Happy Easter!

Matthew 28:1-7

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.

Rock on, Sisters!

So, how did we do at the Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon on Sunday?  We ROCKED it, of course!!!  Despite the weather, we persevered and killed it!  Yes, it was friggin' cold...yes, it was crazy windy...and yes, I still think marathoners are 'crazy'...especially when they show up in shorts and some with no shirts in 30 degree weather with wind chills in the 20's.  But, our 2 (3)-person relay got 3rd in our women's division!  Holy cow!  I think we all surprised ourselves (because of the weather conditions), but I'm sooo proud of what we accomplished individually and as a team!

I must admit the thing I worried most about, the wind, was not an issue at all...for me.  My leg of the race was downhill and south, so I had the wind at my back!  Phew!  Seriously, bless my friend's heart who had to run the first leg uphill and into the 20-35 mph wind!  She is my hero and a real winner!  Mind over matter!

It was a fun race, too...well, I'm not sure I'm ready to call running "fun" yet, but....there were local bands playing along the race route and tons of people cheering us on all along the streets.  They held up signs for loved ones and even signs for people they didn't know, which made me smile.  I liked "Run, Stranger, Run", "Motivational Sign" and "Kick Assphault".  Strangers who got out of their warm beds on a cold and windy day just to watch and cheer on total strangers out running past their houses...amazing!  I definitely felt the encouragement and appreciated every cheer, clap, wave and especially the kleenex!

Make it Quick!

Ironically, as I typed the title of this post (with the Dallas Stars hockey game in the background) the Stars scored in the opening minute of the game!  Talk about "make it quick!"  I was actually thinking I'd make this a quick post because there seems to be so much going on right now and so little time to do any of it!  What are weekends for?  Catching up?  Or at least trying to!

I'm running my 2nd 10K today and the weather is less than ideal.  At least my ideal running weather...which is 50 degrees and no wind!  It's 30-something degrees out with a wind chill in the 20's!  I hate the wind!  It's a 2-person relay of a half-marathon, so I'm running the 2nd leg which is 6.1 miles.  I did my first 10K back in January and actually surprised myself.  I did pretty good for my first 10K and really didn't have any urges to run another one so soon, but am running for a dear friend...two actually!  Running for a friend we lost a little over a year ago to breast cancer and running for my friend who signed up to run the race, but fractured her hip skiing in December so I'm filling in.  Am I crazy?  That's what I've always thought of most marathon runners..."You're crazy!"  How come people have the urge to 'become runners' after they hit 30?  What is that?  Anyone?

Well, I'm not a runner by any means.  I've run two 5K's and now two 10K's.  As I'm running, I'm thinking to myself "you people are crazy!"  Hellooooo?!?!  I guess sooner or later I'll consider myself one of those crazy runners, too, but for now I'm just filling in.  And today (because of the weather conditions), trying to make it quick!

(BTW, the Stars just scored again as I'm finishing this post.  How ironic...again!  And yes, if you are wondering I'm writing this on Sat night and posting on Sun (hey, just trying to get it all done when I can)...just so you're not confused by the Stars reference.)

Hard Work...Dedication! Dedication...Hard Work!

Have you ever watched the t.v. show The Biggest Loser?  For the past two seasons, their 'new' trainer, Dolvet, uses this phrase to motivate his contestants.  He'll yell out "Hard Work" and his contestants will yell out "Dedication" and then he'll yell out "Dedication" and in return they yell out "Hard Work!"  It's totally true, though...not just in working out and trying to lose weight, but in all aspects of life.  If you are dedicated and work hard at anything you'll succeed.  There simply are no short cuts in life.  Period.  There may be quick fixes or things marketed as quick fixes, but there's always a catch, a side effect or some consequence to that quick fix.  But, if you truly put in the preparation, effort and commitment to whatever it is that you are seeking then pure satisfaction, appreciation and goodness can only follow.

