Go Team

Spent last Saturday cheerin' on our girls!  First up, Jensie's early-mornin' swim meet-

 Left her team cap and goggles in the taxi, but I'm a big fan of swimmers in Pippi braids.

 Action shot!  One of Jensie's biggest accomplishments this season has been to figure out rotary breathing.  Tricky stuff!

Army Warming Tents: quite possibly the coolest part of a winter swim (she made that face).

Next up came Nat's last basketball game of the season.  I wish I could think of some clever word play here, cheering for the cheerleader, but alas...

We weren't the only ones

 I don't know what this is called, but "high kick" sounds good, right? She does it well.

 Flying!

All of the school's senior athletes were recognized during half time, so I got to escort Nat across the gym.  I see three things here: 1.) I am a giant. 2.) I look like my mom.  Like, a lot. 3.) I need to grow my hair back out.  (Ch-ch-ch-chia!)

Let's take a minute to recognize this senior:

Nat is a compassionate friend and very sweet aunt.

Her free babysitting can't be beat.

4.0 GPA, yeah baby!

Made All-American cheer 

Voted "Best Dressed" (haha, Senior Superlatives). Obviously.

Has the best legs on the planet

Oh yeah, did I mention she drives a motorcycle?

Is moving back to the states to go to college this Fall. WAH WAH WAH!

 Frankie dressed herself.

Go Team!

Faux Snow

This year's first snow, was more like the idea of snow. But everyone knows "mud angels" are just as much fun. 

We've had some real powder since then, but I don't think I took any pictures. Well that's it for today I'm off to school.

PS. I'm back in school!  Taking psychology and statistics this semester.  Woot woot!

War Eagles

Eagle Tattoo by Aunt Nat

My brother reads my blog. Who knew?  He's deploying to Afghanistan next month and asked me to post more regularly. Boohoo! Nothing pulls at my heartstrings like a lonely soldier. So here we are, just for you, Trace. We love you!

Overheard: Early Bird Gets the Pecs

Jensie got a new alarm clock and asked Nate to help her set it for 3 am.  This morning at breakfast...

Nate: Did your alarm go off?
Jensie: Yeah
Nate: What'd you do, did you get up and read?
Jensie: Nah, I just did a few push-ups and went back to sleep.

Pictures for Penny

F&A were whining about having to sit still, or go to primary, or something churchy.  I don't remember what.  Anyway, I made a bargain with this narcissistic duo. iPhotos in exchange for compliance. They bit, with one caveat. These pictures are just for Baby Penny.

Eloise

I've given up on taking anything but grainy cell phone pics.

Frankie: I wish I looked like Eloise.
Me: Well you do!
Frankie: No, her hair's only blond.  My hair is golden.

Sonny Turned Six

We celebrated with a Star Wars-Lego-Costume party! That's where you put Star Wars guys on your cake, and only play Legos, and everyone wears their Halloween costumes.  It's the best.

This cake was the real deal.  Made exactly to Asher's specifications, (and I quote), "Mom, I want a cake the color of Tatooine with C-3 and R2 facing away from each other like when they part in the desert and a 6 candle in the middle." He insisted on sprinkling the "sand" on himself and placed his action figures just so. 

Asher.  Or Ash, Asher-man, Sonny, Son as he's known around these parts (Son is saved for when he's in trouble).

I think when your only boy turns six you're supposed to stop saying (thinking) things like He's the cutiest cutey doll-faced sweetie baby.  But I can't seem to help myself.  That kid, bless his heart.

Asher's friends gave him the boyiest boy toys I have ever seen.  (I know I just followed up cutiest with boyiest.  It's the latiest.) Remote-control cars, Nerf guns, Ninjago...it was wild.  The star of the show was the Pirates of the Caribbean White Cap Bay Lego set.  With approximately 12 million pieces and two hideous mermaids, it was apparently designed to tug at the heart strings, or  the I HAVE TO HAVE THAT OR I'LL DIE strings, of every 6 year old boy on the planet.  Upon its unveiling, two boys spontaneously burst into tears.

"I'll never have one of these" one cried.  His brother, a Lego master, kept his composure long enough to ask "Asher, do you even know how to put that together by yourself?"  When Asher admitted that No, his dad would help him, the sorrowful brother actually ran out the front door, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth.  It took Nate 20 mins to hunt him down.

Is there anything worse than seeing someone else get exactly what you want, knowing that they won't appreciate it like you would?  No.  There is not.  Which is why Nate and I are still chuckling in empathy to this day.

Asher was so wrapped up in the assembly of Cap'n Jack Sparrow's canoe, I don't think he even noticed when his friends were dragged from the party by their embarrassed mother.  Happy 6th Birthday, Asher.  Greedy little sweetheart.

Grandmother, Why Do you Cry?

Jensie was in a play at school.  She had 2 lines. In Korean.  (Today's title is the rough translation of one of them).  She nailed them.  I posted a video of her talking about it on Facebook.  Go watch it!

I think yesterday was the first day she had any fun and the first day I've felt any optimism about enrolling her in Korean school.  Last night I read this article and was filled with so much hope. This is going to be good.  This is going to be good.

Asher can not wait to start Korean school in March.  I'm homeschooling him until then.  He loves it.  I love it.  Next time I consider putting my kids back in public school someone better punch me in the stomach (three more times). 

This morning we spent hours putting together a new Pirates of the Caribbean Lego set Asher got for his birthday.  Legos are pretty great- patience, math and counting skills, following directions, and hand-eye coordination all rolled into one.

