This is the day.

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!   

This is a song we sing around our house at times.. and with recent events, the words to the song hold so much meaning.  I have been watching the news to get updates on the situation with the missing plane MH370 and then the capsized ferry Sewol.  I am heartsick with these events, perhaps because they were unexpected tragedies - people traveling some where and trusting those who were taking them to get them to their destination safely.  I travel a lot and fly internationally.  This past weekend we went on a trip with high school kids... not on a boat, but still.. it could have been me.  

I have been watching the news - and when they announced the plane and the ferry, I thought "oh wow, that is terrible..." but assumed they would FIND it or that they would RESCUE the missing people.   I have become desensitized to the news and to tragedy... or perhaps in our day and age don't really think there is any risk involved in.. well, much of anything.  And then days went on.. and nothing changed... and I started to realize that they may not get rescued.  I am ashamed to say that it was not my first reaction to pray for the situation and the people on the boat.  As the missing people did not get rescued, I  was hit with the reality of the situation: a real life "Titanic" story that was happening as I was walking around unaffected.  And I started praying... especially that God would be supernaturally near any one trapped, cold, scared, and facing their last moments alive inside the boat.   Now, it is unlikely any one is still alive.. and so I am praying for comfort for families, friends, and classmates of those who lost their loved ones so unexpectedly.   When we take trips with high school students - or send them off on a trip - the last thing on our minds is that they might not come back.  But we are not invincible and accidents do happen.

As I hold my babies today and see them so full of life, I can not help but think of the parents who sent their kids on that school trip to Jeju.  As I thank God for my kids'  lives - I am stuck anew that tomorrow is not a guarantee. 

Today is Easter Sunday, and we have the Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This world is not the end of our story!  For God so loved the world that He gave His only son to come and pay the price for our sins that whosoever confesses with their mouth and believes in their heart that Jesus is Lord - they shall not perish but have everlasting life with God in Heaven.  Do you believe this? Have you made Jesus your Lord and Savior?  If not, I encourage you to really seek the Lord. We may not have tomorrow.. this is the day we have, let's not waste it.

2014 Quarter 1 Review

I was unsure about continuing the quarterly updates this year - but since I have found it increasingly difficult to maintain the blog, I decided one big post about what we have been up to would help relieve the pressure to post often.   Soooo.. its 2014.. what have we been up to?!

Emmalyn turned 2 in January, Marc turned 4 in February.. and Alaina keeps getting bigger.. her food adventures will start soon!  I started exercising, which sometimes proves to be challenging with little kids around - but overall have a really supportive family!  Jarrod has started working out with me at the YISS school gym - which I really enjoy - while our kids run around us (mostly).. and Alaina naps in her carseat.   It feels good to be moving again.  I am also continuing to occasionally take pictures for friends.. and am learning more about my hobby with each new photo shoot.  I really enjoy photography... and already am "booked" for a few more events/sessions in the next few months. :) 

Jarrod finished another class at Liberty, ended the basketball season (a highlight of his year at YISS!), started a discipleship group with his basketball boys, fulfilled all of his Seminary internship hours, and has begun his final class in his Master's degree program.  He has been working hard - and has become quite accustomed to independent learning and meeting deadlines quickly (and with excellent work!).   We are looking forward to his graduation in May!

Jarrod also went on a mission trip to the Philippines with a group of 16 YISS high school students and two other teachers.  In short, it was a fantastic experience - but more on that soon!  Jarrod's mom has been staying with us while he was away, we are so thankful for her help... hopefully more on her visit, soon, as well! :)

 AND, this past Sunday, we dedicated Alaina to the Lord at our church, Onnuri English Ministry.  It was extra special to have Jarrod's mom at the service!

Other photo favorites from the past 3 months:

The weather seemed to get warmer quicker this year.. and we are already enjoying the cherry blossoms in bloom!  Springtime always gets me thinking about cleaning, sorting, decluttering, and switching out our clothes for the warmer seasons.  This year, springtime marks the beginning of the end for us in Korea.  We recently bought our one-way plane tickets to return to the US in late June.  With Jarrod finishing Seminary in May, he will be looking for a job with a church... so while we are unsure of where we will be living in a few months, we know we will make our first stop in Virginia.  

