Going for Broke: New Orleans, World War II and the 442nd

In order to fight the post-holiday blues, we planned a little trip to New Orleans as a family. This was inspired by my Aunt Diane and her husband, Gil, who were going to be in the Big Easy for a law professors conference. So, we packed up and drove on out in very cold weather...

Of course, the food was amazing... Acme Oyster House, Brennan's, The Upperline and Cafe Du Monde to name a few... we weren't short on good, rich and fattening food. And, the company was great. It was great to be with Diane and Gil, to catch up and to just share perspectives on life and everything in between.

And the National World War II Museum was really incredible. I was so glad to take Nate to it and to walk through all of the exhibits. He was very quiet, took it all in, and just now, some of the questions he has about that war and war in general are surfacing. The 35 minute movie they show in their theater was quite impressive as well. It felt like we were in the middle of it all - scary, sobering and the experiential nature of it lent itself to making it seem so real. The most memorable line from it was from a soldier writing about his experience... something like "nothing makes you a pacifist more quickly than being an infantryman..."

Sadly, there was one gaping hole in all of this. The only mention of the internment of the Japanese-Americans during WWII was in one sentence in a little area that dealt with the topic of minorities and women getting jobs in key factories, etc... because everyone's help was needed. Not one mention of it during the movie... not one mention of the 442nd (a unit of all Japanese-Americans fighting their way through Europe)...here were these incredible Americans who had had every civil liberty taken from them going off to fight for their country - and not once was this mentioned. This was the regiment that coined the phrase "Go for Broke!" The 442nd WAS THE MOST DECORATED REGIMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED SERVICES, with 21 Medal of Honor recipients... and NOT ONCE were they mentioned in the movie... and perhaps I missed something in the exhibit... but we went through every room and saw nothing about this. I was glad to see a whole section dedicated to the horrible racial stereotypes the government utilized against the Japanese race in their propoganda...

So... my assessment... go see it! It's well worth it and eye-opening, educational... I was so moved by the volunteers who staff the entry, the coat check, the various points along the way. They were all WWII vets and I was struck by how very soon this generation of Americans who served in this war will be gone. They experienced so much, and I don't want their experiences to be lost as time progresses - which is why the museum is so amazing and important. Having Nate see this was key. The media, the kids he goes to school with - they all glorify war. I wanted him to see how horrific it is when humans have to solve their problems in this way - how much death and sacrifice takes place in war... it isn't anything to glorify.

So, I'm off my soapbox... if you want to know more about the museum, click here http://www.nationalww2museum.org/. To learn more about the 442nd, click here http://www.the442.org/ and here http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/nisei/index3_442nd.html and here: http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210341/442nd/splash442nd.htm. Go for Broke!

The Holidays are Over...welcoming 2010

It's been quite the holiday season in our home... all of the traditional things we do in addition to lots and lots of family, friends and activities. And yet, there's been plenty of time for reflection. Some of our highlights include:

• Having ALL of my (Rachel's) immediate family under one roof for Christmas this year. It has been seven years since my sister, my parents and my little family of three have been together for Christmas. We are so spread out geographically, it's hard for everyone to always be together for this special time - but we all made it happen this year. My parents came on the 20th and Auntie Becky & Auntie Fran (pictures above) rolled in on the 23rd. It was hard to say goodbye to my sister as she and Fran headed back to New York on Monday the 28th...and Nate is already mourning my parents' departure this coming Wednesday, the 6th. I cooked, cooked, cooked with my sister, we celebrated THREE birthdays at Ousie's and played Wii like crazy (Nate FINALLY got one after many years of hoping. He'd showed us how responsible he could be with the limited DS time he got, and so we caved... but we've all been having fun playing it together)... you can see the little video from Christmas morning of him opening his gift, below...




