해피 땡스 기빙 (spelling courtesy of Gon)

Happy Thanksgiving from Korea!

As I'm about to lay down my head after this Thanksgiving Day in Korea, the sun is beginning to shine in Iowa. Today was bittersweet as I was thankful to be able to celebrate this, one of my favorite, of holidays in Korea, but I was missing my family a lot. It's difficult to believe I won't be at Grandma Landers's house in a few hours to eat and eat and eat and then relax with the cousins drinking Dad's rootbeer, and stuffing our faces some more with Grandma's veggie-beef soup and dumplings. However, Chaz and I are SO thankful we have great friends, Randy and Charlei, who prepared an absolutely fantastic Thanksgiving feast for us. Turkey (prepared to perfection), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, mixed veggies, homemade biscuits, apple pie, pumpkin pie....it was fabulous! Best meal in Busan, fo sho! The company was also wonderful as we relaxed and watched television and chatted. Now I am properly stuffed and exhausted, the way it should be at Thanksgiving. We are also looking forward to celebrating the holiday with Kelly and some Korean friends this weekend, as well as with our new church family.

On this thankfulness-est of days, I am thankful for many things:
Living in Busan and fulfilling a dream of teaching overseas.
Being surrounded by mountains and ocean and so many other sights so unfamiliar to these midwestern girl's eyes.
Obnoxious middle school boys who fill my life with joy (and pain).
Great co-workers who do try to help me, even through a language barrier.
Excellent foreign friends who provide a precious link to sanity on those crazy days.
Understanding public transportation in a different language.
Friends back home. We miss you but are so thankful we get to talk to you!!
The support and love from our family back home. (Mom & Pops Schmidt, Papa Chuck, Mama Penny and Black Daddy, Ben, Sam, Apro, Bobert, Jon, Sounthone, Great Grandma, Grandma Irene, Grandma Landers, Grandma Betty, Grandpa Wilbur, and all them aunts and uncles and cousins)
The internet for making it possible to get said support and love.
Our nieces who, let's face it, rock the world.
Kat's help in those crucial, tough beginning moments in Korea.
Kelly, my 베프, for ALL of the great times in the past, and the new great memories we're making.
My husband, Chazlekins, who loves me more than I can even comprehend. Jesus-type of love. Selfless love.

I could go on and on and on because I am thankful for so much in my life, but I will only bore you. Instead, I'll leave you with a smile on this day. My students made Thanksgiving cards in my classes this week. I received a few, and here are two of my favs:

"Kate Teacher- You good teacher."

"English teacher- I am thankful for you because you are best."

"To Mrs. Kate- I am thankful for you because you taught me about interesting American cultures and traditional things. For example, Thanksgiving Day and Macy's Day parade. Also, you taught me presidential pardon, Black Friday. Most of all Black Friday was very interesting and funny. From Samuel."

And the best one:
"Kate Teacher- I am thankful for you because you are the best teacher in the world." (okay, i MIGHT have coerced that one)

Enjoy this beautiful day!