Happy Birthday Raleigh!

In honor of Raleigh's 29th birthday, I'd like to list 29 reasons why I am thankful that we are married! Happy Birthday Raleigh!!!!




1. I love you more today than the day we got married.
2. You still give me butterflies!
3. You make great coffee!
4. You make me laugh in the mornings as I am rushing around like a tornado getting ready for school.
5. I love the way you are so techy and can help me troubleshoot computer issues.
6. You are so kind to watch girly things on tv with me, like figure skating and dance shows.
7. You make a mean bee bim bop and bulgogi!
8. You treat me like a princess everyday from the time I wake up until the moment I go to sleep.
9. Thanks for letting me always have a bite of your cereal or ice cream, because I never want a whole bowl, just a "bite" of yours.
10. You have never once complained about pumping my gas. Thanks!
11. I love that you get along with my family so well and I get along for yours. It was a match made in heaven, really!
12. I love how we grill almost every night in the summer...and by we I mean you grill.
13. It is so much fun to look forward to the future with you, while still enjoying the moment.
14. I love to hear you pray.
15. I love how we do things differently. For instance, you put the pots and pans in the dishwasher and wash them by hand. If we did everything alike life would be boring.
16. Thanks for listening to countless stories about school.
17. I love the way your face lights up when you hear adventure music or anything related to Disney World.
18. I am so glad you like the beach, because I totally love the beach.
19. It is great how we are both just as happy eating Taco Bell as we are eating at the fanciest restaurants.
20. You are the best travel buddy ever and I am so glad we get to travel to Korea together!
21. You are a loyal friend.
22. Thanks for opening the door for me everytime we get in the car. I mean seriously...Thanks! You make me feel so special.
23. I love the way you are always thinking and you always have a new idea brewing around in your mind.
24. Thanks for never caring when I fall asleep early. I really do try to stay up late sometimes, but during the school year it is just not happening.
25. I like how you love books and could stay in Barnes and Noble the entire day.
26. You are going to be a great dad one day.
27. I think it is awesome that we go on dates to Costco just to look around.
28. I love how you LOVE Christmas.
29. I love you, just because you are YOU!

A Memory From Haiti

Today I was reflecting on my trips to Haiti. Haiti is a country full of beauty. Beautiful men, women and children. Beautiful land. Beautiful mountains. Beautiful water and shorelines. Although there is great poverty and injustice, there is also much beauty in the spirit of the Haitian people.

During my trips to Haiti, I always stayed in St. Marc at the YWAM base. Each morning, our team would load up a van or truck and travel to a more remote village to set up a medical clinic. Those of us that were not medical professionals would love on the children, pray with the adults, and serve as needed.

I remember the smell of Haiti like I was there this morning. I remember the first night of my first trip. I had never seen such beautiful stars. The sky seemed endless and with speckled with stars everywhere! This is a view that is hard to find in America, because there is always so much light at night- store signs, street lights, headlights on cars, etc. There is so much beauty to be found in God's creation- especially the stars in Haiti.

I will never forget one sweet old lady. Unfortunately I did not ask her name. We had just arrived at the village where we would spend the day. As I was getting out of the van I felt car sick. The lack of paved roads made for an adventurous drive each morning. So...I decided to sit on a large rock for a few moments until the nausea passed.

As I was sitting on the rock, an old lady came up and told me very emphatically to get up. I speak limited French, but it was clear that she wanted to me stand up. I stood and did my best to apologize for whatever I had done that might have offended her. Then, she walked quickly into her house, and by house I mean tiny space with thatched walls and roof. When she came back out, she was carrying a beautiful scarf. It was one of her few possessions. She put the scarf on the rock and then motioned for me to sit back down.

She had covered the rock with a prized possession so that I would not get my dress dirty. What a beautiful and humbling act of service. I had bought most of my clothes for my trip to Haiti at K-Mart and Target and planned to leave them all there when I left. However, the old lady had so much love inside her she was willing to use her scarf to cover the rock.

Such beauty in her spirit.

I hope that I respond with that much love to those around me. I know that most times I do not. Prayerfully, God will give me the grace to respond with love and service more often than not.

Happy Lunar New Year, also known as Seol-na in South Korea

In Korea, Lunar New Year is a time of celebration, renewal, and a time to gather as family to honor elders and ancestors.

2010 is the Year of the Tiger, which begins today and ends on February 2, 2011. The tiger is a symbol for bravery.

Koreans focus on family as they celebrate the beginning of the New Year. Children put on new traditional clothes called hanboks. Gifts are sometimes exchanged, as well as good wishes. Rice cake soup is often served to celebrate the new year. The soup is made by diagonally slicing rice cakes into thin, round slices. The rice cake slices are soaked in water, then boiled in beef broth. The soup is garnished with chives, seaweed, and egg. Visit Maangchi's recipe site for the recipe and pictures of rice cake soup.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Raleigh and I had a funny start to the day! I told him to stay in bed and I was going to make breakfast. He said...no you stay in bed and I will make breakfast.

It turns out that I had bought things to make strawberry crepes and he had bought things to make French toast.

So...we both went to the kitchen and made breakfast together....strawberry crepes and French toast!

I guess we both thought a fun breakfast on Valentine's Day was a great idea!

Snow Day in Atlanta!