A Skater's Courage

Figure skating is a beautiful sport to watch, but it takes so much to take the ice. All the early morning practices before school, some practices after school. Strength classes, ballet classes, choreography lessons, sacrificing being a 'normal' kid, a family's sacrifice...all for two minutes and four minutes on the ice. Our oldest daughter was involved with figure skating for six years. At the time she started lessons, we had no idea what figure skating entailed.

Costs included: Paying for two coaches, a choreographer, ballet lessons, strength training, custom made dresses, up to $300, the boot, up to $800, the blade, up to $300, practice dresses, up to $65, ice time for every 20-25 minutes, travel expenses year round and the coaches' travel expenses also. So many more expenses that I have probably forgotten.

And we did all of this because our daughter wanted to continue doing what she loved. It is possible, we are proof and with one income. Just takes a lot of budgeting and prioritizing. Listening to the stories behind the skaters last night in the Olympics, one mother wore old, torn clothes in order to save money for her daughter and almost missed attending the Olympics because they couldn't afford the expense of traveling to Vancouver. Most skaters move to another city or country, away from their families, in order to train with the best coaches. All for the dream of skating at the Olympics.

Then there was the Canadian skater, who took the ice two days after her mother suddenly passed away. I don't know how she did it, but then again, she knew this is what her mother wanted for her, to be skating at the Olympics. As an athlete, you do the sport for yourself because you love it, but you also do the sport for your families because the dream is shared.

Though this sport is brutal, there is so much a person learns from it and this is what the skater takes with them on the ice. With all the hard work and determination, the Canadian skater had to take all the love she had for her mother with her and skate for her mother, no matter the outcome. What an incredible outcome too. Then the emotions were able to come out, tears for every emotion possible. And her father, with tears in his eyes, cheering her on in the stands, praying for her, giving her his strength, all when he is suffering the loss of his wife.

To do any sport and under these circumstances, takes more than just talent, it takes courage.

A Mission I am Very Passionate About

Holt International...I've dreamed it, I've experienced it, I'm living it.

A fun event for everyone, no matter how you created your family:
www.holtinternational.org/events/omaha.shtml

When do We as Parents Stop Worrying...

About our kids? At what age do we feel 'comfortable' about what our kids do on their own? My son will have had his driver's license for one week tomorrow. This winter weather, I love, but with him driving, it makes me crazy with worry! So when do I cut the apron strings? I cut them reluctantly, I put trust in my son to drive around and I even have him driving my daughter to school in the mornings this week...talk about stress!! But, my daughter said it beautifully yesterday after I picked her up from school, she said her brother was a good driver. Phew! Of course he is, he's been driving the same route since the beginning of August. But still! Anyway, if my daughter says he's a good driver, then he is, she tells me everything that happens during the morning drives to school with dad...yep, he can't get away with anything!!

Then I have a daughter in college...major stress!! But I remember when I was her age and the freedom. The saying, 'Out of sight, out of mind'...yes, I keep telling myself that. Talk about having to put trust into your child! Oh, but she is no longer a child at the age of 19, right? Will I stop worrying when she has graduated from college and is on her own? I doubt it. And I am the least of the worriers between me and my husband, he has all the gray hairs, mine are just hidden.

Being Korean...

Is sometimes not obvious to some people when they see me, even to other Koreans. I have to laugh when this happens to me, which it did when I was at the Korean church yesterday to celebrate the Lunar New Year. But then again, I am always spoken to in Korean immediately when others see me. I am not offended either way, it's just the way it is. When someone speaks to me in Korean, I tell them I do not speak Korean and I get the usual surprised look, but then I explain to them about being adopted and it seems to click.

I get such a great response from everyone at the Korean church too, they are so nice to me and to my family. I feel so welcome. The entire church has been so open and supportive to all our adoptive families here. And the bonus, the great Korean food!

I have people ask me if I want to learn to speak Korean and my answer is always, no. I don't have an interest in learning it, it doesn't bother, even when I am in Korea. I feel it's all in how I present myself too, I am not defensive, I am not ashamed. It's just the way it is, I grew up in America and therefore, I speak English.

When I was in Vietnam and Cambodia, I was asked if I was Vietnamese and Cambodian, so now I'm confused...okay, not really!

Is it My Age or What?

