what an afternoon.....

our first purchase in vietnam (other than the bus fare) was the lonely planet guide book for vietnam. i had looked in book stores in seoul to find nothing--sold out. then paul and i also checked in the three book stalls in the airport before leaving seoul, and again--nothing. argh. we took the bus from the airport to arrive in the backpacker's part of town to find a place to stay. as we were walking down the street i noticed this guy with a huge stack of books all bound together. they were on display and he was selling. books tend to be more expensive in seoul, but i also knew what the lp book would be on amazon and it was on the cover too. i checked to make sure it was the most recent version and bam, we made our purchase. it ended up being about $17 US. well, we stopped for a refreshment before picking a hotel and i opened the thing up to realize that it was a pirated copy. crazy. it totally would have fooled anyone i know, but in the guide book it does mention these sales folks selling pirated books in this area. oh well.....it was cheaper than seoul even if it is a pirated copy. the only way you can tell is that the maps aren't as clear b/c they were copied. too funny. paul had a dragon fruit shake and i had a mango one before going out to find a place to stay.

after selecting a place to stay (saigon comfort hotel), which is only $26 a night, we rested for a bit before going out again. in this time is when i posted an update and such. yes, the hotel is safe, clean and reasonable. we are not staying in a rat hole. i promise, mom! i have taken pics that i will upload later.

we both changed into some cooler attire, and we went out to walk about to see what we could find. we were getting hungry, but did not want to go to the first place. we walked down this street that i had read had many options and figured we would troll and see what looked good. we went for italian at a little place called stella. it was good. we were both pleased with our meal which ended up costing less than the travel guide book for both of us. nuts. we each tried a local beer--paul had larue and i saigon red. we both decided we prefered the larue.

after dinner, we walked toward the city center but did not get too far as we both were getting tired. we ended up at highlands coffee and each had an iced vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk. amazing! we chilled in the comfy chairs and watched the activity outside. the streets are non stop place of action. crossing the street is totally nuts....i took video of two people doing it so you all can see the game of frogger in real life.

since we have been out walking around i have been pondering some thoughts and questions which will be in a seperate post. i am anxious to start some dialogue about my thinking and see what people think, feel, and want to discuss. more on that later.........

don't forget to check out my flickr page for photos.......

welcome to ho chi minh city, vietnam!!!

yes, we made it. the flight was good even though we woke up 45 minutes late. the alarm clock has an issue....sometimes it works, sometimes it just does not go off?!?! anyway, we made it in plenty of time with no problems.



here are some of our first thoughts/impressions when entering vietnam---

• it's hot....i mean REAL hot!


• the people are quiet, not smiley like in thailand, but helpful when you ask (sometimes too helpful)


• lots of honking horns---buses, taxis, scooters, you name it---they use it!


• many taxi drivers asking, "where you go?"


• we sat on the bus waiting for it to leave and were sweating like mad


• "vietnam is more like thailand than seoul or manila, but different"--paul


• lots of scooters--everywhere!!!


• the bus driver sat smoking in his seat while he waited to leave. he had his feet propped up on the steering wheel near a sign that said, "no smoking." too funny.


• many people wear flip flops even in a uniform


• many ladies at the airport were wearing the traditional Vietnamese dress which i don't know how to spell


• people on scooters cover their faces with scarves and face masks....they even wear gloves.....protection from the dirt, i guess.


• the traffic here is nuts---have no idea how it even works....our bus would honk at the intersection and then go right through and the oncoming traffic would yield?!?!?!


• crossing the street is what you imagine if you were playing real life frogger......crazy!!!

the most amazing story....

today i went to the bookstore looking for the lonely planet for vietnam. they were sold out. as i walked around just perusing, i found this book with a picture of a handsome cat on the front. i could not resist, so i read the jacket cover and was hooked. the book is dewey: the small-town cat who touched the world by vicki myron. i left the store, rode the subway back to meet paul at the coffee shop, and opened the book while i sipped my tiramisu latte. i was hooked from page one........three hours later i am almost two thirds finished with the book and had a difficult time putting it down to eat dinner. we came home after dinner and i began packing us for vietnam. once i was at a stopping point, i went back to my book. i finished it, and yes with a few tears coming down. it is the most heartfelt story. if you are a cat lover or not, it makes for a great read. i totally recommend it. paul was quite shocked that when we went to dinner i was already over halfway through the book that is 277 pages. it would make a great Christmas present.

dewey, you are amazing!!!

oh, what a glorious feeling....

i am feeling much better this morning. the adult decisions paid off, i guess. i slept well last night and had some good rest. the congestion, the yuck stuff that would not go away, seemed to pass this morning......so i am feeling better. i still have residual phlegm, so i did take some cough meds to help me since we do need to run some errands today before our trip.

hoping to have a good day!!!

meet my new best friends....

responsible decisions are hard...

paul and i decided that we should not go to cirque. i am still on the mend and paul has lots of work to do before we leave on tuesday. being an adult sucks sometimes. we know that we won't be able to see this curque show ever again b/c after this run cirque is retiring it from their list. that is ok.....my health is more important right now. gosh, i cannot believe i am saying that. so, with that said, it is another day of rest at home.

i am going to snuggle with the kitties on the couch.

day #3.5

yep, i am still at home resting and trying to kick this junk out of my system. it still stinks. i did feel better yesterday a little and thought i needed to get out of the house. we went out to dinner which was fine at first, but by the end i was uncomfortable. we came home, i took some meds, watched an episode of the office with paul, and then went back to bed. the edges around my nose were raw....had no idea what to do for it. i tried some lotion, but it stung. after a while when it still would not stop i got out the neosporin and rubbed it on. voila! it did the trick. the other issue keeping up was my throat. this painful, dry feeling on the right side. it just stung with pain. nothing i could do would soothe it other than cough drops and those while sleeping don't usually work out. i took some tylenol and then some advil four hours later. i did manage to get some rest....finally. i can breathe today since the congestion is my nose is loosening up, thanks to claritin.

i am hoping to be better by tomorrow. paul and i really want to go to cirque du soleil. it opened in october and we still have not managed to get to the show. we plan to go early since i seem to feel better then. i am going to stuff my pockets with cough drops and tissues. :)

being sick sucks!

sleeping...

gosh, i have slept loads of the last two and a half days. loads! i am feeling better, not much, but enough to take a shower and put on clothes instead of pajamas. that is a huge feat in my world. now i am dealing with lots of congestion and coughing. i am trying mucinex to combat it and praying for the best. i also have added halls cough drops to the arsenal just recently. hoping that those will soothe my throat and sinuses.

we leave tuesday for ho chi minh city, vietnam and i am praying that this all passes before then. total bummer for vacay if i am still sick. pray that somehow i can be rid of this junk before tuesday.

i am sick...

and i hate it. i think i caught a bug from my kiddos b/c they have all been or are sick these days. i woke up wednesday morning and just did not feel right. i managed to get a sub for the second part of the day, so i came home just after 11:30, ate some lunch, and then went to bed. i woke up around 4ish and felt bad. i took my temperature and had a low fever. i took some tylenol and made the call for a sub on thursday. i have slept pretty much the entire time i have been home. i missed an art opening that i have been waiting weeks to go to, and i am also sick on paul's birthday. it is now 2:28am on friday morning and i still feel bad. my throat is sore and my head is now congested. ugh. i want to go to school to be with my kiddos, but i just don't think i can or should. ugh. what a way to begin the holidays?!?! i also want to be better before tuesday when we leave for vietnam.

i hate being sick.

only 5 more days...

of teaching until the christmas holiday. it is crazy to think that the year is already half way over, almost. this week was nuts with all the holiday buzz around school. my kids are going wild and the weather has gotten much colder this week. going out for recess is a production and coming in even more so. they are so cold when they come in and have to wind down to get warm. i also had a lot going on this past week too. subject area ordering for next year was due friday and it seemed that everyday after school i had to be somewhere or do something.

although on friday night i was helping joann with the holiday bazaar sale at the middle school christmas concert. she has been heading up the bazaar that raises money for three different places we support. i was stationed upstairs with the snacks and had two of my students who were there to watch their sisters sit with me. the sisters were scheduled until the end and they did not want to sit through 12 acts. i told them they could help me and hang out which they did. it was nice to get to chat with them, talk to them, and just be ourselves. these two boys are great and very down to earth. they get my jokes and are responsible and mature for their age. it was great. i laughed and they were great help to me selling food items. it was a highlight of the week for me for sure.

today paul and i both slept in which was awesome! i was exhausted last night when i got home from the sale and stuff. i did not go home after school, but right over to help joann in her room get ready. i left the house friday morning at just before 8am and got home just after 10ish. it was a full day and i felt like i deserved a day of sleeping in and resting which is exactly what i did.

this next week will be nuts as well with the holiday only 5 days away. i have one student that is already gone on holiday and i have a few that leave thursday. tuesday and wednesday are the two big days this week for 4F. tuesday we have our christmas party which is an all day, literature enriched day. we begin by coming to school in our pajamas and reading the book, The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Then we have math that involved problem solving situations from the book, followed by making reideer christmas ornaments. Lunch is potluck from the parents that includes yummy desserts. After lunch, we sip on hot chocolate and chocolate treats while we snuggle and watch the movie. It will be a great day and my kids think it is extra special that we are doing it. They have already publicly claimed that 4F is having the most special Christmas party in the fourth grade. Too funny. Wednesday we have two Christmas plays to go to. It will be fun..........just super, uber busy all week.

