the wu’s year in photos

I woke up this morning to the shocking reality that *gasp* it is the last day of the year!  I don’t know why this year passed so quickly.  Why do they keep slipping by faster and faster??

At the end of last year, I dreamed of being able to hold our little one in our arms by the end of 2010.  Well, it’s come and gone and we are no more parents today than we were 365 days ago.  So, all I can do is cling to the fact that God is kind.

Without further ado, let’s look back at each month of 2010 solely represented with just one photo.
This will be my sixth year to do this:

2005–was my third year in Taiwan, and I started blogging
2006–my sister got married and my brother came to Taiwan
2007–I moved to a new city, and my cousins came to visit
2008–I met the love of my life; we dated, got engaged, and then married . . . it was perhaps the most perfect year of my entire life. :)
2009–our Taiwanese wedding, our first anniversary, and our first full calendar year married

January: Amanda went back to Texas to meet our newest nephew


February: Chinese New Year


March: Daily life as normal (note the use of gloves to eat messy food) :D

April: A Happy Wedding!! We get to officially welcome Cindy to the Wu family

May: We go to two MORE weddings!

June: Amanda’s mom comes to Taiwan!! Wuhoo!!

July: We introduce Mom to as much of Taiwan as we possibly can

August: Gilby gets bit by a mean, nasty dog, :(

September: Lawrance turns 30 and has his 1st Birthday Party EVER! 

October: We get to meet Melody, our newest niece!

November: Lawrance preaches for the first time

December: We celebrate our third Christmas together in Taiwan. 

Oh, how only one photo a month doesn’t capture everything that happens!!  I think we went to a total of 7 or 8 weddings last year and I got to go to Japan for a few days for a conference, we spoke in public multiple times, Lawrance started serving weekly with a missionary in another town, we changed churches in order to increase our ministry, and so on goes the list.  We are blessed!!

Happy New Year from our Wu Home to yours!!

seventeen years ago

Seventeen years ago in late February or early March, I confided in my mother.  I finally told her about something I had been secretly praying about for quite awhile.

We were standing at the kitchen sink peeling potatoes when I told her.  Her response to my secret prayer?  She threw the potato and peeler in the sink, turned to look me in the eyes, pointed her finger at me and very sternly said “Don’t you EVER pray things for other people without talking to them first!  Because you KNOW God answers prayer!”

Then she left me standing at the kitchen sink while she disappeared for awhile.

Up until that point, I hadn’t really considered that my prayer for something I felt God had laid on my heart to ask Him for and that I had begun to desire would affect her life.  But, in reality, it would affect her life in a HUGE way.

You see, I had been praying for a brother.

On March 30, 1993, Mom and Dad sat my sister and I down to tell us that they were expecting. At first we totally thought Dad was trying to pull an early April Fool’s joke on us.  But Mom’s tears and persistence that it was true finally convinced us.

So, we told all our friends and announced to our church on the eve of April Fool’s day that there was going to be a Baby Parmley soon. No one believed us.  Many didn’t realize it wasn’t an April fool’s joke till after my mom was clearly showing her pregnancy.

I remember Dad once used Sam as an illustration in a sermon on how God answers prayer.  See, Mom and Dad had prayed for a son soon after Sarah was born–that would have been around 14 years before Sam was conceived.  To my parents, it seemed like God’s answer was no, but really it was just wait.

So, Sam is the answer to many, many prayers from different people and across time.

A lady at our church was praying for Baby Parmley.  As she was praying, God laid the name “Samuel” on her heart.  She told us all this story, and soon everyone was calling the baby “Baby Sammy.”

Do you know what the name Samuel means?  It is Hebrew for “God heard” or “requested of God.”  What a perfect name!

God’s timing is perfect.  I can’t imagine life without this kiddo.  He’s been and still is a huge blessing!

I love you, Sambo!  And that’s no joke.

happy 2nd 1st anniversary to us!!

Yep,  that’s right . . . we celebrated our 2nd 1st anniversary this weekend. :D

A year ago Sunday–March 7, 2009–we had our Taiwanese wedding and banquet.

Which means . . . we’ve been married-married for a year and a half.

How can that be??

It’s hard to believe that I’ve only known the man who knows me most and best for a little over two years.

All I can say is . . . God is good.  He is so very kind.

