I’ve lived life long enough to know that it is a gift to find a good friend, to end up with a good roommate, and to have a good travel buddy. But to have all three in one? That is an absolutely miracle of nature. But that’s just the kind of treasure E is. The happiest trip doesn’t happen because you go the happiest place on earth – it happens because you go with the best people. But the location does help.
people kept on asking me what the numbers on my cap meant and it was hilarious because i had no clue, i just stole it from A’s closet to wear on the trip – for your information, i have since discovered that it is the zip code for aspen, colorado
there were so many crazy things about the trip to florida. instead of landing in the evening of sunday like we were supposed to, delays led us to an extra flight leg, and an overnight stay in the airport. this unfortunately meant that we would miss out on getting passes to the elusive new star wars ride (yes, we were going to be those crazy people outside waiting in line hours before the park opened), but this is us changed into our duffy/shellie mae costumes, still excited for day one disneyworld!
because we arrived so late that morning, we decided to save time by going straight to the park from the airport. i was met by an extremely crabby security guard who kept making very sarcastic and aggressive comments about having to check through every piece of my baggage. it was so hard because there was so little empathy for my situation, but i wished i could’ve done a better job of stepping into her shoes as well and responding with compassion and grace. instead i was super sassy right back. sigh, still so much to grow.
also, right after we got into the park, we almost couldn’t figure out the locker situation with our bags and that was probably the most stressful part of the trip where we almost just gave up on everything. thank goodness for not giving up and asking staff questions.
star wars land – wow. the replicas of all the ships and characters and locations, spot on!
i love how this guy accidentally photobombed us haha
edna mode was so fabulous. whoever played her character did a fabulous job of conveying her character with movement only.
one final meeting with buzz in the evening – to infinity and beyond!
day 2 – animal kingdom really took us surprise. first off, pandora was so out of this world, and they managed to make a ride that was worth an over two hour long wait, aka flights of passage. dude. so good.
they had an eight month old hippo baby in their exhibit!! watching this sweet, stumbling little guy figure out how to walk under water was so precious
but hands down, the achievement of the day was running around from one place to the next trying to collect all of our wilderness explorer badges before they closed shop at 5pm. we somehow managed to collect all 31 badges with the help of a ton of helpful guides (one even gave us one of the stickers we were missing because we were short on time!), and we are now officially senior wilderness explorers!
so thankful for disney employees who for the most part seem to really genuinely love their jobs and make the experience all the more fuller with their enthusiasm and dedication to their work.
can you guess who we are today? the cat ears and missing third kitten might give a hint as to this classic disney film we picked our characters from.
i just wanted to post this photo even though it’s basically the same as the one before, because we asked a random girl to take some photos for us and she nailed it with the lighting and everything. i love it when you pick the perfect person to take a photo for you
day 3 – fantasyland. it’s so interesting to see how different parks have their rides differently arranged. it’s a small world was definitely tucked into a small corner at fantasyland instead of having the entire backside of the la park
so much 💕 for this one
ingenious addition to fantasyland – they added different activities in the wait lines like a replica of eeyore’s home, interactive screens, and a playground area simulating rabbit’s garden. WELL DONE!
when the sweetest employee ever makes your day by taking photos in the best angles for you even though he’s been working all day without a chance to eat yet. thank you, michael!
day three was disney princess day for us, but if you ask A, i was dressed up as the fairy godmother (this boy does not know his disney princesses)
day 4 – disney outdid themselves with epcot! so much attention to detail in their depiction of different nations in the world showcase, and all the educational rides were phenomenal. it is decided that i will never be an astronaut though because mission space advanced level was extremely nauseating and we both died.
many of the stations had native artisans working on their craft, like this individual painting alebrijes in the Mexico showcase. just that final touch of disney detail to make each place come to life
norwegian school bread is THE BEST! cardamom bread with light and creamy pudding topped with toasted coconut flakes – why didn’t i get this in school?
china – how much time must it have taken to put this together??