Hopefully your holiday season is restful and not too crazy!

it's almost official....

paul and i have booked our flights to ho chi minh city, vietnam for the christmas holiday! now we just have to secure our vietnamese visas through the travel agent. we are excited to explore yet another country in asia. we have heard incredible things about vietnam and cannot wait to experience all the goodness first hand. :)

we are thankful to not be in thailand at the moment. we were just there and would have been some of the folks that are now stranded in the airport in bangkok. pray that all this unrest will be resolved quickly and peacefully.

wonderful sunday...

finished off with dinner at on the border.  this is where we are sitting at the moment....yes, i am at the table with paul typing this blog entry.  i love my new wee laptop.....makes me happy and i can do all sorts of things on the go now since it is small and lightweight.  

ceramics was good today.  got to bring home my two coffee mugs and three elephants.  i worked on glazing my coffee dripper, coffee spoon, and small round dish.  so fun!  i did not start any new projects since i will be not going for a few weeks with the christmas break coming up.  it was good to go and be creative.  

need to be creative more often.......should plan a crafting night at my house......so fun!  i also want to begin reading the artist's way again...........on the to do list for sure.....

saturdays are awesome!!!

this morning i woke up earlier than usual to make brunch for my hubby, paul. i had the grand idea yesterday at the store and thought he would appreciate my efforts. he totally did. i got up and made, from scratch, banana pancakes. it was so fun! i even went all the way to the effort of the presentation on the plate. i sliced up fresh banana, sprinkled them with cinnamon and powdered sugar, and paul's had three whole pecans on top. he loved it. i also made fruit smoothies with mangoes and strawberries with some orange juice, yogurt, and some sprite. they were yummy and paul really liked those too. i poured them in wine glasses for presentation. i also made coffee which sounds simple, but we never make it at home.

he really loved the brunch and thoroughly enjoyed every bite and spoonful. he is worth it. gosh, saturdays are the best.

now i am going to make some cowboy cookies as leslie and i have treats this week for the elementary school. we are once again having a texas themed treat day. since the weather has been quite cold we are making cowboy stew and chili with other odds and ends to go with. should be fun! i had two little friends come over to help me make cookies today, alexandra and max jefferd. it was fun and i think they had a good time.

paul and i took a nap after they went home and then went out for some dinner even though it was soooo cold. it was quite windy today which makes it feel even colder. brrrr!!! we went to jenny's cafe in hongdae which has become one of our favorite spots. the best food in seoul. we had caesar salad, a bowl of spinach soup (amazing!!!), and then gorgonzola manzo penne. so yum! after we stopped at the coffee bean for some warm up coffee before making our way home. now we will probably watch some episodes of the office........our usual at home activity.

we love saturdays!!!

the friday after thanksgiving....

there is no black friday here in korea. paul and i slept in until noon-ish and then went out to lunch at an indian place in sinchon near the house. paul went to work in a coffee shop while i went shopping at Emart with tim and joann. we had a grand time and it was fun! then joann and i did some crafting at her place---she is crocheting wee christmas stockings to make earrings with and making some paper origami boxes to make advent calendars while i was crocheting java jackets. fun, fun, fun! i also got my korean craving fix by ordering dolsot bibimbap for dinner from the korean take out place. it was so yummy! i also had some mandu buns. yum! then joann and i went back to crafting and chatting. exciting day in the life o' me! no massive crazy shopping here in korea which is good!!!!

happy thanksgiving!!!

paul and i had a great day! we went to the electronics market to shop for a new laptop for me. the one we use for the tv is dying slowly, but surely and so we decided to look for a new one for me. paul has been researching and reading online all about the ones he had in mind. i told him the things i was concerned about, and he thought of all the technical needs. we did it....we bought a new laptop. so fun! we got a 12" hp tablet pc which is a small laptop whose screen rotates around to fold down. i can write directly on the screen with the stylus. it is sooooo cool. now paul just has to transfer all the stuff from the laptop i currently use and also load up all the software too. he has it all laid out in his head which is good b/c i would have no idea. hee hee.....he is the best!!!

after we bought the new computer, we headed for lunch at the COEX mall. we had a snack when we arrived and then stood in line for tickets to the new bond movie. once we had our tickets, we did some meandering in the mall. we looked for a sleeve for the new computer, shopped for leather shoes for paul, and i got to walk around the english section of the big bookstore--bandi & luni's. i had fun! it was the best. when paul found me i had four books in my hands and he said, "do you want to buy all of those?" i told him that i was collecting and browsing to then find a seat on the floor to look at the books i chose. he had gone off searching for a spot for dinner while i soaked up the bookstore. i just had not found a spot to sit yet and was still walking around taking in all the books. i know i am a dork. i did end up with two new books to add to my reading. one of the books i got was on the clearance shelf.....score!!! only 3,000. the other was 17,000 which is normal for english books in korea. completely nuts!

we ate dinner at the intercontinental hotel in one of their restaurants called the grand kitchen. they had a dinner buffet which we both enjoyed. paul stuffed himself with a wide array of meats. we both did have some turkey in honor of the american holiday.

after dinner, we went to the movie. good stuff! if you have not see the new bond movie, you should. lots of action and it is bond.

we made our way home and we are both pooped. long day of shopping, walking, meandering, and hanging out. we both enjoyed the day of just spending time to hang out with each other.

happy thanksgiving to all!!!

homesick....

i am realizing that the longer i am away from home and friends that i am able to disconnect the emotions. i know that may sound weird or stange, but it is the truth. we had a great time hanging out with matt and cameron in thailand. it was awesome to see them, catch up, break bread, and chill. i would not change it for the world. since our return to seoul i find that i miss friends and family. i am little homesick. i got to hang out with peeps from home and that tears at my heart.

i miss all my family and friends that are in the states or around the world! i wanted to let you know that even though i might stink at keeping up via email or other communication means, you are thought of often! i think about you and wonder what is going on in your neck of the woods. how life is treating you and what you thinking about. :)

had to share that with you all.....
xoxoxo

art position

so there is no news on the art position yet. please continue to pray about this for me and paul. it is currently in a holding pattern until mid-february. there are many factors that must be worked out before they decide. with recruiting it becomes a giant puzzle to work out with teaching couples, housing issues, the unknown state of the economic crisis in america and such. we have 111 GM kids at the elementary school and if GM does not make it through this problem, it might affect our school. since that is 1/4 of the elementary population there is a lot to think about.

i keep reminding myself that God is in control and He is able to make the impossible possible if it is in His will for me to teach art here at SFS. it is working on my heart though to be honest. i want to know now and not sit in limbo for two and a half months, but i guess again i am being reminded that it is not in my timing, but in God's. i am thinking about many points that Tara Leigh spoke about at the faculty retreat in september. one thing she said that stuck with me is that trust is our gift back to God. so i am diligently trying, really.

i had wednesday morning devotion before i went to thailand. the monday before i was awakened before the alarm went off thinking about proverbs 3:5-6 which says, "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." i realized that i needed to trust God to take care of me and He will. another verse came to mind which is jeremiah 29:11, "for i know the plans i have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

with all that going on in my head, i am choosing to trust God with all of this art position stuff. i know that He can make it happen if it is suppose to be. i trust that He knows best because He knows me and my heart. i do ask for your continued prayers.

mmmm......

so the last day in chiang mai was great. we ate, shopped, and hung out with matt and cameron. we had a late night flight to bangkok and then had an overnight to seoul. tiring, but a great weekend. seeing matt and cameron was amazing!

school is going well. the next few weeks will be crazy. this week we have thanksgiving holiday, so we only have three days of school. so nice. we are not going anywhere, but plan to rest and hang out. might have a tv-watching marathon of the office or pushing daisies. who knows? we also want to see the new bond movie which is out in seoul at the moment.

the weather has gotten really chilly. it has been freezing or darn near close this last week. it even snowed a bit on thursday. brrrr.......

tuesday my class has their thanksgiving party with turkey and all the fixins. it should be fun! i look forward to sharing this meal with my kids and talking about being thankful. so cliche-- i know, but we have been thinking about service all this month. it does make a nice tie in.

speaking of service, my kids have been working hard on our craft projects for the holiday bazaar we have each year. my friend joann organizes this deal each year. the money made benefits the TB care center in north korea that SFS supports, the river of grace orphanage here in seoul, and the high school service trip to the philippines. it is great and i love helping out. my kids made accordion books which are really great. i also taught them how to crochet and we made java jackets which are the same at the cardboard deal that the coffee shops put on your cup to protect your fingers. instead of using the cardboard you would use a java jacket. surprisingly, my kids are loving it. it has been so fun to share this with them. i will have to take some pics for you all to see.

after this week there are only two more before the winter/christmas holiday. i cannot believe that it is already here. crazy how the year is sprinting by. it will be crazy at school with all the holiday events we have planned and going to. the time will fly! at the moment, paul and i are planning to go to vietnam and cambodia for the christmas holiday. we are working out the details with our travel agent. we are excited to experience more of southeast asia after loving thailand so much. should be great and not to mention warm!!!

