I am from winning neighborhood tricycle races on my blue bike, loving plush Webkinz with names that
end with “y”, and watching the elephants get rid of waste at Zoo Atlanta.

I am from Magic Kingdom, riding the exhilarating Peter Pan Ride over and over.
I am from ma puo do fu melting in my mouth, calling to my taste buds.

I am from blowing out the fire on my special day.
From squirting water everywhere on scorching summer days.
Mom tackles the important job of creating exciting birthday bashes.

I am from messy hairstyles on my American Girl Dolls, sparkly sequences on my first dance costume, and
scratches on my tattered  black and blue rollerblades.
I am from make-up smeared Barbie dolls, making them dance and pressing them into a split.
I am from sensational first steps on the white sandy beach of Fort Lauderdale.

I am from serving silly bandz as fake animal crackers to stuffed animals with grumbling stomachs.
From purple couch houses and disorganized money made up of paper and garbled numbers.
Jennifer promenades barefoot on the hot pavement of the sidewalk.

I am from sticky fingers grabbing refreshing cotton candy explosion ice cream from Bruster’s, chewing
sizzling cheesesteak phillies, feasting on grandpa’s indescribable  barbeque.
I am from fleeing to take a hold of innocent tadpoles at a small pond in Hunan.
I am from fizzy root beer floats dissolving in my awaiting mouth.

I am from yearning to eat red hot spicy sauce.
From defeating the evil bad guy piggy in a heartfelt fight.
My brother Yangyang scrambles away as we play an exhausting game of tag.

I am from singing with a Barbie lamp twisting and twirling, crunching jalapeno Cheetos staining orange
marks on my messy fingers, and slurping long transparent noodles on every birthday.
I am from calling out to a soft stuffed animal named Piggy #2 that I received on my 7th birthday.
I am from singing and walking down the runway in shows with my cousin named Amy for my loving
relatives.

I am from fake sleeping so I can be carried from the white van to my comfy bed.
From four affectionate sentences to show my love.
Daddy changes the lyrics to every song into, “Never ???”!

I am from tropical cruises to places I’d never heard of, exotic trips with Jack and Annie on the Magic Tree House, and from delightful adventures of the ‘lava game.’
I am from late Halloween nights, surrounded by princesses and vampires as I trade yucky candy for
Skittles.
I am from scary games of Hide and Seek in the pitch black dark.

I am from glowing Chinese lanterns swinging in the dark, rowing men during dragon boat races slapping
their paddles into the water, and gleaming red bags full of money on festive Chinese New Year.
I am from a huge yellow moon on the 15th of August of the Lunar Calendar, stuffing neatly designed
mooncakes of every type into my face.
I am from touring China, from my parent’s hometown to Beijing and Shanghai.

Home is where kitchen smells and cooking aromas settle.
Home is like a kitchen.
Ingredients and spices mixing together like family.