Animal Planet Expo

So, Isabelle and I went to the Animal Planet Expo last Saturday.  This is a photo we took.  There was a choice of 4 backgrounds and Isabelle said she wanted to take picture with elephant.  Afterwards, we saw our photo on the tv screen.  Of course, they didn't have a real elephant there, it was just a digitalized background, but she didn't understand that, so she kept asking where the elephant went.  Ha, ha.

<a href="http://www.animalplanetexpophotos.com/access.pp?ppic=FJ846HBPCA" target="_blank" ><img alt="Powered by PromoPix.net" border="0" src="http://www.animalplanetexpophotos.com/blog/FJ846HBPCA_320x240.jpg"></a>
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Isabelle's 1st Birthday Post

Sorry this is so late.  We celebrated Isabelle's 1st birthday on Saturday, February 17, 2007.  Here is the invitation that went out to all our guests.  It was a tri-fold invitation.

The theme for Isabelle's party was barnyard animals.  And as party favors, everyone got their very own barnyard animal.

Isabelle had 2 outfits for her party.  One was a red party dress.  The other was a traditional Korean han-bok.

We played a few games.  One of the games we played was the traditional dohl-jah-bee, where guests look in interest to see what item the child will first grab.  Isabelle just looked at the items initially and did not reach for any of the items to everyone's surprise.  We had placed pencil, crackers, money, cell phone, and thread.  Finally, Pastor Joshua suggested we place a Bible in front of her, and sure enough, once we did, that is the item she went for.  Here are some pics from that game.

Here's our party girl.  She was just a good host that day -- didn't cry once.  Thank you all for coming!

On her actual birthday, February 19, her grandma came over with Isabelle's first bowl of mee-yuk-gook and it was in a special bowl as well.  Yeah, she's spoiled.

Okay, I am actually in trial right now -- so this is it for this post.  I wanted to add more, but simply can't.  My next post will be of pics from our trip to Sedona.  I am still in the process of sending out thank-you cards - I know, I know, but please, cut me a break, I'm a working mom just trying to survive.  Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate Isabelle's 1st birthday -- it really meant a lot!

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

No Pictures

I will have to post pictures up later.  For now, I just wanted to enter a few updates.  For one, Isabelle turned 1 and we had a big party for her.  The theme for the party was farm animals.  I must say I really enjoyed planning Isabelle's party.  After the 1st one was over, I couldn't wait to plan her second.  I will post pictures from her birthday party, especially for those who couldn't make it, but was with us in thought.

Isabelle's latest milestone occurred this past Sunday.  She learned to drink from a straw.  It's really quite remarkable just this whole learning process.  I never would've thought she would have been able to drink through a straw by Sunday afternoon when I saw her attempting to learn on Sunday morning.  I mean, how do you teach someone to drink out of a straw when you can't communicate and only part of the process can be demonstrated?  I mean I kept putting my mouth to the straw and Isabelle would do the same, but how do you show she has to tightly close her lips around the straw and suck in air and wait for the liquid to enter and then swallow and then repeat this process?  Now some of you may think I am over thinking this entire thing, but trust me, when it comes time to teach your child to drink through a straw and your child doesn't immediately master that skill, you too, will wonder, if only for a brief moment, if your child will ever learn to drink through a straw.

So, last week was the first time since Isabelle's birth that I was apart from her.  I had to travel down to San Diego for training and had to stay there for 3 nights and 4 days.  I took a picture of her with me and spent a lot of my time in the evenings just staring at the photo of her with her maracas.  And at night, when I went to sleep on my king size bed, I put her photo on the other side of the bed, so it was like she was sleeping next to me.  I did not cry and I was fine emotionally.  I just missed my baby.  But the sad part was Isabelle went through a really rough time without me.  She ended up vomiting Monday night, was somewhat better on Tuesday, but broke out in a fever and chicken pox on Wednesday.  I wasn't even aware she could get chicken pox from the immunization shot, but apparently you can.  She suffered through a week, and is definitely coming out of it.  Not only was she affected physically by the chicken pox, but her personality and mood was definitely altered.  She was either sad and lethargic, or simply unhappy.  Young and I are happy to see, however, that that was temporary and that the Isabelle we know and love is coming back.

