Korea - The Daejeon Chapter

My dad lived in Korea as a young man. It's common in our faith for young men and young women to devote 18-24 months of their lives sharing a message and a testimony that is near and dear to their hearts. I say "common" - but I sometimes discount how truly exceptional it is.

Decades later {I won't say how many, Dad :)}, my parents are back in this beautiful country. They've been asked to serve, or volunteer, for three years overseeing the missionary effort in this area. It's a sacrifice on a lot of levels - missing the birth of new grandson or precious time spent with aging parents - but one they are cheerfully and wholeheartedly engaged in.

It was such a treat to spend time with my sweetheart, my parents, my sister and her wonderful husband, and their sweet little guy in a place that has such a special meaning for our family. 

The time spent in and around Daejeon, their city, was priceless. It was so fun to catch a small glimpse of their lives there - hitting up their usual restaurants {the babe was a hit - I don't think we held him at all as he was passed from table to table}, morning walks with Mom around the town and nearby campus, and strolls through neighborhood alleys - Dad interacting with the little old ladies who graced their paths.

While Korea held a lot by way of new sites and adventures, an absolute highlight was experiencing a bit of their routine and meeting a few people with whom they frequently associate. And as Koryn put it, picturing where they are when we speak on the phone :).

{I adore this picture of my dad - great catch, Noah.}