Thankful Monday

First of all, we are now #8! Other waiting Mom's, that are closer, have said after you are #10 it really tends to go fast. I'm so thankful they're right! A couple with our agency that has been on hold for a while finally got their referral on Friday! HUGE Congrats to them!!!

Then, this morning our SW called with a couple of questions about our Homestudy - which is a really good sign towards completion! God is faithful! The next step is reviewing our HS and then it gets sent to our agency. It then gets sent to the State (CO) and then off to Korea. If I understand it right, our agency usually sends the HS off to Korea very close to our expected referral. I am so thankful.

This weekend, my sister-in-law and brother came home for his birthday. It was so great to see the both of them. They don't live far, but it was great to be together and laugh. They both are such awesome people and I am so thaknkful for the time spent with them.

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I absolutlely LOVE our church. Our Pastor was the vehicle who started the "Adoption Ball" rolling with us. He has a little girl from China and is adopting again through Haiti. Like I've mentioned before, Chad had the desire to adopt a few months after we lost the baby, and I wasn't really on board. I had alot of " soul searching" to do. I then caught on, and God really spoke to my heart. Pastor K had a series of messages (three, actually) that really tugged on me. After the third one, Chad and I looked at each other and we both knew it was time. God was calling both of us to adopt.

At about that time, an Adoption Ministry was beginning to take root. (How divine is that?!) We started meeting some really cool couples. They have Adoption support meetings every month, and we've made just one. We live 40 miles away and they sometimes coincide with Kaleb's Pack Meetings. We have couples adopting from China, Haiti, Domestic and some Foster-to-Adopt. We are the only family adopting from Korea, though. I'm really trying to spread the word! Anyways, our church has a goal to adopt 100 children before December 2010. This past weekend was #1! A couple adopted a beautiful baby boy via domestic. And another couple is very close to getting their baby as well. They are both through the same agency in Salt Lake. Once their file opens it takes about 2-4 weeks to get their little one!

I think it is so great to have a Pastor that has a heart for Orphans. We've been with our church for over 10 years and I have never seen such a movement to reach out to children like this. I believe there are over 60 couples involved with the Adoption Ministry and are somewhere in the process. Not to mention the many couples that have already adopted and make up an AWESOME support system. I am so thankful.

Single Digits!

That's right we are now #9! I can't believe it! No news on our Homestudy, our SW hasn't called to have us review it yet. But I have a feeling it will be soon. Well . . . it HAS to be soon, because we're moving up little by little!

SO EXCITING!

The Dentist

Today I took my youngest, A, to get two root canals and a filling. I know, I know "Mother of the Year." The bad thing is that I literally grew up in a Dentist's Office, and to date I have not one filling. I know better! My Mom was a Dental Assistant for over 20 years and her Mom (my Nana) was one for over 30 years!! Talk about denying your youth! My oldest K, had (just) one root canal three years prior, you would think I would have learned then, but I didn't. So needless to say we are "on the books" for the next 10-14 years with regular appointments.

Not only was it hard to see my little guy sitting in the Dental Chair with a Nitrous mask on his nose, but it was also REALLY EXPENSIVE! Like I said before, I know better, and with anything early detection is the key.

He did AWESOME, no apprehension, and took it like a trooper . . . until his lip and tongue started to wake up. Talked him through the creepy-tingling feeling, gave him some Tylenol and he was good-to-go. So, he now has some great bling-bling to match Bubba's (big brother). Good thing they are not right in the front (they're molars) and they're in his baby teeth, which he will loose (whew!) We're going to take extra good care of those permanents, once they come in. K (our oldest) had a great appointment and has NO cavities (hallelujah!) We are avid brushers, but that's no excuse, and we will be going every six-months. Lesson learned. Late. But there is still hope for those permanent teeth!!

Lucky #10!

We have moved up one more spot on the girl's list!!!! We are finally #10! It is single digits from here on out! This is the number that we are supposed to start our Homestudy, but that is already completed, well . . . for the most part. We haven't heard from our SW to have us review it yet, but all of our info is in, and all of our visits are finished. So, in essence, we are ahead. We will see . . . some families in our Yahoo group have had their HS questioned by the state. Things like "what is the make and model of the car they drive?" and "do they have any guns and if so, are they locked up and in a safe place?" - I can see the point of the gun issue but, the one that gets me is "do they have any dogs, and if so, what is the breed?"