Valentine's Day is coming up and for me, it's just like any other day. I keep telling my hubby, 'Please don't get me anything for Valentine's Day, not even a card.' I really mean it. I am not one to send cards anymore. Maybe it's because the true meaning of sending cards has lost it's appeal for me. Everyone 'expects' a card or a gift for this day and that day. I don't like that.

Do we do things on certain days to 'show off' or it's expected? Some do. I do things because I want to, not because it is expected. It's not because I don't love people in my life, the purpose of things in my life have just been prioritized and identified the true meaning behind them. I love being generous and spontaneous. But I hate to be in the spot light so maybe that's why I don't like to be on the receiving end of anything either.

Is it my age? Partly, because I have matured and experienced many life events so I've figured out what is truly important.

A Good Question

My youngest daughter's homework for confirmation always has a parent question. I have answered these same questions from my two older kids when they were in confirmation. So the questions are now directed to my hubby.

The question: "Who have you met that made a difference in your life and how did meeting this person change your life?"

Makes a person think, doesn't it? I think I remember my response when I answered this question. So I waited to hear my hubby's answer. To my surprise, he named the same person I had! Dr. David Kim, Harry Holt's co-founder of Holt Children's Services, Holt International.

For me, David Kim is the person that I looked up to. I only came to this realization as an adult only because I have grown and matured. It's rare that most of us will meet the person/people we look up to. Now I have the privilege of serving on the Board of Directors with David. I feel like a little kid though when I am around him, think it's so surreal that I am in his company. I am in awe of all the stories he shares. It's amazing that he started working for Harry Holt when he was just 25 years old. Now, I can say that I truly know him! Amazing.

So, this past weekend, Eugene had their annual Holt dinner and auction. I really wanted to attend, but I was lucky enough to be included during the live auction via a friend at the auction. I won the bidding on Grandma Holt's necklace, that's right, it belonged to Grandma Holt! Such a priceless gift and I really wanted to make sure it stayed within the "Holt" family.

I received the necklace this morning and I am now wearing it. I can't believe I am wearing something of Grandma's, the legacy just blows me away. I got to meet Grandma Holt at an Omaha picnic, my first time ever meeting her. I gave her a birthday present and she sent me two thank you cards. I treasure them and the picture with her. And now, I get to treasure something that was hers. I am so lucky and humbled to wear such a gift.

My two idols in my life and I have met them...Amazing Grace!

Youngest Child Syndrome...

I am married to someone that is the youngest child out of three in his family. We always teased his mom about the amount of photo albums his two brothers have and the lack of albums for him.

I have three children, my youngest is 11 years old. As I was digging thru boxes for photo albums, I realized that there is a lack of albums for my youngest. Guilty! Guilty! Now I have to go thru more boxes to find the photos of my youngest...hopefully there will be pictures of her and then I need to put them in an album. Who does that anymore with technology nowadays? I think I have most picture on a CD. But I do need to get them put into a permanent album.

I would like to scan all my pictures into the computer and get them into a permanent album. With sites like shutterfly, this is really easy to get a book made. I did that for our family's entire year of pictures. Huge project!

I found a scrapbook from high school, I really need to get those pictures into a permanent album, way back then we didn't have acid free paper or albums. The pictures are turning yellow already! Fun memories in that album. My youngest had a blast looking at it...now onto hers...

Reality and 25 Years...

I have had several inquiries regarding our high school class 25 year reunion. I vowed I would not plan this one. Way too many people complained about the past ones and no, they weren't on the planning committee...and amazing to me that at our 20 year, people were still stuck back in the high school mode. I heard some inspiring stories from classmates, I heard some tragic stories. Will be interesting to hear these stories 5 years later.

I am willing to help get our classmates' contact information, however. That is a huge task. I was reading the contact book from our 10 year reunion, things really have changed. I have been in touch with a lot of classmates on FB, from the 10 year, classmates have moved, married, divorced, had more children and so on. I do have the information and pictures from our 20 year, even a full 'class' picture of those that attended the second night. I need to dig that out too, not exactly sure where that is since we moved, but I will find it.

Doing my research, it came as a shock to realize that some of my classmates have passed away. I just don't think of people my age passing away. It's sad to know this. With our class size being so big, I didn't know everyone, but I still think of them as I read the book.

I need to dig out my yearbook. For the 25 year reunion, I think we should do the then and now picture on our name tags. We shouldn't be ashamed of either picture, we should be proud that we are still here to be able to do such a thing.