Hey Lucy, I'm home!

Yes, we have made it in one piece (well, two pieces, since two of us come to the states!). After an extra four hours of traveling due to one late take off and one airplane equipment maintanence issue, we arrived in Charlotte at 2:30am. Hannah's jet lag has made her a pretty low key little girl during the day, and a I-feel-the-need-to-wake-up-every-two-hours kind of girl at night (any suggestions for helping a kid recover from jet lag?). Crossing 14 times zones isn't really easy on your body. I, on the other hand, am just not sleeping. I can't sleep during the day because the sun is out. I'm just that way. I sleep well at night until Hannah wakes me up. And then I'm AWAKE. So, it's 11pm and after a 2 hour "nap" I'm up and working on my big project of my trip--finishing 34 hours of Continuing Professional Education for my CPA license. Right now, I'm almost thankful for this little bit of insanity that I've added to my five weeks in America. It gives me something to do when I can sleep, and I'm hoping that the dryness of how to record cash considerations between a manufactorer and a reseller will sooth my brain back to slumber!

Being in America is so amazing that I almost cried three time in the Dallas airport just because I could read all of the signs of the stores (and their products!) and I could understand and talk to all of the people around me! Well, except for the cleaning lady in the bathroom because she only spoke Spanish...I understand how she feels! I'm driving on REAL roads! I bought groceries without having to show my id to get into the store OR to pay for the items. It felt SO STRANGE, almost like I was doing something that I wasn't suppose to be doing. I listened to the radio and understood the songs! Yeay!

Thanks to all who lifted us up in prayer. Our trip could have been a disaster, but you prevented that for us. What friends I am blessed with!

hittin' the road

In just 13 hours I will get into the car to drive the 2.5 hours to the airport (less than 45 miles...), check into my flight with my 100 lbs of luggage, two carry on bags, a car seat, an umbrella stroller and a 14 month old. (You can't buy a partridge in a pear tree in Korea--customs laws! Just kidding!) Then it's about 2 hours to Japan, an 1.5 hour layover, a 12 hour flight to Dallas, 1.5 hours to deboard, go through customs, and take off again for a 2.5 hour flight to Charlotte. Then the good part--grandparents! One to take Hannah, one to grab the luggage while I get a latte and enjoy the 1.5 drive to my parent's house.

Me too. I'm tired just thinking about it!

In unrelated news, I found out that one of the scrapbooks I'm working on weighs SEVEN pounds. I was taking it home with me to work on, show off, and keep in the states so that I don't have to PCS with it. Jeremy will have to bring it in his suitcases! I get 100lbs for me and Hannah. He gets 100 lbs for the rest of my stuff and the approx. four outifts that he'll bring with him. Amber would be appalled, though--I only packed TWO pairs of shoes! :)

a side-splitting day

Somehow at the beginning of last week I pulled a muscle in my right side. It was puzzling how it happened, and it was uncomfortable, but it wasn't a big deal. It went away by Sunday and I was thanking God that I was better before I had to manuever through airports with Hannah, a pregnant belly, and luggage by myself. Well, this morning I sneezed (violently) and I re-pulled the muscle. We aren't talking slight discomfort. We are talking I can't get into the car, sit down on the couch, pick up my daughter, laugh, cough, or sneeze without hurting. I'm heading to the chiropractor tomorrow (because I have nothing else to do!) to see if he can do some pressure point work on my back to relax the muscles in my side. Today was just a stinky day. I knew it all day long. I was tired, Hannah doesn't feel good (so she was cranky and clingy and wanted me to carry her all day), I was in pain, and I couldn't think straight to work on the mounds of everything that needs to be done before I head to Seoul for my 28 hours of traveling on Thursday.

Thank you. I needed to whine.

Wisdom at a young age

God has been slowly weaning me off of a busy life. The decrease in work and activity from my life in Boston and my life in Montana was very noticable to me. And yet, I was still at a pace that no one should live at for any extended period of time. One of my biggest regrets during that "chapter" of my life was that I did to much, tried to do more than I did, and was guilty about both! (The even bigger regret was that I didn't start backpacking sooner...). Moving to Osan, I tried to guard myself against this busyness of life. I truly did restrain myself in activities that I did and leadership roles I assumed.

