Mini Vacation in Monterey

We spent a couple days last week in Monterey after the Memorial Day rush was over. I had lived in Monterey for a year and worked there for five before moving up to the Bay Area telecommuting for the remaining seven. As a result, I was supposed to know the area very well, and had indeed vacationed there often. But I guess there are just places you wouldn't frequent or things you wouldn't do before you had kids. So for our past few visits, we finally did some family things and visited places that many friends and relatives had recommended long ago.

It was our first time visiting Dennis the Menace Playground, Monterey last week and I was impressed by how involved and well-kept a public park can be. There were five or six different play structures, tunnels, slides, steam engine exhibit (pictured), suspension bridge (pictured) and more that even adults enjoy playing on.

Andy's co-worker recommended Carmel River State Beach as an alternative to the nearby popular Carmel State Beach. It was our second time visiting, and we really enjoyed the serenity and beauty of this less known retreat with lagoons, sea birds, rocks, sand, and ocean waves.

And we never go to Monterey without stopping by Lovers Point in Pacific Grove. This time, we happened to pass by the guy in charge of renting the bike surreys and decided to try it ourselves!

Thanks to all who have given me pointers to these family activities by the Monterey coast. I am grateful for the beautiful creation of God for our enjoyment, and in the midst of it, enjoying God Himself as our Giver and King.

A Bruised Nose

Caleb had a bad accident a couple days ago. He was playing with daddy in the room before his bedtime, ran toward his bed, tripped over daddy, and fell flat-faced against the edge of the wooden bedframe. When I heard the loud crash downstairs, I ran upstairs only to see Caleb's face and mouth all bloody from his bleeding nose and blood all over on the carpet and daddy's shirt. I had no clue what happened and just panicked as I had never seen so much blood squirting out of a person's nose before. After calming myself down a bit with a prayer and finding out from Andy what had happened, the bleeding stopped and Caleb seemed to be functioning normally despite the swollen nose and remaining blood clots. We were very grateful to God the damage was not worse and his eyes were spared (there is a big horrible-looking purple swollen patch right between his eye and nose now).

With a very bruised nose, Caleb was asked many times today at church what had happened. Another mother so happened to share that her daughter had just had stitches on her head this past week from a boy accidentally tossing a rock at her. Though the daughter is perfectly fine now, the bloody scene haunted the mother for nights and she could sympathize with me as I shared my story. I guess there will be many more accidents to come and I am to get myself ready for it, though we are extra diligent now in warning Caleb not to run in the house and just dash his head against things. God is gracious in all of this.

Spring Break at Yosemite

We were granted a few quiet days at Yosemite Valley last week to enjoy family time and the beauty of God's waterfalls, pine trees, and more. Andy's work has been very busy. He receives an average of 100 emails a day at work, which is quite absurd. How does one survive in the Silicon Valley in this environment?! He went back to work this week with over 700 emails to process. So the little getaway was a much needed time of refreshment for the three of us.

We did much hiking around the park and up to waterfalls. Getting splashed by the waterfalls was a big thrill for Caleb. Anywhere we went, we were surrounded by the beauty of spring. Whether in a grand waterfall or a tiny pine-cone branch the size of Caleb's index finger, we see God's design and beauty. We are humbled by His gracious allowance for us to experience all this despite our fallenness.

Family visit

My family is visiting from Hong Kong, and as always, my mom would pamper me with her delicious cooking. Needless to say, their visit is accompanied by many family activities.

We headed up Lake Tahoe for my brother and Caleb to see snow for the first time! We were blessed with good weather for the day's trip.

The family also got to spend Chinese New Year together. And of course Caleb got to receive many red packets from relatives.

A visit to the Great Mall is a must for my mom, and Caleb and my brother got to enjoy a ride on the kiddie coaster together.

My dad left for Hong Kong today and so we had a pre-birthday celebration over the weekend for Caleb's 4th birthday tomorrow.

That is the update for February...

Twenty Years...

