Things On Our Minds

Sophie, Almost One Year Old

2012-02-08T00:46:00.003-05:00

Sophie is 2 weeks short from turning one year old.
How time flies!
I can still remember the moment when I first held her in my hands, when I met my first-born daughter for the very first time. It was surreal and wonderful.
Now almost a year later, I am here sitting in my room typing this blog, because for the first night in her life, she is sleeping in her own room. I cannot wrap my mind around how fast she has grown. The midnight feeding sessions have now became unnecessary. No more burping after feeding. No more worrying about her suffocating by her blankets and toys while she sleeps. No more turning her head to make sure that her head remains round. No more tummy time or roll overs. She is now an active crawler and an almost-talker.

We've moved to California for a little over a month now. Tim hasn't seen Sophie since the Christmas vacation. I think he's going to be surprised to see how much she has changed when he joins us in 2 weeks.

I hope that Sophie will still love to play with Daddy just like the old days.

Here is to a new year ahead and to new life!

Cheers!

Happy December and Merry Christmas!

2011-12-05T22:41:00.001-05:00

Sophie is 9 months old! Which means, she has already lived through 3/4th of her first year. Time really passes by fast when you watch a child grow. She celebrated her first Thanksgiving with friends and she's about to celebrate her first Christmas with family.
In this season of thanksgiving and celebration, let us remember our Lord Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas!

8 months

2011-11-18T04:47:00.001-05:00

My little Sophie is getting big. She has been wearing 9 months to 12 months clothes these days and they fit her just right. I see her every day that it's hard for me to notice how much she has really grown. To me, she is still that newborn baby I first held in my hands 8 months ago. However, she can do a whole lot more than 8 months ago. Yesterday afternoon, after she woke up from her nap, she called out to me from the bedroom. I ran upstairs to find her sitting up with her blankie still in hand. She gave me a big smile when she saw me. As I put her on my bed, she crawled over to me, put her little head on my chest and then gave me the sweetest hug. I felt so loved by her, and I was sure she knew that I loved her too. She loved to cling on to me these days. She's at that stage where she constantly wants to pull herself up. And what best place to do it than from mommy's body since mommy will protect her from falling if she does stumble, and comfort her when she does fall. As a result, I have to sit with her on her play mat most of her waking hours. She is a good sleeper. She can go to bed around 8 or 8:30 at night with a bottle of milk, usually peacefully without any meltdowns. Then she'll wake up around 5 to drink milk again and then sleep again until 7 am when all of us wake up together to see daddy off to work. Then she takes her first nap around 9, and her second nap at 2 in the afternoon. In between those naps, food and toys are usually the subjects.Last night though, daddy woke up her twice, first time at 9 pm and then again at 11 pm. First time was due to daddy coming home from picking friends up from the airport and then making too much noises around her crib side. Second time was due to daddy taking a super hot shower and the smoke alarm being set off by the steam from the shower. After those two awakenings, she was too riled up. She woke up again at 3 and then was quite energetic. All three of us felt exhausted but unable to sleep. So here I am, typing away on this blog at 5 in the morning. *Shrugged* I am glad I got to update her a little though, because in a little more than a week, she will turn 9 months, right around Thanksgiving. I find it harder and harder to find time for myself these days because I've got an increasingly active and awake baby girl during the day, 7 days a week. This leads to another big news that I'd like to share. We've finally decided to move back to California. My family will be a big help to us, and maybe Tim and I will get a break from time to time so we could go on dates, catch a movie, what not. The terrific weather in California will also give Sophie more chances to go outdoors for fresh air. I think it'll be great for all of us!!! I, personally, am really looking forward to the move, though poor little baby has no clue what's about to happen. Hee heeAnyways, lots of things going on at the end of the year. My update will stop here. It's time for me to catch another hour of sleep before we all wake up again. Ciao!

7 Months

2011-10-07T11:01:00.000-04:00

Sophie grew so much this month. She learned to sit up, crawl forward, called "Dada", feed herself on high chair, as well as stand up in her crib against the railing. It's hard to keep up with this little one these days.

Baby Girl is Sick

2011-09-09T12:23:00.002-04:00

Baby girl is sick for the first time in 6 months. She got her 4 shots during check-up yesterday. This morning when I picked her up I felt her body heated up like a furnace. I quickly measured her temperature, and it was reading at 102.5 F. I gave her 0.4 ml baby Tylenol with milk. She drank some. After a while, I fed her some pear baby food, she ate a pretty good amount of that. Finally she's asleep now and her temperature is lowered due to the effect of the baby Tylenol. This is a nervous experience for me because I've never seen her sick before. She's not acting too differently from her usually self, so for that I'm grateful and a bit relieved.

She is 6 months now, I can't even believe it.
She is starting solids now and is way more responsive and expressive than before. Daddy and Mommy are enjoying her more and more each day.

24 weeks

2011-08-15T10:43:00.002-04:00

Sophie is 24 weeks! She is starting to eat solid food, and she loves it! She not only loves eating solid food, she practically eats everything in sight. ^0^

Toronto

2011-08-05T22:51:00.004-04:00

A weekend ago, we were having a good time in Toronto. I got invited to shoot a 50 year anniversary dinner party up there (pictures will be posted soon on dalingphotography.com), so we spent a few days taking a road trip there. We also stopped by Buffalo, NY on the way and just relaxed in the hotel.

Sophie did really well on this road trip. We were so proud of her. Despite the long hours of driving, she was able to eat and sleep regularly. I even started her on solids during this trip so that she can be entertained a little during her awake hours. We gave her baths in the hotel room sinks, and we let her sleep in the hotel baby cribs. She was okay with everything and it made our job super easy. As a result we were able to relax and enjoy our time together as a family.

This session was shot in Hyatt Downtown Toronto where we were invited to stay before I headed over to shoot the anniversary dinner.
As you can see here, Sophie is recently intrigued by her toes. She was one day from 23 weeks in these pictures. =)

Yes yes, everybody says Daddy and Sophie look alike.

20 weeks

2011-07-19T09:53:00.002-04:00

Sophie is 20 weeks! How time flies. I took her to San Jose to see my parents, grandma and all the relatives for two weeks and had just gotten back to Boston for a week. We had a tun of fun. So many people were coming to see Sophie and to hold her everyday that my job as a mom was really easy. Hehe. Too bad daddy missed us so terribly as he couldn't come with us due to work, but I think we would have had even more fun together had he joined us.

The plane ride with Sophie was relatively easy. She slept almost the whole way there only waking up to feed and to be changed. On the way back, we took a red-eye flight, and she was just completely passed out the whole 5-6 hours. Super!!!

This passed Sunday, we dedicated her to God in front of our church members. It was a joyful occasion knowing that Sophie belongs to God and that He will take care of her all of her life much better than we, humanly parents, can.

She is so smiley everyday that watching her grow is a complete joy!

I love you my dear daughter!

While Sophie Is Sleeping

2011-07-14T13:10:00.002-04:00

What should I write about right now as Sophie is asleep and I have a moment to myself? I want to talk about "hope". Everybody needs some kind of hope to keep them going, especially when times seem mundane and just plain ordinary, when we lose sight of what we're doing because everything seems to be on autopilot mode. I recently experienced this hope-less valley where I became bored with life and where I felt like I'm stuck.

In a way, hope can seem unrealistic and too futuristic to grasp. Hope feel like a childhood dream that will never come true. So why do we hope? I think God not only give us the ability to store memories in our brain where we look to the past to either savor the sweetness of it or to learn from our mistakes and become wiser, but we also have the ability to look forward into the future and to hope. Hope is what keeps everyone going. The hope that tomorrow will be better, the hope that the current situation will change and improve, the hope that in time, some things will finally begin to happen, etc.

Without hope, what's the purpose of living on a day longer? Like my friend who ended his own life recently, he must have felt hopeless in every way.

I hope for many things, and I want to be happy and positive while in waiting. May God grant me the patience too!

I hope that for my future, I will be able to influence people in ways that will give them more hopes and more dreams and thus more positive outlooks towards life!

Death

2011-06-27T17:51:00.000-04:00

Today as I saw the body of a neighbor of ours being carried into a hearse, and his loved ones hugging one another in tears seeing him off, my heart was broken once again as I was holding Sophie in my arms from a walk back home.

Death once again weighed down on me. Just this past weekend, Tim and I learned that a dear friend of ours ended his own life recently. As we are still grieving for that lost, here I am, witnessing another person gone.

What are we to do with our limited time on this earth? May God show me how to live a successful life in His eyes.

Life is short, love the people around you more! Above all, be transformed by the love of Christ and His eternal hope.

16 Weeks

2011-06-27T17:48:00.000-04:00

This week, Sophie's personality is starting to show.
-She likes having her own space sometimes instead of being held.
-She enjoys quietness.
-She likes music.
-She finds nature comforting.
-She likes to smile, a lot! (Even when she had enough milk to drink and I still shove the bottle in her mouth, she would smile to reject, kills me every time!)
-She is very... ... simply put, Sophie! ^_^

Week 14

2011-06-07T18:47:00.001-04:00

Today's weather is probably THE nicest in the history of Boston.
Sophie went for a photo shoot with Uncle Howard in the park. Yes, Uncle Howard is visiting, and they seem to have so much to say to one another. It's great!

Ok, enough playing, time to go home.

13 Weeks

2011-06-03T23:20:00.001-04:00

Summer is officially here this week, though we had tornado 2 nights ago. It was quite scary with the lightning and thunder. The temperature remains hot however, which is a nice change from the icy winter.
Sophie was born on a snowy day. She doesn't like summer too much yet. She is more used to being bundled up and swaddled, but now with the summer clothes, she feels a bit...naked. One thing she overcame though, and that is bathes. She's no longer afraid of getting into the bath water because the temperature difference is not that huge compare to in the winter time.
She is getting big and more plumped for sure. I love the way she is now even though I also miss that newborn face.

