Praying for Rebecca!

The Russell family and I go way back... there is a mom, a dad, three girls and a boy and at different stages in my life I have lived with each one of them except the boy, all at different times.  I love this family and one of them recently asked for prayers for their daughter who is sick with pancreatitis and in hopes to cheer up they were asking for the kids to make signs saying "Praying for Rebecca"... here is our sign all the way from Korea just for you Rebecca.
 

 

 

 

Meeting Santa at the clubhouse...

Santa was really coming to Ulsan... and the foreigners Compound at that and we had to go.. it has been years since Pierce has sat with Santa and this would be the FIRST for Asher... yeah we were so excited... The ladies really did a good job for this being the first year they did this... All the proceeds went to the animal shelter in town... you could buy goodies from Mrs. Karen (aka elf), buy some homemade goodies, get a picture with Santa and more.  The place was packed and we had to wait a long time but it was worth it... so much CHEER was in the room.
 

Pierce went and asked daddy if he could buy me a necklace... you better believe I wear that necklace (from Oriental Trading) with PRIDE.  We did learn that Pierce is a bargain shopper too... he went through all the necklaces that had one charm on a piece of string until he found a "mishap" and one of the necklaces had two charms and he told me later that is was a better deal bc for the same price he got two charms... that away son.

 

And you can't tell here... but it started snowing... you will just have to trust me and it has yet to snow again... it was a special treat... who ever ordered the snow did a good job.

Waiting his turn... so patiently.

His puppy dog eyes... when will it be my turn?

Soon... let me see your smile... lets practice...

Asher had a lot of fun meeting some new friends... and waiting to see Santa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A great day.... another memory... 

Asher at 4 mos...

Asher John at FOUR months

8.7kg (19 lbs) - 98th percentile

67.4 cm (26.5in) in length -96th percentile

45 cm (17.7in) in head cir. - 100th+ percentile 

Eating - Same, every 3-4 hours.  This month at thanksgiving he tried rice cereal and did great but we took him off of it a week later bc of his loose bowels.  He is still eating only formula and loving every feeding.

Sleeping - between every other feeding during the day and goes to bed at 8pm.  Mommy dream feeds him around 10:30 or 11 pm and he will sleep all the way until 8am where we will find him in his bed wide awake just a smiling not making any noises.  He has a big nap in the morning and the late afternoon but takes cat naps still in between.  Looks like we got another good sleeper. PTL.

Sounds - Lots of fun sounds... mostly makes noises when he is chopping on his finger

Smiles - anytime you talk to him, sing to him, or just smile at him... smiles all the time

Happy - Extremely

Best Trait - patient and fun to be around... he loves attention but does not necessarily need it... he loves it when you give it to him though... 

Cries - his cries are more like grunts... the other day we were at a friends house and she was playing with him and I said oh he is crying and she said "really, it just sound like he was constipated"... yes thats his cry.. 

Nick Name - Bubba, Bubba 2, Asher Johnny Boy

Firsts - still trying to roll over... can get the legs over but still working on the upper body.  He really enjoys sitting in his bumbo and we have a teether.  You will notice in some of the photos below a lot of drool... yes we have teeth coming but not sure where yet... when I give him something to bit on he usually puts it in the back of his mouth on his left side... only time will tell.

Updates - Asher went with Daddy to his first Christmas Party... just the two of them and he was a big hit.  We have noticed that Asher does not really care for big crowds and lots of noise, he does not complain much in those situations but it is hard to make him smile and his eyes are big and wide.  Asher is also starting to see long distances, he can be in the living room and notice me all the way in the kitchen (maybe just the light change) but he recognizes voices and loves looking at himself in the mirror.

Funnies:  The best way to make Asher smile or laugh is to squeeze his bum cheeks or the back of his thighs (he loves it) or just look at his and laugh with a gently laugh... he will mimic you...

Big Brother:  Pierce loves to squeeze and hold Asher and has to kiss him every morning and every night before bed.  There does not seem to be any jealousy for now and Pierce always wants to show his baby brother new toys.  Pierce picked out Ashers first Christmas Present... dinosaur hand puppets... he he he

We could just eat this little one up... enjoy the pics...
 

 

See the drool....

 

Still not a big fan of belly time..

More drool...

 

This was taken after a sneeze... looks mean... 

 

I just love feet... you wait until you get our Christmas card... he he he...

 

BROTHERS... so much love... 

 

 

Fall was short...

