Thanksmas!

After a crazy beginning of November, I (Lisa) got back to work the week of Thanksgiving. Then only had ten whole work days before we headed off to Vietnam for three weeks. So, it was a crazy two weeks of getting work done, packing for Vietnam, and celebrating Christmas and Thanksgiving all in one. (AND not feeling quite 100% yet!) It was a whirlwind end of November beginning of December.

Something fun the Tran family did was we celebrated Thanksmas! (Thanksgiving+Christmas=Thanksmas) Joel, Kaden and I packed up for an extended weekend in Seattle. We went up Wednesday evening had Thanksgiving on Thursday...picked names that night. Went shopping on Friday with all the big sales, and decorated for Christmas on Saturday. We had Christmas dinner on Saturday and opened presents that night! It was kinda fun to only have one day to shop for one person. We pre-bought the kids' presents. We also had a family photo shoot and helped my brother and sis in law pack up and move into my parent's house. It was fun to hang out with my cousins and family. Seattle weekends are always super busy but this one was extremely busy.

Merry Thanksmas!!! :)

November...

So we thought after the marathon life would get back to normal around the To-Banker house... and then I got sick. This might be a little repeat from my facebook notes but more reflective three months later. So for those who haven't heard I had an ectopic pregnancy... that is when my fertilized egg doesn't make it to the uterus but gets stuck in my fallopian tube. It caused my fallopian tube to rupture and I had internal bleeding. I thought I just had the stomach flu. My friend, GT, was prompted by God to come check up on me at about 9pm... and took me to urgent care. We had some tests done and a ultra sound.... they gave me some morphine to help with the pain. We went into surgery the next morning. Recovery was hard... it was hard to not be able to hold Kaden, to lift anything... it was even hard to move about and do normal things like showering.

It's so interesting all the stories shared once I shared mine. Lots of miscarriages, heartaches, babies passing away.... how there's such a difference in everyone's stories... yet most had a hope in a savior through it all. Faith that grace is enough. That through the hard times Jesus is sustaining each and every family. I wasn't heartbroken about losing the baby... I was about seven weeks along. We had no idea we were pregnant...actually we thought for sure we weren't. I took a pregnancy test about two weeks before this and it was negative. All that to say... in the same breath we found out we were pregnant we found out the baby wasn't going to make it. I think there was a sadness but more of relief to know that we know what was wrong with me and the pains I was feeling. Everyone tip toes around the question of "is she really okay?" some like Sister Mary at the hospital couldn't take my answer of yes, I was really okay about it... that my soul was okay.... she tried to tell me to name the baby and assign it a gender to be able to heal from this. I thought she was wacky cause for me at that time, I needed her to listen to me and hear that I had an amazing community of friends and family to care for us... and that I wasn't mourning the loss of the baby I knew of for seven whole seconds... who am I to assign it a gender... what if I get to heaven and my baby that I assigned to be a little girl was a boy? Or does gender then even matter? Anyways... I feel sadness because we can't have a baby for another year... I feel sadness because of the joy a baby brings. Not because I lost this baby. I wish I could be in my second trimester and nesting but why do that to myself... I find joy in the things I do have... a beautiful, funny, witty, smart, creative, gentle, kind, crazy, silly, gracious son, Kaden.

Being on sick-leave for three weeks was very hard for me... I am a workaholic. I need to be needed. My soul had to be reminded of where my identity needs to be. I was labeling myself as a wife, a mother, a good worker (I am asian after all). I had nothing to give when I was sick and recovering... yet, I was still loved.... by an amazing husband, by an adorable son, my co-workers, friends and family and best of all by my Jesus. I did nothing and yet was loved unconditionally. :)

October... Marathon Month...

I started several posts about the Portland Marathon... I couldn't get through writing anything without getting teary-eyed. Therefore making it hard to type. :) So, here I am four months later when the emotions aren't so high. I was so proud of my husband. If you know anything about Joel he's a great starter... not always the best finisher. He finished the marathon... and I heard that he told someone that he could do it again! :) Maybe he was a little delirious when he said that... but he said it nonetheless. Kaden and I walked/drove around the city and had our own marathon. The next few days I was wondering why I was so sore. :) Kaden and I drove Joel down to the starting line at the crack of dawn. Kaden and I cheered at the starting line, mile 3, 6, 12, 20 and the finish. We saw several friends and family members... some that we didn't know were even in town. We were drenched. The rain was relentless that day! Of course it cleared up once the whole thing was over. We almost didn't make it to the finish line... the street we decided to take up to find parking was packed... moving inches at a time...frantically texting those at the finish line to make sure we didn't miss the guys coming in yet. We made it... and tears welled up as they crossed the line... it was beautiful. Kaden did an amazing job galavanting around the Portland. He cheered from his stroller, he napped in the rain, we cheered from the back of our honda fit to protect us from the rain... we ran blocks, hiked hills... OH, I am tired just recounting the day!!! :) We ate snacks along the way... but didn't really have breakfast or lunch (bad planning on momma's part). The adventures we go on! :)

