Manna Nelson

My beautiful Manna and her reflection.

Let me tell you something about my wife, Manna Nelson, formerly Ms. Yip Wai Man.
This is the hardest working women I have ever met in my life, and having known many farm wives in my past, this really means something.
She works six days per week at Wings Salon as a freelance hairstylist. As she is the only English speaking person there, she often translates for the Western customers, and never gets paid even a little for this service. She often tends to the store next door, selling hair care products, and again, she gets paid nothing for this.She is very good to do it, but I really feel they use her, and dont appreciate her. I feel the frustration building inside her, but she is too kind to take some action. They don't know what a treasure she is, but when she is gone, they will see how easy she made life for them. Sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's gone.
These wedding photos displayed on this blog were paid for by her, in exchange for her expert advice and teaching to this photography company. There is not one lazy bone in my Mannas' little body!
When I am with my wife in Hong Kong, she often cooks for me, and there was only ONE time that she would let me wash dishes after. I was thinking she feared that as a man, I could not get the dishes clean enough to suit her.This was not the reason at all. She didn't want me to work at all, because she said I was on vacation.She is very good to me. She and I will be very successful together. There is a driving force within her that accomplishes great things. I am very proud of her.
Soon we will be together forever. I will love her until I die, and I will be waiting in the sky for her.

For my Wonderful, Beautiful, Caring Wife

Dearest Manna,

There are so many reasons that I love you like I do. There is no question in my mind that you are Gods answer to my prayers.The way that you show me you love me is like a breath of fresh air! Noone has ever cared enough about my happiness to do the things that you do for me. You always are doing something to make my life happier.Your kind heart is one of the beautiful things that makes you the best. ( and your smile is "Top Model "quality! Killer!) When I see that you give a monthly donation to help fight AIDS, I was very impressed with you! You hardly have enough for yourself, and you give it away to those in desperate need. The way you try to repair my relationships with my family, and do something to make it strong is something that makes my heart warm. And I can feel that you warm their hearts, as well. You are very much loved here in Golden City, Missouri. Even it is exactly opposite of Hong Kong, there are many that are anxious to welcome you and Ho Ming with open arms.We are proud to have you as one of us. I am very proud to be your husband.( anyone that has read this blog knows this, already!)
The time draws more near that we can be together forever.Seems like it has been a very long road we travel, and maybe we are nearing its end. And the new beginning! We already have a collection of very good memories, and our lives are still ahead of us. I am looking forward to creating a collection of LIFETIME memories! Every day is a special one with you in my life. Tasha says you are my lifesaver.She speaks what I have known for a long time.
Thank you for what you did for me, B aby.......You know what I mean.....

Mark And Mannas' WEDDING!

On June 26,2005 Mark and Manna exchanged wedding vows .This was done in traditional Hong Kong fashion at the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Center. Mannas family and some of her friends attended this ceremony, and it was a beautiful, although somewhat businesslike affair. To quote her brother in law, Tony......" I often buy apartments this way"! There was much congratulating and picture taking, and we had a very good time!After the ceremony we quickly changed into our normal clothes and MORE picture taking!Later that evening we met for a very special wedding dinner. There was so much food! I ate many things and I still don't even know what it was! For desert there was some kind of sweet bean dish. Manna insisted I try it, so I did. I have never liked beans very much, so after one taste, I had had all I wanted.She asked, " Don't you like it?" I replied." In the USA, this is a poor mans' dinner!"
I really am a very lucky man to have Manna to love me. I thank God for her every day.Look at these pics below, and you will see the face of a VERY proud man deep in love !

Aren't we a very cute couple? (she is much cuter than I!)

A Match Made in Heaven! 

My Beautiful Bride 

Mark and Mannas' wedding! 

