a favorite photo so far

thanksgiving recap of past year

"I am thankful for an easy pregnancy, for the delivery of a healthy boy, for Silas, and for all the support I've been receiving in the postpartum."

I don't say grace often enough. And of course, there's much more I'm thankful for.

anniversary card recap of past year

Dear Friends and Family,

We celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary with the birth of our son, Silas. In preparation for this exciting new addition to our family, we sold our tiny house and moved to downtown Gainesville. Uwharrie is happy, healthy and safe after being lost for four days along the Florida Trail earlier this summer.  Lily continues to work on her research projects. Matt has also returned to school to become a Physical Therapist Assistant. As the weather cools, we look forward to some outside adventures with Silas and Uwharrie. We hope you are enjoying the advent of autumn wherever you are. 

With love, 
Lily and Matt

Grant and Chen Yee marry!

My brother, Grant, married Chen Yee last Friday at the beautiful San Francisco City Hall. It was an auspicious, warm and sunny day. Uber drivers and pedestrian strangers both shouted congratulations upon seeing Chen Yee in white. Little boys clapped behind classroom windows when she walked by. The city hall was buzzing with brides, grooms, and happy and excited witnesses. For a country mouse like me, it felt like the whole city was part of their wedding.

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Chen-Yee, welcome to our family. I remember the night Grant first told me about you. He had called while I was driving, but I was intrigued, so I stayed on the phone in the car long after I’d arrived at my destination. “What is she like?” I grilled. “How’d you meet?” “Does she also read The Economist and like to talk politics?” “Not really…” Grant replied, and I secretly thought, “Oh, thank goodness.”

“Well, is she sweet to you?” “Oh, very sweet!” he answered instantly. Many years later, I think Grant would give me the same un-hesitating answer. Chen-Yee, thank you for being at my brother’s side.  As I’ve come to know you, I realize that you are a strong person, smart, laid-back, easy to feel at home in new families. Welcome then!

Chen-Yee, you’ve also got one heck of a husband. Yes, I’m partial to him: We were best friends growing up; I’m still best friend (#2 now). But Grant wouldn’t be my best friend if I didn’t have a lot of respect for him. At some point in school, he was dubbed the "walking encyclopedia." What people may not know is that Grant’s capacity to care - to feel for total strangers, to talk sincerely, to believe something is his duty - matches his capacity to think, and I haven’t found too many people like that. He is accomplished, yes, but his caring about the greater world is what stands out most to me.

I think you complement each other well: one laid-back and accepting, one pushing to consider the greater world. You two are obviously very proud of each other and comfortable in your companionship. Together, I’m reminded about what Mommy’s older neighbor said when she saw you two taking a walk: something to the effect of  “It’s refreshing to see a young, good-looking couple very much in love.”

So, to the new husband and wife, may you cradle each other, may you grow together! Congratulations!

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Besides the bride and groom, parents are probably the happiest at weddings. Mommy and Daddy were beaming.

Mommy wanted to do something special for Grant and Chen Yee, so she threw them a surprise party on Saturday. Grant and I didn't grow up with relatives in the US, so the other Chinese-Americans became our "aunties" and "uncles". Over the years, most of them and their kids have relocated to the Bay area. It had been years since we'd seen each other, so there was much celebrating and catching up.

just make it to mid-october

Like a fever, the summer heat finally broke. Now, living in the woods is wonderful.

finally!

We finally have government regulations to cut carbon emissions, and I'm celebrating.

There's no doubt that our societies - our actions - have unbalanced the global carbon cycle, which exacerbates global warming. The data is there: It's heavily scrutinized and still solid, and no amount of legislation banning certain terms or memos not to use them is going to wish the situation away. The only thing we gain by ignoring it is the illusion we don't have to do anything about it. Put another way, we'd fool ourselves.

Unfortunately, global warming has been politicized, which means we think there's got to be two sides to the issue and somehow makes our opinions only just as valid as the next opinion. This isn't a matter of opinion, though: It's happening. It's a tragedy of the commons that the libertarian philosophy cannot solve, and one of many examples where we need government - government for the people - to improve out lot. Since it's laws that we abide, global warming had to go into the political arena for something lasting to be done about it. Yes, I am glad we have government regulations.

Uncle Matt, Aunt Lily, and Uwharrie

by Cora 

(who believes in fairies)