SOMETHING VERY SILICON VALLEY:
The new website and "startup" company I'll be developing over the next few months will be at www.xancoli.com. Don't worry about checking it out yet. There's not much to see right now, but I'm excited to dive in and keep you posted on my progress.
If you know Alex and I well, you will realize that xancoli is a combination of our nicknames for each other. We've been working on the launching of this "company" for quite some time now and I guess you could say that on August 9, 2011, Alex and I made it a little more official. And now we're going public! I apologize for all the coded language, but for those still really confused, Alex and I are engaged!..:)
Although both of us feel like our engagement is much, much more than a business relationship...;) it has been quite the process! We are eternally grateful to all our family and friends who've bolstered our faith and courage along the way. We couldn't be more thrilled to dive into the unknown and face head-on the adventures, joys, challenges and decisions in front of us. Mostly because we will be doing it together. Come what may, we have the strength of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and know that with God, all things are possible!
We can't wait to share the joy of this occasion with all of you. Stay tuned for updates on when and where all the wonderful wedding events will take place...:)
SOMETHING OF A PROPOSAL:
I'm sure some of you may be wondering how this all went down. To be completely honest, it is a very long story and I will try to spare most of you the tedious details...:) The full story is being written up at the moment and will eventually make its way to our website. In the meantime, here is the "sweet and simple" version (haha):
Alex proposed we help his sister Kimberli do a photo shoot for her new photo blog website. I agreed as we do these kinds of things all the time. So of course, I took great effort to look good that day as my face will be posted on a website..:0! It was rough. After work, we met up with Kimi and hiked up a trail to the "researched" location (he'd been there before to scout out the best place) and started getting ready to take pictures. We were an hour late due to unforeseen traffic complications. This wouldn't have been a problem if 6 of our friends hadn't been waiting for us in a tree and behind bushes....:0
I had brought multiple pairs of shoes with me for the photo shoot and wanted to put on the red ones. Unfortunately, Alex had thrown them behind the tree where his friends were to get them out of the way. Problematic. I went to go get them and Alex immediately started telling me not to worry about it and just go barefoot. Of course, I was stubborn and thought to myself, "Why would I haul all those shoes up here and then not wear them?" I started to argue with him and go for the shoes, only to be grabbed by both hands and told to "just stay right here." Obviously at this point I figured out something was up because he was acting so weird. My eyes got big and I kind of freaked out for about 2 seconds. Sadly, I can't for the life of me remember the beautiful proposal speech Alex made. Not because it wasn't memorable, but because my mind just went into "I can't believe I'm getting proposed to right now" mode. I remember his hands were shaking and he spoke sweetly and softly.
After the ring was on my finger, I thought all had been said and done. But just then white flower petals started to fall, music filled the air and multiple people started coming out from behind the tree and from behind bushes. My roommate Chanel had a box of live butterflies she hilariously tried to shake from their hiding place without much success and left me laughing hysterically. I was also in shock. Never had I dreamed of other people being present when we got engaged. But it turned out to be the best part of the whole evening. We celebrated together and had an "impromptu" picnic engagement party at the base of the tree. It was paradise. All was concluded with a ceremonial shredding open of a goose feather pillow in the nearby field. Don't ask me why, I've just always wanted to do that...:) It was more fun than I ever could have expected or planned.
The second best part of this whole story is that all of it was documented by Alex's sister Kimberli. The proposal was video recorded and hundreds of pictures were taken throughout the entire evening. She posted many of our pictures on her new website and the video will be edited and posted soon. She is AMAZING! Check it out and spread the word for her if you know of someone in need of a photographer...:)
http://kimberlidesign.com/blog
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
From the land of family togetherness
SOMETHING PATRIOTIC:
I can't remember the last time I had a better fourth of July weekend. Maybe it's because I celebrated twice. On Sunday, July 3rd, I went with Alex and his family to BBQ and watch some fireworks. We were seated on a hill so that when we laid down, the fireworks were literally right above our heads. It's definitely the closest I've ever been and it was absolutely thrilling. It was also great to just spend time with family, relax and enjoy the beautiful summer evening. There’s just something magical about family togetherness. The next day, I went on yet another adventure to watch fireworks. I wasn't as excited, as the ones I had seen the previous night were not to be beaten. However, the adventure was not in the viewing, but in the getting to the viewing location. Several unnecessary obstacles, like fences, warning signs, and "possible flooding" notices didn't keep us from getting to our destination. The company was also what made it so memorable. We skipped along our path, straddled fences and sang patriotic songs while the fireworks were going off to make up for our lack of radio accompaniment. For that one evening, I didn't feel like I was 25.