getting my caramel fix in the rustic and beautiful Germany showcase (i don’t know how they got all these things to be the perfect proportions so they were delicious without being overwhelmingly sweet)
we’re missing the annual festival of the arts by a day, but took advantage of these fun “pose as a painting” frames. while waiting in line, we asked what the right one was, and the couple ahead of us said, “Mona Lisa”. we were flabbergasted that we couldn’t recognize it, but really, who ever looked at the background of the painting anyway?
beautiful italia with its graceful arched bridges
you really cannot pick favorites here. each showcase was created with so much care and attention to detail that you just have to appreciate each one for its own distinctness
classic British telephone booths~
side note – can you tell who i’m disneybounding as?
morocco was insanely beautiful with these intricate tiles and designs. definitely going to add this stunning location to list of places to visit
when every night ends with fireworks, it can’t be so bad, right?
day 5 – last morning at fantasyland to finish as many rides as we can. this is me going to ride the carousel by myself while E and i took turns waiting in line at the broken snow white & 7 dwarves train ride.
getting most things done means more time waiting in lines to meet characters and get their signatures. buying an autograph book each time i go to a new park is probably the most extravagant purchase i make all year long
we forgot to take castle photos during day 3, so here is our make up session!
also, i was very vaguely going for the casual belle look, not expecting anyone to realize, but one of the workers noticed and complimented my outfit! disney, as expected.
tomorrowland had some of my favorite rides – the peoplemover, the carousel of progress, the monsters inc stand up comedy show. my choices of favorites seem to indicate that i’m quite the old fogey these days
disney travel tip – prepare your outfits beforehand! i got my minnie ears from mercari at a fraction of the cost, and they were lightly used so they’re friendly to the earth too!
my one qualm about this trip is the fact that disneyworld was pretty lazy about the quality of their foods. the churro was ridiculously stale, and the turkey leg was oversalted and stringy from being roasted too long. 😦
always ready for an adventure
thank you, E, for making this trip happen, and making it the best time ever!
i love this snap with the adorable two girls dressed up in the perfect elsa & anna costumes, lollygagging and having the time of their lives
it would’ve been nice to do some other things outside of disney world in orlando, but our days were so full that we were always too exhausted to do anything other than eat at mcdonald’s right outside the hotel (which was also glorious). on our last night, we did get a chance to stop by the world food trucks a few blocks down from the hotel and it was amazing! wish we could’ve had the energy to check it out earlier, but thankful that we did get to try this delicious food truck paella
I’ve always been extremely insecure about being alone in public places since a young age, and while time and circumstances forced me out of my comfort zone, the innate fear driving my actions hadn’t ever been addressed. Until now.
Growth is the motto of my life. Key checkpoints of growth – moments where you think to yourself: I can’t believe I’m doing this because yesterday, I would not have and I could not have done this. And that’s exactly how I felt about going to LA on my own to go to a wedding I wasn’t sure I would know anyone at.
I still remember when I went to Europe with one other female friend and we were constantly bombarded with the comment – “Have you seen Taken before??” It still irks me and I still think those girls were literally just being dumb, but at the same time, the reality is that I am more vulnerable, not because of anything I can control, but simply because of who I am. So arriving at Union Station before the crack of dawn, I did take precautions to not walk out on the street until it was light outside. Fortunately, the inside of this place is gorgeous.
What’s LA without some imported palm trees?
I love walking through downtown LA, and it helped to connect the dots of many locations that I thought of as separate entities. It’s like when you’re playing a video game and as you walk through new territory, the map of the space gets revealed.
Urth Caffe – my first stop. This is one of my favorite places in LA and the perfect spot for some avocado toast and matcha latte to energize tired me who was not able to sleep much on the bus.
More walking from Urth Caffe back to the Union Station area. Across the street is the historic Chinatown district and apparently the oldest fire station in LA – Old Plaza Firehouse!
Olvera Street – Makes me think of Coco. I’ve always loved the colorful stalls and cut paper art strung up in rows and rows. Churros and taquitos galore that I wish I had another five stomaches for.
Philippe’s – I always want to try something new each time I go back to LA and it’s French dip sandwiches this time! But here are some familiar faces – my Flow boys and they’re all grown up. So thankful to be able to pick up from where we left off.
