runlikejoy

Displaced Stay At Home Californian in rural N. Carolina

The Many Faces of Joy

The Many Faces of Joy

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Kimchi Soup

Before my good friend Mi-Ae moved back to South Korea with her family I made her cook every delicious Korean food she could and then I made her teach me how to make them.  Then I tried two hundred cook books and online recipes and youtube videos until I perfected some of my favorite Korean dishes.  One of those dishes is Kimchi Jigae or as my kids like to call it Kimchi Soup.

I'll be honest - it doesn't look like much but it is delicious and hearty and hot and savory and it warms my belly and my kids will eat it.  Seriously, they were begging for bowls of it tonight and I don't know a lot of kids that will eat this stuff voluntarily.

Here's what I put in mine:

-sour kimchi
-cubed tofu
-sliced jalapenos
-canned tuna (or fish sauce if you don't have tuna)
-sesame oil
-salt
-water
-cooked sweet potato starch noodles (cut them some)
-mushrooms (any kind besides canned)
-soup soy sauce

And put it in a stone pot and cook it until it bubbles.  Don't over cook it or the cooked noodles will become gummy.  But the stone pot is great because as you eat it it continues to bubble and it stays hot.  Take another bowl and put steamed short or medium grain rice in it and eat together.  Put a little rice in a soup spoon and dip into the soup and eat.  Delicious.  Spicy.  Savory.  Slurp.

Friday, April 24, 2015

"I am From"

At the beginning of the school year the 5th grade teacher had each child write something about themselves to post on their lockers at school.  Here is what my 5th grader wrote:

I am From

I am from balls of yarn, from arts and crafts and a nice warm bed to sleep in.
I am from the peaceful streets, kindly made houses and stray cats . . . it sounded like home.
I am from the peppers and the tomatoes, growing in mother's garden.
I am from the Christmas dinners and family game nights, from Gabe and Joy and Fiona.
I am from the early birds and the good grades, from "practice makes perfect" and "always do your best".
I am from "believe what you want to believe in" and "Stop Fighting You Two"!
I am from Cupertino, California, Korean BBQ and Thanksgiving turkeys, from the grumpy old cat with the run over leg, the cute little puppy.
I am from Valley View Lane, North Carolina, Andrews Store Road.

-Chloe McKeon

Every time I read it, it gets me, it makes me want to cry, it makes my heart explode.  I knew i was gonna love my kids but no one ever explained how much.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Hello!

It was spring break 2015 here and so we went on a little road trip with some friends of ours.  Besides visiting South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas we got see family, cousins, old friends, new friends and taste all off the fine fast food options between our state and the great state of Texas.  It is pretty grim in case you were wondering.  We did find the Waffle House and for those of you that haven't been to one, they serve a pretty awesome waffle and they know what "easy over" means.

Since I've been on the road and not in front of a computer for many days I haven't taken the time to write or even to think about writing.  But I did get to spend a lot of time with my kids and it just reinforced in my mind and heart that they are some pretty great kids.  And going back to work 3 days a week only solidifies that getting to spend 14 days with said kids is a super treat for me and hopefully for them.

They are growing up and they are getting big and I feel like time is slipping through my fingers.  Someday soon I will wake up and be twice my age and my kids will be gone and we will only connect through phone calls and visits.   I really relished every minute with them including the bickering and snotty ones because that is what I love.  And I also realized that I am a lucky girl to get to share these kids with a pretty amazing man.  Can't do without him either.