SOMETHING A LONG TIME IN THE WAITING:
For the past several months my family has been anticipating a much awaited event - the FIRST EVER Randy and Cyndi Bird family reunion! Needless to say, it was epic. Not only had we not all been together for 7 years (since my oldest brother was married in 2004), but many of us had not seen each other for 3-4 years all together. This is not because we don’t like each other and move as far away from each other as possible. It’s mostly due to many of us all being gone on missions for our church abroad, but I like to use the parable of the homing pigeon to explain. It’s been said that your children are either homing pigeons or eagles (in the Bird Family, this is especially applicable..;). Homing pigeons travel and explore, but eventually return to their native nests and the comfort of what they consider home. Eagles travel and explore as well, but rarely do they return to the nesting area where they were born. They branch out and find new places and new adventures to continually pursue. You’d think with eight little birdlets, my parents would have had some homing pigeons in there somewhere. But alas, not one of us is yet to return to the nest. So far, we are all acting on the eagle nature within us. Flying in and driving from all parts of the US and abroad to our home in WA, we totaled 84 man hours of flying and 285 man hours of driving just to get there. We traveled from California, Chile, Connecticut, Georgia, Honduras, Idaho and Utah. Needless to say, we were all very glad to arrive at our home safely and reunite after all these years.
YOU KNOW YOU’RE AT A FAMILY REUNION WHEN:
-Your mother hula-hoops while wearing strange garb from the 60's
-Your dad challenges you to race him into a freezing river half naked
-Your 30-year-old brother sings karaoke to "Swagger Wagon" with his daughters in tutus
-It takes a catering crew to feed your family Sunday evening dinner
-The couples all have their own rooms and all the singles are down in the basement on bunk beds
-There are "shhh" signs in the corner of the house with sleeping babies
-Rocky theme music is played to wake everyone up in the morning for scripture study
-Everyone has a matching shirt with a reunion slogan that no one gets except the family
-Siblings and spouses flash mob “The Hustle” during the talent show
-In a span of 4 days there are over 1000 pictures taken
SOMETHING SWEET:
One of the sweetest moments of the reunion took place in a small room of a modest home with a woman that all of us greatly adore. We call her Grandma Critchell. She's not really our grandma, but she's the closest thing we ever had to one that lived close enough to come to our games, concerts, and important family events. She is my Grandpa Roos's cousin and the dearest, feistiest thing you ever did meet. Although she's struggled with her health for years, the thought never crossed my mind that she wouldn't always be around. Several days before our family reunion, we received news that she only had 2-5 days left to live. I didn’t know if I would make it home in time to see her, but secretly wished that she would hold out for us all. Alex and I arrived in Wenatchee at 10:30am. We were greeted by an entire entourage of family and welcome home banners. Afterwards we went straight to Grandma Critchell’s home. All of us gathered around her bed, sang her children’s church songs (they were her favorite) and said our goodbyes. We had a family reunion t-shirt made for her and it hung with care above her bed. There was such a wonderfully peaceful and happy spirit in the room that can only be felt when a loved one is near the end of this mortal existence. She passed away about 10 hours later. I’m eternally grateful we all were able to share that sweet moment together as a family before she died. Although sad to say goodbye, it was beautiful and reminded us of the importance of family right from the start of our reunion. In the meantime, we will miss her dearly and look forward to the day we get to see her again as her usual spunky self!
