<3

Blogger can be quite scary as everything is out in the open for the world to see, but maybe that's the hidden beauty of having an online blog.

I love....

*being able to spend time with my dad whether we're on a crazy hunt for the latest kung-fu movie on sale at Walmart or eating at our usual soondubu date place :)
*spending time with my cousins Joanne, Eunice, Cody, Oscar, and Squirtie...there's no holding back when we're together
*perusing through every aisle of Office Max and getting excited over the latest invention...Do you know that they have mouse pads with an attached coffee cup holder? :)
*laughing with my study buddy and our "serious" talks about someone's future wedding in Africa :)
*the smell of a fresh pack of Hi-lighters and studying in my quiet abode
*yarping and calling him father
*lying in the aisles of bookstores without a care in the world, being surrounded by a plethora of books, and reading until closing time
*hugs from Marine because she's mom :)
*spending one-on-one time with people
*my 23 1st graders and what they have to teach me each day
One of my 1st graders asked me how my twins are doing at home ??? When did I have twins?
Oh, they're precious and innocent imaginations!
*that my dream of writing a _______ published book is a bit closer to becoming a reality
*libraries that close super late and dusty books at the top of bookshelves screaming come look at me I'm old and full of something to teach you
*sharpened number 2 pencils and using them to bubble in scantron tests
*getting nervous before a test, but knowing that he's in control as he brings much peace in the nerve wrecking process
*coming home and having a like-minded sister who laughs and sleeps next to me :)
*Post-its for test reminders, study reminders, directions reminders, etc
*feeling helpless before him, but knowing that he's leading me each step of the way
*singing at the top of my lungs when no one's watching to the tune of Iris
*that he gave me a new life that is harder in every way, but rewarding knowing that eternity will be with him

Kids say the funniest things...

Over the past couple of weeks, my kids have been writing what they are thankful for on their practice templates which will soon be glued onto cardstock and given to their parents before the Thanksgiving break.

Some of my kids wrote:

I am thankful for Thanksgiving because I can eat all the jellybeans I want. (I didn't know what to say except :) and hide the laughter that soon followed after)

I am thankful for my mom and dad because they drive super fast when I have to go to the bathroom.

I am thankful because my mommy's belly will pop and superbaby will come out. (This is what the kid named their future brother/sister)

One of my kids wrote this in their journal...I only found it because I had to check that they were starting with capital letters and ending with periods.

I am thankful for Mrs. Park because she luvs me. :) No matter how many times I tell them, I am A/married and B/loves is usually spelled by 99.9% of my kid as luvs

Kids say the funniest things...I'm grateful for children that teach me more than I teach them. I'm grateful to be able to make an impact in each of their lives even in times when I feel inadequate. I'm grateful to have a job I love waking up to each day.

As elementary as it seems, my own list of "What I am thankful for"

I am thankful for...

A God who I can call father...
My pops who reminds me that I am now in my mid 20s thank you appa! :)
All the kids in my life who bring daily joy to my face
Health :)
Marine
Good friends who I can run this race with
books...and libraries that are open late so I can spend hours in between the aisles

Show me how to live

My ongoing prayer is for God to "show me how to live." And God faithfully answers my prayers each season of my life. I go as He guides... and He so faithfully guides.

I look at my daily planner with each hour carefully planned and written out, hi-lighted in different colors, and sometimes wish the day wouldn't begin. Yet, I'm reminded that he has given me another day to live, that he has given me more than enough even when I am ungrateful and numb, that he has adopted me into his kingdom, and that he has given me new life through his sacrifice on the cross.

He's more than enough.

:)

Fall and Winter are my two favorite seasons. There's something so refreshing about seeing fallen leaves on the ground, putting them in a huge pile, and then picking them up and throwing them everywhere. Winter brings sheets of white and one of :) in even the grumpiest of people. Today was my second attempt going to we will call it an anonymous bakery to get the tapioca bread ball. This delicate little creation is simply a ball of air with sesame seeds randomly placed all around. To my dismay, someone had come 55 minutes earlier and bought the whole tray . The thought of camping out tomorrow to get this bread crossed my mind, but Marine always reminds me that logic must always come first.

Madre is the best. :) She's one wise woman. Something she left me with this week :

As He leads, Yuna... Whatever HE desires... and THANK GOD He usually gifts us with the Desire to follow His desires. Strength comes from that, I realize. Strength to do something comes from the Desire to carry out His desires....

Grateful for: a new beginning with the baby seester, time with the roomie :), seeing Marine :) all weekend, a year of learning, and a God who loves unconditionally

anti-aging boot camp day 1

Someone approached me recently and shared with me what I would look like in 10+ years. Apparently, without the daily use of SPF, I will soon grow black sun craters on my face and wonderful crow's feet will be staring and greeting me with a friendly "Hello Yuna you are no longer in your teens! Welcome to your mid 20s! " Given, I fully understand that I am nowhere near ancient, but this recent news caused an immediate trip to the one and only Tar-geeeet..pronounced with an accent on the e...yes, exactly like that! :) With my lovely roommate who I would have been utterly lost without, I perused the aisles where I learned of such things that I never would have imagined existed such as the age spot pen. Soon enough, I came to the necessary essentials that I needed to start my anti-aging boot camp program which officially started yesterday, but I was informed that I was using an overload of the product hindering the chances and success of the product and the rapid anti-aging process.

