Cute, funny, interesting things

Have you seen this cute video? Here is another cute daddy/daughter duo.

My dad told me about this article written by an atheist feminist addicted to reading Mormon mommy blogs. I have much to say about that, but there is no time.

These articles are interesting too. Chinese mother article here. Western mother defense article here. So many friends have brought this article to my attention because I'm Chinese. I should really write a post about my own Chinese mother, who by the way, never called me "garbage."

A Friday Night Date

with this handsome fellow.

We left the house around 8. He's at the stage where if he takes a nap, he's not tired until 9:30 or so. I was about to get him into the minivan, but he said he wanted to take Dad's car. I was happy to oblige. Dad's car is, after all, the date car.

On the way to McDonald's, this was our conversation:

Me: What was your favorite part of the day?
Stephen: When I went to bed.
(I was puzzled.)
Me: You mean when you took a nap?
Stephen: Yeah.
Me: You LIKE taking naps?
Stephen: Yeah.
Me: I like taking naps too!
Stephen: Yeah, me too.

When we got out of the car, Stephen said, "Mama, look!" as he pointed to the dark sky. "Stars!" I realized then that my kids don't get out to see the moon and stars very much. I thought that was sad. I looked at the stars with him and instantly found three bright stars in a row, Orion's belt. I told him about it and he said he could see it too.

We got a happy meal and ice cream. We played with his hockey toy on the table and had a grand time. I asked him again what his favorite part of the day was, and he said, "eating ice cream."

As we were leaving, Stephen said, "this was fun!" Outside, he again told me to look at the sky. "Look, the moon! It's silver!" He was right. It was spotted with gray clouds, but it shined brightly behind them. On the way home, he shouted out every time he saw the moon peek out from behind the trees, and then he wondered why the moon was following us all the way home. I used to wonder that when I was a little girl.

We played with his toy for a little while inside the house, and our date ended when I put him to bed and sang "Edelweiss" to him. For the past few nights, "Edelweiss" is the only song he'll let me sing to him because it's a "boy song." I kissed him goodnight and he happily went to sleep.

I love my Stephen. What a sweet boy he is.

It was a good day.

I have so much to say about Christmas happenings, but it's so overwhelming to record it all right now so I'm going to write about today.

Steve and I started our new fitness plan at 6 AM. It's nice that Steve and I share a fitness goal that we can accomplish together.

Mei Li and Stephen took their first swimming lesson this morning. Now that Stephen's three, he and Mei can be in the same class. They had an amazing time. So amazing that I had a hard time getting Stephen away from the pool and into dry clothes. Now if I focused on that part of my day, this post would have a very different title.

So we'll just skip to the part when Mei Li was at preschool and both Stephen and Mi Na napped. Mi Na and Stephen don't usually nap at the same time, but every once in a while it works out that way. So I folded and put away laundry, started a new load, worked on a sewing project, and unpacked.

This evening, Steve asked Stephen, "was your swimming lesson a little bit scary?" He had worried that Stephen wouldn't want to go in the water without me. Stephen replied, "No. It was just great." I smiled to myself when he said that and remembered the huge smile on his face as he learned how to move his arms and legs in the water. I love that sweet boy.

I busted out my new Barefoot Contessa cookbook from Steve, and made raisin pecan oatmeal cookies. I altered the recipe a little and they turned out very well. We had Family Home Evening and ate our treats and the older kids went to bed without too much resistance.

Mi Na and I practiced sitting and clapping while Steve watched a bit of the championship football game online. Mi Na fell asleep quickly in her crib, and now Steve and I are alone. Good night.

Here's a good one.

A couple of months ago, Ie Mei told me about a wonderful devotional talk given at BYU-Idaho. Kenneth Southwick addressed the topic of discipleship and how it is measured. He suggested this:

"the great measure of our discipleship is how we view others."

"Let me say it this precisely, our judgments about, our conclusions concerning, and our actions toward others all grow out of how we view them. If this is the case, then the question becomes, 'do we see others as a spirit son or daughter of God, as a person, as a human being, as a soul of infinite worth?' Or do we see them as something less? Or do we fail to see them at all?"

This book addresses this topic as well. I have read and love this book. I find that I can go to any page of the book randomly and learn or re-learn something about myself that I can improve.

That's all. Have a lovely day.

Do your duty with a heart full of song.

We attended church in my home ward yesterday and one of the hymns we sang was "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel." This song is the inspiration for my new year's resolution and title of this post.

When Steve and I were dating, he told me that he loved the word "duty." I loved that about him, and since we've been married, I've noticed how little he complains while fulfilling his family, church, and occupational duties.

I'm guilty of complaining and general negativity at times, and my hope is that this year, I can learn to perform my duties with a faithful, happy song in my heart, and rejoice in the glorious work I get to do daily.

12/26: High School Reunions

It was a day full of reunions. Brooke, my FPS cheer buddy, came by my parents' home to catch up. I love this girl to pieces. We haven't seen each other since Mei Li was a baby. It was a lovely visit.


Later that day, Steve and I left the kids with my parents to go to his 10-year high school reunion. Steve graduated just one year before me so I still knew everyone there. I was proud to be at Steve's side. I was happy to listen and not say much, but I did make friends with David Y.'s pianist girlfriend.

David remembers me doing a lot of singing in high school and asked me if I still perform. I thought about it for a moment, and then I told him that mostly I just sing lullabies to my children at night. Thinking about it some more, of all they times that I've performed in front of people, singing for my children is my favorite way to use my voice.

It was fun to see everyone all grown up. Many are married and one guy, also named Steve, has a daughter now. Steve enjoyed talking to him about that.

I'm glad we went because Steve had a good time. He really loved high school. He was so likable then and remains that way still.

Christmas Day

We flew to LA on Christmas Day. Ie Ling, Jonathan, and the four Taylor kids greeted us at baggage claim. I wondered how we would all fit in one car. I soon got my answer.

Ie Mei and Brad pulled up in my parents' motor home. How many could say they've been picked up at the airport in a motor home? I love my family.

In the evening, all families but Jeremy's gathered in my parents' home for food and the nativity. All the cousins picked their nativity roles out of a hat. Mei Li played Mary and Stephen played a wise man. There is nothing quite as funny or touching as watching little children perform the nativity.

I also reunited with my BYU hula friend, Marisa, who also happens to be my sister-in-law's sister. Our first awareness of each other was when someone mistook us for sisters at BYU.


I am ashamed to say that leading up to our trip, I wondered if it would be worth the expense. We quickly learned that we made a great decision to be with family for Christmas. Being with family is always worth the expense.