Already August

Bonjour! It's been one month since I've last written! It's been a one-derful month. Hah get it...

Summer break has officially started for me. Finally finished my summer classes and now finding time to update my neglected blog. It feels so good to be at home with my family. I didn't realize how much I missed them all.. especially my litto baby Ollie. Lately I've been having a lot of fun spending time with myself. Wow that sounds so sad...... But I didn't know I could have so much fun by myself. Yay for invisible friends. :') Anyways, I've been engaging in some of my favorite pastimes like cooking, painting, scrapbooking, running, and spending time with the family. Lately I've been really into making popsicles. It's so perfect for the summer. I didn't have a real popsicle maker so I had to create my own. I found some mini paper/plastic cups and craft popsicle sticks and whipped up fudge and fruity pops. It turned out better than I thought. Thankfully my dad just bought me a real popsicle maker from Amazon. Hehe yay for new TOYS! Going to make orange creamsicles next. :)

On a different note, I've been learning a lot about myself. I still feel like high school was not too long ago, and that I still need to sign consent forms for everything. But I'm nearly a college graduate now... The other day I visited the public library nearby my house with my sister to pick up her summer reading books for her English class. I came across a few elementary school students who were in line for the summer events program. I used to go to these when I was there age, so out of curiosity I asked what program they were going to. They responded that it was a puppet show/story reading time. Then in response to her friend's call, she said, "Hold on! I'm talkin' to adults over here!" ...

Adults?
Since when?

It was strange hearing someone refer to me as an adult. I mean Seriously?!? I know, I am still so young and have so much yet to learn, but that's exactly the point! There I was standing in the midst of 3rd and 4th graders. When did I grow up so quickly? I remember saying, "I can't wait till I drive!" or "I can't wait till I'm in college!" But now I've reached a point where I can't really say those things anymore. It's more like, "I can't wait until I find a full-time job" or "I can't wait till I get married and have kids."
It was definitely a bittersweet encounter. "Bitter" in the sense that I still feel young and trapped in an aging body, and I wish I can just stay in a certain phase of my life for a longer period of time until I can dictate when to move on to the next. Yet "sweet" in the sense that it made me realize that God has provided me with so much. And how far God has brought me and how faithful God he has been to me. Where would I be without Him? And where will I be if I don't cling to him? Definitely not in the right place. I need him more than ever. It is so amazing to have a personal relationship with my Savior. In Him I can place all my comfort and hope and He is my refuge. I can trust He will be there for me- loving me and constantly pursuing after me. A hymn that has spoke loudly to me these days: "Nothing in my hands I bring; Simply to thy cross I cling." 

=)

Recently went on our high school summer "DIVE" retreat. Such blessed weekend. God never ceases to amaze me. I was reminded of how thankful I am to be a part of this community. God is good!

My army of beautiful minions. I love them. On to our 3rd year together. <3 

Context of this picture: P.Steve was touching the uneaten food and all 70 high schoolers were like "Ewwww!" 

WC staff. :) Privilege to serve with them.l #bestpeople

I think we have a picture exactly like this for the last 3 years we've served together. Such a precious friend and sister. Thank you for loving me. <3 I love you miyoung! 

Wow. It's been past 20 minutes so I should probably go do something more productive like comb Ollie's hair, eat some carrots, or hang out by myself again. Hehehe. Good night!! <33

part dos

greece please

Interesting fact of the day: The site where the Parthenon (in Greece) was built had to be cleared of hundreds of dinosaur bones before construction could begin. ...
Wow. This means that when I visited the Parthenon this past summer I was walking and breathing the same air dinosaurs once walked and breathed :o Aside from from it being a monument built for the goddess of wisdom Athena and also one of the wonders of the entire world during ancient times... the Parthenon was basically the home of the dinos :') If only I had known this back in August... Hehe. How much I long to be here again. <3

Me and Meg in front of the Parthenon :')

Missu Greece... Can't wait to visit again sooon <3

Week 9 of my last quarter as a junior in college starts tomorrow. 3 more weeks :')

El Finito

It's 2:45am and I just finished my stressful paper!!! It's only Monday but it feels like it should be the weekend already. I think it's because I pulled an all nighter at Denny's last night catching up on all the work I couldn't do on the weekend and cramming for a long, super dense paper due Tuesday (today) (that I totally forgot about until my roommate mentioned to it to me less than a day that it was due. Phew.) So thankful I managed to finish. Couldn't have done it without my main sqeeeeze who stayed up with me all night both nights. Thank you =)

All nighter at Denny's with a not-so-worth it 3 course deal. :P 

2nd night. This is so ugly and it doesn't really look like I'm happy but I'm honestly so happy to be done with this paper!!!!!! =) =) =)

8am tomorrow. Which means 4 hours of sleep. I don't know when that become a lot to me... Wow. Good night shooting stars <3

