SKY RANCH

This past weekend Soowan and Micah went to Sky Ranch with their Y-Guides group for their last camp out together. Now that Micah and his buddies are in the third grade, the program through the YMCA ends for them. I guess you can say the boys have 'aged out' of the program. The group is still planning to stay together and go camping a couple times a year. YAY!

This year the third grade groups had their camp out at Sky Ranch. Sky Ranch by far has been the best facility they have camped at with the YMCA. The cabins look more like condos and the grounds are beautiful. The boys had fun building rockets, swimming, zip lining, climbing through the ropes course, participating in water balloon fights with the nearby cabins, campfire smores and they also enjoyed a rather cool firework show Saturday night.

Micah returned home with many fond memories of his time at Sky Ranch along with a nasty bacterial infection in his right eye. Heaven knows how he got it... Or possibly it was because Soowan didn't make Micah shower the entire weekend. After all that's what swimming pools are for... Right? ;0) YUCKY BOYS! LOL!

I took Micah to the doctor's office on Monday and she gave him both an oral antibiotic and one in the form of eye drops. Micah stayed home from school both Monday and yesterday because his eye was swollen shut from the infection. The doctor also said to put a warm washcloth on his eye to allow it to drain. OH BOY DID IT EVER! There's nothing like yellowish-green puss coming out of your child's eye. Of course Micah thought it was 'cool' though. Today his eye looked better so I sent him off back to school.

Here are some pictures from the camp out. Soowan accidentally forgot to take the camera so these are shots that one of the other dads graciously took for Soowan. THANKS RICH!

TAG YOU'RE IT!

I'VE BEEN TAGGED BY MY VERY DEAR AND EXTREMELY MISSED FRIEND KELLI I.

If you think you know about me...read this and see if you're right! :)

4 JOBS I'VE HAD:

1. Stock clerk at The Limited
2. Vons (courtesy clerk, bakery, sevice deli, floral, juice bar, checker)
3. Curves Trainer/Sales
4. Momma Hen

4 PLACES I'VE LIVED:

1. Arcadia, CA
2. Thousand Oaks, CA
3. Covina, CA
4. Dallas, TX

4 SHOWS I WATCH:

(I don't watch sitcoms. Mostly reality type shows)

1. Iron Chef (FOOD NETWORK)
2. House Hunters (HGTV)
3. Jon and Kate Plus 8 (TLC)
4. The Hills (MTV)

4 BLOGS I READ REGULARLY:
(In all honesty I surf through blogs everyday. I love stalking, (Oh! I mean reading ;0) ) other people's blog. So if you're linked to one of the blogs listed below than I most likely have read your blog too! Yeah... I know... I need to get our more. LOL!

1. Maggie
2. Kelli
3. Jill
4. Holt BB Blog Roll

4 FAVORITE FOODS:

1. Chicken Parmesan
2. Brownie Sundae
3. BBQ Baby Back Ribs
4. Cottage Cheese w/ Peaches

4 PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:

1. Hawaii
2. A Day Spa
3. Carmel, CA
4. Anywhere... As long as I get to see my big sis!

4 FRIENDS LIKELY TO RESPOND: (THIS MEANS YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED BY ME).

1. Maggie
2. Jill
3. Crissy
4. Rachel L.

4 THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR:
1. Summer Vacations (Hilton Head and Arizona's White Mountains)
2. Lazy Afternoon Swimming With My Kids
3. Fire Flies
4. Possibly Going To CA For Thanksgiving

HAPPY FAMILY DAY AMANDA!

It's hard to believe that Amanda has been home one year today! She has brought so much love and joy into our family. She is an incredibly, amazing little girl! Here is a video we put together of Amanda's first year home. She has grown so much since the first day we held her in our arms. Only if they could stay smaller.... longer.

Click on Amanda's picture below to watch the video we put together.


Amanda's First Year

Micah's Song

A couple of weeks ago when I was driving Micah home from school he was singing softly to himself. I asked him what he was singing and he gave me his typical 9 year old answer, "A song."

He kept on singing softly to himself so I asked him, "Is that a song you learned in choir?"

Micah: "No."

Me: "At chapel?"

Micah: "No."

Me: "So where did you learn the song?"

Micah: "I wrote it last night in my mind before I prayed to ask Jesus to enter in to my life and to forgive me of my sins."

This is the moment all Christian parents wait for!!! The moment their child decides to follow Christ! Holding back the tears I asked Micah if he could sing the song louder for me so I can hear what he wrote. He said he was not finished with the song yet and that he had only written the chorus but was still working on the rest. He sang to me the chorus, and to be honest with you I don't know how I drove the rest of the way home because my eyes were overflowing with tears of joy. To hear my son praise God's name with words written from his heart was one of the most precious moments I've shared with him since holding him for the first time. But this time as I looked back at him through my rear view mirror I could see Christ holding him.

