(photo here)

07.31.11

Woke up to go to Farmer's Market again! This time in Hillcrest, which I can pretty much say is my favorite one. It has lots and lots of samples and lots and lots of stands. I tried lots of fruit and ate a Kabob from the Middle Eastern food tent and Steph got some horchata which was yummy too. We went to church and Steph & I extended our date from the previous day by going to the movies to watch Stupid, Crazy Love which was GOOOD! I really really enjoyed the film and highly recommend it. And now I'm typing away as Steph is cooking up some eggplant turkey dish which I can't wait to eat, YUM!



07.30.11

Steph and I had a date day! We started out the morning by going to City Heights Farmer's market because I thought there would be lots of different kinds of ethnic food (City Heights is home to many people from around the world; prime location for people who are removed from their home countries and labeled as refugees) but we were a bit disappointed at the small selection. But we made the most out of it by buying some produce and eating pupusas, which were yummy! We went to the zoo (thanks to Amelia for the free tickets) and enjoyed the day walking around the HUGE park looking at, identifying, and taking pictures of animals. Our favorite was the turtle tank...I'm not sure why but we spent a good 10 minutes there. There were so many animals to look at, Steph and I were talking about how it's more crazy to believe that the world came into existence without a Creator. We met with the Kapur family and spent some time with them walking around and seeing some shows. We were so exhausted by the end of the day!

We ended our night by going to the jacuzzi with Elsie, dinner at The Neighborhood, and gelato at Gelatobus stop. We went home happy and satisfied :)



07.29.11

TGIF! It was one of the therapist's last day so we had some snacks and pizza yum! Highlight of my day was having dinner with Daniel, Jenn, & JJ at Punjabi Tandoor. Not only was the food good but we spent a good 2.5 hours talking about our days as orientation leaders, laughing at funny stories, and planning the next time we're going to hang out :)

07.28.11

Another day! Work is actually becoming more fun and I enjoy my coworkers. BUT! One therapist is leaving tomorrow, an aide is leaving in a couple of weeks, and another aide is leaving mid September -_-

Esther and JJ came over for dinner! And now I'm ready for the weekend! :)

07.27.11

I have a social life again! After a long day of work I went to Esther and Patty's place where they fed me some delicious food. I ate waaaaay too much but was very satisfied. Thanks, friends! We just talked and hung out and more friends came over. And I visited Mia, Grace and Jocelyn right next door. Look, it's Patty, Daniel, and Sarah! :)

Thought of the day: I never knew that I would struggle loving someone this much. Loving a person is a test of my pride, heart posture, patience, and ability to let go. But it makes you think, dang, God's love is huge. If only I could share and express that in a comprehensible way to those around me.

07.26.11

Went to Baskin Robbins for dollar scoop ice cream today! Should have taken a picture there but of course, even after 7 months of taking pictures and writing in the blog I have yet to get used to taking pictures with my camera -_-

I'm currently working on my paper about Rwanda for my sociology class, and I already feel disassociated from it, as if it's already in the past. Humans thoughts and feelings are so fickle.

07.25.11

Weekends go by way to fast. Today I had dinner at Surfside Sushi with Richard, Moses, and Victor. The wait was long and the food, cheap. Richard spotted three castmembers from the Real World La Jolla who outwardly denied that they were from the show. Too bad the internet says otherwise!

Oh, and did I mention that I didn't study today? And that I am free to play? CALL ME! :)



07.24.11

Went to church and hung out with Jiah, Moon, and Donna at Yogurtland for two hours discussing the Meyer-Briggs letters. It was a fun conversation about relationships, our personalities, our likes and dislikes. I'm an ISFJ, also known as the nurturer (just thought you'd like to know). We had VBS meeting and I'm really excited for it to come up in three weeks. VBS was always my favorite part of the summer and I'm glad that we're able to do it for the elementary schools kids at TGSC this year :)

