Christmas

I wrote this Christmas letter for my family and it's a pretty good recap of my year. Merry Christmas.

2012 shall forever been known as the year of change, understanding, and self discovery for the Kim's. Every year it seems like we look back and say "What a crazy year" but holy Regis Philban, this has been a year. Usually this is the time to brag and state random facts about each member of the family, but really how many of you care about my high school schedule? So the plan for this letter is to share with you our experiences so that you can learn from them as we have.

Overall the year had been going smooth I had finished my sophomore year and was on to summer swim team. Nothing major happened because we are the Kim's and wild stories tend to evade us. Everyday I woke up, went to swim practice, came home waited for my parents to walk in the door after work. Now it's funny because most of you probably didn't even take notice of the fact that my parents both walked in the door. The reason you did not notice is because a simple detail such as walking is usually forgotten about. We tend to overlook the routine, we come to expect it.

Lesson number one : appreciate the routine, the ability to walk and to be alive is a gift and should not be forgotten about.

Everyday was routine, swim team was coming to an end and league finals were the last event of the season. The first day of finals my mom and I loaded up the car and drove to Winfield. I swam my first two events and was sitting in the tent waiting for my last event of the day. If at this moment my mom decided to go put our things in the car, or if she decided to go get something to eat, or checked twitter for a minute out stories would be different, we would be different people our Christmas card would probably mention our dogs successful eating habits. But that's not how our stories goes anymore. That day I witnessed my mother get crushed by a tree, I didn't know if she was alive actually I was almost are she wasn't. All I knew was that my mom was there and then she was gone, and I missed everything she did. I missed her habitual worry, and questioning, I missed everything good and aggravating about my mom.

Lesson number 2 : you never know that you will live to see the end if the day, or live to see those you love. Cherish everything and every second you have with the people in your life, and tell those you love that you love them every chance you get.

Next thing I knew we were in the hospital, The Paula was in surgery, and I was in a room full of family and family that's not blood related (I think they're called friends?)

Lesson number three: friendships are what get you through the hard times. Appreciate them and be there for them whenever you can.

Next we learned how severe The Paula's injuries were and began to see the long road to recovery. After days in the hospital and a surgery or two we moved to a rehab hospital where The Paula learned how to get into a car, and use a wheel chair. But 5 months since here we are. The Paula has gone through a wheel chair, crutches, a cane, and now has even ventured out with no assistance except my dad's hand. And we are almost back to normal.

Life is crazy and impossible without love. I couldn't imagine making it through this year without the love from our friends and family, the love from all of you. This year has been a crazy one so take a second to breath and appreciate everyone and everything in your life.

Live from New York
Meow and out

- Justin