Dear Friends：

We are sending out our annual Christmas letter early so that you are aware of our address change. Late in July this year, we found a better home in a better neighborhood. One month later, we moved into our new Nalani home. On the night we moved into our new home, we got an offer for our old home from our former neighbor across the street. 40 days later, closing papers were signed. Since the new home costs more than the old, we have new mortgage to pay, and I have to postpone my retirement for now.

Earlier in the year, Hong and Sandy took Kevin to Taiwan, Hongkong, and mainland China. The primary purpose of the trip was to take Kevin to his 87-year-old great-grandma so that she could see him, feel him, and hold him--the first great-grandson of the Zhuang family. Expense and fatigue paled at the delight and bondage that nourished and grew across four generations.

In the summer, Li-qing's beloved 7th Aunt came to visit, accompanied by her children and grandchildren. We then visited Yellowstone National Park. The journey was tiresome, but the views were awesome. Yellowstone is huge, colorful, and alive with man, beast, and the powers of nature.

After three years as computer graphics designer at Willamette University, Wei decided to move on and applied for a better-paid job in Washington state. He will begin his new job after he comes back from Japan with Maki.

Our constant joy still comes from our grandson Kevin. Kevin is now two and a half, goes to pre-school three mornings a week, and comes to us very often. Kevin has a strong bondage, too, with Maki and Wei, his aunt and uncle. No matter how busy they are, they would come to Kevin if they hear him say: I want uncle and aunt to come. He also often makes his grandparents smile and cry. Whenever Sandy and Hong are on the phone with our in-laws in Taiwan, Kevin would take over the phone and shouted: Grandma! Grandpa! He would also show off his new shoes to me, saying "it's from grandpa!"

Yannan
November 2005

亲爱的亲友们：

今年的圣诞家书发得早，是因为我们已经搬了家，地址改了，得先让您们知道。我们八月初看定房子，八月底就搬进去，但隔了一个多月才基本安顿下来。我们的住了十三年的旧房，在整顿好上市的当天，就有对面的邻居来买下。美国目前的房价仍然看涨。我们的新房买十八万，但我们的旧房也卖了十四万。差额不大。不过，为了应付新房贷款，也因为还能工作，我就暂时还不退休了。什么时候回国探亲，同龄人当中，仍在打拼的可能就我一个人了。

我们的旧房，居住面积不大(约1200平方英尺)，但花园特大。新房居住面积大些(约1400平方英尺)，但花园就小了。不过，花园小正是我们换房的目的。原来的旧房花园够大，可以种菜种花种果树，但整理太费时间。新房建于1995年(我们的旧房建于1975年)，二层楼(这里的住房大部分是平屋)，而且地区好，安静。四周有两所教堂，一所学校，和一座大公园。公园从住家旁的一座小树林里穿去就是，那里有可以野餐的地方，还有秋千吊桥爬梯。那一天，我们带恺恩去了，他抱起别个小孩的球，跑上跑下可欢呢。

小恺恩刚过两岁半，可以去上学前班了，每周去三个上午。其余时候，是他妈妈在带。他也不时到爷爷奶奶，或叔叔婶婶家作客。有时就在我们家过夜。昨天，我在楼上办公室，他背着他的小背包找到我，中英夹杂地说“要跟爷爷玩 train”. 他的背包里是整袋的火车头和火车车厢，都有名有姓而且他都念得出，如 Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon，James, 等等。http://science.howstuffworks.com/question275.htm 他还有相关的动画DVD，他会看了一遍又一遍，听故事，还手舞足蹈跟着唱歌。由于在家里时我们都说中文，他也都跟我们说中文。但DVD上面的英文他都听得懂，还会跟着念。就希望到他长大以后，他仍然会说中文，仍然会当面--或在电话里--高声喊“(叫)奶奶”“(叫)阿公”等等。(知道为什么他加了一个“叫”吗？)

我们都好。去年(鸡年)春节前，恺恩跟她妈妈回台湾见外婆外公。到了三月份，庄宏带他们去了一趟香港、厦门、石码和漳州。今年夏天，我们迎来了七婶和她的孩子们，还去了一趟黄石公园。庄伟原来在这里的威拉姆特大学工作。什么都好，就是工资不高。所以他“跳槽”了，十月底起将去华盛顿州的另一个大学，仍然是电脑绘图设计，但工资一年高了近一万。不过，他天天来回路上要多花两三个小时。等过了年，等麻纪子也在华盛顿州找个工作，他们就准备把在这里的房子卖了，到华盛顿州另外安个家。他们在这里的房子经过两年来自己翻修整理，十分漂亮，到时应该也可以卖个好价钱。在美国，很多年青人是工作、汽车、住房几年就一换的。我和丽卿可以言老了，而且对目前的住房和工作还满意，就不会再动了。什么时候回国还没决定。如果回去，我只能在暑假(六月下旬起)回。其他情况，请见照片和我的网页吧。

燕南
二○○五年十一月