up late, but made a good day.....

we missed breakfast this morning.  paul misset the alarm clock, so we got up at 11:30.  i had veggie spring rolls and a pineapple shake for breakfast by the pool instead.  we decided to lay low and take it easy.  paul and i wandered around the area near our hotel and found a vietnamese restaurant to eat at.  i, again, had some veggoe spring rolls and he had fresh spring rolls and a hot pot.  it was fun and an experience.

then we went back to the area near the night bazaar for massages.  we had aromatherapy oil massages for an hour.  it was good.  then we headed back to the hotel in a tuk-tuk which is a motorcycle with a backseat for two.  it was fun.  

we met matt and cameron and planned our evening.  we went back to the night bazaar to eat and do some shopping.  then we went to the saturday market.  that was different and seemed much more local than the night bazaar.  many more thais.  it was fun.  we made some purchases and wandered the streets before making our way back to the hotel.  we had some late night fruit shakes, chatted, and then turned in.  

again, i must say that i love thailand.  why do you ask?  the shopping of handicraft goodies, the flavors in the food, the lovely thai people, the bustling, small city, the lively vibe this place has......i could go on and on.  oh, i forgot to mention the incredibly cheap massages.

more shopping....

yesterday we went back in to the city center in the evening for some dinner and, of course, more shopping.  we had dinner at this fusion kind of place.  they had thai and western.  i don't know why but i ordered a cheeseburger which was a disappointment.  argh.  i did try a new thai beer though, leo.  it was ok....i think my favorite thai beer so far has been singha, pronounced sing.  it is good and has a nice flavor. 

after dinner we went down the street for some banana roti and chocolate.  it is like a bready dessert that has banana and chocolate cooked inside.  it was yummy.  then the shopping began.....i bought some more thai pants ann shorts.  i love them.  they are like wearing pajamas!!!  i also got a few other trinkets inlcuding a handmade table runner that i want to hang on a door in the apartment.  at the end of the shoppping i also got my favorite treat---sticky rice and mango.  yum and it was only like a dollar.  things are cheap here and i love it.  this place feels so artsy and cool all the time.  all the goodies are authentic and very bohemian.  love it!!!  

we met the boys and made our way back to the hotel.  we rode in a truck that has an open air covered back.  it was a little shady last night as the truck we were sounded like it was going to shut down at any moment.  it was an experience though.  woo hoo!!!  

we slept well and are now onto another day of experiencing chiang mai!!!  i hear thailand a lot.  

day 2....so far.....

paul and i slept in and then ate breakfast downstairs at the hotel buffet.  it was good.  thailand has regular, normal bacon.  yeah!!!  it was fun to have some since korea does not have it.  we ate lunch with matt and cameron at a little thai place near the hotel.  i had red curry and it was yummy.  the best part was the steamed rice that came in the shape of a teddy bear.  yes, teddy bear!  i took a pic for you, katie.  then we went out for massages.........one and a half hours worth for only 17 US dollars.  crazy!  it was amazing and we both enjoyed it very much.  after our massages we went back to the hotel to find matt and cameron who were finishing up their music stuff.  for the next two nights we have moved to another hotel on the other side of the city.  it is near the chiang mai university and a fabulous place.  like a little thai resort tucked back in this wee neighborhood.  our room is amazing and the lady at the desk said we got an upgrade from superior to deluxe.  it is great.  so we are just relaxing and having some down time before we go back out for some dinner, shopping, and whatever else we find.  

have i mentioned that i completely LOVE thailand???  well, in case, i do.  

Chiang Mai---day 1

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! we arrived in chiang mai this afternoon and got a taxi to our hotel. sweet! they upgraded us to a suite b/c the place is full. there is a huge light festival going on today.......we decided to talk a walk down the street and happened upon matt and cameron. could not believe it. it was great....had a coffee and chatted some before returning to the hotel. then we just hung out, did some worship with the group, and then went out on the town.

we ate dinner at this chain like thai place. i had curry and paul had favorite soup like stuff. it has coconut milk and lemongrass. it is good, but a little spicy for me. then we went to the night bazaar. a little overwhelming at first......i did not know where to start. i knew what i was looking for, but it was hard to decide. so many choices.......cameron helped me choose some thai fisherman pants. i got 4 long pair and 1 short for about 15 US bucks. it was incredible. i also got a cool bag that is very bohemiam looking. i love it!

then we walked toward the river for some light festival action. the sky was lit up with lanterns. it was really beautiful. we watched people set them off and also let candles go on the water. it was so pretty. lots of fireworks too. we walked to a coffee shop and sat outside to take in the sights and sounds of chiang mai. lots of people are out for the festival and setting off loads of fireworks. it was nice to spend time with matt and cameron. we had fun catching up and sharing what has been going on in each of our lives for the last year and a half.

now we are back at the hotel and all pretty tired. matt and cameron have to lead worship again tomorrow. i think paul and i are going to dabble in thai massage. it is crazy cheap and they have recommended a place. cannot wait!

i am in love with thailand. it is such a festive and colorful place. the people are beautiful and friendly. we have enjoyed it so much in the little time we have been here so far. it is really incredible. i keep telling paul that i could live here. :)

we are here.....

we arrived in bangkok at 1am local time. we found a hotel to stay in for about 6 hours for some much needed rest. the hotel was nice and a good price. they also shuttled us to and from the airport which is always pleasant. we slept well and had a good breakfast this morning for free on the hotel's outside patio. the weather is great here! breakfast was simple, but good---eggs with toast and a slice of ham. some spam sausages that paul and i avoided.

paul is struggling with a cold/simus stuff. he has the sniffles and sinus headaches. argh. he is a tropper though trying to be pleasant even though he feels bad. we had meds with us that he is taking for relief.

we have been in thailand for that long, but we love it. we hope to come back and spend more time in bangkok since we are only passing through on this trip. it is such a great place. the people are friendly, the scenery is pretty and real, and the food we hope to find is amazing.

we are currently in the airport waiting for our flight to chiang mai. since we are gold fliers with united we get the lounge perks here which is super nice. there is not much in the domestic terminal other than the lounge. we have had some fresh, tropical fruits and espresso since we have been here. paul is trying to get some work done while we wait on his laptop.

i am excited to see matt and cameron and be able to catch up with them in such a beautiful country.

i am taking pictures and will post them when we return home on monday morning. :)

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Paul and I are off to Chiang Mai for a long weekend with Matt and Cameron!!!

Prayer Request needed....

I interviewed for the elementary art position yesterday. It went well and I know that I can do the job well. I am excited about the opportunity. I am hoping that it all works out that I can teach art, but at this point it is out of my hands. Please pray for me and the art position. I won't know anything else for a week.

Pedi-Egg Report

70 US cents well spent! Heels are on the road to recovery......probably need a few more scrubs with the egg before they are totally renewed, but it is amazing how well the little thing works. everyone should buy one. i would even recommend it at 9.99 USD which i think how much i saw them for at bed, bath and beyond when i was in the states this summer. go now........treat yourself!!!

more photos added....

check them out folks.....
click on my photos on the right....
fun shots!!!

xo
mandy

reason #126 that i love living in korea.....

shopping on the subway!!! paul and i were on our way home from ceramics on the subway when a subway vendor made his way to the middle of the car. yes, he was selling pedi-eggs! i could not believe it. i laughed. i tried to take a pic of him and his cart, but they did not come out. i did buy one though. i heard from TLC that it rocks. she loves hers. the only thing is i only paid 1,000 korean won for mine. with the current exchange rate i paid only 70 US cents for the pedi-egg today. yes, only 70 cents. BARGAIN! TLC eat your heart out. :) i cannot wait to try it out. totally a highlight of the day!

aaahhhhhh........

i went to a ceramics class today and it was amazing. everything my artsy being needed. paul and i left early and explored the area near the studio. we had lunch at the coffee/cafe place. the food was ok, ambience was cool, and the cappuccino was great.

i found the class through one of my student's moms. she teaches ceramics in the after school program on thursdays at SFS. when i found this out, i almost attacked her in the hallway with questions about art and classes. she emailed me this guy's information and about a month later here i am. class one behind me with two coffee mugs and three small elephants made. it was so fun and i had a great time just doing something artsy.

after class i met paul in a coffee shop and then we explored some for dinner. we chose a pizzeria paul read about online. pricey, but good.

it was a great day!

what a weekend.....

this weekend paul, jessica and i went to passion! it was awesome! friday night we left right after school and made our way across seoul to the olympic park where the event was. paul has a friend who hooked us up with wristbands for free. the musician for the night was chris tomlin and louie giglio spoke. the focus of the weekend was grace. louie's verse was 2 corinthian 5:21. it was good. the target audience for the passion tour is college students, so he spoke to them. i still got a lot from the talk. he used the analogy of regular TV and HDTV. how most people are watching regular TV with their faith, but when you understand grace with your heart life becomes like HDTV. it was good stuff. the worship was amazing. it started at 7:30pm and ended around 11pm, and we did not get home to the apartment until midnight-ish.

