HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I hope you all were able to spend some time with loved ones over the holidays and I wish all of you the very best for 2016.  Last week I was quite busy, and continue to be so, with the recent events in North Korea.  I know you have seen updates on U.S. and ROK diplomatic and military actions, but you can click here for more information: http://goo.gl/kQW7Sp.  I was also so saddened by the passing of a long-time friend of Korea, Ambassador Stephen Bosworth.  My sincere condolences to the Bosworth family.

This January is an important time for our family as it will be Sejun’s first birthday.  I am very excited to celebrate this special moment in his life with family and friends in the Korean style!  I cannot believe it has been almost a year since I blogged about Sejun’s birth (link: http://lippertsinkorea.blogspot.com/2015/01/sejuns-arrival.html). 


As so many of you have been such wonderful online friends, I wanted to share this special event and invite a few of my blog readers, Twitter followers, and Facebook friends to Sejun’s first birthday party.  In order to select those who can attend (sorry, we can’t invite you all!), we are requesting that you predict what Sejun will grab by submitting an answer to the question: “What do you think Sejun will grab at the doljabi event and what will it mean for his future?”  I know some of you have consistently commented on Sejun’s and Grigsby’s photos during the past year, so please be sure to send me your thoughts!  

For those who have never heard of a doljabi, it is a Korean traditional ceremony held at a child’s first birthday.  You put a number of items in front of the child and let the child pick one.  The item the child chooses first is said to be closely connected to the child’s future.   

You can send me your answers as a comment below this blog entry, a reply tweet, or as a comment on U.S. Embassy Seoul’s Facebook page.  Someone from the Embassy will get in touch with those selected to attend.  The date is coming up fast, so don’t delay!  Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and getting to meet some of you in person!