Abbotsford...

I'm alive and well in Abbotsford... I always say you know you're in Abbotsford when you can buy a samosa at 7/11. Karl always laughs when I say that, because it reminds him of going to 7/11 in Hong Kong after school some days and getting Dim Sum. And I'm not kidding.

Other ways to know you're in BC:When did all the roundabouts show up in Abbotsford? Wow. They're everywhere now. Okay, maybe I only saw 2 or 3, but they're double-laners and everything. Don't get me wrong, I think they're great... but maybe they need to run everyone through their license tests again or something? Seemed like nobody could really "get it..." or is it just me?

Anyway, I am out here doing some promotions for the ccufairs. I will hit Missionsfest on the weekend and then head for the island for a couple of days. Making the most of my pre-maternity-leave time.

Speaking of maternity... All is going well! I had a couple of weeks of battling major fatigue... lots of afternoon naps. It seems to be easing up a bit, and I only had a few minor queasy days. I'm in the awkward "getting-bigger-but-not-big-enough-for-maternity-clothes" stage. I had to buy a couple of pairs of dress pants for this trip, since my "normal" ones pinch too tight now. All for a good cause right :)

I got to have a Legendary Triple-O burger for supper (one of my old favourites since we didn't used to have White Spot in Calgary). Maybe tomorrow I will get a 7/11 Samosa...

Do NOT try this at home...

Okay, even if you're pregnant and you're having funny cravings... DO NOT TRY Reese Marshmallow Peanut Butter Cups. Trust me.

Thank You!

Thank you everyone, for your words of blessings and congratulations. It's been a great journey so far!

FYI, the picture in the announcement (with the question mark) is Karl :)

It was fun to tell our families, especially Karl's mom, Betty. This coming Chinese New Year is the year of the pig; "pig" in Cantonese is the same word as "Chu." We wrapped up a pig stuffed animal and gave it to Betty in a gift bag. Karl said, in Cantonese, "Mom, here's a baby Chu [pig] for you!" As she was opening it, and she responded, in Cantonese "Now I want a real baby Chu for Chinese New Year!" So Karl said, "Okay, we're giving you a real baby Chu too!" The conversation was a bit lengthier, as Karl convinced his mom that he really meant, yes, a real baby. He said, "We need another red envelope this year!" and she laughed. With a wink, she said if we have two babies we could have two more red envelopes this year, so we said we would see what we could do about that!

I gave my mom a "Grandparents Magazine" that she had given me as a joke before our wedding. I still had the same copy, it was funny to give it to her dated Nov/Dec 2003.

We're not sure of the gender or the exact due date as yet, but Karl had an interesting dream a couple of years ago... we will see if it comes true!

I was pondering whether to start a new blog for baby stuff. I was thinking... is our current blog going to become a "baby blog?" and then thought, well, our current life is going to become a "baby life," so we may as well start here!

So, the first Chu baby gender contest... will baby Chu be a boy or a girl?
There's huge prizes at stake here...
which means I need to narrow the pool of winners...
Okay: Gender, birth date, and weight
your answers will all be here in virtual black & white... the closest guess wins
Dinner for two in Tuscany*!
(*Tuscany Valley Green that is... travel costs not included...date negotiable)

New Jobs for the Chus...

Yes, Karl and I are both getting new jobs this year...

We're going to be parents!



I'm seven weeks along and feeling good;
our bundle of joy is due early September

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Word of the week

Although I am a software engineer, I actually work in the health care industry. I came across this word today: Cervicalgia. It is a clinical term for "pain in the neck". So next time someone is being a pain in the neck, you can perhaps call him/her "cervicalgia".

mmmm, wasabi...

I just had to share about a new snack I discovered... can't quite call it my "new favourite," as that will remain reserved for my sweet tooth favourites.

If you're the least bit adventurous, give these Japanese Wasabi & Honey Rice and Corn Crisps a try, from "the blue menu" (President's Choice) at Superstore.

Keep an eye on your flyers... We read that the Superstore is doing a mega-inventory clearance of their "non-food" items to prepare for the entrance of the new "Walmart Supercenters" coming soon to Canada.

Snowzilla

As Dayna packs away our holiday decorations this year, most of which are some variation of a snowman, I found this article on the web. I told her we are not getting it for next year.

Our Third Anniversary!

Yesterday was our 3rd Anniversary! We just loved every minute of our wedding day. It was a really fun day. And the last three years have topped it!

We had a Chinese tea ceremony first, and then the 'western' ceremony.

lotus seed and lotus root tea, part of a symbolic tea ceremony

A true coffee fan will sacrifice her wedding day lipstick for one last latte before walking up the aisle!

We had all of our professional pictures (some below) done at Chinook Mall, the largest mall in Calgary, complete with a merry-go-round that we got exclusive use of for some photos! Our photographer had some inside connections apparently. We kind of weren't into the 'pretend it's summer' look by going to indoor gardens... it was -30* and there was no hiding it! Check out our Wedding Website for more photos (including our engagement through to honeymoon!).

we borrowed a white Lexus SUV for our wedding day!

Last weekend we went to Banff for an anniversary celebration to one of our favourite little restaurants there (Barpa Bills) then for mochas and some people watching at the "Wild Flour Artisan Cafe." Couldn't quite miss the opportunity for a little celebrating yesterday too, so we went down to the Avocado (best sweet potato fries in the west! and I had the Baja Salad, a little memory of our honeymoon!) and then wandered around Ikea for a bit. I got an 'unofficial' anniversary gift: a down-filled pillow! ahhhh... I've had my eye out for one for the last year or so. Love it!

To conclude, let me share a couple of words of wisdom that our Pastor shared as part of the wedding ceremony message; they have really stuck with us: "The golden relationship question is... and ask yourself and each other this often: 'What's it like, to be married to me?'"

Canadian Invention: five pin bowling

Karl suspected over Christmas holidays down in North Carolina that Five-Pin bowling must be a uniquely Canadian phenomenon, since the guys couldn't find any one day when they went with the kids.

Well, it turns out, he was right!

Happy New Year!

new year's eve: hong kong harbour

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

"People are so worried about what they eat between Christmas and the New Year,
but they really should be worried about what they eat
between the New Year and Christmas."
~Author Unknown

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come!"
~2Corinthians 5:17

"Dear friend,
I pray that you may enjoy good health
and that all may go well with you,
even as your soul is getting along well."
~3 John 1:2