Happy Holidays 2024!!
From Mel, Chung, Zoe, and Ian
It's been a Big year for Big changes!
And this year, the kids wrote their own blurbs for their own sections, so... you've been warned.
Mel took on a big public service project when she led a 300-person medical training mission to the Virgin Islands for the US military. It was a rollercoaster of challenges, but also an incredible chance to witness the joys (and occasional frustrations) of serving others. She’s grateful for the experience, the friendships, and the difference she helped make. And she got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel! She also got a new job in Redwood City Kaiser, which cut her commute in half, leaving her time to squeeze in some Zumba, yoga and Minecraft Dungeons after work!
Chung started a new job at Databricks, jumping from the early-stage startup pan into the late-stage startup fire. He now spends his time arguing with large-language models, which are somehow more stubborn than his kids.
Zoe started fifth grade and performed in her second Starstruck play. She drank a lot more boba than she did last year and got onto a new year-round swim team, the California Dolphins Swim Team. This year, she got almost a million bug bites. Her favorite trip was a ski trip in Tahoe, which beat out China, Barcelona, and Washington DC because, well…there were fewer bugs. Everywhere else had too many. Plus, she got to see daddy fall on his butt so many times! Long live K-POP!
Ian got a bunch of super cool presents this year, and he plays with them all day long now! He was so happy to start second grade. He’s really into baking, tennis, and breakdancing these days. He also had tons of fun hanging out with Zoe, Mommy, and Daddy. Ian just started getting an allowance, so now he feels super rich! He was extra excited when his birthday party finally happened—it was awesome playing minigolf with his friends. He loves using “brainrot” to confuse everyone and always says things like he has “W rizz and the best hairline and jawline,” but Daddy has “L rizz and a loser hairline and jawline!”
We explored Barcelona
and saw some wild Gaudi architecture, beautiful Roman ruins, and had yummy yummy food!
We visited Washington D.C.
and learned about our dysfunctional Democracy during this election year! Ian fulfilled his dream of going to the top of the Washington Monument and we hit up so many Smithsonian museums that our legs nearly fell off from all the walking.
Mel & kids traveled to Beijing -- Mel’s hometown -- and made a quick stop in Tokyo, consuming a lot of sushi and peking ducks along the way. It was the kids’ first time in China, and they decided it was just too hot -- no Great Wall or tasty Peking duck could change their minds! Still, it was awesome to show them Mel’s old homes and elementary schools.
Sesame and Cloudy seem to be growing faster than the kids, practically doubling in size this year! They’re always hungry and love to play-fight. Sesame figured out how to open the screen door to the backyard, and sneaks out whenever she can. Cloudy’s proudest catch was a dragonfly, which he happily munched on. These two fluffy purring furballs bring so much joy to our lives!
Until 2025!
Wishing you all a joyous holiday season filled with warmth, laughter, and unforgettable memories!