Manna in fur 

The Mirror

The mirror has not been my friend for several years now. I am getting used to the stares and the double-takes from strangers. It is not my fault that this has happened to me. But I must live with this, and so must my beautiful Manna. She more than I, actually.
Now I really have no need for a mirror. My Mannas face is my mirror. When I look in her eyes, and see the love and her beautiful smile , I feel like a handsome man once again!
Some will say that it is not what shows on the outside, but what is inside of us that matters. I would like to take this one step further. It is not what is inside us, but what we DO that makes us who we are........

My Manna does everything for me......

Going back, again!

My Wifes' Pretty Face......
In a few weeks I will return to my Manna in Hong Kong for the fourth time in one year. I suppose this makes me some kind of frequent flyer, or international traveller?
Anyway, I am very excited and really looking forward to this as I do every other time. Even though the flight is a long and boring one, it is well worth it when I can see my Baby in the arrival hall!My heart will skip a beat or two as it has each time in the past. I am sure I will be grinning like a fool as I drop my luggage so I can free my hands to hold her and pull her close to me!
This is kind of stuff that makes a strong man emotional.This is what I live for.This is my best dream coming true. I thought I knew what love was . What did I know? Until Manna, I knew nothing of love.
We have tickets for the brand new " Hong Kong Disneyland". I am sure this will be an excellent day for the three of us.There are two in the USA, but I will see it for the first time in HK!
Even though I know this will be a very fun day, seeing Manna again will be the best part of a trip to Hong Kong, for me.
To be in love with such a wonderful woman is very easy to do! Sometimes it makes me a little crazy. Sometimes I am so crazy I cannot sleep.
I am sorry, Baby. I am only a man alone. Please try to understand me.
I will love you until the end of time!

The Beautiful Women of Hong Kong

If you have ever been to HongKong then you know that it is the home of some of the most beautifulwomen in the world. The Asian women are always so beautiful, but the Hong Kong women out shine them all.
When I have lunch with Manna and her sisters, I feel so proud. Everyone looks at us because they are VERY beautiful. I can see the wonder on their faces as to why these beautiful women choose to dine with me! My Manna makes me the happiest man in the world!
It is the custom to fill everyones tea when you fill your own from the tea pot.It is also polite to knock on the table a short rap, or say " ngoy". Whenever Mannas' sister, Ming fills me I must say " ngoy, Gottsei" This means " Thank you, Sister". I think she enjoys hearing me say this, and I am very proud to do it. I feel very close to Manna and her sisters. They welcome me, and give me a good feeling.Even though they do not smoke,they want me to be comfortable,and tell me it is OK for me to smoke after we eat.
Soon I will return to Hong Kong. My wife is still there. The Immigration process is a long,drawn out, tedious one.The lawyer says maybe February everything will be finished, and then my wife and son can join me here in our home. We have waited a long time,and we will do whatever must be done so that we can have our happy family life. We have high hopes for a very bright future, and we feel nothing can stop us. We " Endeavor to Perservere". and we will have our dream fulfilled!
The Statue of Liberty has this inscription on a plaque at her feet........
" Keep,Ancient Lands, your storied pomp
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free
The Wretched Refuse of your teeming shores......
Send these, the homeless, the Tempest tost to me!
I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door!"
I wish these words rang as true today as the day this plaque was inscribed and placed.
What has happened to the spirit that has made this beautiful country so great?
I pray to my God that we can get it back. I also thank Him for Manna every day.

As The Mouse Loves The Rice

Manna is the love of my life and also the one that loves me as the mouse loves the rice. Whenever I feel down or low,she is the one that can bring me back to life. She does many things for me,and maybe I do not thank her enough for everything. She really is the best woman in the world,and sometimes this worries me because I really don't know why she can love me. I am not handsome. I am not rich. I am not an excellent lover, and I am often a pain in her ass.
I do know that I love her more than I have ever loved, and I know that there is no chance that someone will love her more than I love her.. Manna is my whole world. She is my every thought,and is the star in allof my dreams.
We will have a beautiful future together, Baby!
Thank you for EVERYTHING! I will love you forever!