wow, today was the longest day... it's the first time i've been home since 11 this morning and it's almost 2 in the morning now. wow. i had 11-7 work, then proceeded to go straight to the airport to drop my dad off, then dropped off my sis at northgate for a review session, gorged myself with sewon, picked up my sis and her friends, dropped them off, then headed to dennys to study. *sigh*

anyways... my appa left today. =[ he was up here for the past couple days visiting me and my sister after a conference he had up in san jose. gosh~ my appa is so darn cute. it was really great getting to spend time with him and talking and laughing with him. i am really really sad that he left. *sigh* everything always seems better with a guy around. i felt safe and protected when he was here. i love how your family can make you feel like that, that despite all the burdensome crap going on, you return home to love and acceptance and all your worries seem to melt away and you can just soak up the love. my relationship with my dad definitely strengthened once i came to college. "so much of what we know of love is learnt at home" there's always been the fact that the korean culture is stoic in expressing emotions, especially among older generations, and when i was younger, i often struggled with that lack of expression of love. i remember i'd hear of families going on dates and trips together and i'd be amazed and would question and doubt the extent of my parents' love for me. repulsive, i know. luckily i've smartened up a bit and have grown to appreciate the simple things that my parents do to show their love. large extravagant things are always nice but the small thoughtful gestures are what are cherished closer to the heart. the daily quick phone calls, the random emails in Korean, the encouraging words... all incredibly touching indicators of the extent of my parents' love. but by far the greatest proof of their love is their tremendous encouragement in my spiritual walk. kevin came by one day and saw the "daily bread" on my desk, a daily devotional my dad sends me to do my qts with. and then i told kevin how i've been receiving them since freshmen year and in the beginning my parents would tape a lil note on the front reminding me to please read the daily bread everyday. kevin told me how cute that was and when he said that i was privately rebuked by this memory. i realize how often i take my parents for granted. it's amazing that my parents would provide me devotionals from which i can grow by. there are so many others i know who are struggling because members of their families aren't Christians. and here are my parents... both so strong in their faith and unabashedly showing their love for Christ to me, to encourage me to grow in Him.

i am truly blessed.