10 months and counting

The Letts have now been in Korea for little over 10 months...leaving us with two more months in our one year contract! Taylor and I have been exploring options and praying for the year to follow, but are fairly certain that Korea is where we will be for at least another year. Our time here has been a roller coaster of emotions. I must admit that for the first six months, I could think of nothing but leaving and heading home after our year contract was fulfilled... but then my heart softened towards Korea and now I am excited about staying. Taylor was fairly constant throughout. Sure, there were times he wanted to stranggle his disrespectful middles schoolers, but all in all, things are looking up. Next year, Lord willing we stay, we will be moved (by Taylor's school) to an anpartment in Masan/Changwon. This is BIG news becuase Changwon is a Large city... not just a town, which quite frankly would be a step up from Yeongsan! I love our apartment though and so with the convenience and community that would come with Changwon living, we will be losing the large floor plan and the opportunity to host large crowds. I will also be losing my little plot of land right outside our apartment... so while I didn't get much out of the little garden patch this year due to late planting, I was kind of bummed knowing I wouldn't be able to go for round two. Luckily, pots are readily available and so I will attempt a little potted garden. Who knows, maybe we will luck out and get a top floor apartment with easy access to the roof! :) So for now, the Letts are waiting upon a contract and upon the Lord to work out all things for His GLORY and our good... Thankful for a God who cares and provides.

In most recent news, we got.... drum roll please.... an OVEN!!!!!!!! Taylor bought me an oven for Christmas! WHAT A GUY! I was totally floored, in complete shock! Here's the play by play:
I had asked Taylor if he could come home on his lunch break on Friday to bring me a few groceries for last minute goodies for our us and our Christmas guests. (I'll go into detail about that later) Like the great guy that he is, he agreed to it.... plus there were leftover tacos in the fridge... I might have used that in the conversation as a lure. ;) Anyways, upon arrival, he hollered from behind the front door to go to the bedroom and close the door. So, I excitedly obeyed! Corin made a comical exit from his room as he started trying to guess what daddy had in his hands... let's just say that our doors and walls are not sound proof. Of course, being a three year old, he was not really sure what it was, so he just proceeded in asking Taylor what he had. Taylor sent him to his room, just in case he realized the contents before I had a chance to see it, and soon he was leading me from our bedroom by the hand as I covered my eyes. We walked into our office as I anticipated the words" You can open your eyes." Honestly, I think I was expecting a Christmas tree... we hadn't yet bought one and or chopped on down, so Iwas thinking maybe he found one on a good deal at the store while getting groceries. So as I opened my eyes, I was started to see no tree. Then my eyes landed on the box. No WAY. It was an oven. Mind you ovens are not the same size in Korea... they are like oversized toaster ovens... but I could not believe there was one sitting in front of me. My mouth hung open and I started to tear up. Yes, I cried. I couldn't get any words out. I was in total shock. Taylor was eager to get my responce and asked if I liked it. I turned to him, eyes still full of tears and just hugged him. Words were not coming. I thought for a moment I had said something out loud but as I hugged Taylor I recognized that lump in my throat. After I let go of Taylor, mostly so he could breathe, I squealed with excitement... There we go... it kicked in! I was so stinking elated!!!! I began the recipe hunt the moment the door closed after Taylor left to go back to work! ;) And so, the story of the new addition to our family.

Now, back to the Christmas guests. Taylor and I decided that we didn't want to drive into Busan for the Church overnight Christmas event, mostly because I like my sleep and because there is just something about opening presents at home on Christmas morning with your own homemade goodies. So... we invited some singles. We thought they might be a little more likely to want company on Christmas. We got two takers. Anthony and Elizabeth joined us for Christmas Eve and then shared Christmas morning with us as well. Liz and I exchanged gifts and Taylor and Anthony exchanged gifts. It was fun having a slightly larger crowd than just the three of us. I was kind of gloomy thinking of Christmas on our own. I think having Anthony and Elizabeth took a bit of the sting out of missing family, hopefully it did the same for them. So for a recap of our Christmas: Eating, talking, movie, eating, sleeping (until 7:30!!! Thanks for that Christmas present Corin!), eating, opening of presents, eating and then relaxation!!!!!! Oh and some Skype calls here and there in the mix! :) For a Christmas away from Friends and family, it wasn't too shabby. Like the good photographer I am, I took absolutely no pictures of our Christmas. Sorry, but I prefer to be there rather than have to look at the pictures to decipher just what happened when I wasn't watching. Call me selfish if you must, but that is how I roll on Birthdays and Christmas.

A Big thanks to Anthony and Elizabeth for being such great guests and for our great gifts!

A HUGE thank you to God, our Father, who sent His Son to come in the humble form of a helpless infant. Thank You Jesus for living a life we can glean from and for Your submission to God's plan. Thank You Lord, for dying for our sins... for raising from the grave to conquer death once and for all... for leaving Your Spirit in Your stead. Thank You for Salvation through merely believing in Your TRUTH. Thank You.
Amen.
LL

Cold, with a chance of flurries.

