tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63111904997542439262024-03-05T17:06:55.685-08:00Chris and Ashley AbroadChris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-21014205533756865302015-03-08T22:52:00.002-07:002015-03-08T22:52:52.974-07:00Goldfish<div class="MsoNormal">
I think that it is pretty safe to say that our girls are
going to have a very different childhood than either Chris or I had. These
differences bring about both challenges and perks every day. But, to be honest,
the perks win out in my opinion. We wouldn’t still be here if we thought
otherwise. There are so many times that I am overwhelmed by just how cool their
lives are and the incredible skill set that they are developing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When our girls were really little and <a href="http://simpsonsabroad.blogspot.kr/2012/04/from-generation-to-generation.html" target="_blank">I was just starting to make food for them</a>, I was afraid that they would turn into one of the worst
things I could imagine: picky eaters. The thought that we would be in Vietnam
and walk past the pho stalls in order to find some chicken fingers, or in Japan
we would have to skip the miso in favor of a hamburger, or even be in America
and they would insist on rice with every meal sent me into cold sweats. The
other day, they blew that fear right out of the water.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For dinner, we had ordered Korean delivery food. We all have
our favorites from this restaurant and the girls’ choice isn’t that exotic:
rice and eggs. With Korean food, it is traditional to get an assortment of
banchan (side dishes) that can differ depending on what is available and what
the restaurant decides to serve. This time, when our food showed up, we had
some kimchi, some pickled greens, and… drum roll please…. tiny guppies. Yep.
Tiny sautéed fish. I’m going to be honest with you. I fancy myself an
adventurous eater but these didn’t exactly turn my crank, to borrow an
expression from my grandfather. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But the girls wanted to try them. Wanting to encourage an eclectic
palate, I happily put a portion on each of their plates. They downed them. And
I’m not talking about they gave a little nibble here and there. They ate those
little minnows like popcorn. Also, just so we are clear, there was no masking
what they were. It wasn’t like a fried ball of dough with chopped up
unidentifiable filling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Child: “Mommy, are these fish?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Me: “Yes, they are.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Child: “And is that the head?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Me: “Yep, that’s the head.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Child: “And those are they eyes?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Me: “Yes, sweetheart, those are the eyes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Child: “And are there bones inside that you can eat?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Me: “Yes, you can eat the bones inside.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Child: “Okay.” *gulp*<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was an extremely proud moment for me. Now, I’m not
suggesting that they eat anything I put in front of them. Lily would tell you
she is a vegetarian if she knew there was such a word and, for Lucy, the word
“spicy” is synonymous with disgusting. The point is that they tried them. They
saw a pile of tiny little fish and thought, “Hey, I think I’ll give that a go!”
And that is why I love raising my kids here. They were put in a situation that
I would never have thought to put them in and they handled it like pros.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It really gives a whole new meaning to snacking on goldfish.
To be honest, I think they probably still prefer the Pepperidge Farm version. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-32161948397355720462014-11-21T19:16:00.001-08:002014-11-21T19:16:38.590-08:00Discovery Week 2014<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve posted a few times about Discovery Week at Seoul
Foreign School and my experiences traveling the world with students. It is an
incredible “week without walls” where the high school sends our students and
teachers all over the globe to meet new people, learn new things, have new
experiences, and see the world in a different way. This is a video that one of
our students put together to show the student body how everyone spent their respective
weeks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the many reasons why I enjoy my job! As my co-chaperone
to Sri Lanka said, our lives don’t suck.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-42654623511322272502014-09-22T03:32:00.002-07:002014-09-22T16:24:32.652-07:00Betrayed by English<div class="MsoNormal">
The girls are in school now (*sigh*) and are learning at a
rate reminiscent of Keanu Reeves’ ability to pick up kung fu in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Matrix</i>. Every day, they come home
with new songs, new stories, new skills. It is amazing to watch them and it
gives me a profound appreciation for the teachers who not only can mentally and
emotionally bear a baker’s dozen of three and four year olds day in and day
out, but actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">teach</i> them
something every day. It’s astounding. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of all the learning that has taken place over the last month
or so, the literacy skills have been the most salient. It seems that we no
longer have conversations with our daughters. Instead, our interactions go a
little something like this:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Mommymommymommymommymommy!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes!” (trying to squeeze in a response before she takes a
breath and can start the “mommies” again).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I have a rhyme! Cup and dup! That rhymes!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“You are right!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Also, dough and no! That rhymes! Aaaand…. Airport dairport,
that rhymes!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes, you are right. Those are rhymes!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Also, paper, daper. Water bottle dater dottle. That
rhymes!” (exchanging the first letter of any word and replacing it with a “d”
seems to be the rhyme of choice for the moment.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes! Great job. What did you do at school today, honey?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Mommymommymommymommymommy!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I see an L! And a D!” (indicating something in the room
with writing on it)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Wow, honey, yes, that is great! What words start with D?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Mommymommymommymommymommy!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yes!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I see a W!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Imagine about thirty minutes of this and you have an average
mealtime conversation in our house. While on somewhat of a repetitive loop, the
fact that the girls are developing this linguistic capacity is incredible.
We’ve been bootlessly trying to teach “A” for about a year now and now in the
space of a month, they almost have the whole alphabet. Again, kudos to you,
preschool teachers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, tonight started out all fun and games with a
conversation like this one. We finished eating and they asked to read a book.
Delighted with their newly rejuvenated literary affinity, I gladly curled up with
them on the couch to read the classic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brown
Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?</i> What could go wrong?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It started off swimmingly. We were going through the pages,
pointing out letters and making their sounds. We laughed at the blue horse and
the purple cat and stuck out our tongues like the green frog. Then, along came
the black sheep. I should have known this ill-fated animal would bring me
nothing but trouble.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Sh-sh-sheep. What letter does that start with, Mommy?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well, do you see? Sheep starts with an “s””<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(I can see the wheels are turning) “No, Mommy. Sh-sh-sheep.
What <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">letter</i> does it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">start</i> with?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well, this one is a little funny. It really starts with two
letters. ‘S’ says ‘sssssss’ but when it is 's' and 'h' it says ‘shhhhhh.’”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, Mommy. Not two letters. What <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">letter</i> does it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">start with</i>?”
(Clearly losing her patience with my incompetence.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well, sweetheart, it starts with ‘s’ but with an ‘h’ next
to it, it says ‘sh-sh-sheep.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That was the last straw. She knows what sound “s” makes and “sh”
wasn’t it. I was clearly holding out on her. She erupted into a tearful rage.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“What <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">letter</i>? WHAT
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">LETTER</i>?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I held her and patted her back. She wept the tears that only someone who has been betrayed by their native tongue can. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I know, honey. English is a funny language.” We sat like
that for some time. She cried over the loss of the simplicity of the alphabet.
I comforted her thinking of all the tricks English would play on her like “laugh”
and “pneumonia”. Unfortunately, life, like the alphabet, is not always black
and white, dear daughter. It is a tough lesson to learn.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I knew I should have stuck with Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-50549876718398538082014-06-15T05:56:00.001-07:002014-06-15T05:56:44.732-07:00Apologies and Appreciation<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s June. On the eve of our departure to the States, I find
myself in a whirlpool of emotions. This marks the end of our sixth year living
overseas and in this time, I have learned that the end of the year for expats
isn’t all hugs and high fives. It’s an emotional roller coaster with
celebratory highs and sorrowful lows. We applaud our students, our colleagues,
and ourselves on another completed year but we also lament the inevitable
masses who move on from our community to seek adventure somewhere else.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I have very vivid memories of the last moments we had in the
U.S. before we moved overseas for the first time. There were a lot of tears but
Chris and I were excited. We were departing on an adventure and it was going to
be life-changing. For the people we left behind, there wasn’t much exciting
about it. Life for you continued as normal, just without us in it. It was the
same way when we moved on to Korea from Taiwan. We were the ones who left.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now, not only is this our sixth year overseas, this is also
the longest time we have lived in one place as a married couple. As expats,
this means that we have had enough time to settle in to a place, invest in
relationships, and get left behind as those dear friends depart on their own
new adventures. Like you were for us, we are so thrilled for them. We can’t
wait to hear stories about their new lives and find out about how things have
changed. But, as you well know, getting left behind sucks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Nevertheless, we pack our bags and get ready to do it all
again. We get geared up for seven weeks Stateside where we do our best to make
up for lost time with friends, family, and Target. It will be a great time and
many memories will be made. However, as it always does, August will come too
soon and call us back to our lives in Korea. We will once again pack up and
leave you behind. It will be hard on us but it will be so much harder on you. I
always knew that on some level but in the wake of the many tearful goodbyes
brought on by the end of the school year, I feel like I can commiserate with
you a little better. We will be going; you will be staying. We have the choice,
you don’t. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So, let me take this moment to apologize and also show my
appreciation. I’m sorry that we keep leaving you behind. It is hard to be left.
I also want to thank you for supporting our decision to live overseas and legitimately
be excited for us as we live out our adventure so far away. I had to take a
page from your handbook this year as we say goodbye to dear friends and I am
grateful to you in more ways than one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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See you soon, America!<o:p></o:p></div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-74595721436927046812014-05-03T19:43:00.003-07:002014-05-03T19:52:02.312-07:00North Korea: Fact or Fiction<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DT7GkdEuCqqIEe5Obvj7t7voWZIoBosl7XzcTMIEUbiMAWbTBOiSqF2Yx3_dMgE89YeAtIFz_G_LS9zV6AGcz0cfrcH0XoIcrxOS8HEztLRAM4kP5R72hRSTTln70yYA-aKYYgwpRig/s1600/IMG_6631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DT7GkdEuCqqIEe5Obvj7t7voWZIoBosl7XzcTMIEUbiMAWbTBOiSqF2Yx3_dMgE89YeAtIFz_G_LS9zV6AGcz0cfrcH0XoIcrxOS8HEztLRAM4kP5R72hRSTTln70yYA-aKYYgwpRig/s1600/IMG_6631.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Well, here I am. I am back from the enigmatic North. It was
truly an amazing experience and I am so glad that I was able to go and be a
part of a team who offered hope and made a difference in a few people’s lives.
Being one of the most closed countries in the world, we don’t get a lot of
first-hand information about North Korea. We hear bits and pieces and we try to
fit them together to create a full picture of this mysterious place. I had a
lot of presuppositions before heading up there and some of them were spot on.
