Everyday Life - Week 17

This has been an extremely exciting week for us! Eugene got into a pharmacy school in LA so we've been in quite a jumble since then. Researching housing options, train schedules, jobs in LA hospitals for me, etc. We had spent extensive time preparing for his fall semester at Western University, but the tables have turned and its a whole new ball game now. It's exciting and scary at the same time, and to be honest there is ALOT of uncertainty ahead of us but we're excited to see how the Lord will continue to guide our paths for these next 4 years. We've definitely been alot more prayerful as a couple as we so desperately long for God to give us the wisdom we need to make the right decisions. It's been a challenge but a sobering one so we're still praising. :) God is so gracious.

Anyway, enough gibber gabber for now. Here's what last week looked like:

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I was in a huge breakfast making mode last week.

Tortillas were on sale at Ralphs so we stocked up on 2 big bags. They were sitting in the pantry unused so I had to get creative! 

Who doesn't like Breakfast Burritos?

The sun rarely hits our side of the building but this evening our living room was kissed by the sunset.

It was sweet :)

One of my favorite dinners to prepare inspired by one of my favorite sisters, Tina. :) 

My smiley guest :) We both had major food coma after..

I'm seriously such a sucker for sales. Thank goodness Eugene approved!

Nothing beats a simple breakfast after a long night shift. Strawberries are my fave!

More breakfast making. I'm still practicing my over-easy eggs skillz. This one is my greatest masterpiece so far!

My daily trip to Starbucks. Enjoying the simple things in life -- like people's leftover newspapers that they leave for others to enjoy. 

Mid-week lunch date with my sister. $5.99 for a chicken lunch combo. Sweet deal :)

Kalguksu dinner. I'm trying to sharpen my korean food making skills. So fun! 

We drove to LA a few times this week so I got to spend alot of time listening to Eugene's music. Apparently he listens to gangsta beats when he works out. (That's right, I said it, "gangsta beats"..)

I seriously love weddings! Especially when its a celebration of Christ and his covenant love with the church. Congrats David & Sarah! David was in small group with Eugene when he started dating Sarah so this was a special wedding for us. :)

Leave it to me and Eugene to eat the party favors before the meal. and prayer. Oops!

Give thanks: days off to spend with Eugene. honesty and confrontation, learning to receive correction with humility, the fact that God is sovereign over our sanctification as well as our justification, california rolls for dinner, prayer, anticipation for summer, recipe ideas on pinterest

Baby Brock

Today I spent the afternoon with Melody and Baby Brock.

Melody is my coworker (and friend!) who's currently on mommy leave right now.  She had baby Brock only 3 weeks ago and she is totally rockin' ;) It was sweet being able to spend the afternoon with her and hear about her pregnancy and the many challenges she overcame during these last few months. I was so glad to see her and finally meet her handsome little boy.

I'm always so fascinated by the miraculous blessing of pregnancy and motherhood. 

How amazing it is that a life of another  can be created within you!

 

Girls like Melody are reasons I really enjoy going to work. I have some of the best co-workers in the world! We miss her over on 3E, but I'm glad she's able to get mommy/baby bonding time during these precious first months of Brock's life. 

Love you, Mel! Thanks for letting me share the cuteness of Brock with everyone. :)

Give thanks: the beauty of life and the fact that we can have it abundantly in Christ, downloadable sermons that can be burned onto CD's, days off to spend at home, home-baked cookies.

Everyday Life - Week 15 & 16

Sorry for the late post. After our trip to the East Coast, it's been busy cleaning and I just got off my first stretch of work. This is what the last two weeks looked like: (minus our trip pictures)

Satisfying our boba crave. His & Hers. :)

My first Chobani experience. I fell in love!

I love Mexican nights. :) 

My little future pharmacist sorting our vitamins haha :)

Banana Orange Cucumber smoothie. I tried adding cucumber to give it a kick of freshness but don't ever do it....

Making my first bundt cake! It was so fun!

A dash of tenderness!

Going in the oven!

Success! but must learn how to make thicker frosting. :)

The rest of the week's pictures are in my philadelphia album. Pictures soon!

Sleepy time for me!

Meal Planning 101: Pre-Cooked Meals

Ever wonder what it would look like to cook four dinners at a time?

It looks a little bit like this:

and this...

and it produces this:

and also leads to this:

(Thank goodness for the dishwasher!)

