Two Parties!

In April we were blessed with many celebrations! Not too sure if our tummies quite need all of the goodies associated with parties, but...
Never mind =D

Apart from the most important day in April, which happens to be April 6, there were a couple other wonderful days as well!! ;-)

Earlier in April, Janet had a birthday, so we got a lovely roast meal that night! Mmmm-mm!!!

Beautiful Janet :-) She looked amazing on her birthday night!!

Birthday prayers - Toma and Janet

And then, just five days later, baby Andrew turned 100 days!!!! A Korean tradition is to celebrate every baby's 100th day. This is a really huge, important celebration in Korea. After the war, it was common for babies to die very soon after they were born - before they'd lived for 100 days. So babies weren't seen as really being born until they were alive and well at around 100 days... Therefore this tradition began! I really love it!
So we had a 100th Day Party for Andrew Jeon!!

This is NOT little Andrew - just another cutie ;-)

Speeches and prayers 

I LOVE the set-up of this special table! They are so creative!!

This is THE most beautiful family EVER!!! Jigeon, Amy and baby Andrew

Jigeon and Amy are SO beautiful!!!! I love them! I haven't spent much time with them or talked to them a lot, but they are two of the friendliest, smiliest [is that a word?!] people here at YWAM Canberra... And they happen to have two ADORABLE kids. Seriously. My heart MELTS every single time I see baby Andrew and his big brother Noah. The CUTEST kids!! Noah always waves "bye-bye" to me, now gives me hi-fives, and screams / giggles so loudly when I play peek-a-boo with him =D  AHHH!!!!! Love them! Shall I stop raving over these poor children?! ;-)

:-) 

~Rachel

Anzac Day 2012

This week on Wednesday April 25 was the 97th anniversary of the ANZAC landing in Gallipoli.

{ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.}

ANZAC Day is a time to "remember with gratitude the men and women who have given, and are still giving, in our Armed and Supporting Services, all that is theirs to give, in order that the world may be a nobler place in which to live. And with them, we remember those left behind to bear the sorrow of their loss." -The ANZAC Dedication

I woke up at 3:40am on Wednesday morning, to go to the Dawn Service at the War Memorial here in Canberra. Ben kindly drove Christine, Sun, Julia, Janet and I there. It was really lovely to spend a few hours with them all - even though it was an unearthly hour! And FREEEEEEZING COLD.

Besides the point :-)

4:27am - walking to the service

[just to give you a taste of how RIDICULOUSLY EARLY we were up]

4:28am

4:39am - we found our seats!

Sun and Julia... they came prepared with blankets! Smart girls!

4:47am - the army men and women gathering together

5:24am

5:11am

5:24am - panoramic view: From our left...

...straight in front of us... 

...and to our right.

5:27am - they turned the floodlights off before the service began! Pitch-black!

5:41am - the service started around 5:30am

5:50am - see the glimpse of light behind the hill?!?! =P

5:53am

6:05am - the Australian and New Zealand flags. And a nice good look at that glorious almost-light ;-)

6:12am - The Australian War Memorial

Remembering.

"An unknown Australian soldier killed in the war of 1914-1918"

The guards around this monument...

...they stand AMAZINGLY still...

...and I even got to see the guard change-over!

 

Some cool statue :-)

Christine and I - so lovely to spend time with this beautiful lady!

Christine, me and Janet - yes, VERY rugged up!

Ben :-)

Looking from the War Memorial, straight down Anzac Drive, to Parliament House

Me, Sun, Ben, Janet, Julia and Christine

BEFORE the service:

4:27am - walking to the service

AFTER the service:

6.45am - walking back to the car
Notice the difference?! =P

BEFORE the service:

4:28am

AFTER the service:

6:46am

Aside from the early hour and crazy-freezingness of the morning, I am so glad that I made the effort to get up and go. It was cool to be at the service in Australia's capital, at the War Memorial, with hundreds of other people, including those currently serving in our armed forces.

What did you do for ANZAC Day 2012?

~Rachel