Yes, we ARE still alive!
Hellooooo?! Anyone still out there???
If you are, we just wanted to let you know we are still alive! Though maybe just barely sometimes.
Our two-and-a-half-year hiatus from blogging simply means we've been doing a lot of living! So much so, we thought it was time to take a a little breather from swimming in the vast ocean of the day-to-day and catch up a little. Looking back, we've covered a lot of ground!
For example,
...Almost two years ago, we moved from our home of nearly eight years in Milpitas, California to start a little homestead near Nate's family in Blackfoot, Idaho. It was very bittersweet to leave, and we are still missing the many people and places we loved. But this slower life in big sky country has been rejuvenating and we've already had a lot of fun adventures and dreams come true in this new chapter of our lives.
...We were blessed with another child in our family (a beautiful blond boy, baby "B"). He is loved and adored by everyone, and it is such a joy to see him growing. We are now preparing to welcome a baby girl around Thanksgiving (she will make six)!! This is more than we ever dreamed or hoped for and we feel so blessed and grateful. Baby "B" was born here at home under the care of wonderful midwives and we are planning the same for baby girl. Finally N will have the sister she has hoped and prayed for.
...We survived one of the snowiest winters on record and got our fill of shoveling and snow fort building. The kids had an awesome time, but since I had a newborn I didn't get out a whole lot and I seriously missed it (that's something I got really spoiled by living in Cali so long). So, I vowed I will be investing in some snowshoes and cross country skiis so I can actually get out and enjoy the snow a little more next year.
...When spring came, we also added a dozen chickens to our family (from our neighbor's hatchery) and found a perfect used coop. The kids do a great job taking care of our brood, though we have discovered that several of them are actually roosters. So before they do any fertilizing we are trying to get up the courage to butcher them (wish us luck! not a task we are excited about). Our homestead plans for the future include goats and maybe some meat cows, too. We have a good-sized garden and are currently working on building a geo-thermal greenhouse so we can enjoy some more year-round self-reliance (I'll probably have a post on that before too long).
...Nate continues to work for his Silicon Valley tech company but is now working almost entirely from a home office - a total miracle of epic proportions made this possible for us. He misses his regular face-to-face interactions with his coworkers but he loves the flexibility and family time and we love seeing him a whole lot more. He also just completed his private pilot's license. He certainly knows how to make a dream a reality! We are excited for some flightseeing adventures.
...The kids and I continue to homeschool and derive a lot of growth and joy from this learning journey together. My favorite subject to teach and live is history. These past two years included a study of Asia followed by the ultimate field trip to visit many of the places I grew up (China, HK, and Taiwan), then a study of the early American explorers including the first Spanish and Huguenot settlers, followed by a trip to the Southeast US to visit family and friends and historical sites like Saint Augustine and Fort Caroline. Reading our history book on our way to visit the actual sites of these events was pretty awesome!! We had a great time earning junior ranger badges and appreciating the sacrifices and struggles of those brave people.
...In fact, we loved the process of learning while traveling so much that we are seriously contemplating making an extended journey through the U.S. in some sort of motor home in the next year or so...a sort of 'roadschooling' adventure. Ever since we started homeschooling I have fantasized about doing something like this. We talk and dream about it so much that it seems like the next big thing in store for us. The purpose of such a trip would be at least two-fold: first and foremost, a chance to get outside of our own family bubble and find opportunities to engage in small acts of service as we find them; and secondly, to better understand the promises and blessings God has for this precious land of America we call home. We especially want to visit the sites of the Restoration of Christ's church in modern times, beginning in New York and making our way West. It will take a lot of planning and preparation. We'll see what comes...
...One of the most special experiences our family had this year was to attend our church's semi-annual General Conference, in Salt Lake City, with all of my siblings and their families. We listened in person to living prophets and apostles, including one of whom taught my mother the gospel over forty years ago! It was a spiritual feast we will never forget.
When we visited Temple Square in Salt Lake City this April, I contemplated the amount of time and effort it took those early saints to build the majestic temple, forty years! It took multiple starts and some extended pauses, but they relentlessly pressed forward with a single-hearted focus on completing the work God had given them. They are still adding to and beautifying the grounds every year, it never ceases to amaze me.
I thought about my forty years on earth (!!) and the many ways I've seen God's hand in my life. Many times I've needed his help starting over and rededicating myself to the work he has given me to do. Life isn't easy for anyone. But I can look back and see so clearly how he has directed and led me step by step to be where I am today. My goal is to build a family that can last not just through the ups and downs of this life, but to be worthy to live in God's presence with a fulness of joy together. This goal propels us forward through every hardship and sacrifice that may be required of us. It is worth everything we have.
Elder Rasband summed it up so perfectly in his message that day:
...So there you have it! Our biggest highlights of the past two and a half years!
If you are dying for more details, we've actually been keeping a miniblog of sorts
through Instagram,
with semi-regular updates.
But, since I've missed sharing more in-depth about our various experiences and insights on this blog, we'll see if I can squeeze in an occasional post now and then. Sometimes, we just need to just start where we are and move forward. With some luck it won't be another two and a half years before you hear from us here again!
If you are, we just wanted to let you know we are still alive! Though maybe just barely sometimes.
Our two-and-a-half-year hiatus from blogging simply means we've been doing a lot of living! So much so, we thought it was time to take a a little breather from swimming in the vast ocean of the day-to-day and catch up a little. Looking back, we've covered a lot of ground!