SOMETHING UNPLANNED:
So I've been doing a lot of outlining, scheduling, organizing and planning lately. There are multiple reasons for this, but the point of this story is not to go into that, but to focus on the opposite - the things that you can't plan that make life funny and interesting. What's hard is you can't plan unplanned things. For a planner like me, this is hard to grapple with, but I love to be pleasantly surprised. So, I have this picnic table that pops out of the back of my Honda CRV and I’ve always wanted to use it. I decided to plan a picnic and painting date for Alex and I up at Foothills Park. We drove until we found a nice view of the sunset, pulled over and set up dinner. We had several bikers stop and talk to us and ask if we were a company that set up outdoor dinners for other people. Obviously, we were doing it for ourselves and they thought that was amazing. They then went on to encourage us to start a business that does it for other people. Gotta love Palo Alto Entrepreneurs. Then half-way through dinner, an unmarked car pulled up. The door opened and out got a police officer. And not just any police officer, but the sheriff of Santa Clara County. I immediately thought, “Great. He’s gonna tell us we can’t be here and we’re gonna have to pack everything up and move.” Walking over he said, “I hope you guys have a sense of humor.” Again, I’m thinking to myself that the date is over. He continued, “I don’t know whose idea this was, but this is the most creative thing I’ve ever seen in all my 20 years of patrolling these hills.” He then proceeded to hand us two sheriff badge stickers as tokens of his admiration. He pulled away and we laughed for the next five minutes from the shear hilarity if what had just happened. I salute the Santa Clara Country Sheriff for making our date so much more memorable than I ever could have planned.
I can't remember the last time I had a better fourth of July weekend. Maybe it's because I celebrated twice. On Sunday, July 3rd, I went with Alex and his family to BBQ and watch some fireworks. We were seated on a hill so that when we laid down, the fireworks were literally right above our heads. It's definitely the closest I've ever been and it was absolutely thrilling. It was also great to just spend time with family, relax and enjoy the beautiful summer evening. There’s just something magical about family togetherness. The next day, I went on yet another adventure to watch fireworks. I wasn't as excited, as the ones I had seen the previous night were not to be beaten. However, the adventure was not in the viewing, but in the getting to the viewing location. Several unnecessary obstacles, like fences, warning signs, and "possible flooding" notices didn't keep us from getting to our destination. The company was also what made it so memorable. We skipped along our path, straddled fences and sang patriotic songs while the fireworks were going off to make up for our lack of radio accompaniment. For that one evening, I didn't feel like I was 25.
SOMETHING A LONG TIME IN THE WAITING:
For the past several months my family has been anticipating a much awaited event - the FIRST EVER Randy and Cyndi Bird family reunion! Needless to say, it was epic. Not only had we not all been together for 7 years (since my oldest brother was married in 2004), but many of us had not seen each other for 3-4 years all together. This is not because we don’t like each other and move as far away from each other as possible. It’s mostly due to many of us all being gone on missions for our church abroad, but I like to use the parable of the homing pigeon to explain. It’s been said that your children are either homing pigeons or eagles (in the Bird Family, this is especially applicable..;). Homing pigeons travel and explore, but eventually return to their native nests and the comfort of what they consider home. Eagles travel and explore as well, but rarely do they return to the nesting area where they were born. They branch out and find new places and new adventures to continually pursue. You’d think with eight little birdlets, my parents would have had some homing pigeons in there somewhere. But alas, not one of us is yet to return to the nest. So far, we are all acting on the eagle nature within us. Flying in and driving from all parts of the US and abroad to our home in WA, we totaled 84 man hours of flying and 285 man hours of driving just to get there. We traveled from California, Chile, Connecticut, Georgia, Honduras, Idaho and Utah. Needless to say, we were all very glad to arrive at our home safely and reunite after all these years.