This weekend and this week (though I realize its only Tuesday) have been one of those times since I've been back at work where I just felt like it was too hard to be a mom, wife, and work full-time.  After being away from Isabelle for so long and coming back home to see Isabelle with spots all over her, all I wanted to do was be with her, but instead, I had to spend the weekend preparing three trials.  On Monday, I got assigned out to a judge to begin trial and I stayed at my office till 8 PM preparing for today.  This  morning, I got re-assigned, and before, we even began jury selection, the court made some legal rullings that in essence "gutted" my case, as we say in my office, and the case got dismissed.  So, I am no longer in trial.  I have mixed feelings.  On the one hand, I wanted to take this case to trial and being in trial is an adrenaline rush.  On the other hand, being in trial is also incredibly exhausting and I would have had no time for my family or the pile of work in my office that gets larger and larger the longer I am in trial.  And not being in that trial, means I can now prepare for the other trials I have coming up next Monday. 

Oh, and since I was talking about work.  I wanted to follow-up on my last entry having to do with a "Pimp on the Run."  Well, officers in San Francisco arrested him shortly after the warrant went out, I believe it was within 2 weeks and with the assistance of a really motivated detective, I was able to get him back into our custody in a matter of days.  When we went back to court, the guy was ready to plead.  He plead "no contest" which is the same as a guilty plea to one felony count of Pimping and was sent to prison for 3 years. 

Lastly, my mom, sister, and I will be taking a girls-only weekend getaway to Sedona, Arizona.  Our last girls-only weekend getaway was two years ago and it was to Palm Springs.  I am really looking forward to that trip.  And yes, it will mean, I will have to leave Isabelle again, but hopefully, when she's a little older, she can join us.

Pimp out on the run

Here's a link to a newspaper article from the Mercury news.

http://www.philly.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/16411900.htm

I would write more, but Isabelle is coming.

The Big 3-0

Happy Birthday to me!  So, I asked Young for 30 minutes of alone time, so I could take a moment to reflect on my life today.  We, as in people in general, are always developing and changing with time, and I am no different.  And, of course, there are those things that remain the same probably all throughout life.  So, I wanted to take a moment to memorialize "Sharon at 30."  And, this is with the thought that Isabelle, when she's old enough, will be able to read this and know who her mother was at 30.

So, random thoughts, in no particular order:

Favorite Christian song:  Held by Natalie Grant

Favorite non-Christian song:  Over and Over (just like it) by Nelly and Tim McGraw

People I envy:  (1) people who possess beauty with intelligence with humility/kindess (it is the presence of all 3 qualities; (2) people with crazy talent; and (3) people with all the lucky breaks.

People I fear:  those without a conscience; those with nothing to lose

People I couldn't live without:  those who are supportive and encouraging

People I could live without:  pretentious people who present themselves to be someone they're not; people with too much self-centered drama going on

I am better than most at:  (1) appreciating the little things and not taking the simplist things for granted; (2) forgiving and forgetting (I was blessed with short term memory when it comes to those who wrong me); and (3) seeing the bright side of every situation

Most are better than I at:  (1) getting to know people and building relationships; and (2) expressing love and care

Greatest accomplishment:  Motherhood

Greatest challenge:  Motherhood

Favorite form of entertainment:  LIVE anything (musicals, plays, concerts, etc.)

Something that has been true the first 30 years of my life and will probably be true through the next 30 years:  My hopeless belief in the romantic and the extraordinary.

Regrets:  (1) Not studying overbroad in college; (2) Not doing debate in college; (3) Going to a private law school; (4) Not taking a picture of Isabelle and my grandpa; and (5) Losing touch with old friends.

Favorite sights and sounds:  (1)  tears in Young's eyes after he laughs real hard; (2) Isabelle's squeal with simultaneous flapping of the arms

Where I hope to be in life 30 years from now:  Retired after having put all 4 of our children through college, and enjoying the good life with my husband.

Well, this is all I had time for. 

Thank you to all those who made this 30th so special.  Most of all, I thank God for His neverending kindness and faithfulness to me.  I am so undeserving -- thank you, Lord.