Category: Family

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Anna’s Second Birthday

So on a positive note, upon coming back from work, my wife tells me the best news I can hear!  That our duaghter, Anna received Christ at school that day!  Before you freak out what kind of public school allows this, it is an after-school program called “Good News Club” that meets every Wednesday at her shcool.

And I must say, they must have done an awesome job!  So we celebrated her “second” birthday by giving thanks… it will be somewhat easier to remember this day since it’s our pastor’s birthday.  Oh on that note, happy birthday again Pastor Shawn!  😀

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Bittersweet Parenthood

Before I forget, happy new year…

I have now been a parent for almost 8 years now… and it surely has been anything BUT boring!

I wanted to, however, share some key learned lessons in becoming a parent. Most will tell you to 1) sleep as much as you can before you become a parent and 2) your life as single independent will be over. Those two are very true. However, that is not all.

Once my kids were out of baby stage, my life was bit more… relaxing. They began to sleep at more normal hours (except my daughter who just can’t go to sleep before 9 pm anymore!) and they are able to do some minimal things on their own (eg. tooth brushing etc and dressing themselves etc.). However, with that comes their own state of mind. It may not seem such a big deal at first but lately, I have noticed few things about my kids.

My daughter has become super-sensitive to others and will apologize at the smallest of things. My son has been causing more and more ruckus lately. Oh scratch the second one. That’s just being a boy. 😛 But seriously, both have started to ask questions. An they are never-ending! I give them credit for wanting to learn… but now I understand why you can’t teach your own kids!! >.< Along with these, they have been developing their own preferences and a sense of who they are in the ways of what they like and don't like. My daughter goes through daily morning war in choosing what to wear to school. My son only likes to things just the way HE likes them. And I as a parent, am finding myself trying to come up with new ways to teach them how to be human. Yes, it's important that they develop sense of who they are but it's a balance that they need to practice. If it's 30 F outside, shorts are not practical. And with the latest craze of Bakugans, we've come to conclusion that my kids are not ready for the animated TV series as the shows seem to make them behave more... violently. With this came realization that I no longer live for myself. For next 12 years, my life's schedule will have to adapt to theirs, and spend more time in familiarizing with their environments and friends (no problem with watching cartoons!). Addressing some key questions/issues like when can we get them started on video games? How do we limit on their friends? I get my mind blown away at these things that I have to deal with as a parent, but it's all bittersweet. Sure it's complicated. Sure I don't have as much "free" time. Sure I get more and more tired, both mentally and physically. But each time I see their smiles, and each time I see them enjoying life, it seems to be all worth it. So what if it gives me headache thinking about how grumpy they get when we tell them to get ready for bed? The ending punch line is that my life is no longer just my own. I am responsible for 3 more people now. It's not just me who needs joy and happiness, but my wife and my kids as well. And you know what?! I am ok with that.

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Outdoor Ice Skating in Houston

It is doable!  Even in Houston, it’s doable to ice skate outside!

It’s available through January 18, 2010 at Discovery Green.  Sure it costs $10 per person (even for a 5-year-old kid!), but it’s an experience not easy to come by!  Especially for a hot place like Houston!  It was my kids’ first time on ice and skates at the same time!  I was unsure how they would respond to it but they responded phenomenally!  Sure it was crowded but JJ loved every minute of it!  He “skated” as if he was tip toe walking it (that’s because he did!) and Anna seemed almost natural!

This Friday, some families from our church will go to Galveston’s Moody Gardens for its Festival of Lights, a light show that is annual.  During my 11 years of life in Houston, we have yet to go!  So it will be fun I hope… and ice skate again!

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Adventures in Childhood

Article: Review of Wilderness of Childhood

I may not remember a whole lot about my childhood, but I remember lots of little adventures.  It’s in men’s nature to seek adventure.  We like going to new places, seek new challenges, and find out what is out there.  I realized that when we lived in England.  First few months in Harlow, once I had learned how to ride a bike, I used to ride around the little town trying to find out where each roads led to.  That sense of adventure never left me.  I think that’s why I loved driving.  Even in my four years of college in New England area, I drove to Vermont by myself before school began to take in the countryside.

Now, I am a parent and every area and people seem like dangers to my kids.  It’s true.  Fatherhood changes you.  The world is truly scary place.  Ok, it probably has always been that very same scary but we just never knew about it.   Now, thanks to the media and the Internet, we know bit too much.  No, way too much.  🙁  I want my kids to be able to play wherever and whenever they want.  However, part of me says it’s too dangerous.  The book review of The Adventures in Childhood points out the very same things I worry about and what the kids would miss out on…

I hope that I will do well in keeping the balance on kids’ safety and allowing them to develop sense of adventure and their imagination.  Sometimes, we just have to say “No, I won’t deprive them of what is due them as kids!”  Say it with me!!

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Two Generations of Pastors

Article

I wanted to show my pride in the two generations of pastors in our family.  My father had sent me this article where he and my younger brother were featured in Korean Christian Daily newspaper.  Loosely translated, my brother Paul states that he had become a pastor “from watching our father’s faithfulness in pastoring… not focusing on tough life of now but focusing on the eternal importance of the future.”  Good stuff… I wanted to show my pride in two people that have dedicated their lives to serving God.

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Things that make me MAD: Children taken away from illegal immigrants

NY Times Article

Warning!  You may become way too mad after reading the article!  I know I am!!    Illegal immigration is a hot issue.  Yes, I understand that.  And deporting back home is one thing but to take their children away from them while they are in jail?!  Who the hell gave these stupid judges the right?!

As a parent myself, I can NOT imagine anything worse than my kids being taken away from my against my will!  Yet, that’s what some of these judges (you know who you are, Judge David C. Dally and others) doing exactly!  Ok.. so they are put in jail for being here illegally but it does NOT give us the right to take their kids away and place them elsewhere!

The kids are happiest when they are with their parents.  And so are the parents ourselves!  I am really flabbergasted right now!  That judge is sooo lucky that I don’t live in North Carolina ’cause I’d be petitioning for his impeachment!  If we are going to deport them, do it completely and send the kids back with them!  Unless the parents are harming the kids, the right to the caring for the kids lies with the parents!!  I feel soo bad for the parents… My prayers go with them…  Someone with the power PLEASE make this right!!