Teacher's Tea

I've had so much fun stuff going on since coming home that I haven't had time to post it all.  Last week, my mom and I had the privilege of doing a tea party for the teachers from my elementary school.  They get together on a regular basis, and they asked my mom to do a tea (something we both enjoy...my mom is amazingly talented).  A few of these ladies started working there after I graduated from good ol' Sporting Hill Elementary, but my 1st, 3rd, and 6th grade teachers were there.  It was a bit windy but otherwise a nice day for an outdoor tea.

                                                                      

                                            

Devonshire cream in edible flowers (I forget what they are called) to go with the scones.
    

There was a chilled strawberry soup in these rose soup bowls.
                 
                                                                    

There were a few other courses, but I missed taking pictures of them.  We served a lemon ice cream pie (which is my favorite dessert on the planet) with these other tasty treats.
                        

Word of the Day

Okay, so I planned on making this a semi-regular post, and I haven't been doing so well.  Anywho....here are some of Miss Addie K's (Adeline Kate) latest words...

no No nO no NO No Noooooo!!!  Yeah, I thought it was especially fun when she started adding, "No, mine!" to her repertoire.  Seriously, where does she learn this stuff?!?  The church nursery?!?

tuk= truck

wheeeee= swing

up

aye aye= her stuffed bunny

book

boo buh= blueberries

ish= fish

bye byes

sues= shoes

mah maw= grandma

paw paw= grandpa

daddy (yeah, that melted every heart in the room)

****He's back!!!  Thanks for all of your prayers and well wishes.  We feel like we are whole again.  Adeline took a few minutes to check him out, and then she wouldn't let him out of her sight!  She gave him hugs, multiple kisses, jumped for joy, and loved every one of "their games" that he played with her.  In the middle of dinner, she points to him and says, "Daddy."  Be still my mommy heart.***

Wordless Wednesday

Closure...

I've been hinting that I still have thoughts floating around in my head about Korea, but I haven't had the mental energy to sit and actually put those thoughts to words.  It has sort of been a right of passage for bloggers who leave Korea to type a list of top 5 or 10 things you will miss and NOT miss about being in Korea.  I think I'll just make a list of random thoughts.  Some good about Korea and some that make me thankful to be in the good ol' US of A.

1.  Many people said the one thing they do NOT miss about Korea is the driving.  I gotta admit, I kinda liked it.  I liked being able to go through red lights on some random back road when I didn't want to wait.  Let's face it, the traffic isn't any worse there than in DC...I'm just sayin'...

2.  I don't miss the speed bumps every 30 feet on back roads.

3.  After about a week of being home, I realized I still take my shoes off as soon as I walk in the door at someone's house....it just seems right now.

4.  I love walking outside and finding GRASS.  I love the smell.  I love the feel of it on my feet.  I love to watch Adeline run and play.

5.  I miss my huge, long, deep, and wide kitchen sink.

6.  I don't miss the open drains....pee u!!!

7.  The smells in general are just a lot better here....trust me, 'nough said

8.  I really liked my daily life in Korea.  It was so easy to find community, and we met some wonderful people there.  I miss my friends....but then again, a lot of you already moved...and we always have the bloggy world.  :o)

9.  I am so happy to be reunited with my friends HERE.  I guess I'm just happy anywhere where there are people who I love and who love me.....

10.  I miss my book clubs.  Here is a picture of one of them (small attendance that day).  I read a lot of great stuff...and some not so great.  Still, there were good discussions and my reading horizons were stretched to read things I wouldn't have picked up on my own.  Yes, Gretchen, I know you want this picture....

11.  I will miss Patrick's work schedule.  We had more family time than we ever had and probably ever will have again.  I know not many wives there can say that, but shift work was great for us.

12.  I miss Patrick.

13.  The purses...yeah, they were fun....

14.  The traveling....yeah...also a good thing.

15.  Korenglish...always good for a laugh.

16.  Having signs in English that make sense...priceless.

17.  Watching Adeline with her grandparents brings me so much joy....and I know they are thrilled beyond words to have us here.

