As my mom was having many health problems I began to reflect on my life with my mom. She was a wonderful mom to me. I didn't realize until I am a mom how much I loved coming home from school and finding her at home, usually asking me about school and offering me a delicious snack. Nights when my dad would be on-call or at a meeting, I used to love how my mom would make my favorite snacks and meals. We would watch Love Boat, Dukes of Hazzard, Fantasy Island or one of those 80s shows while having the snack. One of my fondest memories is eating kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake) and rice. So much carbs but so yummy! Or she would use a wooden spoon, put some brown sugar on it, put it over the stove, and watch the sugar melt. It would harden and then eat it. Oh it was delicious!!!
She was always a busy body. My mom was so strong she used to play 2 rounds of golf almost everyday. When my dad would finish seeing his last patient he would catch up to my mom for golf. She got a hole-in-one, won 1st place in the Women's Tournament. Prior she would win tennis matches after tennis matches. I could never beat her in high school or college. She was like the energizer bunny! The other doctor's wives whom she would play tennis or golf with would be so mad at her. But they loved having her as a partner. Where did she have that kind of a drive and determination?
My mom loves the Lord. I remember how my mom has always had a "quiet time room" where she would be in there daily spending time with the Lord. I love to look through her very old bible that she has had forever. It was the old Korean bible where you read it from left to right, up and down. I remember she would let me read it too though I had no idea what it said. But thought it was the coolest and a very "retro" bible!
As I was baking the birthday cake I couldn't help but to think about my mom and all that she has done for me. She truly has put others before herself and has always been a care-taker all of her life.
I remember vividly growing up in Maryland and there would be church friends who really needed physical care. My parents would have those people live with us where my mom would pretty much take care of them by feeding them, listening, and just loving them to get better both physically and emotionally. How draining that must have been, but she never said NO. I bet she wanted to because it is exhausting! I can't even imagine. But our home would always have people in need. There were times when she would be cooking up a storm to feed 15-30 people almost on a weekly or monthly basis where she would make home-made noodles, home-made tofu, bbq, dumplings, etc...you name it and she was cooking away. I used to watch and complain at why our house was always so busy with people. But now as a mom and a wife, I see that she did all that because she loved my dad, she loved the Lord, and knew this was a hospitality that she needed to do.
Oh I could go on and on...but I have to leave some stuff for NEXT YEAR's dedication to my mom's birthday right? So enjoy just few pictures to capture her birthday celebration.
I LOVE YOU, um-mah!!!!
Emily had a very full day on Thursdays. And on this day she just finished art class, came home, and the celebration begun. We went to Native Foods where my mom wanted to try some delicious vegan food. She ordered a Hale Kale Bowl and really enjoyed it. We came home and I served my homemade upside pineapple cake. I wanted to bake a cake that I knew would be healthier than just buying a cake from a bakery.
Happy Birthday to my mom. May you continue to get stronger and healthier. I love you!
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| 3 Generations |
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| Big kisses |
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| Reading the card |
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| Upside down Pineapple cake. |
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| Emily smiles to wish grandma a happy birthday |
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