My Other Half (Thankfulness Challenge - Day 30)

I am thankful for my husband (and that this is the last of my Thanksgiving posts).

Back in the day, I never imagined we would be anything more than friends. In my mind, I was supposed to marry a different type of guy, but this just goes to show how our plans may not be God's plans, and that He is far better at choosing a husband for me than I am. :)

Where does our story begin?

We met at church after I graduated from college. He was a good friend, someone fun to hang out with, but just a friend. I am thankful that Sam, undaunted by my disinterest, pursued with persistence. Now here we are, having celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary this past year, and so thankful he didn't take no for an answer. :)

*Side note here for the single men and women out there. Persistence is key men. Resistance is futile ladies. At least this was the case for us. :)

I saved this post for last because I knew I would have a difficult time expressing how thankful I am for my husband. He is my best friend and confidante, my protector and greatest support. He loves me unconditionally and sacrificially, and I thank him for being an example to me of God's love and grace.

With my illness, you can imagine the emotional and physical stress it may put on him, but he never once complains, and he is as solid as a rock. He is my strongest advocate and I appreciate how he is so involved and proactive in my care. At the doctor's office, the staff thinks he's the best husband ever, and whenever I am hospitalized, the nurses tease him about wanting to hire him. Yes, he is that good at taking care of me, and they have seen it first hand.

Instead of making me feel like a burden, he always makes me feel so beautiful and special. He thinks I'm the funniest person in the world, and thinks he's the luckiest guy to have me for his wife. The big secret is that I am the lucky one. Sometimes I'm inclined to believe he's actually wearing rose colored glasses, because I know for sure I am not nearly as great as he thinks I am. *but let's keep that to ourselves* ;)

He is a loving husband, a doting father and a loyal friend. He is kind, compassionate and affectionate. He is strong, courageous and humble. He is adventurous, funny, and young at heart. He's a computer whiz, super smart, and good with his hands. He plays the piano, sings and draws. He's a golfer, a gamer, and a photographer. He is a jack of all trades, a Korean Cliff Clavin, and my personal MacGyver.

He's my perfect match and I am so blessed to be his wife.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made (Thankfulness Challenge - Day 29)

I am thankful for my health, both the good times and bad.

I am thankful for my current good health. I still have to see my doctors frequently and get the usual battery of tests done, but overall, I am in stable condition, which to me means I am doing well. :)

For those of you who may be wondering, here's the back story.

All through my elementary and junior high years, I grew up with unexplained headaches, loss of appetite, fatigue, dizziness, bloody noses, and mixed diagnoses by several doctors. Finally, when I was a freshman in high school, our family doctor essentially gave up and told my parents to go to the emergency room at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. That one visit changed my life.

At the ER, doctors asked me what seemed like millions of questions and drew blood for tests. They sent me home to wait for results, and we received a phone call soon after. Preliminary results showed that I either had one of three types of cancer, Junior Rheumatoid Arthritis or Systemic Lupus.

I remember thinking cancer was bad, but I had no idea what the last two were. I pulled out our Britannica Encyclopedia (remember those?), and after a little research, I remember telling my mom that if I could choose, I'd choose Junior Rheumatoid Arthritis. With what little information we had, we anxiously waited until the final results finally came back and confirmed a diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus).

What is Lupus? Here's a definition given by the Lupus Foundation of America.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, including the skin, joints, heart, lungs, blood, kidneys, and brain. Normally the body's immune system makes proteins called antibodies, to protect the body against viruses, bacteria, and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens.
In an autoimmune disorder like lupus, the immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign substances and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against itself. These antibodies -- called "auto-antibodies" (auto means 'self') -- cause inflammation, pain and damage in various parts of the body.

You may wonder why having a chronic disease is on my list of things to be thankful for, and I should clarify --- if a cure for Lupus were to be discovered, I'd probably knock you down to be the first in line. ;) But the reality is, there is no cure for it, and it is not likely that they will find one in the near future.

