Just for a Moment

The other day as I gathered up my weary bones to face yet another day of laundry and dishes, sniffles and dilemmas over homework and the ever nagging question, "what's for dinner?" I felt weighed down. In a moment of overwhelmed distraction, I turned to the inside back cover of my church magazine, The Ensign, where I noticed the print of a lovely young lady. Something in her eyes reminded me of my Anna. Being taken by the artists work, I looked at the title, it said, "That Good Part". Hmm. I stopped and thought. The words sounded familiar to me, but I wasn't sure what scripture story it was referring to, nor the woman who was being portrayed. It's Esther, I guessed. Then I read the caption:

“Mary . . . sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
“But Martha was cumbered about much serving. . . .
“And Jesus . . . said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:39–42).

It made me weepy to sit there and look at Mary and wonder at my own very cumbered life. I began to pray, "Let me find 'the good part', like Mary".

Soon after, I was heading down to the river with my two little ones. I like to run down there while they ride in the jogger. On this particular day, I was again feeling very "cumbered" as I tried to squish my run in before Daniel's nap. I approached the trail, and the thought came to me, "Don't run. Just sit and enjoy the river". I couldn't help but think how unproductive that would be. I might as well go home and get a head start on all of the other "stuff" I needed to do. In spite of that thought, I took a deep breath and said, "Why not?" As I held Daniel over the river so that he could feel the cold water and watched Margaret throw stones downstream, she turned to me and said, "This is fun, Mom". Sitting on a smooth stone so that I could feel the cool water too, I said, "What'd you say?" She repeated, "This is fun".
I looked down at Daniel's cute chubby feet and then over at Margaret's chubby little hands and I thought, "She has chosen that good part and it will not be taken away from her".
Somehow, I was able to leave the hustle and bustle of the morning and touch "that good part" of the day before it rushed downstream.

Never say never

Shortly after I had Susan Grace (almost 12 years ago), a friend of mine invited me to her house to make baby food. Having absolutely no interest in making baby food, but flattered she wanted to spend time with me, I reluctantly went with baby Gracie. Pretty much the whole visit I chummed around her house interested in many things (photos, mementos...) except learning how to make baby food. I was bewildered with her excitement and wondered what she had against the convenient Gerber jars in the grocery store?? I was disinterested to say the least, and left thinking, "Like I'm ever going to make baby food".

Fast Forward 12 years

Last week after feeding Daniel the same thing over and over again day after day, I peeled an apple and steamed it. Then I peeled some plums and steamed them. Now I was on to something. I started peeling peaches and carrots, and potatoes and sweet potatoes. After steaming each food, I pureed it in the blender. I got creative and began mixing different foods together. One mixture that I am really proud of is turkey and potatoes. Daniel has loved them all, except for sweet potato.

It was one of those moments in my life where I thought, "Boy, I've come a long way....."

Anna's Special Day

Anna was baptized on September 13, 2009 in the Seodaemun Chapel, Seoul English Branch of Korea. What she remembers most: 1: "The water was so, so warm". 2: "My friend from school was there and my third grade teacher." 3: "Daddy cried during the prayer of my baptism and during our musical number, 'I Pray in Faith'".

People, Places, and Things of Summer 2009

Sorak San National Park, Korea

Stewart Falls, Utah

Mr. Preyer, Outside of our window, Seoul, Korea

Lovely Butterfly, Stewart Falls, Utah












James at the TaeKwonDo belt test, Seoul, Korea

Cruella Devil and Friends, Main Street, U.S.A.

Queen of Hearts, Fantasyland

Red Toed Frog, Sorak San, National Park

First Day of School, 2009

Seoul Foreign School begins another year. Gracie enters middle school and James enters the elementary school (Mr Sanderson and Mrs Jung). How exciting! Anna will be in 3rd grade (Mrs. Baradi) and Miriam will be in the 5th (Mrs. Walker).

The Little Things

This summer, one of my greatest challenges has been to spend "quality time" with my children. We have been able to spend plenty of time together but most of my attempts at quality time end up to be frustrating chunks of interupted chaos. I feel exceptionally exhausted and hopelessly grouchy much of the time. But, one day this summer I stood on a large rock on the seashore with James. The waves crashed around us. As we stood on this rock we noticed that it was covered with tiny little living shells. These shells were "stuck" tightly to the rock with little fibers. We pulled a few off. We watched them as the waves rolled in and out over the rock. There were thousands of them. We both thought they were cool and we sat out there watching them and touching them and wondering at them for a while, honestly, I lost track of time. When it was time to go, James grabbed my hand and said, "That was fun, Mom." "It was", I thought to myself. It seems like those words, "that was fun, Mom" and those moments are harder to come by than I would have ever imagined. Thank goodness for those little shells on the rocks at the beach and that moment with James.

A National Treasure

Last spring I read the Newberry Award winning book, A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park. The book is a tender story of an orphaned boy in 12th Century Korea who dreams of learning the art of pottery. The book refers to "The Thousand Crane Vase" a real 12th century piece of pottery that is housed in a museum here in Seoul. After reading the book, I determined to take my children to see the famous work of art that is now considered by the country to be a "national treasure" (#68, I think). The trick to seeing this piece is that the museum is only open for four weeks of the year (two weeks in the spring and two weeks during the fall). In spite of the time constraint, I was set on seeing this lovely work of art, especially after reading about it, so I put forth the effort and loaded us all into a cab and headed across town. When we finally found the museum I asked the attendant if we could see the vase. She said "No, not part of exhibit". I was confused. "Do you have this vase?" I asked. "Yes. Not available", she responded putting her index fingers together to make an X. "Why?" I asked, almost desperate. "It is National treasure. In storage." "Oh", I replied completely dumbfounded. I left the museum very disappointed and even more determined to some day see the famous celedon vase.

I still hope to see the piece while I am here in Korea. As for the book, I highly recommend it. It is a sweet tale of how we are all good enough if we do our best and never give up.