Moneypot Weekend

It's fun to reminisce about the carefree college days, when you and your friends ditch the studying to stay up all night, blast music, maybe do a little dancing, and daydream about future husbands. Well my friends and I relived that this past weekend. But instead of ditching the studies, we left our husbands and babies at home. Instead of music and dancing, we relaxed and ate delicious food we didn't have to make ourselves. And instead of daydreaming about the future, we talked about our past and our present, and how God has weaved His beautiful, loving hand in our lives.

To say these women are my college friends would be quite an understatement. Yes, we all lived together for a few years during our time at UCLA, but I've known Joan (picture below on the right) since 8th grade and I think I probably slept over at her house every other weekend from 9th to 10th grade. Jenny (middle) and I went to the same church in 5th grade, then lost touch until we met again in college. She and Jeanne(left) had known each other since high school (or earlier?) and when we met while dorming during our freshman year, we hit it off from the start and now Jeanne and I live 5 minutes away from each other. So really, the three of them span my life from elementary school to adulthood. We know each other deeply, have shared so many life-changing experiences together, and I pray God allows our friendship to grow for the rest of our lives.



About 2 years ago, we decided that instead of giving each other birthday and Christmas presents, we'd all put money into an account so that when we had enough saved up, we could treat ourselves to a trip or at the very least, a yummy dinner at a nice restaurant. Well, we thought it was time to cash out the moneypot and it happened to coincide with a time when none of us were about to give birth or attached at the hip to a nursing baby. How did we spend it?

One luxurious night at The W Hotel in Hollywood.









Full-body massages at the Bliss Spa.







Blu Jam Cafe, Crustacean, Milk, Grub, Young Dong Korean Restaurant



















Makeovers by Jenny







Reading magazines and snacking on junk before bed







The Hunger Games and shopping at the Grove









My favorite? Laughing till i either cry or want to wet my pants.







And talking about our trials, and then being in awe of how the Lord has revealed more of Himself to us through those times.







I wish I could tell you each of their stories. If I could make our lives into a miniseries, it would be our own Joy Luck Club and then some, no doubt about it. Each of my friends are so dear to me, not only because we've seen each other through weddings and baby birth stories, but because they've gladly taken my burdens and cried with me in love. I only hope I've done the same for them. I know Jesus better because of them and that, along with the fun times and good food, makes for great friendship. Looking forward to growing our pot for next time!

Walking Some More

Love him so much.  He works so hard.  So thankful to be his Mama!

Old Home, New House

In January of 2011, during one of Derek's middle-of-the night nursing sessions, I had an urge to pray for our housing situation.  With a new baby, Marcus' physical disabilities, and the need for more space, we felt that we had outgrown our cozy 2-bedroom condo.  Not only that, but the 45-mile walk from the door to our car was becoming an increasing challenge.  So I earnestly prayed for direction from the Lord and I asked him to reveal to us how He would provide for this need within the year.  I normally don't specify time-requirements in my prayers, but for some reason felt compelled to do so.

In October, the Lord provided Mike with a new job, we then prayerfully decided to sell our home despite the very little equity we had, put it on the market around Thanksgiving, and then had an offer around the new year.  Now I call that answered prayer!

We are now renting a fantastic one-story home that seems to meet our every need abundantly.

 

We are beyond grateful and let me just say that every time I drive into the garage with a car full of kids and groceries, I erupt in praise to the Lord!



But as happy we are to be in our new house, it wasn't that easy to let go of our old home. During my last round of Swiffering our floor before handing the keys over to the new owners, I had flashbacks of the past 9.5 years. Within the four walls of our condo, the Lord allowed us to lay a good foundation for our marriage and gave us 3 precious children to raise.





I bawled like a baby as I dusted the corners of the living room, realizing that it was where we spent the most of our time loving, fighting, laughing, crying, working, resting, and playing.





It was my home. I had lived in no other place longer than I had lived there. God had sheltered us both physically and spiritually in this home that I had wanted to leave for so long.





It was where we became a family.







So we did end up giving up our keys and the owners' agent probably thought I was a basket case when he found me on the phone with Mike, weeping like a baby. Audrey had a good cry too and she still has to close her eyes every time we drive by our old neighborhood. Even Marcus, who daily proclaims his love for the new house and is so proud to be the official garage door-opener of the family, told us the other day that he wants to pack up our stuff and move back to the old house because he really loves BOTH houses. He must have sensed a tinge of guilt, as if he forsook his first love.

But we are emptying our boxes one by one and settling in just fine.











It's like a new journal. Not soft, with no creases on the spine and no tear-stained pages. The binding is stiff and the paper is hard, but it's ready to record new memories nonetheless.







And as the weeks and months go by, we'll see what we've jotted down and realize that this new house is our home too.











Already our lives are a bit different. The boys are percussion-crazy.



Audrey is now requesting her Pandora stations as mood-music while she draws and colors.



We've got some backyard fruit to enjoy.





The boys have got more rooms to explore together.



And they're all spending more time outside.









It is so sweet to be here. Thankful is an understatement. But I will miss our first home. I now look fondly on how we shared our room with the big kids for months and months.



And really...our kids are happy wherever we are.







Here's to new memories!