Joel along with several other Missio friends (and family and friends) raced this big race and how fitting it was to watch each run it strong and finish well. We were with other Missio friends who were on the sidelines cheering our leaders on. It was a beautiful picture of the year for us. Journeying with this church plant, Missio... no matter how crazy it sounds to want to sell our house, move to SW, give up a wonderful community we have at Mosaic... to start something new to reach SW Portland or Jesus. We ran the race together.... each of us had a part in it.

I am very thankful that Joel is done with the marathon... life resumed back to normalcy... so we thought. :)

Pick up where we left off...

Since my last post was really in August... I am attempting one blog at a time... so, here I go...

SEPTEMBER:

This was a hard month for me. (Lisa) I had to say goodbye to a really dear friend, my work wife, Krista. We spent more time together than any other people on staff... God ordained our meeting, her hiring, and her becoming a really good friend. I was the one that convinced her to go to the store to buy pregnancy tests and celebrated with her! We shared struggles, celebrations, and lots of prayers together! I am thankful for what God is doing in her life... and understand her move to Tennessee. I am just a selfish person and wish she was around here! I am glad that she is coming back in a few months for a short visit. Miss you friend!

Where to start?

Not sure how people have time to blog regularly. I don't even have time to sleep regularly. :) Of course it's not on my priority list so I forget to update it. I think about it and think about what amazing things I want to write and inspire my two readers out there in this cyber world. This might not be one of those amazing inspirational blogs...it's just to catch you up on the life of the To's. So, I will start with one picture... and we will go from there... then maybe I will blog more often this year... maybe.

What happened to August?

The rain is here... the trees are changing colors and summer is officially over. I love the autumn! I love my sweaters, my scarfs, my coffee. I don't know what happened to August. I think that's a trend in my life... (I think I blogged about what happened to the month of July too.) :)

August was a month of parades, festivals, family in town, serving and a few road trips.

Kaden found out that parades equal candy! :) Even though he only gets to eat like one or two pieces of what he collects!

All of his favorite things are at parades: fire trucks, police cars, race cars, animals, and candy!

Serving along side Uncle Dominic at Hayhurst Elementary School-community care day.

Missio had a fun day in the park. Here's Kaden and his buddy "My Lillian".

Lisa's work staff on our annual road trip. This year we headed up the gorge to Eastern Washington and Idaho.

There was much more fun pictures to the month of August and lots of random little adventures... but here's a snippet of our month. Happy Fall!

reflections on the summer...

I must have started this post ten times... sometimes it's hard to put into words what someone means to you.

This summer has been a crazy season for us. Yet, very manageable... with LOTS of HELP!! Joel has been away a lot this summer helping his parents out with the family business. They have a "food cart" at small festivals and county fairs. (mostly in Southern Oregon) So, after figuring out Joel's schedule there were two full week long fairs that Joel would be away from home. The first week we solicited help from Mei Mei, Joel's two sisters and Jen, and Amy. Kaden enjoyed his play dates with all of his aunties and many cousins and friends. For the second week that Joel would be gone I asked my cousin, April to come down from Seattle to watch Kaden. It's often the evening duties that the extra hand is more helpful. Kaden LOVES APRIL! And APRIL LOVES KADEN!!!! Here's her blog about her week down here.

Kaden was in tears when April (we call her Kiki) had to leave. And I think she was crying most of the way home too. It was a fun week with her.... learning what it's like to be 15 again. Sometimes words doesn't do justice to how much Kiki means to me and this family. Kristina joined in the fun towards the end of the week from Hawaii... it was definitely a full house around here with family coming from Seattle too. Can't believe that the summer has come and gone. Many nights around the "black hub" ie. the dinning room table. Lots of laughs and lots of growing up and journey with our friends and family. Lots to be thankful for... lots to love and lots to ask Jesus for wisdom and forgiveness. Very thankful for grace for my brokenness and that I hope I can shine some of this love that Jesus has given me to others.

Kaden did so much growing (physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally) this summer. It's fun to hear his language pick up so much. Not to mention his imagination is so fun!!! Time has been hard to come by... so, hopefully with the fall normal routine will return and blogging will be more consistent. There's so much to share of the Adventures of KADEN!!!