Despite the challenges of having Lupus, I am so very grateful for all the things that have come into my life as a result of it. It has been twenty two years since I was first diagnosed, and I would not be the same person I am today without it. Although having Lupus has meant giving up certain things in my life, I can honestly say that the blessings I have received far outweigh the temporal losses.

Because of this disease, I have been the recipient of the kind of love and support most people might not experience in their lifetime. I have seen the depths of my family's love for me, and the daily sacrifices they make on my behalf. I have been blessed by the outpouring of love and support from friends, and the encouragement from others with Lupus or other diseases.

Having Lupus has taught me to take my eyes off of myself and be more empathetic and compassionate to the suffering of others. It's hard not to learn that when you are so often in a doctor or hospital setting surrounded by others whose sufferings are far greater than your own. One of the most eye opening and humbling places for me was at the cancer center. I was there to receive IV chemo treatments for kidney disease, and every week I would sit next to men and women with cancer who were battling for their lives. How small my problems seemed to me on those particular days.

Because of Lupus, I have learned (and am still learning) to let go of things I have no control of, and let go of expectations others and I have of myself. I have learned that I don't have to be super woman, that it's okay to ask for help, to lean on others, and to be vulnerable.

I have also learned to embrace and cherish life, the people around me, and all the little moments that make up my day. It has given me a far greater appreciation for all the things I have, and all the things I am able to do despite of it.

Lupus has shown me that God's love for me is far reaching and greater than my disease; and though my body is weak, He has given me an inner strength and resilience that I may not have discovered otherwise. I have also seen God use my disease to encourage others, and seen how God can close one door only to open up another. This was the case when the physical stress of my pregnancy, and being a new mom took a toll on my body, and the door for future pregnancies closed. I had always wanted to adopt, and God had sovereignly opened up that door to bring us our daughter Bethany. :)

Most importantly, having Lupus has made certain truths of God even more real to me --- the truths that God has lovingly created me, He makes no mistakes, and that He works all things for good to those who love Him. During times when I am struggling the most with health issues, these two verses are always a source of great encouragement to me.

Psalm 139:12-14
"For you formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well."

Romans 8:28
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

Since my post would not be complete without a picture, here's a look at what at times is my home away from home. :)

And by the way, I think I have the best doctors and office staff in the world! They have been seeing me for over ten years, and have cried and celebrated with me through the ups and downs. They love on my children and genuinely care about me and my family. I am so thankful for them!

Vertically Challenged (Thanksgiving Challenge - Day 28)

I am thankful for the Robot Claw.

 

Please do not mistake this for a toy. It is in fact a handy dandy tool for vertically challenged people like myself.

What do I mean?

How else would I have gotten the star up on our Christmas tree? :)

I am actually tempted to keep this in the car because there are so many times I want to hand the kids something in the backseat, or get something from them, but my arms just don't reach far enough. :)

Capturing Moments in Time (Thanksgiving Challenge - Day 27)

I am thankful for my camera.

Although I am hoping Santa brings me a new camera this year, I am so thankful for the one I have. This is the fifth camera I have owned since college, and trust me when I say each camera has paid its dues.

I love that I can capture moments in my life that I would simply forget were it not for my camera. For instance, I took a few pictures this evening after we finally got a chance to decorate the tree (we got the tree Friday morning).

I love that I will have these sweet pictures to look back on for many Christmases to come.

Thank God for Grandparents! (Thankfulness Challenge - Day 26)

I am thankful for the best kind of babysitters.... grandparents! :)

Did I forget to mention that Austin and Bethany were sleeping over my parents' place last night? So not only did Sam and I have a date night last night, but we also got to spend the entire day today getting things done on our to do list that are much more manageable without two kids in tow.

My parents love having Austin and Bethany over, and likewise, our kids love spending time at my parents' place. It's funny because their place is pretty small, and they don't have any toys, but somehow my kids end up having the best time there.