This week, she has started trying to sit up on her own. It's super cute to see her struggle with the little body she has. I really want to jump in and help, but I know there are going to be many things in life which she will have to figure out on her own. Sorry baby, mommy loves you very very much!

12 Weeks

2011-05-28T23:35:00.002-04:00

Today we went to visit a newborn baby born to our church friends just 3 days ago. She is so tiny and so delicate, Sophie in comparison with her is like a giant. Seeing the newborn baby brought back the images of Sophie when I first held her in my arms at the hospital. She is growing up so fast. I cannot believe it. Seeing her everyday makes it difficult to detect how much bigger she's getting. To me she's still the tiny baby I first saw, but apparently it's not the case anymore. She's now a 3 months old baby.

This is 1 day old Sophie...

and then now...

Combination

2011-05-23T18:15:00.002-04:00

I believe these pictures were taken on the day of Tim's and my 4 year anniversary (May, 5th). Yup yup~! Sophie was 9 weeks at the time. Sorry for going backwards.

Love her smile

and her wink~!

and the way she stretches

At the restaurant that day before we enjoyed our anniversary meal.

These pictures below were taken when Sophie was 11 weeks old

Baby and baby

Lovvve her chubby cheeks

Sophie the boss! Hee hee

11 Weeks | My Developing Skills

2011-05-23T11:43:00.000-04:00

It's so rewarding to see Sophie develop little by little. She has acquired several new skills and is more alert and able o focus better and better. I'm so proud of her.

11 Weeks | Talking With Daddy

2011-05-16T17:27:00.004-04:00

She's a bundle of fun. She knows our voices, she can talk to us...at 11 weeks. I thought that was a pretty incredible moment in daddy and mommy's life. (Just remember to turn up the volume on your speakers for this one ^_~)

My First Mother's Day

2011-05-09T13:49:00.001-04:00

Sunday was my first Mother's Day. We took Sophie to church. She turned 10 weeks!
Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. I love being Sophie's mommy!

Mother and Daughter

2011-05-03T09:26:00.001-04:00

Since giving birth to Sophie, I hadn't had any decent photos with her. Being the photographer of the house gives you this disadvantage. So upon request, over and over again, I finally got Tim to take some photos of us at the park. He did a great job! The overcast lighting was perfect that afternoon for photo shoot. Sophie was happy and alert. She turned 9 full weeks that day! (April 30th, 2010)

It was still quite chilli outside, so I kept her blanket on. Her pink outfit was a present from my bestfriend, Emi.

9th Week

2011-04-26T19:20:00.001-04:00

The weather today is gorgeous! I took Sophie out for a long stroll. The flowers outside our apartment complexes are blooming. Signs of spring finally reached Boston.
Sophie was pretty alert for the first half of the stroll, at least when I was taking pictures of her in the very beginning.

"Mommy? What are you doing with that big, clumsy SLR?"

After we came home, we had another photo session with her on the newborn lounger.

I love it that she has way more expressions now than just a week ago.

She's just a very happy baby in general. Her spirit lifts me up as I am around her all day long. I am so thankful to God for such a baby like her.
This video was taken this morning as I turned on the musical mobile over her crib. She actually followed the spinning flowers with her eyes and smiled very very big!
Like Tim says on a daily basis and here I say it too, "I love her!"

Nap With Daddy

2011-04-20T15:50:00.001-04:00

This is Sophie spending the afternoon with Daddy last weekend like every other weekend.
She is so happy to bond with Daddy on his day off.

(Week 7)

She looks so cute in every picture, I cannot decide which ones to choose, so I just put them all up. I know I know... I am completely bias thinking that she's totally awesome and adorable. I am her mother, what can I say?

Mickey

2011-04-19T16:26:00.001-04:00

This morning before bringing Sophie outside, I put a thicker outfit on her that has Mickey Mouse patterns on it. I murmured, "Mickey, Sophie!" Sophie smiled at me. After that, I kept repeating, "Mickey", and she kept smiling at me in response.
I captured 3 clips in a roll.

Enjoy!

Glued On To Daddy

2011-04-14T11:05:00.001-04:00

"When daddy gets off from work on weekday nights or on weekends, he just couldn't put me down. I'm usually glued onto daddy like this. He's so warm and cuddly, I can sleep and feel safe in his arms."

Sitting Up

2011-04-13T19:44:00.001-04:00

"I can sit up by myself! My neck is getting stronger, that's why." =P
"Do I look cute or what?"

7th Week

2011-04-10T12:10:00.001-04:00

The weather is gorgeous outside. It's another Sunday, Sophie's 7th Sunday since she came into the world. As she rests in the newborn lounger looking out the window to a world still unknown, "when can I go out for a stroll," she thought to herself?
I put on Schumann Piano Quintet in E Major, Op. 47 for her as she enjoys her time of peace and quiet as I do at the same time. ^^

Firsts

2011-04-08T19:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Sophie had her two month checkup. She is nearly 8.5 lbs!!! Almost doubling in weight since birth. It made all of us (parents and grandparents) so happy!
"Way to go Sophie! Sorry you had to get a shot, I know it was painful, but you were so brave!"

Yesterday was also Sophie's first time going to a restaurant. She slept in the car-seat, which was on the dining chair next to daddy and mommy. Though we rushed through the meal, it was very memorable.

(Week 6)

Grandma Left

2011-04-06T17:00:00.001-04:00

My mom left this afternoon to go back to my dad after 5 weeks of being here with us.
She did a lot while she was here.
Her daily chores include:
-making sure I get fed well
-making sure Tim gets fed well
-making sure I get my sleep during the day
-hand-washing all of Sophie's clothing
-holding Sophie from time to time
-swaddling Sophie very tightly and warmly
-entertaining Sophie when she didn't want to sleep but I did
-giving Sophie baths
-and much more...

I really appreciated her being here, not only helping us out, but sleeping in the living room for a whole 5 weeks, being away from my dad this whole time, and doing so much behind the scene when I was too tired to even notice.

This afternoon, after saying goodbye to her at the airport and coming back home, I felt anxious all of the sudden. I thought to myself, "She's gone! What do I do now?" I began to panic a little while Sophie woke up from her car ride and started to cry wanting to get out from her car seat. While trying to calm her down and giving her milk, the house felt so silent. It'll take me time to get use to being by myself all over again, this time with the baby outside of me instead of inside.

May God grant me strength and wisdom! I want to treasure all these precious milestones of motherhood and one day being able to look back with pleasure.

Hanging On

2011-04-02T21:17:00.002-04:00

Last night, while Sophie was being held, she grabbed on to Tim's shirt with all her might with both hands. Maybe she was afraid that daddy might somehow drop her?
Tim asked me if we're like that in God's eyes. We struggle in the safety of His hands thinking that we're still not safe enough. We use our finite knowledge to grab on to something that will not save us, but we loose sight of the One who can truly protect us from danger and harm.

Thank you God for being our Father who loves us like no others can.

My Little Conductor

2011-03-31T18:02:00.000-04:00

Today is the last day of March. In Chinese tradition, Sophie is 满月 (full month) today! My dad already gave Chinese pastries to relatives and friends in San Jose celebrating this event. I don't really know the significance to this day, but in China, we would be throwing banquets right now for this month-old baby.
She coughed on cue today, with both hands, like a conductor. I thought it was super hilarious, and at the same time I am glad that she's got rhythm! ^^

4th Week

2011-03-30T18:19:00.002-04:00

iPhone photos and videos:
March 24th (26 days): "hiccuping is my daily exercise, even before I came out of mommy's tummy!"

March 28th, (30 days): "I met my bunny blankie for the first time today."

"Let's be friends!"

March 30th, (32 days):
"I am waiting to be fed. Hurry up mom!"

3rd Week

2011-03-24T17:38:00.000-04:00

Sophie during this stage of life simply eats and sleeps. She is a really easy baby to take care of. We're very blessed parents to have her as our first child knowing nothing about parenting and all.

17 days old, she dreams in her sleep while waving her hands around.

20 days old, and yes, she's sleeping in this picture too. ^^

15 Days Old

2011-03-13T19:35:00.000-04:00

It was nice to spend the weekend as a family taking naps in between feeding and changing diapers. This is the new life we have as parents. What did we do before? We'd watch sports on TV and cook yummy food. But now? Now everything has changed. It's a good change, because we have a new member of the family now, and we have to learn to give love to a little being unconditionally. Tim says it's like we're getting a glimpse of what God has to do to put up with us. Yet He loves us wholeheartedly and unconditionally.

Who do you think Sophie resembles more right now? Personally, I vote for daddy. ^^

10 Days Old

2011-03-09T14:21:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I really can't figure out what her little mind must be going through.

8 Days Old

2011-03-09T14:13:00.000-05:00

Sophie playing (unconsciously) with daddy before his paternity leave is up. T_T I think I miss my husband more than Sophie misses her daddy. ^^

Today she's 8 days old.

Introducing A New Member of Our Family!

2011-03-09T14:04:00.000-05:00

Sophie Amelia 恩悅 is born!!!
She came early. Her original due date was March 15th. Technically, she's suppose to be in my belly still. However, she came on February 26th at 4:59 PM.

We're so happy to have her with us. I can't believe something that small has everything required to be a human being. I'm amazed at God's wonderful creation.

This set is taken on her 6th day after birth.
More photos will come as the craziness in this household settle down, hopefully ^^~!

20 More Days

2011-02-24T06:54:00.004-05:00

Last entry I was still talking about packing up my bag for the hospital...I almost had Sophie 5 days ago.

Well, I went in for my 36 weeks and 3 days ultrasound, and they found out that baby is on the smaller side and my amniotic fluids are on the lower side. The overseeing doctor there was going to have me do an amniocentesis procedure to test if Sophie's lunges are developed enough for an induction that night.