After a very long and restful break, I'm going back to work in full throttle this weekend. (Four night shifts in a row, baby!) My meal planning techniques thus far have resulted in a less than 25% success rate so I'm trying a new tactic this week! Instead of planning which meals I'm going to frantically cook in record time speed before going to work, I decided to try cooking the meals beforehand and storing it in the fridge. Easy to serve and more time to spend (for me) before my night shifts reading, praying, etc. Sweet deal :)

I also learned this trash collecting technique from my sister K who learned it from Rachel ray, and its pretty genius. Cooking can get pretty messy. Jars and sauce bottles with lost lids, unwanted vegetable peels and scraps, eggshells, empty cans.. I've found the most effective way to keep your work station clean is to have some sort of bowl or bag nearby to throw your trash away as you go.

Seems pretty obvious but it was a life-changer for me. Still learning! Baby steps, people, baby steps!

Eugene and I have been pretty busy lately as we're anticipating many changes to come our way in the next few months or so. We also just got back from a trip to the East Coast so we're still in unpacking, adjusting to real life again mode. Two days of cleaning and five loads of laundry later, I'm still working on it. Update soon!

Give thanks: sturdy tupperware, learning more about ISO, appeture and shutterspeed on my camera (pretty complicated), celebrations, mint.com, fellowship with sisters, opportunities to serve, Jesus - my Perfect Example of humble servanthood, iced tea, comfort and peace in the midst of much change, anticipation and excitement for my long streak of night shifts

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.                                               Philippians 4:4-7

Happy Birthday Esther!

Esther is one of my closest friend.

For the last few years, she's been my other half (almost literally). We're opposite in a lot of ways-- for example, I've got all the sensitive genes (enough for both of us and then some..), and she's got all the atheletic, sporty genes. 

Our story actually began in 7th grade, when we got in trouble at the same time during our history class. I remember we had to both stay after class to write an essay to explain our "inappropriate behavior." We rarely exchanged words after that event until we met again in college to be friends forever! I guess we were bound to be friends from the beginning. In college, she became my partner in crime (and craziness) and she stood beside me on my wedding day as my maid of honor. The girl who would never wear anything pink wore a baby pink flowery dress for my wedding. That's true friendship in my book. :)

Anyone who knows Esther on a personal level knows that she is faithful, responsible and super, super disciplined. She serves very quietly behind-the-scenes and never hesitates to meet any need if she's aware of it. She's one of the busiest people I know (works full time and in grad school... so hardcore), but she makes time to serve at church, meet up with sisters, play soccer (for TWO different teams) and even grabs lunch with me during her breaks.  I really love birthdays because it gives me occasion to celebrate and praise God for the wonderful people I have been blessed with in my life. God has been so faithful in growing Esther into the beautiful girl that she is today and I know He will only continue to work mightily in and through her as the years go by. 

Even though we don't see each other as often as we used to or go out and act crazy all the time like we did in college, my love and appreciation for her never fades. She's the even-though-we-haven't-seen-each-other-in-6-months-lets-just-catch-up-from-where-we-left-off type of friend, which is what I love about our friendship. Can't wait for all God has in store for us!

Cheers to another victorious year of learning, growing, and hugging (from me, at least).

Here are some shots from our birthday brunch last Sunday.

Eggs Benedict and Dungeness Crab Omelet @ Plum's Cafe.

Happy Birthday Esther!

You are loved!

Two random facts about Esther

1) Esther loves the color orange (and always has!) I remember she always wore these long orange longsleeves in middle school.

2) Her most used phrases to me are :

"uhhhhhh.. you're weird."

"fail."

"rude."

I love you Esther!

Give thanks: my friendship with Esther, God's sovereignty over all things, coffee ice- cream, my 10-day vacation starting today (woo-hoo!)

Everyday Life - Week 14

Happy Easter Sunday everybody!

Today I praise God for Christ. 

This Sunday's sermon really left me overwhelmed in awe of and appreciation for the grace we have been shown in the gospel. How awesome it is that even when we were helplessly depraved in our sins, that God, in His mercy, chose to send His Son to save and restore us to Himself. How awesome it is that in Christ's resurrection, we too have the hope of new life. 

Thank you God for your grace and mercy toward us!

Thank you, Jesus for being our Ultimate Substitute, our High Priest, our Almighty Savior!

My prayer is that I will never cease to live a life of praise. Although Christ's resurrection happened 2000 some years ago, we can live in the power of that resurrection in our every day Christian lives. What immeasurable greatness of his power towards us who believe! 

Praising God for yesterday, today and tomorrow. This is what this week looked like:

Quick tea date with a sister. Fell in LOVE with Jasmine green tea this day.