Others, however, were very different. So, I feel it is my responsibility to let
you know what I was able to witness. Please join me in a little game of “North
Korea: Fact or Fiction”.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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1.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There are no cars
on the roads</b>. Fiction. In Pyongyang (the capital city), there are a lot of
people with cars. There are nice, new green and yellow taxis, sparkling clean
Lexuses and BMWs, and a good number of average-looking cars. There are a
handful 50’s era vehicles as well as a good number of military transports but
they are not the only ones on the roads. Granted, their traffic problems are
not going to equal Seoul’s any time soon but the images I have seen of ghost
town streets just aren’t accurate.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There is no
electricity outside of Pyongyang</b>. Fact. Yes, the satellite pictures you
have seen of North Korea at night are correct. On more than one occasion, we
had to travel several hours outside of Pyongyang and drove back at night. As my
grandmother used to say, “It was blacker than the inside of a cow, kid.” No
houselights, no streetlights, nothing. Even in the capital city, I noticed that
people were accustomed to keeping flashlights with them and would pull them out
if they were walking after sunset. I had hoped that so little light pollution
would allow for some pretty spectacular stars at night but I guess the air
quality (pollution from North Korea but also blown in from China) keeps you
from seeing much at all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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3. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The landscape is
barren</b>. Fiction. I had read that in North Korea, trees had to be cut down
to serve as firewood, which resulted in a sparse, balding landscape. This
couldn’t be further from the truth, at least where we traveled. I was
pleasantly surprised by the beautiful scenery everywhere we drove. Vegetation
was everywhere, carpeting the rolling hills and lining the lakes and rivers.
Being spring, the flowers were in bloom and purple lilacs brought color and
fragrance to the verdant backdrop. I found our drives to be very picturesque. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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4. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Propaganda is
everywhere</b>. Fact. This is an enthusiastic yes. Propaganda has been painted,
posted, carved, and erected everywhere. Even when you think that you are in the
middle of nowhere, there in a field is a giant sign encouraging you that
agriculture makes the Fatherland strong or that we should all do it the Korean
way. In every building we entered, slogans were pasted everywhere offering all
kinds of “encouragements” about how to live and whom you should thank.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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5. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">North Koreans live
in total isolation from the rest of the world</b>. Fiction… kind of. For this
question, it depends on who you are. If you are Mr. Kim working in the fields
in the countryside day in and day out, you are pretty much isolated. For those
in Pyongyang, however, there is access to a lot of information. Our minders
held many conversations with us about current events and American movies. Our
hotel rooms had televisions that had several channels including a Singaporean
news station and an American movie channel. As far as I could tell, the news
didn’t seem to be censored, either. We saw updates about North Korean nuclear
tests and I watched a documentary about the families from North and South Korea
who were able to meet for a weekend a little while ago. I know that the vast
majority of the population doesn’t have access to the outside world (this has a
lot to do with #2 as well) but information <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>
getting in. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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6. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Kims are
everywhere</b>. Fact. By the Kims, I mean The Great Leader, the Generalissimo,
and The Great Chairman themselves, Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il, and Kim Jong-Un.
The Great Interior Designer (whoever that was) must have been inspired by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">1984</i>. The Kims’ faces are plastered
everywhere in order to see everything. Every household has the two older Kims’
faces hanging in their living room. I know because as soon as the electricity
came on in the city, you can look in and see four creepy eyes staring back at
you with their plastic smiles. Giant murals show the fat, happy Kims
encouraging the North Korean people to do it the Korean way and party members
(read: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everyone</i>) sport a lapel pin
with the face of either the two deceased Kims or the current Kim. I imagine the
current Kim will get a few more murals painted with his face encouraging you
about the Fatherland in the not-so-distant future. <o:p></o:p></div>
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North Korea is a fascinating and complicated place. I don’t
pretend to understand its complexity after having visited for just a few days
but these are a few of the things I observed. Thanks to everyone for your
thoughts and prayers during my time there and I am grateful to be back home!<o:p></o:p></div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-65636077791428542382014-04-10T02:45:00.001-07:002014-04-10T02:45:24.438-07:00Working for Good<div class="MsoNormal">
In just about 10 days, I am going to do something that not a
lot of people get to do. And, to be honest, I’m not really sure how I feel
about it. I’m going to North Korea.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As expats, we love to travel to new places, get new stamps
in our passports, and tick exciting and exotic places off our “must-see” lists.
After returning from vacations, we all share about where we went and what we
did. Those who have traveled more off the beaten path get to tell their tales
of adventure with more pride as those of us who stayed on the main roads listen in awe and often with a hint of jealousy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That’s how I used to feel about North Korea. When I first
arrived in Seoul and I learned that one of our teachers goes up every year to
help out at a tuberculosis clinic, my immediate reaction was that I needed to
get my name on that list so that I could play Marco Polo to my friends and be
able to trump everyone else’s “where I’ve been” lists. However, the more I’ve
read, the more I’ve learned, the longer I’ve lived here, my feelings about our mysterious
northern neighbor have changed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To me, North Korea isn’t a box to tick and it isn’t an
adventure to be had. It is a country in suffocatingly desperate need and is governed
by a leadership so corrupt that we literally have to hand-deliver medications
to dying patients to ensure that they don’t end up in the wrong place. The
danger of traveling to one of the most closed countries on the planet isn’t the
exciting quest of an adrenaline junky. It’s a nauseating, nagging fear that
sends me into cold sweats and keeps me up at night. <o:p></o:p></div>
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To be clear, I am not doing anything illegal by going up
there. The North Korean government <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wants</i>
us there and is granting us the proper paperwork to make our stay a legally
authorized one. I’ll be given a minder who will direct my every move and I’m
sure that every minute will be scrutinized by someone; “private” won’t exist. I
won’t say anything critical of North Korea nor will I say anything praising
another country. I will make sure that my wardrobe doesn’t stray from the
black/gray color palette. I will toe the line. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, why go? What is the draw? Let me ask you this. Have you
ever had something weigh so heavily on your heart that you feel like you can’t
breathe? Have you ever been so drawn to someone’s story that turning away would
take an incredible feat of physical strength? That is how I feel about the North Korean people. Their reality is a terrible one and their
government makes it incredibly difficult for anyone to step in and do something,
anything, to help. Yet this is what I have been given the opportunity to do.
Help. I have the very rare chance to actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> something to make the lives of a few people better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I was reading in Romans the other day and I came across a
passage that we all grew up reciting:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And
we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. –Romans 8:28<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I happened to notice
that there was a note connected to the passage that offered an alternate
translation at the bottom of the page. The alternate translation reads:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 45.0pt; margin-right: 58.5pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And we know that God works together with those who love Him
to bring about what is good.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How cool is that? This
passage isn’t just about allowing a grand puppet master to tie up all the loose
ends to make us happy because we are Christian. Rather, it is a call for those
of us who love Him to team up with the Creator of the universe and make the
world a better place. We get to take an active part in God’s plan to bring
about good in people’s lives. We are called to work <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">with</i> God to bring light and hope to a fallen world. We are not only
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">recipients</i> of grace and love, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">givers</i> as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And so that is why I
am going to North Korea: a place that is at once only a few kilometers away and yet also light years away. If you ask me how I’m feeling, I’ll tell you that I
don’t know. However, I will ask you for your prayers. Pray for me, for our
team, for the people we will see, and the people we will have to turn away
because the medicine has run out. Pray for strength, hope, and love.
And thank God for the incredible opportunity that we have to work alongside Him
to make good happen.</span> </div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-35983693645131174822014-04-01T23:12:00.001-07:002014-04-01T23:12:45.115-07:00KyotoAh, spring. The best time of year. The weather is heating up, the flowers are blooming, and as teachers we get spring break. After our adventure to <a href="http://simpsonsabroad.blogspot.kr/2013/09/malapascua-with-twin-toddlers.html" target="_blank">Malapascua</a> in the fall, we decided to take it a little bit easier on the travel side of things and just take a quick jaunt over to Japan.<br />
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We decided to explore one of its loveliest cities: Kyoto. The flight was only an hour and half followed by an easy hour-long train ride to the city center. The girls were sorely disappointed with the brevity of the flight as it didn't even allow them enough time to watch <i>Frozen</i> all the way through. Tears dried, however, we found the little Japanese house we rented for the week and explored our surroundings.<br />
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The girls loved their "special beds." We all slept on tatami mats on the floor.</div>
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Obligatory waving cat photo</div>
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Heian Shrine</div>
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Bike tour of the city</div>
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One of Kyoto's claims to fame is the array of flowering trees that appear in the spring. While we were a bit too early for the real blossom explosion, we were able to find a few.<br />
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We ended our time with a lovely and life-changing Kobe beef dinner overlooking some cherry blossoms and headed back home. In all, the trip was a smashing success and we hope to visit our neighbors to the east again soon.<br />
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Sayonara, Japan!</div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-1521387372840924452014-03-16T23:34:00.001-07:002014-03-16T23:34:05.640-07:00Grammar Snob<div class="MsoNormal">
Language learning is a fascinating process. I might be a bit
biased seeing as language learning is what I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> all day long but I think that most people find it at least
somewhat intriguing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It has been amazing to watch our little girls’ coos turn
into words and then words turn into phrases and phrases express ideas and
desires. Now more than ever it has become evident just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how much</i> the girls are watching and learning from us. Hearing my
exact phrasing and word choice coming from a tiny little mouth has made me
consider my words very carefully. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Seeing as I labor all day to teach grammar to students, it
has been amazing to me how effortlessly the girls just suddenly figure out a
grammar rule and then start applying it. Their knowledge of a rule is generally
made most evident through mistakes. They learn that –ed makes a verb past tense
and so they say, “I runned yesterday,” or they learn that an –s makes a plural
and so they say, “I want to see the fishes.” I know that these errors will work
themselves out and mostly I am just excited that they have internalized grammar
just through listening. How amazing is that?<o:p></o:p></div>
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However, something terrible happened the other day,
something that is unnatural and could only have been repeated and not a
manifestation of an incorrectly applied rule. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“Mama, where is Dada at?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Cue look of shock and horror.* What did my child just say?
