Thursday's Thankfulness

1. I am thankful for my husband. He sticks with me even through my crazy moments. He makes me laugh, and I would be so lonely without him here with me. God sure knew what he was doing when he brought him into my life 5 1/2 years ago.

2. I am thankful for sisters. I have three great sisters who are so much fun to be around. My older sister is able to share her wisdom with me. My younger sisters laugh and act silly with me. Then, I've got 4 sisters-in-law who are all awesome as well. "Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters."

3. I am thankful that I have been able to find things like Dr. Pepper and awesome pizza in this country. This may seem ridiculous, but it really helps with the home sickness sometimes.

4. I am thankful that I really enjoy my job. While in college, I would have my moments where I worried if I would ever find a job that I would really enjoy going to, and now my worries are relieved. Some days I would just like to stay home, but once I get there, I'm usually glad I came.

5. I am thankful for the internet. Without things like Facebook and Skype, I'd be really homesick. I don't know how people survived in the olden days with only letters that took forever to send as communication.

6. I am thankful that God has fully provided everything we need to live comfortably.

7. I am thankful for blogs and Pinterest. They give me some really great ideas of crafts, DIY stuff, and recipes that I can't wait to try when we move back to America.

8. I am thankful that I have a desire to start learning Korean. When we moved here, I didn't really expect to learn the language, but I quickly realized that I want to be able to communicate with people better. I am currently learning the alphabet, and I get so excited when I can read a word or two on some signs even if I don't know what they mean. lol

9. I am thankful that God has given Teaven and I the opportunity to live in a foreign country and be able to rest and reflect on the past few years of our lives.

10. I am thankful for my parents who have been an amazing example to me of who Christ is and how to live for him daily. I miss them immensely and wish I could just give them a hug.

Bugs and Halloween

I am currently working on a list of things that the students say in class. Sometimes, they make me laugh really hard, and I want to be able to remember what they say but by the time I am done with school, I completely forget. So, I've got a post-it in my basket that I carry to every class to write down the things they say, so I can share these awesome kids with you.

Yesterday, in one of my classes I showed the students a video from National Geographic of the life cycle of a butterfly. About halfway into the video, the students start saying, "Oh, very delicious. Very delicious." Even with my limited knowledge of the culture here, this comment shouldn't have surprised me, but it did. I just don't expect kids to call a butterfly or caterpillar delicious. That is not my idea of a good meal. However, Koreans, especially the kids love to eat these bugs (forgot what they are called).

The kids here eat them like snacks, apparently, and Teaven and I had the opportunity to try them a couple of weeks ago. We went out to dinner with our friends, Jamie and Brian, at a local bbq place that I like. Each time you go out to a restaurant like this, they will bring you an array of different side dishes, and to our luck, this time we got those little bugs. Teaven hated them, but I didn't think they tasted as bad as I thought they would. I mean, if I thought dirt tasted good, I would love these suckers. Let's just say, we won't be enjoying them as much as our students do. It's just one of those things you have to grow up eating. Like candy corn. Who doesn't like candy corn, right? At the Halloween party, some of our students had the opportunity to try it, and they did not like it. Wow, did I really just compare bugs to candy corn?

Here are some pictures from the Halloween party we had with the school. First, we took the students on a "parade" around the neighborhood to try and promote our school. Then, the party began. We had face painting, balloon animals, bobbing for "apples" (which were really oranges because apparently the apples were too big and expensive), musical chairs, and pumpkin bowling. I didn't get as many pictures as I would have like because I was busy face painting the whole time. Oh, I forgot to mention that we brought Sader, who was Mickey Mouse for the day, to help socialize him a little better. He was the most popular thing there! All the students loved playing with him, and he loved the attention, although I think it may have freaked him out a little.

Sader's Mickey Costume

Sader was so tired from all the attention that he curled up in her lap. When she wanted to leave, I would here, "Teacher, Teacher, help me!" It was so cute.

Sader the Menace

Do you see this face? I'm sure your first thought is, "Oh my gosh! He's so cute!" Yes, he's cute, but training him is harder than I thought it would be. Let me clarify, potty training him is harder than I thought. You see, he learned to sit the very first time I ever taught him. I am getting frustrated with him peeing everywhere, but I guess I just need to give it more time. Unfortunately, we have a schedule that makes training a dog more difficult. We can't be with him all hours of the day, and  I am definitely inexperienced with training a dog in an apartment. So I get annoyed with him, but then there are times like now when he's curled up on my lap, sleeping. He's so precious and I just want to hold him. Time will pass. He will grow out of his puppy stage of biting my fingers, having accidents, and chasing invisible monsters. I love him; I just wish he would understand that he needs to go to the bathroom outside.

