Our Love Story Begins Today

Your birthday month. Don’t be sad. Every day is a celebration. It’s an opportunity to enjoy, pay thanks, and strive to do better. Hear that inspiration? I’m trying to get into that mentality, but it’s also true. I’ll start dieting after tomorrow (have to have lunch with Jehan and I already bought coffee). I finished the waffle and cream puff for you as well. You’re welcome. 

Episode today talks about fixing relationships. I haven’t finished it yet, but it’s part of a series this month.  I hope it’s helpful. Maybe you should listen to it to. 🙏 

Not sure what else I can do or say. Sometimes you make the simplistic things so complicated. And you try to over simplify complicated things. I don’t know what to do. I figured out what to do about the money thing, but when you can’t process a simple thing, I’m at a lost. I hear you yelling at Vinh and I’m like, that’s the feeling I get. I wish that would motivate a change in behavior, but it doesn’t. At least Vinh has an excuse. He’s just a kid. I just feel so alone in all this… 

It’s been really difficult, but also helpful to write the ceremony for Jennifer’s wedding. It’s hard to be inspired, but as I try to write I feel a little nostalgic and hopefully for us.  The only thing that keeps frustrating me is that I know you’re capable of being the best version of yourself for us, so seeing you come up short is so devastating. I hope you get something positive out of your retreat. 🤲 

We didn’t talk about what happened the other day. So I guess it’s like normal. Pretend it didn’t happen. I will just focus on my preplanned reactions to this nonsense. Hope you like dinner. I tried. I wish you tried too. At least try as hard as you do to go to church every week. Die yourself for our marriage…remember 🙏 😮‍💨 💊 

I really need to find a better way to deal with stress than  gambling. Sure it gets my mind off shit, but it doesn’t always work out. Ironic since the trigger was money… I try so hard to be thoughtful. Do nice things. Bite my tongue. Why is it so hard to get you to stop worrying about my money? Just thinking about it now just fires me up even more? I just don’t get it and now I’m poorer as a result. F*ck!!!

Can’t sleep? Get up and do stuff? Get shit done. If you can sleep, then sleep. But you should be able to tell if you’re just wasting time. Go eat some nutz 😂. Anyhow, just some ideas for you and hopefully you’ll be better prepared if it happens again. Good luck.

Happy day after your birthday. I’m sorry we didn’t do anything special, but I’m glad you were able to get some new and good food in. Sorry you failed at the lemon game. We can bring more chances for you and Vinh to fail next time we go. Maybe Lorraine can join us. I’ll try to help you be not more map det in the future. 

I’m sorry it’s not as exciting or gifty as previous birthdays. I hope you embrace my desire to try to celebrate randomly and not focus too much on milestones. I know it’s hard.  I also do give you a gold bar to start the year to cover all occasions. Everything else should a bonus (but not expected?). ATENS

You planned a blow and you did it. See? It’s not that hard (my penis is 😂). Life doesn’t stop. We need to make sure we make the most of our time. It’s okay to veg sometimes, but we have a lot on our plates so we can’t waste too much time.  Getting rid of many of these. Hopefully the sink isn’t really leaking. We don’t have the time to deal with this or possibly the money. 🙏 but like I said, your house is old so things are gonna start breaking soon. Sorry…

Only 2 weeks down. Here I thought I had just one so I guess I should be happy. There’s really no excuse for it though. There’s infinite time when you really think about it. It’s just a matter of prioritizing and choosing what we do. Still got lots to do, but at least I’m done traveling. Hopefully you’re working on the things you need to do and making sure you get them done…

Aren’t you excited? You haven’t gotten to touch my chim in so long. I know you miss it. He misses you too.  You could have played with him while seeing this view 😂. Anyhow, it’s been a crazy week. I’m glad to be home and submit all my expenses for work. Hopefully you’re not too tired tonight. I’m not even swimming…

For charity. This was the main reason I went to Tahoe. I really didn’t want to go, but I didn’t want to let my team down. I hope you’re okay with that.  Your friend Lorraine was gonna throw up cause she was so stressed out. Imagine if I wasn’t there. Anyhow, I’ll be home tomorrow and then you get to abandon Vinh next weekend. Hooray 🥳.

That’s something I think we both appreciate. I’m happy that I’m able to share great food with you while I’m gone. I don’t think it makes up for my absence, but I hope it helps. Wish you could have enjoyed that burger I had, but the rest of the food is just okay. Hope you enjoy this treat. I would get you boba, but I’m looking out for you. Unless you want it…

I don’t live to work. But sometimes it feels like I have to make sacrifices for work. Although I also realize that I’ve probably been pretty lucky/spoiled up to this point. My job isn’t the easiest, but I don’t have it the hardest or average for sure.  Anyhow, as I say this I’m thinking I hope you realize the same about your work and your life. Stay humble, remember you’re blessed. Be happy and not wanting. #WWJD

My lucky number is 15. Anyhow, I pray that you thrive while I’m gone. I really wish we could have spent this time together. Not that I want to be away from you guys, but I sleep easier if I knew you guys were fine without me. It means that I’m doing my job. That’s what they say at least. They say if you’re good at your job, you should eventually be able to make yourself unnecessary? Mr. Crab say “hi”.

