a little of her

Our Finley Mei is almost four months old. It is unbelieveable to me how quickly time is passing. It makes me sad...but I don't really know why, she just keeps getting cuter every day.It is so strange to think that most of our family and friends have not met her when its hard for us to even think of life before she came along. She really has been such a blessing in our home. She is so pleasant and smiles so big every time you talk to her. She just rolled from her stomach to her back this past week and loves sucking on her hands, most recently her thumb. She takes great naps during the day, I swaddle her up, kiss her and put her in her crib. She fusses for 5-10 minutes but then she is out. Bedtime she goes down between 6-7 pm. Because she has MCAD (yes her test came back positive) right now she can go 5 1/2 hours before I need to feed her. So I usually feed her before I go to bed and once during the night. I can put her in her crib awake and she falls asleep on her own without any fuss. She really is such a good baby, such a blessing.

She is growing like a champ...not as big as her brother was at this age, but she is definitely holding her own. :) She is just long (fingers, toes, feet, legs...long). She loves her brother. We sit her in her walker while we eat dinner and she will just stare at Graham until he starts talking to her, then she'll give him a big grin.

We love our Finley girl! (or as Graham says it "Finwee goo-wel")

come home...

OJ has been extremely busy with work for the past two weeks which means he's been staying up in China a lot more than he usually does. Being a single mom stinks. We miss him. Every time Graham wakes up from his nap or in the morning first thing he does is ask for his Dad. Finley doesn't know any different but if she did I'm sure she'd be asking for him too.

Just a few pictures so he doesn't forget us....:)

( Isn't she so cute? I just can't get enough of her. I have a million pictures on my camera that I need to post...soon, I promise)

(I'm amazed at how kind Graham is to Finley. From the start he's had no jealousy. Its pretty sweet to watch. I'm sure it won't last forever but, for now I'm enjoying it. I'm also amazed at how much she loves him. She lights up when Graham his around.)

(I like to call this picture "the Barney")

(our crafty day...I got out the glue and he couldn't get enough...until he got it on his hands...then he was done)

28.

I wish you all knew OJ the way I do...

I wish you could see him play with our kids...

I wish you you could see him helping people carry things on the street (with Graham on his shoulders, a big backpack on his back and a bag already in his hands)...

I wish you could see him doing all the dishes before he leaves for work in the morning...

I wish you could see him dance for 20 minutes straight without music at 11:00 at night, just because it makes me laugh...

I wish you could see him scrubbing our house on a Saturday morning (and being patient enough to let Graham "help" him)...

I wish you could see him stay up until 4 in the morning for work and then get up at 8 to go to work (2 1/2 hours away)...

I wish you could see how he NEVER gets angry...

Then maybe you would understand just a little bit more why life is just better with him in it.

Happy Birthday OJ...I love you.

Milk

It took us a long time to find milk that we liked here in HK. Which to many may be no big deal but to a family of milk drinkers it was a tragedy.

A few months ago we finally found milk that we really like. I'm not sure if it would meet your taste requirements...I'm pretty sure my standard has lowered.

Anyway, its delicious. We all love it. Graham would drink it all day long if I let him.

There is a couple of obstacles that come with this love of milk.

1) It is pricey. (26 HKD for one liter. That is about $4 USD a liter which is about $15 USD for a gallon of milk.)

So the answer? We buy it anyway.

2) It only comes in 1 liter or litre if you live here.

So the answer? We buy lots at a time. This means one shelf of our very small fridge is stocked with milk.

Ridiculous you may say... necessary I say.

.

And the winner is...

So I realize this is 3 months late but I did tell you it might take me awhile.

Emmy P. you were spot on guessing the weight of Finley.

Therefore, I need to follow through with my promise.

First an Ode to Emmy...