At home I watched the movie Hotel Rwanda with my brother and dad. I don't even know how to explain how convicted I was by the film. I was frustrated with the part where the UN pulled their troops out because Rwanda wasn't seen as a valuable country. They left thousands of people to die in the genocide. Innocent people were killed and there was no intervention. It was especially sad when the reporter in the movie tells Don Cheadle's character that the most the public will do when they witness the heinous crimes is say "Oh my gosh that is horrible" and go on to eating their dinners. It makes me wonder how we can go one living like everything is going when people are dying all over the world. In moments like that I know that there is a greater purpose for people than to succeed and be comfortable in life. There is just no way we can sit and be okay with how the world is. And yet I am guilty of falling into the same pattern. Ironically, I, too went to eat dinner as soon as I wept watching the film. And here I am already disconnected from the characters and the story of horror that the film told. What do I make of this? What can I do?

I wonder if I could have done what Paul Rusesabagina did for the 1,200 Tutsi and Hutu people he saved during the rebellion. Would I have been able to stand up for these people? Willing to die for these people that I didn't even know? The thing is, Paul didn't die. He is heroic, nevertheless, he knew that death was on the line yet he didn't back down. I look at him and I am in awe of his courage and unexplainable willingness to sacrifice. And then I remember how much more heroic and unexplainable is the life of a man who did die and suffer the torment that we should have endured. Only one man lived perfectly to save men and women. Sometimes it just doesn't grab my heart the same way, but I pray everyday that it would take hold of my heart and that I wouldn't forget the ultimate story of sacrifice.



07.23.11

Started the day off early by running some errands. Kai and Donna came over and we just talked and ate and then Crystal, Matt, Adina, and Jae came over for dinner. It was fun! We played bang for a long time. It's weird that we're in different places now but it still hasn't quite hit me yet.



(Picture by Josh)
07.22.11

I drove to UCLA from SD (btw it took 1.5 hours to get from SD to Torrance and another 1.5 hours to get from Torrance to UCLA which is normally a 25 minute drive with no traffic). The traffic was bad but I was entertained by the bubbles that people were blowing from their car (I tried to capture that with my camera while I was driving but obviously you can't see any of the bubbles) and the two girls rocking out to their music in their car. Enjoyed a really really yummy meal from Kura provided by Daniel with my brother, Josh (you should try going there, it's in LA on Sunset!) It was sooo gooood! Later that night Timmy, Donna and I went to GET SHAVED to eat some Hawaiian shaved ice and talk in the car for hours. Hahaha that was fun :)



07.21.11

This is the day. I had a half day at work and I went to take my GRE in the afternoon. I was so nervous but I prayed that whatever happened I wouldn't define myself by the numbers that showed up on the screen. And that I did. I finished my GRE and I was soooo happy. Steph and I went to celebrate at George's on Fifth in Gaslamp and enjoyed a really yummy meal with great service by Chris! That chocolate cake up there, Steph ate the whole thing.

07.20.11

Doomsday is near. In 24 hours I will be done.

07.19.11

Esther and Felicia came over and brought some yummy cherries to eat! Look at how good Felicia is at working out! Esther doesn't look too excited to be part of Felicia's work out plan. hahahahahaha :)

Thanks again for stopping by!

07.18.11

Dinner with Kristina at pho before she leaves SD, CA, USA, North America for 6 months! It was very nice to catch up with you and share a meal :)

God reminds me to trust Him with everything.

07.17.11

Today I was thinking about my friends who are abroad serving the people around the world. I wonder what they're seeing, experiencing, learning. The kinds of food they're eating, the stories they hear from people, the spiritual encounters that they've had. I wish I was there in China, Malawi, Thailand, India, Hawaii, Guatemala, Nicaragua! You guys are in my prayers :) I'm excited at the prospect of joining a team to do the same in the future!

I have 4 more days til my GRE and then FREEDOM! Today Victor, Steph and I ate Vietnamese sandwiches for lunch and then spend the rest of the day studying.

07.16.11

Esther and me from 10AM til now (currently 10:40PM) with a two hour gap. Even with all that studying I don't feel any more prepared :(

On a happier note, Harry Potter 7 was really good! Watched it with Victor, Sarah, and Steph yesterday after an eventful day (my first minor car accident, nobody was hurt but I was shocked). Yay!

