Embracing Touch

Thus far, one of the most fascinating things about Korea is how different their boundaries are with regard to personal space and touch.  It is not considered disrespectful, creepy, or strange, for complete strangers to come up and touch your children's face and hair.

I had been told that this would likely be our experience, and have found it to be completely true.  Koreans seem to adore my children.  It really is a mother's paradise; because what mother doesn't appreciate someone who pays sincere and endearing interest to their children?  Especially when this attention is not slighted by fear or suspicion.

It is not uncommon for grown men to stop, and make goo-goo-ga-ga's noises with Maisy.  Teenage boys stop to tell me how "cute-uh" my girls are.  I have not yet met a man that was too macho, cool, or disinterested to engage with the girls.

My favorite is when the girls meet other Korean children.  Just today at the market (I told you, I LOVE the market), these two little girls could not get enough of Mila.

They wanted to touch her skin, her hair, her nose.  In the end, Mila became less shy, and even gave them hugs.  It was so sweet.

Like these girls, I love the simplicity and beauty of seeing new things.  I love the innocence and the curiosity.

In regards to the Korean's attitudes towards children. I love how they embrace differences and cherish children.  Ultimately, I just love all the love.


So, who wants a hot dog?

Market Day

On the 3 and 8 days of each month there is Market Day in Anjeong-ri (the little "ville" right outside of Camp Humphreys).  So basically, on the 3rd, the 8th, 13th, 18th... and so on.

It is supposedly a small market for Korea... and I'm grateful for it.  It can be a bit overwhelming as it is, so it's nice to kind of enmesh myself in the culture in more bite-size chunks.  This market is now becoming more familiar and comfortable.  

When wandering the market, one can prepare to see all sorts of different fruits, vegetables, fish, and "what in the world is that???!!!" things.  The smells... Oh the smells of Korea.  Nothing creates a memory quite like a smell.  One second, you smell sweet cinnimon and nut filled pancakes... (called Hotteok)

And the next, you smell... this....

 Wait, let's go back to the Halmoni (term for Grandma that you use for all Grandma aged women) making Hotteok.  I wish that I could have just gotten you the video of it.  But she is literally using her fingers to push these pancakes around.  Hot oil ALL OVER THEM.  You can see that her hands are covered in it.  But I have to try to shut my jaw every time I see her.  I know that callouses build up, and that she can't really be in pain doing this... but it is just utterly fascinating to me.  I think of her having done this for years.  And watching her carefully craft each pancake with the yumminess that is inside, like it is part of a dance, is just something happy I will forever take with me.

Alta and Mila LOVE market day.  Alta eagerly seeks out her favorite thing each time we go.  To watch the Octopuses.  They squirm and wriggle and it fills her with such joy.  And you would think that this joy would be ended by her knowing their fate.  Nope... just today Alta informed me that "someone was going to take these home and kill them and eat them."

.... "Yup.  How do you feel about that?"

"Fine... then they get to be with Heavenly Father."

Oh how I love her!  

Mila got a bit camera shy this morning, but she wanted me to take a picture of the pretty fish.  Good idea kiddo!  

On our shopping trip today we scored the following:

Strawberries - Oh my goodness, the strawberries here are worth the trip to Korea in and of themselves! Best fruit you will ever taste in your lifetime.  Whatever I thought was a strawberry in America, will now be a sad and pathetic version of what God intended them to taste like.   Anyhow, we haven't left the market yet without some. 

Carrots

Sweet potatoes

Beets 

Lettuce 

Cucumbers 

Red and Yellow peppers 

Broccoli 

Bananas

Korean pastries - the girls got to pick a small assortment of pastries and guess what was inside them.  From what I could tell it was sweet bean paste.  Possibly dates.  

As you can imagine, my life as a vegetarian means that my meals are based around vegetables, and so this market is a bit of dream come true for me.  I do a large majority of our grocery shopping here... and love that it is part of MY Korea now.  My goal for each market is to try something new.

