Although the weather is still very cold, I am already into spring mode. So I decided (after confirmed with Ruth, of course ) it’s time for a theme change.

This is actually my first post on this blog. Ruth has been doing all the writing so far and she has been doing an awesome job. I really like her writing style, much like talking to you directly, not like me, always tend to write a lot of non-sense stuff.

Anyway, hope you all like this new theme – notice the color GREEN – hinting spring is coming. And I do hope the weather will get warmer. As for right now, it is snowing.

Today we were looking for the sitcom: “Frasier” on the website and check out how many seasons the sitcom has already been out in the market. The sitcom is one of my favorite since me and the girls started watching back at Summit Terrace. When checking out that on google, I found out that Eddie or Moose (the dog’s real name) is actually dead in June 22, 2006. He was such a cute and intelligent one on the Frasier show. My heart suddenly becomes so sad or am I too emotional?? I guess i love dogs and animals too! I used to have so many dogs in Malaysia that i hated them because i have to walk them twice a day. Now that i realize i don’t have one, i actually misses having them around. Someday, I’ll might have these little children that never grow up – just as my friend said, but I really wish that they don’t have to die or at least go to heaven with me!

Last Saturday, Andy had a cross training, so he had to go to attend the meeting on Saturday. Well, it’s not too bad since he had Shearn to accompany him to go else i think he couldn’t last through the meeting, it was so so boring!! After that, Mr. and Mrs. Wu invited us to go their house for “niu rou mein” – Taiwan beef noodle. It was yummy. I guess for those who want to have this, sooner or later you can find this dish in the menu of Madam Wu’s restaurant. We asked for the recipe but she just briefly told us how it was made because this is her secret recipe! At night we didn’t make it to ISCA because Andy was really really dead tired. I was so craving for McD so i woke him up around 8pm and drove through the snow storm to get my McD value meal. hehe.. not a bad day and we got to eat a lot of good stuff too!

Living in America at least in this little corner of NWA, the weather can be very unpredictable. My remember when my in laws were here, very often they talk about the weather to us, how it fluctuate from one day to the next.  Today is exceptional CHILLY! This morning, didn’t know that the school is still on holiday – The Martin Luther Jr. Day which also means that the public transportation is out, maybe God gives me some common sense to ask Andy for the car to drive to work(well this week it’s suppose to be Andy’s turn to drive to work with Shearn), else I’ll be so chilled by walking there.  Still snowing outside, I guess the best time now it’s to play some soft musics and to warm myself up with a cup of warm drink and to wrap myself up with a big blanket to wait for Andy to come back home!

The book, “Wisdom of Our Fathers,” by Tim Russert, gives me a lot of challenge to impart good values, to love and to be there for our children in the future. I find this book has a lot of truth of how fathers (even mothers) are to be there in the children’s lives. We often think of how we want to give the best to these innocent kids, but all they really want are mom and dad in their lives. One day, when our children grow up, what would they say about the parents? Are there any special moments in the lives they can remember that include you(parents)? I really like this quote(from General Douglas MacArthur) in this book: “By profession I am a soldier and pride in that fact. But I am prouder -infinitely prouder- to be a father. A soldier destroys in order to build; the father only builds, never destroys. The one has the potentiality of death; the other embodies creation and life. And while the hordes of death are mighty, the battalions of life are mightier still.“

It’s embarrass to say that all these years we’ve been attending Sunday services without serving in the church and there is really no place that we can call a church home. Since we started the marriage counseling with Tom and Barbara, they have challenged us to serve in the ministry. We have been praying for that too and I’m sure there is always a need in the church. Immediately the next morning, the Grace Chinese Church asked Andy to design a web site for them. We’re glad that He answered our prayer. However we have been procrastinating in doing so due to the parents presence. This past week, the lady of the church approached me for teaching the Children and for Andy, he will start to plan out the website and publish the lyrics of songs on the website. I’m glad that God uses our own ability to serve in the area that we’re can offer.  We’re also challenged to be rooted and continue to grow in the church home that finally we’re belong to!

God has been wonderful to bring my in laws from China to celebrate our wedding on Dec 2, 2006. We had had a wonderful time spending together. Last Saturday, they left Fayetteville and back to China. Poor hubby still kinda uneasy about their return because he really misses them so much! The journey from here to China takes about 19 hours. They flew from Fayetteville to Minneapolis (waited 3 hours at the airport) and from Minneapolis to Tokyo. Unfortunately, the plane arrived at Tokyo was delayed. We were quite worried about them because they couldn’t speak English. We and the church were praying for them. We thank God that they have finally arrived home safely, even though they got delayed at the Tokyo airport, the NWA was nice enough to offer them a free room and meal for a night in order they can catch a flight the next morning! Praise God for his gracious hands upon them. Also, for bringing them here, enjoying each other company and bringing them back. We hope that they will come back soon to visit us!

I’m also blessed to learn so many cookings from them. They taught me to make baozi and many other stuff. I guess you can tell which is made by me

People have been calling us up for lunches and dinners to celebrate the new year and also to farewell our mom and dad who are going back to China. We have gained much weight. Time to sign up for gym membership and make it our resolution for the new year! The picture took it during the winter chinese retreat, our parents remarked that “Ruth is pregnant with 3 months” and “Andy with 6 months”. Of course, it is not real that I’m pregnant, just to describe how big my tummy is!

We were at the Eureka Spring, AR on Dec 28, 2006. Eureka Spring, once told by someone is also known as the “little Switzerland”, which i still not sure why is it. Maybe in my mind Switzerland is much beautiful place. We also visited the Thorncrown Chapel. This woodland chapel has won numerous architectural awards. It was a solemn and wonderful experience to be sitting inside to enjoy the beautiful architecture of the chapel.