YOU KNOW YOU’RE AT A FAMILY REUNION WHEN:
-Your mother hula-hoops while wearing strange garb from the 60's
-Your dad challenges you to race him into a freezing river half naked
-Your 30-year-old brother sings karaoke to "Swagger Wagon" with his daughters in tutus
-It takes a catering crew to feed your family Sunday evening dinner
-The couples all have their own rooms and all the singles are down in the basement on bunk beds
-There are "shhh" signs in the corner of the house with sleeping babies
-Rocky theme music is played to wake everyone up in the morning for scripture study
-Everyone has a matching shirt with a reunion slogan that no one gets except the family
-Siblings and spouses flash mob “The Hustle” during the talent show
-In a span of 4 days there are over 1000 pictures taken
SOMETHING SWEET:
One of the sweetest moments of the reunion took place in a small room of a modest home with a woman that all of us greatly adore. We call her Grandma Critchell. She's not really our grandma, but she's the closest thing we ever had to one that lived close enough to come to our games, concerts, and important family events. She is my Grandpa Roos's cousin and the dearest, feistiest thing you ever did meet. Although she's struggled with her health for years, the thought never crossed my mind that she wouldn't always be around. Several days before our family reunion, we received news that she only had 2-5 days left to live. I didn’t know if I would make it home in time to see her, but secretly wished that she would hold out for us all. Alex and I arrived in Wenatchee at 10:30am. We were greeted by an entire entourage of family and welcome home banners. Afterwards we went straight to Grandma Critchell’s home. All of us gathered around her bed, sang her children’s church songs (they were her favorite) and said our goodbyes. We had a family reunion t-shirt made for her and it hung with care above her bed. There was such a wonderfully peaceful and happy spirit in the room that can only be felt when a loved one is near the end of this mortal existence. She passed away about 10 hours later. I’m eternally grateful we all were able to share that sweet moment together as a family before she died. Although sad to say goodbye, it was beautiful and reminded us of the importance of family right from the start of our reunion. In the meantime, we will miss her dearly and look forward to the day we get to see her again as her usual spunky self!
SOMETHING UNPLANNED:
So I've been doing a lot of outlining, scheduling, organizing and planning lately. There are multiple reasons for this, but the point of this story is not to go into that, but to focus on the opposite - the things that you can't plan that make life funny and interesting. What's hard is you can't plan unplanned things. For a planner like me, this is hard to grapple with, but I love to be pleasantly surprised. So, I have this picnic table that pops out of the back of my Honda CRV and I’ve always wanted to use it. I decided to plan a picnic and painting date for Alex and I up at Foothills Park. We drove until we found a nice view of the sunset, pulled over and set up dinner. We had several bikers stop and talk to us and ask if we were a company that set up outdoor dinners for other people. Obviously, we were doing it for ourselves and they thought that was amazing. They then went on to encourage us to start a business that does it for other people. Gotta love Palo Alto Entrepreneurs. Then half-way through dinner, an unmarked car pulled up. The door opened and out got a police officer. And not just any police officer, but the sheriff of Santa Clara County. I immediately thought, “Great. He’s gonna tell us we can’t be here and we’re gonna have to pack everything up and move.” Walking over he said, “I hope you guys have a sense of humor.” Again, I’m thinking to myself that the date is over. He continued, “I don’t know whose idea this was, but this is the most creative thing I’ve ever seen in all my 20 years of patrolling these hills.” He then proceeded to hand us two sheriff badge stickers as tokens of his admiration. He pulled away and we laughed for the next five minutes from the shear hilarity if what had just happened. I salute the Santa Clara Country Sheriff for making our date so much more memorable than I ever could have planned.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
From the Land of Concerts, Carmel and Camping!
SOMETHING MUSICAL:
I realized after attending a friend's piano concert that I haven't even touched a piano in months. Since I moved from the Hancock home at the end of December, I haven't had ready access to one except at church. And I just haven't made time for it. I immediately went home and listened to almost my entire collection of piano songs on iTunes. Not shortly after, I found myself at Alex's home in Fremont where his parents have a piano! It felt so good just to sit down and play like I use to do. However, there was definitely much frustration as my hands just wouldn't move like they use to and my mind just couldn't remember those chord progressions anymore. It's an awful feeling. Hence, goal #1 for July is: find a piano. use it. learn a new song. maybe buy a used keyboard off of craigslist. I'll let you know how it goes.