So, as I strive to reach my individual goals...whether they be to lose that final 10 lbs, continue to live and eat healthier or "simply" to find my true passion and live it daily...there are times when I wonder if knowing more about my biological predispositions for certain health conditions, physiology (of Asians), metabolism, etc. would help in meeting those goals.  Or if the data would be somewhat irrelevant because I've grown up eating all Western foods vs. traditional Korean food.  Who knows?  I'm sure there have been a few studies, but enough to really know?  Another thing to wonder as an adoptee.  For instance, if my sister has some sort of medical problem my mom knows exactly what it is and how to treat it, because at one time or another she's had the same problem.  When I ask my mom about something that is ailing me, she sends me all the information she can find on WebMd.com.  Gee, thanks!  She's still giving me the best information she can as a mom, but that's the difference....in case you were wondering.

Each in our own time....

In one of my first posts, I stated that every adoptee has their own timetable...their own journey...as we all do.  For an adoptee, there are so many variables that affect and influence that journey and evolve over time.  The environment an adoptee grows up in, their family life, their religion, values, etc. all shape each adoptee...as it does all individuals...differently.  I definitely think my journey of having interest and understanding of the Korean culture has evolved slowly during my lifetime...and that's neither good nor bad.  Again, it goes back to each person having their own timetable and finding the right time in their lives to be in the right space to explore and accept what they might find.

With my book coming out this year, more and more friends and family that have adopted and more opportunities that allow me to grow and learn about adoption, I feel like it's truly the right time in my life to have this exposure.  I'm ready for it now.  I'm ready to learn more about it...circumstances, conditions, legalities, politics, ways to help and give back.  I'm open to the questions...and now, the answers. 

There are more opportunities now...to learn, to get involved and to give back.  I definitely want to make a difference in some small way...to give a voice to adoption that hasn't been heard before, to give hope to another adoptee, to give inspiration to a potential adoptive parent, or to give insight to current adoptive parents.  Is it my obligation?  I don't know.  But, right now...it feels like I'm in the right place at the right time doing what I'm meant to do right now.  Only God knows where my journey leads and how I will evolve along the way...and I trust in Him!

Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover....

We've all heard that phrase before and it's a good lesson to learn.  But, since I actually have a book being published where I have to consider the implications of a stellar book cover design vs. something that "will just do" it's a daunting task.  And yes, it's making me focus on how people will judge my book based on the cover!  So, at the moment I'm not sure I'm applying that phrase to my current task at hand...designing my book cover!

The cover of the book is the first thing people will see...it's what people will hold up, show their friends and family...it's an identifier from t.v./online/magazines...it's what you see sitting on your shelf or on your coffee table...it's the visual that you recognize!  It's a lot of pressure!  I'm feeling that pressure right now!  I have to figure out what the cover of my book will look like....something that I identify with, something that resonates with the book, something that will catch people's eye, something that I will love 50 years from now...is it too much pressure to put on one book cover?!  I don't think so.  So, I want to take my time, be very deliberate about the process, and listen to my gut feel on options I'm seeing.  Wish me luck!

You'll get to see the end result this summer!  It won't be real until I'm holding it in my hands...smiling and holding it up for the world to see.

Bibimbap!

Bibimbap!  It sounds like it should follow "Alakazam" or it's part of that Cinderella song "Bibbity Bobbity Boo!"  But, it's a Korean dish that literally means "mixed rice."  It's white rice topped with vegetables, some type of meat (beef, chicken, fish), chili pepper paste and a fried egg on top.  I had it for the first time in Seoul during my first trip back since I had come to the States.  And, I had it again just recently when I took my parents to a local Korean bistro.  My parents had never had Korean food before or been in a Korean restaurant, so I was a little surprised by their willingness to try out the new restaurant. 

There weren't any Korean restaurants in Iowa growing up and we never really sought them out when we moved to Texas.  So, the very first time I had Korean food was on a work trip to Raleigh, NC in my early 20's.  Several of my co-workers and I went to a Korean/Japanese restaurant for dinner one night and between one co-worker who was Korean, one Japanese and one Chinese we definitely had it covered!  So, I really didn't have to know or do anything because they ordered everything!  And yes, I tried kimchi for the first time and it's not something I really care for...even though it's a mainstay in Korean cuisine.

