Happy Gnu Ears!

2005 was filled with excitement and joy. We breezed through January through May with hypnobirthing classes, work and school. We also crammed in many non-kid-friendly events by getting season tickets to Cal Performances, standing with the students at Cal basketball games, and visiting Ashland, Oregon to see Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw plays.	Yvette's hubby-in-law, brother-in-law, mum-in-law, and aunt- & uncle-in-law at Boalt Hall in Berkeley
Liwen finds a study partner for the bar exam	In May, Li's three years at Boalt sadly ended, but this was immediately followed by the joyous birth of our daughter, Sequoia Luna. Two days later, Li began studying intensely for the bar exam while Sequoia napped on his lap. One week after that, our garage was demolished, as major construction for a studio with bathroom began. Breathe in, breathe out.

In September, after Li took the horrendous California bar exam, we took Sequoia on a 4,600 mile road trip, which we fondly nicknamed our Poop de Loop Tour. Sequoia visited seven North American national parks and experienced extremes from the golden heat of Sacramento's summer to the blue bergs and snowfall of Jasper to the maroon fall frost of Montana and Grand Tetons. Hiking more than 100 miles, she braved moose, black bears, coyotes, elk, bald eagles, loons, and thermophilic bacteria, and during the rare times she stayed awake she scared the grizzlies away. Sequoia traveled amazingly well and beyond our wildest expectations, so we think she will be a great adventurer.

Peyto Lake in Banff	Finding elk in Yellowstone

In October, Li started work in the Litigation Group at Fenwick & West in Mountain View and San Francisco. Yvette has been busy childproofing the house when she's not playing with Sequoia, trying out new Trader Joe meals, or choosing tile and other construction-related items for the new studio.

After enduring a flood of ants and mice, we are happy that our studio out back is finally complete. Li plans to put up a climbing wall for bouldering when he's not busy playing the cello. Yvette has grandiose plans to create a Zen garden using all California natives.

We ended the year by going to North Lake Tahoe with the Leung clan. Sequoia had fun sledding and watching her parents snowboard.

Cousin Annalise and a funny bunny	Our little girl is growing up so fast. Already 7 months, 26 inches, and 15 pounds, Sequoia loves rice cereal, avocado, pears, peas, and squash...often together. Annalise, her 13-month old cousin, playfully calls her Meimei (little sister) as they share their favorite icosahedron toy. Gung gung and Po po, Yvette's parents, love to play xiao ming, a Chinese version of patty cake and sing Mandarin children's songs to her. Sequoia watches with fascination as Mah Grandmum takes hundreds of photos.
We feel blessed for the changes that 2005 brought us, and we know that the only certainty about 2006 is more challenging change. After her maternity leave, Yvette will resume work part-time in January, thanks to funding that doubled her project budget and staff (all new hire since she went on maternity leave). Li will adapt to life measured by billable hours. Sequoia will say her first word, hopefully not some silly word she heard while Li studied for the bar exam, like seisin or replevin.	Christmas with the Leungs
Tanning at the beach at North Lake Tahoe	We hope to appreciate and manage these changes while remaining true to the activities, values, and people that nurture and inspire us. Above all, we are grateful that you are one of those people.

Peace and love, nizhonigo nanina,

Liwen, Yvette & Sequoia