Did she seriously just end her question with a preposition? <o:p></o:p></div>
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“What, sweetheart? What did you say?” I asked, hoping that
my ringing ears had betrayed me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Where is Dada at?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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She did. Not only did she end her sentence with a
preposition, it was an inexplicably superfluous one. One of the most heinous
grammatical crimes had just been committed by my own flesh and blood.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Like I said, I don’t correct their grammar. These things
just work themselves out. But this, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i>
had to be addressed. I’m sorry if it makes me a grammar snob but ending a
sentence with “at” is like nails on a chalkboard to me. It takes a perfectly sophisticated
conversation and tosses it in the toilet. Don’t end your sentences with
prepositions, people. Just don’t. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Do you mean, ‘Where is Dada?’”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah, where is Dada?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Good! He is in Hong Kong.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would be lying if I said this appalling offense was a
singular event but, sadly, it wasn’t. You will be relieved to know that I have
corrected it consistently and earnestly each time it has reared its ugly
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go ahead and judge me. Yes, I
correct my children’s grammar. My children <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i>
know the difference between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">well</i>, how to use an adverb correctly,
and when to use <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i> versus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i>. They will learn to express
themselves intelligently. They will also probably need therapy. But, just think
of how eloquently they will be able to share their feelings about their
obsessive mother to their therapist! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I might need to seek help…<o:p></o:p></div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-76268982707783210102014-01-18T18:48:00.003-08:002014-01-19T15:27:14.282-08:00Learning to Breathe Deeply<div class="MsoNormal">
They say that the human eye can only detect a small
percentage of the colors of light that actually exist; that, evidently, there
exists a whole array of colors that we just can’t see. I feel like emotions
pre-children were like this. It was like our hospital “go bag” included a
special pair of glasses that opened our eyes to all these new ranges of
emotions. I thought I knew love before kids, but I didn’t. I thought I knew
fear and anxiety, but I didn’t. I thought I knew awe and pride, but I didn’t. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before I had two almost three-year-olds, I thought I knew
frustration, but I didn’t. Recently, Chris and I watched a comedian talking
about how life with children has changed and he mentioned the difficulty of
leaving the house. If you have children or are thinking of having children,
watch it <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFQfylQ2Jgg" target="_blank">here</a>. It’s hilarious. At any rate, I couldn’t help but relate this morning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay, girls, breakfast is over and it’s time to get
dressed. What would you like to do after we get dressed? Would you like to help
me make muffins? (me thinking this would be a fun and special activity)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: No, I want to go play outside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: Yeah! Outside! Let’s go play outside!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Outside? (To self: In January? In Seoul? Checks
temperature. -7<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">°</span> C. Bearable). Okay, we can go outside. Let’s get our clothes
on. What do you want to wear?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: This! (Holding out pants and a shirt).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Great! Let’s put it on. What about you?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2. I want to wear a skirt.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay, would you like to wear leggings with your skirt or
tights?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: I don't want to wear leggings or tights.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: (Already dressed) I want to wear a skirt, too!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: (Deep breath) Okay, L#1, pick out a skirt and we’ll put it on. L#2,
we need to cover our legs because it's cold outside.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
L#2: But covering our legs makes my sad!<br />
<br />
Me: I'm sorry that makes you sad. Would you like to choose pants or tights or should I?<br />
<br />
L#2: You.<br />
<br />
Me: Okay, let's wear these leggings.<br />
<br />
L#2: No! I don't want those leggings. I want tights.<br />
<br />
Me: (Deep breath) Okay. (Puts on tights)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: I think these tights are too small. They are too tight.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: No, they aren’t too small. They are just tight, that is how
they are supposed to be; that is why they are called tights.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2. No, they are too small.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay, do you want to take them off?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: Yes. (We take off tights)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Me: Okay, L#1, is this the skirt you want? Do you want
leggings or tights?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: Tights! (We put on tights). These feel weird on my
toes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay, do you want to take them off?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: No, they feel weird on my toes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: (Deep breath) Okay, well, that is how the tights are made. Do you want
to take them off?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1. No, they feel weird on my toes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay. (puts socks and leggings on L#2). Okay, girls, do
you want to go outside now?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: Yeah!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: I just need to stay here with my princesses.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: (Deep breath) Well, we all need to do the same thing (Chris is out of town). Why don’t we go
outside for a little while and then come back in to our princesses. (L#2
surprisingly easily concedes to this idea.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay, let’s put on our coats.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: I don’t want my coat. My coat wants to stay here. I
just want my jacket.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Well, it is cold outside and we need coats. Do you want
to wear a hat? (Attempting to distract from coat-wearing with a different
choice)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: No, I don’t want a hat. (Distraction successful! Coat
goes on)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: I want my mittens. (I pull mittens from the drawer).
No, not those mittens. The purple ones. (We don’t own, nor ever have owned
purple mittens).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Sweetheart, we don’t have purple mittens. Do you want
pink ones or blue ones.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: Purple! Purple! Purple!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: (Deep breath) Okay, L#2, would you like pink mittens or blue mittens?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: Pink! (We put on mittens)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay, L#1, that leaves the blue ones for you. (We put
these one with a pouty face but not a meltdown. This is good.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s put on our shoes!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: L#2, which shoes would you like? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: The red ones!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Well, I’m sorry sweetheart but those shoes are too
small. What about these white ones? They have sparkles on them!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: No! Just try it! They aren’t too small! Just try it!
Just try it! Just try it!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Deep breath. I concede. We squeeze her feet into shoes that have been too
small for her for some time now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: Owie, Mama! Owie! These are too small.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: (Inappropriate internal monologue) Okay, which shoes
would you like? These white ones?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: Yeah! (We put them on)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay, L#1, which shoes would you like?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: (No response)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay, let’s put on these (We put them on and we start to
leave.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: No! No! I don’t like these shoes. I want the ones with
flowers on them! I want the flowers!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: (Deep breath) Well, honey, we already have these shoes on. Let’s go
outside. (Move toward door without giving time to melt down) Where would you
like to go?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1 & L#2: Let’s go to the trampoline!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Okay! (This should get them nice and tired for a nap!)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We head to the trampoline and I take off their shoes and put
the girls up on the trampoline to jump. I turn around to sit on a chair nearby.
I have literally just sat down when…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#1: Mom, it’s too cold. I’m too cold. Let’s go inside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
L#2: Me too. I’m cold. I don’t want to play outside anymore.
Let’s go inside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Deep breaths. Deep breaths. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Check watch. It's 9:30. Repeat these conversations, only slightly modified until bedtime. Wake up, lather, rinse, repeat.</div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-89504041543743908992013-12-08T22:35:00.000-08:002013-12-09T14:57:56.128-08:00Managing Expectations<div class="MsoNormal">
When I was a kid, getting to light the advent candle at
church was a big deal. Like, <a href="http://themoviescore.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kind-of-a-big-deal.gif" target="_blank">Ron Burgundy</a> big. Each Sunday leading up to
Christmas, we would check the bulletin to see which family had been selected to
do the honor and we would watch the performance as if it were a mini Nativity
play. The years when my family was so lucky as to be asked to join in, we were
invited to do the lighting a few weeks in advance. The week before the main
event, we took home a binder that contained each family member’s part to speak
during the service. This binder was carefully practiced and studied so that we
had all memorized our lines and our cues to put on a flawless performance.
Outfits were carefully selected so that right at the moment the flame took to
the wick, we could have a perfect Norman Rockwell-worthy Christmas moment. My
memories of the advent candle are pretty epic.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So, you can imagine my excitement when, last week sitting in
our pew, one of our friends asked if our family would be willing to do the
advent lighting the following week. My face suddenly all aglow with Christmas
cheer, I sat up a little straighter and ecstatically agreed. We had arrived. We
had established ourselves enough in our little church body and produced cute
enough offspring to be considered worthy of *collective gasp* the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">advent candle</i>. I had trouble paying
attention to the rest of the sermon as I contemplated which of our daughters
would ask, “Dad, why are we lighting the candle today?” and which would help me
read the Bible verse. Maybe we should hold family auditions….<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I should have known that things were going to be different
when I asked about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">the binder</i>. I was
told just to show up a little early to the service next Sunday and that our
lines would be ready for us near the candle lighting station. Okay, no problem.
I’m an advent pro. I remember my lines from my elementary school days; I can
wing this. Instead of memorizing lines, I spent the week trying to decide what
we all should wear. We had to be coordinated, Christmasy, but not look like we
were trying too hard. We couldn’t look like I was taking this as seriously as I
was; there was no binder after all. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, the big day arrived. I dressed us all in our carefully
chosen ensembles, had a friend take a family photo and headed off to church
making sure not to be late. I felt a certain celebrity vibe as I stepped out of
the car and walked up to the sanctuary. Yes, we are here, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">advent family</i>. I couldn’t help but
notice, however, that no one else seemed to care. That’s okay, they’ll know
when they get the bulletin. Huh, no name in the bulletin? I can deal with that.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chris headed up to the altar to find the promised advent
guide so that at least he and I would be ready to speak and the girls could
just sit and look cute. No paper. Oh dear. He went off to find the advent
coordinator. Chris came back to report that the coordinator seemed to think
that a college girl was going to perform the advent this week. WHAT!?!?! No.
This is OUR Sunday. I might have had a few un-Christian things go through my
mind at that point. I’m not sure what happened but the situation was resolved
when the coordinator quickly sat down next to me and said, “Are you doing the
candle today?” I breathed a relieved, “yes” and awaited the instructions. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Who of you is going up?” He asked referring to my perfectly
coordinated though not-over-the-top family. Somewhat perplexed, I replied that
I assumed that all four of us would go up. He said that would be fine and then
asked the woman next to him if we would be doing the Luke passage. She replied
in the negative and reported that we would be doing the Isaiah passage.