07.15.11

"She was driving down to meet with him. She had prepared herself for the day, hoping for the best but knowing that anything could happen. The two met and THE conversation came up but there were still no answers. Silence. She was tired of the lack of response. He finally asked her to take him home. The drive home was tense and cold. He got out, and she told him that they should stop seeing each other. Tears began to roll down her face. He said okay. She added that she thought it would be best if they didn't talk. He started to choke up and asked why. She responded by saying that she would need time. Then they just stood there, both crying but unable to comfort each other. Unable to make the situation better because this was the best for the both of them. He told her that she should go. She looked at him, got into the car and left. As she drove away she saw him in her rearview mirror, sitting on the curb, head down. She cried. Cried so hard she couldn't breathe. Devastated, heart broken. She laid in bed and cried throughout the night. The feared day, alas, had come and gone. Her life could only go up from there. That didn't mean her journey the next months would be easy; on occasion she would find herself on her knees crying, asking God to help her. And He did. He never left her side, reminded her who she was and unveiled to her the good plans He had for her. In the days to come He taught her what it meant to be loved, imperfections and all. And the journey continues."

07.14.11

Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasure at your right hand.



07.13.11

I know, I'm not good at this picture taking business haha, whatever!

John O' Connor, JJ, Steph and I went to a movie screening today and...it was not good. BUT we had free popcorn and free drinks and free tickets. It was supposed to be funny but it was definitely not our kind of humor. What an experience.

07.12.11

Being able to combine friends with studies is great! I was able to study in the quietness of my home with Steph and Sarah which was nice. Sarah tried her first real mango today!

Every morning before I get to work I read a daily devotional from a book that Amelia got me a while back called Jesus Calling. I always try to remind myself to share something from there but I leave my book in the car and don't' remember what verses I read. But one continuous theme throughout the book is to trust in Jesus. It's not a bad reminder really because so often I put my trust in myself and fail. Over and over and over again. But He doesn't fail. I wonder why I haven't got that yet.



(photo by Josh)
07.11.11

Did you get your free slurpee today?
Work is getting a lot better, I'm feeling less stressed. Now it's about managing my time and studies and getting through the next week til the GRE is over and done with. Sometimes when I spend a lot of time studying I wonder if I'm wasting my time. There's so much to enjoy in life and here I am studying away. But even in those moments I can glorify Him, right?
Trying to stay focused, but it's not that easy. I'm caught in the moment.
Press on!

07.10.11

Happy Sunday! Today I went to church and played with all the little babies. I love watching them all grow and learn to walk & talk. It's such a precious blessing :) I was able to eat with some college kids at a Korean restaurant which was pretty fun (thanks for taking me Caroline & Zubin). Played with Sarah and Chewie and Steph and talked to Donna on the phone (which is always good <3) then went over to Amelia's house for dinner. I miss seeing the boys (Luke, Matthew, Isaiah, and Elijah) on a weekly basis and I am determined to be able to see them more often after the GRE. And now the weekend is over, I have less than 2 weeks until the GRE, and...I CAN'T WAIT! God give me strength for this next week!



07.09.11

Today I started off by studying GRE with Andrew at Turquoise Cafe. I don't know why I like that cafe so much, but Esther introduced me to it and now I go about once a week haha. We met with Grace Lee at Croutons afterwards just to hang out and talk. It's funny how conversations really do change as you get older. We talked about significant others and weddings and such for about...the whole 1.5 hours. It was really entertaining and ridiculous but good :) Later that night Huy, Steph and I went to eat dinner at Golden Dragon Bistro? It was a Thai restaurant with pretty good food and then we headed to the movies to watched Super 8. The plot was kinda dumb (in my opinion) but the dialogue amongst the kids was so funny. hahahahahahaha I laugh just thinking about it.

BTW, anyone wanna watch Midnight in Paris with me??



07.08.11

Today was Steph's bday! We went to dinner at Wellington Steakhouse with the girls (Adina and Crystal came down from GG) and had ice cream cake back at our home. It was a nice and intimate celebration with yummy food and fun company.

