3 years, 2 months and 11 days of prayer and waiting

I quit my job 8 months ago in November 2018. But behind the photos of me traveling and drinking and living my best life, what most people don't know is that I have been waiting and praying for my new job for 38 months... To be exact, it's been 3 years 2 months and 11 days...That's 1167 days. Here's where 38 months of prayer has led me.

counting the number of months...weeks... days.

Thank You to My Family For My 20s

I have mixed feelings about turning 30 this week. A bit anxious to enter a new decade... but also excited to be entering a new decade. It's weird because leaving your teens felt great, like you're finally going to be able to drink and enjoy the adult things. And then I did that for 10 years... and now there is 30.

What I'm Learning Through the Wait

I'm in my 7th month of (f)unemployment now... Which is CRAZY because time goes by SO fast when you're unemployed. Like you know when it's Friday and you're super excited that it's the weekend, and then all of a sudden you're sad because it's a Sunday and you're wondering where all the time went? Yes, that is exactly how I feel, except I don't get sad for Sundays since my life is a Friday, every day. Jealous? I know.

When every day is a weekend...

So what have I learned during these 7 months to myself as I wait for my next job??

What I learned from being a stay at home mom... except i'm single and not a mom.

One of the things I really looked forward to during (f)unemployment is spending time with my niece and nephews. It's crazy how fast kids grow up, and to only see them once or twice a year, for a week or two at a time... it factored into one of the reasons why I left my job. After all, when else would i have time to bond with them and cement myself as best aunt?? Not to mention, I was also on a time crunch because everyone knows that after 6 years old they stop being cute.

So after about 2+ months of hanging out with 2 nephews (age 1 and 3) and a niece (age 4), and all of their friend's kids, here's what I've PERSONALLY learned:

What Living in New York City Taught Me...

As I head out for my flight to Korea and really say goodbye to New York City (at least for now, unless I get a job here, then i'll be right back),  I can't believe that i've lived here for 4.5 years. It's actually the longest place I've lived in consecutively since  high school in Georgia. That's impressive given that it was never a city  I intended to move to. In fact, my sister lured me here with promises that it would be fun to live near family.... and it totally was until she told me a year later "we're moving to korea!" and then packed and moved in like 2 months, taking my niece away from me...

ANYWAYS.

As I spend my last 50 hours in the city that never sleeps and reflect back on how much i've stretched and grown, here are a few things the city taught me:

How Traveling Made Me Realize the Greatest Gift My Parents Gave Me...

My mom says I get all my bad traits from my dad 

There are many things I am so grateful to my parents for. For instance, every day, when I eat American food, I thank the LORD that He gave me Korean parents. Like hello... have you guys tried korean bbq? kimchee? soondubu jjigae (tofu soup)?? That's a combination of flavors that is unheard of in what I call "white" cuisine of meat and potatoes (no offense). Also, CNN just did a piece on Korean food.  And thanks to my parents, when I'm at a restaurant I never have to ask: "is this really spicy? Am i going to be okay?"

But the greatest gift they have given me (which I learned through traveling), and the thing that I am most thankful to them for is... * drum rollllll *

Cafe Tuin + Writing Postcards

Given the beauty of Amsterdam, I decided that today I'd walk around and get back into photography. Usually photography for me is mostly a summer time activity. That's because in the winter, by the time I get off work it's too dark to take photos. The weather also doesn't help because my poor fingers can't handle the cold and who really wants to be outside taking photos with the wind slapping against your face so hard that it makes your eyes teary?... Only super passionate photographers, that's who.