Our house was packed up Monday morning.  Patrick is living in a hotel on base for three nights.  He will soon be in my arms again (Thursday at 3:20 pm to be exact).  We still need to sell our car...pray.  Patrick may need to give POA to someone else there if we don't sell it in the next few days.

In summary....it was a good year.  We are glad we went.  We are glad for the experience of living in another culture and being able to travel in a short amount of time to other cultures.  A year was enough.  It is good to be home...

Korenglish #5

I just realized I never posted this!  Here's the Korenglish post I promised a LONG time ago....just in case you are in withdrawal.  I still have more thoughts coming to bring closure to my time in Korea.  Stay tuned.

I found this sign on base as I walked with some other moms around the flight line.

We saw this animal at the zoo.

Okay, this just cracks me up! This is a sign on the side of a van advertising English lessons. I haven't gone to the website yet, but just that fact that THIS is their advertisement speaks volumes about how things get lost in translation here. If you need to speak "butter English" though, give them a call.

Wordless Wednesday---Don't talk to me until I've had my...

Some thoughts on blogging...

There are some things that keep entering my brain as I continue on this crazy blogging journey, and I thought I would share.  This post may be boring for those of you who are non-bloggers...

1.  Why the word verification, folks?  Does it really bring more security?  I've had mine turned off for most of a year, and I can't say I've gotten any alarming comments.  I had a friend recommend that I turn it on soon after I started blogging (you know who you are), and soon after she wrote to say she had just gotten a "junk comment," and hers was on!  I'll keep typin' in those silly letters, but really, why?  You don't have to be self conscious if you keep yours turned on.  I'll still love ya, but you'll know that I know that you know how I feel about it.  :o)

2.  I've gotten a few comments recently from people who seem normal from their comments.  I went to return the visit, but they do not make their profiles public.  Just know that I tried to visit, and I WOULD visit, but ya gotta leave me an address or open your profile....otherwise I can't find you!  I even had a friend from college leave me a comment, and YES, of course I know who you are!!!  I just have no way to get in contact with you.....sigh.

3.  For the love of all that is convenient, please link your email to your blog.  You do this under your profile, and this means that when you leave comments, I can just reply to your email instead of needing to find your email address...yes, I know this saves me about 30 seconds, but seriously, I could leave YOU a comment in that time.  :o)  I've never gotten a strange email as a result of linking my email to my blog.  It will not post on your blog, it just makes it easier for fellow bloggers when you comment.  Again, we can still be friends if you choose not to do this...see #1 above.

4.  I just need to close by saying how much I love blogging and the amazing women I have met here.  I have been able to keep in touch with friends, that let's face it, I probably wouldn't have otherwise.  I even know more about the daily lives of real life friends that I DO keep in touch with.  There are others of you that I only know through this crazy medium of blogging, but I consider you friends, and I can't wait to hear what is happening in your lives.  I pray for you, I rejoice with you, I laugh with you (and sometimes at you), I hurt with you, and I just know if I met you, it would be like we've known each other for years.

Our Beach Vacation

I know, I know, I've been back from vacation for a few days and it is time to get this posted!  We had a blast!  Adeline loved the water and the sand and the toys and....all things beach!  She chased a seagull, but the dear thing decided not to be caught.  Val's boys were so sweet.  Here's a picture of all the kids...the twins, Matthew and Anthony (almost 4), Isaiah (22 mo), and Adeline (17 mo)

                                   
            
                                                                                        
                              

Anthony relaxing with Grandma.

                                        
                                                                            
                                        

Adeline with her Grandma

   
                                                                          
              
                                    

The first evening there, Val and I took the twins to the boardwalk while our moms put the little ones to bed.

They were each allowed to pick one ride.

The second day, our moms really surprised us with a treat.  They asked if Val and I wanted to go to the outlets while they stayed with the kids....hmmm....let us think for a minute...YES!!!  We had so much fun talking, laughing, and catching up.  We even went out to dinner and closed down the stores.  Thanks ladies, it was a lot of fun!