For example,
...Almost two years ago, we moved from our home of nearly eight years in Milpitas, California to start a little homestead near Nate's family in Blackfoot, Idaho. It was very bittersweet to leave, and we are still missing the many people and places we loved. But this slower life in big sky country has been rejuvenating and we've already had a lot of fun adventures and dreams come true in this new chapter of our lives.
 |
| Rainbow promises greeted us soon after moving to our new 'promised land' |
...We were blessed with another child in our family (a beautiful blond boy, baby "B"). He is loved and adored by everyone, and it is such a joy to see him growing. We are now preparing to welcome a baby girl around Thanksgiving (she will make six)!! This is more than we ever dreamed or hoped for and we feel so blessed and grateful. Baby "B" was born here at home under the care of wonderful midwives and we are planning the same for baby girl. Finally N will have the sister she has hoped and prayed for.
 | |
| Me and my brood, with Baby B just ten days old...my how time flies, he's at least double the size now! |
...We survived one of the snowiest winters on record and got our fill of shoveling and snow fort building. The kids had an awesome time, but since I had a newborn I didn't get out a whole lot and I seriously missed it (that's something I got really spoiled by living in Cali so long). So, I vowed I will be investing in some snowshoes and cross country skiis so I can actually get out and enjoy the snow a little more next year.
 |
| The kids made themselves right at home in the growing mountain of snow |
...When spring came, we also added a dozen chickens to our family (from our neighbor's hatchery) and found a perfect used coop. The kids do a great job taking care of our brood, though we have discovered that several of them are actually roosters. So before they do any fertilizing we are trying to get up the courage to butcher them (wish us luck! not a task we are excited about). Our homestead plans for the future include goats and maybe some meat cows, too. We have a good-sized garden and are currently working on building a geo-thermal greenhouse so we can enjoy some more year-round self-reliance (I'll probably have a post on that before too long).
 |
| Our chicks at around three weeks old, four of each from three different breeds |
...Nate continues to work for his Silicon Valley tech company but is now working almost entirely from a home office - a total miracle of epic proportions made this possible for us. He misses his regular face-to-face interactions with his coworkers but he loves the flexibility and family time and we love seeing him a whole lot more. He also just completed his private pilot's license. He certainly knows how to make a dream a reality! We are excited for some flightseeing adventures.
 |
| Nate with his instructor after his first solo in May |
...The kids and I continue to homeschool and derive a lot of growth and joy from this learning journey together. My favorite subject to teach and live is history. These past two years included a study of Asia followed by the ultimate field trip to visit many of the places I grew up (China, HK, and Taiwan), then a study of the early American explorers including the first Spanish and Huguenot settlers, followed by a trip to the Southeast US to visit family and friends and historical sites like Saint Augustine and Fort Caroline. Reading our history book on our way to visit the actual sites of these events was pretty awesome!! We had a great time earning junior ranger badges and appreciating the sacrifices and struggles of those brave people.
 |
| Visiting the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, recreating a picture I took with my siblings over 20 years ago |
...In fact, we loved the process of learning while traveling so much that we are seriously contemplating making an extended journey through the U.S. in some sort of motor home in the next year or so...a sort of 'roadschooling' adventure. Ever since we started homeschooling I have fantasized about doing something like this. We talk and dream about it so much that it seems like the next big thing in store for us. The purpose of such a trip would be at least two-fold: first and foremost, a chance to get outside of our own family bubble and find opportunities to engage in small acts of service as we find them; and secondly, to better understand the promises and blessings God has for this precious land of America we call home. We especially want to visit the sites of the Restoration of Christ's church in modern times, beginning in New York and making our way West. It will take a lot of planning and preparation. We'll see what comes...
...One of the most special experiences our family had this year was to attend our church's semi-annual General Conference, in Salt Lake City, with all of my siblings and their families. We listened in person to living prophets and apostles, including one of whom taught my mother the gospel over forty years ago! It was a spiritual feast we will never forget.
 |
| We were so excited to attend General Conference in Salt Lake City this April!! (to hear Elder Rasband share my mom's special conversion story with the whole church!) |
When we visited Temple Square in Salt Lake City this April, I contemplated the amount of time and effort it took those early saints to build the majestic temple, forty years! It took multiple starts and some extended pauses, but they relentlessly pressed forward with a single-hearted focus on completing the work God had given them. They are still adding to and beautifying the grounds every year, it never ceases to amaze me.
I thought about my forty years on earth (!!) and the many ways I've seen God's hand in my life. Many times I've needed his help starting over and rededicating myself to the work he has given me to do. Life isn't easy for anyone. But I can look back and see so clearly how he has directed and led me step by step to be where I am today. My goal is to build a family that can last not just through the ups and downs of this life, but to be worthy to live in God's presence with a fulness of joy together. This goal propels us forward through every hardship and sacrifice that may be required of us. It is worth everything we have.
 |
| The beautiful Salt Lake Temple - symbol of sacrifice and sacred blessings worth striving for! |
"If we pay attention to the promptings
that come to us, we will grow in the spirit of revelation and receive
more and more Spirit-driven insight and direction. The Lord has said,
“Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good.”20
May we take seriously the Lord’s call to “be of good cheer, for I will lead you along.”21
He leads us by the Holy Ghost. May we live close to the Spirit, acting
quickly upon our first promptings, knowing they come from God. I bear
witness of the power of the Holy Ghost to guide us, guard us, and ever
be with us, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
But, since I've missed sharing more in-depth about our various experiences and insights on this blog, we'll see if I can squeeze in an occasional post now and then. Sometimes, we just need to just start where we are and move forward. With some luck it won't be another two and a half years before you hear from us here again!
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