I was freaking out not knowing what to think at that moment as I was not at all prepared to go into labor so soon. I called Tim at work sounding like I was about to break down. He quickly left what he was doing and rushed to the hospital to join me.

Long story short. We were one signature away from having Sophie that night. Thanks to Tim who suggested that I called a good friend of ours from church who's a doctor specializing in OB/Gyn. Tim also stood by me and helped me refuse to sign for an go-ahead for the amniocentesis.

Afterward, I was sent to the Labor and Delivery floor for a Non Stress Test. My own OB/Gyn came to see me during that time and talked to Tim and I for a bit. The NST came out looking really good. Sophie was moving and active. Induction wasn't a necessity at the moment according to my doctor. We were sent home that night safe and sound (despite the thunder and lightning that happened right when we were driving home, which intensified the drama a bit).

Since then, I was suppose to go in the hospital for a Non Stress Test everyday for a week until I could get another ultrasound. However, I've only done one other one on Monday, and the result was still exceptionally great. They didn't even bother making me go in anymore.

Today I am having an ultrasound. We'll see how everything goes. The good things we could take from this scare are that:
-My bag is packed! So I am ready to go anytime!
-Our hearts are definitely more prepared now than ever before to see Sophie soon.
-We learned to say "no"!!! And it did wonders!
-Sophie's termed this week (full 37 weeks and 2 days), so her lunges are definitely fine even if she came out today.
Last but not least:
-GOD IS IN CONTROL!!!

***************************************

I made some decorations for Sophie's little corner (more to come). We didn't get the condo that we put an offer in (see previous entry). So for now, she doesn't have her own room yet, but I hope she'll find her little corner cozy and soothing.

On the other note, I really hope the ultrasound technician saw it right, and that the baby inside is indeed a girl. Or else I'd feel so disappointed if all these girlie, pinkish things go to waste. Also we'd have to think of another name for...him...
So fingers crossed!!!

25 Days

2011-02-18T04:22:00.001-05:00

Two days ago, when I was talking to one of my piano students' mom, she reminded me that I should start packing for the hospital. I guess I haven't really done anything in preparation for labor. I've just assumed that Sophie is going to arrive late. Why? I don't really know. I even told my mom to fly here 2 days after the due date so that she wouldn't have to sleep in the living room at our one bedroom place longer than she'd have to.
One thing I keep forgetting is that February is a short month, and March will come earlier than I think.

Today is an exciting day. We've put down our first offer for a condo in the city yesterday afternoon. Today at 6:00 PM we are going to hear back from the seller whether they'll accept our offer or not. Tim and I are pretty excited about it, but at the same time we know that there's a chance we won't get the place because of the high demands for city condos in Boston. We also know that everything is in God's hand. He will give us what's best. So if this condo is not it, then may He grant us the patience and peace for our continuing journey of house hunting.

Wish us luck...!

Oh, and today I will get to see Sophie again through ultrasound in the afternoon. Can't wait. ^^

35 Days

2011-02-08T10:07:00.000-05:00

35 days and counting down to Sophie's birth. Time seems to fly in this stage of pregnancy. For now, I must go see my OB/Gyn every week until due date. Tim and I went to birthing class last Saturday from 8:30 to 3:00. It was tiring, but we learned many valuable information about the birthing process (natural and c-section), the hospital facility and staff...

We're also hunting for houses around the area recently. For now, we're living in a one bedroom apartment, which our expanding family will soon outgrow. No luck so far though. Some houses we want to see have already accepted offers before we have a chance to view them. We thought there must be less people looking for houses in the snowy winter, and therefore leaving us with more options to choose from. We were wrong. 80% or more of the houses we like are already under contract. House hunting is definitely stressful, and it also comes with many disappointments. I know that God is in control, and He will prepare something suitable for us. However, being a human, it's just hard sometimes to obey and be patient. I hope I won't get desperate and settle for something random. No matter what, purchasing a house is a very big decision. Patience is a must! May God grant me just that.

50 Days

2011-01-24T09:12:00.000-05:00

Sophie is due in another 50 days according to my pregnancy calendar.
She is pretty active these days getting so big and all. Sometimes I suspect that she might be dancing in there, especially after meals or when I play piano for her. One day Tim put his ear on my belly and he could hear her heart beating so clearly. It was amazing! I'll get to see her again in a week when I go for my 34 week ultrasound. I wonder what she looks like now.
My parents and Tim's parents are getting super excited too. My mom is preparing all these Chinese herbs and dried fruits for me to have during the month after labor. In Chinese, we called it 做月子 where, for the whole month after labor, the new mother has to stick with a specific kind of diet in order to speed up recovery, enhance milk production, and replenish nutrients back to the body from what it has lost for the baby. Maybe that's why Asian women age slower? I am not sure, but this process is really important for the Chinese, and it apparently works wonders.
For Tim's parents, they purchased lots of baby clothes for Sophie from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, and are sending them to us soon.
As our little family expands, so is the love within the bigger family. We feel truly blessed by our parents and their love for us and this new member who's about to join. ^^
On the same note, we feel really blessed by our church community, our home away from home. The support and encouragement we get from these lovely brothers and sisters in Christ is like food to our soul. Sophie even has a doctor, a close church friend of ours, already waiting for her once she comes out. God prepared everything for us so perfectly, we cannot ask for more. Thanks be to God!

Winter Is Upon Us

2010-12-12T15:45:00.000-05:00

It has been raining all day today. The sun hid its face behind the thick, gray clouds in the sky. My mood is, a little bit of melancholy and a lot of tiredness. As I am entering the 3rd trimester of my pregnancy, the tiredness aspect came back from the 1st trimester. I could seriously sleep 10 hours a day and still feel like I need rest.

Today I barely woke up for church. Somehow, I managed to keep myself awake during service by taking lots of notes. Right after the service was over, I turned to Tim and asked if we could go home right away and not stay for lunch. My whole body felt like shutting down. Every bone in my body felt loose, and all the muscles started being sore. I LONGED for a nap right there right then.

Wow, I thought to myself, this next 3 months is going to be very interesting. I will probably try to get all the sleep I can get now before Sophie comes into the world. But as I look at her through an ultrasonography at week 26, my heart is filled with joy and gratefulness. She's my baby girl, a gift from God.

So cruel Boston winter, you just bring it on!

Challenge

2010-12-09T08:30:00.003-05:00

I worked in downtown crossing in Boston now, and daily I see homeless people holding their cups on the street. My instinct tells me to avoid eye contact and look away so I do not engage in a conversation or feel the urge to take money out of my wallet. Yes, it's selfish and heartless, but I justified it as a norm. Recently, I begin to notice the same reaction from the beggars, and often times they do not say a word to me. As they stand in the cold, they fear the rejection of the people the see daily, and holding the cup is the perhaps the last thing they want to do. In a city where people mind their own business, I have been consume with the idea that my life is about me. About my own community and fellowship, and ignoring is ok. In today's church devotion, it reminded me that these are the people Christ came and die for, and they are my brothers and sisters awaitin for he same redemption and healing. The least I can do is give a smile, but yet the self protection instinct does not even allow room in my heart to give that. It's a shame I call myself a Christian, because the selfish me cannot love.
I'm wearing a nice Hugo Boss suit sipping away at my Starbucks typing this, as I wait for my interview with Citi group in 20 mins. The joke is really on me, as I feel so empty. I live in a world full of success and wealth, and that strive has become the norm. Selfishness is the norm. And I do nothing to contribute to the whole purpose of my existence. Jesus did not come to be CEO, and I live claiming his grace and love, while turning away daily from opportunities to love and touch lives, to validate the existence of hurting individuals, brother and sisters, people whom Jesus loved so dearly that he came as one of them, to die and redeem.
Create in me a pure heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Forgive me once more.

Our Very First Live Tree for Christmas

2010-12-05T13:24:00.002-05:00

We're so excited to display our very first live Christmas tree this year!
We got what is called Douglas Fir. It is 7 feet tall, and it is supposedly the best smelling kind out there according to the man who helped us tie the tree onto the car.
We spent the whole evening on Saturday decorating it. The joy of having something so large and living (and smells great) inside the house creates this indescribably cozy atmosphere.
Maybe it's because it is our very first real tree ever, that we're super hyped up about it. Thank God for the abundance of life and the little joyous moments like these we have in our home.

Cheers!

24 weeks

2010-11-29T14:36:00.001-05:00

Tim was handling my camera during Emi's wedding. It was hard to wear a big SLR on the neck that dangled on my belly every step I take.

I really like these two shots. He's getting good. What do you think?

Tummy Growing

2010-11-26T17:48:00.001-05:00

I am happy to tell you that I am pregnant! God has blessed Tim and I with a girl. She just passed 24 weeks.
I had a hard time telling people the good news earlier on because I was afraid that it'd be the same as last time. The first 12 weeks was very nerve-wracking for both Tim and I. At the 12 week ultrasound, we were so nervous we could pee our pants. Is the baby alive? Will there be a heartbeat? What if it's like last time... ?
God's been teaching us a lot through this pregnancy. We also found a great church community during this process. Our small group has 4 medical doctors and many young children as well as a couple who's also expecting. God taught us to trust Him, even though sometimes we're extremely doubtful. God showed us that He's merciful and kind, and that He does give us many blessings.

On the weekend before Thanksgiving, Tim and I took a trip to California where we attended our friend Emi's wedding in Costa Mesa (pictures to come soon!); we also got to see many friends and spent time with my family in Northern California. It may be our last long distant vacation before the baby arrives. We treasured every moment of it. I got a lot of tummy rub this trip, and many people felt the baby kick too. So awesome! Way to go baby!
Seeing my stomach drastically growing within the past week really assured me that the baby is indeed growing. We all can't wait to meet her in March, which is coming in a blink of an eye. Everyone in my family is going to upgrade (my mom and dad to grandma and grandpa, my grandma to great-grandma, etc.), since this baby is the first in the family.

