From the land of chinese things and parental visits

SOMETHING CHINESEY:

I finally got to pull out my Chinese silk shirt from the closet and pretend like I was back in Hong Kong this month. Chinese New Year celebrations started February 3rd and lasted long enough for even my parents to enjoy when they came to visit. The Chinese really know how to celebrate, so it's never just a one day affair. It brought back lots of memories and I realized that I really miss China. I've been saying for quite some time that I've been back from my mission for about 6 months. Well, apparently I said that for a long time because I've been back for over 9 months now. Crazy how quick the time passes. I'm so grateful I live in an area with lots of Chinese people and traditions. It helps me not to miss it so much.

SOMETHING 31 YEARS AGO:

My decision to move to the bay area was very much faith based. I didn't really know anyone, I didn't have a job, I had very little money, but lots of hope! I basically had nothing going for me except a non-paid internship and a very generous family willing to take me in. I don't really know why I did, except that everything just felt right. Since last September I have seen more blessings in my life than I ever could have imagined as I was making the 1000 mile drive down to California in my trusty Honda CRV. Little did I know how special this place would become. From getting my first real job to meeting Alex and all the other amazing people who've supported me, I can't help but feel like I was meant to move here. In a way, it was like coming home. Well, interestingly enough, my parents were married here 31 years ago and my dad served his mission for our church in the bay area for 2 years as well. Although small moments in time, those events also make me feel connected to this place. I'm sure it has something to do with family roots and legacy or something along those lines. Having my parents come to visit and revisit the temple where they were married and show them my life here in California felt like completing a circle. Basically, it just made me feel even more grateful for all the blessings that have come to me since I moved here.

SOMETHING ABOUT THE CITY:

Visiting the city (San Francisco) makes you want to live there. Besides the lack of parking and bad traffic, everything else seems surreal on a beautiful day. If I didn't work in San Jose, it would be very tempting. The art, museums, food, concerts, etc. are all very enticing. We recently helped a friend move there and I briefly caught the city fever bug. I got over it, but I have a feeling that it will come back periodically just to keep me on my toes...:)

SOME CHANGES COMING:

Due to space constraints on my picasa web albums and other reasons, I will be transitioning to sharing my pictures through my MobileMe Gallery for next month. I'm still figuring out how to get things how I want them, so hopefully I have it figured out by then. I'm also going to be updating my blog or switching to a different blog site completely. Just a heads-up for future changes!