Looking at my life over the past couple of months, you would have never guessed this was the case. Everything I am committed to, all of a sudden, got crazy and demanding "for the short term" all at the same time. Plus, Hannah is getting older and demanding more of my time. I have realized a few key lessons. First, I can't commit to so much that I can "handle" everything when everything is "normal." Things don't stay normal for very long. Secondly, what I can do right now I may not be able to continue doing in the short-term future. This is ok. As Hannah continues to grow up, she'll continue to need more of my time and focus. And then there will be more kiddos. Just because I know that more are coming and more energy will be channeled toward them doesn't mean I need to drop everything right now. But it does mean that I need to actively watch my life and cut back as I need to. AND NOT FEEL GUILTY AND UNFAITHFUL WHEN I DO.

It seems like almost every mom around me is busy. "How are you today?" "Oh, busy as usual." I know that even if we as moms weren't involved in anything beyond the upcome of our families and homes, we would have our time filled with something. But, this is not what the answer these moms are giving. They are maxed out. They are collapsing into bed not wanting to close their eyes because they have to open them the next day and continue on the treadmill of life again. I have lived as one of those woman. And now that I'm taking the bold step OFF of the treadmill (I've stepped down from two ministries!), I want to encourage you to do the same. No, I'm not saying that everyone should resign from their responsbilities. But, I do encourage you to list all that you do and pray through each one to make sure that you truly SHOULD be doing all of them.

How is your relationship with the Lord? With your husband? With your kids? Are you spending quality time with all of these people? I hope the answer is a resounding "Yes!" And if not, have no fear--you aren't stuck. You can quit something. It is a Godly, Holy thing to say "no" to even the most urgent things in our lives to focus on what is truly important.

Overdue update

At MOPS on Wednesday we had to brainstorm 15 things that we wish we could do but didn't have time/make time for. How funny that blogging was one of those things. It just seems that during the day I just can't find time in between projects and Hannah and everything else to sitting down and type...and by the end of the day I'm BEAT!

Oh well...here's the latest...at my last appointment the OB practitioner said that we could potentially have placenta previa. In about 95% of cases where there is a concern for this, it turns out to be nothing. But, I can't fly home unless the next ultrasound shows that everything is ok. I'm hoping to fly home with Hannah on Oct. 27th. Our follow-up ultrasound is this Wednesday. I'm not really concerned, but it does put a lot of my planning for my trip on hold.

Last weekend was another power-stamping weekend. Last month I scrapbooked for 19 hours. Last weekend it was all about cards--baby announcements, thank you notes, etc. I haven't been able to sleep, so I actually pulled an all nighter. I then got sick, and have been completely worthless all week. I tell people that I've been on "auto-parenting" because my brain and body just can't function. Hannah hasn't shown signs of ill-effects.

So, yes, I'm going to America!!! Yeay!! I haven't seen my family in over a year (and, more importantly, they haven't seen Hannah!). And, wonder upon wonders, Jeremy will be flying to the states and meeting us in November. This will be the first time back to the "mainland" since we moved here in March 2005. He hasn't seen my sister since July 2003 and he has never met our brother-in-law. I've never had a conversation with my brother-in-law for that matter. Schedules didn't get worked out so that we could spend time together when I flew in for the wedding last year. Needless to say, I'm VERY excited!! AND, none of my family has ever seen me pregnant! My parents come to our house when I was 9 weeks pregnant with Hannah, but the only way they have seen me with a belly is through pictures. I arrive in the states in week 28 and stay until I'm in week 33. I'm thrilled to get to share this with them!

On a lighter note, when I asked Hannah where baby brother is, she lifts up the bottom of my shirt and pokes my belly. Of course, she is too young to have any idea what this means, but it is cute, nonetheless!