"One Day More"

CNY 2015... I was able to fulfill a long-time dream of bringing a musical on-stage.  And not just any musical... one of my favorite musicals and most powerful musicals of all time.  More on that later. 

CNY 2015... I was able to fulfill something I never even dreamed of happening.  I was able to bring dad to church.  In my mind... I can't count, with one hand, how many times dad has gone to church with us.  1) My first communion.  2) Watching us at one of our SSPP show's. 3) My 8th grade graduation (took place in a church) 4) My wedding... (took place in a church).  And now... CNY2015.  

Back to "One Day More..." and back to the entire musical.  I can honestly say I only give myself a C+.  Last Sunday at rehearsal... I thought this was going to rock the house, bring the house down.  The lyrics are wonderful.  The acting is stupendous. The entire premise is easy to understand, easy to follow. More importantly, it was suppose to be short!!  Not sure what went wrong... but we got zero reaction from the audience. No claps... no laffs.  People weren't really sure what was happening.  Wasn't until C-hing got the crowd going that people started to get into it. 

Then came the finale. I've been picturing this scene for weeks now.  A "One Day More" Flash Mob.  Only.... the flash mob didn't work.  Our mob barely made a sound and took too long to show up.  Portions of the songs were sung completely off pitch, off tempo and out of tune.  The singing was so discombobulated, the final part was messed up cuz we couldn't hear the music. Yet.... in the midst of all that... I think we got the one main part of the song through... we got the climax, we got the purpose, we got the exact message across, as I had intended. 

"這是我們大使命!"

"我在這裡! 我願跟隨!"

If people took away anything from that message.... that was it.  

And tho I walk away from CNY2015 with a little bit to be desired... I think in some ways... it just makes me want to improve CNY 2016!!!

Typical American Family

Time has finally come where Nui nui is asking why she has two (maternal) grandpa's.  Why is the gung-gung that she sees all the time NOT mahmee's dad? Well... he is.  But he isn't.

So I had the distinct pleasure of explaining to her Joyce's family tree.

And her immediate response was, "Oh no!! Grandma is committing a sin!!"

Wait till I tell her about her paternal grandparents.

Parent Teacher Conference

Nui-nui's Kindergarten Parent Teacher Conference. Her teacher came and got us...and before we even sat down, she said, "I have nothing to say.  We're done."

I snap back with, "Ok... have a nice weekend!"

All kidding aside, we really do know what's up with Nui-nui.  Her teacher is always in communications with us and from our own unprofessional evaluation, we basically know where Nui-nui stands.

So instead of hearing her talk, I needed to take a sudden turn.  I had to tell her some of my thoughts.  And when I started tell her what a great job her two Pre-K teachers did...and what she's doing right now... I started welling up in tears.

Then I asked... How can we pray for you?
And her first response was, "We need God's love and protection to be with us."  The tears really started to flow.

It's not about academics.  It's not about math or reading or Montessori Projects.  It's about God's love and His presence with these children.  

A Tale of Two Siblings

Do you compare siblings? Of course not.... not in the open.  But deep down? How can you not?

So the tale is Tortoise and the Hare.  They've both had a chance to listen to it from their loving father at least a dozen times together.  But individually...

Nn will always want to be the tortoise. No matter how cute and cuddly a bunny is... or how slow and ugly a tortoise is, she'll want to win.  But she will also stay straight to the original story.

SW... on the other hand wants to be the cute cuddly bunny.  But he'll make me change the story... so the bunny doesn't eat and sleep.  And he'll also want to win. 

How do you even draw a conclusion...

Looking back at 2014

Eleven days into the New Year, I figure it's about time to write the annual Look Back post.  I actually started thinking about this before the turn of the year.  And every time I try to sit down and put ink to the paper, I successfully find an excuse to not write.  Now I know why.  2014.... really wasn't that eventful.  But as tradition would have it... I will oblige.

Where to begin? How about no where near home?