Micah has finished his song and it is beautiful. He will not sing the song for us because he is a bit shy to do so. He did read to us his song the other night and made sure we knew where each beat, rest, when the refrain started and ended, etc. Micah has not yet started any formal music lessons as far as playing any instrument, but he is in choir at our church. I am thankful that God has brought Carrie, Jayne and Francey, Micah's music directors into his life. They have unselfishly shared their love of God and music that praises our Lord with my son and all of the other children in the choir. In all honesty I KNOW Micah has learned more about God's truth, sovereignty, love, grace, power and Omni-Presence through singing scripture, hymns and about God's truths in children's choir for the past four years.

While cleaning Micah's room this morning I found the paper Micah wrote his song on. I wanted to share it with all of you. It is so sweet and shows the love Micah has in heart for his Savior. I'm going to write it exactly how Micah did on his paper. I love his attention to detail.


SAVE ME By Micah S.

key each o = 1 beat in between words

Jesus oooo oooo
Jesus oooo oooo
Jesus my savor oooo oooo
Jesus my masya oooo oooo (Messiah)
Jesus king above all kinds oooo
but not everybody knows it oooo
So would all God's children sing ooo

cours (chorus)

Jesus save me from my troubles ooo
Jesus save me from my sins oooo
Jesus save me from everything I've done
agenst your word oooo
So Jesus save me tonight oooo oo
Jesus the god who died for us oooo
Jesus the god that loves his people oooo
the god that saved me from my sins oooo
but not everybody knows it oooo

So would all god's children will sing oooo
Jesus save me from my troubles oooo
Jesus save me from my sins oooo
Jesus save me from everything I've done agenst your word oooo
So Jesus would you save me tonight oooo
So would you save me tonight.

Sing to the LORD, bless His name;Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
~Psalm 96:2

Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
~Psalm 98:1

Sing to the LORD, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth.
~Isaiah 12:5

The Phone Call

A year ago today I woke up knowing that 'today was the day' that we would get our travel call. I had no formal notice from our agency that we would have our travel information on Monday, April 23, 2007. What I did have was complete peace in my heart and mind from the Lord that today was the day I would know when Amanda would be home. But in all honestly the day before I did not have this peace, nor the faith that this waiting would come to an end. Let me explain...

For a few weeks prior to our call everything was in place for our sweet girl to come home. Every piece of paperwork needed to bring our daughter home had been completed. Those two weeks were the most difficult weeks of our entire adoption journey. The night before 'our call' I was at the end of my rope. I had no understanding as to why she was not home yet, or as to why we had not heard of when she would be coming home. The night before I felt broken and weak. I remember telling Soowan that I didn't think I could handle one more day not knowing anything concrete. Our entire journey was filled with complete unknowns. No time lines. No guarantees. No due date. Nothing telling us this waiting will come to an end by such and such date. I was a sobbing mess that entire weekend.

Finally on Sunday evening I went to our bedroom and laid it all before God. I was on my knees pouring out all my frustrations, fears and doubts. This was not a silent prayer, it was loud and audible and in no way I had ever prayed before in my 12 years of walking in His truth. In that time of prayer I realized how much I had not given this journey to Him. I did pray throughout our process, but not with the faith that God could move this mountain. Looking back, I now see that I laid my faith in the agency (both state-side and in Korea), those processing and translating the paperwork, those issuing the visa, etc.

In that time of prayer God took me back me and walked me through all of the darkest moments from my childhood, my youth... up to the moment when I was 21 years old and surrendered my life to Christ. He did this because at this time of waiting, I had forgotten all that He had delivered me from in the past. I was so wrapped up in the unknowns and was consumed in a complete 'fog' during our wait. I had became blinded of His power to move mountains.

I know the Lord brought be back to my time of true brokenness, to break me free from the fog of doubt that was separating my ability to see Him. For me to lay those doubts and fears before Him. To find rest in His goodness, His grace and His timing. All the things I failed to do during our four month wait to bring Amanda home. I was humbled to the core that evening.

The next morning when I woke up with a clear mind and a sense of renewal. The peace in my heart told me that today we would be notified as to when Amanda would be coming home. I had never been sure about anything else in my entire life. Today was the day we were going to get that call and my faith did not waver one bit. I was not anxious for the phone to ring, I just knew it would.

I took Micah to school that morning and went off to a doctor's appointment. I remember my appointment was at 9:30 AM and that I could possibly get the call while I was there. I told the nurse and my doctor that regardless of what all the signs said through out the office that I was going to answer my phone if it rang. They were well aware of our adoption journey and had no problem that I had the phone nearby the entire examination. After getting dressed and exiting the examination room, three nurses were standing at the door wondering if I got the call. It was so comforting seeing their excitement and joy for us. They made me promise that I would call them to let them know when Amanda was coming home.

