Three Years

Three years ago I married my best friend.

Just for fun, here's a quick photo flashback...

2008

Friends.

2009

Dating.

2010

Marriage.

2 months later...

Moving.

2011

First Anniversary.

2012

Second Anniversary.

Several months later...

Baby.


2013

Third Anniversary.

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 15:5-6

 願賜忍耐和安慰的　神，使你們彼此同心，效法基督耶穌， 同心一致地榮耀我們主耶穌基督的父　神。

(罗马书 15:5-6)

Keira Grace: 7 Months Old

Keira is seven months old!  To view this photo post, click "show encrypted text" below and enter the blog password.  (If you don't have the password, send us an email or fb message).  Thanks!

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Make Your Own Sunscreen

Taiwan's hot and humid summer is here...
so this week's DIY project was natural, cheap, chemical-free sunscreen.

Ingredients:

-1/4 C coconut oil

-1/8 C beeswax granules (adds waterproof properties)

-1/4 C cocoa butter

-2 Tbsp zinc oxide powder (adds SPF properties)

Want to know where to find these ingredients in Taipei?  See this post.

Directions:

1.  In a double boiler (or a pot inside of a water-filled pan), 

melt the beeswax, coconut oil, and cocoa butter.  Whisk together.

2.  Remove from heat and let cool for five minutes.

3.  Whisk in the zinc oxide powder.  

Beat the mixture to get rid of any powder clumps and to whip up the oils a bit.

4.  Pour into a glass jar and let it sit overnight.

5.  Apply liberally and often, and go soak up some sun! 

Note:  This sunscreen has an approximate SPF 20.  We're looking forward to trying it this weekend!

A Midwives Clinic in Taiwan

There's a new midwives clinic in Taiwan!

Our midwife and friend, Mai-Li Wan, opened it last weekend in Yilan.  I think this is the first natural-childbirth-supporting midwives clinic in Taiwan.  We got to travel there with some friends for the opening celebration, and share a little about our home birth experience.

The clinic is peaceful, warm, and inviting.  This is the reception area:

And this is the examination room:

We spent the night on the pull-out couch.  

(Keira slept nearby in her pop-up tent-bed.  It was her first night away from home, and she did great!)

On the third floor, there's a nice space for prenatal education classes which doubled as a play-area for the kids.  (Keira loved practicing her crawling moves all over the tatami mats.)

If you want to check it out, here's the info:

English info:

Mai-Li Wan, Master, RN, CNM

Phone: 886-912-253-841

Email: best.midwife@yahoo.com.tw

BEST Midwives Clinic

No. 28, Ziqiang E. Rd., Wujie Township, 

Yilan County 26845, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

Mai-Li provides prenatal and postpartum care, prenatal and postpartum counseling, birth planning, home birth, professional labor assistance for hospital-birthing families, and lactation assistance.

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On a more personal note, we really enjoyed our weekend in Yilan, thanks to our friends Alberto and Daisy (and their two sweet girls, Pansy and Yue-Ling).  They drove us around, introduced us to some friends, and showed us cool places.  Here we are walking at a nearby forest preserve.

 When we weren't sight-seeing or celebrating, we relaxed at the clinic.  

Pansy calls him, "Kalan Shu-shu" (Uncle Kalan)  :)

Thanks Mai-Li, Alberto, and Daisy for a great weekend!

Hiking in 景美 (Jingmei)

Although Taipei is a city of several million, it has many easily-accessed nature trails.  Last weekend we went hiking around Jingmei (景美), just several subway stops away from our neighborhood.  Once you exit the station, there are clear maps and signs that lead you to the trail head.

Picnic lunch break...sweet potatoes, carrots, and apples.  Yum.

This is a short and easy hike.  The guide book says it's good for elderly people.  It's also good if you're carrying a baby or are hiking with small children.  :)

It was Keira's first time riding on my back.  She loved it.  

Side note: I made these teething pads for our Ergo last week using an old T-shirt, burp cloth, and some Velcro.  They worked great--now instead of washing our baby carrier all the time, I can just throw these in the washing machine with our clothes.  There is a free pattern with instructions here.

Fellow adventurers at a scenic rest stop.  

The trail has several scenic overlooks with picnic benches.  

Keira fell sound asleep on the way home.  

There are several intersecting trails around Jingmei; we chose one that came out on Muzha Road and took a short bus ride back to the subway.

We're looking forward to exploring more of Taipei's trails as a family in the months ahead!

No One Knows Whose Nose

Proof that beauty is culturally defined...

The other day as I was walking down the street, two elderly Taiwanese neighbors stopped to comment on how cute Keira is.

"She has blue eyes--just like her Dad!" one exclaimed in English.

The other one responded in Chinese. "What I don't understand is why her nose is so small.  Her dad has a big, handsome nose; her mom has a beautiful, big nose; but her nose is so little!"

In Chinese, I said, "You're right, we're not sure where she gets her small nose from."

Shocked and apparently embarrassed that I had understood her comment, she hurriedly assured me, "Don't worry, dear, I'm sure her nose will be nice and large when she grows up, just like yours."

Father-Daughter Study Time

Practicing ㄅㄆㄇㄈ together...