“Alright,” I replied. “Which verses?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Um, I don’t know. We don’t have the paper.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are you serious right now? Not only did you not know that we
were lighting the candle, you don’t even know what we are saying? Come on,
people. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I frantically started flipping through Isaiah to find a
Christmas passage. “Pierced for our transgressions?” No, that’s Easter. “For
unto us a child is born…” That’s it! I informed our coordinator (I now use that
term loosely) that I found the right passage. He barely had time to tell me
when we would be on when the opening song started. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the chaos of finding the Bible verse, I hadn’t been able
to ask anyone to document this monumental event for our family. So, as we
strode up to the podium, I meekly passed off my iPhone to a friendly
church-goer and asked if she wouldn’t mind taking a couple of pictures for our
family. She happily agreed and up to the front we went. This was it. This was
our defining moment as an advent family. I read the verse from Isaiah, Chris
lit the candle, and… that’s it. We were done. We sat down. One of the most epic
moments of the Christmas season had come and gone. That was the day that I
learned a little something about managing expectations. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Merry Christmas.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-53804603410536671982013-11-21T17:09:00.001-08:002013-11-21T17:09:43.114-08:00Discovery Week<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought about titling this blog “Why I will never be able
to work in America again” but I thought that might border on braggadocios. And
well, you know what they say about saying “never.” And so, Discovery Week won.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As you may remember from previous <a href="http://simpsonsabroad.blogspot.kr/2012/05/eating-crow.html" target="_blank">posts</a>, our school has a
tradition in the high school to take a week off from regular classes and
“discover.” Teachers design courses ranging from learning how to cook here in
Seoul to camping in the deserts of Oman. I’ll be the first to admit that
planning a trip with 15 teenagers can be stressful and that spending a solid
week with my hormonal, sans-prefrontal cortex students isn’t exactly the
portrait of a holiday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, come on. Who
says “no” to hiking in the Himalayas? Not this Colorado girl. And so, off I
went.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The last time I went to Nepal, we stayed relatively close to
the foothills near Kathmandu. We went off the beaten path, so to speak, though
the actual path we followed was well worn by the locals traveling from village
to village. This time, we took the most scenic flight I have ever been on to
the town of Pokhara and took off on our hiking from there. This distance gave
us spectacular views of the Annapurna Range though we ourselves never got much
above 6,000 feet. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVe7nyK3VMIyphv5mxMXrujPQZDK97kZ5fGalBMDyK46rhRsj749MaejsdNmV2xV-D_U8tcxj7S27V-Grs_IQx7_KNOMW0hWM4McTKjxj9wJBzKKmwPRlwJ0duXzmq7_GnIu1uxHpctOo/s1600/IMG_3093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVe7nyK3VMIyphv5mxMXrujPQZDK97kZ5fGalBMDyK46rhRsj749MaejsdNmV2xV-D_U8tcxj7S27V-Grs_IQx7_KNOMW0hWM4McTKjxj9wJBzKKmwPRlwJ0duXzmq7_GnIu1uxHpctOo/s320/IMG_3093.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggKHwQbykqhQnfFaMEA0FONIxZ7FOlMepmdwcFiw2hoF9ApPRbm8DGc0a7L32VP21QPbSYhsJStJmavE9IsgiHNkWhqc5YgkGfzYt1fXpSIxrWJvz3sXCKA2VPDYMntYkok5zYecN0oc/s1600/IMG_3102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiggKHwQbykqhQnfFaMEA0FONIxZ7FOlMepmdwcFiw2hoF9ApPRbm8DGc0a7L32VP21QPbSYhsJStJmavE9IsgiHNkWhqc5YgkGfzYt1fXpSIxrWJvz3sXCKA2VPDYMntYkok5zYecN0oc/s320/IMG_3102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq715VOik6Ta7e1NyTa6Yo490tj8qY6doR_YR96yA_xOcW-B5d12ZlOATVxcH9tLW7lUrSTB3yAfCK1OmvoG_28_c8SqJ1zMLTgwetgMaDpHisCwC5FMsQoVf2GjnnTmLvqMX9sfYiFiE/s1600/IMG_3094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq715VOik6Ta7e1NyTa6Yo490tj8qY6doR_YR96yA_xOcW-B5d12ZlOATVxcH9tLW7lUrSTB3yAfCK1OmvoG_28_c8SqJ1zMLTgwetgMaDpHisCwC5FMsQoVf2GjnnTmLvqMX9sfYiFiE/s320/IMG_3094.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now, a trip like this sounds amazing on paper. Exotic
culture, spectacular mountains, “fancy camping” (as I like to call it), what is
there not to like? In the planning stages, you have to know that your wild card
is always going to be the group of students traveling with you. Their attitudes
and behavior can make or break any trip, no matter how well-planned. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HbHwKFZuWPioqjl6KUHJaJShVBs6o1IHYAjHF7Hfrkuz91QmkiX9ckj2G-eS0a-6PFD_OzDCAj818UiLpeCsMQJ_kDB5DjC79X-HjCjnz3_XRqnogHJYJEODNJkzgLzs6hMHs7pJdZY/s1600/PB060507+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HbHwKFZuWPioqjl6KUHJaJShVBs6o1IHYAjHF7Hfrkuz91QmkiX9ckj2G-eS0a-6PFD_OzDCAj818UiLpeCsMQJ_kDB5DjC79X-HjCjnz3_XRqnogHJYJEODNJkzgLzs6hMHs7pJdZY/s320/PB060507+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>One of our campsites</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
These kids are used to traveling. Just like us, their
parents take every chance they can get to check another country off the list or
go back to their favorite Thai beach. They are the hipsters of the travel
world. “What? You haven’t been to Burma? It’s really great this time of year. I
wouldn’t go in the summer, though. Too touristy.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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They can be tough to impress. Not only have they been
everywhere but their parents are often CEOs or dignitaries of some sort and are
therefore *ahem* <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">well off</i>. When they
travel, they go in style. Business class or bust, baby. So when I am imagining
flying to Nepal with these guys, knowing that we will be sleeping in tents,
without showers, and either using the glorious forest floor or (if we are
lucky) a squatty potty to “take care of business”, I am a little skeptical. How
are they going to react?<o:p></o:p></div>
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And so, here I am today to confess to you that I sold these
kids unbelievably short. They were incredible. They were as thrilled as I was
when we got to our first campsite and found squatty potties available to us.
They even came back and told the rest of the group that they had to go check
out just how clean said services were. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The actual view from the squatty potty</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
They raved about the food prepared by our tour
guides and thanked them profusely for everything that they did for us.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz66CmX6odZBOaWhJxQ3hAketE7wHY-orIDwRkH3cBmXmVZGgOV_Wf6LvQ1u-CRCBFte6aogW2T5QNHbNfRHZG70WBwVrvFFkrl1jxTKm8dOEuVMFPUxJCA5VtVridB9tRRLdUiRqNjhU/s1600/IMG_3250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz66CmX6odZBOaWhJxQ3hAketE7wHY-orIDwRkH3cBmXmVZGgOV_Wf6LvQ1u-CRCBFte6aogW2T5QNHbNfRHZG70WBwVrvFFkrl1jxTKm8dOEuVMFPUxJCA5VtVridB9tRRLdUiRqNjhU/s320/IMG_3250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Yep. He made a cake in a portable kitchen. A CAKE!</i></span></div>
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When it came time for some manual labor at one of the village schools, they didn’t bat
an eye about getting dirty and working hard all day. Even to the very end on our
red-eye flight back to Seoul, they were bright and cheerful and ready to face
the day.</div>
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I guess that the “discoveries” made during Discovery Week
aren’t limited just to our students. I’ve <a href="http://simpsonsabroad.blogspot.kr/2012/12/a-reflection-on-normal.html" target="_blank">mentioned before</a> how TCKs (third
culture kids) are different. After this trip, I think I’ll be proud to have a
couple of them in my house. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-14028354790762919122013-09-22T19:35:00.002-07:002013-09-22T19:35:26.991-07:00Malapascua. With twin toddlers.One of the many reasons that we so thoroughly enjoy teaching overseas is that we get the unusual luxury of celebrating both major Korean holidays and major American holidays. So, while we didn't get to enjoy backyard barbecues on Labor Day as many of you did, we saw your Labor Day and raised you Chuseok. This is a lunar holiday that is similar to American Thanksgiving. Depending on when it falls, we get anywhere from a couple of days to a full week off of work. This year, we were lucky enough to have a full week and we took the opportunity to cross another country off of our "must-see" checklist: the Philippines.<br />
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As you may or may not be aware, the Philippines is a large country that offers various climate zones and myriad activities for tourists. We chose the always popular beach option and headed to a tiny island called Malapascua.<br />
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This location had come highly recommended to us because of its secluded nature and gorgeous beaches. And, let me tell you, it certainly did not disappoint on either account. The beaches certainly were spectacular. Exhibit A:<br />
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Our hotel offered numerous sun chairs and what I can only describe as beach multi-person lazyboys that allowed us to lounge and play to our hearts' content. Not only that, but our room was on the first floor so once the girls were asleep, we could carry our trusty baby monitor down to said lazyboys, order a cocktail, and live the dream.<br />
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Jealous yet? The next paragraph just might change your mind.<br />
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So, yes, the island was secluded and gorgeous. The problem with a secluded island? They are sometimes difficult to reach. We flew directly from Seoul to the city of Cebu in the Philippines, a 4 1/2 hour flight. Not too bad. The catch? It left at 8:30 PM putting us in Cebu at about 1:00 AM. With twin toddlers. We decided to splurge and have our hotel make arrangements to have a private van come and pick us up at the airport to drive us to the port. How far was the port? Three hours away. On Philippine roads. In the middle of the night. With twin toddlers. Once we safely reached the port, we had to wait for a boat to take us across the bay to our island. We speculated about what kind of boat would take us to our destination and were pleasantly surprised when it showed up and appeared to be quite seaworthy. So, we boarded the boat and made the final 30 minute leg of our journey across a choppy ocean to be escorted to our hotel room where we barely had time to take off our shoes before we fell into bed at 4:30 AM. With twin toddlers. Why did we do it? Let me remind you:<br />
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So, we took the week to relax and recover and to gear up for the journey back. Ah, yes. The journey back. This time, it wouldn't be so easy. Our flight back to Seoul left at 1:50 AM. So, doing the math backwards, we decided to leave our hotel at around 7:00 in the evening to give us a little slack time. However, around lunch time, we were informed that a typhoon was headed our way. Awesome. We needed to leave the island at 4:30 or else we wouldn't be leaving for the next couple of days. Presented with the options, we decided to throw everything in the suitcase and be ready for the 4:30 ferry. The 30 minute trip across the bay turned into an hour of roughing it through some of the choppiest water Chris or I had been in. With twin toddlers. Luckily, our van was there waiting to take us back to the airport where we would have ample time to wait for our flight. Which left at 2:00 AM. With twin toddlers.<br />
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As I watched the sunrise through the plane window, I had to laugh at our crazy journey and our crazy selves for knowingly putting ourselves through it all. I am also just going to tell you. Through all of the travel, the girls were absolute rock stars. They loved the boat rides, the van rides, and especially the airplane rides. When we landed in Seoul, Lily was upset that we weren't going on another plane. Her mom and dad were not as upset.<br />
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It was an incredible week and all four of us had a blast. Would I recommend Malapascua? Absolutely. Without twin toddlers.<br />
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-39004751423206888872013-08-03T04:00:00.000-07:002013-08-03T19:20:01.347-07:00America's Top Five<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, we are back. After the girls’ annual rainbow tour of
the United States, we once again find ourselves wondering what to do with our
time at 2:00 AM as we battle through jet lag back in Seoul. It was a great
summer full of dear friends and family, fantastic memories, and more than a few
Chick-fil-A chicken biscuits. What more could we ask for?<o:p></o:p></div>
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As we unpack our giant treasure chests known as suitcases,
we settle back in to our apartment and reflect on our time in America. Each
year when we arrive in the U.S., different things strike me as surprising. This
year we were taken aback at the size of things. Everything from parking spaces
to refrigerators to chicken breasts just seemed bigger. Let’s not talk about
the size “medium” soda offered by Wendy’s. Learning our lesson from previous
Stateside visits, we tried to behave ourselves our first few trips through the
grocery store and not throw random novelty items into the cart as we raced up
and down the aisles like kids in a candy store. I’m hoping we didn’t leave
behind too many uniquely flavored coffee creamers or “new” breakfast cereals in
our adopted kitchens after our departure.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As always, we found many things about the good ol’ US of A
that made us feel at home and appreciate the ingenuity of our compatriots. As a
tribute to the Motherland, I have decided to compile a list of the top five
things that we feel America is doing right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Public
trash cans</b>. For whatever reason, Koreans haven’t embraced this idea just
yet. I’m not sure if the government is afraid people might put too much of
their personal rubbish in public receptacles or perhaps we are keeping more
citizens in jobs by having plenty of street cleaners on duty to keep the city
looking nice. At any rate, finding a public garbage can here is reminiscent of
a <i>Where’s Waldo</i> treasure hunt. I will
often put on a jacket and reach in the pocket to find a wrapper or receipt of
some sort that never disposed of during my last jaunt in the city. In America,
on the other hand, trash cans are everywhere.
