Her name is Grandma

And it is spelled like this:

H E A V E N.

Since she lives in Germany, and we live in Korea we are literally worlds apart. But no distance is too great for our Grandma to come and visit us.

Her specialties include getting down on the floor to color with us.


Letting us help in the kitchen.


And NEVER being too tired or worn out for a bedtime story.

Her mere presence gave me the courage to venture onto the Korean Expressway on my own to get us to the flower market in Seoul.

And even made us feel brave enough to do a day at Everland.

Where we saw bears on a safari.


Had a never ending supply of 1000won to feed the birds.

Got pictures of the Everland employee uniforms.

Got to go on the Flume Ride, TWICE, because Grandma can't say "no" to these two faces.

Road on multiple roller coasters.

And got to ride the carousel THREE times in a row, because grandma has even less ability to say "no" to these two faces.

And while the picture of grandma on the flume ride will be one that we will smile at forever, it will be the little things that we remember forever. That she came when we were so, so far away. That she played with us, laughed with us, went to the park with us, came to lunch at the elementary school with us. And that she bought ALL the Yu Gi Oh cards from the BX for us.

That she was simply here.

And for me what is most significant is the fact that she hasn't forgotten what it's like to have a house full of little kids, and that she honors the challenge of it right along side me. Never once did she make me feel like what I am doing is insignificant or easy. All along the way she quietly reminded me that I am engaged in a mighty work and she is proud of me.

Thanks for coming Mom. We miss you already.

A friendship blooms.

Sometimes I think I underestimate their bond. When we are all at home and it's a long and boring afternoon, things can easily spiral downward. I hear all the threats, "You're not my best buddy anymore!," "I'll never duel with you again, EVER!," "If you let me do (fill in the blank), I'll give you a dollar." You know, my list could go on and on, and it never reflects their finest moments.

So imagine my surprise this week at the dinner table when George announced that Henry had a girlfriend. I always figured when this day came, it was definitely going to be the other way around. It would be Henry telling us that George had a girlfriend. But the biggest surprise of all was that Henry didn't exactly deny the announcement. He kind of just chuckled ( I would type giggled, but I hate to embarrass him, he is nearly 9 and 1/2).

First Major Earnest and I sort of glance at each other from across the dining room table. And then we both decide to start probing. We started asking questions, things like "Is this true?," "How do you know this George?," "Why aren't you saying anything Henry?" You know, questions, we were asking lots of them.

It boiled down to a conversation that the two of them had on their morning walk to school. And that's when it all hit me. They have a bond. They have a relationship. They walk out my door every morning at nearly 7:40 and then suddenly it's just them against the world. They only have a few meters to walk to school, and yet they converse. I never imagined it before. Somehow I figured they just annoyed each other on that walk to school. But it turns out, they turn to each other.

Henry clarified that he doesn't have a girlfriend. It's just some girl, and she went to Henry and told him that she likes him. Just like that, straight to his face. But she asked him to promise never to tell ANYONE. And he's being all chivalrous about it, and he won't utter a peep about who she is.

I said, "Is she smart? Does she do her homework?"

And Darin said, "Is she hot?" (and then laughed harder than anyone at his clever joke.)

So it looks like we've got our bases covered. Of course together we taught the boys that they won't dream of actually having a girlfriend until they are 16. They did some computations to figure out how much longer that will be. Let me just say, it's not long enough!

But the point is, when Henry needed someone to tell his story to, he told it to George, on a morning walk to school. It kind of made me wish I could go on the morning walk to school. But then at the same time it didn't. If I did, I'd be in the way of them learning to not scream at each other things like "I'll never play with you again, for the rest of your life!!"

And just like that we've gone from having a couple of toddlers who chase after waves and battle with light sabers for half the day...

To this guy, who's all busy defending the honor of some chic in the 3rd grade by not telling his mother what her name is.

Man it's kind of rough to let them grow up.