Cheers to the following products and much thanks to the companies that made them!


Although I didn't actually get the wrinklefree eye strips, they were quite tempting! Very lovely indeed! My 2 new experiments! Let the anti-aging process begin!


May the look of youth come rapidly and to all a good night!

the little things

Going out of the house on a day to day basis from 7 am-10pm everyday to be completely honest has been the most physically and challenging experience in my 23 years of living. Yet, when I drive around, I find myself secretly giggling to myself because I feel naive and blinded to not have noticed what surrounds me. From the intricacies of the human body to the wonderful highway system that I will one day conquer, I see that there is no way that I can give credit to man for making these things. God continues to remind me of how he does everything with a purpose. I'm not the type to enjoy mother nature and actually cringe at the sight of insects, but maybe it's age or just being constantly on the go in the car that makes me notice how everything has been perfectly made just as God wanted it.

I'm grateful for the little joys that each day brings. As stupid as it sounds, something about ramen at midnight, laughter to the point of tears with good friends, a text from my dad that says it is cold do you have a blanket?, spending time with marine, and seeing how God continues to work in my life even when I'm unfaithful brings one of :) to my face.

The mother is now thirty-nine. Seriously, time flies! I love you Marine Kim! :) Thank you for your guidance, patience, and love. You are the best!

The little ones

Teaching defined.
Each child is different
Each child unique
Some learn what they hear
Some learn what they speak
Some learn when they move
Some learn when they sit
Some learn a lot
Some bit by bit
Working with children
after a while,
We understand and respect
each one's learning style
We nurture and challenge
and extend their reach,
for that is why
We have chosen to teach.

Whatever you teach,
teach willingly that is with your whole spirit
Wherever you teach,
teach well that is with your whole mind
Whenever you teach,
teach kindly that is with your whole heart and I promise
you that you will bring joy
to every child and to every classroom in which you teach

What do you do? I get this question 9 times out of 10 whether I'm at church or out for a simple stroll around Target. I always think of how to answer this question. Depending on the person and the context of the situation, I give my usual concise answer of "I'm a teacher." Yet, with a comfortable chum, I continue on to say, "I am a teacher. I absolutely love my job. I learn more from my little 1st graders all 23 of them than I do anywhere else. I wouldn't trade my profession for anything else" Before I was five, I always dreamed of being a veterinarian. Anyone who knows me well can testify that if I had not become a teacher, I would be frolicking in between the aisles of every animal shelter in LA and Orange County, signing pet adoption papers, and hoping that escrow would pull through in providing a big enough lot of land for the 100+ newly adopted dogs and cats. Yet, that dream quickly died as I couldn't give these little creatures shots if I couldn't get them myself without screaming, kicking, and giving the poor doctor grief and a migraine to last for the remainder of the day. I have 23 1st graders. All 23 are unique in their own way. No matter how many times I explain that I am not married, show them my ringless finger, and write Ms. Park on the board, I still hear Mrs. Park and something about their innocence brings one of these :) to my face. The questions they ask seem ridiculous to the common folk, but they never get old and there's always the teacher saying, "There's no such thing as a stupid question!" Their comments, questions, and curiosities are all precious from "Mrs. Park, what does Mr. Park do? Mrs. Park, is he a terrorist?, Mrs. Park, do you have dentures?, Mrs. Park, do you know the little leprechaun under the rainbow left me a pot of gold? I'm richer than you! Do you want me to buy you a pony?" Teaching never gets old. No matter how bad the economy is and how many people kindly tell me to change my career during this financial crisis, my answer is simply no, I love teaching. I still wake up with one of :) on my face and through this 3 week break, I seriously miss my kids more than my time spent at UCI writing those long form lesson plans which were supposed to prepare us for the real world of teaching. See you soon little ones :) 1st grade resumes next week!

Daddy

The older I get, the more I realize how hard my dad has and continues to work to support my family. I'm not the type to express how I feel outwardly, but over the past couple of years these three phrases have become key in defining my relationship with him: Thank you, I'm sorry, and I love you. They usually come out go mah wuh appa, me yahn eh appa, and sarang hae appa (in korean) Knowing and understanding that someone loves me so much no matter what I do is beyond me and the thought of one day losing my dad scares me more than my neverending list of fears 1.shots 2. the dark 3.heights 4. spiders 5. dishwasher disposal ...etc. Yet, what worries me more is that my dad who is perfect in my eyes isn't saved. There is nothing I can do or say that will change his heart, but I know that God is a sovereign and loving God. I know that he is mighty to save and he hears every prayer. One day...I hope that my dad can come out to church and get a taste of how great God is.