I am grateful, extremely grateful for this gift of life. If my miscarriage from last year taught me anything, it'd be that God is the creator of life, not Tim or me. Thanks be to God on this Thanksgiving weekend!

TD Bank

2010-11-10T10:03:00.001-05:00

This is what Tim and I were on Halloween. TD Bank ATM machines for [T]im and [D]ali.
I made the costumes out of felts. They took me a whole afternoon and evening. It was worth it though. We had a costume party with our church, and our costumes got honorable mention. I even made our own money to go with our own ATM machines.

Loving God

2010-10-04T14:08:00.000-04:00

Tim and I attended the membership class hosted by our church pastor yesterday. While telling us how great and vibrant this church is, Pastor Josh reminded us that rather to identify ourselves with the church like a "brand", which we tend to do, we should put our focus on God instead.
No doubt that this church is a great one: energetic, friendly, solid in its teaching and community centered. We hope that it will push us closer to God ultimately.

This is my thought of the day. Hehe.

Highrock Brookline

2010-09-21T11:23:00.000-04:00

Our church just started a new series called Community. Everyday our members receives a devotional reading and reflection through the church blog.
http://highrockbrooklinecommunity.wordpress.com/

Feel free to check it out.

半天

2010-09-10T14:29:00.000-04:00

陳達理，加油！星期六馬上就到了。

Recent Thoughts

2010-09-07T13:52:00.001-04:00

Fall is here. Yesterday morning (Labor Day), Tim and I woke up to the fresh, crisp, chilly air sipping in through our cracked open bedroom windows. A whole summer of almost nothing but 90 Fahrenheit and above was pretty memorable, not entirely in a good way.

We spent the day playing Mario Brothers on Wii, going for walks, meeting up with some friends as well as sharing meals with each other. I enjoy our simple days in Boston. As much as it not being our favorite city, we have spent 3 good years here already.

It is the city where we began our lives as husband and wife.
It was the place where we lost our first child; his/her resting place, provided by the hospital where the research was done after its death, is in St. Joseph Cemetery, on the same street where we are living.

Very often, we pass by the green lawn area at the entrance of the cemetery on our way to different places, we would call, "baby..." out loud. We feel extremely comforted and at the same time grateful for the hospital for their act of humaneness. Tim once said to me that even though we couldn't afford to buy a house in Boston, at least we have a tiny plot of land that has part of us in it.

Many people think that if the next pregnancy succeeds, than this child will be in replacement of the first one that was lost; and that our lost would cancel with our gain. That's not true at all if you have experience miscarriage yourself. It's not to say that I am still living in the shadow and unwilling to get out. No, by the grace and power of God, He has healed my heart and sealed my wounds. However, avoiding talking or thinking about the tragedies that happened in our lives is not the best thing to do. It only creates a hidden wound that will rot and ache silently, and it will never get the chance to seal up. As a result, one will find other things to fill that open wound: entertainment, noise, tasks, responsibilities... but ultimately, misery will arise, and one will feel more and more empty because after a long while, one will not remember why all this busyness, and why all this emptiness.

Through this tragedy, and by the love of God. I've learned to embrace it, and make it a part of me and who I am as of today.

Right after my miscarriage, I called my best friend from California. It was 3 AM for her and 7AM for me. That morning was the day after the bad news. Tim had gone to work in total despair and I was extremely alone and scared. My best friend wept with me on the phone. Occasionally, I would wail on top of my lunges, and she stayed patiently on the other side of the phone weeping softly.

That phone call was the starting point of my healing.

After that, my mom flew in from California, my friends came to see me and bring me food and flowers, people wrote emails and made calls to show their sympathy, church ladies prayed for me during Bible study meetings.

All this love and support prevented me from shutting myself out. I was open to conversations in regards to this specific topic. I was willing to share my experience with others, especially those who were going through the same thing. I was free to admit that at times I felt sad and disappointed, and this feeling was reoccurring and there was no way I could control it. I was also honest to admit that sometimes I felt jealous about other mothers and their cute babies.

I am simply a human being.

Even though this event was not the highlight of our three years here in Boston, but it is definitely one of the most memorable and important one ever. Who knows, it might just be the highlight of our time here in God's eyes. Because of it, Tim and I learned the preciousness of life; God is the giver and creator of life, not us. We learned to love each other even more than before, our love has deepened from sharing joy and happiness to going through the valley of shadow of death. We learned to treasure each other and the partnership which God bestowed on us with the seal of our marriage. We learned to trust God more after realizing how fragile and powerless we really are. We thought was could control our own lives, but we really can't control anything, even the falling of our hairs from our heads.

I want to share this with my blog readers because I know that none of us have a perfect and trouble-free life. I want to encourage you to embrace the life experiences that make up who you are, whether they be good or bad. Don't be afraid to open up, you'll be surprised how many people share your pain and understand what you're going through. Mostly importantly, don't fill your life with busyness and noise just to block out the pain that's there hidden underneath your throbbing heart.
If you feel alone and scared, call out to Jesus. He can save your life and your soul.

Through the whole last year and this year, I ask one thing from Jesus, "Have mercy on me, oh Lord!"

"Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23

Tim's Peking Duck

2010-08-30T09:28:00.000-04:00

On Friday, Tim brought home a duck from Chinatown. The whole day Saturday he worked on it according to a recipe he found online. It turned out to be a success. But I must say, the whole process took many hours. We also went all over town to find the proper tools and cookwares for the duck. Haha, it was fun. When the duck was being roasted, the whole house smelled so good. After we finished all the duck meat, Tim used the leftover bones to make a duck broth. So yummy. My husband is turning out to be quite a chef. ^^

My Suprise of the Day

2010-08-26T14:19:00.000-04:00

Tim is a sweet husband, that's all. ^^

Green Mountain, Vermont

2010-08-25T15:54:00.001-04:00

Saturday came around, Tim and I woke up super early for some strange reason, and we headed over to IHOP for breakfast. After three hours of doing nothing in particular, the time was only 10 AM. I suggested to Tim that we should do something. And our last minute decision was to Green Mountains, Vermont out of total randomness. So off we went.

It was the last weekend of summer. There weren't many tourists anymore. The whole mountain was very quiet and serene. We just drove through the mountains and stopped whenever we wanted. No plans, purely trying to enjoy nature.

We came to this small State Park (forgot the name), and as soon as we went inside, we were utterly and completely taken over by the void of noises. No humans were there except the two of us. Not a single noise was heard besides chirping from the birds. At that moment, I realized why we need to retreat from daily life. Because these moments of silence bring us back to what our first love is or should be —— God, and not the world.

We filled our world with noises. AC, fridge, computer, TV, mp3, traffic... We tuned out to these noises, but they still exist everywhere. But being in the mountains was different. The real silence and tranquility was finally found.

We didn't talk much until we came to a little town. We didn't want to disturb the crazy silence. It was crazy indeed, I wasn't used to it. It made me want to fall asleep but at the same time it made me want to take a deep breath and be wide awake to enjoy every moment of this calmness.

Out trip was refreshing, energizing and peaceful. And that's how we roll.

Back from LA

2010-07-25T22:30:00.002-04:00

I took a three day trip to LA for a wedding shoot in Temecula, CA. The shoot lasted from 12 noon until 10:30 at night. I couldn't sleep the night before in the hotel plus the fact that I started my trip that morning around 3 am Pacific time. Boy was I exhausted by the end of the day. Luckily I got lots of help and care from some dear friends who were in the wedding. Praise God for them!

On the day heading for home, I shot a short engagement session in Irvine, CA before rushing to the airport. I took a red-eye and was in the middle seat on the plane. Though I tried to sleep most of the flight, I did manage to make conversations with a mother-daughter duo sitting on both sides of me. Turns out that the Caucasian mother adopted the Chinese daughter from Shanghai when she was six weeks old. Now the girl is already a senior in high school, and the purpose of their trip is to visit some universities in Boston since the mother is a BU alumni herself.

I was really touched by their story knowing that the only-child policy in China has caused many infant girls' deaths or abandonment. http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/

At the same time, I felt extremely blessed to be born into a Chinese family that fears God and loves life. Sadly, I don't have any siblings because of the only-child policy, and my children-to-come will not have uncles or aunts from my side.

Anyways, I had a great trip overall seeing good friends in LA. Pictures to come: dalingphotography, in a few days. ^_~

Weekend at Plymouth

2010-07-07T20:20:00.000-04:00

It was a hot day, so so hot. In fact, the heat wave is hitting Massachusetts for a whole week now. Summer is definitely here, and I want to remember how this feels like before the harsh 6-months-long winter hits again.

We went to see the replica of the Mayflower ship that sailed from England in the 1600's. It was smaller than I have imagined, but it was probably humongous for the people back then.

Anyways, just a picture of us. ^_^ Happy July!

Tim @ Lover's Point

2010-06-24T09:23:00.000-04:00

Tim and I went back to California for a week at the end of May and beginning of June. Together with my family and my cousin's family, we went to Lover's Point, Monterey during Memorial Day this year. Tim took over the camera and got some really awesome shots.

Don't you agree?

This one is my all-time favorite.

Puccini

2010-06-15T11:51:00.000-04:00

Currently listening to Puccini's La Bohème.

Tornado Warning

2010-06-07T22:32:00.000-04:00

I just came back from California. Tim and I shot a wedding in Coalinga, CA last weekend. For pictures, please check out my photo blog at {www.dalingphotography.com}. We also got to stay with my parents for a week in San Jose. I got to see Tabby my little niece. It was so much fun.

When we came back, the weather was weird: wet, cold, windy, cloudy... We stayed indoors all weekend because of a tornado warning. It was totally different from the California sunshine that we got a few days ago.