Along strip malls and main streets, there is no shortage of places to
put my rubbish. Buy an ice cream cone at a vendor and don’t want the receipt?
Why, throw it away two feet away from the store. Soiled a napkin already? Just
five feet more and there is another can awaiting your refuse. Decide you don’t
want the ice cream after all and want to dispose of it? Why, there is another
vessel hungry for your waste. Way to go, America.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Opening
hours of stores and restaurants</b>. This one particularly hits home when we
are in the throes of jet lag. One of the meals that I look forward to most in
America is a greasy waffle and eggs breakfast from the Waffle House at 4:00 in
the morning. Why? Because it is 4:00 AM and they are open. Spectacular. Here,
if you want breakfast before 10:00, you had better start cooking. The popular
local brunch restaurant opens at 11:00 most days and noon on Sundays. Starbucks
doesn’t open until 9:30. There is one local place to get coffee that “opens” at
7:30 but they will be shocked if you darken their doorway at that unseemly
hour. Chris and I took the girls earlier this week and, though they are known
for their breads and pastries, there were none in sight as nothing had been
cooked yet. God bless you and your greasy hash browns, Waffle House.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Children’s
menus</b>. Brilliant. Maybe I’m just not going to the right places here in
Seoul but I have yet to see that blessed paper with the little maze and the
$3.00 grilled cheese served with a cup of milk and some crayons. How awesome is
it that it is just standard procedure that restaurants offer smaller portions
to those with pickier palates and let them color while they wait for their
food? Just appreciate that concept for a minute, people. Here’s to the red,
white, and blue on that one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Garbage
disposals</b>. Now, I know that these are not ubiquitous in the American
kitchen but for those lucky enough to have one, they are something special.
During our years overseas, we have lived in two countries who compost all food
waste so every scrap of uneaten or even rotten foodstuffs has to go in a
special bucket under the sink and be taken out to a larger food repository with
everyone else’s inedibles. I’m sure that it is great for the environment and
everything but seriously, eew. I love to be able to rinse my plate off in the
sink, flip a switch, and forget about it. Bravo, USA and whoever else supports
this helpful contraption.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--><b>Drive
through coffee</b>. Admittedly, Americans can be a little funny when it comes
to personal space and their cars. I’m going to let you know that outsiders
looking in think that our drive through everythings have gone a little
overboard. Do I really need a drive through pharmacy? Probably not. Drive
through coffee? Oh, yes. Running late
for work and need a quick pick-me-up but don’t have time to go in? No problem.
Can’t possibly bear the idea of waking your sleeping child in the car seat but
in desperate need of caffeine? They have you covered. Up again with your jet
lagged twins at 5:30 and don’t feel like getting out of your jammies and facing
the world but running low on your espresso IV drip? Come on by. Not only are
they open, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your Ford. America at
its finest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-47507949772801478702013-05-29T18:13:00.003-07:002013-05-29T18:13:55.674-07:00Pass the Pork<div class="MsoNormal">
When the girls were first born, everything that I knew as
“normal” in my daily routine was turned upside-down. As all new parents do, we
had to learn to adapt to a life that now revolved around someone else (or, in
our case, two someone elses). The jarring time period of readjustment felt a
little bit like the proverbial rug got pulled out from under us. We were left
lying on our backs gasping for air in a bewildered state of shock. Eventually,
however, we caught our breath and learned to appreciate life on the floor. It’s
true what they say that sooner or later you “forget” about what life was like
before kids. Sometimes I try to remember exactly what I used to <i>do</i> in the afternoons and weekends
pre-children. Nowadays conversations about bodily functions have become so natural
that on occasion I will inadvertently horrify a toddler-less friend. Sentences
like, “No, we don’t eat Cinderella, “Honey, teapots aren’t for hitting,” and “We
color on paper not…. (you fill in the blank)” have become commonplace in my
everyday vernacular. I have more than one Dr. Seuss book memorized and I am now
well-versed in scores of children’s songs that get us through bedtime. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the girls get older, we face new challenges (i.e. potty
training, note previous comment about bodily functions) but we also rediscover
hidden gems from our former life. Each time this happens, it feels like we have
been given a special gift that we don’t take for granted. In the last few
weeks, we have been offered such a treasure: eating out. In the very beginning,
eating out didn’t pose much of a problem. We would just load up the diaper bag,
each strap a girl to our front in a carrier and head off and enjoy our meal as
they slept soundly in their little cocoons. As time drew on, this task became
increasingly more difficult. They became active and needy in the toddler sense
of the word. This presented an additional element of danger in traditional
Korean restaurants as these establishments have a hot grill located in the
middle of each table in order to cook the meat for your dinner. Delicious? Yes.
Hazardous? Extremely. We attempted it a few times as the girls just started
getting grabby and quickly gave up to prevent third degree burns on the girls
or any incidents of cardiac arrest for the parents.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few weeks ago, we decided to give it a go again. We
nervously brought them to the table and held our breath as the grill was
lighted. I pulled out the arsenal of snacks and crayons to keep their busy
little hands occupied as our dinner cooked. To our delight, they waited
relatively patiently and their curious little fingers only rarely reached for
the fiery forbidden fruit at the center of the table. Chris and I enjoyed a
Korean dinner that, compared to a year and a half ago, was a downright pleasure.
The girls even had their first taste of kimchi which seemed to forever cement “spicy”
into their growing vocabularies. Since this positive experience we’ve revisited
a few of our favorite restaurants from our former lives and rekindled our love
for Korean fare.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so another page turns in this novel of parenting and
growing up. With this victory comes the faint bittersweet twinge that reminds
us that our little ones aren’t babies anymore. Questions coming in asking us
about where they will go to school remind us that they won’t be toddlers
forever either. And so we snuggle our little girls knowing that the days they
will fit in our laps are numbered. We relish in the fun times and recognize
that the bad times “are just a phase”. And we order another round of barbecue
pork and kimchi.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-50522064153039202732013-05-13T17:44:00.002-07:002013-05-13T17:44:51.887-07:00An Important Lesson<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know that girls want to be pretty. We have some sort of
innate desire to be beautiful and to be noticed. So, it didn’t surprise me when
the girls suddenly became obsessed with the Disney princesses wanting to don
princess dresses of their own. I was delighted when, once royally adorned, they
immediately and instinctively recognized that they must spin around in circles
to achieve the full potential of their tiny frocks all the while saying, “Dada,
look! Dada, look! Pretty dress.” That will melt a mama’s heart. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AfmZQqhFhGnlFK8iHls1R7obBhVLIvfCwX-BuAyE4E4MuZVUkXNhS5aPIo8WnEQakyNYISKvgY06ubxDcyHSx1JmLKEIoZHX__b2ORObIO2q98btjJ0FjhCi0BjTVuDVEAV2SGbOaxc/s1600/IMG_3968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AfmZQqhFhGnlFK8iHls1R7obBhVLIvfCwX-BuAyE4E4MuZVUkXNhS5aPIo8WnEQakyNYISKvgY06ubxDcyHSx1JmLKEIoZHX__b2ORObIO2q98btjJ0FjhCi0BjTVuDVEAV2SGbOaxc/s320/IMG_3968.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9I9i9TVh1f9F_nBrBLtBh1HR9CuUV1Xg7EFOdTSnBgnKtjaEoS6xLxdt4WMjtU8Ixbe4b8zGtKBo558aKiWUgXK9aM7tQzVzwWCdfzDN09qhBb_HDry9yaruqAECDQ7qGF67DTUNGpe4/s1600/IMG_3976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9I9i9TVh1f9F_nBrBLtBh1HR9CuUV1Xg7EFOdTSnBgnKtjaEoS6xLxdt4WMjtU8Ixbe4b8zGtKBo558aKiWUgXK9aM7tQzVzwWCdfzDN09qhBb_HDry9yaruqAECDQ7qGF67DTUNGpe4/s320/IMG_3976.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, like I said, none of this surprised me. I have my own
fond memories prancing around with my sister singing in old flower girl dresses
pretending to be Belle or Ariel. Our girls know all of the princess’ names and
at least one song from each movie that they regularly request mama to sing or
attempt to sing it on their own. Forgive my perpetuating gender stereotypes,
but I think this obsession is cute and so I go with it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Their fascination has taken a turn that I didn’t expect,
however. A few weeks ago, we let them sit down and watch <i>The Little Mermaid</i> in its entirety (sorry to all the parents out
there who are against movie watching at this age). They were completely enthralled
with the movie and didn’t take their eyes from the screen the entire time. They
picked up on the parts that I expected them to: Ariel’s song, all the fish. <i>Under the Sea</i>, etc. But Lucy especially
seemed to gravitate toward the one character I expected to fast-forward
through: Ursula. For whatever reason, Lucy was captivated by this corpulent villainess.
