Hello again...we celebrated on his actual birthday...with just the two of us...and oh!  a surprise later that evening...

I'll spare you all the mushy details, but Richard

was greeted with rose petals, candles, balloons,

and apple cider when he got home.  Kinda girly?

Surprise!

Gift time! 

Grill tools!  Meat thermometer & grill basket

from WS.

Banner & balloons.  Awwww.

Light but tasty dinner courtesy of Whole Foods.

(Turkey meatloaf, orzo, shrimp salad, Greek salad,

pasta salad, and heirloom tomatoes...mmmm!)

Don't have pics of the dessert (we had mini eclairs,

mini lime tart, mini strawberry chocolate cake, etc.).

I'm hungry!

Then a surprise ice cream cake from our dear

home group!  We love you guys!

The guys!

Sometimes when I think of how good the Lord has been in my life, my heart is bursting with happiness.  Not just good in the sense of material blessings and a smooth life, but peace in my heart and mind, marital bliss, perspective on how to love others and maintain relationships, submitting to His perfect will in difficult times, and finding everything I need in Him so I have something to give (as opposed to my previous life when I was empty in heart and always needy and grasping for something).

I've recently finished "Elizabeth Prentiss: More Love to Thee" by Sharon James.  It's lovely~

Here are a few quotes:

1. "I found solace in the fact that the subject of this biography was far from perfect.  Elizabeth was by nature volatile, passionate, and energetic.  'She would throw herself furiously into whatever project was occupying her at the time.  This would be followed by total exhaustion and corresponding depression.'  Like me, too, she had to acknowledge her spiritual shortcomings.  'I find it hard to be patient with myself when I see how far I am from reaching even my own poor standard, but if I do not love Christ and long to please him, I do not love anybody or anything.' "

(Barbara Hughes. Forward.)

2. "Loving you makes me so contented and happy...I am finding out more clearly than ever why I love you so...But I do love you as profoundly as I fancy it is right to love a mortal.  And yet the best part of our love, I trust, is as immortal as ourselves.  Is it not so?"

(pgs. 85-6, George's letter to his wife Elizabeth)

3. "Filled with ongoing concern for her husband, often feeling poorly herself, and having to cope with bored and restless children, it was rather trying to have their situation so misunderstood by the folks back home.  But Elizabeth had learned that misunderstanding is part of life.  She had long before given up trying to defend herself against the criticism of others."

(pg. 103, when church members complained and were resentful of the Prentiss' "holiday")

4. "I can see in my wisdom forty reasons for having four children and no more.  The comfort of sleeping in peace, of having a little time to read, and to keep on with my music, strength with which to look after Ernest's poor people when they are sick; and, to tell the truth, to be bright and fresh and lovable to him--all these little joys have been growing precious to me, and now I must give them up.  I want to do it cheerfully and without a frown.  But I find I love to have my own way, and that at the very moment I was asking God to appoint my work for me, I was secretly marking it out for myself.  It is mortifying to find my will less in harmony with His than I thought it was, and that I want to prescribe to Him how I shall spend the time, and the health and the strength which are His, not mine.  But I will not rest until this struggle is over; till I can say with a smile, 'Not my will!  But Thine!' "

(pg. 148, Elizabeth's protagonist in "Stepping Heavenward")

That's it for now!  Bye!

Happy New Year!  Just some tidbits from the life of the Lees...

1. discovered the dishwasher!  it's an amazing time saver; i haven't hand-washed dishes in two weeks.  so thankful for modern day maids ;).

2. monterey bay: it's almost been ten months since we've tied the knot.  although we originally planned to celebrate our one-year anniversary with a second trip to hawaii (honeymoon locale), we're planning to stay closer to home.  some things i've planned for our 4 day trip: bike ride along ocean, 17 mile drive, aquarium, shopping, whale watching, etc.  we'll see how much we actually do.

3. taylor swift concert: time flies away, and it's almost april.  i will be seeing taylor swift live in concert next month.  all thanks to my chubby hubby...oops i mean handsome hubby :D.

4. poems: amy carmichael's poetry is so enchanting and soul-stirring.  here is a taste:

unfathomable comfort (revelation 2:9-10)

"i know": the words contain

unfathomable comfort for our pain.

how they can hold such depths i do not know--

i only know that it is so.

"fear not": the words have power

to give the thing they name; for in an hour

of utter weariness, the soul, aware of One beside her bed,

is comforted.

o Lord most dear,

i thank Thee, and I worship--

Thou art here.

5. strengthening your marriage (mack): read an amazing passage...

re: good communication...

a. it is not hard for a wife to be open and honest with a husband who is lowly in mind and meek and patient.  it is not hard for a woman to communicate freely with her husband when she knows that he will bear with her and make allowances for her rather than condemn or demean her.

b. likewise, the wife who makes it a practice to use only such speech as is good and beneficial and fitting to the need and occasion, the wife who readily and freely forgives and seeks to be helpful and kind to her husband will make it very easy for her husband to open up and share his life with her.  in such a non-threatening, understanding atmosphere the husband has no reason for pretense or putting on a false front or practicing deceit or hiding his fear, frustration, faults, and anxieties.  he knows he is accepted as he is and for what he is.  he knows his wife is for him and will help him rather than judge and condemn him.

