Let the Countdown Begin!!

Today marks our completion of 19 months in Korea. We have 5 more to go! This milestone comes at just the right time for us, too. Spring has sprung - slightly - here in Ansan. We have experienced temperatures around 45 throughout the week, but we still finish each night around freezing. That's okay! Freezing is warm after the winter we had. 

We are noticing new joy in Korea as we begin preparing for the next season the Lord will carry us into. I guess our eyes are refreshed and we can enjoy all of those things that first captivated us about a new culture and place. Even marriage is surprising us. I think we took a honeymoon from honeymooning at some point and found a routine. That routine is rejuvenating itself daily and giving us all kinds of laughter.

We have recently started walking/running together after work around a new track near our home. It feels good to get out of the house away from chores and have time to talk about our day. We've also been planning a weekly menu instead of going out to eat several times a week. When you live in the world's most frequent restaurant-attending country, that can be hard. Spring cleaning was successful and we've began packing winter clothes boxes to ship back to America. 

Out biggest update is...what is next...we are praying over where we go, how we serve, jobs, family, etc. We feel certain that God already has an amazing plan for us, but we also feel that we are going to have a season of discipline in trusting in his provision. We are going to ask you guys to pray along with us that we will be humble before the Lord and serve as he calls us to and not "how we would design it if we were God."

We are thinking about you guys daily...we are so excited to catch-up and spend quality time with you. We are really excited about meeting new nephews and nieces, new husbands and wives, weddings, family gatherings, etc. Oh man, and good food!

Prayer Requests

Living in the Kingdom now! 

Be patient, and wait on God

Trust in God for what comes next - all provision 

Blessings, 

D&A

World's most Amazing Momma!

 Happy Birthday Mom!

 Reasons my mom is so amazing:

Derek, Mom and I at the Royal Palace in Seoul, SK

She came to visit me in South Korea for TWO WEEKS! She cleaned my apartment everyday, washed my clothes, made ice cubes, walked miles back and forth to my school, met my future husband and said that "he is the one," hiked a mountain on her own, tried kimchi and gave me 2 solid weeks of mother-daughter time. It's great to know my mom as an adult and realize that I'm a lot like her!

Joshua, the oldest, and Kristin's wedding

 She is graceful and beautiful, without a lot of fuss. 

She is a southern belle so don't mess with her!

UGA Graduation - 2008

You can take the Tech fan to your graduation (from the rival school), but you can't take the Tech fan out of her for a day...she wore her school colors to my graduation ceremony! She also worked hard to give me an amazing DEBT-FREE college experience! I'm so thankful! Daily, I'm thankful to be free from student loans. I'm also thankful for the trips, the allowance, the car, the apartment (decorated to perfection thanks to her), the football tickets and the company she provided whenever I was sick or needed her.

Thanksgiving was always a hard holiday for us - our teams battled it out every year

She's loyal...and she's my mom. She's proud of me and she let's me know it. She's sweet, works hard and has taught me so many things that I'm learning about daily as a wife! 

Derek would say that she's pretty amazing! 

Happy Birthday Momma, 

Love you

Jam Session @ the Fekkes'

The best nights are nights spent together, worshiping God, having fun in the music room and enjoying the blessings of being married to your best friend. This is our Friday night jam session, piano lessons, guitar playing and singing to a GREAT and WONDERFUL God! 

Blessings

Our Asian Adventure Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Baby Caleb

Baby Caleb's crib...

Just like his dad, in love with Pooh!

Things I'm looking forward to

Things I'm looking forward to: (as described in a letter to Amanda D.)

• Meeting my nephew, Baby Caleb.
• Meeting my öther nephew or niece that is soon to be determined (YAY, another one!)
• Becoming an aunt and God-mom. I'm taking my aunt responsibility very seriously! 
• My brother's wedding! Oh man! 
• Family
• Friends
• Cheese, Mexican food
• Jimmy Johns, Chic-fil-a, refrigerated foods, organic milk, Ameri-cone Dream Ben & Jerrys, books, shopping clearance sales with the girls, MY CAR
• Fresh air
• Thanksgiving turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce.
• Hobby Lobby and craft stores
• BATH TUB
• My kitchenaid mixer...seriously...with an oven...seriously...
• Dating Derek in America
• English speaking doctors with real medical degrees with a functioning immune system
• bread that doesn't have sugar on it
• A separate shower and toilet
• A CLOSET!
• No Ajumas
• not missing any more weddings, showers, births, etc
• Being available by phone to my friends when they need it and being available in the country for girls weekends.
• Big dogs, grass, parks, trees, mountains, fewer cars, no pushing, no factories, no subway, no weird color of snot, no drunken taxi drivers, no freezing temperatures for 6 months, no hot plates, no construction work outside of my window.
• INSULATION so I can't hear my neighbors whispering! 
• A good home church
• Rain that I can walk in instead of acid that makes my hair fall out
• My mom, mother-in-law and step-mom
• a good haircut, a clothes dryer! GOOD TOOTHPASTE
• Being a better wife to Derek in the ways that I learned how from  my mom, grandmother and great-great grandmother. 