10) ISIS (and terrorism) - When you're in the moment... ISIS strikes fear, anger, confusion into everyone.  Beheading reporters, innocent massacres, coffee shop takeovers... Terrorism is real.  It's not just in Syria or Jordan or France.  It could happen in our very own neighborhoods.

9) Ebola - Hard not to make mention of this when Ebola Fighters were awarded the "Person of the Year" award from TIME magazine.  The closest I came to Ebola... was two days after news came out that a nurse from Africa, with seemingly no symptoms, flew on regular American domestic planes.  Only to later be diagnosed with Ebola. I had a cross country flight that week (on United, not Frontier) and Joyce made me bring disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizers onto the plane.  Felt so weird wiping down the plane while everyone was boarding. 


8) LOST - One of my favorite TV shows of all time about a plane crashing landing on a mysterious island and disappearing off the face of the earth.  Flash forward (pun intended) 5 years... and Malaysian Airline Flight 370 blasted headlines.  From hijacking, to re-routing, to insane pilots, to... mysterious island with unknown powers???

(moving from world news to personal news)

7) Disneyland - You know it's a slow year when Disneyland is a top 10 highlight.  Well.. this is the first time the four of us went.  And we're cheap...or frugal enough... to bring a rice cooker with us.  One night, we had Costco chicken.  Another night, we found a Ranch 99 and bought a Roast Duck.  Most memorable part of the trip...aside from the whole trip..?  How about running a 103 degree fever, but still taking Nui-nui to see the fireworks, cuz I promised her I would.  (Previous post found here)


6) Pastor Ed - I didn't know him well. But I will never forget him. I still remember how I was annoyed by his way of reading the bible passages during Sunday Service (always faster or slower, never on the same pace). I still remember him apologizing to me when I first encountered the Holy Spirit, and he didn't do more to counsel me. I still remember his fatherly guidance at Hong Kong PCS.  I still remember how he gave me free reins to introduce Stations of the Cross to a protestant church's Good Friday service. I still remember his smile...his laff... his energy... his love for Jesus.  I didn't need to know him well... cuz come to think of it.... I knew what I needed to know.  RIP my brother.  I'll see you up there.


5) Translating - Already blogged about it here. Standing up by the pulpit... preaching God's word.  In Chinese no less.  This event was so significant... I even got my 1 blog reader to comment on my blog.  Now THAT'S significant!!

4) Promotion - Made L5 Manager this year.  After the whole debacle last year... my boss really came through.  I once told Joyce... if I make L5, I'm done.  I don't need to climb up anymore.  But in my mid 30's... and I'm already an L5? C'mon.... I've gotta push for L6.

3) We ARE the Champions - 3 times in 5 years that the Giants are World Champions.  Everyone's dream (or nightmare) of it going to Game 7.  And guess what?? I didn't even watch the game (blogged here).  DYNASTY???? In this day and age?? HECK YEAH!!  Most importantly... this came in a year where the Sharks lose to the Kings after being up 3-0.  This came in a year when the Warriors made to Round 2.... only to lose to the hated LA Clippers.  It came in a year when the Niners lost to the hated Seahawks due to an eff-ed up referee call that put me into F-YOU mode for a good 6 months.  And oh btw... the F-YOU mode brings us to event #2.

2) Season Tickets - Never in my wildest dream, would I ever imagine being a season ticket holder.  Everything was set up perfectly.  We had a winning coach, a new stadium, a championship caliber team, a place to hang out with by BFF and I was gonna make money off of this!!!  Well guess what.... the coach is now gone.  The stadium is a complete failure. The team is old, decrepit and broken.  My BFF and ticket partner doesn't even want to go anymore.  And I can't even give these tickets away!! But that moment.... that very moment when I walked up the stairs with my son and my dad to see Levi's Stadium, that you can NEVER take away from me.

So what could possibly take the top prize of being the #1 event of 2014.......? How about.......