She laughed and squealed with delight whenever she was on screen. When Ursula’s
more devious nature was revealed, Lucy looked at us and explained, “Ursula is
mad!” And so it began. Whenever we talked about Ariel or the other princesses,
Lucy’s immediate input was, “Ursula is mad!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The fixation didn’t stop at <i>The Little Mermaid</i>. We were watching a brief sing-a-long video of
Snow White’s “I’m Wishing” when the evil stepmother made a fleeting appearance
as she glanced disapprovingly down at the Prince and Snow White. I’m not
kidding; she was on screen for probably less than five seconds. But, of course,
she was who Lucy spotted and immediately asked about. “Who is that?” and so I
told her, “That’s the bad queen.” For days now, all she wants to talk about is
how the “bad queen is mad.” They saw the end of <i>Snow White</i> and were far more concerned that the “bruja” (Spanish
for <i>witch</i>, that’s what we named her)
fell off the mountain than poor Snow White falling “asleep.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, my psychoanalytic friends, what does it all mean? Why
are my sweet princess daughters being lured away by these evil villains? Even
our nighttime routine was taken captive by these wicked antiheros. When it
comes time to say our prayers, the girls list friends and family members and
then, without fail, Ursula and the “bad queen”. There are a few different
things one could take away from this development. Are the girls showing a
propensity for the dark side? I am going to choose not to think so. I am going
to choose to see it this way. The girls are teaching us a very important
lesson: Pray for thine enemies. May we all be so loving. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-90166954977086711352013-04-29T21:50:00.003-07:002013-04-29T21:50:24.601-07:00Spring Has Sprung!Between the incredibly beautiful new blossoms, the weather finally inviting us to spend extended periods outside, and the promise of the approaching end of the school year, I have to say that spring is my favorite season here in Seoul. We were able to commemorate the season change with my parents a few weeks ago and got some of our annual photos at the university near our school. The girls were... somewhat cooperative. Enjoy!<br />
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I love Tessa!</div>
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The hills are alive with the sound of music!</div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-28060591212743257082013-04-05T03:33:00.007-07:002013-04-05T03:44:54.034-07:00Tension<div class="MsoNormal">
If you get CNN, the BBC, Fox News, heck even if you get
facebook, you are probably aware that things here on the Korean peninsula are
not exactly… friendly. Just so we are all aware, the relationship between the
Koreas hasn’t been amicable for some time but right now tensions seem to be
mounting. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m going to be frank with you. We learned the term “the CNN
effect” when we first started looking for international jobs. Recruiters warn hopeful
teaching candidates to be aware that news stories are often sensational and
that life in a country often isn’t what you see on CNN. Teachers who have
happily worked in places like Laos or Saudi Arabia corroborate their counsel declaring
that they couldn’t have been happier living in these questionable countries. I’m
going to tell you that I believe that there is a certain element of truth to
this “CNN effect.” If all I knew about the U.S. came from the news, I would
think that half the population was rioting for marriage equality while the
other half was somehow involved in a mass shooting. Not exactly an inviting
place to visit.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so what does that mean for South Korea? Are we safe? Is
CNN blowing Kim Jong-Un’s “bellicose rhetoric” out of proportion? I don’t know.
I really have no idea how much of what we see on the news is sensational and
how much I need to be worried about. Truthfully, it is a little nerve-wracking.
My CNN app on my iPhone is constantly updating me with news about threats,
missiles, and Guam while the U.S. embassy here seems cool, calm, and collected.
Who do you trust? My brain says to trust the embassy and to look around at my
students and notice that all of the ambassadors’ kids are still in my class
taking notes and goofing off like any other day. But something in the back of
my mind is constantly on edge. I don’t want to be the fool who ignored all the
signs and ended up in a heap of trouble because no one told her to be more
careful. On the other hand, I don’t want to be like the Y2K wackos who built
bomb shelters and stocked them with water and canned goods for the supposed end
of the world. So where is the happy medium?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">MESSAGE_APRIL04,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A Security
Message for U.S. Citizens<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: .5in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The U.S.
Embassy informs U.S. citizens that despite current political tensions with
North Korea there is no specific information to suggest that there are imminent
threats to U.S. citizens or facilities in the Republic of Korea (ROK). The
Embassy has not changed its security posture and we have not recommended that
U.S. citizens who reside in, or plan to visit, the Republic of Korea take
special security precautions at this time. The U.S. Embassy takes as its
highest priority the welfare of American citizens in Korea. Should the security
situation change, the Embassy will issue updated information.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Convinced? Again, the majority of my mind trusts the Embassy
and that it is in their best interest to act on the behalf of its dear citizens
abiding abroad. But, there is that little bit of me that isn’t sold. And so I
will go about my daily life. I will make dinner, teach class, enter grades.
But, I am also going to have a “go bag” packed and ready should we have to
skedaddle at a moment’s notice. Am I overreacting? Possibly. Do I care? Not a
lot. Judge me if you dare. Judge me for not being careful enough; judge me for
being too careful. I’m just doing the best with what I have, people.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I am hoping that one good thing will come from all of this
publicity. Perhaps this will be the summer when no one asks us <i>which</i> Korea we live in. SOUTH Korea, people.
SOUTH! They don’t like us much up North.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div id="ap_listener_added">
</div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-398572369188513492013-03-18T20:49:00.001-07:002013-03-18T20:49:26.960-07:00Making a House a Home<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll be the first to admit it. I am a terrible decorator. I
love it when I walk into someone’s house and everything is <i>just so</i> and they have cool art pieces and just the right accent
wall, blah blah blah. I admire those homes and the artist who set it up that
way with a sort of awe. How did they do that? How did they know which pieces to
buy, where to put them, and what color to pick for their throw pillows? My
sister knows how to do it; my mother is great at it… I, however, fall short in this area. As it
turns out, decorating is one of those skills that is important to help you
settle in to your living quarters. The throw pillows and accent walls can make
the difference between feeling at home and feeling like you are permanently
staying in a hotel. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, what is a less-than-artsy girl to do when she wants to
make her apartment seem like less of a stay at the Hilton and more of a home? I
tried my hand at art, pictures, area rugs, etc. but our apartment still lacked
a certain <i>je ne sais quoi</i>. Our
apartment still seemed to fall short of our friends’ places that had seemed to
capture the essence of “home”. After much soul searching, I think I finally found
the answer: appliances.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As one who loves to eat and therefore must love to cook, I
slowly came to the realization that no home of mine would be complete without
my stand mixer given to me by my mother for our wedding. This spectacular
treasure spent four tragic years collecting dust in our storage unit until this
summer when I had enough sense to pull the ol’ girl out and ship her to Korea.
I didn’t realize just how naked my counter was until this glorious piece of
equipment graced the Formica in August. When I see pictures of our first two
years in the apartment, I immediately notice the gaping Kitchenade-shaped hole
near the sink. How had I survived for so long without it? That question will
have to remain unanswered as I can only reflect on how my kitchen and my
cookies will be forever changed by this home-making addition to our apartment.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the year wore on, we started to realize that our apartment
was still missing something; it wasn’t complete just yet. We pondered our
dilemma for some time and finally found what our home was missing. This darling
little domestic device was installed just last week:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH09OkRTSqCqhyvPNBiR-Q9qaqmGowtMFkorE50B0S5oFDF-tDd2RD5nDzb1_r39mtTY_2VVW5xztGSWwz7mw9HvUwco46Yb_dByMF0BV0bxK5pHW-mkCXD55n6qO7GJX1M-CG85aJ6E/s1600/Photo+Mar+15,+3+56+43+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH09OkRTSqCqhyvPNBiR-Q9qaqmGowtMFkorE50B0S5oFDF-tDd2RD5nDzb1_r39mtTY_2VVW5xztGSWwz7mw9HvUwco46Yb_dByMF0BV0bxK5pHW-mkCXD55n6qO7GJX1M-CG85aJ6E/s320/Photo+Mar+15,+3+56+43+PM.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, a dishwasher. Admittedly
we are still figuring this little beauty out as all of the instructions are in
Korean and my once-a-week class hasn’t reached the “appliance instructions”
chapter yet. At any rate, we have now re-entered the modern age of mechanical
dish washing. It was a lovely four and a half years of soap suds and rubber
gloves but it is time to move on.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so, I have come to this conclusion. Should you come and
visit a home of the Simpsons (be it in Seoul or somewhere else in the world),
you may not have decorative pillows matching hand-knit afghans on the couch.
There may not be special guest towels that were chosen to coordinate with the
soap dish in the bathroom. But, in my home I can always promise you fluffy
cakes and spotless dishes. Is that enough for you? For me, at least, these two
details were enough to make our house a home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div id="ap_listener_added">
</div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-87143347154382400882013-03-02T20:18:00.001-08:002013-03-02T20:18:18.238-08:00Is It Spring Yet?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not sure if you have had a chance to check your
calendar, but we are in March already. March, people! How did this happen? I
think that one of the reasons that I find this so hard to believe is that it is
still unbelievably cold here. Now, I know that it is all relative. Sometimes we
talk to our friends who moved here from the Philippines or India and shiver
whenever the thermometer dips below 70°. Other times, we talk to friends who
moved here from Moscow who haven’t pulled their winter coats out yet. Finding a
sensible medium between the two, I am going to tell you that it is cold here
and has been for a while. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also recognize that you might be thinking, “Hey, man up.
You are from Denver!” Yes, I know I was born and raised at the foot of the
Rocky Mountains but a Colorado winter is quite different from a Korean one.
While Denver does indeed deal with blizzards that bury highways and
temperatures so low they make your water pipes freeze, Mother Nature frequently
smiles upon Colorado and sprinkles sunny 60° days throughout the winter months.
