Well, my husband keeps working hard at the clinic and in his calling so he is gone a lot (and that's nothing new! I am not complaining, just saying...!) We haven't done pretty much any outdoors activities besides going out to eat or to the park. The kids got some sleds for Christmas presents hoping those will give us a lot of fun entertainment but they never got used because here in Korea hardly snowed this Winter! So we just have been hanging out with friends here or at their homes but we haven't done any of Korea site-seeing.
So like I said earlier I have been in the kitchen quite a bit trying new yummy recipes (which a love, thanksgoodness!) As a small branch (Church attendance is between 40-70 people) we try to get together as often as we can and usually we do it at our house. So because I don't like so much repetition specially in food so I try to have a different variety of food each time we gather. So I am truly grateful for my husband's calling and the oportunity I have to serve others! (and to serve me:) because I love to it;)!
My friend Pinky
The last couple of weeks I have been feeling a little bit sad. My true best friend Pinky Chi left Korea to go back to the states. She has been a wonderful, loving, caring, funny, excepional friend to me and my family! I met her a little bit over a year ago. Her husband Charlie is a dentist and works with my husband in the same clinic. Pinky is from Tawian and her and Charlie have one little boy three years old named Dalton! And a little little baby girl will join their family in a few months!
So yes, I am already missing my friend (she left a few days ago). I don't remember having this sad feeling since a long time ago (2002) when I was about to finish my mission in Bolivia. Pinky is not lds but she is a wonderful person and has such a pure heart. We have many great conversations about the Gospel and in many occasions I saw her tearing because she was moved by something I said or even something my kids did. And I love her just because of her sweet personality and her wise thinking. She has the most tender heart. She cares about people, she wants to help out anyone in need and it doesn't matter their religion, skin color, social status or even if they are completely strangers! I remember one time I introduced her another good friend, Jessica, and I told Pinky about being Jessica's birthday the following day and immediately Pinky said: " what can we do for her? Alexandra, let's take her out to eat! And we did it! And even Pinky brought Jessica a nice birthday present! I mean Pinky truly has a big heart. She is SO generous! All the time she is doing something for someone!
Also if there is anyone I trust to baby-sit my kids that's her. She takes care of kids like if they were her own. She is so kind and soft and loving to them! Pinky has a lot of friends because once you meet her you fall in love with her!. Everytime I had a doctor's appoinment she baby-sat my kids even until last minute when her mom was in town! And once she called me and her voice sounded a little bit worried and ask me :"Robert hasn't eaten anything this morning, what should I do? what can I cook for him?" She ALWAYS feed us when we went to her house for a short or long visit, it didn't matter. Isn't that kind?
And something that truly impress me is her faith in God. I don't know if you already know that in Asian culture the mayority of people believe in Buda and when I met Pinky she was a little bit counfused about if God was buda and all of that. I told her my believes and she instantly started praying to God. The last time I saw her at her farewell party she was saying goodbye to another friend and she told her: "pray to God! that's all you need!" Oh, it was so touching! She told me she has told her mom everything we talked about life or the Gospel and she even shared what she learned whith her friends on Facebook.
And another thing I want to remember about her is her love for her family. Pinky adores her family! Her husband and her son are her life and she also adores her mother and sisters, nephews and relatives. She loves her friends and will do anything for them but her family comes first.
I do believe Pinky has made a big impact in my life. You know when the Apostles talk about friends they have for years and some of them not members of the Church but wonderful men and women. I heard those stories many times but I assure you it's real, there are people out there that are truly amazing! I have had good, special friends in my life time, back home in Colombia, in the states and have made some good ones here and I truly believe one of the reasons I came to Korea was to meet Pinky! God put her on my way and I will always be so grateful for it! It's not just her who learned from me but I did so much from her! My kids love, love, love her. She never was too busy for us, or too tired. And oh boy! we had fun together! She always made me laugh! She is so funny! Let's put it in this way, Pinky's friendship is one of those you call "a treasure" and that you never want to loose it. I got a lifetime friend! How lucky I am!
Here there are some pics. of Pinky's farewell party!