We spent a day Saturday up in Davis biking around the campus of our alma mater (with Caleb in the trailer), visiting the good old farmers' market, and just reminiscing on God's wondrous doing some twenty years ago when I met Andy, who was still a pagan... It was a spur of the moment trip, and I guess we could call it a 20-year anniversary trip! Summer school just ended and so it was nice and quiet. The hog barns by the engineering building have long been removed but the smells of cows and horses are still a signature of the Davis air. Caleb enjoyed the trip and the ride, and his mommy and daddy got to have some exercise. We thank the Lord for the blessing of a 20-year friendship.

"Missing Por-Por"

My mom left for Hong Kong last night and we are missing her good company and great cooking. She said she had never experienced such heat in her life as this one we just had. We all had to camp downstairs since the rooms upstairs were nearly 100 degrees even at 9 in the evening. Andy hasn't given the green light for installing A/C. And I am learning to give thanks in all circumstances. Here's a funny picture of Caleb enjoying the 90-degree pool water with Por-Por and Daddy on a hot day. And another one playing ball with Por-Por at a local park. We finally escaped to San Francisco for an afternoon of cooling relief at the Golden Gate Bridge. I think my mom will think twice before coming again in the summer!


Thank you God for the heat you send and for ways you provide for our cooling--thank you for this common grace. And it reminds me of the fact that I deserve wrath and eternal fire that is infinitely hotter than this heat wave. I am humbled by your saving grace.

And thank you God we can easily chat with and see families over the internet in this day and age. Looking forward to Por-Por's next visit!

"Gung-Gung and Por-Por are Visiting!"

My mom and dad are visiting us from Hong Kong for a month. The best part for me is being able to enjoy my mom's cooking and not having to cook! I count it God's blessing.

We also spent a few days in the Monterey Peninsula for a family reunion on my mom's side. There were 14 of us and we had a blessed time together. Caleb enjoyed playing at the beach with all his uncles and aunties.

Thank you God for family.

Post-Trip Reflections

We've actually been back from Hong Kong for over a month now but with a toddler, schedules take a while to get back to a routine. So I finally got the opportunity to sit down and reflect on our trip and the things for which we want to thank the Lord:

• God was merciful to us in granting pleasant flights to and from Hong Kong. Though we dreaded the 14-hour flight with a toddler who had never flown, Caleb did exceptionally well, enjoying the meals and everything new to him on the plane.
• Caleb was potty trained a month prior to the trip so we didn't have to stink up my parents' flat or deal with having to change him out in the public. God's gracious to us...
• Meeting up with old friends and classmates and relatives was a blessing. It always makes me nostalgic...
• With only two weeks on hand, we scrambled to purchase a computer and necessary accessories for my parents and got broadband internet service set up for them before we left. We now can email, talk with, and see each other on the internet. What a blessing!
• Though we suffered from jetlag pretty much throughout the two weeks and Caleb did catch a cold for a few days, we are grateful that Andy and I stayed well, except for some stomach ailments, and the Lord sustained us all throughout by His grace.
• Last of all, God granted me a big helper--one who had to rush with Caleb in search for the men's room each time Caleb cried "Need to go pee pee," the IT person plus system administrator for my parents, my voice-activated portable stroller, and much more...

"Gung-Gung and I on the See-Saw"

My dad returned to the U.S. with us from our Hong Kong trip and is visiting for 3 weeks. After having been in Hong Kong for 2 weeks with both air and noise pollution, we have learned to appreciate the clean air and sunny skies in California. My dad, Caleb, and I enjoyed a nice morning out at a nearby park breathing fresh crisp air. Here is grandpa and grandson playing on the see-saw...

A Day at HK Disneyland

Yesterday, we visited the new Disneyland in Hong Kong with my mom and dad. My dad had been looking forward to the opportunity of taking his grandson to this newly opened theme park. It's a mini version of the one in Orange County. Caleb enjoyed it all except for the muggy weather.

"Watching Por-Por Do Tai-Chi"

We are at the halfway point of our two-week trip in Hong Kong. Caleb and I strolled about a mile down the hill this morning to watch my mom do Tai-Chi at a neighborhood park. She goes three times a week as a form of exercise. Here is a picture of her in action.

"My First Flight"

Here's Caleb enjoying breakfast on his first flight, a 14-hour flight aboard Singapore Air for Hong Kong.