Please pray for us as we job search and as we get ready to move away.  We are starting to sort through what to keep... and preparing our hearts - and our children's hearts - to say goodbye to this place we have called home for the past 5 years. Tonight, as we were packing Jarrod's mom's bags with stuff I had set aside, knowing we wanted it back in the States with us.. Marc saw me piling it all on my bed, and decided he need to get ready to pack for our move as well.  He took all of the toys out of his play area and set them "out" to pack.  Sadly, he does not realize that we will not be taking most of the toys that he wanted to pack.  Please pray that we would have wisdom as we guide our kids on how to move, how to say goodbye well, and how to help them decide what to keep and what to give away.  It is definitely a new experience to move internationally with children - and right now, being unsure of where we will end up, we are looking to provide them with as much stability and consistency as we can.. both here and when we get back to the States.  We are excited about the possibilities of next chapter in our lives... but we still have three months left in Seoul! It would be easy to become fixated on "what's next" - as that is the most frequent question that we get when people hear we are leaving Seoul - and for a while, I was.. constantly looking for jobs, etc.. but the Lord is teaching me to trust Him, and to wait for His timing... not to worry about tomorrow.  Proverbs 19:21 says, "many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose  that prevails."
For now, we are trying make the most of our time left in Seoul, with the students at YISS, our international playgroup, families and friends from church and our neighbourhood community with playdates, picnics, and potlucks.   I find myself not as annoyed with traffic as we are trying to get home late in the evening - but instead enjoying the street signs that have Korean writing and the city lights.  This has been a good place for us to live and become a family.  I hope that in the next three months, we are able to continue to have wonderful experiences - and to really enjoy being here in this place, at this time, to be used for His purposes.

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven... 

a time to plant and a time to uproot.. a time to keep and a time to throw away... 

He has made everything beautiful in its time." 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

No Regrets

I recently read an article about the top five things that people regret at the end of their lives.  I started thinking about what I will regret - not at the end of my life, but at the end of "my time" with my kids. They are at home with me now, and before I know it they will be going to kindergarten, then prom, college, and off into the world!  I have five foundational years to really invest in my kids' lives. At the end of these years, I would regret it if I hadn't taught them these truths:

1. God is real and in every part of our lives.  I hope that my children now God, and His Son Jesus, and have learned how He is in everything.
2. You are important, special, and loved.  There are so many distractions that take me away from my kids - are they needed?  I want this to be quality time that teaches them they are worth the investment. 
3. It is not about success; it is about effort.  I hope to teach my kids the value of working hard, and not being afraid of failure.
4. Obedience must be immediate.  The phrase "listen and obey" is repeated often in our home. My children need to recognize and submit to appropriate authority.
5. People are more important than things.  When they fight over toys or when I yell because they broke an objet, it can send the message that the toy or object is more important than the relationship.. which is not the message I want the kids to take away. They are always more important.

What is on your list? What things do you want to teach your children before they leave your home? How can you work now to ensure that you are left with no regrets??

Strength in Gentleness

One of the Fruits of the Spirit that we are learning about and teaching this year at our International Playgroup is gentleness, also translated as meekness.  Often these words are equated with weakness. However, the original term found in the Bible referred to a horse that was tamed, still having it’s full strength but now acted tempered and controlled.  It is not the weak who need to act with gentleness, but the strong. 

Sometimes it is so easy to be gentle with our sweet children.  But how easy it when dealing with a strong-willed toddler or a defiant teenager who knows how to “push our buttons”?  It is our challenge to model gentleness in our words and actions, and is especially important for us to be mindful of it when we are frustrated, tired, or just trying to get the laundry hung and dinner made!  Gentleness in a parent is not about letting a child get his or her way, it is about remaining the authority without being harsh.

Home is the training ground for all other relationships in life.  What we model and teach our children when they are young will stay with them throughout their lives.  A parent has strength and authority over their child to provide discipline and guidance, but only when it is tempered with compassion and tenderness will the instruction be well received.  

Gentleness starts in our home with our family. Our strength expressed in gentleness with our spouse and our children will make a positive impact both now and in the future.  May we be strong enough practice gentleness.

The January Letter

I didn't write a Christmas letter - and then intended to write a New Year's one... but that also didn't happen.  I would (and planned to) forgo it all together - but I realized that there is at least on piece of news that we haven't officially shared - and word of mouth hasn't worked as well as we thought it would.
BUT before I get to that... a bit of reflection on 2012 only seems appropriate.