Happy Market day everyone!   

A new adventure - Korean style!

I am resuming the blog.  Jaren returned from deployment.    And we moved to Korea.  Oh, and I've had another child since I wrote last...

So I think I'll pretty much just reinvent this blog.  New title and all.  Queen of the Gingerpuffs.  (Thanks for the creative push Janis!)

But I hate the catch up game in pretty much anything ... so let's just roll with where we are now!

On Jan 6th, 2014 - Jaren and I moved the gingerpuffs to Korea.  We found a five bedroom place (that's crazy big for Korea) off post.

 We want to really experience Korea and all that it has to offer.  Lucky for us, our home here has a playground area, and great neighbors with lots of kids around.  We expect to be here for the next two to three years.

Jaren is still flying helicopters, and even got to keep doing the same mission.  They have a real medevac mission here in Korea - and he is so excited to be flying again.    

So far Korea has been full of adventure.  Anytime I step out of my house, I find myself in some sort of adventure.  Grocery shopping - yup adventure!

Running?  Yup - adventure!

You may even find a cautionary tale of "how not to drive" on a run...

How 'bout hiking?  YES PLEASE!  The kids are really enjoying this adventure...

And that just makes my heart sing!  

Anyhow, I am going to post things as they happen now.  I can't wait to share Korea with you.  

Keep your arms inside the ride at all times...

Ok, so I've officially jumped on the deployment roller coaster.  The first month was like the beginning of any really good ride.  It's scary - but you just keep feeling the jerking motion of the coaster pulling you along.  You feel the anticipation of the climb.  You are finding a rhythm to the whole thing... but overall - it's pretty exciting.  

So the last two weeks were what I like to call "the drop."  It was time for a reality check.  My stomach was in my throat, and I was feeling pretty scared.    The only difference with this drop - was that it lasted two weeks.  The realization that only a month was done out of the possible 15 was heart wrenching.  I got into a mental funk and couldn't seem to find my way out.  

I am happy to report that as of Monday, I'm feeling like we finished that drop, and have now zoomed off onto some other portion of the ride.  Perhaps a loop-d-loo?   At any rate - I'm feeling a bit better again about being on the ride in the first place.  But I felt like I should write about the past two weeks, and be continue in my effort for honest blogging.

Here's what it boils down to:  I miss him.  Terribly.

Jaren is the one that makes my world tick.  He is that extra set of hands that I never knew I even needed.  He does things so often without being asked, I had no idea how much more work I'd be taking on.  At first I was feeling empowered... like, "see... we can do this!"  But for those two weeks I was not so sure.  I'm taking a moment to just recognize that this is already the hardest thing I've ever done.

Life doesn't stop when your husband goes to war.  It keeps going, and in MY world - there tends to always be a tad bit of crazy going around in it.  Jaren has always been the easy going guy that reminds me how to laugh, and to not take things seriously.  So without him, I find I'm getting very..... serious.

Sure, I'm also making huge strides - like selling a car all by myself.  And figuring out how to get my kids to take a nap at the same time so that I can mow the lawn.  I'm also asking for help more than ever in my life.  This does not come easy to a prideful person like me.  But I honestly couldn't do this without the help of the women around me.  I can't just call my Mom to come over and watch my girls when I need to go to Young Women's.  I have to ask people to spend part of their hard earned time watching over my little responsibilities.

I also have to thank the friends and family that make those little phone calls to me; or send the unexpected clothes to Alta and Mila; or the sweet Rosie the Riverter dog tags.  These kind of care packages keep me going as well.  There is nothing like knowing that people love and support you, and are praying for you.

Just today I got a text from a friend back home in Utah that simply said:  Smile.  What an amazing gift that was!

Anyhow, I think September 11th, helped kicked my attitude back into focus.  It reminded me of how proud I am of my husband and his sacrifice.