But thank God that we're safe. That's all that matters.

多活我两岁

2010-05-24T08:12:00.001-04:00

多活了两岁，多学了两年的人生功课，多见了两年的人，多看了两年的事物。。。难怪多了两年的知识，多了两年的学问呐。。。

此人是谁？他就是我的老公。最近我们的生活里多了一些烦杂事，我和他处理的方法有异。我们感性地争论，也理性地讨论。。。但是最终当事情解决后，我才诚恳地认为还是他的处理方法比较好。

他说是因为他多犯了两年的错才学来的。也许吧！俗话说，吃一堑，长一智。
汉典的解释：

【拼音】chī yī qiàn，zhǎng yī zhì

【zdic.net 漢典网】

【解释】堑：壕沟，比喻困难、挫折。受一次挫折，增长一分见识。

【出处】明·王阳明《与薛尚谦书》：“经一蹶者长一智，今日之失，未必不为后日之得。”

【近义词】失败乃成功之母、上当学乖

【反义词】重蹈覆辙

【语法】复句式；作主语、谓语、分句；用于总结经验教训

神设定的婚姻就是这样吧。夫妻互相学习，彼此检讨。在摩擦中成长，在合一中幸福。世上比这种关系更亲密的也只有和神的关系了吧。

Tim's Artwork

2010-05-18T11:26:00.000-04:00

Tim brought this seashell and the rock home from the beach we went to on our anniversary in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard. He said that the rock was a gorgeous purple when he found it in the sand, but since it's dried, the color has faded. He also made a pressed coin from the penny machine. When he got home, he designed and made this souvenir all by himself.

How's that for creativity? Pretty neat right?

Love Is

2010-05-11T15:35:00.001-04:00

"Love is an activity, not a passive affect; it is a 'standing in,' not a 'falling for.' In the most general way, the active character of love can be described by stating that love is primarily giving, not receiving."

~ by Erich Fromm in The Art of Loving

Celebrating 3 Years!

2010-05-06T09:55:00.002-04:00

On May 5, 2007, Tim and I got married in San Jose, CA. Fast forward to 3 years later. We're in Boston, MA. A lot has happened during these three years. We're thankful for where God has brought us and what He's been doing in our lives and our little family.

To celebrate this special occasion, Tim took me to Martha's Vineyard. It's an island on the Atlantic, one hour ferry ride from the Cape, which is the tip of Massachusetts mainland.

We couldn't asked for a more gorgeous day in New England. Everyone, even the newscasters said that 5.5.2010 was THE nicest day ever. Praise God for the weather!

We started off from Woods Hole, the Steamship Authority in the Cape where we took the ferry to Martha's Vineyard.

Looking down from the ferry leaving Woods Hole

Arriving at Vineyard Haven

As soon as we got off the ferry, we rented a moppet and rode around town.
After lunch, we went to Edgartown where we found this cute little lighthouse.

Tim took this one

Since the tourism season hasn't started yet, we were the few that were there on that day. The beach was quite, the water was pristine. We spent hours relaxing by the sand and collecting seashells. Nobody else was insight and therefore no other noise besides the crashing waves we heard. It was the perfect day at a perfect place for us.

Tim found this broken seashell that he admired for a long white. He told me that this reminds him of how we're all broken as humans, but we're still intricately created by the Creator. We're beautiful in His eyes despite our brokenness, because He knows us inside and out. All we need to do is trust Him, trust the One who created us.

The wind was starting to pick up, so we left the beach after many noticed hours had passed by. We went into the town center and sat down for a cup of tea and a cup of little sweets.

Our celebration was very quite, and we loved every moment of it. May God be the center of our marriage, always.

Water

2010-05-04T10:04:00.001-04:00

For the past few days, we didn't have clean water. A pipe burst caused the tap water system to be contaminated. The government advised us to not drink from the contaminated water, even to brush teeth with it is a no no. Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and similar coffee shops were all closed in the area. People with caffeine withdrawal are complaining everywhere on the Twit and on Facebook. They gave us temporary water from the reservoirs that are untreated with micro organisms swimming in it. When I took shower I feel itchy all over afterward.

Come to think of this incident, I can't fathom the deprivation of clean water, and what it must be like for people who are without it all year round. God gave us clean and free water to begin with. Humans now have to pay money to have clean water.

Sometimes I think that this world is really a joke. When our basic necessities are at stake, survival becomes the most important thing. That's why you see people fighting for bottled waters at the supermarket, stocking up for themselves. Job, education, entertainment... become secondary. After all, can a starved man still have the brain power to study and memorize? Can a severely thirsty man work? Does a hungry and thirsty man want to be entertained in any way?

God is merciful to us. If He decides to take it all away from us, we'd be doomed. Actually we wouldn't be doomed...

We'd just be dead!

包餃子了

2010-04-14T08:11:00.001-04:00

Dumpling dumpling, my favorite thing to make. I don't make them too often because it's just too much work, =) but I did last night and we truly had a blast. Tim and I ate 3 plates full and still had another big lunch box left for his work today.

Sometimes it's these simplest things in life that make us content. I feel so blessed right now, to be able to taste, smell, see, and love.

So I cooked the dumplings in two ways. Pan fry vs. water boiled. Which is better? According to Tim, he said, "I love BOTH!" =) And that's all I need to know.

Mom Is Loved by Father

2010-03-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

Mom is loved by Father,
When she forgot to turn off the stove in the kitchen one time and left it for 12 hours, the house didn't burn down, and the stew that she was cooking was not burnt.

Mom is loved by Father,
When she left the garage door remote on top of the car trunk one time and drove all the way to work. It was still sitting on top of the car trunk when she found it after work.

Mom is loved by Father,
When her biggest wish during this trip was to see snowfall, (because she's never seen snowfall in her entire life), she saw snowfall, at the end of March, for 2 hours, in a 40 degree, sunny day.

Mom is loved by Father,
When she lost her cell phone yesterday and was convinced that she had only put it in her jacket pocket and that it must have slipped off when we had our road trip the day before... I thought, this time, there couldn't be another miracle, could it?

Mom went to church that morning with us. She couldn't understand English very well, so she just sat in the sanctuary, praying quietly the whole time. She was worried, I know. She regretted not being more careful. She hated herself for being so forgetful all the time.
She was asking for a miracle, from Father.

When we came back home, we searched the house a bit more.
After giving up on the search, we went upstairs. Suddenly, we heard her screamed, "I found it!" Quickly, we ran downstairs in disbelieve.

Her phone was sitting at the very bottom of her suitcase, which she didn't open or touch the whole day before. She was shocked, we were shocked.

Father showed her another miracle, I thought. She didn't deserve it, just like we don't deserve anything our Father gives us, but He always does.

This Father is our God. Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit 3 in 1.

He is love.

We are saved by Him and loved by Him.

Mom

2010-03-27T22:14:00.001-04:00

It's different to see mom this time. She got older, and so did I. I can take care of her now as an adult.

I drove her to places she's never been before.
I showed her things that she's never seen before.
I bought her foods she's never tasted before.

It was good to spend time with mom again. Occasionally I looked at her and wondered about the fact that I came out of this woman. I love her. She's my mommy! She loves God, she loves people, and she loves me especially.

My photography site has lots of pictures of mom. Cheers to weekend!

Life In Boston

2010-03-15T12:23:00.000-04:00

After two weeks of being back in Boston, I finally feel comfortable again in my own house. Instead of the word "comfortable", maybe "numb" is more suitable for the description. It's a strange feeling, having to leave family to be simply lonely again. Sometimes I wonder why we do this to ourselves? I heard people who went to see the movie Avatar 16 times, and they couldn't get enough of Pandora, the world where we're one with nature, where community, family bonds are of the utmost importance. Until, of course, the humans invaded them, and then it's all about MONEY again...

1 Timothy 6:10 says, "For the love of MONEY is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for MONEY, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. "

2 Timothy 3:2 says, "People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of MONEY, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,"

Hebrew 13:5 says, "Keep your lives free from the love of MONEY and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'"

What has our world become?

Because of MONEY, people got exploited, nature got exploited, families got divided. Children are growing up without parents ever being home. People are suing one another. Companies are suing one another, countries are against one another. Then weapons are made to destroy one another. People are turning to alcohol, drugs, work, (oh yeah, work is an addiction too). Even Mother-nature is giving up on us. Soon, we're going to have no ozone layer, and the glaciers will all melt away, we're all going to run out of oil in the ground, the ocean will be filled with our toxic wastes, animals will extinct one species at a time, and the world is going to lose its natural balance, then what...

Everybody already knows all these knowledge and far more, but as long as the big bucks are still with the giant corporations of the world, we're all heading for doom. Bible is right in the end. Money IS the source of all evil.

So why can't we just move to be closer to our family? Yes, it's because of work, our jobs, where we can make MONEY. Without the security of it, we cannot just relocate, even if it is to be with our family. This is our world, our cruel, cruel world.

Some people say, there is no God, because if there is God, why would God let all this evil to happen in the world?

... ...

Well, that is because humans think they're God, and that they're capable of running this world they call home. So far they've only brought damage and destruction onto it.

God, where is He? He is waiting for us to turn back to Him... anytime.

Pictures Finally

2010-03-08T13:47:00.003-05:00

So I promised to post pictures of my birthday. Here they are.

This is a fruit tart Tim bought for me as my birthday cake. My favorite. Um..um..um....yummy!