Man... that was one fast fall... for someone that is not use to seeing fall (autumn)... I sure was sad to see it go so quickly.... it is now really cold and the leaves are pretty much all gone but here are some pics we took during our Fall...

Pierce, Asher and I had a great craft day at home making paintings of ours and hands and feet... I saw a friend that did this on a plate and I had to steal the idea... cute right...

With support from a friend I decided one day to try out BSF (bible study fellowship) in Busan... which was about 1.5 hours away from where I live in Ulsan... I had always wanted to join BSF and thought maybe this would be a good time to meet new people, get deeper in HIS word and spend once a week in fellowship with fellow christian woman.  So I took Pierce to school and Asher and I hit the road.  I was a bit nervous driving this long distance with Asher only to have to return back home in a few hours to pick up Pierce and was hoping for a great day with the LORD... and I should never doubt Him... bc as I was driving I made a wrong turn off the interstate and hit a two lane road... He lead me to the most beautiful mountain side fill with fall trees that I had ever seen in quite some time... as I was in awe of His beauty around me the song "Sweep me Away" was playing and as tears rolled down my face I could not stop saying "Thank You, Thank You for all your blessings... how I adore you... I love being yours"... and it really hit me that I took a wrong turn on purpose bc right before I did I had been praying in the car that I was really battling if I should join BSF and having a conversation with myself about "why I was going all this distance for a bible study"... and I came to conclusion that I just needed to know that God was here with me in Korea... that through all the days when I felt all alone in a foreign country (I have my immediate family which I am so thankful for), or needing to find purpose in our journey here, etc. I needed Him and I was going to find him at BSF... well that is when I made my wrong turn and through His creation He reminded me that He was everywhere and that He was with me right that very minute and surrounded me with a song that means so much to me on many levels and with the beauty of so many colors that only God could make this masterpiece.  My heart was filled with so much peace at that moment that I immediately asked "how can I bottle this feeling up and have a drink when I need it".  I knew at that moment that I did not need to drive almost 3 hours in one day to find him but that He had been here the whole time... He was just waiting for me to need Him.  The drive on this 2 lane road was long and made my trip a lot longer than it should have been but I am so thankful that He loves me enough to love me exactly where and when I need it.

These pics do not do my "moment" any justice... it was breathtaking... when I got my sense about me I knew I wanted to take a picture to remember this drive (yes I was still driving)... so many turned out blurry... I guess it was just a moment between me and God... 

 

As the temp was changing... we had to get out the long sleeves and pants and have play dates inside... some which included a movie and popcorn.  Here Pierce is with a classmate (and good friend...although they fight like cats and dogs... his teacher says it is bc they are exactly the same) enjoying popcorn our of cute little popcorn bags from JuJu.

A cute little homework assignment by Pierce... His best friends 1) Alex (in Singapore) and 2 and 3 are new friends here in Ulsan.

As I get to watch my baby grow more and more each day... I remember vividly on the day I took this picture that there are some days you just need to hold your sleeping baby... he was having a good dream.

Getting ready for Thanksgiving... Mommy's little Turkey.... 

 

See its getting colder... burr.....Thanks to Aunt JuJu and Uncle KW the boys were dressed and ready for the winter... we had no idea how cold we were about to be... 

We are now in Winter... and I hear it only gets colder... so stayed tuned... we miss you Fall already.

Pierce built us a home...

A little video for your enjoyment...

Thankful... this thanksgiving!

So much to be thankful for... and we were reminded of that this thanksgiving... our first here in Korea and will not be our last.

The first picture is a package I received from Sara May's mom... I share my heart on this blog about just how special this girl was to me... and her passing is still something that I am processing... one minute it does not feel real  and the next I find my heart just aching with sadness... There is so much in this package that you the reader will not understand but every piece means so much to me... especially that blue notebook with a heart on it... a notebook that I have yet to read bc it is filled with notes to me from my sweet Sara and I see it everyday as it sits on my counter and I think I don't want to be sad today... maybe soon I will be strong and read her words that are written in her sweet squiggly handwriting.  Someday...

On a happier note  but just as thankful... we had a great thanksgiving feast with our church family this year... at a dear friends house... The Cloutings from the UK... they are great... Here are some pics our time together...

Liz is there in the black playing with the children... 

 

The pastor is speaking here and we are about to pray so we can EAT....

 

 

 

Man this feast was from all parts of the world... but the best story is there was a Norwegian man that brought their common thanksgiving feast of Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs... we were so thankful that he brought this bc Pierce would have starved if it was not for that dish... 

 

A fun time with friends... we are so thankful...