December is here. With December comes some drastic drops in the temperature. Winter is upon us and just yesterday we awoke to snow on the ground! :) Perhaps we have a chance at a white Christmas?! The house is chilly during the day, but we get things toasty at night with the floor heaters... amazing invention, floor heaters. (If we ever build our own home... I might have to request them!)
things have been pretty dull around here since Thanksgiving came and went. Corin and I spend most if not all our time indoors during the week. I am a wimp when it comes to cold weather... let's just get that out there and over with. A WIMP!! So, Corin and I had read and re-read his little shelf of books, passed time by doing alphabet flash cards, and coloring is up there on the list too. My desire to bake has since died down after two weeks of baking in preparation for TG. Corin is still a little zombie when it comes to legos, and it gives me a chance to "clean" and or relax with a cup of coffee.
Taylor has been practicing his new acoustic guitar and is sounding pretty darn good! I am impressed, but then I have never had much patience in learning a new skill. :) Taylor's last day of school is on December 24th... yes Christmas Eve, but then he is done for at least a few weeks... well done in the classroom. We are still unsure of what his "break" schedule is. During the summer he had to teach English camps, so we will see if those are in his wintery future as well.
As I look for new recipes to spice up our monthly menu, I am slapped in the face by "12 days of Cookies", "Holiday Baking ideas" and " Christmas Candy ideas." Luckily, most of the canies are stove top... but I mean come on... give an ovenless girl a break! Right?! One suprising fact I learned today is that my link was sent to one of my South Korean comrads by her friend in the States! Woohoo! Ovenlesschef is making the rounds! My largest number of blog viewings came just two days before Thanksgiving...no shocker there, but I am sooo excited that my efforts in converting beloved oven food to ovenless food is paying off and I am able to pass those recipes along to others in my situation! :) Makes my heart happy.
Corin is growing like a weed. This past weekend, he drew... for th first time, a full person. Complete with head, body, arms, legs and of course, a belly button! :) So proud of my little artist. Another area I am proud of him in... he is potty trained! Woohoo! That's right, he pees and poops in the toilet with no help or inciting. (Although the fact that he gets two little pieces of candy each time he poops in the potty probably helps!) I know I know... for those without kids, this is of little concern for you... but when we get back, and if you babysit Cor, you will be joyous over this news! ;)
Taylor and I are scheduled to go on our second annual datenight in a couple weeks! :) The last time we had a sitter was in June for our FOURTH anniversary. I still can't believe Taylor and I have been married for four and a half years now. Crazy. Anyways, we are excited for a night out! :)
So with December comes contracts. Still praying about where we will be and waiting upon the Lord... but as of yet, we are undecided as to whether we will stay or come back to Texas. So, there you have it. The Lett life update. As soon as we know, you will know! ;)

Trusting in the Lord... "for He is Good, His love endured forever."
LL

Corin the Entertainer

Corin is typically reserved in large crowds, but not so much this weekend. He was definitely the center of attention and got the most laughs too!

Shortly after sitting down with our piled plates of Thanksgiving goodness, we were treated to the serenading musical arrangements of Corin Spencer Lett. Apparently he felt comfortable enough to sing in front of everyone... even though I can't bribe him into singing for Grandmas and Grandpas on Skype... I even offer up candy! Anyways, Corin began singing the itsy bitsy spider and mid-way through pauses to request "everyone, sing wif me!" So, soon my livingroom was filled with adults singing the itsy bitsy spider while giggling at my adorable child. Yes, I was prideful at that moment... I will not deny it!

After the song was finished, Corin made his way through his typical playlist. Twinkle Twinkle, Jesus Loves me, My God is so Big, Father Abraham and a few others were the main source of entertainment as Corin begged the crowd to join in mid-song! It was so stinking cute. One of the gals was in tears she was laughing so hard. It was great. I love Corin. He makes my heart Happy! :) Thanks be to God for a son tha makes my heart smile!

Amen.
LL

Thanksgiving Abroad

Well, we survived our first BIG Holiday abroad. Sure, birthdays were slightly blah without family around, but Thanksgiving... I mean come on.
Well, to lessen the blow of "celebrating" the holiday without the warm oven lovin of our friends and family back home, we decided to invite several of our friends we've made here in Korea. It was a great feast! Taylor and I provided homemade chicken and noodles, cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin bread, and fried apple pie. The rest was provided by the guests! And boy did we have a bounty of food, even the single guys impressed with their homemade sides!
I was thankful that I had started preparations a week and a half in advance, making a different freezable portion of the meal each day or so leading up to the weekend of. It was a busy couple of weeks, but saved me the stress and agrivation of cooking all day the day of. So Saturday we started the day with steamed cinnamon rolls and caramel coffee sauce... Um, yah, not a low calorie Thanksgiving! haha! It was a great morning of relaxing and enjoying the company of those who came out early, the night before! We slowly made our way to one of the local towns to get last minute ingredients and then snacked our way to Thanksgiving dinner, which we had around 2:30 after most everyone had arrived! It was SOOOO yummy, and heart-warming to see such a great group of foreigners fill our house to make it feel homey for the Holidays! So good in fact, that we plan to have a New years bash as well! :) The rest of the afternoon was spent trying to roll ourselves from one place to the next while playing games, laughing, snacking on leftovers that we shouldn't have, and anticipating dessert! As the sun began to set, the smell of Fried pie crust filled the house and soon, the yummy pie filled our bellies. At this point, our home was now filled with the sounds of people grunting as they did... well... just about anything! haha! Oh the Thanksgiving grunts! That is when you know you have eaten well!
Soon friends were packing up and heading out. A few stayed behind for a mini sleep over at the Lett house and it did not take long before everyone was passed out after a long day of eating, laughing with and at Corin as he entertained us with his musical skills and screaming, and more eating. Life is good. God is GREAT! WE feel so blessed to have been able to host the meal in a house and with the resourses HE provided to us! Not to mention the friends He so lovingly brought into our lives! SO Blessed.