SOMEWHERE LOVELY:
One and a half hours south of Palo Alto is a lovely little town nestled in a cove of beaches, quaint shops and beautiful homes. I've been to Carmel before, but this time was so lovely and the perfect weekend escape (mostly because I was with good company). We had a marvelous time playing games, eating good food and playing in the sand. I've never lived in a place where the beach is so close! I guess it's just another part of turning more and more Californian...:) I don't mind one bit and I hope to be back there soon!
SOMETHING OUTDOORSY:
Besides not playing the piano for quite some time, it's also been a ridiculous amount of time since I went camping. The young adults in my church saved the day by having a camping trip down in Portola Redwoods area. So gorgeous! Northern California keeps getting better and better. Just getting there was splendid. We drove this windy, tree-lined road along hill tops with beautiful vistas down into the State Park. Alex was in charge of the food and when I got there, he already had a gourmet tin foil dinner for me - hot and ready to eat! A friend of mine and I went on an adventure in the dark with our headlamps and I can't remember the last time I did something like that. It was so good for my soul. You just can't beat campfires, smoke in your face, the smell of pine, staying up all night talking in your tent and feeling grungy in the morning from sleeping on the hard ground for approximately 3 hours because the sun rose at 5am...:) My kind of paradise.
I realized after attending a friend's piano concert that I haven't even touched a piano in months. Since I moved from the Hancock home at the end of December, I haven't had ready access to one except at church. And I just haven't made time for it. I immediately went home and listened to almost my entire collection of piano songs on iTunes. Not shortly after, I found myself at Alex's home in Fremont where his parents have a piano! It felt so good just to sit down and play like I use to do. However, there was definitely much frustration as my hands just wouldn't move like they use to and my mind just couldn't remember those chord progressions anymore. It's an awful feeling. Hence, goal #1 for July is: find a piano. use it. learn a new song. maybe buy a used keyboard off of craigslist. I'll let you know how it goes.
SOMEWHERE LOVELY:
One and a half hours south of Palo Alto is a lovely little town nestled in a cove of beaches, quaint shops and beautiful homes. I've been to Carmel before, but this time was so lovely and the perfect weekend escape (mostly because I was with good company). We had a marvelous time playing games, eating good food and playing in the sand. I've never lived in a place where the beach is so close! I guess it's just another part of turning more and more Californian...:) I don't mind one bit and I hope to be back there soon!
SOMETHING OUTDOORSY:
Besides not playing the piano for quite some time, it's also been a ridiculous amount of time since I went camping. The young adults in my church saved the day by having a camping trip down in Portola Redwoods area. So gorgeous! Northern California keeps getting better and better. Just getting there was splendid. We drove this windy, tree-lined road along hill tops with beautiful vistas down into the State Park. Alex was in charge of the food and when I got there, he already had a gourmet tin foil dinner for me - hot and ready to eat! A friend of mine and I went on an adventure in the dark with our headlamps and I can't remember the last time I did something like that. It was so good for my soul. You just can't beat campfires, smoke in your face, the smell of pine, staying up all night talking in your tent and feeling grungy in the morning from sleeping on the hard ground for approximately 3 hours because the sun rose at 5am...:) My kind of paradise.
Monday, June 6, 2011
From the land of Christmas presents and celebrations
SOMETHING LIKE CHRISTMAS:
So way back in December, Alex bought me plane tickets to New York. I thought this very ambitious of him, as the tickets were for May (5 months away). I remember thinking to myself, I sure hope we are still dating in May so I can cash in on my present....:) Well, I'm happy to announce that I did indeed get my Christmas gift! It could not have been planned more perfect. Come May, I really needed a break and change of scenery, so the escape back east was a welcome respite. Alex had actually been down in SoCal for work the previous two weeks, so this really was more of a treat for me I think. He hadn't even finished unpacking and had to turn around and pack again for New York! We did get to visit where Alex went to school, many of his old friends and of course, the museums. The last time I was in NY was 7 years ago with my high school choir to sing at Carnegie Hall. I never had a chance to visit any of the museums, so Alex was a great sport and took me to see almost all of them! There was much excitement, squealing and jumping up and down that only a true art history major can appreciate. It really was just like Christmas.