I hurried home because I was meeting my friend Lola at my house to help me do the finishing touches in Amanda's nursery. We were having fun hanging up all the pictures and plaques we had purchased for the nursery. I remember telling Lola that the call was coming today and to please forgive me if I turn into a complete mess when I find out the date and time Amanda would be arriving. The phone had not rung all morning and the moment it rang I looked at Lola and said something like, "That's our agency.... I know it!" I ran from Amanda's room to the den and grabbed the phone and looked at the caller ID box. Sure enough it read Holt International!!! I took a deep breath and answered with a frog in my throat... "Hello..."

Sure enough it was Holt telling me that our daughter would be arriving at LAX on April 27, 2007. She did not have the exact time of her arrival and told me to call xxxx at such and such phone number. I ran to the kitchen to opened our 'everything' drawer trying to find a pen that worked! Finally I found one that would write and jotted down the number. I thanked her over and over again hung up the phone and screamed out at the top of my lungs. I remember Lola walking in with a huge smile on her face and asked if I wanted her to go. I told her "No way! You need to stay! Don't leave me here alone... because after I finish making this next phone call you might need to help me up from the kitchen floor!"

I called xxxx to get the rest of Amanda's travel itinerary and all the information regarding who to contact once we get to California, etc. I then quickly called Soowan. I think God gave him the peace that surpasses all understanding as well that day, because I didn't have to say a word... He didn't answer his cell phone not with his normal 'Hello' but immediately saying, "When is she coming home?!?!" He just knew I got the call!

If you've made it this far in reading his post... THANK YOU! I felt the need to share the doubts and the lack of faith I had during this wait. I pray that if anyone reading this and are in a place where they are consumed in a fog of fear and doubt, where they can't see... hear... feel God's presence.... CRY OUT TO HIM! Humble yourself before Him and lay it on the altar. Give it all to Him now and allow Him to carry you through the rest of your wait, your struggle, your trial. Allow Him to give you the peace that surpasses all understanding. Meditate on the things he has already given to you during your wait.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
~Philippians 4:6-8

Soccer Tournament Round 2

Micah's soccer team lost this evening 4-0. The boys played extremely hard tonight against a very strong team. Seriously... Their weakest player had more talent than our best player. Our boys played their little hearts out and improved their defense against this team (we lost to them 8-0 in the regular season). I'm so proud of our team and how hard they worked this season! WAY TO GO SHARKS!!!!

Soccer Tournament Round 1

This evening was Micah's soccer team's first tournament game. It's a single elimination tournament. The game ended 1-1 so they went into a 5 minute overtime. After the 5 minutes were up the score was still 1-1. They were given another 5 minute overtime period and again no one scored. So then it went to a shoot out to determine the winner of the game. Five members from each team got to take a goal kick. Our opponent was up first to shoot. The first kick went strait into our goalie face (but the ball never made it into the goal!)... He was down for a bit but after our coach gave him a good pep talk he was back up and ready. The second attempt went wide left... no goal. The next 3 kickers scored.

Now it was our team's turn to take their goal kicks. We needed four goals to win! Talk about PRESSURE! Micah was first to go. He kicked the ball and the goalie caught it. But then the referee said the kick didn't count because the goalie moved before Micah kick the ball. So he got a second chance and this time made a goal up into the right of the goalie's head. Our next player was up and he scored as well. Then our third man up scored, with the ball bouncing off the inside of the right goal post. Now we're tied and only need one more to WIN! Our fourth player kicked the ball a little too wide left and no goal was made. Now it was up to our last and final kicker. His poor Mom was about to have a coronary on the sidelines. He kicked the ball good and hard to the far left and made it in! GOOOOOAAAAAALLLLL!!!!

The team was soooooo excited and they all ran out onto the field jumping and cheering. It was a great moment for our team. Our next game is on Tuesday night against the 1st place team in our league. We will definitely be the underdogs to win, but then everyone did expect the Patriots to win the Superbowl this year. You never know....

IT'S BASEBALL TIME!

Micah had his first pre-season baseball game yesterday. He has not played baseball since kindergarten and for some reason Micah really wanted to play this year. Micah started a new school in January and the baseball team he's playing on has several boys that attend his new school. This has been a wonderful opportunity for Micah to spend time with his peers outside of school and for Soowan and I to get to know some of the other parents from his school.

SHOUT TO THE LORD!!!

Did you watch American Idol Gives Back last night? Did you hear what song was sung at the end of the show? They sang the worship song, "SHOUT TO THE LORD!!!" I was floored! I love this song. When I hear this song I can't help but to burst out into to song! I always get this tug at the back of my throat, my voice begins to crack and by the end of the song I'm usually in tears. So by the time the contestants were done singing the song I was in absolute AWE!