So beautiful!! I didn’t realize until way later that this is actually the church they attend (or at least the church rents this space), which makes it not only beautiful but meaningful! Only downside is that the police sirens that went off more than once during the ceremony really echo. Poor builders probably didn’t think about that one.
M – the lovely bride! I always tell people that she was the one who showed me not to depend on a man to define my identity – that God has His timing, but in the meanwhile, I need to value and care for myself as He created me. So encouraged to be a witness of God’s timing in allowing her to meet A and for them to begin a new journey together.
Korean food served at the wedding!!! – kalbi jjim and multiple types of rice cake YUM
I’m so thankful for the big family of God that comes around and supports one another. Even though it’s been a long time, and there was awkwardness mixed in, I was touched by everyone’s taking time to welcome me, catch up, and even do things like give me a ride back to Union Station so that I wouldn’t have to take public transportation at night. All acts that give me courage to respond in the same way and reach out of my comfort zone again next time.
And the clock struck midnight, and I was back on a bus to go home. I was probably so tired that I instantly fell asleep soundly until I got home. LA, until next time~
Like many others in the digital era, I seem to take more photos than I could possibly keep track of. I don’t have a place to put them, or even if I do, it’s a rare day when I get the chance to air out those dusty picture folders in my file explorer. And then when I “clean up” my photos, I can’t seem to part with the good memories, even if I wasn’t going to take time to look back at them anyway. These things are all about the dreamed potential rather than the actual value, you know. So I figured, why not make sure at least a couple of them make their way into a pictorial collage of the last revolution around the Sun? At last, a fitting place of glory for some of those small, but defining moments of the year.
2019.01.26 // new year, new home – from the vantage of my favorite nook filled with books, and a super comfy sofa to snuggle into
2019.04. // sister date in sf at the onedome which was a pretty borderline zany experience (the displays were pretty fun, but also they were selling new age tonics which is so sf hippie and out of my comfort zone haha), boba and spanish tapas for lunch afterward!
2019.05.04 // sweet serenades ~
2019.05.04 // fun days in the sun, snacks included! N was so funny – after finding out that I was dating, she asked us to kiss in a secret place and let her be the only spectator. This girl haha, she’s going to be lovestruck soon
2019.05.05 // so thankful for this ministry team that has always been super hardworking, persevering, and encouraging each step of the way
2019.05.06 // mama is always up to impressive projects, and this year she converted two rooms to wood floor
2019.05.07 // more cheeseboards to come
2019.05.08 // birthday bash with all my favorite things – paris baguette chocolate cake, happy lemon, persian ice cream, unicorns, and just dance!
2019.05.09 // birthday lunch at jsj street kitchen with family (i literally went here 6 times in the first two weeks they opened)
2019.06.05 // meeting new friends and seeing old friends
2019.06.20 // building up relationships with church coworkers through lunches – “make it a habit”
2019.06.23 // our dream team getting vbs together
2019.06.25 // first year doing a day long VBS camp which was simultaneously awesome and dead exhausting
2019.08.14 // sous vide steak attempt one was GLORIOUS. searing with butter is game changing.
2019.07.13 // color me mine day: look at this dude recreating the famous Japanese wave painting
2019.08.28 // lots of Google visits and lunches (the katsu curry rice bowl is TO DIE FOR)
2019.09.07 // Bob Ross painting party! Fro’s included.
2019.09.14 // visited D in Sacramento and went to a fish hatchery which was so well put together! definitely an experience that was enjoyed better because of the company it was experienced with
2019.09.19 // after a grueling three months, we finished our training!
2019.09.19 // I was so excited to put together a comprehensive cheeseboard for our training celebration, and as I was prepping the ingredients in the kitchen, all the ladies in the kitchen were totally judging me for making this dish that by Chinese standards requires zero skills. And then, when the celebration happened, my board was essentially untouched because, well, Chinese people just don’t like cheese or cured meats that much. That teaches me to do a better job prepping food based on my audience. Sigh. It was beautiful though. I loved it.
