm, and waking at 12:30am, back to bed at 2:30am and up at 6am for the day. Last night was bed at 8:30pm, up at 4:00am, and well.. I'm still up and probably will be for the rest of the day today. So sort of getting back to normal, progressing 2 hours a day it seems.
Now it is my turn to be sick. I now have what Ethan and Kelly had the last few days of our trip. Funny, when I am sick and tired, it seems like I just cannot remember the last time I was healthy and without these symptoms. Sniffle, sniffle, cough, cough.
Our colleague, Renea, picked us up from the airport. Luckily she had spoken to our supervisor and colleague, Dr. Tidman, and was told by him that we would be delayed through immigration in Atlanta so to not arrive when our flight arrives but 30 minutes to an hour later. Boy was he right! And we had totally forgotten to remind Renea before we left or even while we were in Singapore that we would be delayed through immigration.
And so, we arrive in Atlanta airport, and are greeted by long lines queueing up for immigration officers. Not surprising, everything takes that much longer in the U.S. and you just can't help but harbour all these negative thoughts and feelings for why the officers take so long to do their job (compared to the many airports we had passed through on this trip in other countries). Lest, finally, it was our turn, and a cue on my passport always signals "special" - for "special registration" that is. And off we were for another hour in a smaller, stuffy room where persons born from certain countries are always detained a bit and screened. Myself, I was born in Iran - probably the *number one* country being flagged these days by the U.S.
But the veteran that I am, now having gone through this NSEERS process half a dozen times or more, I was patient and answered questions briefly and succinctly and in time was granted the stamp I needed to proceed to baggage claim. By the time we had arrived to the carrousels, the place was literally desserted. It had taken that long through immigration for me, that only our lonesomes from our flight of hundreds were left to collect luggage.
And anyone who's flown into Atlanta's Heartsfield-Jackson (??) airport knows how confusing and long the walk from baggage claim to your car can take!!
Alas we meet up with Renea who had been waiting some 30 minutes - though would have been a heck of a lot longer had she not been fortunate enough to speak to Dr. Tidman before picking us up.
Atlanta was 38F, few degrees above freezing. Penang, Malaysia was 32C (90F?). So it was a change to get used to :-P I am the type that enjoys having four seasons. I welcome cool to warm and back, but this was extreme even for my liking.
A 2 hour drive later, and we were home! Lug all our stuff and we were inside our home, but still freezing since we had put our thermostat way down while away. A few hours to warm up the whole house later, then we were fast asleep -- at 4pm! LOL
We awoke at 10:30pm, did some unpacking, ate something, went back to sleep at just past midnight or 1am. Ethan woke up (and so we all did) at 5:30am for good to start our day.
And this patterns has continued for the past couple of days, each getting slightly better and back to our regular cycle though still not right. Two days ago was bed at 6pm instead of 4pm, and waking at 12:30am, back to bed at 2:30am and up at 6am for the day. Last night was bed at 8:30pm, up at 4:00am, and well.. I'm still up and probably will be for the rest of the day today. So sort of getting back to normal, progressing 2 hours a day it seems.
Now it is my turn to be sick. I now have what Ethan and Kelly had the last few days of our trip. Funny, when I am sick and tired, it seems like I just cannot remember the last time I was healthy and without these symptoms. Sniffle, sniffle, cough, cough.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Malaysia
As we did on our '05 trip to Singapore, a major part of our journey was to meet all the relatives on both mom and dad's side of the family, who all live in Malaysia (mostly on the island city of Penang). And so this reunion also, we made our way and met all the uncles and aunts and cousins -- and of course grandparents, Ah Ma and Ah Gong.
A special trip was planned this time (which we did not have time to do in '05) to visit the village in which Ah Ma and Ah Gong live, and where Kelly's mom (and dad) grew up - Pantai Acheh. The journey to this tiny village was arduous, driving through steep mountain passageways, that are both narrow and extremely windy/curvy. Of course this made for some fantastic views of such steep mountain slopes, dressed in dense dense foliage that end only when the land dives into private coves of glassy water. But of course the reason the drive was made that much more difficult was not the mere route we took, but the fact we had a full car load - 7 adults, 3 toddlers. Fun!
