Teenage BFFs

Despite my meeting my social quota for the year, there was no way that I was going to miss my intimate reunion with my two childhood best friends!

Christine, Euri, and I have known each other since junior high...those awkward tweenage years (for me). Tonight, we started off trying to figure out when was the last time I had seen the both of them. I was fortunate to reconnect with Euri a few months before our wedding (through the wonders of Facebook)...and honored to have her floral design business, Fleuretica, create our beautiful arrangements.

We first met up at a bridal show that Fleuretica was showcasing at, and then we met once before the wedding to catch up briefly and discuss floral details. I was really touched that she (and her crew) came out to Wayfarer's to personally deliver the arrangements on our wedding day.
I knew that that wasn't the last that I wanted to see of her...especially since I had let too much time pass by. So I resorted to Facebook again and crashed she and Christine's date. =P

Tonight, our reunion was just as sweet because the three of us met up! We met at Susina's Bakery, a cozy shoppe with endless yummy desserts. For a few fun and sentimental hours, we caught up over coffee, apple pie, tiramisu, and Americano cake. We talked and laughed about all the silly things we used to do. All the crazy letter writing (pre-text messaging, cell phone, and Facebook days). Sadly, they pointed out that some things never change. I had to call Gramma part way through and was on the phone for a while. After the call, the girls said, "I remember when you were in HS. You were always in trouble. You didn't even do anything and you were in trouble!" Seriously...


It must have been at least a decade since the three of us were last hanging out...and so much has happened. I couldn't be more happy for them and their accomplishments. Christine is now a proud mommy of a 15 month old, wife of a pastor, and an attorney. Euri, who has always had that ridiculously awesome creative streak, is now a successful floral designer. (And I guess I should say it again for Christine, I am a Speech-Language Pathologist. ;)

It was so good to see them and to pick up without skipping a beat after all this time. I can't wait to see them again next month.

Going Away Party for BSILF

For the past four years that BSILF and I have known each other, I never imagined that this day would really come. She is leaving me!!

I am deeply saddened for selfish reasons. I will miss her so much. I will miss her hugs. I will miss hanging out with her and laughing nonstop. I will miss seeing her contagious smile. I will miss her husband, the one that my husband genuinely enjoys hanging out with (this is a very huge deal!). I will miss their sweet baby boy who exudes all the love and well-being that their parents share with all those that are lucky enough to know them.

On the other hand, I am happy for them for their move back home to New York. This opportunity could not have come at a better time and for a wonderful reason. BSILF's husband accepted a teaching position at an private university well-known for several programs directly related to his specialties. They will be closer to family and living in a house at a price that us Angelenos cannot even fathom.

Today, we met up at Kim's house to send them off properly. We chatted, laughed, and ate for several hours, reminiscing about the grad school days...before many of us were married and any of us had a baby and/or was pregnant...all the way to honeymoon updates. It's crazy to think that four years has already passed since they first moved out here to take both of their careers to the next level. We were blessed to have them with us the past few years, but New York is even luckier to have them back. ;)

May God bless them on their journey back home and the new adventures ahead.

Baby Sitting

I baby sat (non-family members) for the first time in my life. This must be what early intervention therapy is like...only I didn't walk away with $2-300.

Hubby and I had dinner with Pastor Aunty, Gramma, and cousin Lani at a tofu house on Las Tunas. The meal was delicious -- Korean BBQ chicken and beef, tofu pots, and all the yummy side dishes. Afterward, the two of us headed a few blocks down to CBNR's house. Right when we got there, CBNR rushed outside and said, "you two need to stay here and watch the boys. [Wifey's] car broke down. I'll be back quick...like 15 minutes." Husband looked at me and said, "You stay here; I gotta go with him in case he needs help." Say whaaaaaat??? Before I could protest, CBNR said to his boys, "You both better be good to Aunty Cheryl. No punching her in the balls..." (He meant it b/c the 3 year-old actually does that to his Dad!) Next thing I know, the grown men were gone and two little boys were in the entry way screaming, "Hello!!!" Well, at least I got a nice, warm greeting.