Messy Spirituality

Well, folks, this is my last post....

No, silly, not FOREVER...just for a few days.  We are leaving in the am for the beach!  I heart vacation!  It will be me, my mom, and Adeline, another mother/daughter duo (Mary Louise, and Valerie), and Valerie's three boys.  Yippee!  That means no posting and no commenting until at least the weekend (we're coming back late Fri night).  Have a great week!

Now, it is late, and I really need to finish packing, BUT I MUST post a review of this book by tomorrow....sigh...

My very sweet (and generous) bloggy friend, Jessica, is hosting a giveaway.  She mailed out copies of Messy Spirituality by Michael Yaconelli, and we need to post a review by July 30 to qualify for three amazing prizes.  Thanks Jess!

I can't say I was really changed in any significant way after reading this book.  Here's the gist...

"Messy Spirituality is a description of the Christianity most of us live and that few of us admit.  It is an attempt to break through the religious wall of secrecy and legitimize a faith which is unfinished, incomplete, and inexperienced."  

I am eternally thankful that I serve a God that loves me despite my messiness.  That being said, this book was a bit too "messy" for me.  I enjoyed some of the stories he shares, but I didn't find many deep nuggets of truth to hang onto.  When I came back to the book from day to day, I found I didn't really remember much of what I read before.  Maybe that was my fault, but this one just didn't grab me.  Jess, I still think you're awesome and want to thank you for the book and the chance to participate....I hope this doesn't forever ruin my chances of making it to your "bloggy friends" list (just kidding).  To close, I'll share one of the passages that I DID like....

"Most of us are...going as fast as we can, living life at a dizzying speed, and God is nowhere to be found.  We're not rejecting God; we just don't have time for him.  We've lost him in the blurred landscape as we rush to church.  We don't struggle with the Bible, but with the clock.  It's not that we're too decadent; we're too busy.  We don't feel guilty because of sin, but because we have no time for our spouses, our children, or our God."  

Personality Quiz

I saw this on Jenni's blog this morning, and I thought it was fun.  It describes your personality in words after you choose pictures for a given topic.   Let me know if you try it!

Summer Picnic

In my post of randomness, I forgot to add that Patrick is coming home on Aug 14...less than 3 weeks!  Thanks for asking...

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Now that it is 9 days AFTER this event, let me show you what we did the Saturday after we got home from Korea....

Our friends, Scott and Jen (Jen is one of my best friends from high school), hosted a picnic on their recently purchased egg farm.  During the time I was gone, they moved, changed careers (well, Jen still works as a nurse one day a week), and grew a new baby (due at the beginning of Sept).  WOW!  That's a lot of change! 

First we enjoyed some time in their pool (we not being me...Adeline and I came over earlier in the week to swim).  Below is Scott with Brennan.

Adeline with Gabriella

Gabriella with the newest member of our "gang"...Max.

This is Jen and Jen (I know, as if that's not confusing!).  The Jen on your left is the mom of both of these boys, Ryan and Max.  The Jen on your right is the proud new owner of the farm and mom to Brennan (and the little one still cooking).  In case you're keeping track, Heidi (who oddly enough, isn't in any of these pictures), claims the other three, Logan, Gabriella, and Isaiah.

Okay, so I gotta tell you, this egg packing thing is the most interesting process!  We all helped Scott get some packing done.  The kids had a blast picking out cracked or jumbo eggs.  They pack over 100,000 eggs a day!  

cutie patutie Brennan, stacking the jumbo eggs

Scott (farm owner)

Thanks Scott and Jen for hosting.  It was so nice to see everyone.  We had a blast!  I consider all three of these girls best friends.  They give new meaning to the word friendship...I could tell you stories...and perhaps someday I will.  They each got a web cam when we went to Korea so they could Skype us and keep in touch through the year.  When Jen had Max, Heidi borrowed a laptop and took it to the hospital so I could "be there" to meet Max.  I love you girls!