on saturday we left home at 7AM....yes, we got up early and made the trek across the city for day. the morning session began at 10am and the doors opened at 9am. we had to wait in line and then find seats. matt redman led the worship and the speaker was francis chan. he is from LA. it was good too. the verse here was from ephesians. he continued to speak about grace. that session ended to break for lunch. we had korean hamburgers and hung out in line. we were anxious to get better seats since the david crowder*band would be leading worship. i was pumped. jessica and i were the first ones in our line. they finally opened the doors at 1:30ish and jessica snagged fourth row seats this time. YEAH! the worhip was AWESOME! i love the crowder band. they are even better live!!! francis chan spoke again. about mid way through all three of us hit the wall......we were exhausted. totally worn out. after the second session there would be a longer break for dinner and we would need to wait in line yet again. so after discussing options we decided to head home. we got to see all three musicians and hear some good teaching and we all needed major naps.

it is amazing the movement that the passion tour has become. here are some things i made note of that louie giglio talked about---

• the college students and church in paris, france need major prayer. there are 700,000 university students in paris, but only 1,200 students came to the passion event. pray that God will use people to spread the good news there boldly.
• pray for tokyo, japan.....this is where the passion tour headed today. part of the passion deal is the people there pray for the next city on the tour. the interesting part about ours is the history between korea and japan. many koreans do not care for japan at all. this was a huge request for the koreans to pray for the japanese. so please pray for the koreans here, and the japanese students who will attend passion on the 12th and 13th.

it was a great weekend and i feel encouraged. it was so good to be able to worship and hear good stuff. here are some pics....

chris tomlin leading worship

louie giglio and his translator, benjamin

matt redman leading worship

paul and me

jessica and me in front of the stage

david crowder leading worship

david crowder's guitarist, jack parker, playing the rhodes piano....so fun!

Photos....

i have added photos to my flickr page...........check them out.
click on the "My Photos" to the right in the links section........

decisions, decisions....

the time is here to decide what we will do next year......stay? move?

after exploring some options to move to budapest, we have made the decision to stay in seoul another year. i sent out two letters with my resume to schools in budapest, but the doors aren't opening like i thought they might. we are okay with that and thought this might happen. we had decided to just put the idea out there and let God do the rest.

as of now, i am still seeking the art position. i am not sure what will happen, but would ask for prayers on this. i am okay with teaching fourth grade again, but would also enjoy trying art for a change.

at the moment, i am also kicking around the idea of working on a master's degree. there are many reasons, but need to lay some things out on a timeline to see what that looks like over the next year that we are in seoul. sfs will help with the tuition which is also something to consider. it would be a masters in instructional media (basically, techie stuff in the classroom). the program is online through wilkes university in collaboration with discovery education and would be 30 hours.

so much is going on...........school has been busy and i have been trying to figure much out in my head about what is next for us, me and paul. i am sorry that i have been out of touch with many of you. hopefully that will change soon........

manila...

was good. the flights to get there were a bit nuts, but overall the trip was good. we arrived friday around noon and went straight to the hotel. it took about forty minutes by taxi. we got to the hotel and checked it out. we were both pretty tired, so we rested for a bit before venturing out. the area where we were staying is in the "suburbs" area of manila. there are two major shopping malls there. we went to one first, walked around, and then had italian food for dinner. paul and i were skeptical, but food choices are mostly chain restaurants. on the whole it does not feel very foreign at all. most folks have said they try hard to be western. after dinner we took a jeepney to the other major mall. this jeepney ride was an authentic filipina experience for sure. the other mall was better, but still quite western feeling and built like a giant maze.

saturday i had the workshop and it was so good. maggie moon, the presenter, used to work for teacher's college reading and writing project in new york at colunbia university. last summer i was suppose to go to a writing teacher's workshop there, but ended up having to change plans. over the course of the two days i felt energized and so encouraged as a teacher. great stuff!

saturday night we took a taxi an hour across town to meet vicki. we met her team mates for the race and had vietnamese for dinner. then her team mates went to wander for about twenty minutes while we caught up with vicki at the coffee bean. it was good to see her, hear about the things she is struggling with and celebrating, and get to catch up some. it was way too short, but great.

sunday night after the course paul and i took a taxi into an area called makati. more huge shopping malls. we had a great dinner at a swanky kind of restaurant and then spent the rest of the time walking the malls and checking stuff out. our flight did not leave until 12:30 so we had some time to meander. there was a GAP with normal sized clothes. it was fun and i did walk around taking it all in. i got some shirts. fun! then paul and i both bought some shoes....very fun! they are sandals that look like shoes....never seen them before. paul needed some new ones and i wanted a pair too.

we took a taxi to the airport and then waited for the flight. we did not know that we had to pay 750 pesos to leave the country?!?!? what?!?!?! yes, we had to pay to use the airport. we did not know this before so we ended up being without any spare money to do anything after we went through immigration. no cash machines and lots of stuff to do, but we could not. we sat and waited for two hours.......argh! it was tough. the manila airport is by far the lowest grade of airport we have traveled to so far. we made it back to seoul monday morning and got home just around 7:15am. we both quickly went to bed as we were exhausted. slept most of the day and then got back to life..........

here we come manila....

paul and i are leaving for manila in the philippines in the morning. i am attending a teacher's workshop there on saturday and sunday about balanced literacy. paul is going with just because. i am excited.....i love to learn and also we get to see our friend, vicki. she just started her year of world race missions and she is working in manila at this place called Kid's International Ministries. the school has many ties to this ministry and she is there. it will be great to see her and catch up. i am interested to see what manila is like and visit another country. my list of countries visited keeps growing. it is so fun! definitely a major bonus to teaching overseas.....all the travel!

so much has happened....

things that have happened this month---

• paul played an open mic here on campus at the coffee shop....it was awesome!
• had back to school night and went techie with it....was able to make all documents and slide shows into pdf files to place on classroom page....woo hoo!
• tara leigh cobble came to korea as the speaker at our faculty retreat
• sally, paul's mom, came to visit us. she had a blast and enjoyed her time here.
• went to gyeongbok palace for the day of chusok for a picnic with paul, sally, and our friends the craigs.....the day was a bit hot, but fabulous.
• did lots of shopping with sally
• hurricane ike hit houston....bummer!
• paul and sally went to the DMZ
• my high school friend, christina, and her husband, tim, had their triplets on the 18th---wow! gretchen, charles, and michael are here and cute!
• i turned a whopping 31 years of age...........had a great birthday celebration with friends at our apartment. pasta, salad, and homemade bread with tiramisu for dessert....it was so yummy! we also played Wii.......laughed my head off playing the ravman: raging rabbids game. wow!
• my kids had a surprise party for me at school......roses and a donut cake. it was fun!
• my nephew, josh, turned 13....cannot believe it!

today is friday and i am thankful for that. this week has been tough.....really tired and had a grumpy attitude about school. i am hoping that some rest this weekend and just hanging out will help me to change the outlook.

we have some big decisions to make in the next few weeks. please pray that God will make it clear what we are supposed to do. i have been praying for a big, bright orange and yellow neon sign. :)

the kitties are well. lounging, napping, eating, and snuggling as usual. they have a new "tree" to lounge on thanks to our friends the dornbachs. :)

the weather has cooled down in the last day or two which is nice. i love it and last night we opened all the windows in the house. it was cold, but so cozy lovely. paul and i both love the chilly weather.

enough to make my day....

i love my kid's honesty. no inhibitions or filters! it is great. so i got my hair done a few weeks ago and the next day i went to school. my kids had the best comments....here are two of my favorite....

• "nice dyes, mrs. f!"
• "mrs. f, you look like a rock star!"

they are great kids and i really have enjoyed getting to know my kiddos this year. we have a lot of fun and laugh a lot together.

the intimate details matter to God....

We went to the beach this weekend for the SFS Faculty Retreat. Tara Leigh Cobble was the speaker and it was awesome! Gosh, she is great. Paul and I enjoyed hanging out with her and listening to her rock it. What a great weekend.....I feel like God used TLC to speak to me this weekend. To be more intentional in my relationship with Him. To paraphrase some of the talks by TLC, I need to talk to God, know His voice, and be intimate with Him. He is not just worried about the ultimate, but also He worries about the intimate.....how do I seek Him daily and in all my decisions and thoughts??? Trusting Him is our gift to Him....knowing that even if things seem impossible, that if God wants that for us, He will make it happen. He is like that........He is the "local" in my life that knows everything. I just have to talk to Him and tap into his resources. With all that, I am adjusting the way I look at my life and through how I live......I am going to be sure not to go on auto-pilot, but to actively live with God.

tuesday.....

i cannot believe that it is already september. crazy how the time flies. this week is already hectic for me as i prepare for back to school night on wednesday. there just does not seem to be enough time in the days this week. we have something after school everyday, and they are things i cannot not go to. i was up late last night finishing up the newsletter i make. it is over the top, but i like it and really enjoy doing them. i was quite stressed about it, but paul helped me. i love my husband.....have i mentioned that before?

we had a low key weekend which was nice. one of the highlights was going to see a movie with paul on sunday. he really wanted me to see the dark knight in the theater. i was resistant, but he won. it truly is an amazing film and heath ledger's performance is stellar! if you have not seen it, you must. i highly recommend it.