I am so thankful for the relationship my children have with my parents, and that they look forward to spending time with each other.

Grandparents are the best!!!

Date Nights (Thankfulness Challenge - Day 25)

I am thankful for date nights.

Sam and I went out for my belated birthday dinner tonight. As much as we love our precious kiddos, we always look forward to our times alone. We dropped Austin and Bethany off at my parents place, and we were off. (thank you mom and dad!)

First stop Lawry's, which we haven't been to in years. 

Second stop was LACMA where we walked around for a bit and took pictures.

 

And our final stop, dessert.

Thank you Sam for a fun night out.

I love being with you!

Anyone Want to Potty? (Thankfulness Challenge - Day 23)

I am thankful for potty seats.

I purchased a potty seat for Bethany a little while ago with the intention of waiting to train her until she was a bit older. In the meantime, I placed it in the bathroom so she could simply get used to the idea of it.

And get used to the idea she has. She likes to plop down on the seat and pretend to push, and she thinks it's the funniest thing.

See?

Every so often she'll ask me to take her diaper off so she can pretend, but nothing's ever happened.

That is, until this evening when she asked again. She sat down, and did her usual, laughing and pretending. She was there for some time, and when I went to get her, guess what I found?

She actually did her business in the potty! It's earlier than I had planned, but if she's ready to be potty trained, I'm ready too. :) I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens.

Eye Masks (Thankfulness Challenge - Day 22)

I am thankful for eye masks that help me sleep.

I wish I were more like my husband when it comes to sleeping. He can easily fall asleep anytime and anywhere, and sleep through most anything. I on the other hand, need just the right sleeping conditions in order to fall asleep and stay asleep.

One reason I have a hard time sleeping is because of the light that comes through our bedroom windows. Most mornings my sleep is interrupted at the crack of dawn, and this is where my trusty eye mask comes in.

Wait for it.....

Ta da!

For years I used eye masks my parents gave me which were black, plain and simple (they got them from their many trips aboard Korean Airlines back in the day). Those did the trick, but after awhile, the elastic would loosen or it would get worn down. While browsing the Sanrio store a few months ago, I spotted this beauty. Fortunately, I had some credit at the store from returning something Austin gave me this past Mother's Day.

Not only is it cute, but it's soft and comfy, and fits perfectly around my head. It was very well priced, and it's probably the most practical Hello Kitty item I own. My only regret is that I didn't have the forethought to buy an extra one just in case. I know I probably look ridiculous in it, but that's why I only use it at home people. :)

My Girl (Thankfulness Challenge - Day 21)

I am so thankful for my daughter Bethany.

Bethany has been home a year and nine months, and I am so grateful to have her in my life. When we first brought her home, I was sad about having missed out on the first ten months of her life, but I quickly realized how that short amount of time pales in comparison to all that we have to look forward to in the future. The past year and nine months have flown by, and it is all by God's grace that she has transitioned so well into our family.

Our little girl is full of surprises, and we never know what she'll do next. We have caught her applying diaper cream all over her face, writing on our sofa and floors, and climbing out of her crib in the middle of the night. Her many antics often get her into trouble, but they are also what we love and adore about her. Austin was always a rule follower by nature, so Sam and I are treading new ground as we learn how to be parents to a very high spirited and spunky little girl.

Bethany is also our cuddle bug, full of hugs and kisses. She is sweet and gentle, determined and strong. She is quite independent, but also likes to do everything her big brother is doing. She is like a little puppy - so cute and irresistable, but always getting into some kind of trouble. Most of the time, we don't know whether to laugh or put our hands up in disbelief.

Bethany has reminded me of how difficult raising a toddler can be, but she has also reminded me of how much joy can come from having one in the home, especially one like her. :) She is our gift from God, a wonderful blessing from above, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

I love everything about my silly little sweetheart of a girl!!!

Thank you Bethany for the joy you bring to my life. I love you so much, and am so thankful to be your Mommy!