2019.09.23 // I love chill days spent with Mama discussing Chinese poetry and doing math problems
2019.09.25 // karaage burger was so glorious and everything I could’ve ever wanted it to be
2019.09.25 // day 6 concert – “i broke him mental”
2019.09.26 // round two of the cheeseboard since it was not all consumed the first time around…I got so sick of cheeseboards after this. going to take a break haha
2019.09.27 // went through a ten-year late overnight oats phase
2019.09.28 // Visiting the Alcatraz which was such a surreal glance into a part of a history and a sector of society that is so out of my normal scope of life, and it was so fascinating! I definitely recommend a visit here to anyone who is in the area
2019.10.05 // Made a trip to the Half Moon Bay pumpkin patch!
2019.10.08 // personal projects involve this regretful handknit blanket – a nearly $100 mistake -.-
2019.10.08 // I haven’t remembered to look up in awhile. I’ve missed out.
2019.10.14 // church staff retreat in marina was so fun and relaxing involving grabbing lots of complimentary chupa chups from the front desk and ending with a glorious meal at Phil’s Fish Market
2019.10.17 // we like to procrastinate at work by doing things like making a pretty picnic area and scaling church buildings
2019.10.18 // In Berkeley for brazilian sandwiches & Mamma Mia with W
2019.10.19 // I am so in love with 1, 2, Switch, the game
2019.10.31 // gifted these super sweet iced cookies by my student’s mom!
2019.10.31 // I was so excited for this themed halloween I organized with everyone dressing up as Mario characters. Didn’t we do a fabulous job???
2019.11.09 // double date at oakland zoo. feeding time with the otters.
2019.11.16 // the first ever HOC5 english congregation retreat!
2019.11.19 // W makes an amazing pork chop roast
2019.12.10 // after 10+ years, I have finally gotten my dream pair of overalls! cue selfies everywhere because I’m just so happy with them.
2019.12.11 // cute D & S couple moment during our church leadership thanksgiving evening
2019.12.13 // christmas brunch for dinner plus gingerbread house making plus chronicles of narnia watching. both my stomach and my heart are so full!
2019.12.16 // I had to take a photo of this. This is A’s parent’s living room. Everything about the holiday season with his family was a cultural shock in that they live their lives like the normal families I had always wanted growing up.
2019.12.19 // yaf white elephant!
2019.12.20 // spending time with dad during christmas season by watching a movie in the theaters together. It was a Chinese film called Only Cloud Knows that coincidentally set in New Zealand – we like to joke that Mama and H spent money going all the way there but we got to see the same things on screen
2019.12.21 // christmas in the park with the roomies
2019.12.21 // waitress – probably up there as one of my favorites with a stellar cast!
butter, sugar, flour~
2019.12.25 // after an extremely emotionally draining christmas, picking up mommy and H from the airport to have dinner at a traditional beijing cuisine restaurant was everything i needed and more (thank you chinese restauranteurs for keeping your doors open for us for the holidays). surprisingly, our parents have not really educated us about beijing-specific dishes, so this was one of our first times to experience it and hear stories of mommy’s childhood memories with some of these foods. it was so delicious and filling and heartwarming and just perfect! also, look at those pea sprouts we splurged on!!
2019.12.27 // free flowerpot bread with hand whipped butter from terrarium cafe (anthropologie’s cafe in downtown palo alto) is BOMB. shout out to the waitress who shamelessly let me ask for a second portion AND even initiated asking if we wanted an extra one packed to go. ummm, YES PLEASE. unfortunately everything else was too bougy tasting for us, so next time we’re just going to order fries and get like 50 free breads.
2019.12.27 // pride & prejudice at the lucie stern theater! i will not stop going to watch these different productions, but it’s very difficult to love new adaptations of works i already have favorites for (focus films, 2005, ANYBODY?).
2019.12.28 // M geniusly hosted a holiday edition of nailed it and the results! *drumroll*…
from left to right plates: animals, animals, joseph/baby Jesus/mary, three wise kings
aka LOL
i took time to make one animal which was cute, but I burnt the chocolate so it tasted terrible! does one get more points for having a beautiful creation, or a tasty one?
2019.12.31 // restaurants – please do citizens a favor and update your holiday schedule! we were super looking forward to afternoon tea at lisa’s tea treasures only to find it was closed. no complaints about pho and banh mi at pho cabin though!