And in time, we see the welcome sign to Pantai Acheh, and arrive at a humble home, decorated with lush vegetation and potted plants and flowering trees and shrubs and fruits -- Ah Gong's garden was indeed impressive, of which (no surprise) I admired greatly.
Outside this mountain village home were many fruit trees including one I recognized from my early childhood living in the Philippines -- water apples! The distinctive taste brought back long forgotten memories of the fruit (and climbing the trees) in our home in Cebu. Ah Ma and Kelly's aunts were busy collecting and cleaning the fruits, which were bagged while still on the tree, to prevent from being eaten by the many bugs and insects, but also to aid in their ripening (??).
Inside the home were family portraits and also individual portraits of Kelly's mom's siblings, parents and grandparents (Kelly's great grandparents, Ethan's great great grandparents!~). There was even a picture of Ethan on one cabinet! To think, from "far away" Blue Ridge, Georgia, USA to Pantai Acheh, Penang, Malaysia. I guess there are many evidences these days to show for the "smallness" of our world. But still amazes me.
And so compared to '05 where all I was concerned with was addressing the many relatives by their titles or family positions correctly (in Chinese!), this time around, I really enjoyed myself and evening taking initiative to have photos taken with Kelly's grandparents, and uncles and aunts. I even feel a lot closer to many of them now.
So the 5 day trip (within a trip) to Penang has been the jewel of this vacation. I am glad Ethan got to meet his great grandparents. We were unable though to have a meeting with Kelly's (paternal?) great grand aunt - Kelly's longest living relative, not necessarily by age but by generation. Had we found time to meet, Ethan would have met his great great grand aunt :-D (significant probably only in photo, as Kelly puts it, even she hardly knows her great grand aunt).
A special trip was planned this time (which we did not have time to do in '05) to visit the village in which Ah Ma and Ah Gong live, and where Kelly's mom (and dad) grew up - Pantai Acheh. The journey to this tiny village was arduous, driving through steep mountain passageways, that are both narrow and extremely windy/curvy. Of course this made for some fantastic views of such steep mountain slopes, dressed in dense dense foliage that end only when the land dives into private coves of glassy water. But of course the reason the drive was made that much more difficult was not the mere route we took, but the fact we had a full car load - 7 adults, 3 toddlers. Fun!
And in time, we see the welcome sign to Pantai Acheh, and arrive at a humble home, decorated with lush vegetation and potted plants and flowering trees and shrubs and fruits -- Ah Gong's garden was indeed impressive, of which (no surprise) I admired greatly.
Outside this mountain village home were many fruit trees including one I recognized from my early childhood living in the Philippines -- water apples! The distinctive taste brought back long forgotten memories of the fruit (and climbing the trees) in our home in Cebu. Ah Ma and Kelly's aunts were busy collecting and cleaning the fruits, which were bagged while still on the tree, to prevent from being eaten by the many bugs and insects, but also to aid in their ripening (??).
Inside the home were family portraits and also individual portraits of Kelly's mom's siblings, parents and grandparents (Kelly's great grandparents, Ethan's great great grandparents!~). There was even a picture of Ethan on one cabinet! To think, from "far away" Blue Ridge, Georgia, USA to Pantai Acheh, Penang, Malaysia. I guess there are many evidences these days to show for the "smallness" of our world. But still amazes me.
And so compared to '05 where all I was concerned with was addressing the many relatives by their titles or family positions correctly (in Chinese!), this time around, I really enjoyed myself and evening taking initiative to have photos taken with Kelly's grandparents, and uncles and aunts. I even feel a lot closer to many of them now.
So the 5 day trip (within a trip) to Penang has been the jewel of this vacation. I am glad Ethan got to meet his great grandparents. We were unable though to have a meeting with Kelly's (paternal?) great grand aunt - Kelly's longest living relative, not necessarily by age but by generation. Had we found time to meet, Ethan would have met his great great grand aunt :-D (significant probably only in photo, as Kelly puts it, even she hardly knows her great grand aunt).
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