The list goes on...that is just what came to my mind with students screaming in my classroom during lunchtime.

Marriage, Ministry and Mistakes

Hey friends and family. We want to share this amazing sermon with you from Mars Hill Church in Seattle. Anlee struggles with Mark Driscoll's preaching at times, but Derek receives a lot of spiritual authority from Mark. Together, we really value this sermon. If you are married, check this out. If you are married and in ministry, YOU NEED to listen to this.

Blessings,

D&A

Daydreaming

If you have ever lived in Asia, then you know what it's like to long, deeply, daily, desperately for a bathtub! When I was younger, my parents would find me asleep in the tub. In middle school, I would take books and bubbles to the bathroom and float and read until I was a raisin. In high school, I unwound each day of cheerleading, running, soccer, and basketball, drama and "self-reflection" in my special place - the tub. If you have lived with a bunch of guys, you know that the tub is not always the "cleanest" place. Having four brothers, our tub was a haven for all things nasty. So, daily, I would scrub the tub and take a break from life. The kitchen is the heart of the home, but the bathroom is my sanctuary! It's the only place to escape a large family, friends, the phone, chores, pets, etc. It's also my desert. It's my time to just be in a quiet place and talk to God. I'm so hungry for a tub!While D and I were on our honeymoon, I took a much needed bath in a too small tub...but, oh how amazing!

Similar to ours now

Now, I'm daydreaming of a tub. I should be preparing lesson plans, but all I can think about is a tub, tub, tub! You would to if you had this bathroom everyday! Showering on top of your toilet is not the most relaxing. Having to use half water pressure to keep the water hot isn't great either. Oh to have these amazing tubs right now! (Derek, I don't want a big house or expensive things, but I want a tub for a QUEEN!)

dreaming...claw foot tub with rustic charm

claw foot with windows and nature pouring in...breeze

light, windows, tranquility, hardwood floors...salivating

oh man...everything I want in a bathroom!

Notice I haven't picked a shower! Who needs one when you have a tub!

Hurting for Japan

Our hearts are broken. It hurts watching the news, hearing the stories, seeing the images...knowing that peoples lives have been lost, families are homeless and hungry...we want to help...World Vision has set-up a relief fund. Check it out.

March Madness

WA vs GA!!!

Let the MADNESS begin! This year, our marriage will be tested! Who will win? Washington or Georgia! Since there are ZERO Washington jerseys currently in our household, and neither of us are alumni of WA...it's safe to say that Derek can't actually root for WA. What is safe is wearing all of our UGA sportswear to cheer on Georgia...if this happens then Anlee will joyfully cheer on Belmont - Derek's actual Alma Mata!

So, CHEERS to UGA and Belmont for making it into the bracket! Bring on the madness!

New Purchases!

Two new iTunes purchases are making our ears happy! We bought Gungor's new CD and Tenth Avenue North's new one, too. We are really lovin' Gungor. Real lyrics about a real relationship with Christ. Check it out!

Blood Types

Each week I teach 2 adult classes; one for my General Teachers, another for my English Teachers. Today, I was teaching my General Teachers class. I have a day planner that is in Korean. I asked the teachers to translate the Korean words. They began to explain "name, address, telephone number, blood type"...BLOOD TYPE!  Really, is that necessary? Do I really need to know all of my contacts blood type? 

They explained to me that it is very important to know someone's blood type. In case of an emergency? NO! Here in Korea, blood type explains a lot about a person. Here's the breakdown:

A: Generous, closed-minded/narrow-minded.

B: Cheerful, kind, sensitive, moody

AB: Genius or a fool

O+/-: open-hearted, very good

I'm just going to throw it out there that I am O-!