These orchids have a story. So the on Thursday night, the day before my birthday, Tim took me to Aquitaine for a fancy dinner to celebrate an early birthday. Because on Friday night, my actually birthday, he was taking me to the Lion King Broadway musical, and so we weren't going have comfortable amount of time to eat a nice dinner and then get to the opera house, let along the fact that I still had to take the train to get to the city to find him after work. Well, so then back to the French restaurant scene. I waited for him in the shopping plaza where the restaurant was just to kill time before his train would come in. He called me and found out the store I was in, ran to the car where I parked, and hid the bouquet in the trunk. When he met me inside the store, he pretended that nothing happened. After dinner, he finally gave me the bouquet as we got into the car to go home. He told me that he was going to tell the waiter of Aquitaine to put it on our table before I go in, but the restaurant wasn't open yet when he first got there, that was why he had no other choice but to hide it in the car.

Then on Saturday, we went to the White Mountains in New Hampshire for some outdoor picnic. Pictures are found in my picture blog.

There you go, the whole weekend celebration of my birthday. I cannot thank God enough.

今天是我的生日

2010-03-05T09:45:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday. Praise God for the past 26 years of my life. He's been only good to me.
Praise God for my parents who raised me with love, patience, kindness and yummy Chinese food ^_^.
Praise God for my husband who took over the job of taking care of me when I was 24. He's been the most wonderful husband I could ever asked for. He also treats me with love, patience and kindness...and I make him yummy Chinese food now ^_~.
Pictures to come later on.

Wishing everyone a happy Friday!

In Memory of My Grandpa

2010-02-26T21:53:00.003-05:00

So it was around Chinese new year when Tim and I went to Hong Kong. I wanted to make some Chinese decorations for Tim's parents' house. So I asked Tim to take me to a department store nearby and we found these bright red Chinese calligraphy papers. When we got home, I thought about what characters to use, and I drew a few light pencil lines on the paper and cut out the patterns with a pair of pointy scissors. It all came so natural to me. Tim's parents asked me if I had learned how to do this from a class or workshop. I said, "no, never." But then again, as I wonder where DID I learn to make this, I realized that it was my late-grandpa who inspired me when I was little playing in his garden and his richly decorated rooms with Chinese calligraphy cutouts everywhere. He would make Bible verses cutouts or something that praised God in some way. I used to marvel at how he could make all that with merely a ruler and a pair of scissors. What I didn't know was that I was letting his art into my eyes and into my heart. Now when I do it, it is as if my grandpa were doing it.

I miss my grandpa. He left us in March, 09, just two days before my birthday... This year, my birthday is only a week away. I guess I miss him all the more right now.

By the way, these four characters means: New Spring (Family) Reunion.

Ring

2010-02-24T00:09:00.000-05:00

My new ring from Hong Kong H&M. I just want to show it off because it's so bold but classy and I LIKE it!

For more pictures of my West coast and Asia trip, please visit http://dalingphotography.blogspot.com ^^

I Am Back

2010-02-22T21:03:00.000-05:00

Back from the Hong Kong trip. Feeling so lonely again. Hating the dryness from the blasting of the heater. Drinking lots of water and still thirsty. Dreaming of good food from Asia. Missing family, missing friends. Delaying unpacking. Suffering from jet lag. Having no appetite to eat dinner. Not knowing where to start with the 900+ pictures I took. Wanting to leave Boston like never before.

It's 9:00 pm and I am still full from the lunch I ate at noon.

Out of the State, Out of the Country

2010-02-10T22:58:00.002-05:00

We spent 3 days in LA near the Biola area before flying to Hong Kong from 5th to the 8th.
I will update on that one person at a time once I go back to Boston and transfer all the files of pictures I took during those three days. I cannot wait to share that with you because it was a time of tremendous blessing and encouragement to both Tim and I. Each of them touched our lives in different ways that enriched our hearts and as deep as our souls.

We saw more friends in those three days than we did the whole year in Boston. No exaggeration. And just simply the weather made us brighten up. I even felt my bone stretching and growing from the lack of vitamin D while living in Boston during these indoor-only-winter-days.

Once again, I felt the blessing of my college life. How God brought so many precious people to me in the 4, 5 years I spent in LA, and how they had turned into lifelong relationships. I also realized how these people had influenced me during the time in my life when I just entered adulthood being away from my family; and how they had shaped me into who I am now. I wouldn't trade it for anything else. I felt a deep sense of appreciation for what God has done in my life while going back to the place I once lived. The memories came right back to me as I walk and drove through those familiar spots.

Tim and I are so loved by God!!! That's all I have to say at the end of the day.

*****************************************
Last night, we arrived in Hong Kong. The humidity overtook us as soon as we got through the gate. I don't understand why it always gave me the shock even though I expected it. Anyways, it was good to see my parents-in-law. Chinese New Year atmosphere is definitely very pronounced here. I am in the process of creating more photo journals, but that will come later. I just know that Tim and I will get to see many Tim's side's relatives and feast like mad during these nights approaching the Chinese New Year.

We couldn't sleep too well last night after arriving here. I guess after the 24 hour of flight plus layover in Vancouver had gotten the both of us totally and completely disoriented. It's close to noon time right now, but it's one hour past midnight in Boston. I miss the beautiful snow there, but probably not the temperature though. ^_^

Cheers to a beautiful day no matter where you are,

and God bless!

Mona 2007-2010

2010-02-02T16:48:00.002-05:00

Mona died today. She lived a long life comparing to all the other fighting fishes that are suppose to have lifespans of 6 months. She lived for 2 and a half years. She's a real fighter.
I know she died of old age so that brought me a little comfort, but I will miss my Mona, and I will miss giving her 4 tablets of fish food every morning (I just bought a brand new case for her few weeks ago).
Mona is my only pet in Boston, and now she left me, maybe it's time for me to leave Boston too.

Time To Get Away

2010-01-20T13:07:00.000-05:00

Two weeks until Hong Kong. Tim and I will spend Chinese New Year in China for a change. And this year, the new year's day on the lunar calendar happens to fall on Valentine's Day. Yohoooo!
First we're going to stop by LA to see our wonderful college friends whom we haven't seen for 2 years. We want to also revisit many places where Tim and I used to go on dates back in college. We are even going to a TV taping of the Jay Leno Show in Burbank.
My winter depression has gotten to me these days. I really need to get out of here and be in the warmth.
It's time to pack up and get away...

If

2010-01-14T10:15:00.001-05:00

If my baby were still alive inside me, it would have been born this month. We didn't even know the gender, all we could refer it by is really "it".

This morning I just woke up thinking about IT.
I wonder what I would have look like as a 9 months pregnant lady.
I wonder what amount of food I'd be eating.
I wonder what IT would look like by now under ultrasound.
I wonder if IT was a girl, because I'd like a girl.
I wonder who IT would look like more. Me or Tim.
I wonder if we'd have a name for IT already.
I wonder if we'd still be in Boston.
I wonder if labor would be painful or easy.
I wonder if I'd be so tired or so excited.

I am mourning for my lost today, but in a healthy way. I am not depressed but hopeful. God has healed my wound. I am looking forward to something new. I don't think I could have thought about IT this way few months ago. It would have been too painful. But now I can, because I know that it's in the past, and while I am remembering the past, I have to keep on living forward. The past makes who I am, but the future holds whom I will become. I am renewed by my Savior, Jesus Christ my Lord!

***********************
On the other note, dad and mom called me last night to tell me that yesterday was our 14 year anniversary of immigration to the US. That caused me to ponder upon a whole new set of IF's. But the most important IF was: what if I didn't meet Tim?
NOOO, I am glad things turned out the way they did. I wouldn't want it any other way but to go through life with Tim, my best friend. I am also glad that dad and mom are healthy and strong. They're breathing clean air, they're enjoying the beautiful greens in California all year round. They're taking care of a church and helping people who need their help. They get to travel to Boston once a while to see us. They've been to the Holy land. They've done mission work in Hungary. All these things they got to do would not have been possible if they were still in our hometown in China.

************************
Thank you Lord! For everything!

Sincerely,

Your child Dali

It Has Been...

2010-01-04T10:03:00.000-05:00

a blessed year.
As much as I didn't like 2009 for the many unfortunate events that had shaken my perfect little world, this past year had taught me to put my eyes on the things above more than any other year. God used 09 to show me that He is what matters, not the things He give, because He also take away, and I need to be okay with either, not just receive receive receive, I also need to let go let go let go.

Living in Boston is lonely. I only see Tim at night when he comes home from work. The rest of the time I am all by myself, except when I go teach piano or go to church. However, looking at the Christmas cards we received, I couldn't deny the fact that we have so many people all over the world who care and love us.

Also on Christmas, we had a party of over 10 people at our house; and the day after that, we had friends to go on road trip with to DC. On new year's eve, we had friends counting down with us; and on new year's day all the way to Sunday, we had friends to play board games with, watch movies with, and eat meals with.

Even though I complained that 6 of our dear friends moved away all at once in the summer, I now know that I just had to let go of that and not let it cripple me into self-pity. God will always bring wonderful people into my life, I can't just keep dwelling in the past and be blinded by it to the point of ignoring the blessings I have now. Boston is a transient city, people come and go, and that's is the reality.

I am looking forward to 2010 and the people I will get to meet in this new year.

I am praying for a mentor, a church community and two more things which I cannot reveal right now.

Mourning For A Lost

2010-01-03T15:59:00.000-05:00

Our dear friends' father, who had been fighting a coma after a severe stroke, has past on to be with our Lord yesterday in Hong Kong. May our Lord give the family peace and comfort.
I posted about this incident earlier, and here's is the blog again from his children, http://wakeupwithdad.blogspot.com/

Christmas Party

2009-12-29T23:20:00.001-05:00

This is our second year of Christmas away from home, but it's our first time ever hosting a Christmas party. It was quite an exciting event. Tim and I felt so blessed by all the wonderful friends we got to meet in Boston. So even though we can't be with our family this Christmas, we've made our home a place for those away from home to enjoy fellowship and good food. For that, we're extremely proud of ourselves. =) Praise God for all the blessings!