2019.12.31 // welcomed the new year with many games including fake artist goes to new york…i think i would make a great fake artist with my super horrifying but ridiculously accurate depiction of popo
What a treasure of an annual event. It’s so powerful to see how someone’s vision of sharing the good news of Jesus can empower so many people to come together and make this event a reality. People in the community are being blessed by this, myself included!
Sheep and shepherds!! I love how they’re just munching on the brush found by the church sidewalk and you can pet them!
Angel – the guy was so good at staying still that I literally thought he was a mannequin. I don’t know what was scarier, when I thought it was a puppet, or when I found out it was a real guy.
It was so fun to come out with everyone and explore all the different intricacies of the booths (like the secret behind the automatically fired coins :O)
Ponies! So thankful for animals allowing humans to be comforted and made happy by watching them and petting them
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ ethe Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
A post-thanksgiving outing to explore a new island not so far away
Going to see the sea lions at Pier 39 with Mama & H on a cerulean blue day
looks delicious, but please don’t eat
getting off the ferry
We rented bikes and for the life of us couldn’t figure out the right path and then almost gave up immediately because the only path to take was super steep uphill and we died after a minute into the path. Fortunately, as we went further (walking our bikes at that point of course), we realized that you just had to take that uphill path to get to the actual bike path that varied in elevation, but was overall manageable.
Mama showing off her elite techniques in bike riding
taking a break
good job, team – we completed the five mile trail around the island!
The thought of going out for a whole day can be both exciting and terrifying. How does one justify saving an entire day for another person? How does one choose where to go? Who’s going to plan the activities of the day? What if there’s not enough to do? What if we don’t like doing the same things? What if we get into a fight?
With all these fears bubbling inside, we courageously decided to move forward, and what can I say? The day went swimmingly.
Going on a date to the aquarium is something I’ve dreamed of all my life. It is somehow nothing like I ever thought it would be like and yet more than all I could have hoped for. But apparently it is a recurring theme for me to have expectations that do not match reality.
I thought it would be a genius plan to go to the end of the aquarium to the deep sea exhibit in the morning and work our way backwards, but apparently everyone else thought of the same thing and got there before us.
If you ask me what my favorite part of the aquarium is, I will without a moment of hesitation tell you it’s the octopus. I love the video that introduces these wildly fascinating, complex, and wickedly clever creatures of the sea – did you know that they recognize people and have affinity toward familiar individuals, even giving them hugs with their long, squishy tentacles??
“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water”
– Loren Eiseley
But perhaps I spoke too soon about favorites. Some other top contenders are the beautiful quotes about the ocean, and the touch tank for the rays! They’re so squishy and soft and I always get so excited that I get my sleeve wet from reaching too deep in the water. But it’s so worth it!
Some other favorite quotes:
“The tides are in our veins.”
– Robinson Jeffers
“…the sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonders forever.”
-Jacques-Yves Cousteau
I want to go to on many adventures and explore many places with you. 💕
Jellyfish –
the sea offers up flowers of glass like thick light.
They are transparent landscapes.
– Raquel Jodorowsky
Cannery Row on a clear, crispy autumn day. A teaches me lessons about thoughtfulness and generosity, as we went into a candle store I would’ve never gone into, and he picked one out because he knew his aunt would like it.
Sea Harvest Restaurant – it can be hard to try new things, but A has bravely been trying to eat things he wouldn’t have in the past, and I’m thankful for that courage that has led to things like being able to enjoy raw oysters together. We do also eat more standard, yummy things together like fish sandwiches and clam chowder!
A big part of traveling with other people is figuring out and matching paces with one another. I think we’re both on the slow, relaxed side, which makes the match a good one! After a short post-lunch break and balsamic vinegar/olive oil shopping, we stopped by the ocean to take some selfies. Cheese.
Black light golf was not as exciting as I would have liked but the decorations were a fun portrayal of the sights to see along the Highway 1 from NorCal all the way to LA.
Oh man, when they didn’t bother to tell you the mirror maze would have flashing lights and mannequins and ominous music and you’re super scared and lost and hoping your man will take the lead, but he’s even more freaked out than you are 🤣. Nothing quite like desperation to push you to take charge and lead the way.
