Overdue tag

(image from Cheri's blog. Thanks, Cheri!)

I've been tagged again... twice. And it's been over a month! So Liv and Deb, I'm finally paying my dues! :)

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These are the rules: You must post the rules before you give your answers.You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don’t have a middle name, just use your maiden name. After you’ve been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers. At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they’ve been tagged and need to read your blog for details.
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I'll be using my Korean name, Haejung, since I don't have a middle name:

H: Hoarder of things - be it digital scrapbooking items, recipes, articles, sweet little girl outfits, or nice boxes
A: as in Type A! My personality suits me just fine, thank you very much. :)
E: Energetic - I'm full throttle most of the time...
J: I'm a joyful, happy gal. Unless you take my food away, of course.
U: Unending amount of ideas spout from my wee brain!!!! Especially as I try to fall aseep.
N: Notorious for starting grand plans, then leaving them half done.
G: Still growing - in mind, heart, spirit.

Okay, passing the baton to the next seven: Kim, Amy, Ann, Cheri, Nicky, Jen, and April!

I was so moved when I found this quote - it inspired this LO:


credits: Jessica Sprague's Home Away From Home Kit, Stereofidelic font

(click for larger image)

"Abeejo"

What in the world does the title mean, you ask yourself. It's our little Abby's way of saying her own name. We're able to recognize some of her words now. And she loves to dance and sing when Ron turns on his crazy music. :) She's also a water baby - so much so that she and I will be taking a Mommy and Me swim class at the local Rec Center.

Thank you for your well wishes - the antibiotics and rest have done me a world of good. My energy level is still low, but I am doing well otherwise. Life is good!

Some of my latest layouts:




Amanda's friend Emma had a tea party this week along with some other gymnastics friends, and my, what a sumptuous fete it was! Both for the stomach and eyes. :) The girls were giddy with excitement not only to be with one another but to use real tea sets.

Here is a layout of the day's events:


And look what emerged from the digital camera - this photo of Emma's sister! Wouldn't she be perfect for a Baby Gap contract?


(Click on images to enlarge)

For layout credits, click here.

Sick

The two little ones have been ill off and on for the last week, and out of the blue yesterday, I was slammed with a fever of 103.4 and the whole gamut of chills, sweating, shallow breathing. You name it. Found out that I have an infection that requires antibiotics. Life is a bit better now with the proper drugs, but it's going to be a slow recovery.

Wahhhh, I know. Whiny whiny. :) Dear husband took good care of me - he's so wonderful.

Blogging woes - fixable?

I've wrestled with Blogger long enough - my original post from Thursday, March 13th is still not showing photos, so I'm reposting! Have a wonderful Sunday -
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Ah, it's good to be back. Had to take a hiatus to finish some things up.

Learning environment at home
We've been considering homeschooling as an option for Amanda's kindergarten if she doesn't get into one of three local charter schools. To be honest, homeschooling sounds so exciting yet scary at the same time - not because I think Amanda would suffer socially (this is one of those ignorant assumptions about homeschooling that we should all throw out the window), but because I don't know if I can carry it out the way I conceptualize it in my own brain. So, I've decided to give it a "test run" until July. Regardless of what type of schooling situation Amanda gets to be a part, you'd better believe I'll be all over it. And supplementing her schooling with a strong learning environment at home is a goal I wish to gift to both children.

New curriculum? Check.
Excited little Amanda? Check.
Organization? Oh Lord, please help me.... :)

Some layouts
Here's one I did using my friend Liv's" Esteban Adventure Kit:

And one using Andilynn Designs' Waiting For Summer Kit:


Credits here for this next layout:


Using Lisa Habisreutinger's Springalicious Kit:


Thank goodness for warmer weather!
Ron and the girls have been going out to our neighborhood park regularly to take advantage of the nice weather we've had. I decided to follow along on Saturday:


Abigail has let us know that she wouldn't mind taking residence at the park. Look how happy she is there:


And it's a good thing the weather is allowing us some outside time, because folks, we have a climber on our hands, and the house is slowly falling apart:


Abby likes life on the kitchen counter and tries everything in her power to be there.

(Click for larger images)

Home base

I have been feeling a restlessness in my soul that I initially attributed to being snowed under with work reports. Those are done now, yet the quiver in my spirit does not die down. I catch myself snapping at my children, with undertones of resentment from having to set aside my long list of to dos to simply play with them. I have spent less time sitting with and enjoying the company of my husband....

I've strayed so far from home base.

This base cushioned with gratitude and the knowing that I live out a sacred calling to mother with strength and vision, and to be an uplifting partner to my husband - I now take slow, purposeful steps back there. This base is at the feet of my Father, and my life becomes inexorably off-kilter and muddled without dwelling there.

Brennan Manning said, “The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust—not only for all the gifts that I receive from God, but gratitude for all the suffering. Because in that purifying experience, suffering has often been the shortest path to intimacy with God.”

There have been some painful times. And there have been exceedingly good times. Trusting that my life will be used and directed exactly as it needs to be, I find the joyous tune in my heart again. It's the same tune I sang when each of my children were born, when my husband and I exchanged our vows to each other.

This is the song of my home base, and it's coming back.

Absent no more

Ah, it's good to be back. Had to take a hiatus to finish some things up.

Learning environment at home

We've been considering homeschooling as an option for Amanda's kindergarten if she doesn't get into one of three local charter schools. To be honest, homeschooling sounds so exciting yet scary at the same time - not because I think Amanda would suffer socially (this is one of those ignorant assumptions about homeschooling that we should all throw out the window), but because I don't know if I can carry it out the way I conceptualize it in my own brain. So, I've decided to give it a "test run" until July. Regardless of what type of schooling situation Amanda gets to be a part, you'd better believe I'll be all over it. And supplementing her schooling with a strong learning environment at home is a goal I wish to gift to both children.

New curriculum? Check.
Excited little Amanda? Check.
Organization? Oh Lord, please help me.... :)

Some layouts

Here's one I did using my friend Liv's Esteban Adventure Kit:


And one using Andilynn Designs' Waiting For Summer Kit:


Credits here for this next layout:


Using Lisa Habisreutinger's Springalicious Kit:



Thank goodness for warmer weather!

Ron and the girls have been going out to our neighborhood park regularly to take advantage of the nice weather we've had. I decided to follow along on Saturday:





Abigail has let us know that she wouldn't mind taking residence at the park. Look how happy she is there:



And it's a good thing the weather is allowing us some outside time, because folks, we have a climber on our hands, and the house is slowly falling apart:


Abby likes life on the kitchen counter and tries everything in her power to be there.

(Click for larger images!)

Monday's musings

I got a chance to write for the ScrapMatters Team Blog today. Here is my post. Check it out!

And finally, photos of my hair.

Before:

I haven't cut my hair since Abby was born a year ago.

After:





The first two photos were taken by Amanda, and the last one Ron took. It's kind of hard to see the detail, but it's longer in the front and slightly layered in the back. I like it a lot. At the very least, I'm about three pounds lighter now, and not getting my hair caught everywhere like I used to. :)