• Our traditional Christmas Eve with the Quans (and my family!) at our home reminded me of how time moves so quickly, and how family changes, grows and adapts over time. Our nephews were here, but two of our nieces and their husbands were not... makes me sad to think that as people's lives change, jobs take them to various places and life in general happens, it is not often that we are ALL together. But, we still had the traditional Jook (Chinese Porridge) and Curry night for Christmas Eve. People's absences were duly noted because I actually had some leftovers this year - something that has not happened in quite some time. Three crockpots of Jook used to not be enough... and suddenly, I found myself putting away a quart of leftover. :( Sort of sad... However, Nate still lit the Christ Candle on Christmas Eve with the help of his Aunties and Uncles and Cousins, and still went to bed eager and excited for the morning and all the fun it would bring. I loved that his Chin Clan was here to enjoy him enjoying them...




• And, we still had our annual trek to Leona, TX - a tradition that started many years ago... we trek up to the Mizwa Ranch in Leona and meet our friends the Eutslers and the Myers (and usually the Chois) every year... and this year shared the experience with our friends the Mosemans. My parents even joined us as we fed Tex, the Longhorn, visited with Mamere and Dado Mizwa (who have loved Nate since the day they laid eyes on him) and had incredible steaks and dessert at the Leona General Store.

So, we hope you too had some good memories... and thought you'd enjoy catching up with our family holidays here... we were grateful to have been granted one more year to reflect on the faith that sustains us and to celebrate that faith. I love the Message version of John 1:1... "And the Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood..." Our little family is so grateful for that truth that means so much to us...

No matter what you celebrated, we hope you had a holiday filled with great peace and love!

AKA Boss Lady

Oh how I wish I could live up to my Radio Call Name. "Boss Lady" is actually a name that was given to me by one of our event runners. Man, I love Charlie. He's THE BEST runner in the whole world - conscientious, kind and can talk anyone into giving him pretty much anything. I don't think I've ever seen someone as smooth talkin' as Charlie. Charlie calls my cohort in event production, Brent, "Boss" and me... well he calls me "Boss Lady." I like that title. It is the equivalent of "Queen of All I Survey" which I have been campaigning for in my home and at work for quite some time now. But, alas... only Charlie REALLY treats me like I'm the Boss Lady.

At home...well, sometimes I get to be the Boss Lady. Sometimes I can get my "boys" to do what I want them to do. And...well, a lot of times...NOT. After 15 years of marriage, my husband still will not go to sleep at a reasonable hour. And, Nate Quan... well, sometimes I am Boss Lady...but sometimes he just looks at me like I'm crazy (which I am). Of course, the dogs have no clue that my nickname on an event site is "Boss Lady." When they look at me, I think they think I am merely here for their comfort and convenience. Sometimes they don't even look at me... or hear me...or they pretend they can't hear me...which, come to think of it, even Dave and Nate do on occassion.

I think if I were REALLY the Boss Lady no one would ever question my decisions at work. But, that's NEVER happened!

In my mind, in my dreams... I AM the Boss Lady. It's so nice to have an imagination and once in awhile live in an alternate reality. One can always dream...

In the meantime, my work team got me a backpack this past year. We all have backpacks at our company that have our nicknames - always "tongue in cheek". The photo above is my backpack - "Boss Lady". How nice, I thought. But then I remembered that the names on our backpacks are merely inside company jokes! Hmmmm...

Then, my husband found me this awesome shopping bag when we were in the Texas Hill Country recently. It says "Boss Lady" on the front (with a cowgirl) and the back says "Round em Up and Move em Out." That somehow wraps up my life in a nutshell - that's what I do! That's what I do at home...that's what I do for work...that's what I do when I walk the dogs... so for now, I will pretend that I really am the Boss Lady...

Snow Day in Houston!

This is the second year in a row that we have had snow in December. Last year we were in the second week of December, and I remember driving to Hobby Airport to pick up my work partner... with the snow falling and dusting everything. This time, the snow began falling in the morning and it snowed most of the day - big, huge flakes, silently falling and eventually accumulating on our backyard lawn. It was great!

Nate still went to school (it's just across the street from us) and he and his class got to go out and play in it. Dave stayed home and we enjoyed it together... we did our "work", and looked out the window constantly. We wondered how any of the teachers at Nate's school could hold their students' attention for more than 2 seconds with the snow falling right outside their windows.

It was a Winter Wonderland for sure! And... it reminded me of the big snowfall we had in 2004 on Christmas Eve. It was our last Christmas with Dave's dad, and it was magical. The whole family was at our house, with the snow falling like crazy. We threw snowballs and made a very, very short snowman. It was such a sweet night...