So, happy 2nd 1st anniversary to us!!  Wuhoo!!!!

the wu's year in photos

Even though I've let my blog slip majorly in the past few weeks and months, I couldn't let my blogaversary and annual tradition of choosing one photo per month slip past.


This will be my fifth year to do this:

2005--was my third year in Taiwan, and I started blogging
2006--my sister got married and my brother came to Taiwan
2007--I moved to a new city, and my cousins came to visit
2008--I met the love of my life; we dated, got engaged, and then married . . . it was perhaps the most perfect year of my entire life. :)

I think I took less photos in all of 2009 than I did in many of the months of 2008.  Kinda makes me a little sad, and makes me want to resolve to take more photos in 2010.  Anywho, not analyzing anything right now, which I am OH so tempted to do.


Let me get right to the point . . . below you find a month by month look at our 2009 using only one photo per month.





January: We celebrate our first Chinese New Year together in Meinong


February: New Life Bilingual Church in Kaohsiung starts meeting


March: We marry again . . . well, ok, we celebrate our marriage covenant in Taiwan with our Taiwanese friends and family


April: I have my first birthday as a wife (aka, I turn 31)


May: Some of our friends marry . . . and Lawrance is the MC at their wedding banquet


June: We start our summer Sunday afternoon tradition of eating ice after church




July: We go on several dates during the summer . . . Thai food, the beach and more




August: We celebrate our first anniversary in Kenting


September: Sadly Wu Mama is diagnosed with liver cancer


October: Lawrance is a clown (well, maybe he always is one, but at least he LOOKED like one this time)


November: I start studying Chinese again (This is my awesome Chinese teacher)

December: Law's parents help us to decorate our tree . . . a Wu family first!

small world

Years ago . . . maybe about 8 . . . Lawrance was a new Christian.  He attended a "One Day Taiwan" conference. 

When scanning in photos a while back for our wedding montage, I saw this photo from that conference.

 

And, after looking at the younger version of Lawrance, looked back a few rows and saw a red head that I recognized!  Someone I knew from college was in Lawrance's photo!  I even emailed her (ok, facebooked her) and asked if it really was her. 

In fact, several people from my college in America were at the same conference in Taiwan that Lawrance was at.

It's a small world.

a day of rest and a thankful heart

Sunday, after worshiping the most high God and fellowshiping with our church family, Lawrance and I took a three hour nap.  I guess we were tired.  :)

When we woke up, Lawrance asked if he could invite me to the beach.  I said, "Yes!!  Let's go now, before the sunsets!!"

We got there and were actually surprised to see so many people there!  Last time we were there it was during the school year, and we were the only ones there. :) 

This beach is only about 8 minutes from our house . . . we should go there more often.  And it's cool because the sand is black.

So, here we are last spring and this summer . . . then just dating and now married 11 months . . .

God is kind! :) 

I am so thankful to my very generous AbBa Fu (Daddy God)  who has given me such a kind, considerate, patient husband who cherishes me, protects me, meets my needs, and invites me to go with him to the beach!! :)

about this time a year ago

. . . Lawrance asked me to be his wife.

Ahhh . . . what happy, happy memories!

God is KIND!!! :D

"Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!  What joy!"

(Psalm 126:3 NLT)

ten years ago, I wrote my first "blog"

Ok, so actually it was written on what is called a website . . . but still I was trying to make it like a blog before blogging platforms were abundantly everywhere. 

Ten years ago, in a school's computer room somewhere in northern Taiwan, I became a blogger, and I didn't even know it!

To get my printed photos online, I began using using a scanner in Chinese and yahoo's geocities to record my daily life here in Taiwan.  The photo quality is terrible . . . and the layout was tedious, but, if I do say so myself, the design was better than many "homemade" websites from the late '90s. 

But OH!  if I had had flickr and blogger back then, not to mention a digital camera  . . . how sweet that would have been!!!! 

In fact, I carried my mom's 35mm film camera in my purse daily for a year.  Soon after that I got my first digital camera, and so for nearly 10 years now my purse has always housed a point and shoot camera.  It is essential--more important than lipgloss and a driver's licence!

Anyway, Geocities is closing later this year, which made me want to take a walk down memory lane.  Feel free to click through and see what life was like for me as an exchange student in Taiwan in 1999. 

