Digitizing the Past: 1982 to 1997

It took me 145 days to digitize 9 books of old diaries -- from 1982.2.9 to 1997.8.22.  They're now in a word document with a total of 213 pages.

One entry touched me deeply.  It was from 10/20/1993, when Michelle first came back to Chicago after spending 2 years with Grandma and Grandpa in China.  Grandma and Grandpa didn't come back with her.  So, she came to a WHOLE NEW WORLD at age 3 -- all by herself.  My original diary was beautifully written in Chinese.  To benefit Michelle, I translated it into English, but it couldn't quite capture the sentiment...  This diary entry was recorded 10 days after Michelle came back to Chicago.

A few weeks later, I received letters from Grandma and Grandpa.  In them, Grandma included 4 pictures she drew for Michelle.  Three of them were the main characters from Michelle favorite Chinese TV show 白娘子 (bai niang zi).

I truly felt the love Grandma sent to Michelle... through her favorite TV characters at the time.  Grandma also carefully dated each picture...

1993.10.20（三）

Michelle at age 3

给慢慢洗好澡，关大灯，开小灯。慢慢静静地躺在自己的小床上，眼睛亮亮的。我给她唱《半边楼》的插曲，她就眯眯笑，闪着眼睛对我说：“在我们家呀，有阿婆，阿公和阿姨。我就给他们唱这个歌…” 而后，又闪着透亮的眼睛对我说：“阿婆说我脑子里只有一个人，就是白娘子…”

她那样说着，眼睛并没有看着我，但却让我觉得慢慢小小的心灵和脑海中充满着幸福；充满着在中国经历、体验到的一切；充满着许许多多纯洁美好的记忆；充满着那三个给过她无限温暖和爱的人：阿婆，阿公和阿姨…

After taking a bath for Michelle, I brought her to her bedroom.  Turned off the lights, only left the small night light on.  Michelle laid on her bed quietly, eyes bright.  I sang a song for her from a Chinese TV show.  She smiled, so sweetly, and said: "In my family in China, there were Grandma, Grandpa and Ayi.  I always sang this song for them..." Then, she widened her bright eyes and said: "Grandma said that there was only one person in my head -- that's 白娘子…" (bai niang zi).

She did not really look at me while talking, as if she was in her own beautiful imaginary world.  I felt clearly that her little heart was filled with love and happiness; filled with her warm experience in China; filled with all sweet and pure memories of China; filled with the three people who gave her so much unconditional love: Grandma, Grandpa and Ayi...