Shadowbrook – Last time we were in Capitola, A wanted to take me here, not realizing that it was a fancy restaurant that called for nicer attire. He was so appalled at himself for making that mistake that I thought it would make the perfect redeeming end to our night. The free shuttle service with antique cars paired with a tiny gondola were such charming details to this place!
in a world of automobiles, subways, trains, and airplanes, places are so much more accessible. unfortunately, i often mistake accessibility with familiarity, and feel the need to go far far away in order to find what’s novel. i’m trying to change up some of those natural associations by exploring the places that are “mundane” and finding destinations in locations not too far from home. cue lassen and redding.
what’s a trip without ice cream? trying gunther’s matcha ice cream and fruit ices in sacramento
i literally have not been here since fourth grade
we’re always up for some lollygagging
we love california
asking the man with a cool uniform guarding the bear statue if we can take a picture with the bear
i had one of those deja vu moments walking by this theater and i realized we watched a video here in fourth grade!
we also went to the famous candy shop of fourth grade fame. i was so disappointed that jawbreakers don’t look as big as they did when i was child, was mind blown that they started making them on sticks (GENIUS!), and was tempted to buy a rock candy for childhood’s sake, but refrained.
so many people going to a baseball game and this pretty yellow bridge
busting out some yoga poses wherever i go
hiking the bumpass hell trail was, as suggested, hellish, but great views and we somehow made it!
sulfur springs are so frighteningly fantastical and yet somehow so ethereally beautiful
that is probably what the devil’s kitchen looks like
taking a boat to see the shasta caverns!
another location straights out of the legends – so much fun being nerdy about rocks and minerals
while heading to the parking lot, i heard a familiar voice. lo and behold, it was my coworker from huawei days! so crazy because i never even really talked to her then, but got to catch up a little and say hi to her and her cute kiddoes
while looking for stepping stones, i fell into the water, and instantaneously blamed my mom for distracting me. oh, silly me, who so easily falls into my old ways of passing responsibilities onto other people’s shoulders and being childish
more hiking and exploring at burnaby falls
sundial bridge was our last stop in sacramento before heading to some outlets and going home!
What’s LA without some imported palm trees?
I love walking through downtown LA, and it helped to connect the dots of many locations that I thought of as separate entities. It’s like when you’re playing a video game and as you walk through new territory, the map of the space gets revealed.
Urth Caffe – my first stop. This is one of my favorite places in LA and the perfect spot for some avocado toast and matcha latte to energize tired me who was not able to sleep much on the bus.
More walking from Urth Caffe back to the Union Station area. Across the street is the historic Chinatown district and apparently the oldest fire station in LA – Old Plaza Firehouse!
Olvera Street – Makes me think of Coco. I’ve always loved the colorful stalls and cut paper art strung up in rows and rows. Churros and taquitos galore that I wish I had another five stomaches for.
Philippe’s – I always want to try something new each time I go back to LA and it’s French dip sandwiches this time! But here are some familiar faces – my Flow boys and they’re all grown up. So thankful to be able to pick up from where we left off.
So beautiful!! I didn’t realize until way later that this is actually the church they attend (or at least the church rents this space), which makes it not only beautiful but meaningful! Only downside is that the police sirens that went off more than once during the ceremony really echo. Poor builders probably didn’t think about that one.
M – the lovely bride! I always tell people that she was the one who showed me not to depend on a man to define my identity – that God has His timing, but in the meanwhile, I need to value and care for myself as He created me. So encouraged to be a witness of God’s timing in allowing her to meet A and for them to begin a new journey together.
Korean food served at the wedding!!! – kalbi jjim and multiple types of rice cake YUM
I’m so thankful for the big family of God that comes around and supports one another. Even though it’s been a long time, and there was awkwardness mixed in, I was touched by everyone’s taking time to welcome me, catch up, and even do things like give me a ride back to Union Station so that I wouldn’t have to take public transportation at night. All acts that give me courage to respond in the same way and reach out of my comfort zone again next time.
gracerootsmovement 