So I thought I'd share a few pics of us from yesterday... Dave's iPhone didn't always capture the snow, but... for what was left of it (it didn't stick very much... a lot fell, but the ground was still too warm...)...here are the images!

Thanksgiving: 15 Years of Marriage!

This Thanksgiving Day (November 26, 2009), Dave and I celebrate exactly 15 years of marriage! Wow! Although we are privileged enough to have grown up in intact homes (my parents have been married for close to 41 years and Dave's were married 57 years), FIFTEEN YEARS seems like a really long time when it comes to this day and age. It also seems like a really long time ago that we walked down that aisle and said our "I Dos" to each other. We were two very different people then, and we both admit that we like the people we are today much better.

So much has happened in those 15 years...schooling, careers, a child...the ups and downs of figuring out how to work together and stay together. Some years have been extremely difficult - with chaos, challenges and heartache. Some years have been phenomenally wonderful - with celebrations, accomplishments, deeper realizations of who are as individuals and as a couple... so that I feel like we have finally come to this place of understanding quite a bit more about what it means to have really lived life together - the good, the bad and the ugly.

By no means am I suggesting that we have it all figured out. We still fight about the SAME THINGS, we still are frustrated by the very same quirks we came into this marriage with, still confounded by the other person at times... but one of the things I've really noted about all the years we've been together is that we TALK... we talk A LOT! It's a constant conversation with the two of us - sharing what we're struggling with, who we're struggling with, what we think of a situation, what we think of each other (good and bad), what we think the solution to the current political crisis of the day might be, the article we just read in the paper, the book that he wanted to read but I read for him and give him the synopsis when I'm done (he does plenty of reading for work)...that has been one of the keys to our survival as a couple...

...that and our faith...our belief that something larger than us is at work in our lives and that our vows to our God go much deeper than how we feel about one another on any particular day. That's been the one thing that has kept us talking, moving in the same direction... I know for others this isn't an ingredient, and that's okay. But, for us... it's been the ingredient that has grown our love, our respect and our care for each other through the years.

And, finally... I am grateful to be married to a man who sees me as his equal in life... his partner, if you will. One of the major factors in my decision to marry him was the fact that he wrote me a long letter right before our engagement. He wanted to know what my dreams were and how he could help me achieve them... I was amazed at this man who had a desire to journey through life together - helping each other reach goals... it wasn't just about his career, his dreams, his desires and I was merely there to help him get what he wanted. Dave Quan was the first guy I had dated or encountered in my life who recognized that my value in our relationship was SEPERATE from his. I was an individual with goals and dreams and they deserved to be pursued just as much as his own. And as much as my church friends at times might scoff at the egalitarian nature of our relationship... I must say... it has worked for us... because this Thursday we are celebrating 15 years of marriage!!!

So, this is a Thanksgiving tribute to my husband...Dave - I am grateful for you and our marriage...for the years we've shared together, all the struggles and joys that have come with it. And I am grateful for your love and grace that have been so important in my journey. Happy Anniversary!!!

We had a great time celebrating this past week with our friends - Johnny & Susan Myers - at our favorite Hill Country destination... The Inn Above Onion Creek... Enjoy the pics!

The Orthodontist Lied

This is the official update regarding Nate's braces. He wants the world to know that he has not gotten to chew gum in over a year. He is also not happy that our orthodontist told him he'd only have to wear his braces for a year. In truth, he has to now wear them for a total of one year and THREE months! Oh my...three more months than was originally estimated. He's not happy about this, but because a definitive end is in sight, he is dealing.

