Approval Coming Soon?

I was driving down to McDonough on Friday and had a conviction to call about the
paperwork again. Joe and I discussed earlier that morning not to call, but the
conviction was strong. So, I called Joe and told him. I asked Joe to call since
he was home and I was driving. After some convincing that we don't need to wait
until later in the day he called. He was home because he was getting ready to
leave for a men's retreat at noon and it was around 11am. So, he called and
found out that we were assigned an officer. She said that she had just gotten
the paperwork and went through it on the phone with Joe. She noticed a form was
missing. Praise God that Joe was home to find it and fax it. God was using
that time to make me see that I don't have to have control because Joe couldn't
find it at first and had to leave soon. I couldn't find it because I wasn't at
home. I just had to pray that God would show Joe where it was. Finally, Joe
did find it and faxed it out to the officer. I called her and she got it. She
said that it should be approved this week some time!!!!

Korean Festival

We had such a great time at the Korean Festival. I haven't been to one since I was a young girl. My mom showed us how to play all of these games. It was fun watching her do them too.









This is a version of hackey sack. It is harder because under all that stringy stuff is a plastic weight. So, it is hard to see where the center of the weight is going to hit.












This is a Korean board-game. There are 4 people on 2 teams. The big silver things are like dice, only all four people on a team flip them at once. The way they land, tells you how many places to move your piece on the board.


This is sort of a mix between see-saw and trampoline. You take turns jumping and propelling your partner higher into the air. It is a great work-out too.








This is how they used to make rice cake.




My mom is getting ready to arm-wrestle. Yeah!








This is sort of like a bean bag toss. Only you have these arrow-looking things and you try to get them inside the jar or one of the hoops. Abby rocked at this one!














We told the boys to "Go fly a kite". . . and they did. (Sorry, my corniness just came out.)

They actually flew them for a long time.
One was even made like the traditional Korean kites.



This is a game sort of like jacks. My mom can throw all 5 pieces in the air, catch them on the back of her hand, flick them in the air and then catch them inside her hand. She does is so fast too.
We were all amazed.




There was so much more to do, but it was sooo hot. There were jumpy things for the kids, demonstrations and mini-parades with traditional dancers, drummers, and dressed royalty. You could even dress up in traditional Korean wedding clothes for pictures. Unlike American festivals, most of the activities are free and your prize was food. Now, that is my kind of prize!

I don't know why I don't have pictures of those things. I must have gotten tired of pulling out the camera.
All in all, it was a great day. I look forward to bringing our baby to these in years to come!

Wounds

I got this nasty burn on my arm over a week ago. I was baking something on a cookie dish and hastily took it out. When I did, it seared my arm. Not but a little while later, I did the same thing and seared my other arm. The second one wasn't as bad and was near my wrist.

The first wound is definitely taking much longer to heal and not look so gross. It is bigger, but is also located just above the inside of my elbow. So, every time I pull my arms in, the air is blocked from touching the wound, thus causing it to get sticky and gooey. YUCK! The smaller one gets plenty of air and has almost healed itself, yet there is definitely going to be a scar.

Emotional and spiritual wounds are like physical wounds. The more we try to cover it up, the less it really heals. The more we close our arms rather than reaching out to God for healing, the grosser it gets. When we open our arms and let His "air" breathe on us, the better it heals. There still may be a scar, but hopefully, we can use those scars as reminders to not be so hasty and that God heals all wounds.

BTW- I am learning to sleep with my arms open. ; )

Triathlon

I still have a few more pictures to get and upload, but I couldn't wait to share what I have already. : )

There were 8 students that I have taught in the triathlon. One was the sibling of one of my students, but I worked with him in an after-school program. There was one family that I don't know who also joined the cause. Awesome!

This was a BIG deal. I was surprised to see how many children were there and how serious some of them and their parents were. Some kids had very expensive bikes and the parents were "coaching" them like it was the Olympics.

