Wednesday, November 17, 2010

A Time to Live, A Time to Die…

…and A Time to Attempt to Start Blogging Again…

 

Looking Back

Summer came and went in a blurry hurry and after another looooong flight, we arrived back in our Korean home once more.  Well, actually we arrived in a new apartment.  We love the new apartment but there have been a few…issues…

 

Seeing as it has been 4+ months since the last blog post I will attempt to hit on some highlights to catch up to the present.

 

Spending time with so many of our friends and family this summer blessed us in so many ways.  While we didn’t see nearly everyone we wished to, we were thankful to simply spend time with those we did see.  After a good visit with April and the kids in Kentucky as well as seeing Grandma, family and friends in Greenville, Charity and I took to the road again in mom’s Trailblazer, a vehicle for which I am so thankful for, setting our sights on Lake Martin in Alabama.  With the Bacon family’s large pop-up trailer dragging behind us, we started our short trip.  No sooner were we heading out of Greenville than our plans were waylaid for several hours! 

 

Realizing that I was driving my mom’s “car”, which she loves, and pulling the camper behind us, my driving became very cautious.  After changing lanes to avoid proximity to a truck parked on the shoulder, I checked for a clear right lane, signaled the move and merged.  Five seconds after merging, a small black car sped up behind us and, with what seemed like no application of the brakes on the driver’s part, swerved to the right and then back into the trailer and up the right side of the Trailblazer.  My wife saw the fear-filled eyes of the stranger as he “rode” the rear quarter panel and doors on the right-hand side. 

 

After pulling onto the shoulder, my first concern was Charity which led me to visual and vocal confirmations that Charity was ok.  Next I preceded to walk back to check on the other driver.  He was out of his car and moving, if strangely, but seemed to be ok as well.  At this point chronologically I noticed his hurry to gather things in his now totaled car, but only in passing as I started to asses the damage.  I was unhurt.  Charity, although shaken, was fine as well.  Although something wasn’t right about the other driver, he seemed “fine.”  His car, was a mess.  The entire left side was mangled  wheels and tires, twisted sheet metal and broken glass.  I turned to the trailer and noticed broken lights and some bent metal, but the framed and axle appeared fine.  The car had major damage along the right side, but functionally, both car and trailer seemed useable. 

 

Although I knew it wasn’t my fault, I felt terrible!  The police came and after getting our statements he spent a little more time giving the other a driver a sobriety test, which he I am guessing failed due to the handcuffs and escort to the rear of the officer’s vehicle.  At it turns out, prescription drugs and driving are a bad combination!

 

Amazingly, after several hours, we were back on the road to the Lake! 

 

After yet another amazing, relaxing trip on the lake, we made the mad dash back to KC.  Charity, Mia and I then made the trip back to our home in Korea. 

 

Then one evening, about two weeks after we returned, a very upset Korean man followed Mia and I back from our evening walk and kept yelling at me in phrases I didn’t completely understand.  I know it had something to do with the dog and our apartment and he kept repeating 고 목사님 (Pastor Goh).  Turns out there was a bit of a misunderstanding about who was living in this apartment, the fact there was a dog here and some issue last year this man, the landlord, had with SCS or something.  I still don’t think I understand completely.  However, it seems that things are smoothed over for now. 

 

The school year’s first quarter passed swiftly and we are now looking at the middle of the second quarter coming soon.  This year Charity teaches the 4th grade and has 14 students which overwhelms her at times, but with Christ’s help she does well.  I teach two sections of Writing, one section of Geography and one section of Pre-Algebra.  Also, I am overseeing , although at times only marginally well, the network, computers and other electronic equipment on campus.  While fun, there seems to be too many problems and not enough time some days.  Also, I will direct the play this year and already am very excited about the students who are interested!

 

While not exhaustive, I think that brings my meager readership up to the present. 

 

Present

Not much else happening currently.  Charity made some wonderful cookies tonight in preparation for Thanksgiving and I can hear the dog whining for her evening stroll.  *sigh* back to it.

 

More to come…

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