Update on Life

Wedding planning has been incredibly busy, so I admit I have not been blogging on a regular basis. Eric visited the Southern California area a few weeks ago and promptly noted my lack of consistency in the blogosphere recently. So with this entry I hope to appease my few but faithful readers. Sometimes I wonder who actually reads these entries...if you are not shy please identify yourself! =)

On with snippets of my life:

1. Advent HOPE. At the turn of this new year, Paul and I started to attend a new church – Advent HOPE (AH). We have been so blessed by the environment, fellowship, and community we experience weekly, and we really feel God has really led us there. The great thing about this church is that amazing speakers are invited to come and share the Bread of Life every week, and all the sermons are posted on Audioverse. Since I attended a different church for the past few years, I made it a habit of downloading almost every sermon and listening to them on my nano ipod when I went to the gym; this helped encourage my spiritual growth. One new change is that Paul and I were recently elected to serve on the Executive Committee at AH – Paul in the position of Bible Committee and I as Secretary. I look forward to a powerful year as we have the privilege to serve on leadership.

In April, AH had an event called Mountain Church. Instead of attending a formal church service in a building, we drove up to the local mountains, hiked up to a pretty shaded area, and worshiped our Creator in the beauty of His nature. It was a good time. Everyone brought their dogs – even Lucy came!


Last weekend on Saturday evening before their end-of-the-year slideshow, we formed a prayer circle around those individuals who are making transitions in life (graduating, moving away for residency or additional schooling, etc.).


It struck me at that moment that Jason and Janelle and Eli & Susie (& Miso) will really be moving to Florida. Ana Gomez will be going to Kentucky. What a sad moment. I have appreciated their friendship, their leadership, and their enthusiasm for God. May they continue to be a light to those around them wherever they may be.

2. Aunt’s Birthday. Back in March 2007, my aunt had her 60th birthday party. In the Korean culture the 60th birthday marks a huge milestone, as many older generation Koreans lived at a time when the average life expectancy was quite low and they considered it almost a miracle to be alive at that age.


3. Joe and Grace’s Wedding. They tied the knot on April 23, 2007. Congratulations!


4. Forest Lawn. A few weeks ago, a group of us took an outing to a cemetery.


Yes, it was a cemetery. In fact, it is a beautiful cemetery in Glendale which houses two of the world’s largest paintings (The Crucifixion and The Resurrection by Jan Styka). It also houses Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper recreated in brilliant stained glass.


Exact replicas of Michelangelo’s greatest works (David, Moses, and La Pieta) are also found there. Here's David - I made some modest clothing for him.


This also happens to be where my grandparents were laid to rest.


5. Radiology. I have absolutely loved these last four weeks on Radiology. It is a very relaxing rotation, which has allowed me the leisure to plan this wedding as well as enjoy life. One of my attendings, Dr. Dang, is really an amazing person to work with. He is a heavy-set, good-natured, Vietnamese Neuroradiologist from Arkansas. I have picked his brain and requested that he teach me everything there is to know about CTs and MRIs of the head. It has been a very educational experience (when I actually show up to work, that is). =)

6. Facebook. Last month after receiving a friend request from my co-worker, Lanny, I joined Facebook, which seems to be an increasingly popular online network of acquaintances and friends – well, popular with the younger generation. Nonetheless, it has been interesting to be back in touch with people from my not-so-distant past. High school friends and college friends that I have not communicated with for 5 – 10 years have been “found.” These types of internet reunions are always interesting and somewhat amusing. Speaking of reunions, I believe I have a 10 year high school reunion coming up soon. I must be getting old.

7. Isabella. This past weekend, Peter Gregory and his family came out from New Mexico to visit. Isabella had a blast playing with Miso, perhaps to the mini maltese's dismay.


8. DongWook’s Wedding. Congratulations to my cousin on his marriage to Minju!


I had the opportunity to participate in their Pae Baek (traditional Korean ceremony), which was an entertaining experience.


9. Adrian’s Birthday. Finally, I had the privilege of celebrating Adrian’s 26th birthday with him.


I discovered that he has had a very interesting life up until now (he fled Pakistan at the age of 17 and has not seen his mother for the past 9 years). Happy birthday, Adrian!!!