August Part I - Reena's Baptism

Catching up!  August felt like it was forever ago.  Let's be honest the reason I blog...my kids absolutely love our blog book when it gets printed out and the grandparents love seeing their grand kids.  Dan's parents have expressed to me how much they enjoy watching their grand babies growing up through the blogs on many occasions. Words like these kept motivating me to write:  "Just love your blog.  I don't think I ever tell you that.  Thank you for sending it to us" and "We love your blog and seeing all you are doing and how the girls are growing.  You guys have so much energy and fun in your life".   My parents and siblings do facebook but they know if they want details they go here.  I love blogging so much as this is our family history, with pictures.  It's hard to dedicate your life to so many things, especially because prophets and apostles are always counseling us to make sure we don't fill up our lives with busy things and not focus on what is more important.  Oh how I would love to return to theater, or make some good money being a therapist, or sitting down and writing a book about my pioneer heritage both in the church and in the US.  I've cut back on facebook a lot hoping to find some more time.  I mostly just post for my family in Vietnam to see and that's about it.  I rarely read my newsfeed which amazingly frees up some time.  That's an improvement for me.   I'm trying to focus on making meaningful relationships with those around me.  I have girls night out often with my girls but also with my friends thanks to a wonderful husband who does so much around the house to help me.  Dan and I enjoy having people over to our house for games and treats.  Just about every week we have some friends over and that is a life I love.

 After we got the backyard to an agreeable stage, we celebrated with T-bone steaks.  Oh yeah!

 After church one day I took her to the temple and we had a little photo session

 She's a natural so every picture was beautiful

 I narrowed it down to a close up of her gorgeous smile.

 Then I quickly got Reena's baptism invitations out. I designed the writing and got it sent off.  Checked!

Then it was planning for our big trip time...

August was a month that we looked forward to.  My dad was coming out for Reena's baptism as well as my father and mother in law and my siblings.  My grandma's health was not so great and everyday that I get a call from my mom, my hands shake and my heart stops for a bit.  We knew that any day now she could potentially go.  It was very emotional for me. We rushed our passports, paying an extra $75 each per passport, ouch!  We spent over $1000 on passports and visas alone.  No it was not on my bucket list of things to do, going to Vietnam in August.  The humidity, the heat, and then adding to the fact that this might be the last time I see my grandma all made it very emotional.  My dad knew that I needed the support so he came out a week early to be with me.  He made it fun for me for a little while.  We toured the international district of Seattle and went crabbing.  My sister Thanh, brother in law Alex and my brother Mike also came up.  Dan's parents came as well and it was so much fun to have a full house.  We were able to fit everyone.  We turned our den into a bedroom, turned the preschool room into a bedroom and Ronin's room became a guest bedroom also.

On the day of her baptism I was so busy with food, decoration and entertaining the guests that I didn't get around to taking pictures of her.  Thankfully Dan's mom got her camera ready and these are the pics from her camera.  My sister and I braided her hair and she got on this gorgeous dress.  She's such a beauty.  I love her.  Dan and I sang "How will they know" for her baptism with Dan's mom on the piano.  He blessed her with the Gift of the Holy Gost and did a beautiful job.  She was all smile.

She's our little string bean.  So tall.

How did I get so lucky with such a handsome husband and a beautiful daughter?

Thanks to all the family that came out.  Many people from the ward came also.  It was a beautiful day. So proud of my Reena who has been reading the scriptures and saying her personal prayers everyday to prepare herself for this day.