This was the first triathlon for all of the students I knew, and they LOVED IT!!!

They raced by ages; oldest to the youngest.

First, they swam.
(There were different distances for each age group.)



Then, they rushed to their bikes.










Lastly, was the running.
Most of it seemed like it was uphill.













To the FINISH line!








They were tired, but excited about their accomplishment.

Some of them wanted to do it again.

I am so proud of all of them!!!



Here is a link to a video one of the parents made of the event. It is wonderful!
http://gallery.me.com/jenniferstyle#100062/IronKid

Happy watching!

clogging the mind

Lately, I have not been able to enjoy my beloved patio to have my quiet times. After I prayed and received this blessing, not but a few weeks later did my neighborhood start building more houses. It is hard to concentrate with banging of nails and cement trucks. . .

So, this morning I decided to beat the construction workers. I got my coffee, my bible and journal, and rushed out to the patio. I sit down, and what do I hear? The garbage truck.

That got me thinking about distraction. It is interesting how I can multitask in the classroom so easily with my students. Students can be behind me and I can tell who and what they are doing while helping another student. It is actually a bit amusing when I call out the student behind me. They are shocked. I guess that is why they say teachers have eyes in the back of our heads. I guess it is sort of a 6th sense??

But when I sit down to have my quiet time, read, or write, I can't concentrate. I think about things I need to do during the day, questions I need to ask or answer others, noises or words around me.

I was watching Dr. Oz yesterday and he was talking about how "bad" foods clutter your arteries. It makes you feel tired and yucky, but we can get so used to it that it is not as noticeable. So, what does that have to do with quiet time? I feel like I ingest so much of the "world"; thoughts, sounds, words. . . that it begins to clutter my mind. After a while, I get numb to the fact that my mind is not very clear. I need "good food" to help cleanse my mind and unclog it.

When I sit on the patio, the sounds of the birds is one "good food" for me. It reminds me of how creative God is. The calls of the birds sound different, they are different shapes and sizes, yet they are still birds. The sky is another "good food". Watching the changing colors, the clouds slowly move and change shape. It is awing. My creator is peaceful and can do so much more than I can imagine.

Once, I get some of that "good food", I can more easily transition to reading or writing more "good food". By the end of my meal, I can tell that my mind is more at ease and clear.

If it is so good for me/us, then why don't we do it more often? Well, I love food and wonder the same about my diet. I have been praying and asking God to help me with my regular diet (food). I have lost maybe 20 pounds in the last 6 months. I say it is because I am so excited, but I know deep down that God helped to curb my appetite and give me motivation to eat better food. If God can help me with my body, I know he would LOVE to help me with my mind. The mind is connected to the heart, and the heart is God's target.

Thank you God for being the Drano of my mind and heart.

Baby Samuel (Jihoon) is 6 months old today

It feels a little frustrating not being with him, but we know that God is watching over him. It is also comforting knowing that he seems to be in a loving foster home. We are writing a letter and sending pictures to them soon.

WE CAN'T WAIT TO BRING HIM HOME!!!!

Our First Fundraiser

Our weekend started off with a nice dessert time with the McNatts. They just adopted a baby from China and were wonderful to meet with us and give us some insight. We are all so excited about what God is teaching us and others through this process. It is so nice to have others around that can empathize with all of this. There are thoughts and emotions that you just can't describe.

Then on Saturday, we went to our first fundraiser. My mom and sister were able to come. It was truly exciting to have them meet so many of my close friends and vice-versa.

















Allison was the Tupperware Consultant and is a great friend of mine. She is donating all proceeds to the adoption. She has been such an encourager!





Jen is the one that helped us get started. God has used her and her family in such a powerful way for us. She also planned a surprise shower for us. So she gave our first baby shower ever!!!


There were so many others that were able to come and many who made orders online. She raised close to $500 for the adoption fund! WOW!!!

We went to Saturday night service because we knew that Sunday would be busy.
(More to come once we get more pictures.)