2010

Looking Back on 2009:God has been good to me—he's blessed me beyond what I ever expected or hoped for.
I started a new part time job this year. It’s so close to where I live I can walk to work! I love my job and the people I work for.
I've had a full house of international student renters this year and they are all very good kids!
A friend told me about a supplement called d-Lenolate and I started taking it 5 months ago. It has restored my energy and I’m feeling wonderfully normal again!

Looking Forward to 2010:
This year I will become a morning person! No more going to bed at 1:00 or 2:00 a.m.
This year I will become organized!
This year I will start walking again and will lose these extra 40 pounds!
This year I will start accelerated payments on my mortgage so I can be debt free by 2014!

So, there you have it! These are my New Year's Resolutions and I'm stickin' to 'em!

TO ALL MY FRIENDS IN BLOGLAND...

Love,

Homestay Mama

Merry Christmas...

...to all my current and former homestay students, my family in Oregon, Colorado and Hawaii, my friends, my church family, and all my cohorts in Blogland! I love you all!


As we celebrate Christmas this year, let us never lose sight of the real reason for Christmas--that night over two thousand years ago when God became man. Yes, Jesus was born in a little stable in Bethlehem, so that some thirty years later he could offer himself as the perfect "lamb" of God--that final sacrifice which takes away our sins and restores our personal relationship with God. That is God's Christmas gift to all who will accept it. I hope you have!

Love,

Homestay Mama

Reunion!

It's been more than a year since Ki-Bum (South Korea) left to attend Berklee School Of Music in Boston. You may remember reading about our guitar virtuoso in this post. Well, on his way home to Korea for the Christmas break this year, he took a two-day layover in Seattle and we had a wonderful mini-reunion this weekend!

So, who was the first person Ki-Bum asked about?

Why Teddy Bear, of course!
Teddy Bear loved hanging out with Ki-Bum and before that with his brother Hyun Wook. Teddy Bear thought he belonged to THEM!

"Do you remember me, Teddy Bear?"


"I really missed you!"


Ki-Bum, his friend Seok-Jin and I went to the local Thai food restaurant for dinner. I love Thai food--especially red curry with chicken, bamboo shoots and coconut milk.

Then we came home and had Sweet Potato Cake that Ki-Bum bought at the local Korean Bakery. I love their cakes because they are not sickeningly sweet like American desserts!

Lim, another friend of Ki-Bum's, joined us later in the evening.
We had a wonderful visit!


It warms a mother's heart when her kids come home for a visit. Seeing Ki-Bum was as good as opening a gift under the Christmas tree!

Love,
Homestay Mama

Today I had a wonderful visit with Gramma2Many.

I've known Gramma2Many for a dozen years or more. We met back in the late 90's when one of my former homestay students started dating her youngest daughter.

Gramma2Many and I have a lot in common--our Christian faith, our political bent, and our love of interior decorating. But there are differences as well--I have a son, but she has a son and 5 lovely daughters. I have no grandchildren, but she has 19 beautiful (and smart!) grandsons and grandaughters! My marriage ended years ago but she is still married to her high school sweetheart! Yup! My hat's off to Gramma2Many. She is one classy lady and a very dear friend!

We used to see each other every Sunday when I started playing the piano for the little country church that she and her family attended. But after ten years of being pianist for that church, I gave up the long, 70 mile round trip and started attending a church closer to my home. So now Gramma2Many and I mostly keep in touch through our blogs and Facebook.

By the way, it's because of Gramma2Many's inspiring blog that I decided to take the plunge into Blogland myself! I'm glad I did for I have met some very talented, humorously funny and wonderfully supportive friends here in Blogland--including her youngerst daughter who ended up marrying my former homestay student. You can read about their life here. You can also read Gramma2Many's blogs here and here!

I had a wonderful visit today. Thank you, Gramma2Many!

Love,

Homestay Mama