February Birthdays!

Jesse and I celebrated our birthday together last Sunday, Feb. 15th. He turned 7 and I turned 31. Of course, here in Korea, we are considered one year older than that, so Jesse is happy to tell people here that he is 8! It's been rather funny since coming here that we actually can celebrate our birthday over 2 days...it starts in the morning Korean time and ends at night Illinois time! That's how we celebrated James' and Kendra's birthday together when she visited last July. I didn't realize how much Jesse had absorbed this thought process until he looked very confused when he I didn't "just know" that you're supposed to do something the day before your birthday and then something else on your birthday!

Saturday, Feb 14th

I didn't have the heart to disappoint him...he had such high expectations! So, on Saturday afternoon, we surprised him with a special trip into SeoSan to the "Big mart" there where we let him pick out his birthday toy...a sword and shield that he's been wanting ever since James got his last year. There was no way to go in and get it without him there anyway, so we just let him "pick it out" even though it was a no-brainer this year! We've been tripping over stick swords in the yard for the past several months now. He was even more excited to see the inscription on the sword: "The Word of God is quick and powerful..."

Afterwards we went to a great Korean restaurant which we walk by on Wednesday's to and from the library. (We've drooled and our stomachs growled at the smells emanating from the restaurant, but we trudged by reluctantly each time. Then recently, a Korean couple wanted to take us out to eat and took us there. We were so excited! And it was soooo good! Better than it smelled!) So we finally got the courage to go there alone since we now knew what to order. And it was just as good the second time!

The meal ended with soup and rice. On our walk home, we saw a bright barbie-pink car! It was Valentine's Day, so we took a couple pictures beside it. Jesse and I for our birthday...Joy because she matched so well!

Sunday, Feb 15th

On Sunday, after our church, two of our teacher friends from the school came over at 1pm for lunch and the afternoon together. Soon Ja and SunHwa, who we've dubbed Sunny. They brought cake, gifts, and helped us order Chinese delivery (we usually have to walk down and order it or else they can't understand us!) We opened gifts first...toy cars for Jesse and a scarf for me!

After they sang "Happy Birthday" to us, we ate the meal and cake Korean style! Standing around the table eating out of communal dishes and then eating the cake with chopsticks! I've never eaten cake like that before, but it was really fun! Rather than slicing it... just dig in! Sunny started it when she simply walked around the table to the fruit cake and started pecking the fruit off the top. It became a friendly battle to get the other fruit pieces after that! I chuckled to see the cake devoid of all the toppings first!

After lunch, the kids ran outside to play with Jesse's long awaited sword while we adults played a game of Settlers. It was Sunny's second time and Soon Ja's first. And Soon Ja won! Well, I technically got to 10 points first but forgot to call it, and on the very next turn Soon Ja got the longest road card from me and won. Soon Ja is on the left and Sunny is on the right.

After the Soon Ja and Sunny left late-afternoon, the kids wanted to play a round of Settlers. It was a close tie between Jesse and I with Jesse barely winning!

Then the night was not complete without giving Jesse his birthday spankings. He was practically begging for them all day! So James and Joy waited outside the bedroom door to pounce on him after he got changed into his pjs. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven!...and a pinch to grow an inch!

Well, I think that gets you up to speed except for the continuation of my France trip. I will work on those next, I promise! Paris is up next!...the Eiffel Tower!!!