Tsai Family of the Parklands

Happy Holidays from the Tsai family, 2017! Dear family and friends, Another year has passed by so quickly. The year began with a visit by Li-Fang's parents and sister. We visited the Amish village in Pennsylvania, Ocean City, New York City, and Hill Cumorah. This year's highlight was the marriage of our daughter, Melinda, to her Javi. This fall, Megan started her second year of color guard, Li-Fang doubled up on classes, and I added one more class to teach. We hope you enjoy reading our thoughts about this year and hope you had a wonderful year as well. This fall, Montgomery College asked me to teach a third class.  I was hesitant to take on more load.  But they begged to teach because the professor became ill.  I reluctantly agreed, but this semester has been unbearably busy.  I have learned my lesson and will return to teaching only two classes next semester.  Luckily, I have been singing in church choirs.  Also, I have...

新年快樂！ 親愛的親朋好友: 今年又近尾聲 從年初至今 麗芳和他的父母往來探訪數次 加州 猶他 馬州 三地跑 春假時我們帶著致涵去了賓州遊訪Amish村落 也去了海洋城 紐約市 以及克摩拉山 (也就是金頁片的出土地) 今夏最高潮就是致慧終於嫁給了她心愛的Javi. 也藉此全家能再次團聚 今秋 致涵又開始她在校的旗隊訓練 麗芳拿了四堂大學課程外加在校打工輔助殘障學生 也在家繼續教鋼琴 在教會帶領唱詩班並參加支聯會聖誕音樂節目表演 格文除了聯邦政府的工作外 晚上仍在社區大學兼教 這就是我們忙得不亦樂乎的生活 在此祝福大家新年如意吉祥! 這學期因為一位教授病重臨時找我代替我滿口就答應了 結果三堂課 一學期教下來累到喘不過氣來 以後再也不敢了 所幸我照常參加唱詩班練唱 並與麗芳一起學習土風舞 這些活動幫助我鬆懈一下我在工作上的壓力 我很感謝有這麼多的祝福 感謝家人和朋友 今年對我來說是個新生轉變的一年 神救助了我 為我敞開了一條道路 "更加與主接近"的過程始於"自己是否願意接近神" 神從來沒有離開過我 是我遠離了祂 只要我們願意回到祂身邊 我們就能立即感受到他的愛 哇! 今年過得太快了! 我們去了一趟台灣 也去了夏威夷 然後一整年就是親戚朋友來訪不斷 和兩邊的父母互動甚是溫馨喜悅 彥承的中文也進步了許多 感謝政哲的父母 : ) 今年的許多經驗讓我們真的很感謝我們的家人 那也就是最重要的 雖然生命部會一職都很順利但是我們知道家人會一直在那裏支持我們愛我們 今年我很受祝福的在康州的Pratt & Whitney公司正式上班 搬回東岸還真不是件輕省容易的事 不過我的新工作倒是新鮮又滿有成就感的 祝您有個快樂的佳節 並祝賀新年新氣象 我還有最後一學期就可以從BYU的機械工程系畢業 真難想像我可以走到這裡 今夏 我回到馬里蘭州的Stanley Black & Decker in power tool design實習 除了學習 我偶爾也出外旅遊 我也喜愛參加Utah Valley Millennial 合唱團與樂團 也開始在楊百翰大學的"神經機...

Certainly lots has changed since I left home in 2011. Since leaving, I've run to and fro around the globe, from living in Utah for school, to Australia as a missionary, or to Asia as a tourist and band member. I stayed here for a few months after my mission, but even then, that was three years ago, and this house still doesn't serve me the memory of the place that I had left to attend college. But it is tidy, it is quiet, and the people are fewer. As a matter of fact I may say they are all but vanished, save for the staunch few at church on Sunday. When I accepted an offer to intern at Stanley Black & Decker, I was uneasy about stepping back into the place that seemed the opposite of adventuresome, but at the same time I was more than curious about the state of things where I had grown up. Home is a strange phenomenon to describe— it seems to be something so precious that it must be the object of an unending search, while simultaneously is always there, in constant watch ov...

Before Joshua returned back to school, we made a trip to Ocean City.  The morning was filled with rain but cleared up before noon.  We waded in the shallow waters.

In the planning for a long time, we finally were able to take our friends, the Pascual's, to New York so they could see the Hill Cumorah Pageant for the first time.  We drove up the night before, picked up Joshua from Towson, and rested in Pennsylvania near the New York border.  In the morning, we visited the Aaronic Priesthood Restoration site in Susquehenna and the David Whitmer Farm in Fayette, NY, where the church was organized.  In Palmyra, we toured the Joseph Smith home and walked through the Sacred Grove.  We met Richard Wilson and his daughter, our friends from Vermont.  After dusk, we watched the Hill Cumorah Pageant under a chilly sky.  Then we drove all the back to Maryland overnight.

Li-Fang held her piano recital at church for all of her students, young and old.  The final two students, were Alex and Molly Carbonell, who just finished their last and 10th year studying under the tutelage of Li-Fang.  A nice tribute was given to Alex and Molly for the fine progress they made over the years.

On the Fourth of July after the Kentlands Fourth of July breakfast, we rode into Washington DC, where Joshua and David (Chang) volunteered to walk a float in the big parade.  They wore bright green tee shirts and Fourth of July caps.

Before we left Utah, we took a trip to Salt Lake City with the Urbina's to attend a temple session inside the Salt Lake City Temple.  David and Diego attended a baptismal session at the same time.  Afterwards, we enjoyed ramen at a Japanese restaurant.

On a nice sunny day while we were visiting Jessica, she took us to enjoy the Herriman fair.  Megan and Diego enjoyed the rides, while Blake indulged himself for a long time in the sand box.  We also patronized a car show and enjoyed some musical programs under the pavilion.

During the week after the wedding, we stole away with the Urbina's and Jessica's family to St. George, Utah, when we took respite in a nice condo.  Although the temperatures were scorching outside, we were able to rest inside the comfort of the condo and enjoy the swimming pool.  During our two night stay, we drove to Zion's National Park on the second day.  The high temperature reached over 100 degrees F, but to my surprise, the weather was bearable because of the green plants and the river.  We rode the bus to our hiking path, #9, The Narrows.  With sun tan lotion, caps, sunglasses, and umbrellas, we embarked on our hike.  By the time we started, there were already people finishing their hikes.  At the end of the path, folks were enjoying the watering hole and resting from the long walk.  After we hiked back, we rode the bus and went back to the condo to rest.