Shrimp cocktails

Smoked salmon

Grape jelly meatballs

Pineapple glazed ham

Lamb leg

Simona's home is in Europe

Little Joshua, the only one born in Boston

Nisha and Jayan, from Great Britain

Ben and Brooke from Oregon

Tomoko from Japan

Bess and her mom, from Taiwan

The spread

Four kinds of cookies baked by me

These are made by Brooke

Now we're just anticipating for the new year!
Happy New Year everyone!

該寫些甚麼呢？

2009-12-22T09:48:00.001-05:00

2009 is coming to an end. I mean really ending, within a matter a few days. For the first time in my life, I felt the stress of the holidays. When I was a child, the stressing belonged to my parents. They had to figure out who to give gifts to, who to write cards to, what food to cook during gatherings... All I had to do was to just run around and breath in the holiday cheers. This year, I had to be the one stressing about all of the above on my own. Luckily, I bought a book before all this stressing started, and it's called The Purpose of Christmas by Rick Warren. This book is a constant reminder of what Christmas is really about: not the gifts, not the cards, not the dinner parties, but it's about Jesus Christ who came to this world to save us. He had to give up everything to become this helpless infant in order to live amongst humans without us being scared to death by His glorious and almighty self.
It's really not easy to be childlike once you become an adult, but let us still try. Despite of all the stress of the holidays, let us focus on our Lord, and let us celebrate His birth, even if He wasn't born on December 25, He did came for us 2000 years ago and has completed salvation for all mankind. If you think your spouse loves you, your parents love you, your children love you, then times that by ∞, and that's how much God loves you. He created such thing call love, and He is love.
May your Christmas be filled by Christ's love. May your holiday stress fly away and may it be replaced by joy from above.

Rewards

2009-12-15T09:46:00.001-05:00

Yesterday as I went to teach my two students from a same household, the girls came running down the stairs to greet me. I was surprised by their enthusiasm, and then I found out that they were all prepared to present me with a Christmas present. The gift is in white tissue paper containing in a red gift bag that says "Noel" in gold font, and there's a little tag that hangs from the side which they have signed their names on, addressed to me. This has made me so very jolly.
To top that, the younger of the two has finished learning the entire book of Christmas songs which we've only started a month ago. I've only taught her at the most 4 pieces in the book, but she went the extra mile and learned all the rest on her own. (It amazes me how much knowledge kids can learn and absorb, if they're willing. Repeat, IF they're willing). So to have fun, I played my teacher's duets with her, piece by piece, and we finished the whole book in a breeze.

As I came back home afterward, I taught another student from my home studio. Recently, she had developed the habit of stopping and repeating the music over and over again. First of all, I can tell that she didn't really practice during the week, so when she comes to me she'd feel more nervous and therefore tends to make more mistakes. As a result, she pauses a lot, repeats a lot, and if you're listening to her play at this point, you would feel very agitated. To help with the situation, I told her to mark in the things she kept on messing up on with a pencil, and she had to do it herself in order to reinforce her memory. Then I put in my teacher's duet to make sure that she could hear the rhythms correctly. After several practices, she was almost good, but there were still some spots she had to stop and repeat. At this point, I knew she could play the piece through without stopping, but she just needed some more help. So I whipped out my iPhone, and by using the voice memo application, I told her that we were going to record this piece, and that there was to be no mistakes and it had to sound perfect. She was so excited about this, she agreed to try it at once. The first try, she messed up a little bit, and the second try, she fixed the mistake from the first try, but messed up on another spot. I stopped the device. I asked her to focus on the music and not the iPhone. She nodded, took a deep breath and gave another try. She did it! No mistakes, no repeats, just perfect! I was so proud of her. She was so proud of herself.
At the end of our lesson, we sent the recording to her dad via email. Her dad replied back saying, "Thank you, this is Super!"

Instances like these are so rewarding and reaffirming to my investment of time and energy on these little ones. I absolutely love what I do!

Why Why Why Why Why

2009-12-09T14:31:00.000-05:00

I don't understand...

Good Read

2009-12-04T11:01:00.000-05:00

I just finished another book. This one is a pure delight. The entire book is composed of letters, back and forth between characters each so unique and distinct. It gave me a better picture of W.W.II., and the various degrees of sufferings people experienced in Europe. I will not give away the story, but I must say that the ending is very satisfying. If you have time, pick up this New York Times bestseller: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows and see it for yourself.

Tim and I

2009-11-28T12:22:00.000-05:00

I love this picture taken by Brooke during Thanksgiving at her apartment. The lighting is pretty special, and the plant was from us to Brooke and Ben during Valentine's day this year. It has grown so much since Brooke had planted it.
The rest of the pictures taken that night can be found in http://dalingphotography.com

A Day of Feasting and Laughter

2009-11-27T10:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, Tim and I enjoyed a night of pure indulgence on food at Brooke and Ben's lovely home. The 22 lb. turkey that Brooke made was one of the best tasting ones I've ever had. She's even kind enough to pack us all these leftovers to take home (didn't they say Thanksgiving leftovers taste even better?) Oh boy, I drank 4 mugs of tea afterward, attempting to rinse down the calories I took in, don't know if that worked or not, but hey, it was worth the try. ^_~

We played board games, watched Up, and took a whole bunch of pictures. It was a great!

After we came back home though, we took some quiet time just to pray and give thanks to God for this year. Even though this year isn't the smoothest year for us, (my grandpa died, Tim's dad had a stroke, Tim's mom's job got relocated, Tim's grandpa had cancer, my grandma lost her ability to stand up and had almost died, our baby died...)but we could clearly see that God is with us all the way, sometimes through the valleys of the shadow of death, sometimes through the mountaintops. God is the love source in our lives. Without Him, love would not be whole because God is love, only He knows how to love in fullness, unconditionally.

Thank you Papa!

Uncle Benny

2009-11-25T09:59:00.001-05:00

As I have vaguely mentioned in a previous entry, our dear friends' father (we refer to him as Uncle Benny) had a severe stroke. His children created a blog to update on his condition since a lot of his friends are overseas. I would like to also ask for prayers for him from you. If it is on your heart to pray for a family in a troubling time, then please do not hesitate to do so.

It is the loneliest to be sick on a hospital bed during the holidays when there is suppose to be celebration and feasting. Tim and I have experienced that when my father-in-law had a stroke last December in Vancouver. Tim and I were in Boston at the time, and along came new year's eve. My mother-in-law called just before the countdown thirsting to hear another family member's voice for comfort as she had been staying with her husband the past couple of nights in the hospital not knowing what more to do. The countdown on the phone was full of emotions, anything but happy though...

Luckily, my father-in-law recovered pretty well, even though it took almost the whole rest of 2009 to do so, but at least he is better now.

So if you would pray with us for Uncle Benny, I am sure God is listening.

Grilled Chicken

2009-11-23T23:20:00.001-05:00

4-5 Chicken breasts or chicken thighs cut up in smaller pieces. Marinade in one tablespoon of cooking wine, one tablespoon of soy sauce, one tablespoon of red chili paste, half teaspoon of ginger powder, one teaspoon of sugar, and a dash of sesame oil. Let it set for at least 15 minutes, and then go ahead and grill until the meat is tender and golden brown. Plate them on top of few pieces of lettuce leaves. Best to eat it with a bowl of steaming white rice. Um~!

The Shack

2009-11-23T14:43:00.002-05:00

«The Shack»
I happened to stumble upon this book in the store. I didn't even read the synopsis before I decided to buy it.
It took me only a few days to finish it, but the impact lingers long after I put down the book.
Again, I am not here to critic the book or do any kind of analysis on it. I just want to say that I am deeply touched by this book, and I am more convinced than ever that God is with me, and He loves me, and He also loves you very very much. We might all have a dark, old shack somewhere in our hearts that's messy and dirty, but God can make something wonderful out of it. And if you still don't believe it, then read the book yourself. ^_~

Samgyupsal

2009-11-20T22:48:00.002-05:00

I made grilled pork belly in lettuce wrap tonight. It's a Korean dish that Tim loves. It's also my way of getting him to eat vegetables. Lots and lots of vegetables. *Chuckle*

So first you've got the grilled pork belly. I bought the ready-sliced ones from the market. In a nonstick pan, at high heat, grill the pork bellies until they are golden brown but not dried-up. If they start to look like bacon, then they're probably overdone.

Now the sides can be many kinds. I have some fresh leek cut to 1.5 inches, some fresh lettuce leaves, radish slices in white wine vinegar and sugar, and for the dip I put half Korean chili paste to half miso paste, little bit of roasted white sesame seeds plus some sesame oil, ginger powder, rice syrup, and finally chopped scallions.

Finally, the way you eat it: take a piece of lettuce, put on a piece of radish and some leeks, take a pork belly dipped with sauce, wrap them all up and enjoy!

From Dali's Kitchen

2009-11-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

So I've been cooking healthy these days with very little oil, less salt, but still delicious with appropriate amount of spices that enhance the natural flavors of each dish.

The first dish I made was for lunch. It's a very light noodle soup dish with fresh handmade noodles from Korean market, two shrimps, two kinds of mushrooms, seaweed, radish cubes and scallions. For the soup base, I boiled the seaweed, the radish cubes and some anchovies.

For the chicken wings, I simply put half soy sauce to half water, some sugar, chili flakes, a little bit of cooking wine, and some fresh ginger slices along with the wings. Boil for about 30 minutes, then plate them and ready to eat.

For this dish, it's even simpler. First cut up one English cucumber, marinade the slices in a little bit of soy sauce, a little bit of red wine vinegar, some Korean chili flakes, some roasted white sesame seeds, a dab of rice syrup or honey, and finally a touch of freshly grounded ginger or ready-made ginger powder. All you need to do is mix all the ingredients together and eat.