P.S. Tonight everyone got to bed late, so that means I was all grumped out. As I walked passed the boys room, George beckoned me to come in. I was all angry, so I wouldn't actually go in, I just paused at the door and said "What?!"

He says, "Remember mom? Remember when I got lost at the Korean mall?"

And I said, "No. Because you didn't get lost, I found you." (keep in mind I was being really grumpy)

He said, "No mom, I was lost. And I just stood still because I couldn't find anyone. And then all of the sudden, you came back, and you found me. And if you hadn't done that, I might still be lost there right now. So I just wanted to tell you thank you, for finding me."

And then, I nearly had to wipe a tear away from my eye. I was touched all the way down into my grumpy core.

P.P.S. I hope you know Rachel, this post was just for you! Not only did it include some time laps photos, but it also included an update about Henry. Request granted. I am nothing, if not obliging.

GOOD times.

2005

2006

2008

2009

You know, it can't be easy to follow an act like "The Birthday of Jane and Ruby", but if anybody can handle it, it is our very own Major Earnest. In all his humility and in all his devotion he makes February 21st a delight no matter what. And while he does not actually enjoy me getting all mushy on him I hope he will allow me to say that he remains the best decision I ever made, ever. So thanks for making me look so good Darin. Happy Birthday.

(the 2007 picture is missing because that's the year we came home from a quick weekend trip to Utah only to find that a water pipe had burst and caused flooding on all three levels of our home. That year is seared in the memory forever, but there were no birthday festivities to note.)

After two/three days in a row of birthday bashes (depending on what constitutes a bash. If it means treats and cake, I think we have to be honest and say we did that 3 days in a row!!) some down days were in order. I believe it was Tuesday before I got dressed again. But by Saturday (yesterday) we were ready for a change of pace. With a series of church meetings to be held up in Seoul this weekend, we made reservation for a one night hotel stay up at the Army base in Seoul. Despite the fact that the "vacation" was only going to be a one-night stay, nothing could diminish the joy of the Earnest children. And when they heard about the indoor pool (as if we don't have one of those right across the parking lot from us), George started packing on Wednesday.

Darn the traffic from Osan to Seoul, it was already 6:30pm before we reached the hotel. But with the lavish weekend buffet still in full swing, and George vowing to sample every foreign item on the buffet, the trip was started with a bang. A late night dip in the pool, followed by beds made of sleeping bags on the floor, the trip was turning out to be a success.

We made it to our church meeting right on time the next morning. And as if we planned to keep the girls up until 10pm the night before, they mercifully slept through almost the entire 2-hours, actually allowing Darin and I to sit still and listen.

After our meeting, we returned to the hotel to check-out, much to the chagrin of the Earnest children. As we sat eating our after church snacks of push-pops and Big Eds (that's what you eat after churhc, right?!), Henry dreamed of what life would be like if we had stayed at the hotel on vacation for a whole month. And the girls told me that we should come back with Grandma.

As luck would have it, one of Darin's old mission companions was on business in Seoul this weekend, so we had planned to meet up with him after church.



We picked the Korean War Memorial as an easy destination to explain to a Taxi, and we all rendezvoused. Thanks to the lovely, yet slightly smoggy afternoon, running around the War Memorial was a perfect activity.





And I'm sure you won't judge us when I tell you we picked Tony Roma's as our spot for Linner (the meal that you have when you had Push-pops and Big Eds for lunch, and yet it's too early for most people to eat dinner). Because while we debate around our dinner table on a fairly regular basis the merits of life in Korea, there does seem to be one fact that we all agree upon, and that is unfortunately (only to those who love it), we are not fans of Korean food. So when Reid suggested the Tony Roma's close to his hotel, our children's tummies rejoiced.



(I will have you know however, that the children all agree that the best part of living in Korea is their ever expanding DVD collection. The boys have no shame in stating it as the best thing about Korea. The worst thing about having moved to Korea, if you ask Henry it's the food, if you ask George and Jane, it's the smells.)

