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Announcing
the birth of something new
With many
baby showers being given and many more to come, Jennifer wanted to give
more unique and personal gifts so she began sewing personalized gifts for
the moms and babies-to-be. Knowing there had to be others who would also
want to give unique baby gifts handmade with care, she has started her own
company named
Billy & Jane. She sews baby
bibs, burp cloths and blankets that are functional yet very stylish with each
style named after a special baby that we know.
To announce
the new company two
launch parties were held to showcase
the new product lines. Thanks to Mom and Dad and Julia and Oliver
for hosting these fetes.
www.BillyandJane.com |
Byron & Je's Wedding Day
Two of
our closest friends were married on November 27, 2004. We were honored
to be a part of their marriage celebration. Who knew that fateful day in
1999, when Byron was caught drawing on Je's foot, would start a lifetime
of memories. They had an awesome feast of Chinese food and a great
rehearsal game, where everyone learned that Byron is most likely to
clean, cook, wash, handle finances and take out the trash.
It
was a perfect day. The ceremony was held at Houston Chinese Church,
where Byron's uncle, Rev. Coleman Chong officiated. The reception was at
the luxurious Intercontinental Hotel. During a wonderful meal, the
wedding guests were treated to the world-premiere performance of "Like a
Surgeon" by Byron and his sister Erin. It was a beautiful day and one
that we will never forget. Let the Chong and Gee family memories begin! |
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December
marked
Brian's birthday,
which we celebrated with friends, family and a 14" donut!
Tiffany's friends came over for a
send-off party as she
prepares to study abroad in Spain in the spring.
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John &
Donna Tie the Knot
After 8 years of courtship, Saturday, October 30,
2004 marked the beginning of the Lin family's new life. The wedding
ceremony was held at River Oaks Baptist
Church and a grand
reception at the Double Tree on Post Oak in
Houston, Texas. Several hundred friends and family were in
attendance to show their love and support. We had a great time celebrating
their wedding with many of our dearest friends (and the cake was SO
yummy). The new couple will celebrate their marriage with a honeymoon to Hawaii.
Congratulations, John and Donna!
The ladies also helped Donna prepare their new home with a
bridal shower. The night before
their big day, close friends and out of town family attended a tasty
rehearsal dinner. |
 This
year was the first
Thanksgiving Holiday
shared in Jennifer's parents' new home.
Thankfully, many of the Kwan family members were able to join in
on the feast and fun. And yes, it was Kara's first Thanksgiving
where she got to meet a lot of her cousins, aunts and uncles! We
were reminded once again of how gracious and generous the Lord
is and we are grateful for all His many blessings.
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Jennifer's parents watched their very FIRST
Longhorn football game and boy did they choose
a good one. The Horns didn't start out very well, but that merely set
the stage for the greatest comeback in school history. Guess OSU
underestimated the KWAN-factor! |
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Jennifer spent a some time in
September with Amanda, touring Hearst
Castle, window shopping in Carmel and Sausalito, and hiking at Point Reyes
National Seashore with Mitzi, Jerry and Jeremy.
Brian took
advantage of his extra time playing golf, going to the driving range, and
practicing his hand at Texas Hold 'Em as he prepares for the big Bachelor
Party Weekend in Las Vegas! |
Yay!
Tiffany and her UT
intramural football team win their
semi-final football game.
They put up
a good fight for the
championship t-shirt, but will have
to wait until next year to claim the coveted title.
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The Gees and
Shungs Conquer Arizona
We spent a wonderful time with Albert and Rini in
Scottsdale and Sedona, Arizona this October. The
views and landscapes were truly inspiring as we could really see how
creative and thoughtful our God is. While in Scottsdale, we enjoyed the
resort, spa, and golf. Sedona offered endless Red Rock vistas and
hiking trails for us to explore.
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~ Kara Christine Kwan ~
7 pounds 15 ounces
20 inches
Born 12:12 pm
September 21, 2004
Daughter of Stephen and
Jenny
Sister of Kelsey, Caleb, and
Tyler
More
pictures of Kara
updated 12.16.04
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Je Tsou's Bridal Shower
Many good
friends and family gathered to show love and support to Je as she and
Byron prepare for their upcoming marriage. The cake was a hit with all the
Chong women ;)
Meanwhile, Brian and the guys all met up in Las Vegas for Byron and John's
bachelor party. No pictures, but the memories will last forever.
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Luck Be a Lady 
Tiffany turned
21 this September! To mark this special occasion, we went to Las
Vegas with Jennifer's parents, Amanda, Tiffany, and James. Seeing
all the lights and man-made extravagance of the city was fascinating, but
we also explored the majestic canyons and mountains of southern Utah at
Zion National Park.
The colors and
formations were splendid to see.