Now to backtrack just a tad... I will expand upon the Corin remarks.
Friday night a few of our guests came out early. (I say early as in they came Friday instead of Saturday, not that they came out early in the day... in fact, no one arrived before 8:30pm that night.) The first set of friends got here around 8:30 and we were able to pick them up from the bus station. Corin was super excited as he had been anticipating the arrival of friends all day! So... we let him stay up past his bedtime to greet them from the backseat of the Accent! :) After 30 minutes of playing and "catching" up with the Boys, Corin was in need of sleep and I was not sure he'd make it to the next arrival, which was set for a little past 9:30. So off to bed he went. Well, after our next set of friends arrived, we sat up and talked for hours before deciding to go to sleep. We typically let Corin fall asleep on our bed when we go to Hotels and then move him to a pallet on the floor and take over the bed ourselves... so we decided to do the same his evening for the sake of one of our friends who would have otherwise had to sleep on the floor. So, Taylor moved Corin to a badded warm part of the floor and Liz took over the littel twin bed. No problems.... until the next morning. 5:15am rolled around far too soon for us all as we heard the blood curdling scream of Corin and then the sound of him racing out of his room and into ours. As Liz recapped the story for us over coffe later that morning, we were enlightened as to the details.

5:15am
Corin wakes up. Walks to his bed. Pulls blanket back to find Miss Ewizabef. Miss Ewizabef says hi. Corin says hi. Corin asks Miss Ewizabef what she is doing. Miss Ewizabef replies, "I am sleeping, would you like to lay down with me?" Corin replies, "Yes I would." Corin lies down on floor next to the bed and goes quiet. Miss Ewizabef assumes he is asleep. Corin bolts up to sitting position, cranks head around to get a good hard look at Miss Ewizabeth. Corin widens eyes. Corin screams. Miss Ewizabef sits up in shock. Not able to form words before Corin bolts for the door, she watched as he races out of the room, closing the door behind him.
5:20ish am
Corin enters parents' bedroom. Tears rolling down his cheeks, he pulls daddy's side of the covers back, climbs into bed and immediately falls asleep.
7:20am
Corin approaches his bedroom door. Opens and walks in. Says hello to Miss Ewizabef as if nothing ever happened.

The end.

LL

Autumn Outings

Fall is in full swing here on the penninsula of Korea. The colors are peaking and the weather is mighty chilly. The winter coast have been brought out once or twice already and the floor heaters are definitly earning thier keep! As the holidays approach, I am stocking the freezer with various forms of quick breads, ready to pull out and take or serve at a moments notice. Chili has become a staple meal in our menu, and hot teas are my comfort drink of choice. Apples are finally a reasonable price as they round out the season here and I am full up on persimmons! We have been gifted two bags of the bright orange fruit so far, and in less than a week's time frame. I am trying out various recipes that use up the unique fruit. It looks like a tomato, is crisp like an apple, and has a suttle sweet flavor. Koreans do not eat the skin, but we have been, and we are still alive, so I guess it is just a preference thing. So far, persimmon bread and smoothies have been the faves... of course they are good cut up raw too.

The past ten days we have had another house guest. This time it was one of Taylor's buddies from Dallas, who was eager to try any and all food and partake in the experiences. The first weekend, much like with mom and dad, we spent time in Busan just taking in the sites. We hit up an ocean front temple, took in the sites of Gwangalli beach and Gwangan Bridge, ate lots of food, and of course... introduced Tommy to the Korean love motels. During the week, he would go off on mini day trips and come back for food at a local diner. The most interesting meal would hands down have to be... FOR THOSE WITH WEAK STOMACHS PLEASE AVERT YOUR EYES AND BEGIN READING AT THE NEXT PARAGRAPH BREAK... like I was saying, most interesting meal was hands down dog soup. That's right. We ate dog meat. And you know what, it was tasty. It was similar to eating a roast, only with a slightly more chewy texture. Not rubbery though, just chewier, and it had a bit of a gamey taste. I would liken it to rabbit, only a more beefy flavor. Anyways, it was good. Corin enjoyed it too, other than the fact that the broth it was cooked in was pretty spicy. The funny part about eating the soup was that the restaurant owner had a pet dog tied up out back and it was whimpering and whining throughout the meal. Corin tried talking to the dog out the window as we sat at the table "chow"ing down on his friend. It was a rather hilarious situation. Of course went through a short phase of making jokes about how different dogs looked like they would make for good or bad meals based on appearances. So... now Taylor and I can say we have eaten dog. Of course Taylor then did a little info digging and found out the city just 10 minutes north of us is recorded to be one of the first places to consume dog meat in Korea. Go figure... we live in the redneck part of Korea. ;)