So with that, we wrap up the month of February, with all of it's birthdays and celebrations, and mini-vacations. And we look ahead to the month of March when our very own Grandma Z is coming to town, and we mark the 9-month anniversary of our arrival here. I know good things are in store for all of us.

How to turn 4 in style of course.

According to Jane and Ruby:

1. Receive birthday cards and money in the mail from Gma and Gpa Z. the day BEFORE your birthday. Spend all your money immediately, and then enjoy a dish of ice cream. This gets you in the mood for a good party the next day, on your real birthday.

2. The decorations. No regular streamers will do for these girls. Have your mom stay up WAY too late crafting fabric streamers. Much more stylish.

3. Start the party EARLY. Gives you another chance to model your sleepwear before you get dressed for the day. All early morning styles acceptable at the 7am party. No shirts required.

4. Smile and stretch simultaneously. We always wanted Mermaid Barbie, but boy is it ever early. (p.s. Thank your mom for your crown, it will come in handy all day long.)

5. Get dressed in new birthday outfits (thank your mom again that they are NOT handmade. Sometimes a good outfit from the mall is perfect.), and head out for your lunch date with dad.



6. Lunch date. Don't forget your crown, it will be good evidence that it really is your birthday when the waiters come to your table to sing. Relish the moment. This is your day to shine.

7. Don't spill too much on your new clothes. Lunch should be followed up by your first ever manicure at the Beauty Salon:

8. Matching your nails to your outfit should always be your objective when picking out nail polish color:

9. Score yourself a long afternoon playdate. But don't forget to be home in time for cake decorating and an evening dinner party.

10. Save a few presents to open after dinner. You want to feel the full impact of a day long party!

P.S. How did Grandma Lark know that we were dreaming of having these princesses that come with a prince AND a horse?! She must be a genius.

11. Never forget to say Thank You!! Everyone was so kind and generous all day long. You got so many amazing packages in the mail.

12. Go to sleep with a grin on your face, dreaming about how to turn 5 in style...

Happy Birthday to the Ladies.

They are four today, and oh boy am I feeling nostalgic...




Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Lazy Days Skirt.

Leaves you feeling neither lazy, nor dazed.

This skirt was started at 10:15 pm, and was finished at exactly 11:07 pm (I'm a runner, I love to time events). I'm only sorry the ladies aren't available to spin and twirl right at the moment.

Follow this link HERE if you have an hour to spare today. The only change I made was instead of using ribbon, I made a quick piece of bias tape. Had I used ribbon, this might possibly have been the 30-minute skirt.

I wonder who will want to wear it in the morning? All of my creations are not equally loved by both ladies. It's convenient really, but I will also let them do some of their own design, should the Kelly- green polka dot not be to their liking. Too bad shapeless, elastic waistband skirts aren't equally flattering on the 31 year-old figure, else you know what my closet would be full of, right?!

Nighty-night.

**Fashion update**

Jane picked the skirt.
Ruby explained had the polka dots been green, instead of white, then she would have liked it. Instead she insisted it's Jane's skirt, with the wrong colored polka dots and all.

Just in case you were wondering.

Twice as much fun.

Here's one reason why one computer doesn't cut it around here anymore...simultaneous Princess playing. Awesome way to spend an afternoon.

A discovery on the road today.

With a handfuls of sick children throughout this week, running has been at the bottom of the list. But today was Thursday, and everyone was healthy! So I had a morning all to myself. Due to the before mentioned blizzardy conditions, and then the slushy, melted-blizzardy conditions, my running has been mostly indoors as of late. But today the road was calling, and so I obliged. And the running was profound.

Recently I have come across a few articles about the plight of the young mother (or the mothers of young children), centering around the age old dilemma which we all supposedly encounter of wondering if we are losing our sense of identity, or being lost and forgotten amidst the travails of the task at hand. And it's not just the young mother who suffers such sensations of being lost, over the years hasn't Oprah been championing the cause for all women to "find themselves", and to put themselves first?