After our busy and packed schedule in NY, we took the train up north to Connecticut. My sister Natalie and her lovely family live in Canton. The other reason for our trip was to visit them because I have actually never met Natalie's husband, John. They were married during my mission and 1.5 years later I still had not met him or her baby! I fell in love with the green hills, fresh air and chubby cheeks of my never-before-seen nephew, William. Oh, and John was cute, too. The days in CT were pleasant and relaxing - truly a real "vacation" from life for a while.
SOME THINGS TO CELEBRATE!:
My very last companion in Hong Kong, Sister Channing Hancock, came triumphantly home May 25th. Her homecoming also marks my 1 year anniversary of being home from my mission to China. The event and all of the excitement has caused me to reflect on how far I've come in the last year. Much of it has to do with the Hancock family. I find it fascinating and strange that one person you meet in a far distant land can so drastically alter your future paths. I feel so indebted and so grateful for all the blessings that have come to me since finishing my mission. It's almost overwhelming when I think about it. I really do have so many reasons to celebrate everyday.
So way back in December, Alex bought me plane tickets to New York. I thought this very ambitious of him, as the tickets were for May (5 months away). I remember thinking to myself, I sure hope we are still dating in May so I can cash in on my present....:) Well, I'm happy to announce that I did indeed get my Christmas gift! It could not have been planned more perfect. Come May, I really needed a break and change of scenery, so the escape back east was a welcome respite. Alex had actually been down in SoCal for work the previous two weeks, so this really was more of a treat for me I think. He hadn't even finished unpacking and had to turn around and pack again for New York! We did get to visit where Alex went to school, many of his old friends and of course, the museums. The last time I was in NY was 7 years ago with my high school choir to sing at Carnegie Hall. I never had a chance to visit any of the museums, so Alex was a great sport and took me to see almost all of them! There was much excitement, squealing and jumping up and down that only a true art history major can appreciate. It really was just like Christmas.
After our busy and packed schedule in NY, we took the train up north to Connecticut. My sister Natalie and her lovely family live in Canton. The other reason for our trip was to visit them because I have actually never met Natalie's husband, John. They were married during my mission and 1.5 years later I still had not met him or her baby! I fell in love with the green hills, fresh air and chubby cheeks of my never-before-seen nephew, William. Oh, and John was cute, too. The days in CT were pleasant and relaxing - truly a real "vacation" from life for a while.
SOME THINGS TO CELEBRATE!:
My very last companion in Hong Kong, Sister Channing Hancock, came triumphantly home May 25th. Her homecoming also marks my 1 year anniversary of being home from my mission to China. The event and all of the excitement has caused me to reflect on how far I've come in the last year. Much of it has to do with the Hancock family. I find it fascinating and strange that one person you meet in a far distant land can so drastically alter your future paths. I feel so indebted and so grateful for all the blessings that have come to me since finishing my mission. It's almost overwhelming when I think about it. I really do have so many reasons to celebrate everyday.
Monday, May 2, 2011
From the Land of Spring, Awards and Easterness
SOMETHING SPRING:
Spring weather has crept it's way into the bay area and all the rain, wind and sun is making it more lovely than ever. A pleasant Monday afternoon found me on my knees and digging in the dirt of our backyard that I have claimed as a plot of garden. Of course, it took much longer than expected, but I was able to transform the hard, clay soil into something somewhat fertile for my plants. I have big plans for all those herbs and veggies, so let's hope I can keep them all alive. The tricky part is maintenance. You'd think that after all that work, I could just be done, but this is definitely not the case. New weeds are popping up, snails are leaving their slimy trails and my poor squash plant already looks pretty sad. I'm trying not to be a careless gardener, watering frequently and taking time to fertilize and pull weeds as they come. Let's be honest, it's just going to be a lot of consistent, hard work the whole summer. Here we go!