My Gym, The Rosauros, Church, and a little grocery shopping. I hope you had fun today. I know it’s probably a lot for you and Vinh, but this is normal for me.  Time is a rare commodity and so I try to make the most of what I have. Sorry I wasn’t able to return the Amazon stuff. If you want you can while I’m gone. Otherwise I will handle it when I get back. Please try to enjoy your time while I’m gone. 🙏 

Always so much to do, but it’s good that we didn’t have  more and had the flexibility to not do things. That’s something I think is important to continue to improve is our flexibility. Life is always gonna throw loops and lemons at us. It’s important to not let those things ruin or stress us out. Being adaptable is key. And the more you embrace it, the easier it is. Everyone wants perfection, but don’t let the pursuit of perfection ruin the appreciation and acceptance of pretty good. 👍 

We’re trying. We are always together, but should be more intentional about spending and how we spend the time together. This event kinda sucked, but Vinh did get to eat what he wanted… No painting, but it’s a work in progress. Doesn’t always have to be Friday. I was thinking we can watch a movie at home together sometime too. Practice for movie theater…

Vinh didn’t go this week so I’ll have to go on his place. My parents asked if he knew how to swim yet 😂. Anyhow, I always give you a gold bar every year to cover all the “presents”, but I still like to get you a card and something thoughtful. I guess I’ll have to think about something else. I hope you appreciate this as extra and not obliged. 🙏  #neverforget

Do we need to go on dates again? I don’t think so, but if that’s what you want I’ll try.  I was thinking maybe we should try to make Friday night or Saturday night family night. Or any day of the week, every week, to do something intentional as a family. 

Do you remember when we used to do evaluations of each other? We should really do that again. We have to be completely honest though and not butt hurt.  I want us to be the best of ourselves for each other. I hope you get a lot out of the retreat you’re going on. 🙏 if you’re better, we’re better. #teamwork #teamboba

Two evils is an often used phrase. Do you miss being on a cruise? I don’t. Work is easier than accommodating 4 other people, but that’s just me. Sorry if you’d rather be on a cruise… Don’t worry. We’ll be back on vacation soon. It will be just us. I hope that’s okay too. You say you don’t like to travel with others because you don’t like to have to accommodate. Hopefully you us having to accommodate family the same way 🙏.

It wasn’t bad, but it’s adding to our already busy schedule where we don’t regularly see our existing friends and family. So I dunno. It looks like you want to do it with Linh next. Anyhow, Vinh and Easton seem to be having fun so there’s that. Hopefully it’ll be a mom’s event next time 😂…

I see what you did there 😂… Better late than never? Anyhow, I appreciate it. I know how frugal you are. So was your birthday gift the cruise? 😂 It’s such a double edged sword that we always have so much to do on weekends. 🤔 it’s gonna be busy until the end of the year. Pace yourself.

Today I got lunch with your favorite other brother, Eric. We always have good conversations. I think it’s like therapy for both of us. This is possible because we make time for it. We never complete our conversations so this wasn’t discussed, but it should be repeated. If you want more time to yourself, you’re going to have to sacrifice. I know you can’t function without “enough” sleep, but maybe you need to take some nights with less sleep or wake up earlier. You may not like it, but it’s true and I’ll repeat it again, when things are important to you, you’ll find a way. If not, it wasn’t important enough…

Here’s your chance at winning the lottery Saturday. You can do whatever you want to do with the money and I don’t have to die. I was thinking I’m okay dying if you want that. I just feel bad for others.  Especially Vinh. He seemed really sad when I told him I had to go. Money or not, statistics have shown that children perform better when coming from 2 parent households, single father households, single mother households. In that order…

Take my fingers away because I’m texting it and not saying it? I accidentally deleted the photo of the fiber. Anyhow, hope you poop better as a result. Thanks for the cash cards. Vinh was so random at Costco today. He said this was his home and he didn’t want to leave. He also got a free bag of muffins from the sample lady and he cried at the skeleton…

Chores and work. I got the bloodwork done today. Also did some shopping. Amazon return. Mail. Laundry. Unfortunately, no bank, no gas, and no notary… Sometimes I think God is trying to slow me down. Not sure why. Doesn’t she know I have a lot to do? Anyhow, it’s nice to be back to it (normal life). Hope you’re not too sad…you got OT today so you shouldn’t be 😂 

If it’s important, we make it happen. I got home at 4AM and left for golf at 6AM. Thought I was gonna send a golf pic? Nah, you guys are important so I made sure I got good stuff for you. I golfed good. We had fun at Minh and Art house. Great way to end the weekend and vacation. Back to the grind tomorrow…