Hiking the Zion Narrows in the
Virgin River for 4 hours was truly an adventure. The sky was so blue
there! If you haven't been, it's absolutely worth a visit and even a
stay. We also visited Hoover Dam, where we toured the amazing and
historically significant American marvel, and The Valley of Fire, Nevada's
first state park.
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In
June,
we relaxed at the
La Cantera resort in San Antonio with Rini and Albert.
Hung out with
Marcus, Alex, Paola, and Kobe during their first visit to
Austin since moving to Seattle. Went
peach picking in Fredericksburg with
friends from our church,
Austin Chinese Church.
Jennifer also returned to work this month from her two year graduate
school hiatus. We thank the Lord for His many blessings. |
We celebrated a
big milestone at Jennifer's
Dad's 60th Birthday
Dinner. It was a wonderful gathering of dear friends and
family, many who we do not get to see as often as we would like.
CD's with a compilation of old family photographs from over the past 50
years were given to guests as favors to commemorate our family's heritage
and Dad's special birthday.
Also in August, we helped Tiffany
move into her first college apartment (definitely don't miss those
:). While Brian's parents visited us, we met Maisy Alabastro,
Russell and Marla's first child. Welcome to the world baby
Maisy!
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May was full of
celebration as our friend John and Donna are both sworn
into their law and accounting professions. Also, our
first visit to the Old Pecan Street Festival downtown
and bubbles with the kids! |
We shared the July 4th holiday in Destin and Seaside,
Florida with Jennifer's family.
The sugar white beaches and emerald green water were
breathtaking!
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On the Wrong Side of the
Road
We began our trip in Edinburgh,
Scotland...home of golf,
whisky, and Braveheart. "They may take our lives, but they will never take
our freedom!!!" Although, Scots were quick to point out that William
Wallace wasn't even the hero to whom the "Braveheart" nickname was given.
It was actually Robert the Bruce. Still we didn't let that minor piece of
propaganda diminish our enjoyment of Scotland, whisky, haggis and black
pudding (yuk!)
Other
Scottish highlights
included visiting Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, hiking Arthur's
Seat, taking a Literary Pub walking tour and day tripping to Loch Lomond,
the Trossachs, St. Andrews, Stirling Castle, and the fishing villages of
the Kingdom of Fife. Upon maximizing our (Brian's) haggis intake, we
flew to London and visited our friends, Aimee and Wesley Yuan.
While in
England, we visited the
Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Kensington Palace with tea at
the Orangery (Amanda's favorite activity), Picadilly Circus, Fortnum &
Mason, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, Parliament,
Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace and its ornate gardens, Leicester
Square, Borough Market (one of Jennifer's favorite spots), Shakespeare's
Globe Theater, Millennium Bridge, St. Pauls Cathedral, British Museum,
Cabinet War Rooms, St. James Park, Buckingham Palace, Harrods and high tea
at the Georgian, and church service at Hillsong London.
 One day
we rented a car (Brian drove!) and explored the
English countryside on
our own. We experienced Stonehenge, Bath and the Roman Baths, and
quaint, rural Cotswolds villages, such as Stow-on-the-Wold and Burford,
that dot the heart of England. We
embarked on this adventure with
Amanda's friends Derek and Connie.
Should you ever travel to the UK, remember these
helpful phrases..."cheers", "no worries", and "sweet
as."
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With great
happiness, we announce
the graduation ceremony
of
Jennifer
Kwan Gee
from the
University of Texas at Austin
McCombs School of
Business
with
a
Master
of Business Administration degree
May
21, 2004 at 12:00 P.M.
Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Special Events Center
Austin,
Texas
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 March and April were
packed with opportunities to spend time with family and friends. Jennifer
was selected to represent Dell in
New York City at the United Negro
College Fund Gala. She also went to
Seattle and Vancouver to visit with
our friends Ling and Donna and to see family. Our first
family
retreat with Austin Chinese Church, our new home church. Visit from our
good friend Jean.
Camping at LBJ State Park under the stars with friends
from Houston. Bluebonnets in bloom. Easter with Kwan cousins in Austin. A
special visit from Jennifer's Mom and Grandmother. Winston Woo's
birthday at the Salt Lick 360. A visit from the Gor
family. |
During
January and February, we spent time with a lot of friends and family.
For about a week, we cared for our niece and nephews
Kelsey, Caleb, and
Tyler. Jennifer visits Jean and Amanda in
San Francisco. We made a
trip with Tiffany and Amanda to
Ft. Worth. Visited Brian's brother, Alex,
and his family in Dallas. Enjoyed a snowy Valentine's Day. Visited
Gruene, Texas with Brian's Mom & Dad. Celebrated
Byron & Je's engagement
lunch and
Jennifer's 27th birthday
brunch at Ouise's Table. |
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