1) Leung's Whole Food Diet - Back in May, we blogged about Eating Healthy, and avoiding processed food.  It all started one weekend, when Joyce says, let's try to eat brown rice.  We do it for Saturday and Sunday, out of fun... and we've never turned back.  It seems like centuries ago... yet, I can still hear it in my ears, SW complaining, "好痕啊."  Poor little kid.... battling eczema and scratching himself till he bleed.  My heart still aches thinking about the suffering he went through.  My heart aches even more... thinking how Joyce struggled every night to keep him from scratching.... only to come home after a long days work, to see SW bleeding again cuz he scratched uncontrollably during his nap.  This post isn't about eating healthy.  This post isn't about SW being healed from his disease.  This post... is for me to forever remember that I have a Proverbs 31 wife.  And that 才德的女子很多，惟獨你超過一切。

And that..... was 2014.  Next time I write something like this, we'll be halfway through the friggin decade!! WOW!!

Netflix

5 years ago...when we first had Nui nui... we ordered Netflix to help us get through the tough times.

5 years later... we signed up for a 30 day trial.  And alas, there's a reason why we cancelled it in the first place. There's freakin' nothing to watch. Movies are trash. TV shows are garbage.

Then I come across Breaking Bad... supposedly the greatest TV show in the past decade. And the binging begins.  Let's try to finish 5 seasons worth before the free 30 day trial is over.

Spoiled

Struggling with the fact that my kids are simply spoiled. I can't blame them.. .they're 3 and 5.  Kids will be kids.

Leading up to Christmas... all the kids thought about were their presents. 

Christmas Eve - we told them they can open one gift.  They wake up at the crack of dawn and wake up both of us.  After ripping open one gift, they only wanted to play with the other sibling's present.

We told them, one present a day, in hopes of dampening dismissal of interest.  Failed.

Each day, they'll wake up as excited as a jumping bean.  10 minutes after opening their presents, they'll be bored of it.

Oh how I wish we can just give them one gift... one gift for each Christmas.  So they cherish that one gift. But with uncles and aunts and family friends all involved... there's no way we can limit it to one gift.

Oh the dilemmas in life.

"I feel ya bro..."

While making a late night run to Lucky's to pick up some creamer and juice, I walk by the feminine hygiene section and see a guy taking pictures of the products and prices with his smart phone.

There's nothing to say or do... you simply tip your hat and say, "Been there, done that. I feel for ya bro..."

Christmas Caroling

Had an opportunity to go caroling at some new friend's house this past Sunday.  The best part of the experience, was I brought Nn with me. And Nn loved every minute of it. Joyce is finally able to allow her to skip her nap... even though Nn can still use it.  But it's a new page in our family ministry. 

This started last week when we basically skipped nap... and went to visit a newborn baby, then immeidately afterwards, a cancer stricken family friend.  The kids zonked out right after we started driving home...as expected. 

I really want to keep this momentum going.  Take our kids everywhere we go.  If we're able to serve God, we serve as a family.   It's one thing to TELL them to love God, love man.  It's another to SHOW them that mahmee and bahbee really loves God. 

It finally happened...

I knew the day would come... just didn't realize it would come this quick. 

Last night, after another 2AM bout of yelling at Nn, I finally hit the first (and hopefully last) breaking point of our father daughter relationship.

Normally... when I come home from work, SW and NN would race to come hug me.  But today... I was home for a good 5 minutes.  I had to go look for NN in the play room.  I asked her, "Why didn't you come hug me?"  She said, "I didn't hear you come in."  And she continued playing with her Lego's.  Then I said, "Can I get a hug now?"  And almost like a light lit up... or she came back to normal (or whatever normal is), smiled and gave me the normal bear hug that only kids can give their parents.

Whatever the reason I yelled at her... however strict parents we are... no matter how high expectations Joyce and I set for them.... is it worthed? Is it??

Where does this lie in the all-time "failures" as a parent?

There will be a day

The day will come when we have to make decisions - life or death situations.  I don't mean that as an innuendo or pun.  But when your loved one has been in the hospital for over a year... and situation has gone worse to worser... there comes a time when you realize, maybe medicine is not working.  There will be a day... when you have to decide, it's time to let go. 

Pastor Ed... you're going to a much MUCH better place.  You will never be forgotten.