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A little bit of family history

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This is a picture of my maternal grandparents. My brother got my grandpa's long nose and bushy eyebrows. My grandpa doesn't look like your typical Chinese. My dad thinks he has some Arab blood in his ancestry.  Fujian (Fukien) Province was a trading center for ancient China. Long before Britain, Holland, and Portugal brought opium and sailed away with tea and silk, Fujian was a port city trading with Arabs and Persians during the Tang (618 – 907 CE) and Southern Song (1127 – 1279 CE) dynasties. These early travelers brought Islam to China and their mosques are still found in Fujian. My dad also thinks that it's possible that was adopted as it was common for newly married couples to adopt a son before they have one of their own to ensure that they would have at least one heir. (My dad said that his parents also adopted a son after they got married but gave the child back after they had my uncle.) My parents say my grandpa does not look like any of his siblings. Most of his s
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This is 40!

I'm usually low key about my birthday but this year I feel like I've reached a milestone that I want to express my gratitude for the life that I've been given. I was born winning the lottery to wonderful parents, two amazing siblings, an incredible extended family. From living in a small town in the Philippines, to Manila, then Toronto, and now to California, life has opened up so many opportunities. I have met so many good people along the way that I'm blessed to call friends. As I celebrate my 40th, I remember friends who were gone too soon, people who are grieving the loss of a child or a loved one, friends that are going through challenges and tough times. I pray that through God's grace that you'll see through the other side of this. This year started out incredibly with meeting President Jimmy Carter (who shares my birthday - he turns 95 today!) and sitting in his Sunday school class in Plains, Georgia. Shortly after that trip, we found out that w
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When "the universe" conspires

This was the first time I've ever cried in an interview. The question was, "Why did you decide to interview with us now?" In fact, I've been trying to find a new job since two years ago while pregnant with my first child. I had completed four interviews by the time I was in the second trimester but ended up with just one offer for a job in San Francisco. It wasn't worth the long commute while pregnant so I turned it down. The year after, I was just trying to survive with interrupted sleep and functioning at work. I started thinking about interviewing again after my son turned a year old. I started talking to a few companies at this time. But then came the second pregnancy, the unexpected diagnosis, the tests and procedures to follow, the grief of loss. This brought a stop to all my interviewing plans. It was thinking about my journey that brought tears to my eyes. Fast forward to February of this year when the hiring manager for Android at Netflix who I t
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Meeting a president

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Ever since I saw in an article that President Jimmy Carter still teaches sunday school at his home church in Plains, Georgia, the thought entered my mind, wouldn't it be so cool to attend his class? I've been a long time fan. The man is an inspiration, a wonderful example of living out your faith. Fast forward years later, the opportunity came up to go to Atlanta as a family. With excitement, I checked the schedule for when he would be teaching. Yes! Feb 3, 2019 - the weekend that we were going to be in Atlanta. Trip advisor has plenty of reviews of how to plan for this trip.  Get there early and sleep in your car if you want to be guaranteed a good seat in the sanctuary. Our son would not have the patience for this, so the best plan was to go alone. I evaluated the risks of driving in the dark, where there's a possibility of not having good cellular signal, hoping and praying that the car doesn't break down or get a flat tire, sleeping in the parking lot alone,
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Giving freely

I believe when God gives to us, he doesn't wish for some to have plenty and some to have lack. He invites us to participate in the blessing of giving to others, and in doing so he will multiply what you have.
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Giving out of your wealth

We decided to sponsor two kids in Haiti through Compassion International .  I was feeling righteous when God's word reminded me, "you gave out of your wealth but [others] have put in everything -- all she had to live on" - Mark 12:41-44
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Love is...

When someone can expense a business class ticket but he choses to fly economy to be with you.
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