As we look back over the year - I see that there is so much we are blessed with - especially the birth of our daughter, Emmalyn.   Jarrod and I completed our 5th year of marriage and went on more dates this year than any of the previous ones - which will be exceeded this year. ;)   We grew into a family of four - and while the year brought many changes in both of our kids and we have been delighted to take this journey with them.

Marc has grown quite a bit taller, improved his speaking ability immensely, and started imaginative play.  He has a strong desire to please, a knack for making messes, and loves when we all play together.  He has been potty trained, moved from a crib to a toddler bed, and has really started to enjoy "friends".

Marc loves being a big brother and having a built-in playmate.. as long as she doesn't take the toy he wants to play with.  He has been learning to share and negotiate (if he wants a toy that Emmalyn has, he will go find another toy to tempt her to swap), and kisses his sister every night before bed.

Emmalyn has grown from a newborn baby into a curious, mischievous, social, smiley girl that loves to dance to music, "talk", laugh with the group, follow her brother around, and climb on or into anything she can get to.

Stephanie (I) have continued to be a full-time mother - which is such a privilege and blessing (although sometimes I need to remind myself that it is).  I have a wonderful community of mothers and women to "spur one another on towards love and good deeds" (Heb 10:24) in Bible studies, play dates, phone calls, and sweet friendships.  I maintain my "resident Nurse" status with the community - as I get phone calls, text photos, and requests for home (or hospital) visits with medical questions and concerns.  I continue to be involved in leadership with the Seoul International Playgroup - as an outreach and ministry to mothers and care-givers in Seoul.   And Marc, Emmalyn and I all thoroughly enjoy when we get up to YISS to interact with the students and staff there.

Jarrod: this year he completed his first year teaching in the High School Theology department and then moved into the High School Substitute position while beginning his seminary courses at Liberty University.  As he pursues a Masters in Global Studies, he has found just how conducive his current job position is to balancing work, studying, and time with the family.  Being a teacher is not an easy job while school is in session.  Not only is it demanding during the day, but the take home work- planning and grading- is never-ending.  The substitute position has been perfect for Jarrod for this season- as it capitalizes on some of his strengths as a teacher (classroom interaction, organization, ability to take any material and explain it well) while eliminating the take-home work.  Without the burden of grades and planning, he has been able to focus more on ministry with the students, as well.  His seminary courses took a bit of getting used to - but he works hard and is a great student, managing to end his first semester with excellent grades. The best part about it: Marc and Emmalyn didn't even know Daddy was taking classes since he was able to work on it at night after they went to bed, and -sometimes- even when he was at work.  

So the official announcement:  We have decided to stay in Seoul for another year.  This allows Jarrod to continue to work full-time at YISS while completing his seminary degree.  It keeps us from an expensive move for a transitional year (who knows where we will move after he completes the degree next year), unknown employment status for us both, the possibility of requiring childcare for the kids, etc.  This was an unexpected decision - we returned to Seoul from our summer in the States clearly expressing that this would be our last year here.  However, the Lord moved in both of our hearts around the same time to see that this is a good place to be, there is a lot of good going on here that we can be a part of, and this would be a good decision over all for our family.

This decision is huge - especially to me since I have never lived in one house - in one place - for 5 years.   Moving to Korea in 2009, I never would have expected us to stay this long.. but we trust that the Lord does help us decide what is best for our family as we seek Him first, and know that we will be ready to move when the time comes.

"In his heart, a man plans his course,

But the Lord determines his steps"

Proverbs 16:9

Chingus

Chingu:  Korean for Friend

One of our unofficial Chuseok traditions is to get together with some Korean friends.  Three out of the four years we have been here, we have gotten together with two Korean families over this holiday break: Stephanie's friend Kyunghee Han (YISS school nurse) and her family, and Jarrod's friend Aerook Kim and his family.  We got together with Kyunghee's family for Korean BBQ (kalbi) the week before Chuseok, and then today we were able to meet up with Aerook's family for a picnic by the Han River.

Aerook and Nara have two children, Trinity (Korean Name: Ha-un) and Troy (Korean Name: Ha-Kyung) both born within a couple months of our kids.  

 The kids played with balls...

blew bubbles...

 flew the kite...

and shared treats. 

These friendships have been really special to us.  Each time we get together, we are once again struck with such generosity from these families.  As I remember our times together, I cannot help but think of 2 Corinthians 9:6-15.  How appropriate that we gather together with others to share out of our many blessings of plenty during this season of thanksgiving.  As this Chuseok holiday comes to a close, it is with a grateful heart that we remember our sweet Korean friends before the Lord as we thank Him for all that we have and especially for the gift of these friendships.  They are an example to us of great generosity.  May we go and do likewise.