Thursday's Thankfulness

So, for the month of November Tuesday's Top Ten will change to Thursday's Thankfulness where I will write about things I'm thankful for.

This is for the 1, 2, and 3 of this month. The other ones probably won't be this long, but I'm kind of combining two posts into one.

Before we moved to Korea, I had every intention of getting into a good workout routine and to start eating healthy. Unfortunately, and somewhat fortunately, living in Korea allows me to be extremely lazy, something I have not experienced in a very long time. It's easier and cheaper to opt for eating out rather than cooking. For the first time in a while, Teaven and I are actually able to relax and just enjoy our free time without the stress of being busy 24/7. Last year this time, I was so busy with RA stuff, school, work, and planning a wedding that I longed for some time just to stay in my bed, watch movies and eat junk food. Of course, we have little stressers from our job occasionally, but it's nothing compared to what it would be back home. It's kind of like we're on a long vacation, a working vacation, of course, but still a vacation. And in all honesty, I love it. When am I ever going to get the chance to just relax and focus on things I have been putting off for so many years? The answer: probably never again. Teaven and I even decided that if we went back to America for a visit, it wouldn't be a vacation in the sense of being able to relax because it would be jam packed full (not that I would mind.) I know the moment we move back to America, our lives will become busy once again. We will have meetings and church activities, and then when we decide to have kids, we will be even more busy.
So, I have decided to enjoy this time to be lazy. I am going to enjoy being able to stay in my bed, watch movies and eat junk food. I am going to enjoy eating pizza while watching Biggest Loser. Bob and Jillian would want to kill me if they read that. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am going to accept it and appreciate it while I've got it.

Clear the Stage

What has my life become? I made a list this week. Of 12 things I wanted to accomplish by 2012, and I had every intention of writing a blog about that list. Now, I sit here reflecting on that list, and I realize that every single thing on there is completely meaningless and unnecessary. Don't drink soda. Find ingredients for new recipes. Keep my desk clean and organized. To most people, this may seem like a completely normal list of things to do, but to me, it's just another sign showing me who I am choosing to be. Not a single thing on that list had to do with my relationship with Christ. And, unfortunately, that reflects who I have become. I am an avoider. I try to shove my problems, you know the real, deep down problems that reflect my character, away by doing meaningless thing like making a list of things I won't accomplish, watching tv shows that take me to another world, trying to find new recipes and things I want to buy. I hide from myself until I can't hide anymore. Until I am so exhausted from hiding that I start to blame others. I have idols that I need to get rid of. I try to tell myself that I'm like this because I'm in another country. That's an excuse. If Paul can praise God from prison, why can't I praise him here? Just because I don't have church or I'm not surrounded by Godly people 24/7 isn't a reason for me to let it slide. That's just an excuse. I am tired of hiding. I am tired of lying to myself. I am tired of pretending that everything is ok. It's not ok. And it starts with me making a decision. A decision to praise God no matter where I am, to put him ahead of all those meaningless things I find so important at the moment. I have so much more to live for than meaningless things.

Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

I am making a choice to praise God, throw out my list of 12 things by 2012, and center my life on the meaningful rather than the meaningless. I have so much more to live for.

Anything I put before my God is an idol.
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything that I give all my love is an idol.
We must not worship something that's not even worth it.
Clear the stage and make some space for the one who deserves it.

Tuesday's Top Ten

I really want to start something weekly because I need to stay more committed to blogging. I've been thinking about doing this for a while, so now I'm going to get it started.

This week's Top Ten will be from Pinterest. My top ten picks for Fall.

I love this wreath. I wish I could make something like it, but I wouldn't even begin to know where 


















to find this stuff.

Source: Uploaded by user via Sarah on Pinterest

Caramel Apple Pie

Hallow-Rita. This would be great for a Halloween party.

Source: kirbiecravings.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I also like this wreath, and it doesn't seem too hard to make.

Source: southernlovely.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: kirbiecravings.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Cute idea.. Especially with kids someday

Source: thehighheeledhostess.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Sarah on Pinterest

My mom just sent Teaven and I a box with candy corn and candy pumpkins. I can't wait to eat it.

Source: whitney05.hubpages.com via Sarah on Pinterest

I am one of those people who wants to have a party with friends for  every holiday, so every time I see an idea, I have to save it.

Source: ourbestbites.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Sarah on Pinterest

We're a family...

...and you're one of us now.

Teaven and I would love to introduce you to the newest member of our family, Sader Barnum. He is clumsy and timid now that he has such a big place to live in. He loves to snuggle, and he pees everywhere. He chases invisible monsters and love Teaven's feet. He howls when he is lonely and hates the newness of walking outside. He is stinkin adorable, and we love him already.