All in all, we have had a pretty fun time so far this Fall. I am eager to hit the last few places on my travel to do list before heading home in February. Since there are really only about two more cities, it should be fairly easy. :) Taylor got a Korean made, acoustic guitar and continues to improve his skills. Corin sings away the day, he has a pretty good voice too! I have been baking and attempting to decorate the home. All in all the Letts are doing well. No major sickness thus far other than the KFC scare the other night. Taylor and COrin had a "snack" at the KFC in Changwon when we "went into the city" one night last week and ended up with some minor stomach issues. Corin woke up in at 12:30 at night, screaming and clenching his stomach and back. It concerned us just a little bit, so we gave it a few minutes to see if he was just having a nightmare and after the screaming worsened and we had been able to get him talking, we bundled up for a quick trip to the E.R. Corin, still screaming was hunched over in my lap and I was trying my best to comfort him as well as trying to message his belly... I was convinced he had some BAD GAS.... while Taylor drove quickly, but safely to the loacl hospital. We got there. No lights on. Hmmm. I got out, ran to the door. Locked. Hmmm. I ran back to the car and we tried calling Taylor's co-teacher... at what was now 1am... with no luck. So, we turned around and were headed home. We decided to just call 119 which is ,as you might have guessed, 911 in the States. Just as Taylor was about to press the dial button, Corin let one rip and immediately fell asleep in my arms. Taylor and I had been praying and we left Tommy at home who was in prayer. God answered our prayers. And just in time too. So, we pulled up, took Corin in and Taylor laid down with him for a couple hours to make sure he was okay. The next day was a stinky day in the Lett house as the KFC worked it's wonder on the boys. I think we will be avoiding Mr. Sanders for a while. :) On that note, I will sign off!
LL

Fall is here!

I can't believe we are 3/4 done with our year here in Korea. The leaves outside are starting to change. There are patches of reds, yellows and purple in the piney mountain-sides of Korea. The drive to and from Busan overloads my mind with desires to stop smack dab in the middle of the highway and take a picture. Trust me... I have contemplated asking Taylor several times when there was a shoulder... but alas, I just take mental note of the scene and settle on taking local leafy pics instead. So... I am hoping to get some fall pics up soon, so that all can enjoy. I have also been encouraged to make a couple video clips of life in Korea... so keep an eye out for that as well. (Not so sure they will be all that great, I am not gifted with motion films!)

Wednesday, Taylor left for Seoul on a school field trip with the grade level giving him the most problems. To say the least, he was not excited to be going to a theme park with them anymore than I was excited to be home alone for three days... but turning down the principal's invite was not really an option. :( Corin and I have been taking walks, playing on the playground, collecting leaves, and watching the farmers gather their rice crops. The combines they use are TINY! I suppose growing up in a farming community in Indiana and riding in my grandpa's HUGE combine spoiled me into thinking all farm equiptment must be the same. Farming has a competely differnt face here. As Corin and I walk down the narrow road leading out behind our apartment, we walk past houses on one side and fields on the other. Each field is maybe 1/2 an acre and is separated from the next field by a concrete barrier or a wall of packed dirt. The rows are raised with small ditches or canals in between. The onions, and garlic are all planted by hand after the farmers have plowed, fertilized, smoothed out the soil. Walk behind tillers are used to create the canals and then the little old women work their magic. In some areas, you will find 20-30 people in the field planting... here, only about 8. Planting each garlic and onion bulb by hand. the women get the raw end of the deal in this case. Now don't get me wrong, I am not sawing women shouldn't be out in the fields... or that we are not cut out for outdoor work. I am not saying they should be in the kitchen or anything of the sort. My only concern is the end result. I have witnessed multiple older women who can not stand with out the aide of a cane or walker holding them above a 45 degree angle. They are literally crippled into this disformed shape due to a lifetime of bending over in the fields and in the home.... trust me, I use the Korean broom... it is torture. now in contrast, they can squat into a frog style sitting position with ease and can stand from that position without trouble.... even at 80. The older women here have some flexible hips and knees due to the "traditional" Korean sitting position. (I have witnessed Corin using the same pose as he plays with his toys... funny how we can pick up on others' habits.) As I watched through the spring and summer, I noticed that ALL crops were planted by hand and other than rice, were harvested by hand as well. It was interesting to see literal bus loads of people swarm from one field to the next during summer harvesting and then load up in the buses at the end of the day. The fields are constanly full of one crop or another. There is no down time. Mounds of manure with plastic covers sit near most fields or barns and is the main fertilizing staple. A field is usually harvested and within a few short days, replanted! I am amazed also at the use of space here. If there is a space for planting food, it is occupied with home gardens, left over seedlings, or fruit trees. Persimmons are everywhere and are such a gorgeous vibrant orange. The fruits are starting to fall off the trees and soon the store shelves and market streets will be filled with the deep orange globes. They look like tomatoes, if you've never seen one, and feel like a tomato too. As soon as I get a hold of a few models, I will be sure to post pictures for your viewing pleasure. Pumpkin vines are everywhere and pupmkins lie alongside the road, near houses, and even on roof overhangs. :) Fall flowers are in full swing... cosmos, merigolds, and other varieties line the roadsides as a welcoming change of roadside scenery. I know some cities back home plant flowers in medians and town centers, but here, even the highways have roadside blossoms! They take pride in making the roads a beautiful place to travel on.

