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Saturday, January 8, 2011

COSTCO run...

Aaron and I were both really missing home this afternoon and the luxuries of buying things that we like to eat!  He said to me, "I wanna be surrounded by stuff from home.  Let's go to COSTCO!" hahah.  Since COSTCO is basically the only western food store we have in Busan, we gave in and got a membership!  Well... actually, let me rephrase that.  We split the price, but Aaron's picture is on the card!  No need for 2 memberships, when we like shopping together anyway, right?!  :)  Yea, we're gold members... that's right!
  
We were shocked when we got there!  I've seen crowded COSTCO's in America, but nothing like this!   uuuggghhh!

We opted for "no cart," since really, how is anyone supposed to push a cart through these crazy crowds!  We just loaded things into our reusable grocery bags while we shopped!  It kinda felt like we were stealing stuff all day!  But, we didn't!  We paid!

Aaron has asked me 3 times since we left, "What item are you most excited that we bought today at COSTCO?"  hahaha!  Obviously he's pretty excited!  Chicken, cheese, tortillas, pesto sauce, and a great deal on FUSION razors sure make him happy!   I'm just happy to have a gigantic box of Honey Nut Cheerios to greet me in the morning! 

Thank you COSTCO!

Restoration...

I've begun the process of packing up my place, since I'll be receiving the keys to my new apartment on Yeongdo Island in just a week!  I can barely contain my excitement!  More about the apartment later!

My point is, I was working on taking down special pictures, Christmas cards, and notes that I've received since being in Korea!  Back in July of 2009, I began hanging post it notes, on the back of my bathroom door, of encouraging things that friends and family had sent over e-mail, or through the snail mail!  I even wrote a couple notes from Jesus to remind me that he was in control, and loved me unconditionally!  I did this back when life was looking unsure for me, and when a kind word was what ultimately got me out of bed in the morning, and kept me pushing forward!  My, how I've come a long way since those days!

Anyhow, tonight, I was pulling those post it notes down and reading each one as I gently peeled them from the door!  There was something about this one that caught me in my tracks!  

It goes without saying that the following people played a huge part in my restoration process... I like to think of them as my little angels!  Thank you to each of you, for your encouraging words, notes, and letters!  I have read them over and over again, as they held their special place on my bathroom door, and I have physically felt your love, from across the ocean!

Rachel Shinn, Kirstin Murphy, my mom, Kathy Gross, my dad, my sister, Sherry Gregory, Aaron, Neil Gatten, Erin Werner, Lynzi Irvine, April Heuseveldt, Krista Palmer, Jill Bould, Katie Olson, Megan Sirulnik, and Jan Pickett. Mayo, Sarah Ashley, Karyn Hill, Kelsey Rusch, Molly and Chris Anderson, Shondra O'Meara, Stella, Cassie Robertson, my aunt Barb, and of course, my greatest fan and the ultimate restorer of my life, Jesus!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Carlos and Jessica!

I was given the greatest news yesterday, from Carlos and Jessica!  They both got University jobs in Seoul, and are staying in Korea for another year!!!   Aaron and I love these two and were devastated to hear that they might be moving back to the U.S. in February...  But, our devastation has been replaced with utter excitement and relief, knowing that they'll be staying!  


There are some friends in life that you just don't wanna live without!  Jess and Carlos are those to us!  Now, if I could only get Truchen to stay another year!  Then life would be perfect!

Welcome Home!

Busan welcomed Aaron and I home with it's stunning lights, from the window of our plane on Wednesday night!  It's the first time I'd flown into Busan after dark, and it was a beauty to behold! 

As much as we both miss our families and friends back in America, and the convenience of speaking english to any and everyone, we're both happy to be home and settled back into our life in Korea!   Here's to a great 2011 in the land of the calm!

Monday, January 3, 2011

My last full day in America...

Today was such a fun day!  Around 9am, Amy, my dad, and I all headed over to the neighborhood donut shop for our yearly father - daughter donut filled breakfast tradition!  For the past 7 years, I have ordered the same thing - a gigantic cinnamon roll!

Last year we started the tradition of taking a picture together, with Singh, the owner!

After stuffing my face with a cinnamon roll (uuuggghhhh, tasted delicious, but am having regrets now!) I took Aaron over to New Hope Gymnastics, where I spent most of my childhood!  I was a gymnast for 12 years and couldn't pass up showing Aaron my 2nd childhood home!

My friend Ami, who's the preschool director for the gym, was working this morning, and let Aaron and I have free reign of the place!  Thank you, thank you, thank you Ami!   Aaron won't stop talking about how fun it was!

Aaron was a little timid at first, but within minutes, he became like a little boy in a candy shop, hanging on ropes, and playing all over the gym!

Check out that move!  Only the strongest of the strongest men can hold that pose!  :)

He's a natural!  He executed the "iron cross" with perfect form on his first attempt!!  (wink wink)

Once I got him to finally jump into the pit, he couldn't stop!

This was my 2nd attempt at a trick!   My first attempt was a back handspring, which ended up being a bit of a crash and burn!   Remember, it's been about 15 years since I've done this stuff!


We had so much fun playing around in the gym, jumping in the pit, playing on the trampoline, and laughing until our tummies hurt!  Here are some special videos for your enjoyment!  :)

This is Aaron's special blue ball routine! ***


Tah dah!  

Mine wasn't quite as exciting as Aaron's, so I'd recommend watching it in fast forward!  It's much more impressive that way!  :)

This was my 1st attempt at a "layout" in probably 15 years!

Aaron and I choreographed a special rhythmic gymnastics routine at the end of our playtime!

All good things must come to an end... more so this time because our bodies just couldn't handle any more tumbling, jumping, or laughing!

So, we drove back home and picked up my sister and mom for a shopping spree at South Coast Plaza, the highest grossing mall in the United States!   My mom and I left with bags galore from H&M, Banana Republic and Sephora, while Amy and Aaron walked out empty handed!   Not sure who was the winner in this situation, but I like to think it was my mom and I who are, now, more fashionable than ever!

My sisters birthday is the day after Christmas, so tonight, we had dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant in Fountain Valley to celebrate her turning 34!

Happy 34th!

Happy 34th!

My dad comes here a lot, so when the food was served, he taught us all how to flavor our soups with the side dishes provided!  My sister, Aaron and I thought this was great, considering the 3 of us have all spent ample time traveling Asia, but that our dad was the one who taught us how to fix Vietnamese food!  So awesome!

The owner was so nice and brought out a shaved ice and fruit desert for Amy!

When we got home from dinner, my dad asked if anyone would like to watch a movie (which usually means one of 2 movies: Top Gun or Tombstone!)  haha

Aaron said, "sure" so my dad said "Okay, I'll go check and see what DVD's we have" and went into his office.  He yelled from his office, "Okay, we have Top Gun and Tombstone!"  hahaha!  So predictable

Aaron voted for Tombstone, so my dad brought out the VCR tape, which has probably been played 100 times in this house over the past 17 years!   So funny!  My sister and I are buying him the DVD next year!  (Sorry for ruining the surprise dad!  Try to forget by next Christmas, okay?!) 

We're heading over to the airport tomorrow morning, to catch our flight over to Tokyo and then back to Busan, South Korea to start our 3rd year of teaching...  This has been such a great trip, and even greater because I got to share it with my love!   

As the folks of Aaron's hometown would say, "See ya'll next year!"