SOMETHING TO ANNOUNCE:
After all the planning, filming, post-production, submitting, voting and then waiting, we finally received the results for the video competition! Our video won 2 awards: Visitor's Choice Award AND Winner in our category (US/Canada - Amateur). We are thrilled and it's been rewarding to see all the blessings and the impact of the video on a larger scale. We only hope that more and more people will get to see it and that they will feel of it's beautiful message and act on it. The film is now posted on our church website along with the other winners. See the link below if you would like to watch more videos from the competition:
http://lds.org/pages/international-video-contest-winners?lang=eng
SOMETHING EASTER:
I don't think I've ever had a more memorable Easter. It started with Alex and I venturing up into the city (SF) Sunday morning to see an Easter play at one of his coworker's church. It was fabulous and really an impressive and moving production. I loved it and loved getting out and seeing how other people celebrate and worship on Easter. So uplifting and encouraging. We attended our own church meetings in the afternoon, which were spiritual and powerful as well. The evening was spent with friends and "family" (I consider the Hancocks my California family) with delicious food, inspiring music and an enchanting evening activity. We all helped to light and raise six glowing lanterns into the sky. We all stood entranced, watching them rise into the dusk of the evening sky and I couldn't help but think of the scripture in Mark:
And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
It was such a happy moment and I felt so at peace. It reminded me that although Christ is not here with us in person, I know that he is risen and still alive in all of us. Standing there surrounded by dear friends and loved ones, it didn't feel like he was very far away at all.
Spring weather has crept it's way into the bay area and all the rain, wind and sun is making it more lovely than ever. A pleasant Monday afternoon found me on my knees and digging in the dirt of our backyard that I have claimed as a plot of garden. Of course, it took much longer than expected, but I was able to transform the hard, clay soil into something somewhat fertile for my plants. I have big plans for all those herbs and veggies, so let's hope I can keep them all alive. The tricky part is maintenance. You'd think that after all that work, I could just be done, but this is definitely not the case. New weeds are popping up, snails are leaving their slimy trails and my poor squash plant already looks pretty sad. I'm trying not to be a careless gardener, watering frequently and taking time to fertilize and pull weeds as they come. Let's be honest, it's just going to be a lot of consistent, hard work the whole summer. Here we go!
SOMETHING TO ANNOUNCE:
After all the planning, filming, post-production, submitting, voting and then waiting, we finally received the results for the video competition! Our video won 2 awards: Visitor's Choice Award AND Winner in our category (US/Canada - Amateur). We are thrilled and it's been rewarding to see all the blessings and the impact of the video on a larger scale. We only hope that more and more people will get to see it and that they will feel of it's beautiful message and act on it. The film is now posted on our church website along with the other winners. See the link below if you would like to watch more videos from the competition:
http://lds.org/pages/international-video-contest-winners?lang=eng
SOMETHING EASTER:
I don't think I've ever had a more memorable Easter. It started with Alex and I venturing up into the city (SF) Sunday morning to see an Easter play at one of his coworker's church. It was fabulous and really an impressive and moving production. I loved it and loved getting out and seeing how other people celebrate and worship on Easter. So uplifting and encouraging. We attended our own church meetings in the afternoon, which were spiritual and powerful as well. The evening was spent with friends and "family" (I consider the Hancocks my California family) with delicious food, inspiring music and an enchanting evening activity. We all helped to light and raise six glowing lanterns into the sky. We all stood entranced, watching them rise into the dusk of the evening sky and I couldn't help but think of the scripture in Mark:
And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
It was such a happy moment and I felt so at peace. It reminded me that although Christ is not here with us in person, I know that he is risen and still alive in all of us. Standing there surrounded by dear friends and loved ones, it didn't feel like he was very far away at all.