"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

2 Corinthians 9:11

Baby's Eve

So much about this pregnancy has been different from our first with Marc.  Tonight, the most notable difference is knowing that very soon we will hold our baby girl in our arms in a matter of hours (hopefully less than more).  Marc came unexpectedly in the night at only 34 weeks.  This little girl has made herself comfortable inside for much longer - but as I am nearing 38 weeks pregnant, starting to dilate, and desiring for this extra-large child to come out non-surgically - our doctor strongly recommended and then scheduled our induction for tomorrow morning.   We will go to our hospital at 7am on 1/11/12 (5pm on 1/10 - Eastern time), and hopefully meet our daughter in the coming hours.

I came home from my appointment today with this knowledge and looked at Marc in a new way.  This was our last day with him as an only child, as a family of three.  These were the last moments I could spend 100% focused on him, knowing that soon I will be taken away for a couple of days from his life and routine - to return, but it never be the same.  We are thrilled to experience this life-changing event, to be blessed with another child, and excited for Marc to have a sibling, but there is some bittersweetness to this baby's eve.

On another note... it is a strange thing, knowing that you are on the eve of the worst pain of your life, and the last night of uninterrupted sleep for a long time (theoretically.. if I didn't have to get up to use the restroom every 2 hours).   I take relief and comfort that the pain will be short lived and at the end (well.. sort-of the end) we will have a baby - and that through it all God will provide the grace needed to endure.

Really though, how can you prepare for something like this?
I have tried to dot all i's and cross all t's - making to-do lists, arranging care for Marc, preparing our home... and now I am left with nothing but to think about what is to come.   I realize it is my choice to to decide what to think about - I could worry about the pain that is to come, or the "what if"s that you hope won't happen... or I could fix my eyes on Jesus, focus on the good that is to come, and... try to go to sleep now.

As I lay my head down on this Baby's Eve, I am reminded of the words in Philippians 4 that says,

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

Thank-you for your prayers for us!

Welcome 2012!

Never before have I anticipated and been so happy to welcome in a new year.  Today I am 36 weeks along in this pregnancy, almost 2 weeks longer than I was when we delivered Marc.   It definitely feels like an accomplishment to get this far in our pregnancy :) and now we anxiously await the arrival of our newest addition.

There is so much potential ahead as we stand at the dawn of a new year - and I am truly excited to see what it will hold.  Jarrod and I spoke of resolutions last night, and the common - weight loss (post baby!), read this, do that - came up... and I smiled and said "my goal is to survive a newborn and the terrible twos at the same time..." - which is definitely true - but I realize that this year can be so much more than that, and that my life is about so much more than just survival.  I hope to find teachable moments with Marc, to share with him God's love, to model for him how to be kind and patient with others, and to let him know and rest in the security of his family's unconditional love for him.  I hope to selflessly pour out my time and energy to care for our daughter, to meet her in her basic needs and let her, too, feel secure, loved, and cared for.  I hope to be patient with my family, to let my husband know in tangible ways how much I appreciate him, and to stay connected with loved ones near and far.   I hope to "bloom where I am planted" - to make the most of this season on life, and this place I am living in.  I hope this blog will be a record of these things - so much more than survival, a great adventure with laughter and tears, frustrations and great successes.  Above all, I hope this year to draw near to my Savior, to seek Him in His Word, in prayer, and in the world around me - and bring Him glory for the great things He is doing.

May this be a year in which you seek God's face, and find Him.  May you grow as a person into the goodness and love that you were created for.  May you live in light of God's grace and bring Him honor in all you do.

We wish you a very Happy New Year!

Venturing Out

About two weeks ago, Jarrod and I bought a car!  We wanted a compact car that would be good for navigating crowded streets and narrow alleyways, but that would fit our growing family of four.  We were delighted to find the Hyundai Atoz.  It was just what we were looking for and the price was right!

 Jarrod has been driving his motorcycle in Seoul for several years now, and switching to this little car seemed effortless.  He has confidently driven us around Seoul from the moment we got the car.


I, on the other hand, was a little nervous driving in the aforementioned crowded streets.  I made sure that my first time driving was after Marc was in bed so that I could drive without the added distraction of a sometimes whiny toddler.  Of course, it was fine as I made a large loop around a couple of neighborhoods... and then took Marc to and from the school to see Jarrod and volleyball games.  It has been so nice to have the convenience to just jump in the car and go where I want.