This weekend we will be getting a taste of Korean fireworks at a yearly festival in Busan and the following weekend will partake in a culturally diverse festival our church is participating in. I am excited! :) I love seeing traditional performances and various foods and products. I will plan to udate with details and pictures after that! So have a safe October and enjoy the weather!
LL

Annyeonghaseyo.

Just wanted to pop in and say hello. We are getting excited as our first visitors are about to arrive on Thursday! My mom and dad are gonna fly allllll the way over here to come see us! Yahoo! Of course... I have NO IDEA (wink) why they chose the 10 day span surrounding Corin's third birthday?! We are excited to be able to have them here in our spacious home as we celebrate Cor's special day.
Corin and I are still working hard on this potty training business. Corin still refuses to poop in the toilet, but he's got the pee and flush routine down. Only a few dribble accidents here and there. The upside to Corin not wanting to poop in the toilet, is that he at least asks me to put a diaper on him when he has to go.... at least most of the time. Yesterday we were working in the garden and he was really getting into using the shovel and then I suppose he thought the garden could use some fertilizing... YUCK. Just as well I suppose. He was headed to the bathtub after getting muddy, so I guess it was better timing than I had thought at the moment.
Our garden has been flowering and then... well, we are waiting to see what happens next. I had to pull up all our canteloupe plants. They all dried up and began to decay... just as there were two melons about the size of my fist... poor melons, poor us. So, no canteloupe crop, but we still have hopes for the watermelons. (fingers crossed) Our jalapenos have been flowering and there is a little bitty pepper on one of the plants! woohoo! I really just wanted a garden for jalapenos anyways.. and cilantro. The herbs are doing well. I have already dried a couple bunches of Parsley and the basil is growing like crazy! Taylor and I enjoy fresh cilantro on our tacos too!
I have been reading Jane Austen's Persuasion as of late and am enjoying the humor extremely! I love to imagine myself as the narrotor, simply soaking in the hilariousness of this family and the awkward relationships within. Up next, Pride and Prejudice. Taylor and I have taken a break from our usual routine of a movie or television show each night and traded it for good old fashion reading. Good trade I'd say. Good trade.
Corin now thinks every book to be the Bible that does not have pictures in the text. He cracks me up. We are chugging along with our new Bible study program, in which he learns a new story of the Bible and a memory verse each week. We started in mid-August and I can already see the fruits of my labors! Corin now has 7 verses completely memorized and has a pretty good understanding the first half of Genesis. Of course, I used his lego men to recreate the stories for him, so now when he plays with them alone, I hear him saying things like "No Adam, that's bad, you disobeyed God" or "Eve, don't eat that!" Or "Jacob lied to his daddy... that's bad Jacob." Haha. Makes me smile inside and out.
If you are interested in the program we are following, or any of the websites I use for printouts, just shoot me an email and I would be more than happy to send along those links! :) (Just put "Bible links" as the header so I don't delete you on accident!)
Annyeonhigaseyo!
LL
lindseylett@yahoo.com

On the downhill slope.

With almost 7 months under our belts, we have only 5 left to go! Sweet! We have had a great time in Korea and are looking forward to how the Lord will round out our year here. God has been doing some great things, but in ways we were not expecting. It just goes to show... "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21. When we first moved here, I was disappointed with our placement in a small farm town away from the city we had asked for. BUT... God had bigger plans for this little town. I was disappointed when NO ONE spoke English in our community... BUT...Turns out, God had big plans for the little people here. I was disappointed when NO kids were home during the daytime for Corin to play with... BUT, God had yet more plans to use me in entertaining and educating him during that time. Funny how God works in contradiction to our worldly desires...

Being in a small town has had a HUGE impact on our marriage. Without the distractions of the big city nightlife, we stay home everynight and spend time with one another. We are our only source of entertainment. Most nights we watcha movie or tv shows together as well as talk about our day. It has been nice to get to know one another once again. It seemed like the year leading up to Korea just slowly tore us apart. But... God had BIG plans for our SMALL town, and for that, I am very thankful for our remote placement. I am also looking forward to the continued growth in our marriage throughout the next 5 months to build a strong foundation when we come back to the busier life in the States.

While I cannot boast of any relationships built between myself and any of the women here in the complex... I can say that I have a fan club amongst the kiddos. Corin and I enjoy playing at the playground in the evenings and typically have the opportunity to talk to several of the local kids. The girls are especially interested in trying out their English skills on me and I am eager to talk with them. They are constantly trying to teach me new words, share their snacks, and complement me on my attire. (I should mention that it is usually t-shirt and jeans/shorts...hehe.)So, the small people in this small town are eager to communicate with me and so for that, I am thankful! One story relating to that...
Corin and I were playing on the playground one evening when a little boy starting saying "Oh my God." He kept repeating it and soon the whole merry-go-round was echoing those words. I grabbed the bar and stopped it from spinning. Then I looked at them very seriously and said "Please don't say that anymore" as I shook my head no. They all understood and soon after, one of the girls caught herself saying it again. The problem is, I was not sure they understood what they were really saying. I am constantly hearing Korean kids say this phrase. I think it is due to American movies having this phrase so prominantly and consistantly laced throughout the dialog. It is one of those phrases that they pick up so easily from watching the films. So... since I had the little girl that speaks really good english there to translate, I asked them to sit down and had her translate for me. She was eager to help and as soon as I explained it to her... she paused and stared at me as if in shock. Then she turned to the other kids and explained that saying "oh my God" was like swearing to Budda. That they were taking my God's name in vein. They all had the same reaction as they covered their mouths and widened their eyes. They all said they were sorry before running off to play. I have only heard that phrase one more time since then and it was a boy who caught himself midway through and then gave me a look as if to say he was sorry. I am glad they understand now... Hopefully they will call others out on it when they hear friends using the phrase.

