Chance Encounters

Omo omo omo I found a chingu!!! She's young, works at LensCrafters, and her name is Jennifer.

She was obviously Asian - helping me look at new frames - when we sat down, we quickly eliminated my tray of possibilities (both of us leaning towards the same pair on me). My little "voice" kept nudging me "ask her, ask her". You know what I wanted to know! She's Filipina but, she spent 5 years in Korea while her husband was stationed there! Yes, she reads, writes, and speaks Korean!

And, her favorite Korean actor: Hyun Bin!!! She high-fived me!

I told her that I loved K-dramas, kimchi and bulgogi (she said that are no good Korean restaurants around here but there is one at a gas station - yeah, strange, but one of my colleagues had mentioned that place before because she always eats out). Then, we spoke about K-pop - we both agreed about Super Junior and Rain!! (another high-five!)

She is obviously closer to my daughter's ages but she thought that I was "cute". She said that she has never met a "white" person who likes K-dramas and K-pop - however, she told me there is a black girl that she works with who also loves K-dramas. She suggested that we form a club! I told her that I would love that - I actually got to speak a little Korean with her and she taught me some grammar basics. (along with a new phrase).

Anyway, she will text me when my glasses are ready for pick up. I know I don't have much longer here but maybe I can get the use of one of the rooms at the community center to use a big screen for a Korean movie night??? I haven't felt this excited since I spent that evening with my friends who work here.

Currently, I have two friends via Facebook who also love K-dramas and K-pop but they both live in California -  one is learning Chinese (she watches more Taiwanese dramas) and the other is Filipina (also trying to learn Korean). Oh, and one of my old college friends adopted Chinese daughters so he is raising them with a love for their culture and they are Girls' Generation fans - so he is familiar with some of the K-pop and sometimes shares song links with me - and listens to ones that I post.

So exciting to meet someone who wouldn't mind teaching me some more Korean! Thank you, God, for chance encounters! (God-incidences!).

Headaches and dreams

I awaken from sleep with a raging headache. This happens every now and then, particularly when the dreams seem exceedingly "real".

Who knows what triggers the images that appear in my dreams? I don't write my dreams down (my mother used to keep a dream journal) but so many of my dreams are like nightmares that I don't want them written down to re-hash (if they are particularly upsetting, then they will return). Yes, my mind does re-runs!

So, what was the focus last night/this morning? I was raising children - all children whom I knew and recognized but were not biologically mine. In my dream, my  biological children were all grown up (as they are) but I was raising some of their friends/boyfriends and an additional child who was supposedly one belonging to my husband. I even had a long conversation with her mother about how I was raising/teaching her (and her mother was one of his old girlfriends - from before we got married - and she was in total accord as to how I was raising her child).

I had deep conversations with several people throughout this dream - giving it a very "real" quality. I was checking homework for these children. Their ages weren't lining up with my children's - for example, one former boyfriend of one of my daughter's was younger than her in my dream and I was scolding him for his lack of concern about his grades - doing his work only half-way.

The images are still quite vivid and my head feels as though it is splitting. I am experiencing the tinnitus that accompanies some of my migraines. And, the priest, in his homily today in Mass, mentioned that he saw his old high school teacher who used to buy all kinds of things to help his students learn and thanked him for caring for all of them so much. He realized that his teacher (who was a Brother) didn't earn much of a salary. (That struck a chord!).

You will hear teachers speak all the time about "their" kids. There are students we never forget because of the concerns we had for them or because they were shining lights in our days but once we have taught a child that student will forever be one of "our" kids.

So, why were my babies their rightful ages in this crazy dream? Probably because they have grown up well. They are such beautiful people - shining in the Lord's grace - much better than I ever was or will be. Thank you God for taking my parenting mistakes and redeeming them all for such a beautiful legacy - even reminding me of that in my dreams!

Saturday mornings

After a difficult week at school, Saturday mornings are my time to "re-charge". After taking care of the dog, I spend my time sipping on coffee, scrolling through posts (praying for requests on my feed), and relaxing in my recliner.

Depending on the time of year, sports events may be on in the background. I love college football and basketball seasons! Not only do I enjoy watching and rooting for my teams but I truly enjoy the sports involved. For someone like me, the Olympics are always an exciting series of events that almost keep me glued to the TV.

This is also a time that I use for my own studies: whether it is through reading for knowledge, learning new vocabulary in a foreign language, or even just relaxing with a good novel. What do I study? Well, learning more about theology and apologetics, currently Korean studies and Spanish/Chilean dialect (youtube videos work well sometimes for both), new advances in science: particularly my field of biology but having to pay attention to chemistry and physics due to the courses that I am currently teaching.

Saturdays are also my time for mundane activities: I clean, do laundry, put things away, pay bills, and feel more like a normal person. The week is so focused on lessons, discipline, grading, paperwork, etc., that I don't feel as though I have any time to be "me". I appreciate mass on Sundays but regret that I have not found any nearby parishes with daily masses that I can attend or have adoration chapels where I feel comfortable going in the midst of the night.

Transition: I know that's where I am right now. This too shall pass. I am stuck in a couple of places at the moment. My journeys will continue - everything just hasn't fallen quite into place yet for me to plan specifics. Hopefully, soon.