Greetings From Korea!!!!!!!!

We made it!!! We're in Korea!!!!!! It all still feels so surreal but we are here. The flights went well, just really really long. After about 10 hours I started to get antsy and feel alittle panicky. But it took 10 hours which I thought was pretty good. I listened to Joe's ipod filled with my adoption songs and calmed right down. We basically dozed on and off and prayed the time would go fast and whala, here we are. We're exhausted as we haven't slept in 24 hours but we'll make it through. Korea, its people are amazing. We encountered culture shock right on the plane when just about everyone was Korean and speaking in Korean. Oh well. The ladies were gorgeous and so helpful. We're alittle panicky about bringing Jae-min home on the same flight as the seating isn't as big as we thought and we only got him a lap ticket. Oh well, we shall see. Two more days till we meet the little man. My eyes welled up as we took off from Boston today and again when we landed in Korea. To know we are here, in his homeland, seeing all these beautiful sites and expereincing all these amazing people is priceless. And to know after all this time here we are. We are in love with Korea because it is part of Jae-min!!!!!!!! Good night from Seoul!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Packed And Ready To Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Two years ago we dreamed of this day. The day when we would have all of our bags packed heading halfway around the world. The day is finally here. It may be a slightly different destination and a slightly different picture of who our first child would be, but we wouldn't have it any other way. This is exactly how it was destined to be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jae-min is meant to come to us from Korea and our trip around the world was always meant to be there!!!!!
We leave bright and early tomorrow morning and will make it to Korea around 5:30 Friday. We meet Jae-min on Monday so thoughts and prayers are needed. We can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our last day as a family of two is coming to an end and we are so ready to become parents. Parents to the most adorable boy in the world. We'll try to update from Korea. Love to you all!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're Off To Korea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's official. Our travel itinerary was approved and we leave this Thurs 3/5 and return next Thurs 3/12. We're soooooooo excited, we're just in a fog. We can't believe after all this time we are 3 sleeps away from getting on a plane, flying halfway around the world, to meet our son!!!!!!!!!!! Wow. The best part is we meet Jae-min on Monday morning at 10:30 (Korea time, remember we'll be about 14 hours ahead of you). Can you imagine this time next week Jae-min will be real. He won't just be an adorable picture any longer. He'll be real and we'll have held him, kissed him, and heard his sweet sounds. We'll have talked to his beautiful foster mom and seen much of his beautiful country. I just can't believe it. There are few moments like these in a lifetime and we plan to take in every second and appreciate it for all its worth. It's been a long time coming and we will never take it or him for granted. We know how lucky we are.

This weekend was a whirlwind with a beautiful baby shower to honor Jae-min. We have been busy washing and organizing everything. Thanks to all those who played a part in planning an amazing day. It honored Jae-min, Korea, and us beautifully.
We also got a special blessing yesterday. We began attending church faithfully every week right before our referral came. After our referral every Sunday we would go to church and I would feel so close to Jae-min. Its hard to explain. Well this Sunday we told the father (whose wonderful by the way) about Jae-min and our impending flight. He couldn't have been nicer, hugging us and asking lots of questions. Then he took us in his circle and said a beautiful blessing over us. Of course I had tears streaming down my face. He's excited to meet Jae-min and share in his homecoming.
Through this process many doors have been opened and we've gladly opened our hearts and gone right in. After this weekend I have a sense of peace in my heart and mind. A peace I have never known before. A piece that says you are exactly where you were always meant to be!!

TRAVEL CALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At 1:14pm we received the call we've been waiting for!!!! Travel Call!!!! I ended work today so I went in for half a day and was home by lunch time and we were worried because we couldn't find out about Jae-min's visa. So, I emailed our agency and got a message right back. She asked if I was home because she needed to talk. My heart hit my toes and the next thing I knew the phone was ringing. She said you're approved go get that beautiful baby!!!!!!!!!!!!! I of course started crying and then the afternoon turned into a whirlwind. We have a tentative plan to leave next Thurs and return on Thurs the 12th. We have to get approval first before we can book any tickets. Oh my by this time next week we could be flying to meet our son!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I still am in total shock!!!! Is all this really happening? We've waited so long and the timing is absolutely perfect. All my tears shed have been so worth this feeling on this day. We have dreamed of the day our travel call would come and this is it. It was truly meant to be!!!!! There is a song by Rascal Flatts that I have relied on throughout our wait and its a fun day to share some of the lyrics. I think it sums up how we're feeling today. Its entitled Here:

And I wouldn't change a thing
I'd walk right back through the rain
Back to every broken heart
On the day that it was broken

And I'd relive all the years
And be thankful for the tears
I've cried with every stumble step
That led to you and got me here

It's amazin' what I let my heart go through
To get me where it got me
In this moment here with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would relive this entire journey all over again for this feeling on this day!! And I wouldn't change a thing. Every tear, every worry, every hope, every joy was supposed to happen to be right here today. To feel this amazing feeling and know we are days away from Jae-min!!! It has all been worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VISA INTERVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We found out today that Jae-min has his visa interview scheduled for tomorrow at 1pm!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If no glitches happen he should be issued a visa sometime in the middle of the night here and then all we'll be waiting for is travel call!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I have had a very difficult few days and I just started crying (again) when Joe called me today after finding out this news. I stare at Jae-min's picture a thousand times a day and know every inch of his sweet little face. When will travel call come? We still don't have a clue but we think (and hope) very very very soooooon. I can't stop shaking. All of our dreams are finally coming true.

It Must Be The Adoption Hormones

First we would like to thank those that called or emailed to offer words of encouragement after my mini meltdown on Friday. This wait suddenly became so hard and it really didn't get any better over the weekend. We tried to keep ourselves busy shopping for gifts for Jae-min's foster family and for all those that have loved and cared for him in Korea. We had fun and we even found a few outfits for little Jae-min. I've been knitting Jae-min's blanket like crazy this weekend as it has made me feel close to him. Amidst all this business something strange kept happening. When I least expected I would realize that I had tears streaming down my face and I could not stop. They would come without warning at the most inconvenient times. Joe has begun to call me waterworks and laughs now when he looks over and my face is covered in fresh tears. They only last a moment and then I'm ok again. I guess it's the adoption hormones talking!!! They're saying enough already, bring that baby home.
I would like to say a special thank you to all my adoption blogger friends who completely understand how incrediably difficult this wait is. I find strength in knowing that you get it. You get how we carry these children in our hearts and love them already even though we have never met. So to you I say thanks and looking forward to the day when we all have our babies home!!!!!!!!!!!

I Want Off This Roller Coaster...................

Now!!!!!! I have been riding this roller coaster for 2 years now and I want off. I am done. Someone please stop this ride, please put on the brakes, and let me off!!!! I think I'm finally at the end of my rope. It's been a very emotional few days here. Happiness mixed with sadness. We have become very friendly with two other families from our agency who received referrals the same time as us. We've been traveling the last leg of this journey together until now. They both got their VI's yesterday and their travel calls came in today. I'm beyond excited for them. When they called with news I started to cry with happiness and sadness. Their wait is finally over!!!! Yet I can't stop crying because our little Jae-min is still in Korea waiting for his silly visa to be issued. I know I shouldn't complain as the wait so far has been so short, its just I need my baby home now. Like yesterday.
You may ask how can you come so far and lose it now? I don't know. I think deep down I know we're nearing the end and it can't get here fast enough. So get me off this roller coaster and let our phone ring. We so wanted to be in Korea at the same time as these families. Our patience is starting to wear alittle thin.