Here was my very first "blog." (nothing is there now besides the "first blog," which I didn't even know was a blog at the time.)

I had an index/home page (which originally was set up kinda of like flickr's sets page), that I changed when I started using another site and then changed again when I moved to blogging.

Here are the "1st pages of each group of photos":

flying cows in taiwan
summer in taiwan
studying in taiwan
residing in taiwan
friends in taiwan
sightseeing in taiwan
holidays in taiwan
classmates in taiwan
religion in taiwan
vacation in japan

Based on these "album" names, can you guess what I called that very first site? 

That's right "amanda in taiwan."  And, yes, my love for not using capital letters in my online world titles started with this very site . . . ten years ago!! (Can you tell I'm having a hard time accepting it was a decade ago that all this happened!?!?!)

Bye-bye, my dear first online home.  Rest in peace.

a wonderful wedding gift

We got some amazingly creative wedding gifts that I will share details of with you a bit later.  Today, I just wanna celebrate our biggest gift of all. . . . a new fridge!! :)

Many friends and family (on both sides of the ocean) graciously gave us cash as a wedding gift.  It is the traditional wedding gift in Taiwan, but not so in America.  However, we are very thankful for all our American friends and family understanding that many traditional wedding gifts from a registry in America would have been quite impractical. (Nevertheless we did register for a few items for our home, and I know my mom and sister would love to see what they look like in place, so I'll do that a bit later too.)

Boy, I am gabby today!! :)  Guess I must be excited. ;)

So . . . now . . . . for the grand revealing . . . .our beautiful new fridge that arrived yesterday: 

Although it fits perfectly in the "fridge spot," from this photo it seems to dwarf our entire kitchen! :) 

The fridge part is on top (which I LOVE).  I love being able to stare directly into the fridge part.  Before we had a freezer top fridge, so I had to lean over and down to look into it.

Then below the two door fridge, there are two sections that pull out.  The middle section is for fresh fruit and veggies (a huge crisper, I guess).  And the bottom is the freezer.

So, instead of shelves, it is kinda like a top loading deep freeze--just pile and stack.  I really like it.

Here are some shots I took last night of the inside of our new fridge--this might be the only time I ever show you the inside . . . so make sure you take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity. ;)  (Clicking the photos will take you to their flickr page.)

 

 

      

      

   

____
And, here are a few photos taken before new fridge's arrival:
   

___
And, here is how the little black fridge became black . . .


This fridge was nearly 20 years old.  It was given to me when I first moved to Taiwan.  Some missionaries on the island were leaving to go back to the States and were giving it away. 

Some other missionaries that knew I was coming took it and kept it for a few months, then when I arrived they gave it to me. 

I love the way the missionaries I've met here take care of one another and bless each other by sharing not only material stuff but of their time and care too.  God is good.

We loved little black, but he was not working quite as hard as he once
was. Sometimes he would forget to work at all, and at other times he
would work so hard EVERYthing--even the eggs in the fridge door--would
be frozen! 

He did quit working all together back in 2006, but then he came back on.  I know it sounds weird or insanely selfish to some that God would care about insignificant me and my stupid old fridge, but I honestly believe that God caused it to work again.  He cared for the widow and her son by causing her oil to run over; he cared for me by allowing a broken machine to keep running for three more years.  He is a God who cares about us and meets our physical needs.  What a great God we serve!!

blast from the past: V-day circa 1983

My sister emailed this photo today . . . my best guess is probably 1983 at our paternal grandparents house giving our NeeNee some V-day candy.

Clues to it being my grandparent's home . . .

1. white door


2. Millionaires and Turtles are my NeeNee's fave candy


3. My hair is straighter and in ringlets, a way she liked to style it.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

glimpses from my journal: feb 3-7, 2008

Feb. 3, 2008
"Since Lawrance came back from the conference, we've gone out twice.  On Friday, we went to eat hotpot and then to look at sunflowers, pink flowers, and his mom's work place.  It was so much fun!! 

" . . .

"He is so kind and patient.  He is also very tenderhearted.  And . . . he protects me--making sure he walks on the outside . . . ahhh a man! :)  It's great!"

