Ansan, Our New Home Town

Here is a little about our life in Korea, well as our town.

We started the morning today at 3:15 a.m. thanks to our adorable daughter. Babies seem to take a little longer adjusting to different time zones. It actually wasn't that bad because I put her down for a nap yesterday at about 3:00 p.m. and she woke a few times, but just kept wanting to sleep, so I just let her sleep through the night! I went to bed early myself, so I felt good when I woke up. I just hope we aren't bugging our Korean neighbors!

First thing was a bath for Lucy. They don't have tubs here. They just have shower heads attached to the sink and the whole bathroom is tile with a drain. So we bought this plastic storage box as a bath for Lucy. She really loved it. It was a lot of work because we aren't supposed to drink tap water here and Lucy always drinks her bath water, so I had to boil water and transfer it. Then, of course, Lucy went to the bathroom, so she just got dirtier and I had to give her another bath later in the day, boiling more water and all. I'm sure we will get a method down! At least Lucy likes her little tub. She wore this grin the entire bath!

We then left for a walk around 6:00 a.m. Here is the door to our apartment complex. I guess we actually live in what is called a Villa.
Here is our Window on the second story. It is actually a sort of indoor balcony, where you can wash your clothes and hang them to dry.
Here is our street. Cars just kind of park however they want here. Dave says sometimes people just double park and leave their phone number on the windsheild, so if anyone has a problem and can't get out they can just call.
Just a few feet down the street is a trampoline hut. There are about 6 huge trampolines all connected. You just pay a little money and can jump for an hour. What a fun and random thing to be right here!
We saw three of these tiger spiders also reside a few feet down the street. How comforting to know they are nearby especially when I am in my bed on the ground at night! That little monster looks like it belongs in a National Geographic magazine for crying out loud! Dave said they are aggressive, but not poisonous. How comforting!
Here is the little park on our block. I think Lucy will be the perfect age to run around and play on everything come springtime!

It has fun step bridges that totally look like something out of a Mario Brothers ninetendo game. Don't fall down the crack or you lose a life!Complete with a cute Korean Pagoda (is that the right word? I think so)THis park is not only for kids, it also has some exercise equipment. This particular machine twists back and forth and feels great on your back!

Here is a view of the other side of the park, complete with a Korean church in the background. (I took a lot of pictures of the park. Can you tell I am excited about it?)This building is across the street from the park. What is this? It looks like a slide from the third story, stops and the second story and continues on down. Is this for kids or for items? I am very curious and must do further investigation...As we ventured on we came across this store. I sure enjoyed the quality of their advertising! (I guess that is why they are willing to pay so much for Native English speaking teachers, ha ha)We saw many of these little crops in the city. It is fascinating to me how there are just little patches for agriculture amidst the large apartment buildings. Definitely a different country.This is why Korea is called Land of the Morning Calm. You can almost feel how peaceful this morning is here in this picture.To top of a beautiful morning walk we watched this beautiful Korean Crane. I was obsessed with watching it because I have so often seen this type of bird in Asian Cork Art, and here it really was!

Anyway, there is a little feel for the the town we are living in. Looks like fun, huh? So far it really has been. I am fascinted with the culture here. ALong our walk were many people exercising. Even very old people are out walking, some of them collecting plastic bottles to recycle. They are very hard working and very friendly to us. I am loving it so much I even asked David this morning "Is Ansan the best place in Korea?" I can't believe what a perfect place this is for us (other than Tiger Spiders, of course) with a park to play at, great cheap restaurants within a minute on foot, an E-Mart ( the store that has everything like a Wal Mart) only ten minutes away on foot, and the subway station just around the corner. Plus it is green and not such a big city that it has lost its Korean Culture. Dave's employer is incredibly generous and helpful as well. I feel like things really couldn't be better! I am thanking the Lord constantly these days for leading us on such a good adventure for our family.

A long good trip

`What a long, but good trip it has been this far. IT started with a 12 hour plane flight, that went surprisingly well for having an 11 month old. They had a cute little baby bassinet that clipped into the wall. Lucy slept well in it. She slept the first six hours, was up for a few and then slept another two. I guess that is what happens when you leave at 1:30 a.m. You get a tired baby! Isn't this little airplane bassinet cute!

Lucy loved listening to the music on the flight as well.
6:30 a.m. and here we are with our luggage waiting for the bus (which was another 2 hour ride to Ansan)
I loved this Asian tree at the airport. It just seemed very Asian and I was anxious to feel like it was really real. We are in Korea!
After the two hour bus ride we had to take a taxi to the real estate agent. We crammed all of our stuff in and then had to wait outside the office for an hour until it opened. So here we are just chilling on this little corner in Korea with all of our stuff

We finally made it to our place and crashed. Look at Lucy's cute new Korean bed. Later that day we headed to E mart (Korean Wal Mart) for some groceries and supplies. Lucy was pretty much attacked by adoring Koreans. THey loved her blonde hair. It took us sooooo long to do our shopping. Everyone wanted to hold her and one girl even took a picture with us. I really do feel famous here. It was fun at first, but after at least 50 people stopped us, I was getting a little tired!

THere is so much to tell, but I don't have much time. OUr apartment is great and I am really enjoying it here. We have great parks near our apartment. Everyone has been very friendly and I am trying to learn more Korean so I can speak with them. Overall, I really like it here. I will tell much more later and post pictures of our place! Miss you all!

I'm Gonna Miss this...

