Good News Mama!

I am 30. At midnight, while watching Parks and Rec (currently my favorite show-who else loves Ben & Andy?) Kevin decided to surprise me with Wicked tickets. I've been wanting to watch this musical for years! If that isn't a great way to start my 30th year, then I don't know what is! As the phone calls, bday texts, and social media comments come my way, I find myself reflecting on this past decade. God is so good! In my 20's, this is what happened in my life: I graduated UCSB with a political science degree. I cherished my time being in that university...most people think of UCSB as a party school (because it is) but for me, this is where God saved me, and I find it to be such a beautiful place where my life TRULY began. I moved back home in La Mirada and joined my church South Bay Christian Alliance Church (now named Pillar Bible Church). They say that you are like the people you surround yourself with, and there is truth in that statement. It was nice to be a...

For those of you who didn't know, I've actually become a consultant for Beautycounter, a skincare and cosmetics brand that stands out for its mission to get safer products into the hands of everyone. I have truly fallen in love with the products and the ways that they lobby congress, trying to push for legislation to pass so there is more transparency in the beauty industry (each time I see pics of consultants at Capitol Hill, 19 year-old Leigh Ann the political science major comes back out!) And let's be real-I'm all about that transparent life. What you see is what you get when it comes to me... Before I go into my reasons for getting involved with Beautycounter, I wanted to make a disclaimer. I am NOT a beauty guru. I have never been super into make up or doing my hair, or even skincare other than when I am forced to control my finicky skin. I think all of my close girlfriends can attest to watching me get up, brush my teeth and wash my face, and get out the door i...

I woke up this morning feeling all kinds of nostalgia, mostly for this past week in Portland. We spent a few days at Auntie Susie and Uncle John's house and words cannot describe how much we are blessed and influenced by them. To be in their presence was refreshing to my soul. These past few years have been tough spiritually based on sins committed against us-we were just dealing with horrible circumstances beyond our control. In many ways, I've found myself disappointed by people we are supposed to trust most, people who call themselves Christian but continue to lie, deceive, and keep secrets to cover up for their horrible deeds. But I also believe that where certain familial influences are lacking, we still have an Auntie Susie and Uncle John in our lives, and that may be more than enough. Kevin and I feel so blessed to have them love and speak life over us. They are kind, caring, transparent and open. We know we can trust them. We have no reason to think otherwise. Portlan...

Some of the strongest memories I have as a child involve friendships. Really, friends just made life more fun and meaningful! So you can only imagine how much it means to me to watch my firstborn daughter go through this journey as well. She is turning 4 soon, and some of my earliest memories began around this age. I want Evangeline to look back on her childhood with fondness and joy. Earlier this year, I was overwhelmed because when I brought Evangeline to playdates, she would completely shut down, clam up, or act up. Honestly, a lot of the times she wouldn't even interact with other kids. At one point, after an especially stressful situation at a park playground, we knew this problem had to be fixed. Kevin and I were afraid these kids at the park would injure her! She didn't know how to talk to them or defend herself. At one point, we thought she could possibly be a selective mute. Some of the kids would ask me, "Why won't she talk to me?" Also, her speech t...

I can't believe Evangeline is going to turn 4 in exactly a month! Sometimes I look at her and think, "When did you get so big?!" It hurts my heart bc time is a thief, but it also makes me so happy because she's been growing and developing so beautifully. Before she turns 4, I want to write a few of the things she's said recently that stand out: "Aww, that's so KYOOP!" (her way of saying "that's so cute") "Hey, what is daddy doing? He is soooo si-wee!" (her way of saying "silly") As I start to put Elianna down on the ground for tummy time, I tell Elianna not to cry because I'm gonna be nearby and she has nothing to worry about. Evangeline is watching and says, "But mommy...Na-Na is a BABY! She doesn't know! She has to LEARN." (this is basically what I say to Evangeline all the time whenever Evangeline is frustrated with Elianna!) "I give daddy my chicken nugget because I love him." ...

Our Mamang  Rufina Angara Teh 1928-2018 This past Sunday, my grandma Mamang passed away peacefully in her sleep. She was 89 years-old. When Mamang's heart stopped beating, time seemed to stop. And it did, for many of us, because how can we continue living our lives when someone who's literally been there through it all suddenly just STOPS being in it? I think dealing with the present is difficult because we have to come to terms that nothing will ever be the same...Mamang won't be there when I go to my mom's house. Every birthday for as long as I can remember involved somebody singing a birthday song along with Mamang making some funny comment. And when she gave gifts it was always in an envelope along with some money, and sometimes, if you were lucky, it would have an index card with a sweet handwritten message on it, like this: "July 25/15 Happy Birthday to Evangeline! I hope you are always in good health. Because health is wealth! And Be...

Today I was going around asking some friends what's on their bucket list for their futures. I guess I've just been feeling super excited lately. It's crazy to think that Kevin and I are turning 30 this year...there's something so MAJOR about it. Seriously, it feels like the ending of a chapter of our lives since a new decade is sneaking up on us. In our 20's we: graduated from college, worked full-time jobs, got married, had two children, plus a lot of other great and heartbreaking events in between. Here are a couple of things I'm HOPING will happen in our 30's: Kevin gets into a PhD program ! And becomes a professor like he hopes. He will apply at the end of the year and will find out by March of 2019 if he gets into any of those schools..I want to see him succeed in this area of his life. Crazy thing is, he is applying all over the United States! I wonder where we will be in a few years because there's a chance we won't be in California after ...

Tonight I was on the couch with my husband, venting about how I feel like I am so strapped on time, and that for nine months out of the year in 2017 I felt like it had been wasted. For nine months all I did was vomit, feel dizzy, struggle to walk and do daily activities. I dropped out of school when I wanted to pursue a graduate degree. I lost nine months bonding and spending time with Evangeline, because I was too sick to play or bond with her. For nine months, I barely socialized and missed my friends. 2017 was full of doctor appointments, tears and me struggling to trust God. I said to Kevin, "I feel like I lost 9 months doing nothing!" He responded, "Leigh, you spent most of the year making a baby!" Defeated, I muttered, "Yeah...but I also lost a baby." There are times when I feel like I'm being punished or forgotten by God, all because life didn't happen the way I wanted. I struggle because while I prayed for pregnancy and a safe delive...