West Texas

We so enjoyed our trip out to Lubbock! It was great to spend time with Neeno and Geto (Mike's grandparents) and see lots of old friends from Texas Tech and Idalou (the farming community outside Lubbock where we lived for the first 2.5 years of our marriage). We love Lubbock: the wide open spaces, the ranching and farming culture, the food (tex-mex and steaks!), Texas Tech, the friendly people. Mike spent 8 years there and Morgan spent 6, and it's always great to go back.

On the way, we stopped by Morgan's family's old farm (once known as the Britton Girls' Homeplace, after her and her sisters). It's near Dickens, TX, about an hour east of Lubbock.

The old house.

Tall grasses and cows.

We also stopped by this funny rest stop.

One of the places we always have to visit in Lubbock now that we have kids is Prairie Dog Town, which was started in the 1930s by a Mr. Clapp as a sanctuary for the little critters when they were becoming an endangered species due to widespread extermination.

Aidan looking for prairie dogs.

A little guy checking things out.

After Prairie Dog Town, we had to stop by the Buddy Holly Center and take a pic in those giant, iconic glasses. (Buddy Holly was from Lubbock, and Lubbock is pretty proud of that fact!)

We also took the boys to an amazing playground called the Legacy Play Village. It was built after we left Lubbock and we have never seen anything quite like it. It's HUGE!

Aidan showing how strong he is before he starts climbing the castle.

Front of the structure.

Our last afternoon, Mike and Geto took Aidan to the Texas Tech Museum, where he got to see exhibits on the history of West Texas (he really liked the cowboy section with its guns and saddles) and dinosaurs, one of his favorite things!

Next to the Texas Tech Museum lies The National Ranching Heritage Center, which is pretty cool (dozens of old ranch homes and buildings have been moved to the site and restored, and show the progression of ranch life in the West from the 1700s until the 1900s). Out front, there are some life-sized longhorn sculptures, and the boys thought they were pretty neat.

Lucas lost among prairie grasses, longhorns, and windmills.Aidan takes a ride.

The morning we left for New Mexico, we took a round of photos with Neeno and Geto.

Aidan and Lucas with their great-grandparents.

Mike with his grandparents.

Morgan with Neeno and Geto.

Next up...New Mexico!

More America Fun

I know I haven't done Funny Friday the past few weeks, but honestly, America just isn't that funny! Not in the way that Asia can be, anyway. So, no humor today--just pics of the boys.

We have been so busy these past few weeks! Here are some pics showing what we've been up to.

Spending time with family.

With Meemo (Mike's grandmother).

Watching trains go by with Mike's dad.

Watering with Mike's mom.

Playing at the playground next to our house.

Peek-a-boo!

Showing off dirty hands.

Playing at the park near Mimi and Pop's. (Actually, this is at their church, which they live right next to.)

By the pond. We must have thrown 100 rocks into the pond!

Mike and the boys at the pond.

Rolling downhill.
Taking a break from running down hill.

Visiting the Dallas Aquarium for Aidan's birthday. (The aquarium is pretty awesome, by the way! Hardly any of our pics turned out, but trust us...it's really cool!)

Family shot by the waterfall.

Aidan and his Aunt Erin (Morgan's sister).

I will post pics of Aidan's birthday at some point, but it will probably be a few days because we're headed out on a road trip tomorrow to West Texas and New Mexico. See you when we get back!

Blink

I blinked, and five years went by.

I blinked, and my baby went from this...

to this.

Where did the time go?

Five years ago today, Aidan was born in Hong Kong (because, as he told Lucas today, "there was no room for me to be born in America").

He has grown so much even just in the last few months, and all traces of my "baby" are certainly gone! Aidan is always on the go, loves to read and listen to stories, and is into Legos and pirates and animals and outer space. His favorite foods are ice cream and pizza and jiao-zi (Chinese dumplings), and his favorite restaurant is the dumpling place near our home in Taipei. He loves his family and his friends dearly, and he absolutely adores Lucas. He loves to learn and can't wait to start kindergarten in the fall. He is a sensitive little guy, and while he sometimes gets his feelings hurt easily, he is also quick to empathize with others in pain.

Aidan is such a joy to us, and we are so thankful to have been entrusted with him. Happy 5th Birthday, Aidan!

Aidan's observations about America...

Just for fun...

--He thinks there are SO MANY TREES (and comments on it a lot), but that the buildings are really short here.
--He loves, loves, loves having a lush grassy yard and sprinklers to run around in!
--He also loves all of the "free cold water" everywhere--a.k.a. water fountains. :)
--He is amazed that the water from the tap is "safe" and that he is allowed to drink it. (He refused to drink the water from the bathroom sink faucet the other night!)
--As soon as we enter someone's house, he immediately takes off his shoes and places them neatly by the door--a habit from Asia he can't let go of, even when people tell him he doesn't have to remove his shoes.
--At the gas station, he commented, "Wow, they let you pump your OWN GAS here! Cool!" (In Taiwan, only gas station attendents are allowed to pump gas.)
--We are staying near a lake with a great bike trail, and the other day we searched in vain for a place to rent bicycles. Aidan sighed in frustration and said, "Everyone in America just drives everywhere instead of riding bikes!" We told him that some people do ride bikes, but not really for transportation like we do in Taipei! He has also noted with amazement that we rarely see people out walking from place to place, and he often asks us how long it would take to walk to a certain location instead of driving (he wanted to walk to his grandparents' house the other day until we told him it would take him all day). He just isn't used to riding around in a car so much!

--He attended a birthday party the other day for a Chiang Mai friend (who now lives in DFW), and now thinks Chuck E. Cheese is the most wonderful place on earth. (See evidence above!)

First days in America

We have been here about 10 days now, and are really having a great time. The days are busy and we're tired, but we're all enjoying ourselves! I haven't had a chance to share any pics, and honestly, I don't have many to share...we haven't remembered to get our camera out often enough! But I will share a few...

At the airport in Taipei, on the way to our gate. (I wish I had taken more photos at the airport, especially of the Hello Kitty decorated terminal!)

One of the boys' favorite things to do here has been to "water" the flowers in the yard--and get totally drenched themselves. We had a blast playing with the hose in the yard a couple days ago (something we don't get to do in Taipei!).

Lucas got nice and dirty. (And see that mud puddle behind him? About 10 seconds after I took this photo, he ran over and LAID in it!)

Aidan helped hose him down.

And Lucas loved it! (Although a few seconds later, he suddenly realized he was sopping wet and started grabbing his dripping shirt and saying, "Wet?! Wet?!")

Aidan LOVES running through the spray from the hose (it's the simple things, isn't it?). (That's part of the church parking lot across from us--we often seem to end up living in houses directly next to church parking lots!)

Another favorite activity--reading books with Mimi and Pop. (I really need to take more family photos!)

More soon!

Back in the USA

We're back!

We have been in Dallas about 4 days now and are all settled in and back into a routine for the most part. We have had a great time reconnecting with friends and family, eating Mexican food (with GREEN chile!), and indulging in lots of Blue Bell ice cream. I have also spent way too much time at Target already. ;) The boys are enjoying the playground next door to our house and spending time with grandparents and aunts they haven't seen for a year. Their favorite part of life back in the US so far has been having a lovely grassy yard to run around barefoot in! They also love the squirrels, and have named two of them Rocky and Bullwinkle. We had a great time at church this morning--the church that is hosting us did a musical this morning and the music and message were just beautiful. I haven't heard a full choir with an organ in I don't know how long, and though things were a little more old-fashioned than we're used to, we really loved it.

I will update with pics soon!