Celebrating My 70th Birthday!

I was trying to think what my mom looked like when she was 70, but remembered that she passed away 2 months before she turned 69.  So I really wouldn't know what she looked like when she was 70, would I?  She was a beautiful woman, but life had dealt her some pretty hard curves.  She started having health problems before she turned 40.  I remember her thyroid problems, her eye problems, and I also remember her legs were so swollen that they looked like elephant's legs.  In fact, that was what they called them then, the elephant's legs.  I remember she used to go to Taiwan University Hospital to see her cousin, who was the head of eye department at Tai Da.  She ended up with serious diabetes problems.  The disease finally took her life as her kidneys, then her heart failed her.  But this is her beautiful wedding picture.  Notice the beautiful bouquet?  We made similar bouquets for our two daughters' weddings.

Mom and Dad's wedding picture

 Now I'm older than when Mom passed away and I'm also in much better physical shape too.  Mom worked hard for us because she loved us so much.  That's probably one thing I learned the most from her.  I love our children so much even though we've been apart because we've been serving missions.  I sure miss them even though we talk at least once a week.  I remember staying at home to care for them when they were young, and didn't go back to school to get my Master's degree until when I-Kang was in 3rd grade.  I didn't even start my PhD. Program until all the kids have served their missions, 3 of them have completed their degree and Kang was almost done with his BYU undergraduate degree.

Some celebrating below:

Flowers from my Honey                                Roses from Elaine and David

Had dinner with "Work Hard Have Fun" at the Thai Restaurant

A beautiful birthday cake w/taro filling from Sister Au - DELICIOUS!

Celebrating with Rita, Tina and ZiXuan

Oh, the many friends I have!

Our dear friends, Susan and BaiSheng

Celebrating with the Sister Missionaries 

Celebrating with Brother and Sister Dong

It was a very fun birthday indeed!  Thanks to my Sweetheart, children and dear friends for helping me celebrate!

Love y'all!

Honoring Professor Lai Zai-de, My Uncle

【台南訊】成功大學博物館將於2013年11月8日(五)上午10:00於國立成功大學博物館(成功校區)舉行「賴再得教授百歲冥誕紀念展 暨 成大教職員教學研究蒐藏品特展II」聯合開幕典禮。典禮邀請黃煌煇校長和褚晴暉館長、賴再得教授之家人與三位成大教職員借展人共同開幕。本次活動由國立成功大學博物館主辦，共同慶祝成大82周年校慶。

賴再得教授是一顆奉獻於臺灣高等工業教育的大粒種子。他誕生於1913年10月19日的台南府城，是成功大學前身-台南高等工業學校第一屆學生，也是第一代返校任教的畢業生。他終身奉獻於工程教育，從日治時期的台南高等工業學校到戰後的成功大學，即使在戰亂流離艱困的日子裡，他仍然堅守教育崗位，建立研究風氣，受到學術界尊崇，敬稱為臺灣工程教育的一顆大種子。今年正逢賴再得教授百年冥誕，成功大學師生飲水思源，緬懷賴教授的人格與學術風範，以感恩的心情，在成大八十二年校慶的時刻，特別規劃此展向賴再得教授致敬。
Dr. Lai, Tsai-Teh, my uncle, was honored at a ceremony celebrating his 100th birthday during a special exhibition at the National Cheng Kong University Museum where he was a professor.  Dr. Lai was born on October 19, 1913.  He was one of the first graduates of the then Tainan Technical School during the Japanese Occupation Period.  After World War II, the school became the National Cheng Kong University.  Dr. Lai was the first graduate who came back to become a professor there.  He established the Chemical Engineering Department, later he also created the graduate school for that department.  To show appreciation for his contribution to the chemical engineering at the university, an exhibition was created at the Museum in his honor.

           Lai, Ya-Zhi 賴雅枝 (daughter)                               Dr. Lai, Zai-de 賴再得

Shirley and Elwin Davis at the Cheng Kong University President's desk

At the NCKU Museum for my uncle's memorial exhibition, a volunteer worker came up to me and asked what my name was. She turned out to be my dear cousin's daughter. What a happy reunion. 在成大博物館參加一個展覽會時，有位志工小姐問我的名字。原來她是我表姐的女兒。太高興了！

宋文惠，陳惠美，戴亞文