즐거운 크리스마스....and a joyful Christmas to you!

Hello world

Well, Merry Christmas. Wait, is it really over? How does this always happen? Christmas is just one big snowball of excitement, planning, and anticipation. Then, the next thing you know you have had one eggnog too many and are finding scraps of wrapping paper in every corner of your apartment. Despite the fact that I only watched ELF 4 times this holiday season (an all-time low) and despite the few pounds that have taken residence on my hips....there is much to be thankful for.

I am thankful for the munchkins. They make my heart swell with joy and love. Even though they are crazy and probably understand about 10% of what comes out of my mouth, they are my heartbeat here in Korea.

I am also thankful for fun coworkers. This is Emily, one of the Korean English teachers. She is a lot of fun. We like to grab Dukbokki and sunchips and just chit chat about life, love, and and the children winning our hearts over daily.

On Christmas Eve we just played games with the kids. We taught them how to sing Rudolph. It was so adorable. Each of the kids got to sing one little solo in the song. Videos will surely be posted.

We also played "Pin the Nose on Rudolph". I know what you are thinking, "Those Rudolph's sure do look like pigs..." But they aren't. I printed off a copy of Rudolph from the ever-handy google images and somehow after making so many of them they started to sort of morph into pig-like reindeer. Life goes on.

Alice loves my Santa hat.

This lil' fella was ready for some nose-pinning action!

My favorite twinsies

Santa even came to the festivities!

He was shorter (and slightly more Asian) than I had envisioned....

And I am thankful for my F.R.I.E.N.D.S (or so we are being called)

Later that night, the "Single Seven" (the new name I'm using for our little group of friends) had a sleepover at the mansions of Josh and Matt. We had stockings (thanks Matt!), cocoa, Christmas memory discussions, and lots of Christmas cheer going around. I cannot have asked for a better group to spend Christmas in Korea with.

Now, let's not forget: I am thankful for family and the ability to love.

On Christmas midday we went to the orphanage our church visits a few times a month. There were lots of volunteers, but so many kiddos that just needed some serious loving. It was really tiring, but such a precious experience. Going to the orphanage since being here has been really eye-opening. The kids just link onto you like little barnacles! It's sweet, but really really hard at the same time. I want so badly for them to know the unconditional love of Jesus.

Somehow I got roped into this terribly cheesy elf dance to "Jingle Bell Rock". Ahh, the unfortunate events of the life of Nancy.

I helped at the Santa hat decorating station in Santa's workshop at the orphanage. It was one big, sticky, glittery mess. But -- it made little ones like these so happy! So it was completely worth it :)

Mmm. I have to say one of my favorite (and saddest) Christmas memories is now talking to my precious family via skype after my Christmas was nearing its end -- and theirs was just beginning. As soon as our sweet labrador Maxie looked into the skype I was a gonner. I can't help but think that growing up and being elsewhere means everything is going to be different from now on. Fortunately, my family is excellent at cheer-ups. They even posed for a picture saying "Kimche!" and holding up those cheesy Asian peace signs that somehow seem so necessary.

Well, dear friends. Here's to a happy new year. I hope it is filled with joy that you cannot contain, hope that comes on you like quiet snow, and peace that stirs at every waking moment.

Cheers!

PS. Resolution 1: Blog extremely more consistently.