"Honor the ones before you."
We were raised to honor the generations before us. And every year, we have the honor to celebrate my grandfather's birthday on Christmas Eve. We had the pleasure of celebrating his 98th birthday tonight. And there was a showing of FOUR generations at his birthday banquet... how delighted my grandfather was. Happy 98th Birthday, Grandfather.
I don't remember a time that our family didn't eat together. Every meal was spent at the dining room table TOGETHER. Many memories, conversations and growth were formed at the dinner table.
And of course, everyone had to have his/her turn to take out our visiting relatives and the rest of the family out to dinner. So, another night out with the family, yeah!
Our family isn't big into receiving gifts, but they are surely big into giving gifts. We were on a mission during our trip to Downtown Disney. My aunts from Vancouver wanted to get specific gifts for their grandchildren from Disnesy, so if you know my family, it was a wrestling match at each store, the champion got to purchase the gifts. At the end of our day, it was one of the most rewarding feeling that you can have... to be filled with the spirit of giving.
"No matter how big our family is or the differences we have,
we stick together, eat together and enjoy each other's company."
I thank each generation within my family for passing this important value on to each of one us! I owe my precious childhood memories and future memories in the making to them.
I love having a big family! My grandfather's younger sister's sons and their wives came to florida for a visit. And when we have family together, what do we do? We eat! So of course, we had a traditional chinese banquet in honor of their visit. Welcome to Florida!
"It isn't about the presents.
It is about the gift of being within each other's presence."
Date: 12/21/2007
I'm blogging backwards a little. I've been in Orlando for almost a week now. While Richard and his dad are scuba diving in Bonaire, located in the Dutch Caribbean; I have been enjoying spending time with my family. After being with my family for a few days, I have consciously noticed wonderful values that my family has always lived by. I've learned it subconsciously as a child, but realizing the values as an adult is uplifting. I guess as a child, it is all you know because you live in it day in and day out. But when you have lived in the world filled with different cultures and experienced other people's way of life, I've realized I have a precious diamond in the rough... my family!
Therefore, I'm starting a new category within my blog, called "Family Values". These postings are in honor of my family.
Be looking for my retro-active blogging with family value inserts.
What a wonderful celebration we had tonight. Congrats to the Surgical Physician Assistant Class of 2007.
Graduation is tomorrow. And we had to have a little pre-celebration. I've been amazed at how close this PA class has been. It is so rare to have people bond so close so fast and for so long. These are definitely friendships that will last thru the years.
Every year, I look forward to my french Christmas card from my cousin. I think it is the coolest.
Cover and cook until you can smell the greens. It should only take about three minutes. A sign of overcooking is when the greens turn yellowish.
Who can you learn to cook from but from the best. So, here we have it, a new series of recipes from my parent's kitchen.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
{This was my first time using the video feature on my compact camera.}