6. eclipse: no, not the lunar/solar phenomenon, but THIS one: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/.  already made plans to watch it with a couple (hope they don't change their minds!).  i'm not too much of a twi-hard...i only have the first movie soundtrack.  some fave songs from there: supermassive black hole (muse), leave out all the rest (linkin park), i caught myself (paramore), bella lullaby (cartwell burwell), never think (rob pattinson!).

7. organizing books: since i've been volunteering at the leconte elementary school library, i've become fascinated with book covering, bar codes, book stamping, shelving, etc.  so i spent last week putting all our books in order; i'm in the process of stamping them now :).  topics: christian literature, commentaries, secular books, reference books.  pls. feel free to borrow from our plethora of books!

8. in our fridge: korean food (of course), soy milk, tj's basil marinara, yogurt, veggies (bok choy, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes), eggs, and cheese.   need to go grocery shopping soon!

9. currently reading: about 5 books at once...strengthening your marriage (mack), how to read the Bible for all it's worth (fee), holman illustrated guide to the Bible (beaumont), mountain breezes (carmichael), valley of vision.  i read half of les miserable (hugo), and i'm taking a break for now.

10. i'd like give more variety to our walls instead of photos of ourselves, so if you have any suggestions for artwork, i'm all ears!  i'm currently browsing art galleries and etsy shops.

11. since i've been married, i've cut down on some luxuries.  one being skin products.  i found a great face wash (i know those are hard to come by) that won't cause break outs for sensitive skin.  ta da...trader joe's thoroughly clean face wash (with organic tea tree oil and awapuhi) to replace shiseido's benefiance/white lucent.  difference of 30$!

That's it.  Goodnight!

Continued...

Myung parents came up for the holidays.  First night's

dinner: baked mahi mahi, asparagus, panzanella salad,

garlic mashed potatoes.

BBQ!  We had: galbi, fried shrimp,duk mandoo gook,

chap jae, etc.

yum.

r + b.

bbq+toystory+rockband+bang=:D.  helen & her bro joined us too!

xmas eve dinner at skates.  got there early so we took

some pics.  the backdrop was gorgeous.

we had a window view!  (tip: for holidays, make reservation

time right when restaurant opens).  it was really packed later

on at night.

appetizer was so delicious: shrimp, mashed potatoes,

teriyaki tenderloin, ginger, crab dip, focaccia bread.  crab

dip was amazing!

we ended up opening gifts on xmas eve.  i'll spare you

all the details.  but...we got matching jackets (from parents)!

stocking stuffers!  rl got "a christmas story".  the

three of us (rl, rm, me) watched it after parents

fell asleep.  it's a cute movie!

stocking stuffers!  rm got socks + body wash.

hope you can use the leg warmers reb!

lastly, a christmas caramel wreath (reb was a big

help with the cream).  filling: whipped cream (hand-whipped

by reb) + dulce de leche w. toasted almonds + raspberries.

pic courtesy of reb.

i want to eat it again now!

More pics to come later this week (xmas brunch, xmas

dinner, etc.).

Hello again,

As promised...

Caltopia.  seriously so fun.

best time to go: near to end when they randomly give out free stuff.

my favorite items: tote bags, frisbee, water canteens,

highlighter, 2 tickets to a virtual ride in pier 39.

narae+richard's birfday (bday twins!).  it's become a

tradition to celebrate bdays together.taste of the himalayas

(on shattuck-highly recommend), then cake and bonanza. 

carrie is a cutie!

A peek into our life:

1. magazines you'll find in our wooden water pail/magazine holder: Time, Good Housekeeping, Table Talk, Pottery Barn/Williams Sonoma

2. what we hulu: Monk, Bones, Extreme House Makeover

3. how house chores are divided up: Richard (trash, moving heavy stuff), Patty (everything else) 

4. what we've been meaning to do on dates: Japanese Tea Garden, dim sum place in SF

5. what you'll find in our freezer: frozen Korean food to last for the next 5 years (maybe just 2 weeks) thanks to momlee & mommyung, ice cream (gelato or Haagen Daz ice cream bars -- vanilla with milk chocolate and almonds)

6. favorite place to read/study: Cafe Pattay (on Blake and Ellsworth), usually other places are crowded, too far away, etc.

7. project of the moment: using the studfinder to hang wedding pictures

8. next project: real Christmas tree after Thanksgiving!  xmas decoration too, of course!

9. funniest morning moment: i set my alarm a few minutes before RL's to help him wake up.  my phone starts playing an usher song at 6 am.  too tired to say or do anything else, i put the phone up to RL's face.  he then starts dancing in bed.  i go back to sleep.

10. flowers at the moment: a bushel of bright yellow carnations in a pumpkin pot, cheery gerbera daisies (red, pink, orange, and white)...my fave! 

11. that's it :)