God is moving and there is no doubt in my mind that there are believers using their talents to glorify God within Hollywood. I know there are many Christians who are critical of Fox Network thinking they are trying to 'bank in' by doing more Christian programing. I think there is some validity in that, but God is still being glorified through that greed.

Remember how Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery with the intention that he would be killed by those who bought him? Joseph was sent to Egypt out of the wickedness of his brothers. God turned their wickedness into a chariot that carried Joseph into Egypt, to gain favor of the Pharaoh and in the end became in charge of the whole land of Egypt. God used Joseph in many ways while he was in Egypt. If your not familiar with this story you can find it in Genesis 37-50.

In the end Joseph confronts his brothers and says to them, "Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned to do a bad thing to me. But God planned it for good, to make it happen that many people should be kept alive, as they are today."
Genesis 50:19-20

So even if American Idol and Fox only intended to have the contestants sing "Shout to the Lord" to get Christians to give to their cause, or to get Christians to watch more of their programing and movies, then so be it. The Lord WILL be glorified one way or another. AMEN!

Shout to the Lord, all the earth;break out in praise and sing for joy!
~Psalm 98:4

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
~Psalm 100:1

Poking Fun At Myself :0)

On Saturday Soowan was outside working on the pool for most of the later afternoon. At one point I went outside and told him he should put some sunscreen on because he was going to get sunburned. He said he'd only be out for a little bit longer and that he wasn't too worried about getting burned. Well after Soowan finished with the pool, he and Micah spent another hour and half in the back yard playing catch (baseball season is coming up). By dinnertime, Soowan's face, neck and arms were burnt to a nice lobster red. I couldn't resist the "told you so" teasing and lack of remorse I had for his pain.


Here's the funny part.... I spent 2 hours yesterday planting flowers around the pool area. I did think ahead and put on what I thought was sunscreen prior to heading outside. Instead I accidentally put on After Sun Lotion rather than actual sunscreen. So now my back, shoulders arms are completely burned. OUCH! My face didn't get burned because I had my normal face lotion with SPF 15 on. THANK GOODNESS! Needless to say Soowan had absolutely no remorse for me last night, nor this morning. I guess this is another one of those touche moments in our marriage. LOL!

I Need Some Camera Help

We are looking into purchasing a new camera. The one we have now is a Nikon Cool Pix 5600. I think we've had it for 4 years now. This camera takes great pictures outside, and the action setting takes good motion pics with out the blur. The things I don't like about this camera is that the zoom is poor and it doesn't take good indoor pictures unless everyone in the picture is standing perfectly still. With a 9 and 16 month old this is almost impossible. This is why the majority of the pictures I post are outdoor shots.

We would like to find a camera that takes good pictures both inside and out whether it's an action shot or a picture of people posing and smiling at the camera. Also we would like to find one that you can take several pictures one after another, without waiting for the camera to save the picture. That's one of my biggest biffs with the camera we currently have. I have to wait 5-10 seconds between each shot at times, before I can take another picture. Rather frustrating when I'm trying to get a picture of Micah shooting a goal in a soccer game.

Here are some pictures I took at Micah's game this past weekend. As you can see I have the camera on it's maximum zoom, and I never seem to get the shot I want. I end up with a picture of his back and the play/ball is out of the frame. I did get a decent shot of him taking a corner kick though, but that's about it.








If you have any suggestions on cameras please let me know. Soowan has been looking at this Nikon at Costco and we think this may be the camera we'll end up purchasing. Do any of you have this camera? Or can anyone suggest a similar camera within the $500 price range that you enjoy.

On a side note... Micah scored 4 goals on Saturday! YAY! His coach had to pull him and some of the other good shooters on the team out because we were already winning 8-0. To allow more goals in recreation soccer is not very sportsmanship like. Now if we put Micah on a select/club team next year (the jury is still out on this) then being ahead 8-0 is more or less acceptable. I'm not a very competitive person, but I know that's what sports are about... WINNING. I have a hard time with all the politics and bad manners of parents (and that's putting it nicely) in youth sports these days, but that's something I think I'll write about another time. This post is more about camera help and I would really love your suggestions!

Little Miss Jaws!

Amanda is 3 days shy of being 17 months old and her 2 year molars are already coming in. Poor girl is miserable. She's been hooking both of her index fingers at the same time into her mouth to gnaw down on. When doing this she either bites her finger or gags herself. I've been giving her frozen grapes and blueberries to chew on and they seem to be helping, but now her diapers have been rather stinky with all the fruit she's been eating.


Here is a picture of her with Micah's Webkin in her mouth. I'm telling you she'll chomp down on anything and everything to try and relieve the pressure of these molars coming in. Tylonol and Motrin don't seem to be helping much either. I'm hoping these molars come in quickly so she'll get some relief. My poor girl! :0(