Anyway, that is it.  Everything is going according to plan. Which is just the way I like it.

Overheard: Frankie and Friend

Got this text from our neighbor yesterday

Ellena just informed Frankie that Santa is dead.  Frankie thought for a moment and said, "No, it was Jesus that died for us."

Frankie is Four!

Four Things about Frankie

1. She loves Eloise, bananas, bike rides, and writing her name. 

2. Little Miss can run all the way from the metro station to our front gate (about 1/2 mile).  

3. All of her toys are named Elizabeth with the exception of one black baby doll named Richard. 

4. She always gets her way by wiping her nose on any toy her siblings won't share. 

iPhotos

Our First Visitor

Kung flew in from Taiwan for the weekend.  She only wanted to do one thing here.  "Eat."  We were happy to oblige.

We tried a little of everything- the good, the bad, and the totally bizarre.

1. Kung samples the soup, 2. Prawns, 3. Daegi Bulgogi, 4. Roasted Chestnuts, 5. Korea's infamous Seafood pancake, 6. Live octopus, 7. Mussel Soup- the very worst, 8. Tentacle omelet, 9. Frogs

"This soup tastes like if you had a fish tank but all the fish died and then you heated up the water and drank it."   --Natalie

Night Market in Myeondong.  A veritable smorgasbord with oysters on ice.

Your guess is as good as mine!

 

We also managed to squeeze in a hike to Seoul Tower and a quick trip to Gyeonbokgung Palace.

Who knew there'd be a Cold Stone at the top?  (My kids.)

She came bearing gifts! 

Thanks Kung, come back soon!

Overheard: Caillou's a Dud

While playing computer games this afternoon (pbskids.org, check it out) after Frankie had advanced a level the computer Caillou said "Good job!  Now let's try something more challenging so you don't get bored."

"Ugh!" Frankie groaned, "Why does he keep saying that?"

"Because he knows he's boring." Asher replied.

서울보광초등학교

Jensie's new playground.  It doesn't look like much, but there were a few games of soccer, dodgeball, jump rope, tag, and tug-of-war going on when I snapped this pic.  I like it.  In a city as cramped and crowded as Seoul some open space to run and laugh is exactly what every kid needs.

We pulled Jensie out of the American school on post and enrolled her in a local Korean public school.  She was not happy, not one bit.  We knew she wouldn't be, but we did it anyway. Why?  Because it's good for her and mother knows best.  That, and an angel did not appear in my bedroom to stop me the morning I went to transfer her.

Here's the thing, I believe in prayers and I like to think God answers them.  For months we've been talking about, thinking about, and praying about where our children should attend school while we're here. Usually I think that if an idea keeps coming back to you it's because it's a good one.  But along with the idea came a lot of anxiety which made me think maybe it was exactly what we weren't supposed to do.

I couldn't decide whether I was worried because it was a terrible idea, or because good things can be hard and my decision was going to seriously stress poor Jensie to the max. On my way out the door I actually knelt down and said a prayer that went something like this:

Dear Lord, I am sorry if these anxious feelings have been a sign from you.  I'm too dense to read them clearly.  I'm about to do something big, Lord, so if you want to stop me, could you send a sign a little more obvious?  Like have a big booming voice yell "STOP" right now?  Thanks.

I've never asked for a favor like that so I sat around to give the angels a few minutes.  Since you already know Jensie's in Korean school I guess you know what happened next. Hint: nothing. Maybe God just doesn't work that way, but whatevs.  What's done is done.

Jensie started yesterday--so far so good.  When I picked her up and asked her how her day was she said "Fine!" and then, remembering she'd promised to hate it, added "I mean, terrible."

Here are a few lucky things:

She already has lots of friends.  They stare at each other and say "annyeong" a lot.

Kids are allowed to fold origami at their desks while the teacher is talking.  I think that is a brilliant way to keep little hands busy during quiet time.  Weeks ago, when this transfer was just a nervous thought in the back of my mind, Jensie got an urge to learn origami and has practiced for hours an hours.  She knew how to fold dogs and her friends knew how to fold baskets and they traded their shapes and now they're even better stare-at-each-other-because-we-don't-speak-the-same-languate-but-there's-always-origami friends!  Isn't that great? Maybe that is my sign.

School is only four hours long and ends right after lunch.  Korean kids go to Hogwans, private lessons/tutoring/sports, for a few hours every afternoon.  Jensie will go to Korean lessons but right now the teacher is on vacation so she gets a couple of weeks of half-days.

Here are some unlucky things:

Jensie hates kimchi and has a hard time with those slick Korean chopsticks (Chinese chopsticks are no problemo).  Kids aren't allowed to bring lunches from home though--Koreans are big on uniformity, so she will have to suck it up and either learn to like kimchi or just eat lots and lots of rice. Not to mention, learn to use the darn chopsticks.  We picked some up at the dollar store today so she can practice.

Koreans go to school on Saturdays.

No American holidays means she can kiss Christmas vacation goodbye!

When I walked Jensie to her class yesterday she was brushing away tears as we stepped through the door.  I gave her a hug and told her to be brave.  I promised her two things:

1- It is going to be hard
2- You are going to live through it

Isn't that just the way it always goes?  Nate says she'll appreciate it when she's 25.  I think it's gonna be a lot sooner than that.  And those icky apprehensive feelings?  Gone, I tell you. Vanished.  Asher and Frankie are soon to follow suit.

Three cheers for making good scary choices.

Hip hip hurray!

Hip hip hurray!

Hip hip HURRAY!

PS. I can read the title of this post!

Nat's Around

and I love this picture