I met Emmy when I transferred to BYU from Ricks. I'm pretty sure she didn't like me much that first year but after that we were on Dancers' Company together and we became friends...good friends. Lots of my memories from BYU have Emmy in them. (long rehearsals, tours, classes) Emmy served a mission in Arizona and is currently working on her Masters degree in Dance. She is such a good person.....hard worker, beautiful in and out, awesome dancer, and rock solid in the gospel. I look up to her in so many ways.

Best part...she's getting married in a little over a month!! Woo hoo! Congrats to her.

Ahhhhh, this made me miss you Emmy.

Send me your address so I can send you package with my favorite Hong Kong treats.

The Bandage.

(today on the train on the way home from church)

We were waiting at the MTR (train) station today after church. There was a short big (muscular- irrelevant to the story really but it gives you a visual- really his arms were huge and oddly disproportionate to the rest of his body) chinese fellow standing next to us. He kept glancing over at us so Owen says "Hello".

He got really excited and asked us where we were from. Owen says, "America".

The train arrives and as we get on he introduces us to his son standing next to him. He then tells us how cute Graham is. Then he takes us and introduces us to his girlfriend. She then asks Owen, "Why does she have that bandage on her head."

Owen says to her, "Well, its a bow."

Her reply, "Why does she have it on her head."

Owen stumbles, "uh, well, um......because its cute?"

Her reply, "Oh yeah...it is cute."

A bandage? Really?

And I was thinking she looked so adorable today. :)

2010

10 years ago I was a Senior in High School. I had just decided to go to Ricks. I was rehearsing for "Nunsense". Dancing my little heart out. I had a little crush on the guy pictured above. Life was easy, shmeezy. Of course I didn't think that at the time.

8 years ago I was in my 2nd year at Ricks. I was dancing on CDT...making friendships that I still treasure to this day. I was in a serious relationship. I was taking loads of classes. I was working at a job that I absolutely hated (really it makes me slightly nauseous to even think about it). A little concerned about my future but I had time, loads of time. Life was easy, shmeezy. Of course I didn't think it at the time.

6 years ago I was "unofficially engaged" to the handsome fellow above. I was dancing at BYU. Had strange roommates who I struggled to understand (except for one :). Had an amazing job at BYU Visitors Center that I loved. Life was good. I was a little stressed and the reality of life seemed to be settling in a little bit. But really, it was easy, shmeezy. Of course I didn't recognize it at the time.

4 years ago I was beginning my last semester at BYU. I was about to start my student teaching...I was so nervous. And I got to dance every day with some of my very best friends. I had been married for a year and a half. I was b.u.s.y. Although it was a balancing act my path was right in front of me...easy shmeezy I say. And of course I didn't recognize it at the time.

2 years ago I had a chubby 4 month old baby boy. I was beginning to see the light at the end of my postpartum tunnel. I was teaching a class at BYU and loving it! We were anticipating a move to Hong Kong that summer. Although our life was changed forever by becoming parents...my life was pretty easy, shmeezy. You never would have convinced me of it at the time.

Today I live in Hong Kong. I am a momma to a big heavy (oh my he is SO heavy) adorable 2 year old boy and a beautiful, sweet 3 month old little girl who sleeps like a champion. I spend my days playing with my kids, cleaning my house, going grocery shopping, doing laundry, running errands, exercising, cooking, and traveling (or rather commuting:) Life is challenging here. I cook out of a toaster oven, my friends live an hour or so away (or at least the ones I can actually communicate with), it takes so long to do the simplest of tasks, I haven't been on a date with my husband in 6 months, I don't get to do the hobbies that I enjoy. Most of the time I feel quite lonely. I wouldn't say my life is easy, shmeezy...I wonder if I will in ten years? And If I ever do I wonder what I will be experiencing to make this time seem so easy. That thought slightly frightens me :)

I should probably reflect back a little more often. God has blessed my life and continues to prepare me for what is next. Its evident over, over, and over again. I get so caught up in my pity party that I forget to remember that. Where is the faith Tara! Come on.

Happy New Year

Here's to the next 10 years... wherever they take me.