Tsai Family of the Parklands

Dearest family and friends, At the end of another wonderful year, we once again celebrate our many blessings. Our two oldest children have successfully completed their full-time missionary service. Another child graduated from high school.  Li-Fang and Joshua drove to BYU, and the family stayed one month in Utah.  In February, we endured one major snowstorm, but we were surprised with a rare early Maryland snowstorm in October.  And just for fun, we managed to sneak away to Ocean City during Spring Break. We offer our individual perspectives and thoughts on our lives during 2011: Each semester, I continue to teach a night class at Montgomery College, but this year two milestones were passed.  First, I received my 15 year adjunct teaching certificate.  Second, the brand new Science Center at the college was completed.  So now I have an office that I share with another adjunct professor. This summer, I was pleasantly surprised to meet my old co...

At noon on Thanksgiving Day, we shared our turkey feast with several of our friends.  We spent the whole morning preparing.  After they left, the full-time missionaries came over for dinner.  We played a fun game of Catch Phrase with them.

The first snowfall of this winter came early on October 29.  It was the earliest snow in Maryland for many years.  Very little snow fell, but it sure cause a lot of excitement for a short period of time.

On October 5, Jonathan returned home after serving two years in the Australia Melbourne Chinese Speaking Mission. We were so excited to meet him that we canceled all of our prior engagements that night, so that we could pick him up at the airport. Dinner was happily eaten in the car on the way to the home of President Harrison, where he was finally released by the same person who set him apart him as a full-time missionary two years ago. Although it was a difficult transition to accept for the diligent missionary, all good things must come to an end. On the other hand, after one door is closed, God opens another door. The new prospects are ahead for Jonathan. The following Sunday, Jonathan reported on his mission to the stake council in front of the stake presidency. That afternoon, after church services, a branch homecoming fireside was held in his honor. At 4pm, members came into the cultural hall, enjoyed some crackers and cheese, talked with him, and enjoyed a ...

During our visit to Utah, we met a lot of old and new friends.  We visited the family of a missionary who served in Taiwan in Hsinying.   They live in Jordan.  We were able to go to church with them. We had the honor of helping Jessica with her classroom before her school year. A highlight of our trip was to reunite with branch alumni in the home of Tyler and Annie Thorsted. Finally, we had a wonderful opportunity to visit my college buddy, Nelson.  He surprised me by inviting another of our freshman ward buddies, Paul, and his family.  Here is the three of us. And here we are with our wives. And here we are with most of our children.

We attended Melinda’s Award’s Night, wherein she received the Straight A’s Award and the coveted Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute   Math and Science Award.

To celebrate the graduation of Joshua and 4 of his friends this year, we held our graduation barbecue tonight.   We  prepared and barbecued marinated chicken legs.   Simon came with his brother, Tony.   Ada drove all of her siblings here.   Alexis took Michelle and her mom.   Pearl came with her dad.   The whole Zhao family came.   After dinner, we held a FHE for the seniors.   We played games (unique activities and school trivia emceed by Tony), talked about Who Am I?, and heard testimonials and advice from parents.  Congratulations, seniors!

At the culmination of a distinguished secondary education, Joshua marched with his colleagues during the Damascus High School Commencement. Marked with various tassels on his hood, Joshua accepted his diploma from Principal Domergue. We, his family, willingly sat in the sun on the football bleachers to witness this climactic ceremony. After the ceremony, the family took him to Guapo's for a fine feast. Congratulations, Joshua, on a job well done.

At Joshua's Senior Award Night, he collected six awards.

Can you guess what role Melinda played in this ballet?

Joshua's Band Concert

Amid a tremendous load of AP tests, school projects, and getting ready for graduation, Joshua still seemed to be able to fit in the rehearsals for the ASCYO and to attend each of the three concerts in the ASCYO Spring 2011 Concerts Series. The first and most important concert for Joshua was situated in the historic Weinberg Center for the Arts in downtown Frederick on Tuesday, May 3, at 7:00pm.  Our whole family turned out for this wonderful event, in which Joshua performed his senior solo from the "Concertino for Clarinet, Op. 26 Allegro" by Carl Maria von Weber.  With mentoring from his clarinet teacher, Mr. Robert Fogleman, he played an outstanding 9-minute solo.  Check out the advertisement. Weinberg Center for the Arts Tuesday, May 3, 2011, 7:00 pm  Weinberg Center for the Arts 20 West Patrick Street Frederick, MD 21701 (Youth Orchestra performing) Soloists: Joshua Boulden - Bass Clarinet Steven Harris - Violin Eric Holmstead - Violin Kenny H...

In order to escape the pressures of daily life, we undertook a day excursion to Ocean City.  It didn't hurt that Joshua obtained more driving practice.  Although it was very windy, we still enjoyed our walk on the beach, carving our namesake in the sand, riding the 6-person bicycle, and cruising the go carts.  We climaxed our trip with Bugaboo cuisine.

Our only major snowstorm of 2011 left our yard and surroundings white.  Shoveling snow is always fun.