6 days in...

to the new school year! I cannot believe that is has started and is already at full throttle. It is hard to believe that I have begun my 6th year of teaching...so many things still seem so new.

School has been going well so far and hope that it will continue. My kids are great. We have eight different languages in my classroom which makes it exciting. It is amazing that so many of my kids speak more than one language. Our languages include English, Korean, Portugese, German, French, Hewbrew, Turkish and Mandarin. Fun! So far we have celebrated two birthdays and sang in almost eight languages each time. Makes for an exciting event for sure. Next week there is Back to School Night which makes me a bit nervous, but I am praying that it will go well. Thus far I have had positive feedback from the students and parents. Pray for continued positive thoughts!!!

We have had a lot of fun in six days learning about each other, routines, and 4th grade curriculum. My kids are really into learning and reading which makes my job easier and more fun! I love it. I am tired though, but a good kind of tired.

Woo hoo for 4F!!!

it's official...

today is my first official day back at work. friends have trickled back in from summer holiday and the school year is about to begin.

i have spent the last few days in my classroom getting it organized and set up. so far, i have only rearranged the furniture two times. i am hoping that i am done with it, but who knows i might change my mind. i have already made out the schedule for my class which is nice to have complete. although, again, it is subject to change. yesterday i received my class folders which tells me who is in my class. i feel like it will be a good bunch of kiddos. i know some of them already from teaching the older sibling, after school swim, or just in the halls. it should be a great year.

today will be full of meetings and the usual welcome back brew-ha-ha. after lunch i think i get to work in my classroom some more which will be good. i have lots to do before the kids come on wednesday.....

wish me luck!

back in seoul.....

this time of year is the worst for weather in seoul.....it's hot and humid. you feel absolutely gross and are required to take two showers a day. we call this time of year "two shower days". being a native texan you might think i should be used to the heat and humidity. this is true, but there is a difference here that we don't have in houston--we are out in the weather all the time. we walk everywhere. for instance, yesterday i gave a tour of the neighborhood and was completely drenched by the end. we also had an outdoor cookout yesterday evening which was hot and sticky. again, i was sweaty. my shirt is constantly soaked in sweat. fun, fun, fun. on the other hand in houston, one travels from a/c to a/c rather than walking out in the heat all the time. i also do think it is more humid at this time of year in korea than in houston. it was weird b/c yesterday when i was all hot and sweaty i went inside to a building with a/c and actually got cold. enough that i went back outside instead of stay in. so crazy.

there is something i do love about this time of year in korea though. the cicadas.....they sing all the time and i do love it. it reminds me of summer time as a little girl. some people complain about them here b/c they are quite loud, but i enjoy their music. nostalgic for me. i also feel the same way about crickets....something about these melodious bugs i love. warm childhood memories from the glorious chorus of insects.....weird, i am sure. none the less i like it and get sad when the weather gets cooler b/c the music starts to wane.

home sweet home...

it is great to be back......

last night paul and i went to jenny's cafe in hongdae for dinner. we were hungry, had nothing to eat at the house, and also need to rally to not go to bed too early. things i did not realize i missed......the hot and sticky weather, the erratic driving styles of korean taxi drivers, the mosquitoes, and multiple showers in one day.....so fun!

we slept pretty last night which was nice. although now it is about 8:15pm and we are exhausted. i woke up at 6:15am and went to the gym. paul woke up early and was out of the house just after me to work in edae. he had much to report after his day of work and checking the scene out. it is common in korea for things to be open one day and the closed up the next. there was some closings in the area, but his favorite coffee shop is still alive. we did lose a few places, but so far the report has been good. after the gym i had breakfast with the new teachers and then came home to work on unpacking and sorting through all our stuff. it was a productive day. i had lunch with the new teachers again......cannot help the free meals and the lack of groceries at the house. :) then after came home to keep unpacking and organizing. i have the kitchen all sorted out. i need to attack the bathroom tomorrow. in the afternoon i volunteered to show new teachers around the neighborhood and then to the grocery store, sahruga. it was fun and i was able to get some essentials.

dinner was another free meal for the new teachers......a cook out. we were not the only returning teachers, so we were not free loading. it was nice, but really hot and sticky. paul and i ate and then came home.

now we sit waiting for it to be a reasonable time we can get in bed. we are fighting the jet lag, but hoping if we stay diligent our bodies will adjust soon. :)

the cats have been super lovable today. it has been really great. i missed them and from their actions today they really missed us. i need to clean streaker's tank soon, but he is doing well also. :)

SSSSCCCCCOOOOOORRRRREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

our travels home to korea were pretty normal to be honest. at least after the initial crappy situation with the cancelled flight on tuesday morning when we were originally scheduled to leave. my brother, God love him, picked paul and i up at 4:17AM on wednesday morning and drove us to the lovely intercontinental airport. we checked in our luggage without a hitch.....3 trunks (each around 67lbs. each) and one small rolling suitcase (approx. 23lbs). yeah for packing queen mom! she rocks and does a phenomenal job helping me getting all the goods into the suitcases.

paul got some morning grub at mcdonald's and we waited to board the plane. we sat in economy plus (6 extra inches of leg room, baby) and also in the front so there were no seats in front of us....double score! it was nice....we both slept most of the way since we had stayed up all night just hanging out.

in san francisco, we hit the ground, checked out the lounges (they are ok) and waited for the seoul flight. while in the international lounge we saw many olympic athletes. there was a small group that we saw too which i think was the USA Triatholon team. it was pretty cool i thought. (anne, i thought of you friend!!!)

we ate lunch and then sat at the gate.....we had about an hour before things started moving.,..i read, paul played DS. once the gate agent arrived paul inquired about moving to business, but the only reply she gave was that it would vost us $643......um, no. bummed we just sat there and waited. then another gate lady called paul's name.......there is hope....maybe, just maybe. well, ladies and gentlemen, we SSSSCCCCOOOORRRRREEEEEDDDDD!!!! upgraded to business for free b/c the airline needed our seats in economy plus. WWWWOOOOOOO HHHHOOOOOOO!!

we could not believe it.....what are the chances being bumped up on the flight out of seoul and then AGAIN on the way in.......CRAZY! we loved it and were able to get good rest on the flight. we watched movies, ate like royalty, and laid the seats almost flat. it was incredible, indeed.

a fellow teacher was on the flight and she was having another teacher pick her up at the airport. luckily they had room for us, so we scored a ride home too sans the taxi system. it was nice.

we arrived home to a warm apartment in which we instantly turned on the air con and to two kitties that seemed a little freaked out by our homecoming. they did give it to my loving eventually, but it was a challenge at first. :)

we are home, sweet home!!! it feels so good to be back!!!

summer holiday....

i know it has been a while since i last posted, but most of the time has been spent running here and there. i have been in houston since july 8th and now are leaving soon to return to korea. the time in houston has been super busy. filled with visits with family and friends, shopping, and many other errands. it has been great to see folks and catch up. i think paul and i are ready though for the return to seoul. we want to sleep in our bed, love on the kitties, and be able to have some down time before the school year kicks off.

thanks to all our family and friends who made our time in houston memorable and fun! it was great to see you and hang out.

more soon.........

saturday...

again paul and i are up way before we should be.  paul got his new computer so he has been getting it all set up.  he has been waking up at 5ish each morning while i have been able to sleep a little longer.  this morning i went to the bathroom, slid back the door, and found paul on the bathroom floor with his new computer sitting on the toilet working away.  i had to giggle.  i asked him why he was there and such, and he said he did not want to bother me while i slept.  awww, he is such a sweetie.  i love him!

then we took rebecca and her mom to the train.  they were headed to the city to play and explore.  we went to lunch at shabu way, one of paul's favorite places...japanese food.  after lunch jason needed to go to the mac store and i went shoe shopping next door.  upon leaving, steve jobs walked by us on the sidewalk.  yes, steve jobs the founder and brain behind apple products.  it was kind of nuts.  he and his wife out for a walk.  later i found out that they live just around the corner from the shopping area we were at.  then we were off to REI.  so fun!  i tried on some shoes there, but did not find any that i am in love with.  best buy was also a stop...the boys played video games while i perused the DS game aisle.  nothing too exciting there.  after best buy we went to target, trader joe's and a last stop for dinner at taco bell before coming home.  :)  woo hoo!  dinner was exceptional.  

now we are just hanging out at the house.  jason has a project to do, i am blogging and playing on the internet, and paul is still working on setting up his new computer.  a fun night at home.  it is getting late so i might go to bed early again tonight.  who knows....

san francisco, california

after a wonderful time in napa, paul and i made our way back to the city.  we stayed at the intercontinental san francisco which is an amazing place.  paul makes most hotel reservations using hotwire which is the site to use if looking for a deal.  we unloaded our bags and then returned the rental car.  for lunch, we ate at the great steak escape.  it was ok.  poor place had some tough acts to follow.  still suffering from jet lag we went back to the hotel for some rest and relaxing.  paul made us appointments to have massages at the spa in the hotel that afternoon.  man, that was wonderful!  i really loved being pampered.  afterwards, we again went back to the room to be bums and ended up falling asleep.  we did not wake until almost midnight....no dinner or anything.  oh well...

