Bon Voyage!

Nearly a day left until we leave for Europe!!! I remember us first talking about this trip a year ago! Time indeed is so fleeting. I'm writing this post because I just spent ~10 minutes daydreaming about feeling the epic sweeps of the Greek and Roman Empires, walking the footprints of crusaders and gladiators, and visiting shrines and temples praising the glory of pharaohs and the vanity of kings. Sigh... I should get back to studying for my Clinical Psych final tomorrow. I'm taking it 5 days early due to my trip which in reality is like 2 weeks early. Boo. Oh well, I'm just so excited to travel and be enriched in the hallmark of European cultures, history, and diversity!! :)
A family tradition in the Soh Hood household... I used to be embarrassed to tell anyone but now I guess I can see why we do it. Nearly every trip we go to my dad wants my brother, sister and I to write a report detailing the cultural, historical, and factual information on where we're going. What the nerdface? Yeah. I used to think it was weird. But now I think it's genius. Shoot. My kids are going to do group projects and video presentations for our trips to.. San Diego...
So basically my life lately has been JAM-PACKED. I feel like I'm scrambling all over the place trying to keep up and then when I'm back at home in Manhattan Beach I collapse and sleep for like 10.5 hours and scrounge at every bit of Korean food in the fridge. Hehe. It's kind of intense but enjoyable. I think I run on a busy schedule. Sometimes it's hectic and crazy but I secretly love it. I love being productive and when I'm not for more than a day, I feel kind of restless. Maybe it's part of my personality? The stillness at the moment forces me to face God and sometimes I feel the need to do something FOR Him even though He wants me to just be STILL and acknowledge His presence and know that He is God and He is good. God is definitely teaching me more and more about Himself and convicting me more of myself- my sins, incapabilities and shortcomings. I think God put me in a place where I have no choice but to surrender all to Jesus.
I'm enjoying every moment of my summer these days. It's nice studying but at the same time meeting and eating with people. It's so nice knowing I'm done with second year with an established major and an idea of what I want to do. In the midst of it all God has daily been showing me more of His grace and mercy, sovereignty and power and it's comforting that I can rest in Him and His promises.
Here's a glimpse of this week:

High school retreat. My beautttiful Sg!! =) They won't bite... At least I don't think so...

Love them! Very encouraged by these girls. An awesome privilege running the race with them. 

Cool fellowship. :) Brought our +1's... Servin' our man friends. 

Megan's stuff. One thing I love about trips is packing with my sister and deciding who's wearing what... She usually wins. :oP 

I never realized how many clothes we have. And also how useful shopping in your own closet is. :) 

My final is at 1 pm tomorrow. One more night sacrificially devoted to studying the assessment and treatment of mental illnesses and I'll be kinda free for the rest of summer. Unless I feel unproductive and resort to acting like I'm busy when I'm probably not. :) I shall frequently blog about my stay in Europe! Ciao Bella~

A Less Likely Cognitive Entry... but still.

Hello! So when I first started this blog I told myself I want to write at least 2-3 posts a week. I think that failed the first week. I promise I am a very pensive person with many wandering thoughts during the day that I would love to turn into thoughtful posts. But because time is a luxury I feel like I rarely have, I end up doing other important things like spend an hour and a half uploading 85 mobile pictures onto face book..... (Mobile Uploads with little reception suck). 

This week was kind of a cloudy dismal week in the Soh hood household. On July 14 11:57 a.m. a member of our clan, Nemo, our goldfish of three and a half years passed. This was no ordinary goldfish. (I guess it was in the sense that we won it at an annual Hometown fair in Manhattan Beach by wasting two to three dollars at a game booth to claim our 10cent prize.) He really was a survivor and fighter until the very end. We are all convinced that he died and resurrected in... 1 day. Literally. I'm not kidding! My mom gives herself credit for being Nemo's life support. He was doing the half floating half swimming thing most fishes do right before they die. And suddenly my mother starts hollering at the fish tank (Oh and this is when he received the name 'Nemo.' He didn't have a name before. My mom just started calling him Nemo.) yelling, "NEMO. YOU CAN LIVE! YOU CAN DO IT NEMO." My dad, Jeremy, Meg and I just sat there thinking... "Who's Nemo?" and "Our mother has seriously gone crazy." Little did we know that my mother's encouragement and supportive words actually resurrected our nearly dead fish and thankfully he was with us for another year. Good bye Nemo. You can never be replaced and you are with us in spirit. =(

GOOD NEWS THOUGH: The same week Nemo passed, we discovered a new home on our backyard heat lamp! A beautiful bird has built a nest and is currently laying her eggs there. Yay!!! New Friends :D

Here's a glimpse of what this week looked like:

The devastating text our family received. =( Please ignore my brother's insensitivity.... (But honestly. My dad is kinda ridiculous.) 

Good bye Nemo. You will be missed. :(

New Beginnings. :') Her name is Bella named by Megan Soh. :) 

"Studying" for midterms...

Spent sweet time with my sister from another mister, Isabel. Made banana cream pie and watched How I Met Your Mother for the first time. Learned about the Olive Theory. Nice. 

Went kayaking and had lunch at Angelo's Deli. Good company... good food. :) 

Lol. He is so distracted... Had dinner with Matt, my cousins and sibs at Bucca Di Beppo. :) All I remember was him saying, "Erin. You're being weird and embarrassing me in front of me new friends!" ... WOW pfft.


I shall write again soon. Till next time, keep it real folks. 8)