Either way, we have left our HS, and all of it's contents in the hands of our Heavenly Father, and He will take care of it all. This I know, and have faith in.

Thankful Thursday

If you would have told me two years ago that I would be adopting a little girl from South Korea, I would have said, uh, ok - whatever! Today I am forever indebted to our Heavenly Father for placing us on this journey. I thank Him everyday, if not many times a day.

Control. Ask my husband, this is something that I have deeply rooted within me. I try not to control things, but it's just my nature. What can I say? Throughout this journey, I have been unable to control one detail. Not one. At first, it drove me crazy. The Lord has patiently and lovingly shown me that this is something, among many other things, that I have to lay at His feet. He has also shown me, through His astounding faithfulness, that things in His timing tend to work out better than those of my timing. I trust every little detail is worked out "according to His purpose." I give this adoption, and all that it entails - to Him. He knows where every sheet of paper is, the day, hour, minute of when we all will see her precious face for the first time, He has everything orchestrated down to the finest detail. That's more than I could ever control or even try to control! Amen?

I am so thankful today, for God's faithfulness and His patience, but most of all I am so very thankful for allowing us to experience His heart - a heart for children, and love so deep that bridges oceans. We're coming baby sister, we love you, and we will see you soon - well, in His timing, soon. ;)

Pray for baby Stellan

Stellan is MckMama's youngest child and has a sick heart. He has been at Children's Hospital since Sunday. He has, and still is, going in and out of scary rhythms. Please visit the blog to get updates, but in the mean time please keep this family and little boy in your prayers today. Very scary.

The Culture of South Korea

This subject is one of my favorites. I just happen to love the word "culture." As a Homeshooling Mom, I guess it's kind of my motto, if you will. The more I can expose my boys to, the better off they are, and it's said to raise I.Q. (who knows if that's really true, but it sold me)

I am encapsulated in the Culture of South Korea. They have some really cool customs and beliefs. One central theme or thread that runs deep throughout their culture is - family. Something that I hold near and dear to my heart is family. We live within 20 miles of both of our parents, and we love it. Our kids get to have an awesome relationship with their Nanny and Poppy and Grandma and Papa. My parents are the "y's" and Chad's parents are the "a's." Another thing is that Chad and I can get away anytime, all we have to do is make a phone call and both are more than willing to babysit. Huge Blessing. It helps give me and the boys a break from each other, especially during the school year. (what was this post about?, oh yeah)

In our little bag of goodies, that we will get with our baby girl, will be a Hanbok , given by her Foster Mother. Her little Hanbok will be worn at her Tol, which is her first birthday celebration. This is the traditional dress (apparel) worn on special occasions or holidays. South Koreans also wear their Hanbok's when visiting older relatives, like grandparents, as a sign of respect.

This is a little girl, who is absolutely aborable I might add, in her Hanbok.

And this is a traditional adult Hanbok. At first I thought that just the children wore them, but I was wrong. I guess they are quite comfortable and not to mention stunning.

I have heard, through other blogs and adoption groups, that the first 100 days of a child's life is a very significant milestone in Korean culture. I finally found out why this is true. Many, many years ago, the lack of medical information and the proliferation of disease caused the death rates of infants to be extremely high. When a child was born, only family members could see the child. Then when the child lived through those 100 days, the family, along with friends and neighbors would hold a celebration called baek-il. Eventhough South Korea now has state-of-the-art medical, just like we do, the first 100 days of a child's life is still celebrated. Sadly, we won't get to celebrate our daughter's baek-il with her, but we will have much, much more.

Let's see, what else . . .

Oh! At first, the Korean people didn't have their own written language. They used Chinese characters to write down their thoughts. In the 1400's King Sejong, who was considered the most enlightened ruler in Korean history, had language experts create an alphabet that we now know as Hangul, the official language of Korea. Hangul first had 24 characters but now has 28.

Dancing is one of South Korea's most popular art forms. Ritual, Folk and Court Dances are the three main kinds of traditional dancing. The Farmer's Dance is the favorite of the Folk Dances. It reminds the S. Koreans how important farming has been for their country's history.

There is so much more to share, and I am so excited to share it all with our little girl. It would be more perfect if we were to travel and experience it all first-hand. We are still leaving it all up to God, to His perfect timing and protection.