Share Ha-Ja: Happy Birthday to Me!!!! I'm 42 today!

Happy Birthday to me, Happy birthday to me, thank you, Lord, for loving me and letting me have more time with my family and friends. Each year I feel like I understand what is so important in life. And most importantly knowing who gave me the opportunity and the gift to have this wonderful life. As someone quoted one time, "You need to be TESTED to have a TESTIMONY"!

Being tested stinks. Who likes to be tested and going through trials...but in the end I understand that is how GOD shows and molds us into the ESTHER HE WANTED TO CREATE. I can't imagine having any other parents because GOD knew the perfect mom and dad for me. I was a piece of a puzzle for their lives. And I love them so much for that. And through my mom and dad, I can see what traits I have that is from my mom and which traits are from my dad. Oh I've given my mom and dad so much headaches especially as a teenager, but through all of those TESTS I have become the person I am today. Much more wiser and less nieve and I am glad I went through it and survived it too!!!!

Do you know that today is also a very special day for my parents too? You see on February 17, 1975 my parents decided to move to United States. Yes. My loving dad said let's do it on my birthday so that I can have 2 birthday celebrations - one in Korea and one in USA. And we said good-bye to Korea the day after I had my piano competition and celebrated my birthday to Los Angeles, California where we lived with my aunt and uncle. I forgot that I went to kindergarten in LA!

My dad and that was me!

Day of my piano competition before moving to USA.

I was 5 years old. Happy after my piano competition.

GOD also prepared my soulmate, partner for life for me too. When I look back at the prayer note I had in my bible of what characteristics I would love to have in my soulmate, GOD truly read it and blessed me with David. Oh how grateful, thankful, and joyful I am for him. God knew that I needed a gentle, caring, and kind man to be my best friend, husband, my pal, my dude, and an amazing dad for Emily just like my dad has been to me.

And then to bless us with a little angel on New Years Day 2002? There's not much to say or put into words for Emily except to say THANK YOU, LORD, for giving us this perfect and awesome little girl who is created with the DNA from David and myself and genes from the Kim and Oh clan. We hope and pray that as she grows up she will truly be thankful and grateful for knowing the Lord and knowing that HE is always present to listen, love, and comfort her. Emily fulfills us and GOD knows that too. She is truly a bundle of joy and I just love watching her grow up and seeing how GOD is molding her into the Emily HE has planned for her life. I am excited to see that...

It's 8:28 AM on Thursday morning. David is at work; Emily is at school. I am loving this quiet time to just write and be thankful for life.

Maybe turning 42 is making me a wiser person. Maybe I am growing up now. Either case, happy birthday to ME and I am so thankful for the gift of life. And on February 17, 1969 God gave my mom and dad the most awesome present!!!! ME!!!! :)

And that is why birthdays are to be celebrated!! I woke up with so many friends from childhood and up wishing me happy birthday on Facebook, via phone calls, and text and emails. Oh I am feeling so happy.
I am just like my dad when it comes to celebration. I love it and I embrace it all!!!!