Our last moments in America were spent visiting my family in San Diego. The best way to explain this weekend was perfect. We did all of my favorite things: played beach volleyball, swiming, Moonlight Theater, birthday party...it just doesn't get any better. It was the first time in 3 years my whole family was home during the summer time and it was even better than I remember. The best way to describe my feelings is with that one country song (I dont know the artist because I just never know who sings the songs) "Your gonna miss this. Your gonna want this back. Your gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast." And I know I will. There were times when I had to ask myself "why are you leaving again?" Maybe we should reconsider and just be beach bums the rest of our life!

I was sad not to have my camera at the beach or at the birthday/holiday family party, but I will try to relive the joy. We had a wonderful party to celebrate all the birthdays and holidays we would be missing. We sang happy unbirthday to everyone and then sang some Christmas carols for Christmas, and some spring songs, and some beatles songs just for fun. The real key is, if it is with my family there is definitely going to be some singing. Then we decorated gingerbread houses and I fell asleep while putting Lucy to sleep, so we had to wait until the morning to open presents, but I guess that is kind of like Christmas anyway!

We watched a wonderful play at the Moonlight Amphitheater, one of my favorite summer family traditions My Dad and Lucy during the intermission of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Lani and Heidi enjoy our Moonlight family tradition

And here we are swiming (this was Lucy's first time swiming if you don't count the waterpark, normal pool swiming I guess)What a fun Dad she hasHere are her aunties watching Lucy swim from the deckOn our way to the volleyball tournament my Dad was outside waiting for us. We thought it was pretty funny when we saw him waiting near these other two guys. THey all look so much alike (my Dad didn't know why I was taking this picture...he thought it was just to take one of him and Lucy, but really I was trying to capture the humor of the spot he had chosen to wait)
Ah, picturesque San Diego

Carousel Ride at Belmont Park
Visiting Great Grandma Barbara (my Mom's Mom) in Los Angeles before our flight out of LAXJust two hours after this photo we were in the Security check line, waving goodbye to my parents with tears in my eyes as I imagined my life without these wonderful people for the next year. And we are on to a new adventure.

Moving Out: Part II

Here are our last Provo Moments to remember as we said our goodbyes and packed up:

We went to say goodbye to the Perry's our good friends. Here is there adorable little girl Savanna. We caught her and Lucy holding hands. What a precious little moment as we say goodbye to all our dear friends who we will miss. (Savanna is 3 months younger and is one of the only babies I have ever met who tops Lucy in size. You just gotta love those chubby little cheeks!) A smiling moment with Uncle Nick. We finally got a picture with him and Lucy. One last family picture with our beloved house that we have lived in through the first 3 wonderful years of our marriage.
My cousin Olivia came to help me clean and watch Lucy while I was at the end of my rope with so much to do! Thank you Thank you!

Lucy hardly ever falls asleep in my arms, but while sitting on the pianoman's (AKA my brother Brian) lap while he played the piano she fell asleep. He then transferred to the couch and slept another hour, allowing me to get some more packing done. What a charmer! Ladies lookout!

And again, she enjoys some tunes with her uncle brian. She even learned to clap along with the guitar. Two musical geniuses side by side.
A tired little puppy fell asleep in the bath. Here is her Dad taking her out to go tuck her in bed.

A tuckered little baby, sleeping on our makeshift bed as we sold our bed and all our furniture. I love what a classic lazy position she has assumed.


It has been a tiring week for all of us, especially the little one as you can tell by the number of sleeping pictures. These were our last great moments in Provo. You have been good to us Utah. We will miss you, but it is time to move on.

Moving Out!

We had a crazy two day yard sale last weekend! Luckiy, my parents and Dave's parents were around to help out. On Friday (a week ago Friday) I couldn't resist some pictures of Lucy with both of her Grandmothers. They happened to all being wearing yellow which they all look great in. My favorite part about the pictures is you really can't tell who Lucy looks more like. Our families are definitely coming together.


Sweet Face...

Nana Lisa and Lu...
Livin the life with Grandma. Wow looking at this picture you have to wonder: "Was there anyway Lucy could have avoided being so beautiful with such good looking Grandmas?"
Ewwww...too much love!
One big happy family! Lucy with the girls who love her most!
Lucy and her only cousin Dominic. Sweet little shot!

Here is me just being the usual show off that I am. After Lucy wiped her sweet peas on me (serves me right for not using a high chair) I figured I might as well put it all over my face for a matching Mother-Daughter shot. Dave thought it was pretty gross, but I just can't resist doing things for a little attention! I actually really liked these sweet peas.

Lucy is one messy eater and I will tell you one thing...she doesn't get it from David! I can never make it through a meal without at least something on my clothes!

Thank you family for all of your help with the move! We couldn't have done it without you! We love you and will miss you all so much while we are in Korea! (And a special thanks to Renee Pendergrass who took all these pictures because I had misplaced my camera in all the comotion! One thing among many we definitely have in common is a love for taking pictures... And I mean lots of pictures!)

One little tooth

Okay, not the best picture I have of my little Lu, but definitely the best shot of her one little tooth. It poked through about a month and a half ago, but now you can finally really see it! (These pictures are actually from about 2 weeks ago so you can see it even better now. I have been a little behind with the move and all).

My bro, Brian told me an appropriate joke to go along with this post just the other day.

He served his mission in South Carolina. So he asks me "How do you know that toothbrushes were invented in South Carolina?"

"Of course, I don't know"

"...because anywhere else it would have been named a teethbrush."

Brian always marvels how he wanted to serve in a foreign country, and was surprised to find that the South practically was.

Anyway, yeah for teeth!