the next day we had breakfast at mel's drive in around the corner from the hotel before 8am.  yes, we can get up that early.  it was good.  i had homemade biscuits and gravy with a scrambled egg.  good but no where as good as mom's.  i cannot remember what paul had, but i think it was some southwesterny type of deal with eggs.  ???  peet's coffee and tea was next on the hit list for the day.  we had to walk a few blocks and sat for a while enjoying the people and scenery.  it was early so many people where going to work.  

after peet's we walked around town for a while.  we did stop a few places but for the most part just walked and meandered.  just before lunch time we took the bus to the wharf for some clam chowder and then walked down the pier to where the tour to alcatraz left.  paul had purchased tickets online for us to take the tour of alcatraz.  neither one of us had gone over before so it was something we had been wanting to do.  the ferry ride only take about 15 minutes over to the rock.  

once on alcatraz there is not a set agenda or tour.  we did have to walk up quite a ways to pick up the audio tour.  the audio tour takes a while, but is well worth it.  it basically takes you through the cell house explaining different parts and also telling stories as you go.  it was a really interesting tour.  i learned alot and had a great time.  really fabulous place.  the tour ends at the book shop where you can buy all sorts of goodies.  on the day we were there we also got to meet darwin coon who is a former inmate of the rock.  he has recently written a memoir about his life including his time on the rock.  he was there the last four years the prison was open and was among the last group of inmates to leave the island before it closed in 1963.  we bought the book and had him sign it.  i have already read the entire thing.  it is a great story and inspiring too.  i thought it was pretty cool that he signed the book and we got to meet him.  we did walk around for a bit seeing different parts of the prison that are not on the tour.  many of the places are closed for renovation and preservation.  it is still a really interesting place to visit.  

we took the ferry back and then made our way to the bus stop.  we decided to have good italian food in the north beach area which is not far from the wharf.  it is considered "little italy".  many of the street light poles are striped with the same colors as the italian flag.  dinner was just ok.  i was not really feeling the food there, but paul was.  we each had carpaccio which was good.  then i had a ceasar salad i could not finish due to the small fish garnish they put on top.  paul had pesto ravioli.  we each had wine with dinner.  mine was just ok again, but paul really enjoyed his.  

after dinner we went back to the hotel again and called it an early night.  the next morning we went to breakfast at denny's and then had a peet's.  we had some time to waste as we had to wait for jason to wake up and then check out of the hotel.  we ended up hanging out in our room until we had to leave for the train.  rebecca and jason live in mountain view which is south of san francisco on the peninsula.  to get there we have to ride the train from the city to moutnain view which takes about an hour.  jason met us at the station and we came back to their house.  it was great to see them both and get to visit.  we ate lunch at a little mexican place in downtown MV and then walked around and poked into some shops.  rebecca's mom is also visiting from nashville, so it has made for a full house of company.  her and her mom went to watch some fireworks last night while paul, jason, and i ordered pizza, hung out, and visited.  it was nice.  i really enjoy their puppies too.  they have two weenie dogs, shelby and lexi.  lexi is a cuddler so i have been spending lots of time cuddling.  shelby likes to place and be more active.  both have been fun to play with and cuddle with.  

our time in napa valley

from the city we drove about an hour to napa, california.  we arrived at this precious bed and breakfast called the candlelight inn.  it is an english style tudor home and the place is fabulous!  we would recommend staying there if anyone goes to napa.  our room was cozy and quaint.  we were pretty tired when we arrived, so we decided to take about an hour nap before going to dinner.  we got cleaned up and headed north to a place in st. helena called go fish.  paul had read about it online and fish is what they do.  paul got sushi and a roll and i had fish and chips.  the french fries were amazing!  small, thin and crispy.....yum!  i also had a glass of nickel & nickel chardonnay from napa.  it was ok.  after dinner we went back to the inn and went to bed early!  we were exhausted.  

our full day in napa began with three course gourmet breakfast at the inn.  it was amazing!  we had fresh coffee and juice then the eating commenced.  the first course was fresh citrus with honey on top.  then we had banana pancakes with caramel sauce and fresh bananas.  wow!  the last course was a artichoke and egg tart with tomatillo sauce and sour cream on top.  it was the best breakfast i have had.  so good.  after breakfast we went to a place in downtown napa called copia.  they specialize in wine and food education.  we took a wine tasting 101 course at the suggestion of the inn keeper.  it was really informative and i learned a lot.  i do have to say though the two wines were disappointing.  after the tasting, we went out to our first winery, trefethen family vineyards.  the place was great.  we were the only ones there at the time and the lady helping us with the tasting was wonderful.  she was helpful and friendly.  we tried many different kinds of wines including varieties of whites and reds.  they are most known for their dry riesling which was superb!  all of the wines we had were of high quality and tasted good.  we enjoyed this tasting very much...very personal considering it was just her and us.  great experience!  she would not charge us either because she thought we were such a cute and happy couple.  

lunch was at bouchon in yountville.  this bistro is owned by a very well known chef, thomas keller.  he owns and runs a place next door called the french laundry.  the french laundry is rated in the top five restaurants in the world and one needs to make reservations two to three months prior to visiting.  paul was excited to be tasting a small part of the thomas keller brain child.  lunch was great.  paul had a lobster and crab salad to start followed by olive oil poached salmon.  i went with steak frites which is a pan seared prime flatiron steak served with butter, caramelized onions and french fries.  i think it might have been the best steak i have ever put into my mouth.  we had dessert next door at the bouchon bakery.  little chocolate mini cakes that were no bigger than a wine cork.  

after lunch we went out to the robert mondavi winery.  we had been told this was the best place to learn about the wine making process from grape to bottle.  it was indeed an experience and wealth of information.  we went on a tour through the vineyards, fermentation area, two aging cellars, and then had our own little tasting.  paul and i were not as impressed with these wines.  they were ok, but not our favorite.  

now that we considered ourselves wine snobs, our last stop was at a place that paul found online called the vintner's collective.  it had reviews from the thomas keller as a great place to taste many different wines from smaller, low production wineries.  so we had a tasting.  christina, our lovely wine steward, was friendly and informative.  all the wines represented here are small and not widely distributed.  again, paul and i were not blown away by any of these either.  it was fun and the company was fun and enjoyable.  we bought two cool wine glasses from there with the vintner's collective logo on them.  she also made reservations for dinner at the newest thomas keller creation, ad hoc.  

we went back to the inn for a short nap before dinner.  paul and i both have been fighting jet lag and it is a miracle we are still standing, but we knew we had to rally to make the day in napa worthwhile.  

back to yountville for dinner at ad hoc-- temporary relief from hunger.  it was so cool.  the place is clean and simple.  their menu is a daily set fixed menu served family style.  the menu itself is in a brown file folder.  the coolest part was that they had shiner bock AND cooper's lager from australia.  i was already impressed just by the beer selection.  dinner was phenomenal.  it began with a salad of spring greens including pickled sweet carrots, marinated cucumbers, yellow wax beans, haricots verts with apple cider vinaigrette.  yum!  the second course was spiced beef tri-tip...braised swiss chard, housemade speck, baked russet potato with horseradish aioli.  yum, yum!  the third course was foglie di noce (italian hard cheese) served on toasted garlic bread topped with tomato basic marmalade.  yum, yum, yum!  the final course, dessert, was panna cotta......homemade with a pine nut cookie and rainier cherry compote & tondo balsamic.  yum, yum, yum, yum!!!  it was so AMAZING!  we also had lattes to finish off the meal.  it took about two hours to get through it all and we LOVED every minute of it.  truly INCREDIBLE meal!  

the totally crazy part of this last meal was that the waiter when to seoul foreign school in the 80's.  his parents were in seoul teaching english as missionaries for five years.  he was eight years old when he left seoul, but did attend kindergarten at SFS.  SMALL WORLD!  it was so crazy.  he was super nice and i gave him my business card in case he returns to korea anytime soon.  i still am in shock of this...

after dinner we went back to the inn to turn in for another early night to bed.  jet lag is a beast.  the next morning though we had another lovely breakfast.  this time we began with a mixed berry and banana smoothie.  then we had cranberry and orange scones with small mini muffins.  the last course was a vegetable and cheese frittata.  WOW!  it was great and a nice way to begin the morning.  we packed up our things and then checked out.  we were going back to san francisco for a few days....

napa is an amazing part of the country and we highly recommend a visit.  

supprting...

please consider supporting our friend, vicki, as she travels to 11 countries in 11 months with a organization called adventures in missions.  here is the link to her site.  she is an incredible woman who has a huge heart for God and people.  it would be great if you would consider supporting her and the group she will travel with.  

the adventure....

hi there....just now getting access to computer to be able to update blog.  i am going to update in chunks because there is quite a lot to share.

paul and i made it to the airport in seoul and were able to use the new terminal for international flights.  it is nice and quiet, but weren't that impressed with food options.  we did get to go into the new lounge which again was nice, but the food there lacks too in my opinion.  we decided not to eat, but to enjoy some coffee beverages from gloria jean.  yum!

we went to the gate and waited for a bit.  paul's name was called over the intercom and he went to the desk to figure out what the deal was.  i was not sure what to think at this point......

