Happy Holidays!

Written by Jessica


Joyous tidings from a one bedroom apartment in Renton Washington! Nothing about this apartment would land it in the pages of, "Better Homes & Gardens" but its walls contain a fledgling family that is excited to have you as friends and family. Quoc and I have had many adventures and many significant changes in our lives this past year.

First in February, Quoc and I became engaged. My Aunt Diane was probably the most excited to hear the news since she had been gold several years ago that if we ever got married she would be the maid of honor. Well since that promise was made every time we saw her it was always the same, "when are you going to get married?" It felt wonderful letting her know that she would get to be a maid of honor on August 5th, 2006.

In April we set off for Italy. It was beautiful and a once in a life time trip. We went to Venice, which I admit I thought would be too touristy but if you're willing to just get lost and let go of your itinerary you find it is one of the magical places on earth. We then headed for Florence where I got to see all the sites of my favorite book, A Room with a View. We had fun with statuary, woke up to a drunken spat between a Scotchman and German tourist which really was funny, and climbed the Duomo in the dark. We stayed a few days in Casperia a tiny town not even on maps. We had the best wine we had ever had and felt like we were really in a storybook. Our hostess of our bed and breakfast once gave tours of the Vatican and narrated the Pope's funeral for us and gave us a perspective on the event we never could have had in the United States. Thankfully we next were sheduled to the Italian Riviera called the Cinque Terre and let the mobs in Rome die out. When we did make it to Rome most of the Crowds had left. After many scoops of gelato and museum tickets we eventually flew home.

Coming home and returning to our jobs was difficult after such a trip. Quoc continued to watch missile launches from Northrop Grumman. I went back to the trenches of San Bernardino and Arrowview Middle School and wrapped up my first year of teaching 7th grade science. While there I rescued the cutest stray dog we have named Sola. We flew her up to my parents where my father quickly stole her from me calling her his grandpup. She has been spoiled rotten, but really is a good girl considering her street background.

Quoc and I always planned to move back to Washington in the Summer. After two months of stressful job searching. Quoc and I decided to just trust fate and give notice on our lease, rent a u-haul and head home. Two days before we were to leave with our belongings we both got a call within two hours of each other with job offers. I was to work as an 8th grade science teacher at Ballou Jr. High in Puyallup and Quoc at Cingular Wireless in Bothell. For those of you who don't know your Western Washington geography those two places are 1 hour apart in the best traffic. And those of you who know your Western Washington highways know there is no best traffic between those two cities. We picked the very center point between the two and se in Renton.

We miss many of our friends in California and hope to be able to see them soon, yet we are so happy to be closer to our old friends and family. It is funny how things like buying snow tires, filling out your benefits paper work, and filing your receipts in preparation for taxes makes you feel so old, but decorating Christmas trees reminds you of the youthful magic of Christmas. We hope everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the youthful magic of Christmas with their family and friends. This is the first blessing to come from the fledging famliy of apartment #A102.

Happy Holidays.