As far as playdates go... we have none. ALL the kids Corin's age go to daycares. It is a status thing here and everyone tries to live up to that social expectation. So, while there are moms that stay home during the day, they are not raising their children at home. Sad. But... God has given me the opportunity to teach Corin scripture and share Bible stories with him during that time. I have been using an online pre-school Bible program and he is doing really well! It is great for both of us as we memorize scripture together."God's word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Him." Psalm 119:11 (slightly modified for Corin's understanding!) Of course we also learn the usual shapes, colors, numbers and letters... but I find the Bible program more rewarding. :) Glad I get to share this year of learning with Corin... it is such a growing experience for both of us! I cannot claim success and consistancy everyday, but on the whole, I would say we are doing pretty good!

Well, just letting you know how God has worked against our plans to meet our desires! It is great to see how God works in retrospect... since it can be hard to see what He is doing as it happens! We are in GOOD hands!
LL

Lasting memories!

We awoke to the sound of rain trickling down the screens of the open windows, rather than the usual scorching rays of the sun. The air was warm and damp as we srtuggled to maintain conciousness. As our minds began to defog themsleves, we arose to start the day. We had packed the night before and so now it was time to rinse ourselves off and load up the car... roadtrip time! After shoveling our bags into the car, we buckled up and headed to our friends home to pick them up as they would be joining us for an unforgettable adventure. We were not confidently sure of how to reach thier place, but we knew the general direction and so off we went. After a slight detour, we managed to steer ourselves in the correct direction and made it there intact. (Korean drivers are a bit... um... SCARY!) We popped in, had a cup of coffee, and some pastries for our pre-trip breakfast. Next we stocked to cooler, neatly packed the car, and the five of us loaded into the little hatchback Accent! The girls and Corin dominated the backseat as the guys navigated us through the "rough terrain" of Korean highways! Not long after noon we found ourselves in the scenic, Jiri-san National Park. Upon arrival, we were greeted by some rather chilly gusts of rain soaked wind. It was not what we were hoping for as we thought back to our tents we intended to use. With the rain now pouring, we settled down at a covered picnic table and ate our homemade lunches. It was rather fun to each a tastey salad out of a ziplock bag with chopsticks. It amazes me how I don't really miss the handy dandy fork anymore. After gobbling down the feast Melody had prepared, we washed it down with a few homemade chocolate cookies... again thanks to Mel... and were ready to search out dry sleeping quarters. Once piled back into the car, we cruised the roads nearby in hopes of an affordable motel. We decided to find a min-bak instead. A min-bak is basically a large "common room" where you build a pallet on the floor, and the whole crew (usually 4-8) people can have a cozy little slumber party and split the cost of a room. There is also an attached bathroom and adjustable heating for the floor. After sending Kyle in and out of the rain a few times, we finally found a min-bak that fit our budget and our space requirements! The rain was now coming down at a steady pace and in large quantities. We set out beds and began to wind down for the night when sirens began going off nearby. As the sirens blared, an announcement began repeating information over and over... Of course none of us understood what the lady was saying over the loud speaker, but we were pretty sure it had something to do with the amount of rain we'd recieved and the fact that we were the ONLY people occupying a room that night! haha! With nowhere to go, and the bill pre-paid, we decided to shrug it off and worry about it in the morning. Not long after sleep took over our thoughts, the siren and announcements blared again. It was now about 2 in the morning and the echos of rushing water filled the room. I tried to peek outside to catch a glimse of the river that ran along the side of the building about 20 yards away. There was not enough light though, and so I laid back down to be swept away by sleep. At 4am, I awoke to the sirens and announcement yet again. Still to dark to see anything, I relied on my sense of hearing to determine the situation concerning this raging river. I figured if we were in danger, the owner of the min-bak would come notify us... it would not look good on his part to let 5 waegooks die on his turf, right?! Anyways, back to sleep on the hard floor only to wake to the 6am morning call... I mean sirens. This time I was just plain annoyed. I just wanted to sleep. It was lighter out now and so I peeked out at the river. It was rushing and raging down it's little gully... which now looked smaller than it had yesterday in light of the heavy rainfall. The river had risen several feet and was now spitting water onto the banks as it crashed into the boulders that littered it's path. The rain had let up a bit and was now down to a mere drizzle. The crew woke up slowly and ate breakfast, drank "go juice" and began our day. The boys packed up the car and soon we were on a mission to find the owner so we could check out and hit the road. We ended up leaving the key and taking off after finding no signs of life... (makes you wonder if they took the hint from the announcements and left us to fend for ourselves!) Haha! I imagine they were still sleeping though considering Korea is called the land of the morning calm. (A.k.a. they like to sleep in!) After a bit of discussion and tourist map research, the men decided to attempt the drive-through section of the park. We were hopeful that the weather would clear up by the time we found the scenic road. As we officially entered Jiri-san National Park, we found a temple to walk around. Taylor and I had yet to visit a traditional Korean Temple and this seemed just as good as any to explore. The sun began to peek out from behind the clouds and patches of blue sky emerged in the distance. Certain we would be enjoying those blue skies shortly, we slowly made our way through the temple grounds and back to the car. We then began the climb up the mountain to the top where we would drive along along the ridge to see some amazing views... or so we thought! Soon after starting the trek in our little white car, the air around us became thick and white as well. WE were in HEAVY fog that didn't appear to be lifting anytime soon. With 20 feet of visibility, the drive was little less than scenic. The views were... well, non-existant. We make it to the top of the first ridge and stopped at the little scenic overlook to grab a snapshot of us by the binocular viewers. Unfortunately, those were the only things we COULD see! We did manage to pick up a few keepsakes at the souvenier shop and then ate lunch in the car before continuing on in the "cloud."