I have to say, dentists and orthodontists for kids have come a long way since my childhood. I really am not all that old, but I don't recall such incredible waiting rooms or perks when I was going in for cleanings and check ups. Nate's orthodontist's office is totally tricked out! The waiting room has a huge plasma screen television, always playing the latest and greatest kid movie. There's an entire room dedicated to Wii and Playstation - the place Nate heads to as soon as we walk in the door. He even gets "Bubba Bucks." This is quite the incentive program, I have to say. Don't ask me why, but our orthodontist has a "mascot" who is a water buffalo and his name is Bubba. I guess that's what you call a water buffalo from Texas, I don't know. Nate can earn Bubba bucks for all sorts of things - for showing up to his appointment on time, for wearing his orthodontist's t-shirt (great marketing), for having good hygiene when they put his new bands on... for just being the cute kid he is (honestly, I think those front desk ladies give him Bubba Bucks merely because he's such a good kid)... So we cashed in this past visit. Nate had sixty Bubba Bucks after a year of going to see the orthodontist. He turned them in and got a $30 Game Stop card and a couple of Chick-Fil-A gift certificates.

The other "perk" of braces is the various colored bands you get to choose from everytime they get changed. Over the course of this past year we have oft gotten orange and white (go Longhorns!), and a plethora of other combinations in honor of various sports teams that Nate has an affinity for...

We are looking forward to JANUARY when the braces will officially come off! Nate has already asked that we plan to buy a big package of bubble gum before we go. We will then ceremoniously break open the package upon our departure from the orthodontist's office and he can chew as much bubble gum as he wants...

Our Family and Food

Today when we were driving home from church I started talking to Nate about how when he's grown up, wherever he decides to live, I would like to visit him. He then announced that he would like to live in Los Angeles. Hmmm... I thought maybe it was because we had an incredible beach house vacation in Huntington Beach last year, or maybe because I had been talking about how wonderful it was to be able to go skiing in just a couple of hours... but that wasn't quite it.

"Why do you want to live in L.A. when you grow up?" Dave asked.

Nate's answer: "Because that's where In 'N Out Burger is."

We laughed. Then I looked over at Dave, who was driving. He was just beaming with pride. We have raised a child who thinks just like us. Every significant occasion, every trip or special moment - well, we pretty much can remember those days by the meals we've had. And, In 'N Out Burger was the restaurant of choice one summer when we spent a month vacationing on the Pacific Ocean. Nothing like a Double Double and one of their incredible chocolate milkshakes!

I work out at a gym in Montrose four mornings a week. My route takes me down the 59 spur and drops me off right at Westheimer, where if I crane my neck and peer right a little bit, I can see our favorite Houston restaurant - Brennan's - being re-built. So much tragedy occurred during Hurricane Ike, but I tell you, it was the burning down of Brennan's that was the biggest news of that time for us. Brennan's has hosted every anniversary dinner, my 30th birthday (which was awhile ago now) and significant celebration for us for over a decade now. Last November I lamented over and over again about where we would have our annversary dinner since Brennan's had burned down. Let me just say, we check their website regularly and can hardly wait. There is nothing like the food and ambiance of that place - turtle soup with a little sherry drizzled in, their shrimp and grits cooked tableside, bananas foster (the original recipe!), and the taking home of their pralines when we are leaving at the end of an incredible meal.

When Dave and I reflect on our honeymoon... even there... the food is a top memory... the steaks (Alberta, Canada has incredible beef) at Chateau Lake Louise's Edelweiss room, not to mention their chocolate fondue (which they flew fresh fruit in for daily)...

So, that's us. We love, love, love to celebrate with food. Sushi on Friday nights at Kubo's... a great burger at Christian's Tailgate, breakfast at the Buffalo Grille, cupcakes from Crave, Pho at Mai's, dim sum at Fung's or Yum Yum Cha, Salted Fish Fried Rice from Hong Kong Street Cafe, warm German Chocolate Cake at Mark's... if you EVER want a culinary tour of Houston , just give us a call! We will hook you up!

And if you want to come over for dinner...well, let us know. We can take care of that as well - whether we've got our favorite curry or jook in the crockpot (that's Christmas Eve for the Quans, by the way), Tortilla Soup (ala Houston Junior League's cookbook), our favorite flank steak marinated in incredible spices and olive oil, turkey meatloaf, baked salmon, healthy chocolate brownies with Scharffenberger Chocolate (you can't beat it)... you name it, we'll work on cooking it for you!


Much of life is set around our table... eating dinner together most every night of the week, celebrating a birthday, or just good ol' fellowship with friends... come on over (or let's go out!)... just let us know!