Looks like a month's worth of groceries. Thank goodness produce is so cheap in the asian market. Half of the veggies have already been eaten up. Lots of veggie-eating in the Tseng Household!

Cleaning day. Thankful for my servant-hearted husband who serves despite his unappreciative, grumbly-at-times wife.

Thanks Eugene.. you're the best!

Katsu dinner day with some hot, steamy rice (you can see the steam in action!) Never making chicken katsu when I don't have panko crumbs again.. never substitute panko breadcrumbs with flour, unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. No crunch, no fun!

My disheveled wife day.

I made a ruckus in the kitchen and ended up melting a part of my cutting board. So sad! but it still works ;)

Had a few weekdays off this week, which is my fave! Got to squeeze in some time to read and enjoy a home-made strawberry milkshake. So bad for you but so good. :) 

One of my favorite meals to eat at home. So simple but so good (and sort of healthy...) Substituting lettuce wraps for rice paper automatically makes it a healthy meal, right?

Crazy work weeks = no lunch breaks = eating "lunch" in the car. Delicious :)

I swear ice cream is my greatest weakness..

More skipped lunches.

Because my work week was so crazy this week, I was usually stuck in bed like a dead rock for the majority of my day after work. Tried to be productive even though I was stuck in bed with this room set-up. 

Lastly, I'll leave you with this! Hope this passage blesses you the same way it blessed me this morning!

Have a victorious week everybody..

*****

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.  

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.  

 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1 

Fish-eating, hair-cutting, thrift-shopping kind of day

Today was an ordinary day off.  I must say-- despite how crazy and tiring 12-hour nights shifts are, I'm so thankful that I get days off! (Even if half of the day is spent catching up on sleep and fighting off hangover-like headaches with hot tea and soft music). Days like today allow me to catch up on chores, plan meals, go grocery shopping and enjoy a nice cup of coffee with a book. It's lovely!

Today we had fish for lunch. A very herby, lemoned-up piece of fish and a huge side of veggies. 

We also decided to cut hair. Half because we were bored and half because Kat has really long horse hair that grosses me out sometimes. :) She obliged and we snipped, snipped, snipped as we both awkwardly stood above the toilet to avoid making too much of a mess! 

 I guess she likes it..

We also went thrifting today! Since Eugene will be starting school later this year, we'll be living off of one salary so I figure-- it's time to get money smart! Thrifting will be one of many ways I can save some moo-lah..  I was always curious what "thrifting" would be like, so we decided to give it a shot! It was my first time.. and it was kind of like a dream come true! I've never been a huge fan of spending lots of money on clothes, so you'd usually find me hovering over the clearance sections and "Sale" racks. I'm usually pretty good at scoring good deals, but it usually takes a lot of time and a lot of searching.

A thrift store is full of clothes that people don't want anymore, and the saying "one man's trash is another's treasure" could not be more true! When I first walked through Plato's Closet, I browsed around at the hundreds of shirts ranging from $3-$8 dollars and I felt myself bubbling with excitement inside! A store where EVERYTHING is on sale? It can't be true!!

I scored these three shirts and a new pair of earrings for all under $20.  I felt like a winner! We left with a bag full of (kind of) new clothes like champions. I call that a successful first trip!

This week is also passion week, which has given me ample opportunity to reflect about my Savior and the sacrifice He made to give me my salvation. I'm still reading through the Easter book I started last month, and it's been a huge blessing! Here's an excerpt from one of the chapters: 

"The bible teaches us that when Jesus Christ took our sin, he took all of the punishment that goes with that sin.  A part of that punishment is shame. Had Jesus defended himself and protested his innocence, he would have suffered no shame, and that would have left us guilty. 

Jesus could not prove himself innocent and then die in our place the shameful death that we deserve. Thank God that Jesus was willing to be counted a sinner before God, that we might be counted as righteous before God!

Jesus held back any words that would have relieved him from the shame and blame of sin. He was not a sinner, but he took fully the sinner's place. If Jesus had risen up in his own defense during his trials, I believe that he would have been so powerful and irrefutable in making his defense that no governor, high priest or other legal authority on earth could have stood against him!

In other words, if Jesus had taken up his own defense with the intention of refuting his accusers and proving his innocence, he would have won! But we would have lost, and we would be lost for all eternity.

They accused Jesus of blasphemy, lying, sedition and many other things, but the Savior answered not a word. This is the amazing silence of the Lamb."  

                       _ Silence of the Lamb, Adrian Rogers