he came back and said we were not going to be able to sit together...in business class!!!!  what?!?!?  crazy......the airline upgraded us because paul is a new gold member.  WOW!!!  happy anniversary to us.  it was great and amazing.  we ate lots of food, sleep pretty well, and got to sit in business.  the seats are HUGE and there is tons of leg room.  it was a great way to begin our trip and anniversary!!!  

we arrived in san fran super early and sat in the mall just hanging out.  we could not pick up the rental car until after lunch.  i went to borders and perused, paul played DS...we just sat and waited.  

once we had the rental car, we made our way to napa, california where we stayed for the next two nights.  woo hoo!!!

and we are off....

the adventure begins....

the packing has commenced....

such a process it is for us. paul just throws his stuff in a bag, but i am a pile maker. i make lots of piles and sort through what i think needs to go and what must go. i started a few days ago after ms. lee came on thursday. i did it so i would not wear any of the clothes i want to take with. she did the laundry, so i made a pile of clothes. then i make piles of the other things---books, camera gear, crochet project, gifts and other things for folks, stuff i want to take, etc. then we have to charge all of the electronics as well. gosh, we have so many. i don't realize how spoiled we are until we go to charge everything---camera battery, iPods, nintendo DS, palm pilot, korean cell phones. man, there is so much to do. paul has been working on his travel entertainment---downloading games for his DS via the R4. he has been pretty excited about some of the games he has found.

once we have sorted ourselves out then we move on to the house. we clean out the fridge, put coats into the closet inside the house from the entryway, and move shoes. with the humidity here we also have to put out these deals called hippos. they are small plastic boxes that have some material in them that absorb moisture from the air. they have pebble like stuff inside and when we come back in august they are fill of liquid. they work and everyone puts them all over their houses---in closets, in drawers, on shelves, all around---i am sure you get the idea. we are going to unplug stuff too. just overall preparing the house to not be lived in for five and a half weeks. ms. lee will still come and check in.....clean up......make sure all is ok. we pay her through the summer even though we aren't here. some people leave a crazy list for their adjuma to work on over the summer---clean the curtains, windows, clean out this and that. personally, paul and i aren't demanding. we don't mind that she has a lighter load. i am just happy to have her and that she cleans what she does. we are so laidback adn flexible.

we also have to move the litter box for the kitties. we are closing the door to the office and bedroom this summer as they were upset with us last summer and decided to pee on the mattress. eeewww, i know. so we are prepared to "fight" back this year........no access to the bedroom. ah ha! we are so smart and witty. we are paying a lady to come in and feed them. her name is diana and she actually lives on campus with the pastor of seoul union church. her name is diana. she also will feed the fish, "streaker".

yes, i said fish. we now are the parents of a fish....we adopted him from our friend isaac mills before they left. they weren't sure what to do with him, and i thought i would help out. streaker was a gift to isaac for his birthday. although he did have other friends in the tank, none of them seemed able to survive for unknown reasons. i do have to say that isaac was quite pleased to know i would adopt him and care for him. i plan to take him to the classroom in the fall. i am praying that sam and india don't plan an escape for streaker while we are away. we have strategically moved furniture to make it more difficult to get on the counter. streaker's small tank does have a secure lid also which should keep them away. sam and india do fancy sitting and watching him swim around. we have had to intervene with the squirt bottle when they get too close. we don't want to freak out streaker with a bit cat staring at him.

we are working on the packing......it is such a joy. we leave monday morning..........we should be on the airport bus at 11:00 or so. yippee. i will be happy to be on the bus and ready for the next adventure of the summer.

lazy days....

i am having one today. these are essential to a great holiday in my opinion. i wake up when i want, stay in my pajamas most of the day, and do a lot of nothing. just be at home and love it. paul and i have been out most of the days this week, so i was ready for a lazy day. we only have two more days in seoul before we are bound for the states.

tomorrow will be a day of last minute errands. sunday we plan to stay home to pack and prepare the house for the time we are away. then monday morning we are on our way......the adventure begins.

it is hard to believe that we have not been to houston or america in a whole year. i am looking forward to the visit and getting to see family and friends. i know houston is going to be different from the last time we were there. i am looking forward to going to church and hanging out. eating at some of our favorite places and getting to shop at favorite spots too. i do have a list, but will make sure to soak up the time at home. surround myself with folks i love and catch up on their lives.

18 more days until....

i am in houston for the holiday. i am looking forward to visiting with family and friends. it will be great to catch up with folks, hang out, relax, and do some shopping. i am also sad though. i have had a hard week of goodbyes. some of my close friends here in korea have left this year for new adventures. the mills family is returning to their home in northern england and vicki is going on a world race mission trip where she will travel 11 countries in 11 months. i know that God has plans for each and every one of these folks as they move on, but it makes things sad for me. i don't want to be the "don't leave me" friend because i know that God has a bigger and amazing plan for them, but part of me does want to be that friend. i realize that just because i move or they move does not mean that our friendships have to stop. i have learned about this since i left home and moved overseas. i have struggled with life continuing on without me in houston.....my friends go through things i want to be there for. argh. i just keep praying that God will do His thing---comfort my heart, comfort their hearts, and keep us all in touch. i have to trust God knows best, even though i struggle to find peace in saying goodbye.....it's not goodbye, but see you soon!!!

gotta love the heat, humidity and the mosquitoes...

yes, summer has begun in korea. so much fun. i have been spending much time sleeping recovering from a long year of teaching. i also have been spending time with friends who are leaving korea for either the summer or for good to begin new adventures. life has been good so far.

i think i have figured out that i cannot drink caffeine anymore as it upsets my stomach. i am currently avoiding it to see if that truly is the culprit. we have been killing lots of mosquitoes lately which stinks. they usually attack when i am sleeping and buzz in my ear which is really annoying. i give a yell and paul appears with the bug zapper in hand. many times we find the mosquito, but sometimes we don't. argh. this morning i have a bite my thumb. odd place for a bite and kind of annoying to be honest, but i have applied some itch cream and hope it works soon.

we are also getting ready for the trip to the states.......the closer it gets the more excited i become. i do have to admit though that i am a bit worried about going back. nothing major, just worry about being completely overwhelemed with choices at the store and such. i know this seems weird to those of you who have never lived abroad, but it does worry me a little. i am sure i will be fine. i do have a list of things we must import back to korea. it gets shorter each year that i am here........paul is great at finding things we like to use here. i am sure there will be last minute impulse imports. i am going to try really hard to stick to the list though. :)

wow....how time flies....

today i am celebrating the end of yet another school year. today was the last day of school for the kids and it was great. we had some fun times together this year and i was sad to see them go. i have one student who will not be returning to SFS in the fall, but will go home to Israel. i will miss her dearly and hope to stay in touch with her. i also pray for the safety of her family as they return to a country that is not at peace. i pray that she will find comfort and peace in her new school and rekindling friendships as she returns after being away for three years. it was a bitter sweet day!

on another note, i also realized that i have just completed my fifth year of full time teaching....crazy! it seems like yesterday that i graduated from university and was beginning. each day that i teach i still feel new at it. there are so many challenges with each group of kids that the "tricks" have to be constantly adjusted to fit where they are and their needs. i guess that is part of the excitement of teaching.....nothing is always is the same.

i am looking forward to a restful summer to recharge for the next year. teaching is great, but it does drain a person on all levels---physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally. it is so crucial for the break so that teachers can regroup, restore, recuperate, rest, and relax.

here's to another great year of teaching!!! :)

it's finished....

the last set of report cards for this school year and i manageed to finish with 3 hours 45 minutes to go. go me! it is such a relief to have them done. earlier this evening when i began i was pondering what would be better----writing report cards or puking my guts out? it is hard to decide. i know that i can list many other things i would rather do than write reports. i love my job and the kids, but by far writing reports is the part of my job that i dislike the most. so tedious and monotonous.....ugh!

no more for about another 4 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days........

yes, i did figure it out on the calendar.....i am already not looking forward to them. yuk!

My nephew, Josh, is in China....

singing!!! He is there with the Houston Children's Chorus. He flew into Shanghai on Thursday and is spending the next few days in Beijing before traveling back to Shanghai. So far they have totally done it up right. Temple of Heaven with an impromptu concert in front of the temple, then they went to see the Chinese Acrobatic Theater. They hiked the Great Wall and visited with some kids at Sun Village. It sounds great and I am so excited for his adventures there.

Here are some pics so far...

Using those chopticks...so proud!