Soon we came across a waterfall and hopped out to catch a peek. It was just off the main road and as soon as we got within viewing distance, we pretty much got drenched by the spray shooting up off the rushing downpour of water. Pictures were a little tricky and almost not worth the effort of keeping the lens dry. Soon we were out of the fog and got to see some pretty amazing mountain views. The clouds of fog whisped through the mountain valleys and hugged the peaks, constantly shifting with the wind. It was hard to resist staying in one place and taking multiple shots of the same mountainside as the scene changed dramatically every two minutes. Finally, Melody and I were "summoned" via honking back into the car and we were off to see another waterfall. The last one was not too impressive and so we hoped to find a slightly more jaw-dropping display of God's creation. We found it. The next waterfall had an actual parking lot and wooden walkway with multiple sets of stairs that wound down to the hidden treasure of a waterfall. The water was insane! It rushed down the mountainside with such an incredible force. It was actually pretty scary to think of the power behind that water. There was a bridge draped across the gully which sent a rush of adrenaline through your veins as you crossed to the other side. The water raged underneath you as the mist swept sidewades across your body in the open air above the waters. Once on the other side, a metal frame satirway led you upward towards the mouth of the falls. It was such a breathtaking view to behold as my legs shook on the climb to the top. The water just gripped you with fear as your mind cycled through all the ways it could easily consume you. Each step was carefully planned and executed as we moved along the edge of the blouder atop the stairs. Each step Corin took had me clenching my jaw and widening my eyes! Soon we had our fill of picture taking and made our way back to the wooden staircase. Melody and I could now joke about our shakey legs as we made our way back to the car. Once we all buckled up, we headed off to Namhae, a "small" island off the southern coast. I say small in that it does not look all that big on a map, but once you start driving around it, the time can pass slower than expected. After a couple of random roads spitting us out into steel factories and such, we made our way across the bridge to Namhae! The sun was now beginning to set and we wanted to get to our campsite so we could set up the tents and relax as we watch the sun set behind the neighboring mountain ridges as the light reflected on the ocean waters. Soon after, we did just that. After dinner, we enjoyed a nice long chat as the the waves routinely washed ashore. The sound of lapping waves was so peaceful and soon we were in our tents and fast asleep. The next morning I woke up to the sound of the zipper on our tent "door." Taylor had set out early to reap the harvest the ocean had swept in through the night. Soon after, Corin woke up and was ready to hit the ground running... so we joined Tay on the beach in search of treasure. The beach was pretty nasty to my surprise. There was layer upon layer of seaweed doning the shore which hade been shining sand the day before. Trash, styrofoam, shoes and glass was tangled amongst the green globs and just covered the beach like a quilt of sheer nastiness. I was hesitant to walk amidst the "ocean's vomit," but I had never really gone seashell hunting before and I was eager to seize the opportunity after seeing Taylor's bounty! Corin stayed with dad as he investigated the pile of treasure, while I combed the beach for more trinkets. Soon we headed back up to camp to take pride in our harvest and show them off to Kyle and Melody. Soon after setting up for breakfast, little old Korean women began appearing with buckets and bags in tote. Apparently, they were the beach clean up crew and went to work sorting through the mess. The seaweed was set aside and the trash was thrown away. We all guestimated that the seaweed would be rinsed and used for food purposes... which made us a little more suspicious about our kim-bap meals! :) We soon packed up and set off for cleaner and brighter beaches! Along the way, we stopped at a wodden deck over-look. The deck peered out over layers upon layers of rice patties that trickled down the mountainside to the bluffs before the sea. A plaque stood alongside the deck informed us that there were over 100 layers of rice fields! Amazing! It was such a neat site to see. Soon after, we ended up at a nice large beach. The sun was now shining full force and the waves called to us as the sand glowed under the light. We geared up and headed out. Taylor took the first shift at the "base" as he took guarded our things. With only one re-application of sunscreen, we soon found ourselves red and tired from the blazing sun... but it was a great day at the beach! Corin found several washed up starfish and had fun playing with those. He also entertained/played with several Korean teenagers that were eager to try out their english skills on him! Corin LOVED the beach! We went inland for dinner and were treated to half of our neighboring tables dinner! It was a table full of old Korean men and they even shared a shot of soju with Kyle and Taylor. Corin won them over with hugs and the restaurant owner, a little old lady, was just full of smiles for Cor. We headed back to the campsite where we'd stayed the night before and made it there just after dark. There was no late night talking that night. We simply