Steph, happy birthday to you! We're going into our fifth year as friends/roommates/sisters and I couldn't have asked for a better year. I tell you this all the time but you are like a (little) sister to me. I make fun of you for being stubborn and bratty and childish but I know that you are a kind and loving girl. You always have the best in mind for me and I really appreciate that. Thank you for letting me borrow your closet and for being adventurous and sticking with me these past 4 years. I love you!

07.07.11

AH! GRE is my life! Andrew and I studied for the GRE today after dinner. Nice to study vocabulary with Andrew even though he laughs at the way I pronounce words. HAHA.

07.06.11

What a beautiful day :)

07.05.11

It was hard to wake up this morning especially after a long weekend, but I made it to work by 7:30AM, took my sociology midterm when I got home and started to review some words for the GRE. I can't wait til July 21 comes and goes because then I will be freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

It's easy to lose sight of the ultimate goal. The finish line is clouded by the things of the moment--tests, friends, work, sleep. It's always good to come back to this. To be reminded that this world isn't about me and my accomplishments. It isn't about what I can and cannot do. It's freeing to know that grace has covered me and there is nothing more I can do to add on to the good news.



07.04.11

O, say can you see! By the dawns early light!
Haha that's one of the many beautiful photos I was able to capture at Coronado during fourth of July. It was so so nice because there were 4 of the same show going on at the same time. The light reflects off the buildings and the water making it extra sparkly. We had a good view and we had good company (Brad, John, Jeannette)! Earlier today JJ and his house held a BBQ for everyone and earlier that day Esther and I made mac and cheese to take to the potluck. I think it turned out successful, don't you? Even earlier that day Elsie, Esther and I took a practice GRE test and geez, I don't feel prepared. Bleh but it's okay. I was reminded this morning to set my eyes on Jesus, to remember that this world and the things in it is not for my own glory but for His and...He is well pleased with me :)

07.03.11

Sunday!
I went to church with Arthur, Elsie, and Victor and it was good. Today we talked about the Great Commission and had communion. I haven't been to Harbor for the past three weeks so it was nice to see old faces and be part of the church again (though I do miss DiVine). I came home and studied and then went swimming with Jeannette and Steph at our pool to relax. Mitch, Victor and JJ came over to eat some cookies and hang out and now I'm here. It was nice to have a balance of studying and socializing today. I even started the day off by spending time with God, maybe that did the trick :) Anyhow, today was the commissioning service for KCM missions (Daniel & Vincent), I'm excited for their trip!

Discipline is what I need. Not just the desire but for the Gospel to grip my heart and my life to be transformed by it.

07.02.11

Saturday! I was so happy today. I started out the morning by having breakfast at JJ's house (frenchtoast) with Esther and then the three of us went to PB Turquoise Cafe to study for GREs! I really like that cafe so when you get the chance you should try that place out. They have yummy iced tea cocktails and it's a nice beachy environment. Afterwards we went to Olive Cafe for lunch and ate at Mission Bay. JJ and Esther were playing this ridiculous game of trying to find a good candidate to give our parking spot to because the lot was full and a bunch of cars were circling the area. Haha in the end they couldn't agree upon a car so we just gave it to the next person we saw.
Dinner with lots of people which was fun (Sarah, I hope your body is recuperating okay from our lightsaber battle) and now I'm back at home waiting to enjoy cookies that Steph is making and cake that Jeannette is making.

It was nice having that conversation with you today, Esther Hao! Thanks for being an encouraging sister.

**I wanna be home

07.01.11

That's a creeper-ish picture I took of Esther (I seem to do that often with her) while we were studying tonight. FRIDAY! I'm so excited that it's Friday but that just means that during the weekend I will be studying studying studying. Jeannette, Esther, and I had dinner together at home and then we studied. I think we make good study partners, whattya think?

As I was driving back home today I realized that I've been selfish with my time but I don't know what else to do. This morning I prayed that I would glorify Him in all that I do but when my world is revolving around me, how can I achieve that? My days are just work and study. Is it enough to glorify Him just through those two things? Am I thinking too work-based? Someone know how I can manage spending time with people, studying, and working? I don't think I have it down yet, but I'm sure I'm getting there. Soon.