Singing away...probably in Chinese....he is the light haired kid second from the right....

interesting news....

each day i have this routine that i go through usually while eating breakfast. i get online to check emails and then check friend's blogs. the last stop i make on the web is to google news. i figure i get all the top articles from many resources all on one space. it is really interesting to check out, if just for the headlines. today i was checking google news in the evening before dinner and saw this headline that caught my eye, "platypus looks strange on the inside, too." i had a look and learned some really interesting facts about this peculiar animal. paul and i saw some while in australia at the wildlife sanctuary, but weren't that interested then. i do have to say that today's article really piques my interest to learn more about this animal that stumps many scientists.

hhhhmmmmm.................

change of summer plans

here is the new plans for the summer for us.......it is still a little tentative as i am waiting for a new e-ticket from the travel agent confirming dates.

june 30th--paul and i leave korea for the states and arrive in san fracisco, california
july 8th--i fly to houston to hang out for the rest of the break
july 21st-ish--paul flies to houston to hang out
august 5th--paul and i leave for the return trip to korea

just wanted to keep everyone in the know about the dates we will be around. we are both looking forward to seeing family and friends while we are home. :)

one more thing to check off.....texas treats

once a year folks in the elementary school volunteer to take a wednesday morning to provide treats for the staff. tomorrow it's my turn. so today and yesterday i have been busy baking and getting ready for the big day. so far my theme has been texas treats. last year i did the same. this year i am staying with the tradition and have made treats that remind me of home or sound more texas-y than most.

here is what's on the menu at the corral---
chips & salsa
guacomole & sour cream
cowboy cookies
chocolate pecan pie bars
banana bread
hickory-smoked western dip mixed with cream cheese & crackers
choco-rocks & dried cranberries
granola
banana chips

the last few things are a bit random, but i had extra and thought i would throw it in with the rest of the nibbles. hopefully i can manage to get it all to school without major issue.

happy texas treating!!!

only 7 more weeks.....

i cannot believe that i am in the last quarter of this school year already. i know in the previous post i mentioned how crazy things are going to be and they have. although i have a great grade level team that i work with and we have been helping each other tremendously. it has been wonderful. i know that i could not do it without them.

the past few weeks i have been able to check off many things on the list---social studies celebration, report cards, parent conferences, one field trip and some other minor things also. although this week has brought some other school issues to the surface, it is going to be ok.

next week we are in the full swing of rehearsals for the 4th grade production of james and the giant peach and the chapel we are doing. fun, fun, fun! i will be teaching in all the little moments here and there in hopes to cram in more curriculum as i can before the end of the year. it should be prove to be quite interesting. today we made the schedule for rehearsals so i am going to get creative.

for a while now i have had a few things on my heart that keep tugging and reminding me they are there. one of those is to be intentional about being more creative and artsy. part of that includes taking art classes which i have had no luck finding so far. i have been looking since arriving in seoul.....sometimes more often than others, but still. i did buy some fun supplies recently over the spring break holiday and have been doodling here and there. i am struggling with confidence in my ability though too which is not always fun to deal with.

secondly, i keep thinking about what God has in store for me and for us. i would love to take more art classes for art education when we return to the states. i also have a desire to work with kids in a form of urban ministry or something. not sure what it looks like or would be, but praying that God will show me what that is and looks like. i read online at the university of texas website about their art education program, but also a program in theater with youth. i would love to use the arts as a way to reach kids for relationships. so who knows........just putting it all there.

we are off to dinner soon..........chinese dumplings.....yum!!!

9 more weeks, 7 of which are going to be nasty....

i am thinking about just beginning the IV drip of caffeine tomorrow since for the next seven weeks my life is going to be massively, chaotically, crazy busy. there are only nine more weeks of school, but as i mentioned the next seven are going to be the most insane. the things that are happening are good, just many of them in a small amount of time.

for instance, this week entails resizing photos for the 4F candids page in the yearbook, writing report cards, a crazy 7am production meeting for the 4th grade play--james and the giant peach, an after school meeting, a day of social studies celebration, bookmaking, teaching, and all the other things that come up here and there as a human being. this is just week one of the seven. aaaagggggghhhhh!

i know that things are going to get totally mad. i just pray that i can hold it together and not let the list of things to do completely overhwhelm me. i have to remind myself to focus on only one thing at a time so i can make it through all of this. God give me the guts i need to get through all of this, please.

a nice reminder.

today is wednesday and it is the late day for me. i teach bookmaking after school and then i help one of my students with her math homework. i am usually at school until 5:15ish.

today was the usual although i took the bookmaking kids on a "field trip" to the 3rd grade talent show. afterwards i still met with my student, but she has caught on to her math homework and whizzes through it. she and her little sister went down to watch the high school soccer game on the field a little early. a few minutes after they left i had another teacher pop in and then my student's dad. the dad had lovely things to say about how i have inspired her to read, read and read some more. even the little sister has become inspired too as to not be shown up by big sister. it was quite nice to hear especially when sometimes i feel as if i am a broken record saying the same stuff over and over in different ways. then after he left the teacher who had popped in also said that she thought i was a great teacher and that teaching is my calling. wow.....

in a job like teaching many times those small, kind words are the one little thing that keeps you going or makes your day worth it. no matter what kind of day you had or what students you wanted to strangle, the words can make the job worth getting out of bed for.

i think that God knows that i need these little reminders to keep clued into the bigger picture-- that He has chosen me for this job. even when i feel completely inadequate or like i am not connecting with my kiddos, He sends little somethings to make me remember that God has a plan and that He will give me the tools i need. Even if it's just a little boost here and there all i have to do is focus on Him and let my heart seek Him.

tuesdays = nostalgia

a few weeks ago i learned that tuesday is the day the cafeteria makes sandwiches for the early childhood grade's snack time--pre-school, junior kindergarten and senior kindergarten. not only are they sandwiches, but they are jelly sandwiches with good, fluffy brown bread. yum. they also make cheese sandwiches, but i have not tried them. i much prefer jelly ones. i had some at a staff meeting where one of the SK teachers brought the leftovers to share with us. i had quite a few that day. since then i usually go down after school sniffing for an after school snack on tuesdays. the last few weeks there have been no leftovers. :(

today one of the SK teachers sent up three quarter sections of jelly sandwiches just for me. all for me. it was such a joy. as i bit into each one it brought back the best nostalgic feelings of being a kid. the bread is really nice and the jelly is strawberry. gosh, what a few bits of heaven i had today. i love jellly sandwiches......not just any ones, but the ones from the school cafeteria on tuesdays.

deoderant experiment update

after the long day of teaching i was not smelly which was good. vicki and i headed to the gym this evening and i was anxious to see how product #2 was going to prove itself. i did reapply before heading out the door. after 30 minutes on the elliptical and 10 minutes on the treadmill (with polar fleece on) the smellyness was non-existent. upon coming home i knew i would get an upclose sniff test since i was going to shower and change. upclose sniff test---pass!!! so i am pretty satisfied thus far.

the experiment continues........

taco chili chili

vicki introduced me to one of her favorite places in itaewon, taco chili chili. she loves the burritos. i had my first one a few weeks ago, but this weekend we made another trip for take out. paul also got to join in on the burrito love. this is the closest thing we have to freebirds, so far. not really similiar, but will do when you have a hankering for a good burrito. chicken burrito, no onions or jalapenos with a side of guacomole..........YUM!

the search for good natural deoderant continues...

some of you may be wondering what in the world is she talking about?!?! well, beginning last summer i read some articles and others input about the "junk" companies include inside the stuff you put under your arms. i had long switched from one with aluminum, but now the issue seems to be propylene glycol. which yes, my origins brand has a derivitive of.

thus began a search for a deoderant that works and is free from aluminum and propylene glycol. i tried one the week of our honeymoon which did not work. paul still loves me, thank goodness. so we went back to whole foods, returned the one that did not work, and i bought three other brands to try. i decided to wait until recently to begin experimenting.

the last few weeks i have been trying one made by alba botanica (poduct #1) that is lavender scented. i liked the feel, the smell, but it did not work. i was still stinky.

this week i am trying kiss my face active enzyme (product #2). so far it has been working well. we went on a long walk yesterday and there was no super stinkiness as with product #1. today was a normal day of teaching and it worked quite well even though i did sweat quite a bit this afternoon. no smellyness though. i don't want to get ahead of myself, but this might just be a winner.

the week is just starting so we will see.....

saturdays.

they are one of the best days of the week. the first reason is that i get to sleep in and snuggle in my bed as long as i want. no alarm clocks, no agenda, nothing. then i can also stay in my pjs most of the day. who can ask for anything more? i love being able to be a bum for the day. paul and i have been watching the last few episodes of battlestar galactica season three. so fun.

instructions...

you must go and buy Crowded Skies by Tara Leigh Cobble immediately. just click the link. do it! it is an AMAZING read and i could not put it down. seriously, go now to the link and buy the book. do not wait.

you will not regret it. promise.

gift.

Lately I have been reading a book by Max Lucado called Facing Your Giants. In the book it talks a lot about the story of David and Goliath. It has been really encouraging to me. One of the verses that I have really thought about a lot is from Hebrews 12:2-3 which says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." NIV

After much thought and reflection on this verse and the story of David, I am reminded that God chose me to face whatever "giants" I might be facing. The joy is that God is not going to leave me hanging, he will show up and fight the battle when my heart is focused on him and not the giant. He gave David the tools and focus he needed to overcome the giant, Goliath. All God asks of me is to focus on him with all my heart.

School has been one of the giants I have been facing recently. Before the holiday it was really hard to focus on God and feel like all this was worth something bigger than myself. This morning I was reminded of the idea that I am not alone and that God is not going to stand me up. One of my students shared a treasure she found on a beach in Malaysia while on her holiday, the above rock in the picture. I was in awe. Then she told me that it was for me. I gave her a big hug and told her how special it was. What a wonderful reminder of God's work in my life! It was the highlight of the day which I also shared during my devotion before the staff meeting.