Seoul is different. In January, the average temperature was 27° and I can’t
remember a day where the high was above freezing. February had a few days above
32°but not by much. Yes, I am used to cold. I know how to scrape ice off of a windshield
and I make sure to dress in layers to maximize body heat insulation. But, I am
also used to only having to apply those helpful tidbits on and off throughout
Colorado’s unusually long “possible snow season”. I am used to expecting snow
at Halloween and Easter (never Christmas) but I am also used to pulling out
short sleeves in December. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So this whole eternal winter thing is kind of cramping my
style. And, I know I am not the only one. All four of us seem to be suffering
from a delusional cabin fever. We see the sun shining outside and, for some
unknown reason, think that it must be a great day to take a walk. So, we say
the magic word “Go” to the girls and they are off like shots to the front door
ready to be released from their indoor prison. Not five minutes into our
excursion, however, we are forced to succumb to nature as the girls bury their
rosy cheeks and snotty noses into our shoulders to shield their faces from an
icy wind. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, I know that spring is around the corner. Well, maybe
not around the corner but at least at the end of the block. On particularly
cold and dreary days, I find myself wistfully flipping through last year’s
pictures to find when we started spending extended periods outside or even
wearing short sleeves. It has to warm up soon, right? Right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div id="ap_listener_added">
</div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-35817515765831163622013-02-02T21:57:00.001-08:002013-02-02T21:57:10.514-08:00Twins: The good, the bad, and the ugly<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, it has been two years since the so-called “BOGOs” came
into our lives and made us a family. Since then, we’ve seen a lot. I was
tempted to say that we had seen it all but then I thought about things like
school, homework, friends, and even *shudder* <i>boyfriends</i>. So I decided to stick with “a lot”. Twins are a
different animal. We get a variety of responses when we tell people that we
have twins. We get everything from the awe-struck “Wow, I don’t know how you
survived!”, the inappropriate “Are they natural?”, the insensitive “Better you
than me!”, to the connection making “I’m a twin!” or “I have twins!” No matter
the comment, they almost always cause a reaction. So, I thought I would be real
with you and give you the skinny on what it’s like to live with our toddling
little phenomena. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many times in an attempt to make an emotional connection, I’ve
had moms tell me, “My kids are only ___ months/years apart. It was pretty much
like having twins.” I’m going to let you in on a little secret: No, it wasn’t.
There is no such thing as “pretty much” twins. Either they are twins, or they
aren’t. Now, I don’t mean that in a derogatory sense at all. I honestly think
that there are many things that are <i>more</i>
difficult about having kids at two different ages than two at the same age. For
me, when it is nap time, it is nap time. For both kids. I don’t have to worry
about keeping one quiet so the other can sleep and I get a break at the same
time every day. When they were infants, I only had one schedule to keep (and <i>yes</i>, I kept to it. Ask anyone who was
around me for the first year of the twins’ lives).There are no “older child
toys” and “younger child toys”. We don’t have to worry about the toddler being
upset about the baby breaking a favorite doll or the baby swallowing a Lego
meant for a toddler. Remember, I was only pregnant <i>once</i>, gave birth<i> once</i>,
went through <i>one</i> infancy stage.
Hence: BOGO (buy one get one free).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, I’m not going to lie. There are things that are more
difficult with twins. Breastfeeding. I think that is all that needs to be said
on that topic. Soothing little babies when all they want is their mother’s full
attention and it has to be divided between the two of them. Sometimes I look at
new moms and I think to myself, “How is she looking so <i>normal</i>? How is she coping with this new little being so well? I was
a MESS at this time!” I have to comfort myself with the thought that I had two
and they were a double dose of game-changer. Or it is also quite possible that they just are coping better than I did... or at least hiding it better. Even now when I get home from
work, all these two little girls want to do is to be held and played with and,
frankly, all I want to do is hold them and play with them. But, I’m home at
4:00 and dinner is at 5:00 (yep, still a schedule freak). So that means figuring out how to stir
spaghetti noodles with no hands. I’ve figured out a few creative solutions but
mostly I’ve come to the conclusion that this, just like infancy, is a phase that
I need to embrace and that it <i>will</i>
get easier. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the other hand, there are some simply amazing things
about twins. They will share a connection that will be impossible for me to
understand. They will never remember life without the other. There is no
greater gift to a parent than having your kids love each other. People often
ask us if they fight and the answer is that yes, they do. I think that sibling
rivalry is inevitable no matter what the age similarity/difference is. But they
also love each other and enjoy being around each other. Even at this young age,
they show empathy, “Uh-oh, sissy is sad!” or concern, “Oh no, sissy is in time
out.” They frequently ask to hug and kiss each other, they dance together and
hold hands. Just one interaction like that and any of the difficulty we’ve had
with them that day melts away and we are once again enthralled with the miracle
of these two little girls.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, there you have it. Twins: the good, the bad, and the
ugly. Just remember, unless you had twins, you didn’t have twins.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div id="ap_listener_added">
</div>
Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-52238466725485378052013-01-17T16:15:00.000-08:002013-01-17T16:15:19.004-08:00Our Year in PicturesI think that we can all say that 2012, as it did not end up in a fiery zombie apocalypse, turned out alright. Here is our year in review:<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
January</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwU2RKMaCd_6-ZHxJu7NbkJ33BVcjIHftN9hRc6hJPOAZqdbYI2hRhYpraLVHzHaW7LGJdEJ_rjkFXP7P9v7Ep-3zgBtwU9No7-Hge0UcH-wtV80OwpzcmevI8bt1J2ZU42p9CqfLbkg/s1600/IMG_0970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwU2RKMaCd_6-ZHxJu7NbkJ33BVcjIHftN9hRc6hJPOAZqdbYI2hRhYpraLVHzHaW7LGJdEJ_rjkFXP7P9v7Ep-3zgBtwU9No7-Hge0UcH-wtV80OwpzcmevI8bt1J2ZU42p9CqfLbkg/s320/IMG_0970.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
February</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdfLil52Ym9sTeqHI1iHLgUbkWK2Q_J1kSIR2FSLGXGH0Q1OAMTYlPBf-A7_OnzgUFDrcLObzu5rqS_jE4gtRl5ucpWEzx0EBhooLqTI79GUpYXDU68NzfsQQlBijSx14yYqst4kr6D8/s1600/IMG_0837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdfLil52Ym9sTeqHI1iHLgUbkWK2Q_J1kSIR2FSLGXGH0Q1OAMTYlPBf-A7_OnzgUFDrcLObzu5rqS_jE4gtRl5ucpWEzx0EBhooLqTI79GUpYXDU68NzfsQQlBijSx14yYqst4kr6D8/s320/IMG_0837.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
March:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Meeting Mama C and Granddad in Taipei</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIeDAxmKSDJcE5OXN8GuUnVLZ0bcY9P7Hr1DAjzs0BA_oC7J9dYIS_ONQU1IwPd7ggqiMaGkEDp48XKmax7FYIxB3RDOrMn2fnT8ySGrDP_Aer6KbafiOcfQxnVbM5nyBfP6yZSIYBb0/s1600/Photo+Mar+28,+1+54+38+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXIeDAxmKSDJcE5OXN8GuUnVLZ0bcY9P7Hr1DAjzs0BA_oC7J9dYIS_ONQU1IwPd7ggqiMaGkEDp48XKmax7FYIxB3RDOrMn2fnT8ySGrDP_Aer6KbafiOcfQxnVbM5nyBfP6yZSIYBb0/s320/Photo+Mar+28,+1+54+38+PM.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiPAwqOqe_5VCQDw010N6nq-dTowNH2ZrdBzAXuaK0OfKnhBTRc2PpH83Je-9WCYUwwRG4TjE5XA_Sewr7lDSzBdtp5zJN2lyGM320uOqM-0aEk0EonCKeA2k4wMjkcjJbU6pJAwm3Rc/s1600/Photo+Mar+28,+11+56+59+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiPAwqOqe_5VCQDw010N6nq-dTowNH2ZrdBzAXuaK0OfKnhBTRc2PpH83Je-9WCYUwwRG4TjE5XA_Sewr7lDSzBdtp5zJN2lyGM320uOqM-0aEk0EonCKeA2k4wMjkcjJbU6pJAwm3Rc/s320/Photo+Mar+28,+11+56+59+AM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
April</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUNFD8Dj-W4pWBjHBy_tGpSgHfEfZyfWwf1qDf_ws2oJd_t1Ah6zLO-BS7osC2M2M10liaDG0FLKQfHWm4H_7OTd1qKfb76iZj4Cj34QnkUgePkX9DODCNyQ00m8kRZYIbD7dXHkJROk/s1600/IMG_1574.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUNFD8Dj-W4pWBjHBy_tGpSgHfEfZyfWwf1qDf_ws2oJd_t1Ah6zLO-BS7osC2M2M10liaDG0FLKQfHWm4H_7OTd1qKfb76iZj4Cj34QnkUgePkX9DODCNyQ00m8kRZYIbD7dXHkJROk/s320/IMG_1574.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
May</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN12l_YEiq4ez3ljV305GZXFnZQOiy8ljxImN1ol5qqhMI7jTm7PAcoUtzAlBaXuqMFAm-6qYWdHOPhs9A2NiKFN-h_vpgp1Z3JXf92fflLGCcRf-mEXfRakOVVKn_Ln8dPgc2y470Bw/s1600/Children's+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEN12l_YEiq4ez3ljV305GZXFnZQOiy8ljxImN1ol5qqhMI7jTm7PAcoUtzAlBaXuqMFAm-6qYWdHOPhs9A2NiKFN-h_vpgp1Z3JXf92fflLGCcRf-mEXfRakOVVKn_Ln8dPgc2y470Bw/s320/Children's+Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
June:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Alabama</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ztI-4apNSsEGLxfVmxpveDwJsG7k_0srd-HrYUfIX7uJJSjRuyq3S8zCgNK3vsHSMpx7yv7-paPbC7eCQoZqnKt54P8CoOt3ywJ1b5rQChodhpU3gCaFmerdpFrkygOchp3cXssxhrg/s1600/IMG_1836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ztI-4apNSsEGLxfVmxpveDwJsG7k_0srd-HrYUfIX7uJJSjRuyq3S8zCgNK3vsHSMpx7yv7-paPbC7eCQoZqnKt54P8CoOt3ywJ1b5rQChodhpU3gCaFmerdpFrkygOchp3cXssxhrg/s320/IMG_1836.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71ibzGiwvW6jjU24_Mal6e_dYMkW19vKN3DHv2_PFrKderTjsUi-RMUsjLyvY9dyZiEsgfEw7KFhbUJD9DjYZyKshSyJirMD5i1Lre62lofEBUs9iQ6Ys4gFYITMuL7HpcphRb77irgg/s1600/IMG_1207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71ibzGiwvW6jjU24_Mal6e_dYMkW19vKN3DHv2_PFrKderTjsUi-RMUsjLyvY9dyZiEsgfEw7KFhbUJD9DjYZyKshSyJirMD5i1Lre62lofEBUs9iQ6Ys4gFYITMuL7HpcphRb77irgg/s320/IMG_1207.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
July:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Colorado</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBRHOXF823Dwm9Dby0Hxsad5IeXRetB0SO38pHKsWfmGkP7QvZFYg9K_XGVC6zIxZdnkUgNL5oUGTBd-JzZECljOJ3LVQa4DIGzgW0itnBLqKspRcjUgWPkrm9dkFYvViezMXBvB3jlg/s1600/IMG_1443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzBRHOXF823Dwm9Dby0Hxsad5IeXRetB0SO38pHKsWfmGkP7QvZFYg9K_XGVC6zIxZdnkUgNL5oUGTBd-JzZECljOJ3LVQa4DIGzgW0itnBLqKspRcjUgWPkrm9dkFYvViezMXBvB3jlg/s320/IMG_1443.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOqEhxc_YPegV-nCyirJXcknJKuqeWSWvr9Z6KJ7-uPWIWrRE78yLbUQh0yp1gkMzXU-g4Qi_vI9q690XOmU9j61I7KxgSrgWzyD3oePjiokLnIyH22m-G_g_82bgGUXynbDIzS2fIhjw/s1600/IMG_2240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOqEhxc_YPegV-nCyirJXcknJKuqeWSWvr9Z6KJ7-uPWIWrRE78yLbUQh0yp1gkMzXU-g4Qi_vI9q690XOmU9j61I7KxgSrgWzyD3oePjiokLnIyH22m-G_g_82bgGUXynbDIzS2fIhjw/s320/IMG_2240.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
August:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Back in Seoul</div>
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September:</div>
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Phuket, Thailand</div>
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October</div>
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November</div>
