Day at the Farm

Today we visited a local farm with Em's favorite playdate friend Jonah and his family.  We all signed up for a tractor ride tour.  It was a super hot day even at 10 o'clock in the morning!) and bought a straw hat for Em at the farm.

 



Sitting next to Jonah on the tractor ride.

 

Taking off for our tour!

Jonah & mommy!

 

 

We sampled different veggies and fruits during the tour. Em is not fond of veggies so she mostly played with them instead of eating them.

Taking a break from the tractor ride to walk through a watermelon patch.

Looking for watermelons with Daddy.

Daddy and Em in front of the tractor carts.

Em couldn't wait to take off her straw hat!

 

 

 

Sunset in Korea

I took this picture in Korea the evening before we took custody of Emerson.  We were walking with Gene's cousins through a trendy, cute part of town that was a mix of old and new shops and restaurants. There were narrow cobblestone streets and lots of alley ways and side streets.  Every so often, we would find ourselves with a clear view of the city or of a mountainside.  I turned to see the sun shining brightly as it was starting to set.  It immediately made me think of Emerson and the last night she was spending with her foster family.  Remembering that moment brings tears to my eyes tonight. 

...10!

Tonight at bedtime, Em counted to 10 by herself, and in English!  For the past week or so I've been counting 1 through 10 with her, and she'd repeat the numbers after me but it was only one at a time.  So tonight I was so surprised to hear her do it by herself. It's so cute when she says "sehben"! I'm just so proud of our little girl!

Coincidentally, this week marks 10 weeks that we've been together as a family!  I've lost a sense of time since being home with her, so I can't really say if it feels longer or shorter than two and a half months.  Much of that time has been spent getting to know who she is, and adjusting to our life as a family of three.  I know she has gone through so much in that time and I am amazed at her strength and resilience.

Time will tell where she is now with her grieving and adjustment, but lately she's been reacting adversely towards certain people more strongly.  She's always been vocal about not wanting to say hi to someone or having anything to do with them, but lately she's started to cry if they start talking to her.  The worst reactions were both at restaurants and with random people (strangers) coming by and talking directly to her.  Both times she was in a high chair and immediately started crying and wanted me to hold her.

Other than that, with each passing week I see how much more comfortable she's getting with us as a family.  There are lots of laughs and recently, kisses!  She's also going through a major growing spurt. She's grown almost two inches since coming home.  She's starting to become a picky eater, though.  FM told us she eats everything well but she definitely doesn't like her veggies, and isn't particularly fond of meat.  Although she LOVES fruit and dairy!

We also recently stopped giving her the bottle at bed time.  She's been a trooper and only asked for it a couple times since we said no more bottle.  It's taking her a bit longer to fall asleep but otherwise, she's been doing well without it.

I still catch myself in wonderment at times that she's actually home with us and that I'm able to discover all these things about her!

She loves making this face! I've even caught her practicing it in front of a mirror, lol.

I recently taught her the Korean "V" sign for pictures. Her version is more of a "W"!

Birthday Girl

While we were waiting to bring her home, we celebrated every monthly mini-birthday we were apart. Sometimes it was as small as just saying "Happy 16 months!" over our morning coffee, and other times we would go to happy hour after work and do a toast in honor of her day.  I always thought that the first birthday we would have with her would be a grand, big party.  But as it turns out, with her being home such a short amount of time still, we kept her first birthday celebration home really intimate and simple.  It was just the three of us celebrating throughout the day, and it.was.awesome.

I feel like Em knew it was her birthday.  She woke up in the best mood.  I told her it was her birthday and she loved it! Every time I wished her a happy birthday throughout the day she would scrunch up her face, laugh, and do a jiggy dance!  Daddy went in to work late and we all went out for some birthday pancakes.  Then he came home early for the actual cake and presents.

Holding daddy's hand after a yummy birthday breakfast.

This is the same hanbok she wore on her first birthday but it fits much better now.

Someone was loving her cupcake and ice cream!

We squeezed in behind her while she was playing to take somewhat of a family photo!

Happy Birthday, Emerson! This is just the first of many, many more we will be celebrating together as a family!!

Home

"For this child I have prayed..."