So let's just blare this over the loudspeaker: keep our arms and legs in the ride at all times - and hopefully we will all get through this without any loss of limb - and hopefully very little puking.  

We can do it!

Ah Rosie...... who knew we'd be such kindred spirits?  This, my friends, is my new mantra!

Jaren is officially in Afghanistan.  And the long dreaded wait for his departure has come and gone.  Thank heavens too - because that goodbye ranks up there with one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.  I am so grateful that I don't have to keep saying goodbye.  No we are just doing it!  No more waiting, and honestly, I feel like a weight has been lifted.

I am learning so much already.  First of all, I already knew this - but not like I do now...  I married the best man alive.  Honestly, I am just so thankful for him.  He is brave, courageous, and loving.  He is an excellent father, and watching him say goodbye to his little girls will stay with me for the rest of my life.  It was a sacred, and special time.

 

Secondly, I am learning that I am stronger than I thought.  I mean, there are those moments of absolute sadness, and where I just want to give into the "woe is me moment."  But overall, I'm already feeling that sneaking smile on my face.  The one where I know that I just might have a fighting chance of actually becoming one of those women that I have looked up to.  You know the ones - they face tragedy and hard things with bravery and courage.  They don't shrink at the fight... they get in there - get their hands dirty, and WORK!

I am seeing miracles in my life every day right now.  I know that I am being guided by the Lord's hand.  I have been given an extra allotment of patience.  I am not looking at the clock as much.  I am living with a peace, that thus far in my life - I have never known.  It is incredible... and I believe that it is truly God's hand in my life.  He has taken up the yoke and has eased this burden to the point where I can keep walking.

Alta and Mila are adjusting.  Alta asks for Daddy all the time.  Right before he left, he took the girls on a "Daddy duaghter date".  He took them to build-a-bear.  Alta picked out both of the bears, and they made them together.  He put a little recording in each of them, that tell them how much Daddy misses them, to take care of Mommy, and that he will be home soon.  They picked out little Army outfits.  Anyhow, needless to say, Alta hugs and kisses it all the time, and when she asks for Daddy - we have her go and get her bear.  She plays the recording, and then gives him a kiss.

Another thing that I have come to realize is how much I love my little family.  A good friend of mine taught me a saying that she uses with her children when their Daddy is at work, or gone.  She says, "Daddy is gone so that Mommy can be home and stay with you.  Isn't Daddy great?"  She turns it into a positive, and her kids think of their Dad as their hero.  It is awesome, and something I have adopted.  

Thus far, Jaren is doing well.  He too, is making the adjustment.  As hard as it will be for us to have Daddy gone, I need to remember that Daddy is away from all of his girls.  We pray for him to not be lonely.  We pray for his safety.  Alta said a prayer all by herself yesterday, and I'm pretty sure that it was what she was saying, because she repeated "Dadda" 5 or 6 times in that prayer.  

I am also grateful to be where I'm at right now.  It's hard to not be in Utah, with all the help and support that family and friends provide.  But I will say this:  My Army wives, and especially my fellow Church wives have been amazing.  It is just kind of understood here that you take care of each other.  So many people are in the same position (and many of them have done it multiple times before).  So you have this wealth of experience, knowledge, and camaraderie that wouldn't exist if I were in Utah.  I find that even my friends from Alabama are pitching in and making sure that we are okay.

The other nice thing about North Carolina is that these wives are amazing, so you don't get to stay in a pity party for long.  They do everything with a smile on their face.  They remind me of that woman I want to be, and help me to keep optimistic.

They say that the first two weeks of the deployment are some of the toughest.  I'm praying that this is true.  I'm hoping that I can continue with this momentum that is building in my life.

Jaren, I love you.  You are my hero.  You are the girl's hero too.  Years from now we will look back at this time, and thank God for the way that it has helped us to appreciate what we have.  We are so blessed, and I am already so grateful for this experience.  15 months will be long... but hey - it's already 14 1/2 now right?  We got this babe!  We can do it!