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December</div>
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Spending New Year's in Rome</div>
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What a great year! We can't wait to see what is in store in 2013!<br />
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-44405905482622222942013-01-08T22:44:00.000-08:002013-01-08T22:44:11.739-08:00Buon Natale!<br />
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My poor parents. They did such an amazing job raising us to
be strong, independent people and how do we thank them? We flee the nest,
taking full advantage of the gift of autonomy they bestowed upon us. I stole my
husband away from America and brought him to Asia and my sister has recently
been enjoying the marvels of Eastern Europe since moving to Albania with her
husband in August. So, what is a family to do when separated by a couple of
continents, several large bodies of water, and not a few time zones? Duty
called and so we packed up the Simpson four to meet the rest of my natal family
in bella Roma. It was an incredible week full of sight-seeing, limoncello
drinking, and memory making. Here are the highlights:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Christmas gift exchange</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Seeing the Pope... twice!</div>
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We love our cousin!</div>
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La Piazza Navona</div>
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Trevi Fountain</div>
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The Colosseum and the Forum</div>
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Hanging with Uncle Matt</div>
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Morning cappuccino with Dad</div>
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Everyone at the Vatican</div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-82019350780950494872012-12-19T22:07:00.004-08:002012-12-19T22:07:53.580-08:00A Reflection on "Normal"Sometimes I forget that I’m living abroad. I don’t mean that
I think I am still living in America, I just mean that it doesn’t feel like
there is anything “different” about our lives anymore. So many of the things
that were once strange and new have become so natural that I forget that there
was a time I had to get used to it. I have grown accustomed to handing my
credit card to the cashier with two hands, taking taxis everywhere, knowing
that I will have to order in a restaurant using pointing and hand signals; it
is all just my life now. It is funny how you adjust.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I was thinking how interesting it will be for our girls
growing up with this life as “normal”. Calling grandparents means using the
computer and a calculator to calculate the time difference, a break from school
is usually equated with needing a passport, and a <i>really</i> special dinner means TGI Fridays. I suppose it is true from
every generation to the next, but our girls are going to have a very different
childhood than what I had.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just before we let out for Christmas, I asked my freshmen
what they were doing for Christmas. As they each went around saying what they
were doing and where they were going, I reflected on how different life is for
expats. Everyone going “home” or to a warmer place for a few weeks is expected,
someone staying in the country is the exception. One student explained that he
was going to Cambodia. He couldn’t remember which city but knew it wasn’t the
big city. Another student chimed in, “Phnom Penh?” The class erupted in insults saying, “Phnom
Penh <i>is</i> the big city, duh!” <o:p></o:p></div>
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These kids are freshmen in high school and not only do they
know the capital of <i>Cambodia</i> but many
of them have been there and can tell you the currency and the exchange rate
against the US dollar and the Euro. Crazy. I’m pretty sure I didn’t find out
that Cambodia existed until I was at least a junior. I don’t think I could have
pointed it out on a map until I moved to Taiwan. But, at the same time, there
are so many things that are “normal” to my childhood that are totally foreign
to expat kids. Most of them never went to the mall to sit on Santa’s lap, they
have never driven around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights, and many
of them have never known what a real Christmas tree in your living room smells
like. <o:p></o:p></div>
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No matter where I live, I will always have a strong tie to
American culture and traditions. Even though I may experience reverse culture
shock every summer as I ogle grocery store aisles, the US will always be my
home culture. It will forever be the measure against which I compare everything
I experience. So, I often wonder, what will my girls use? What will their
measure be? I think being abroad helps them to be adaptable, accepting, and
gives them a knowledge of their world; but does it also rob them of a sense of
consistency? Is there any way that they can know the capital of Sri Lanka but
still have fun building forts with their Stateside cousins? In short, I guess I really just want what
every parent wants anywhere in the world. I don’t want my kids to be weirdos. Is
that too much to ask?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-41915559005766349742012-12-03T22:00:00.002-08:002012-12-03T22:00:58.028-08:00Am I doing this right?<br />
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So first off, let me apologize profusely for my two month
blogging hiatus. I fully intended to write a blog every couple of weeks or, at
the very least, once a month. Yet, here I find myself nearly eight weeks from
the last post. If there is anyone left reading this blog, I apologize and
promise to do better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the excuses that I am going to give you about why I
have taken such a long break is that the Simpson clan has been quite under the
weather for the last week. Being sick sucks. There, I said it. There is nothing
fun about it. Historically, I haven’t been one to get sick too often but when I
do, I am reminded of how much I adore my immune system and can’t wait for it to
do its thing and get me back to normal. You know what is worse than you being
sick? Your kid being sick. When I’m sick, I know what hurts and how much it
hurts. I can take a stab at what is wrong and what I need to do about it. A
little girl just under two can’t tell you that. And so there is not a lot I can
do about it. This is where our story begins.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The great thing about living on campus with all of the teachers
and their families is that we get to see each other all the time and our kids
have plenty of playmates. Unfortunately, however, this also means that when one
kid gets sick, they all get sick. So, our two girls with a cough that sounded woefully
similar to their friends’, we took them to the doctor and received the
diagnosis we were expecting: bronchitis. Ten days of antibiotics it was. Not
surprised, we headed home ready to serve our time on the medicine spoon
chain-gang. The hospital had other plans, however.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The giving of the medicine turned out to be a more difficult
task than I had anticipated. Lily must have been poisoned in a former life
because she did everything in her 10 kg. power she could possibly do to not
swallow the medicine we offered. If you have ever tried to get a toddler to do
something they don’t want to do, you have some sort of idea how much her tiny
little self writhed and squirmed so that the two tiny drops that did actually
enter her mouth could easily be spat out. There has to be an easier way, I
thought. There is no way I’m doing this right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Poor Lucy really tried to cooperate with the medicine. For her,
it was her stomach that refused it and promptly ejected it so as to not allow
any of the antibiotic properties to do their job in her system. So then, what
do I do? I’m her mother; I’m supposed to take care of her and make her better. Do
I force her to take medicine that will most likely make her throw up and cause
her to lose the day’s nutrients along with the medicine? Or, do I stop halfway
through an antibiotic to let her keep lunch down for once but cause her (and
her bronchitis) to build up an immunity to the antibiotic? Both decisions felt
like the wrong one. Sitting in the ER at midnight one night confirmed that
there is no way I was doing this right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lucy was still throwing up. I wasn’t doing this right. Lily
was still coughing. I wasn’t doing this right. That is why having your kid sick
is a million times worse than you being sick. More than anything in the world I
wanted them to get better but there just isn’t a switch to flip or a button to
push. Seeing my distress, other parents comforted me, “Don’t worry, they <i>will</i> get better.” Nonetheless, every
time the clock struck “medicine time”, it seemed like the world was going to
end. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But, it didn’t. My friends were right. The girls did get
better. Though we are still making our way through the post-antibiotic haze, I
am able to take a step back and get a little perspective. How blessed am I that
the only illness I have had to deal with in their two years is a little
bronchitis? And how amazing to live in a place that has antibiotic and IV
hydration drips readily at my disposal. I really have very little to complain
about. As far as the medicine administering, I still don’t know if I was doing
it right or if I made the right decisions. I do know that I love them more than
they will understand until <i>they</i> get to
know the agony and the ecstasy of motherhood. All I can do is hope that I only
give them enough dysfunction to have funny stories at dinner parties. Wish me
luck! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6311190499754243926.post-53316521568757617192012-10-06T21:16:00.001-07:002012-10-06T21:16:10.352-07:00A Taste of Thailand<div class="MsoNormal">
This past week, Koreans celebrated Chuseok, a holiday
similar to our Thanksgiving. And, because we work in Korea, we got the week off
(add another point to the teaching abroad column!). So, as we normally do when
we have time off, we loaded everyone up and took off. Some good friends of ours
used to live in Thailand so we took advantage of their tour guiding skills and
hit the sunny beaches of Phuket. This week was extra special because we got to relish
in the most treasured of words in any traveler’s vocabulary, “upgrade”. Our original
hotel was undergoing some maintenance so we luxuriated all week long in private
villas with our own swimming pool just a few steps from the beach. It’s a rough
life. Here are some of the highlights:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Everyone at the pool</div>
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Meeting the baby elephant </div>
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Telling Dada all about the ocean waves </div>
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Going for a walk with Mama </div>
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Feeding the ducks every morning at breakfast </div>
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I love this place! Don't you, sis?</div>
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Chris and Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09025390383074756778noreply@blogger.com0