Monday, April 4, 2011
From the land of rain and mud
SOMETHING INVIGORATING:
In the beginning of March, I decided to tackle our small patch of earth in the backyard of our house. Well, it turned out to be more than I thought, but it's been so long since I've done any sort of gardening that I found the manual labor to be very invigorating. I forgot how much I love digging in the dirt! With Alex gone to Australia for over a week, I found myself enjoying my free time weeding, cleaning and organizing. You know, all those things you rarely get around to doing most of the time, but still need to be done. It was a good feeling. Unfortunately, the last two weeks of March were so rainy I wasn't able to plant anything after all the weeding. However, I'm determined to plant all sorts of good stuff this April so Alex and I can use it for cooking. There's nothing like fresh herbs and veggies from your very own garden - yum!
SOMETHING MUDDY:
With all the rain comes lots of mud! So what better time to run in a mud run? Every year in Monterey, CA, they hold a mud run that basically entails running a 5 mile course strewn with obstacles, mud pits and drill sergeants yelling at you to go faster and do push ups and stuff. Pretty sweet and totally my cup of tea. I was asked to join a team of 4 girls last minute and decided to go for it. Besides a few setbacks of cars getting broken into and race bibs getting stolen, we found ourselves ready to go on a cold and rainy Saturday morning. And what was our team name? - the "Maneaters" of course! Since this is not really a race to be worried about your time and placing, we decided we would tackle and get into mud fights with all the drill sergeants along the way. We did pretty well and even gave a team hug to one of them who was yelling at us to run faster. I asked him if he needed a hug since he sounded so mad, he yelled back that he didn't, so of course we all gave him one anyways. Kill 'em with love, baby. It was great and I'd totally do it again in a second.
SOMETHING REWARDING:
If you haven't already heard, the video that Alex and I and some friends made in January made it to the finalist round of voting for the Mormon Messages Video contest. Voting lasted for two weeks and we will find out next Monday if we made it into the top 3 or were chosen as the voter's choice award. It's been such a rewarding experience to be a part of and even if we aren't official finalists, it was worth all the work and time. We've already heard some great stories from people who've shared it with others and really felt the power of its message. If you still haven't seen it, check it out here.
In the beginning of March, I decided to tackle our small patch of earth in the backyard of our house. Well, it turned out to be more than I thought, but it's been so long since I've done any sort of gardening that I found the manual labor to be very invigorating. I forgot how much I love digging in the dirt! With Alex gone to Australia for over a week, I found myself enjoying my free time weeding, cleaning and organizing. You know, all those things you rarely get around to doing most of the time, but still need to be done. It was a good feeling. Unfortunately, the last two weeks of March were so rainy I wasn't able to plant anything after all the weeding. However, I'm determined to plant all sorts of good stuff this April so Alex and I can use it for cooking. There's nothing like fresh herbs and veggies from your very own garden - yum!
SOMETHING MUDDY:
With all the rain comes lots of mud! So what better time to run in a mud run? Every year in Monterey, CA, they hold a mud run that basically entails running a 5 mile course strewn with obstacles, mud pits and drill sergeants yelling at you to go faster and do push ups and stuff. Pretty sweet and totally my cup of tea. I was asked to join a team of 4 girls last minute and decided to go for it. Besides a few setbacks of cars getting broken into and race bibs getting stolen, we found ourselves ready to go on a cold and rainy Saturday morning. And what was our team name? - the "Maneaters" of course! Since this is not really a race to be worried about your time and placing, we decided we would tackle and get into mud fights with all the drill sergeants along the way. We did pretty well and even gave a team hug to one of them who was yelling at us to run faster. I asked him if he needed a hug since he sounded so mad, he yelled back that he didn't, so of course we all gave him one anyways. Kill 'em with love, baby. It was great and I'd totally do it again in a second.
SOMETHING REWARDING:
If you haven't already heard, the video that Alex and I and some friends made in January made it to the finalist round of voting for the Mormon Messages Video contest. Voting lasted for two weeks and we will find out next Monday if we made it into the top 3 or were chosen as the voter's choice award. It's been such a rewarding experience to be a part of and even if we aren't official finalists, it was worth all the work and time. We've already heard some great stories from people who've shared it with others and really felt the power of its message. If you still haven't seen it, check it out here.
Monday, March 7, 2011
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!
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!
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