How God is helping me right now, and cute Landonisms of the day

The temple gives me great perspective!

Confession time: I am a planner. I like to have a plan for each day, and sometimes even hours within a day. I like to be able to look at my calendar and know what I'm going to be doing and where I am going to be living a week, a month, a year from now. With traveling, I want to make the most of each day that I am living in a different country! I get stressed thinking about all the things we won't be able to do, or haven't done, when we are in places that we may never see again!

Ocean helps me keep calm

When we prayed about it and felt that it was right for Austin to take this job opportunity, I had  an idea of what it would entail. Move around a lot. Live out of suitcases. See the world. Sounded like a good trade-off. What I didn't know is how plans can change day to day depending on the clients Austin is working with, his boss at this specific assignment as well as his boss back in Chicago that "staffs" him for upcoming assignments. This week, we started off thinking we would be in Korea for another month or so. Austin came back one day saying that we might be leaving next week. The next day that was revised to this weekend (like 2-3 days away!). This morning, that was revised to maybe next week or later. This afternoon that was revised to probably early next week. He did not get staffed on a new job this week, so we will wait until next week to see where we are going next (they do staffings on Tuesdays only).

Leftover beach pic from Jeju

I know this would drive any sane person crazy. What country am I going to be in next week? Looks like probably the US to wait for our next assignment, but after that there are a handful of options. Will we get to see family? Austin's or mine? For how long? We don't want to use Austin's vacation days for this, but Landon and I don't have any strings so we can stay for longer. Everything is up in the air. There are no plans.

Korea street

But wait! There were some plans! I have plans for what we are doing Saturday, and Monday if we are here. There is a baseball game Tuesday night but we may be on an airplane by Tuesday. Even the plans I do get to make are up in the air.

Fortunately, Heavenly Father is blessing me with a limited view of the bigger picture. I'm being stretched and molded into a different person- a person much more flexible, much more laid back, much happier. I don't need to know where I am going to be next week, because I am learning to rely on Jesus Christ, and the power of His Atonement to help me through each day.  As chaotic as it all sounds, I know I can get everything packed and be ready for 3 flights totaling close to 24 hours in an afternoon. I know where the snacks are in the grocery store so I can run and grab them and be ready to go in a day. I have a profound sense of peace, and confidence that although I have no clue where I am going to be, I can be happy wherever I go. It is a matter of attitude and priorities.  If God is first, everything else falls into place beautifully. It also helps to have a wonderful, supportive, stable husband who is sympathetic and helpful always.

Bangwa park- my favorite!

That being said, I am going to miss Korea. There were a ton of projects for Austin's work here this year, so we know that there probably won't be very many other opportunities to come here. What will I miss most? The absurdly friendly and giving people. I will miss the beautiful green mountains and beaches.

Things I am looking forward to:
-Softer beds. Some Koreans still sleep on the floor. I think the beds here are meant to replicate that experience.
-Firestone's Tri-tip sandwich: The whole time I was sick with what we think might have been malaria, all I wanted was a tri-tip sandwich with BBQ sauce. Next time I'm in California, I'm coming for you!
- Chipotle: Because they can't quite get Mexican right here...

This is Landon's Tayo bus ball

- Family! Landon has changed so much since the last time everyone has seen him. He has turned into a little blondie and talks much more now. I'm sure it's hard to hear on Skype what exactly he is saying, but let me tell you, it is funny!

Ok, so here are some phrases Landon has started saying recently:
- Sparkly shoes (for my church shoes)
-  Cook _______ whenever he wants something that needs to be heated or cooked
- EEEL is whale, and URT is yogurt, URSSS is horse
- His first sentence with a thing as a subject was "Monkey eat rocks, didn't!" Showing his quirky sense of humor- he know monkeys don't eat rocks! It was funny because he said this when I asked him what monkeys at while we were hiking in the lava tube. There were piles of rocks all around us, I think that's why he said it!
- "Coke water" is cold water
- Mahmo- he uses this word for helmet and oatmeal. Some of the time I don't know what he is using it for!
- Tayo Bus! There is a Korean cartoon all about buses- called TAYO. Landon will watch about 2 minutes of it, but it is still fun. Also, it is based in Seoul so they have painted faces on the front of some of the actual buses here so when we are out and about, we will see buses with eyes and smiles and Landon screams "TAYO BUS!" So when I set out to get him a beach ball, what could be better than a BALL with BUSES ON IT!
There are so many more I can't remember!