This past week I got a little more daring and actually offered other people a ride. ;) I did warn them before they got in the car that it would be my first time driving anyone other than Marc around Seoul.. and thankfully it went smoothly - other than a random adjuma (old Korean woman) walking through the middle of an intersection (not at a crosswalk) when we had a green light... that was interesting.

Well, having conquered Seoul driving thus far, this morning I decided to venture (a LOT) farther... and went to Costco in the Yangjae area of Seoul (far South).  I didn't even tell Jarrod we were going, in case I chickened out... but Marc and I got ready this morning, and since it takes a little effort to get us both ready to go - by that time I figured there was no backing out.  We were off to Costco with directions from a friend, and her advice for driving "It is all about what lane you are in..." because I can be driving straight on a 5 lane road when all of the sudden the right two lanes go up over a bridge, the left lane becomes a U-turn only and then middle two are the only ones still going straight.  Yes. I knew I needed to be very conscious of the lane I was in. :)  Well, other than the "stop and go-slow" traffic on the expressway and Marc's growing boredom that eventually led to tears... it was a success.  Even better, Costco at 9am is fairly empty, and it was such a treat to go through the store without waiting for carts to move.  We bought our groceries, loaded up the car, and quickly moved the car  to give someone our parking spot (since it was later in the morning and Costco really started getting crazy)... but I was feeling great about all that I was able to accomplish!

And then I realized... I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to get home.

I went out the way I came in, but ended up being 5 lanes of traffic away from the on-ramp to the expressway going back the direction I came (opps!), so I decided to just head through the city.  I mean, I sort-of knew were I was...

I started driving in the direction of our church (which is also on the South side of Seoul.. just not THAT far South), and knew that I would want to take a left turn to go towards the Banpo bridge for the quickest way home - so I slowly changed lanes and eventually made it to the left one.... continuing straight several blocks... when I realized all at the same time that 1) the cars in all of the other lanes were stopped 2) there was a blue line on the road separating me from the other lanes of traffic and 3) there were no longer cars in my left lane (only buses)!!!

I was in the bus lane! with really big buses behind me and stopped traffic beside me on the right and traffic going the other way on the right... and really I couldn't remember when the left lane turned into a BUS lane!... what was I to do but keep going until there was a place were the lane veered off, and I went into the white lines and (thankfully!) was able to merge into the lane next to me before a bus ran us down.  Whew.  that. was. close.

But now I was in a left turn lane, when I knew I still wanted to go straight for a couple more blocks.  Oh well, I thought.. I was already lucky to merge into this lane... so turned left.  After driving a little ways I saw a sign to go toward an area of the city that I finally recognized (the Seocho business district) - and so I turned there and started winding around on a seemingly private and unpopulated street.  I was wondering where I was actually heading when I popped out on a familiar street heading toward our church... so I pulled a U-Turn at the next turn-about area, and made my way home as if I was going home from church.  Praise the Lord we didn't get lost!

It was definitely an adventure, going to Costco with Marc as my navigator :) but I'm glad that we made the trip together - and made it home in one piece!  Now that we made it successfully to and from Costco, who knows where the road will take us next on our morning excursions into the wild unknown we call the streets of Seoul.

Sam: If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been. 
Frodo: Come on, Sam. Remember what Bilbo used to say: "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." 

I came home from my women's Bible study to find out that my grandmother, Me-me, has gone to be with Jesus.
 I had very little time to process before Marc needed my attention to put him down for a much over-due nap.  I started our usual routine, which is to sing him a couple of songs - including Jesus Loves me. And as I got to the second verse, the words hit me anew. I couldn't help but to cry as I sang... and at the same time be in wonder of where Me-me is now and how she could be looking down on us.  I realized that I cry because it is my loss, and I will miss having her in this life... but for her - it is such gain, for she has traded a weak and sinful body that was struggling for breath for the awesomeness of God's holy presence.  Praise God that this isn't the end of our story - but that we will be together again.