So while I was reading the article I was somewhat tired of the subject. I guess I don't feel all that lost to begin with, and therefore don't really understand what exactly I should be looking for. But one comment by a reader of the article particularly perplexed me. It said something along the lines of, "like many young mothers, I have taken to the common hobby of running as a form of escapism..." and then her comment continued on, to which point I do not remember. But that one line never really left me, I guess because it bothered me. I had never really viewed my running as a form of escapism. While I run, I maybe am literally escaping from my house at that particular moment, but I don't think that I had felt like I was wishing to be escaped from all that was in my house. And while the title of running is a nice one to have, I don't think it was ever my intention to possess it. Running was something I had simply found along the way. It is something I do for now. But I realize I may not always do it, and therefore would hate to tie too much of my sense of identity to simply one aspect of my life.

Rather for me I have viewed the running not as an escape, but as my strength training. God in all of his great wisdom decided eons ago to make me a Woman. And in so doing made me inevitably soft and sensitive. A nurturer. A burden lifter. A listener (okay, and a talker, I don't deny it). A multi-tasker. Someone who naturally thinks of others, often before herself. Those are things that women naturally do. And when I decided to become a mother, all of those innate traits suddenly had the most profound way of being implemented. But to do all of those things 24 hours a day, 7 days of a week is never going to be easy. And it requires strength. And therefore, I have to strength train.

With every step I take on my run, I am strengthening my muscles to be able to lift more burdens. I am teaching my lungs to breath deeply and efficiently. With that skill, when my kids want to race me from the elevator to the front door for the 400th time since moving here, I can do so easily, and they derive joy out of the game, which in turn makes me happy that they are happy. With the running I gain insight and peace, which translates into patience and love at home. Because someone is always about to cry around here, and my name is usually the first name called to sooth and make better. But I can, and I do. The running teaches me endurance and stamina, because I don't really foresee the day when my skills of wiping tears away will not be needed by someone. To learn to run a little bit further, a little bit faster helps me train for the days which feel never ending and all together too hard. But I know I can finish them. The run always ends eventually. The running is like depositing money into the bank and saving it for a rainy day. The strength is deposited and ready to be called upon when it is needed, because you never know when someone is going to need to be carried instead of being able to walk for themselves.

But to run to escape? How could it be? Every trail that I choose, ever path that I take, every course that I invent, eventually leads me right back to my home. And the metaphor of that never eludes me.

The title that occurred to me today, is that I am His. I belong to Him. And ultimately that is the only title that matters. We all want to have a purpose. We all want to feel like we belong. But in realizing that I am His, I also get to know where I belong, which is basically all I wanted to know in the first place.

That my days are often filled with mundane tasks; That I do not relish the role of sock matcher, or meal planner, or taxi car driver, or master finder; are all true facts. But that I am trying to give my children a very clear and undeniable knowledge that they belong to me, that they are not in the least bit lost, because I am RIGHT HERE, is truly an edified employment. Until they are old enough to know and understand for themselves that they too are His, I need to make sure that they know that they are mine, and that I give to them that same warm and satisfying feeling of belonging, just as I receive from my Father in Heaven. That is my journey. That is my job. That is my title. And I hope that it is enough.

And that's what I discovered on the road today.

Baby love.

There are no more babies in this house. But these little shoes almost make me wish that there were....(just kidding Darin!)

Or maybe I just wish to have a house full of adorable baby shoes... This tutorial has been bookmarked for far too long. When I saw my sister-in-law Valeria making some, I decided it was time to try some for myself. Nothing is perfect the first time around, but these are slightly heart breaking, are they not?!

Is it okay that I hope that a little piece of Heaven is full of buttons? I thoroughly enjoyed my day off on Super Bowl Monday. Thank you so much Darin.