Little Cutie

2009-11-19T12:56:00.001-05:00

I found this picture in my file last night, and my first reaction was, "awwwww!" How I miss that little angel. Maybe not so angelic when her mom has to take care of her from day to day, haha, but she's absolutely adorable. Her smile melts my heart.
Praise God for creating Tabby and bringing her into this world, into my family!

Prayer

2009-11-18T10:48:00.000-05:00

Sometimes there are things in life that are out of our control. Like illness, death, car accident, layoffs, theft and other things that can turn our lives upside-down in an instant. In times like these, all we could do is pray. Pray for an easier coping process, pray for a faster recovery, pray for a heart open for comfort, pray for direction, the next step...
Maybe that's why we kept having hardship in our lives, so that we won't forget we need God constantly. It can be very unpleasant at times, but we must keep in mind that God is bigger than all our problems.

Today, I am praying for two dear friends that are going through hardships. May God watch over them and help them through their difficulties.

The One To Grow Old With

2009-11-14T20:32:00.001-05:00

Tim and I are married for over 2 and a half years now. To our parents, we might still be newlyweds. No kids, no mortgage, no burdens. Truly, we've been fortunately enough to live very worry free. When Tim and I first met, we were just 21 and 19 year-olds. Now he's 28 and I am 26. How time flies. These 7 years has been a wonderful journey. We have tasted the 酸甜苦辣 (sour, sweet, bitter, spicy) of life altogether.

In Biola, when we first started dating, we would see each other everyday: after classes, during lunch breaks, church, fellowship, club events... After Tim graduated, I stayed at Biola for 2 more years before I graduated too. During that period, Tim would come see me at least once every 3 weeks. He was working in Berkeley at the time, which is a 7-hour drive to get down to Biola. Whenever he did come down, he would leave Berkeley after dark and just drive through the night, when he'd get to Biola, it'd be around 4,5 A.M., and he would just take naps in the car and wait for me to wake up and come down to meet him. And whenever he'd leave, I'd cry and look like a pile of mess. (What a great way to leave an impression for your boyfriend to remember you by?)

One time, he came down during my birthday weekend, took me to Disneyland and asked me to marry him in front of Tomorrow Land. From that day on, we still spent another year long distant since he had moved to Vancouver, Canada and was working there instead. He came to see me less after that, because he couldn't just drive down to LA whenever he wanted, he had to fly, and not just domestic flights but international flights.

Many people gasped at our two years of long distant relationship during our course of 5 years total in dating. They said some people would have broken up by then, first of all for the 5 long years of dating, and second of all for the 2 years of not being able to see each other much. But I am glad we endured through tough times and have kept our love fresh to this day.

Three months ago, we lost our first baby to miscarriage. That to us, was the toughest thing to overcome by far. The day before the dreadful news, it was Tim's 28th birthday. I was making a birthday dinner for him including a homemade cake. He was so happy and satisfied. That very next day, I told him I was nervous to go do ultrasound. He said no need to be, everything would be fine. He took half a day off from work to drive me to the hospital. When we talked into that ultrasound room, he was still smiling, and so was I. We told the nurse that this is our first, and the nurse smiled at us too. After that, everything was a flashed before me. Tim looked at me as I laid numb on that ultrasound table. The nurse rushed out to get the doctor, the doctor called my OB/GYN doctor. We quickly got out of the hospital and drove to my OB doctor's office. My doctor confirmed the bad news with a thorough check up. We discussed options to have me go through surgery to clean out the remains or to have it naturally come out. I told my doctor I didn't want to wait because I was afraid that if Tim's at work when I miscarry then I'd be bleeding heavily and I wouldn't know what to do, I wanted to go through with the surgery. So my doctor scheduled two days after to operate on me. Tim called his manager and took the rest of that day off too.
Tim cried. The first time was 7 years ago when he yelled at me and made me cry. This was the second time, the third, fourth...

Since the recovery, I felt I have gotten older, so has he. And we will continue to age, until our hairs turn gray and our faces full of wrinkles, but we'll still love each other to death.

Standing Up For Myself

2009-11-11T10:51:00.001-05:00

This past weekend, one of my students' parent emailed at 11 asking if they could come at 11:30 for a lesson instead of the usual 12:00 lesson. I did not check my email that morning. And since they ALWAYS come late. I was still waiting for them at 12:15. At that point, I got a phone call asking if I got an email this morning. After our conversation, they said they're heading over right now, and if they could just do a 1/2 hour lesson instead of the 45 min normal lesson. So I kept on waiting. And at 12:30, I got another phone call from the parent saying, they can't come anymore, the schedule didn't work out...

That just set me off. I am a teacher, not a relative whom you can come visit whenever you want. I am running a business, even though it's a self employed, small business, but it is regardless a legitimate business. First of all, you're already always late for lessons, that just shows that you don't really respect my time at all, and now you want to reschedule things at your own convenience at the last minute without giving me a 24 hour notice? That's a basic ethical procedure that everyone should automatically live by for the consideration of others even if it is to your own friends and relatives.

Actually, those people are harming themselves, because think about it. If they're always late for everything, what are they teaching their kids? That being late is okay? Procrastination is okay? Time is not relevant? So when they grow up one day and have to go to school and go to work on their own, people are going to see them as slackers. And if they don't learn to respect other people's valuable time, then other people are not going to respect their time either.

Also, you don't want to make the teacher mad. What's the benefit of sending your kids to a teacher that's already too upset for waiting for you for 20-30 minutes just to give you an half an hour- 45 min lesson? That's more than an hour of time total if added the waiting time altogether. You're not paying me for 1 hour worth of time, why should I wait for you in vain? In addition, your kid is going to think that, "oh maybe I don't have to go to lesson today, then I might not have to practice for it." So the kid never improves, and you're wasting your money, and you're wasting my time.

On that note, I must add that for the students whom I travel to for lessons, I am always right on time, which makes things so much easier. On Monday, as I walk into on of my students' house, her mom approached me and said, "She [my student] has been asking me all week, 'Mom is it Monday yet?' She really likes your lessons. Thank you so much!" Now that's something to inspire me to teach better.

For finally, about the late student parents, I emailed them and told them to either change the lesson to another time when they can come on time or something else have to be done, and they have to figure it out. Also to give me 24 hour notice if there are changes to be expected.

What can you do? I just want to teach, I don't want to deal with these housekeeping issues, but since I am running a business myself, I have to do everything.

More Food

2009-11-06T22:07:00.001-05:00

Tim and I have had hotpot for two nights in a row. The weather is getting cold outside, and it's the perfect season for hot and spicy food.

Dipping sauce

Soontubu

New Designs for the Holidays

2009-11-05T22:33:00.006-05:00

This is my first real Christmas tree. It's table size, but perfect for our little living space. I bought the star just today. I am ready for Christmas!!!

On another note...
I made spicy seafood stew for lunch, very healthy: sea bass, shrimp, clams, 3 kinds of mushrooms, scallion, tofu, radish, egg and watercress. ^^

Tim and I

2009-11-02T13:24:00.000-05:00

Tim and I over the past few weeks. We went on a cruise together to Maine and Nova Scotia, we took a New York trip this past weekend to see friends.
We love traveling together because it takes us away from the internet, the daily chores, duties, work...so that we can focus on nothing but each other.

Changeling

2009-10-28T11:44:00.000-04:00

Tim and I watched the movie Changeling last night. First of all, Angelina Jolie playing the roll of Christine Collins was phenomenal!!! The movie itself was very heavy. After I watched it, it took me the rest of the night to recover, and I woke up around 5 am this morning, dreaming about the movie.
Personally, it touched me deeply. I wouldn't recommend this movie if you just want to enjoy an evening with laughter and fun with friends, but its definitely a great movie to see when you're ready for something GOOD!

Dumb Dumb Dumb

2009-10-26T15:25:00.001-04:00

Today my cousin, cousin-in-law and I were at a Japanese restaurant eating lunch. We order bento boxes and some special rolls. At first it took them 45 minutes to prepare our food. We only had 1 hour to spend on lunch since they were catching a flight. So after 40 minutes of wait, we asked them if they could speed things up for us. One waiter called the other waiter by his name, and the other said something back, then, that was it...no response from any of them, not even translating to us what the other waiter was saying. Then, finally we got our food. My cousin immediately told me that the rice was sour. My cousin-in-law told them that the rice was smelly. The waiter came, smelled the rice, gave us a look as if we were lying, not even apologizing to us. My cousin-in-law tipped them accordingly, not a penny less. But they tried to avoid us the whole time, standing in the back, talking behind us. I was so mad, is that the right way to treat the customers that come to your restaurant? After that the owner stood in the back and watched us too. I boldly said out loud, "I am NOT coming back again!"
This restaurant is located in Coolidge Corner in Brookline, MA, called Tsunami. Please save yourself from misery by not visiting that place EVER!

Face Face, Save Face!

2009-10-16T10:41:00.008-04:00

I want to introduce this product today. I bought it from Whole Foods the other day, and I didn't get a chance to use it for a while, until...... last night when I fell asleep without removing my make-up...bad, bad, bad... This morning when I woke up, I head straight to the bathroom and took out this Burt's Pore-Refining Mask. It's made from all nature ingredient plus French green clay. After you use it, your face might get a little flushed, and that's because putting on that mask enhances the blood circulation under the skin, but it goes away in a few minutes. After 15 minutes, I just simply washed away the clay, put some facial toner on, and then facial serum and facial milk, and my face is back!
I hardly promote any product on my blog, but I just can't hide this one away for myself. It's only $7 in Whole Foods and $8 if you order it from the Burt's Bees website.
Cheers and HAPPY WEEKEND!

Vote

2009-10-13T23:22:00.004-04:00

So I made two design with a set of pictures of Tim. I don't know which is better. The first one is more artistic, but I thought the second one is very simple, which is sometimes more preferable. So if you could, please help me to vote in the right window.
Thanks so much!