Here are the lyrics of the children's song; it the hope that we profess in faith that God is who He says He is and He will do what He says He will do:

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,

Heaven's gate to open wide;

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,

When I'm very weak and ill;

From His shining throne on high,

Comes to watch me where I lie.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,

Close beside me all the way;

He's prepared a home for me,

And some day His face I'll see.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

We love you, Me-me!

our January newsletter

The past few years around the beginning of December I start to think, maybe this year I will write a newsletter to mail out at Christmastime and send a sweet family picture with a nice Christmas wish... and then January hits and I think, "well - that was fun! It was nice to get all these Christmas cards... maybe next year I will send something out, too." Well. Yes. Now it is January. and if I keep waiting until Next Year... really, it isn't going to happen. So, while this isn't stamped and mailed... and January none-the-less, it is a definite improvement from the previous years. Here is what we've been up to this past year:

The most obvious and life-changing event was when Jarrod became a Daddy and Stephanie became a Mommy to our sweet boy, Marc Charles.

Marc was born February 27, 2010 at 4:59am, a mere 2.2kg (4 lb 13 oz). In 10 months, he has grown to 9.5kg (about 21lbs), and he now crawls and pulls up to a stand, feeds himself finger foods, and is working on his 3rd tooth. He loves to smile and laugh - especially with his best friends: Mommy and Daddy. Marc became a world traveler just after 3 months of life, flying from Korea to Virginia.. and then to Mexico just a month later. Marc was dedicated to the Lord at our home church in Korea, Onnuri English Ministry on May 16, 2010. He has perfected the art of making a perfectly clean room a disaster area... but at least he has a lot of fun in the process!

Jarrod continued to teach 8th grade Bible and Creative Writing/Speech class (and 2 technology electives) at YISS, completing his first year teaching in an international school. As he started year two this past fall, he no longer needed to teach the technology classes, his Creative Writing/Speech class grew to two sections, and he picked up a 6th grade Bible class. He loves this subject because it is so much more than academic- it deals with the hearts of the kids and he is privileged to walk along side them as they deal with issues in their personal lives. He has enjoyed playing basketball on Friday mornings with a group of guys at YISS and occasionally has a game against a Korean team. He continues to ride his motorcycle to and from school, and is Stephanie's delivery boy whenever she needs something quick from the store. Other highlights include mastering Mario on the Wii, discovering many new "voices" while reading books to Marc, and eating a silk worm larva on the middle school retreat.

Stephanie started the year with a race to finish her Spring Semester lesson plans for Anatomy class and complete the YISS Health Manual before starting maternity leave at the end of March. Marc made his debut a 5.5 weeks early, which made for some interesting school projects to complete from home. Life quickly became all about Marc - feeding him, changing him, getting him to sleep.. and sleeping myself... the days went by slowly but the months passed so quickly, and now I am left with 5,000 pictures to remember it all by. Good thing someone invented digital! This fall Stephanie had the privilege of being Marc's full-time mom, and working occasionally as the nurse at after-school events while Daddy got to "babysit". She enjoyed studying the book of Ruth this Fall in a Mom's Bible Study from our church that met every Tuesday morning, and really was thankful to get to know these ladies on a deeper level. She is also a part of a play group of moms from the YISS community, which provide a social outlet and support network while Jarrod is at work.

Jarrod and Stephanie celebrated their 3rd year anniversary and joined a married couples small group at their church this passed Fall. Through this small group we have formed friendships that provides even more community for us. But even with the different friendships around us that are beginning to grow- we find our joy in spending quality time together through movie nights (at home of course!), spades, peanuts, and catch-phrase! Playmates for life! :)

This picture is proof... Jarrod smashed first. (And ridiculous that we don't have a current picture of just the two of us. We'll work on that.)

All in all, it has been a wonderful year. We are thankful to welcome our son into the world, thankful to host 13 guests at our home here in Korea, thankful to spend such sweet time with family and friends over the summer, and now thankful to have celebrated Christmas as a family (and getting the chance to talk with some of you)! This year has also brought increased tension on the Korean peninsula, but we are thankful most of all that our heavenly Father sees what is going on and continues His work here in this place. We have the privilege to be a part of it... as we dwell in His care.

'May His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven'! (Matthew 6:10)

So, there are some of the highlights from this year - It's hard to cover everything - but that's what a blog is for, right? To look back and be reminded of what we've been up to? So feel free to click through the months, if you haven't already :)

We appreciate you checking in with us- and for those who have taken the time to pray to God on our behalf- we truly thank you. Your support to us is encouraging! And we would love to hear from you! (thepuffenbargers@gmail.com)

With hopeful anticipation for what God will do in the coming year,
Jarrod, Stephanie, and little Marc