set up, and laid down. Rain started dripping through the screen skylight around 4am and Taylor made quick work of putting on the rainshield. It was a little harder to get up and going by the time the morning came... The lack of uninterupted sleep was beginning to show on our faces as we boiled our water for coffee that morning. The rain had let up by then and we soon packed up before the clouds opened up again. We were now on our way towards Tongyeong. A city on the next penninsula over toward the east. It was a wet dreary day, but we were hopeful to enjoy the festival that was being held in Tongyeong. On our way, we came across a couple HUGE dinosaur statues. Of course, we had to loop back so Corin could get a good look at them and then realized we were at the entrance to the local dinosaur museum... What better day to visit a museum, than a rainy one?! So off we went to explore the museum with Corin. He loved every bit of the fossils and figurines. He really wanted to touch and play with the various displays of dinosaurs, but we restained him and convinced him to play pretend. Taylor and I got hima little stuffed dino in the gift shop before continuing on towards Tongyeong. Soon we were navigating our way through the city in search of a place to sleep that night. We had all agreed it would be nice to have a warm shower and a cozy bed for our last night of vacation, so we found a motel that was reasonable priced and toted our bags up to the rooms before heading out to see the festival. Soon we were in the midst of Korean soldiers and festival staff in character for thier roles as historic members of Korean society. There were mostly craft booths set up along the bay's edge where you could try your hand at a local craft. What caught our eye first, was the halway of booths set up for kids. As we entered this area, we were greeted with a card that had multiple boxes for the various booths. At each booth, you would complete a task, or "challenge" and at the end of the alley, you would recieve a medal if you were sucessful in your attempts. Some of the stuff was not age appropriate for Corin in that it was just a little to hard for him, but he managed to make his own armor (out of carboard cutouts and yarn... well maybe the lady at the booth made it but who's keeping track?!), a wooden sword, and a bow and arrow set complete with suction-cup arrows! After he completed his challenged, we walked around the rest of the festival as I drooled over most of the crafts. We found a booth near the end that made really cool prints of the "turtle ship" which was the ship that helped lead the Koreans to victory at the Battle of Hansan... which is what the festival was celebrating... and we wanted to make our own print. So for only 1,000 won, we made a wood-block print and were so excited! (1,000 won is about 88 cents u.s. currency) It was coming up on dinner time and bedtime for Corin, so Taylor took Cor back to the motel and I was in charge of food for them. Kyle and Mel wanted Kim-bap and so I tagged along with them for a suprising meal. Normally kim-bap is a layer of seaweed wrapped around rice, vegiies and meat sometimes. This kimbap was seaweed around rice and a side of spicy octopus and kimchi turnips. Hmmmm. Not what we expected, but Taylor HAD warned us about Tongyeong being famous for this type of kimbap... so we were kind of asking for it. The three of us at least TRIED the side items and gobbled down all the kimbap rolls. I then headed out on my own to get the boys food and bring it home while Kyle and Melody stayed back to enjoy some of the festivities. Of couse... being the directionally challenged girl that I am, I got a little "off track" on my way back to the motel, but with Taylor's guidance, I made it safely to them with suprisingly still warm food! We scarfed down the meal and were asleep in no time. Finally, the last morning was here. Not that I was sick of vacation, but I was sick of feeling unrested. I needed a good night's sleep in my own bed and time to sit and relax. We went into town for the morning to get a few more prints made at the festival and to see a bit of the town itself. Taylor and I found a cute little shop full of handmade bags and purses, of which I just had to have one! So I pulled out the birthday money and got myself a new wallet. It is so pretty! I love it... and am ready to go back to the store for more! :) We got some coffee and ice cream from a littel shop before meeting back up with Kyle and Melody for lunch. After a nice filling bowl of ramyeon, we loaded up one final time and made our way back to Busan. I think we all had hit that wall... you know, the one where you just want to lay down for hours and not move or talk or do anything. It had been a great vacation! Corin was sad to see " Mr. Kyo and Mr. Mrs. Mewody" leave, but he totally crashed that night out of exhaustion too! :)
Taylor and I hope to get back to Jiri-san on a weekend with clear weather so we can see what we missed out on. We also hope to visit Namhae and Tongyeong again and perhaps take the cable car to the top of the local mountain. It was a very fun-filled and adventurous week with the Thib's! We were glad to have them along... and so thankful that they were willing to share vacation time with us too!
Check out these sites for more info on the trip! (Just click on the names of the places to go to the link)
Oh, and be sure to check out the photo gallery on the side bar entitled Korea vacation 2010.

Jiri-san National Park

Namhae, South Korea

Tongyeong Festival for Battle of Hansan

Shop where I got my new Wallet

LL

Summertime in South Korea

Okay. It is hot. I have not had a day where I wasn't sweaty and sticky for the past two weeks. Gross. Cooking is rather revolting to me now as I smell myself more than the food by the time all is said and done!(Is it revolting to you now too?!) haha! Anyways, there is a glimmer of hope... an event which I have been loking forward to for a while now... summer vacation! A road trip accross the sothern tip of Korea is in the works for next week! We will hit up beaches and festivals and National parks as well! I am so excited and to add to the fun, we will be joined by another couple from our church who just bought a car! Sweet! I am ready to sleep under the stars and eat food from a cooler and sink my toes into the sand! Summer vacation here we come!