Sunday Nights

A quick picture post from this past week =) This week was definitely a busy yet eventful week.  Can't believe there's only 2 more weeks until this quarter comes to a close!
Sunday nights always end the same way for me-finishing up my last bits of homework and studying, folding laundry, showering, jotting down all my to-do's on post-its, and checking my email and facebook once more before bed. Sunday nights are less relaxing for me. It's more like figuring out where the time went and what I need to do for the next week- homework and studying I need to catch up on, errands I need to run, friends I need to meet up with, etc. I guess that's expected for most people. We live in a high-demand, high function world where we're expected- or at least I expect myself- to perform at an extremely high level all the time. Even relaxing seems to be an achievement for me sometimes. SO SAD. Hahaha.
Definitely learning to be diligent to enter God's rest. It's so comforting we can find rest and refuge in our faithful Father and almighty King. =)

Face masks con mi hermana <3

Matt always makes me foood :) <3

She bought me dinner <3 Love her so much!

psych of influence video project! 

dinner in balboa :) oc restaurant week

krusty :)

spontaneous roommate date in our very own backyard!

definitely spending time here more often :) 

Hahaha I had to take a picture. He looks like a Mormon except without the bike. 

Guess who... 

Her feet were STANKKY

Spontaneous boba run :) And then she wanted dimsum. Always so great talking to this girl hahaha =)

Johnny: "I always wanted to do this to you!" -_-"

Here's to a new week! =) 
Reminder verse this week:
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."
-Matthew 11:28-30

feliz navidad!

Merry Christmas everyone! It's been a while since I last updated! Winding down from a busy yet blessed Christmas Eve and Christmas day. It's always during the holidays I'm always reminded how blessed I am with awesome family, friends, and my loyal puppy Ollie. We had Christmas Eve spent at the Soh residence this year. There were so many of us and so much food, kimchee and chocolate it felt like our house was going to explode! It was especially memorable and sweet since it is probably the last spent at our home. :') Today was Christmas day!! Woke up to my siblings hollerin', "HOW CAN YOU SLEEP THIS LATE WHEN IT'S CHRISTMAS?" I look at my phone. It was 8:05 am... I mean seriously?? I tried to go back to sleep but 5 minutes later I found myself half-asleep and half-dressed in the living room with Josh Groban christmas music on and family gathered around the fireplace. I probably wasn't thinking straight or half alert to whatever was going on but I do remember realizing that was the first time in a long time it was just our family together in the comfort of our own home! I have so much to be thankful for!

 Hangsang with my darlin beauties 

My girlies!! <3

Hehe <3

Jeremy bought me a polaroid! :') Thank you brotha!!! <3

They bring me so much joy!!! <3

Currently where I'm seated! With daddio and Ollie pop :) 

Merry Christmas and to all a good night!

Craziness!

It is currently 3:33 am and I have yet a long night ahead of me. This week and this past week are beyond crazy and I don't know how I am still awake and functioning. It's by God's grace that I'm awake right now updating my blog when I should reaaally be studying for my math quiz and final, paper and presentation this week! Oh well :) Trigonometric integrals and partial fractions can WAIT.

In lieu of Thanksgiving last week and my spirit of gratitude that has carried throughout this week, I wanted to share a brief thought I've been convicted of and one that triggered me to write this post! Regarding the topic of thanksgiving, I find it crazy when gratitude seems obscure to the very people who have the most to be thankful for. I guess I'm really preaching to myself right now. The past few weeks were definitely a few of the busiest and also the most "thankless" weeks I've had in a long time. While there was so much to be joyous about and thankful for, I recall grumbling, pouting, and throwing myself pity parties that I had hoped to somehow be of some kind of advantage to me. How wrong were my actions and thoughts! Thanksgiving and gratitude should really be a daily remark of appreciation as we are depraved, wretched sinners saved by undeserving yet sufficient grace. Gratitude honors God. Gratitude is the acceptance of a free gift and the heartfelt declaration that we cherish what we did not earn. Gratitude glorifies the free grace and love of God and really signifies the humility of a broken, needy and receptive heart. We merely honor God's glory by cherishing it and being thankful.
So why not constantly do it? It's a good reminder for me especially throughout my busiest days and weeks to constantly spur on a spirit of gratitude. I must be thankful to Him who gave me ALL things. If I cannot add to his glory, then I definitely must honor it. Thankful for convictions amidst a crazy night. God is so good and He is constantly so good to me!

Study breaks.. watching Avatar the last Airbender. =) =) 

My wallpaper!!! =) T-10 DAYS!!!

Only papers, presentations, 2 finals, a fighting cold, and uh gravity... stopping me from sweet winter break!!! :) YAY!

Okay now back to math... (which is btw the ONE thing I am not and will Never Ever Ever be thankful for.)