~*~*~*~

Feb. 7, 2008
Our other date was the very next day.  We went to Corrina's house.  I made spaghetti and we played games with Corrina's girls while Corrina and Kevin went out on a date.  I was tired actually, but we still had fun.

"Father, please guide him and direct him and allow me to follow his lead.  . . .   I want to please you and bring you glory.  I want to honor you and him.

"Please give us both discernment and wisdom.  Help him to be a man and me a woman.  Give us self-control and patience.  Help us to do things right in the matters of the heart.  Teach us how to serve each other, support each other, and love each other too.  Teach us hot to be self-sacrificing and delight in pleasing the other. 

"I thank you so much for giving him to me.  You are such a good, kind, God.  You've given me more than I could ever have asked for or imagined!  . . . Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!  Praise your holy name!"

~*~*~*~*~
Note from Amanda:
During this time I read the books Doing Things Right in the Matters of the Heart by John Ensor and Let Me be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot (essentially a long letter Elliot writes to her newly engaged daughter).  And, he read Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello to Courtship by Joshua Harris in Chinese (I reread it also, but in English). 

These three books were so helpful to helping us lay a good foundation for the beginning of our relationship.  I highly recommend Boy Meets Girl and Let Me Be a Woman to others who are in the beginning stages a love relationship.  Doing Things Right in the Matters of the Heart is also highly recommend, but it is a book that can and should be read by singles everywhere.

glimpses from my journal: jan 25-26, 08

Jan. 25, 2008
"I feel like I am living a dream.  Walking in the land of 'I don't deserve this.'  You, my loving Heavenly Father, surely do know how to give GOOD gifts.  You are most kind and very generous. 

"Please forgive my lack of faith and distrust.  I am sorry I ever doubted you.

"I place my life in your hands and eagerly await the future."

~*~*~*~

Jan 26, 2008
". . . I think I am in love.  And, I know I WANT him to be 'the one.' 

"Oh yeah, and today when he called on the phone, he spoke only in Chinese and I spoke only in English.  So fun!!  I loved it!  Yea!!!!!"

glimpses from my journal: jan 24, 2008

"Lawrance is away at a conference in KH . . . how is it possible to miss someone I only recently started hanging out with?  My thoughts somehow seem to always come back to him.  And the only thing I can do is pray.  At times I wonder if the Lord will ever tire of my love sick prayers.

"Corrina suggested tonight that Lawrance go back with me to America this summer.  That way he could meet my whole family and see me in America.  I think that is a wonderful idea.  . . . but is it too premature to be planning that far ahead?  Corrina also mentioned that she thinks we should just go ahead and get married.  Ha!  I had to remind her we've only had one date! :)

"Sigh!

"I think . . . . I really, really think . . . . I am falling in love. . . . oh my!  All I can think of is God is so good, so kind. . . . and how much longer must I wait?  I can't wait to see what happens. . . . can't wait, too excited. . . .so excited . . .can't wait!!!  oh my!  oh my!  oh my!!"

glimpses from my journal: jan 20-22, 08

Jan. 20, 2008
"In just a few moments I will be leaving to go on my first date with Lawrance.  I am excited, nervous, happy.

"Father, you be in control.  Help me to reign in my emotions.  Please be glorified in our relationship where it leads.  Be Lord of it all.

"Help me to trust you as the author of my love life.  Help me to handle his heart with care.  Give me wisdom and discernment--and him too.  Give him the guts to lead and give him the wisdom and strength to do what is right and good and pure.

"Thank you so much for this chance.  Thank you for how you've changed in the past year.  I look forward to growing closer to you than ever before.  Be glorified!!"

~*~*~*~*~

Jan. 22, 2008
"Well, our first date went well.  I really like Lawrance.  I want
the whole process of dating him to go well--smoothly.  I want him to be
'the one.'  He was so nervous, but that just made it all the more
sweet, cute. 

. . .

"Father, I relinquish this
relationship to you.  I want it to honor you and bring you glory.  Even
though waiting will be hard for me . . . I trust completely your
timing.  You truly are a good God . . . a kind God.  I ask that you
give Lawrance wisdom and discernment.  I pray you speak right to his
heart.  . . . let him have ears that hear you.  . . . Grow us closer to
both each other and you.  And most of all . . . please be glorified in
our lives and in our relationship. 

"Thank you for placing us together in a way only you could.  You are so good!!"