For the next 2.5 hours, we moved back and forth from the 5 year-old's room (where all the toys are) to the family room (to sing to Wii High School Musical) to the kitchen area for snacks and drinks. I can't say that the 2.5 hours felt like the 15 minutes that CBNR had said, but we were definitely entertained! I am not accustomed to being around such little kids so it was really a fun and neat experience. First of all, the boys have energy off the charts. Secondly, they were vying for my attention every other second, pulling me in different directions (literally). But above all, these boys know how to act around adults (that are not their parents). At one point, Hubby's Godson said, "I have to pee! Wait...do you have to pee? Because you can go first." How thoughtful. Haha!

When they finally returned, we rushed over to bro's house to feed poor Max, who had been outside the entire sweltering day. We spent an hour with him, too, before finally getting home around midnight.

As we settled in, it donned on me that today was the first time that I have ever baby-sat (alone). I almost felt proud...except that I'm turning 3 decades this year. I've entered baby-bearing age, not baby-sitting age...

I'm Free!

Today was my last day of ESY. Woohoo! Vacation is finally here!

I've slowly been transitioning into summer vacation since last week. Since one of my caseloads ended summer school last Friday, I've been galavanting more and more.

Last Friday night was Gramma's 83rd Chinese birthday, so we celebrated with dinner at Full House Seafood restaurant. It was a little more intimate since half of our family was MIA, but it was still very cozy, delicious, and festive. After dinner, we went to Dentist Aunty's for cake.

(Chinese bakery cakes are sooOooOOo delicious!)

We were fortunate to have Pastor Aunty with us to celebrate. She loved the necklace I gave Gramma...so much that she put it on and had me take a picture (to send to her daughters to find for her).

Pastor Aunty is so cute. She had me take 5 pictures before she okay'd the one above.

On Saturday, I went to a co-worker's retirement party in Redondo Beach. It's bittersweet for me since we became good friends during my first year of work but then I missed out on working with her last year b/c of the dramatic assignment change. Now that I'm returning to my original assignment in the Fall, she won't be there! I am happy for her, though, and wish her the very best.

On Sunday, I finally got to see celebrity Aunty from New york and meet her husband and baby boy. I was pleasantly surprised to see my Mom's best friend there, too!

I certainly enjoyed the company and amazingly humongous spread. I ate and talked and ate and talked. My aunts and Gramma were there, too, which led to interesting family history being revealed. (Turns out the rich lady doctor that wanted to adopt me when I was born was actually yoldest aunt's husband's medical colleague.) After they left, I chatted some more and followed Aunty Jeany around while she chased her handsome (and cute) baby boy. Their baby boy is already almost two years old!

It was a real fun-filled weekend. Well worth the exhaustion. ;)

Hyperventilating

ESY has been fun and surprisingly relaxing. Although, I'm sure anything compared to this past academic year is a walk in the park.

This summer, I'm working with a high school class of Trainable Mentally Handicapped students, a middle school SDC autism class, and my usual MS SDC autism class.

Yesterday, I got a good laugh. It was the second time I was working with a particular student so I wasn't too familiar with him. He kept yawning but was working fine when suddenly, he clutched his chest with both hands and yelled in a strained voice, "I CAN'T BREATHE! [Gasp] I CAN'T BREATHE!" In retrospect, I'm really baffled by my behavior because I didn't even flinch. I didn't panic and look for his aide nor did I think I had to perform CPR.

I just looked him square in the eye and said in a calm voice, "You're okay. Just take a deep breath like this..." and we audibly breathed together like we were doing respiration therapy or something. He was immediately (visibly) fine, and we kept going with therapy. I really had to stifle my laugh b/c I didn't want to positively reinforce that type of behavior so in my mind's eye, I was laughing hysterically and thinking, what the heck just happened? Is this kid for real? I think I'm baffled by my own behavior b/c I didn't react like it was a medical emergency. Hey, at least I quickly assesses the situation before responding -- he didn't just do vigorous movement so he wasn't having an asthma attack. He didn't just eat so he wasn't experiencing a severe allergic reaction to anything. So I just went about it from a behavioral perspective. =P

After a few moments, I heard his aide from across the room ask where he was and then she noticed that he was with me. I turned away from him and tried past him so he couldn't hear and asked his aide if he occasionally goes into an "I can't breathe!" thing. She said, "yeah, from time to time; he's a real drama queen."

Of course he overheard me asking her b/c next thing I know, he's clutching his chest again and yelling, "I CAN'T BREATHE!!"

Hilarious.