I really only know two main Korean dishes...bibimbap and bulgogi.  So, I ordered the bibimbap at the Korean bistro and my mom ordered the bulgogi...and my dad ordered the salmon, of course.  It was all really good and my parents liked it, too...shocking...except the kimchi and very pickled pickle that was a condiment on my dad's plate.  How ironic that a Korean bistro would open up literally 5 minutes away from my house!  I guess now I have no excuse to try out and get educated on Korean cuisine.  Any recommendations or suggestions are welcome!

PPF: Pen Pals Forever!

When I was 6 or 7, I wrote my adoption agency a letter that I was looking to connect with other Korean adoptees by becoming pen pals that I wanted them to publish in their bi-monthly magazine.  They DID publish that request and I received 15 letters from girls all over the country.  I kept in contact with 5 of the girls and gave the others to some of my friends at school.  The first letter I received was from a girl in Minnesota...and over 30 years later we are STILL pen pals! 

When we were younger we wrote each other all the time....pre-computers, the internet, smartphones, etc!  She still has some of my first letters I sent her.  We've met up a couple of times over the years, not enough, but every time we just pick up where we left off as if no time had passed at all!  We definitely share a special bond!

I had written about our first time meeting a couple of months after it had happened, but never really did anything with it.  I had always intended to send it to our adoption agency so they could publish it in their bi-monthly magazine as kind of a full-circle moment of when I had originally requested a pen pal to the first time meeting each other!  So, a couple years ago a dug it out of a folder and finished it!  I sent it to the adoption agency and worked with their staff to get it published in their magazine and on their blog!  So, I hope you enjoy my first published article!

A Wonderful and Sacred Bond
http://holtinternational.org/blog/2009/08/a-wonderful-and-sacred-bond/

Palate Pleaser

I grew up on meat and potatoes, literally.  A good steak with mushrooms, baked/mashed potatoes and whatever vegetable you want to throw in...that was a regular on the weekly menu.  Growing up on the farm, we fished a little but we were mainly meat/chicken/pork eaters.  The first fish I caught was a catfish (off the old cement bridge, for those who know where that is) and mom fried it up that night and we ate it!  Of course, I ate shrimp at the not so local Red Lobster...I'm not even sure where the closest one was...but, that's about the extent of my seafood prowess growing up. 

Fast forward to present day and the popularity of sushi.  I've never been a big fan of sushi and didn't try it for the first time until my late 20's.  I actually never ate any when I lived in California for a year...I know, shameful!  The first time I tried sushi was in Denver on a work trip with a friend.  We went to a sushi place and she ordered for me.  It wasn't too bad, but wasn't something I thought I'd ever crave.  I've tried it every now and again since then, but again, no cravings for sushi here. 

I have tons of (white) friends who absolutely LOVE it!  But, the one problem I always find myself in (if I'm not with friends who know I don't know anything about ordering sushi) is that people look to me for recommendations or the lowdown on everything about sushi.  Hello people, I'm clueless.  Yes, I look Asian, but this is NOT my area of expertise.  Haven't I mentioned I can't even hold chopsticks the right way?  I can fake my way through a meal, but I honestly just think they are a fabulous diet tool...nope, can't get it to my mouth!

In order to really enjoy a sushi meal, I need to go with someone who knows what they are doing and can order things that I'll like.  This finally happened a couple of days ago and I can honestly say...I'm craving sushi!  Yes, it's happened!  I've been converted...or perhaps just exposed to some good sushi that I really liked!  I actually liked everything that was ordered and didn't have that strange, raw, unpleasant experience I normally do when I've eaten sushi.  Maybe my palate has changed or I'm getting older and more open to trying different and unique things.  Whichever, I'm still not sure I'll ever be an expert or "the one" to look to for advice on what to eat, but at least now I'm more comfortable and willing to eat what every other Asian eats.  I'm not looking to "play" the part...just be open to try and experience things...from any and every culture, as we all should.  So, to all my (white) sushi loving friends, Ok, now I'm ready...lets go eat sushi!