2014
1 - (aka the beginning) of our chapter together.
We held our micro wedding in Fayetteville, North Carolina, surrounded by our immediate family and closest friends. We did not have any vow exchanges or ceremonies (we’re non-traditional that way), but chose to capture our beginning with wonderful photos, the courtesy of Fina’s closest friend, Elaine and Fina’s sister (and best friend), Fiz.
2015
2 - Hello Lyanna!
We welcome the first ruler of our hearts (and lives), Lyanna, into this world! We were so ecstatic with her arrival that we barely got any sleep (she also didn’t let us). The first year of being parents together to this little lady was no small feat. But with sprinkles of love, trust, patience, and above all, kindness, we made it through and emerged stronger.
By October 2015, we also moved across the country and called Tacoma, WA, our new home.
2016
3 - Fina’s back to work!
After almost 2 years of being a stay-at-home mom, Fina was back to work! Ask any parent and they can probably tell you their uber-complicated mixed feelings about going back to work. Long story short, this chapter is filled with valuable lessons that we have learned to this day including how to manage our time better!
2017
4 - Adieu Military and hello Sansa!
Ian said goodbye to his almost 10-year service in the military to spend more time with us (thank you!). This comes with various mixed feelings and uncertainties, but thanks to our rock-solid determination and hard-learned adaptation capabilities, we continued to march along to our new lives as civilians!
We also welcomed our fur-baby, Sansa, courtesy of Ian’s brother, Allen. She has been a great addition to our family and has brought us plenty of kisses, snuggles, and hand-arm-workout from having to rub her belly and head scratchies.
2018
5 - Hello, homeownership!
We decided that we needed to be adults and purchase our first home in Tacoma.
After countless open houses, several turned-down bids, and a large volume of paperwork, we found the house that we call home to this very day!
2019
6 - Hello, US election participation!
Fina was granted citizenship in 2019 and she has, ever since then, exercised her duty as a good citizen by voting!
(thank you, Katherine, for the thoughtful decoration on my desk!)
2020
7 - Hello Liam!
The second fierce ruler of our hearts, Liam, was born in April — right on the 3rd day of lockdown in Tacoma because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the uncertainties and limitations we were given at the time, as if the test wasn’t enough, Liam was born with G6PD, which was often mistaken for jaundice. He had to stay at the NICU for a week, but when we finally brought him home, he grew rapidly and healthily, and we could barely keep up. Lyanna was over the moon and couldn’t stop holding him and mentioning how glad she was to have a baby brother!
2021
8 - Family Time!
Time was stolen from all of us because of the pandemic (and our families are far) but 2021 came bearing gifts of quality time with family. It started with Ian’s brother’s visit to see Liam, then Liam’s first meeting with his grandparents (from Ian’s side), and finally, at the end of 2021, Fina’s immediate family - her sister, her brother-in-law, and mom got to stay with her for 3.5 months in Tacoma.
2022
9 - 360° Health
This was a challenging year for us because the year threw multiple health issues within the family. The problematic aspects of the physical health of the people we love, of course, took a course on our emotional and mental health as well. This year, as a family, we decided to start focusing on every aspect of our health. We set aside time to exercise, reflect on our days, and increase our communication skills.
2023
10 - Ian’s Job/Career Change
After many years of potentially physically risky career choices, Ian has decided to choose a career that aligns with his interests and the family's needs. We’ve loved spending more quality time with him and Lyanna and Liam learn the process of making something out of wood (Fina still has 0 interest). Both Fina and Ian get to spend more time with Lyanna and Liam, and in 2023, we did not miss any school performance by both of the kids. It’s a huge win for the entire family!