We have been home as a family for two and a half weeks now.  In some ways it seems as if we've been together much longer than that. We are just loving getting to know our beautiful daughter.  She is such an amazing little girl!  She loves to sing, laugh, and play.  She has the cutest laugh and we are very blessed to hear it often.  She is a super quick learner and has natural athletic and musical abilities!  She's also very talkative, and I'm loving having mini-conversations with her. I'm trying to teach her some English words right now, with "please" and "thank you" being one of the first we are trying to teach her to say. However, she absolutely refuses to say those.  She has a bit of a stubborn streak, which is offset by her tendency to be very sweet and funny most of the time. She started saying "coffee" right away as she knows mommy needs it first thing in the morning.  She also says "okay," "towel," "apple," and "walking" a lot.  Very random!

I will try to post more when I can.  I want to do a whole post on our whirlwind trip in Korea.  I also want to express a heartfelt  thank you once again to her wonderful, amazing foster family.  They came out to say good-bye and it was a very emotional day. I know that even though my little girl can't express it, she must miss them so very much.

I often find myself in awe that she is really here with us. That I can reach out and hold her hand and carry her or feed her. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness.

"She's Beautiful!"

... said the woman who answered when I called DC last Friday to check on Em's visa interview status.

Why is this a big deal?  They need to see her picture in their system to know that her interview has been scheduled.  I called every day last week and by Friday I didn't expect to hear anything.  But then, it happened!

"She's beautiful. What a little princess!" she said.

I totally whooped and hollered and the lady laughed and congratulated me.

We are now officially *THIS* close.

ps. Happy 23rd month, baby girl.  I can't believe we'll be spending your next monthly birthday TOGETHER.

  

Mother's Day 2012

In Korea, pink or red carnations are used for showing love and gratitude on Parents Day. Mother's Day and Father's Day are celebrated together in Korea.

On this Mother's Day, I received flowers, cards, and celebrated the occasion with family.  I cherished each and every moment, but my heart and thoughts kept turning to Emerson's foster mom and her birth mother - two women to whom I will forever be grateful.

- - - - - - - - - 

Dear Emerson's foster mom,

Happy Mother's Day to the only mother Emerson has ever known.  For the past 22 months you have raised her, made her food, changed her diapers, taught her how to walk and talk, played with her, taken her to her monthly agency visits, and on and on...  You have done so much, but most of all, you have taught her what a mother is.  You have been the one to whom she has turned to for love, comfort, and reassurances.  You have been her rock and her fortress.  You have taught her to know that when she's at home and with her family, that she is in a safe place and loved.

On this Mother's Day, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being Emerson's mother while I could not.  While my heart is overflowing with joy and excitement as we count down the days to bring her home, I can only imagine what you must be feeling as you are facing the same day, but for you it will be a day when you are letting go of the little girl you have loved and raised for almost two years. She has been with you longer than you could have imagined when you first brought her home as a newborn.

I am thinking of you with so much gratitude today.  Happy Mother's Day.

Foster mom propping up Emerson from behind at Em's first birthday celebration. 

EP Submitted!!!!!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..."

James 1:17a

It is with humbled and overjoyed hearts that we share the wonderful news that our Emerson's Exit Permit request has been submitted for approval!!  What does this mean?  It means we are in the final home stretch of our wait!  Her EP will take about 4 to 6 weeks to be approved, and then about a week after that, we expect her to receive her travel clearance!!  The end is in sight!

I have been dreaming about this day and it's still so surreal.  I was hoping we'd hear news of EP submission today and logged on to my computer first thing in the morning.  But by 8 am, all the boards were quiet and depressing, and I hadn't received an email from our agency.  I shut down my computer dejected and resigned myself to another quiet day of no news.

I took a shower and when I got out, my landline was ringing, my cell was buzzing with texts from other adoptive parents who were hearing word that our agency in Korea had submitted their new batch.  Drenched and with just a towel on, I ran to pick up the phone but missed the call.  Then my cell rang, and it was my dear friend who works for our agency to say it was our time, and that Emerson had been submitted.

Emerson's. EP. Has. Been. Submitted.

That's all it took for the water works to start.  Then Gene started calling on my other line since by then he had received an email from our agency notifying us of the same.

All this happened more than 12 hours ago and it's STILL sinking in.

Our little Emerson is going to come home.

Home.


Praising our wonderful Lord for this day!!!