Because They Are Korean....

We have always felt strongly about keeping Jae-min and Jaelah's Korean heritage alive....because as we all know....these two cuties are Korean and proud of it!!!!

This week in Korea they are celebrating the Lunar New Year, the year of the dragon. We have been talking to Jae-min and Jaelah all week about the new year and how it is traditionally celebrated in Korea. They were excited to hear about the traditions and that makes our hearts big. Because as an adoptive parent we sometimes feel guilty about taking our children away from their heritage...so any little glimpse of Korean customs that we can provide we embrace it big time!!!

So tonight we decided to dress these two cuties in their hanboks.....

Here's Jae-min looking dapper as always. I couldn't believe that this year it actually fit him. This is the hanbok his omma gave him and he has worn it for the past 3 years. To see him filling it out and wearing it proudly made my heart swell.
And here's little Jaelah, looking like a beautiful princess. This hanbok was also given by her omma and she adorned it on her first birthday in Korea. I think she may have found it familiar as she was very excited to put it on.
And here are the 2 cutest Koreans ever!!!! Ok...I'll be honest here. I did tear up seeing these 2 little souls twirling and bouncing in these hanboks. To think this is how they would be celebrating this holiday in Korea had their lives been different makes me sad. And this is why we are committed to keeping their heritage alive!!! Because they deserve to know all about it. And any glimpse we can give them, we will.
This picture cracks me up. I think Jae-min is saying "look, lets just sit here really still so we can get this over with. What's with all the jumping around little sis??"
And of course no photo shoot would be complete without some silliness!!!!
Happy New Year everyone!!! May the year of the dragon be filled with health, happiness, and love.

A Special Delivery

We received a special package in the mail....a package all the way from Korea!!! If you remember when we traveled to bring Jaelah home, we met our sweet guide Seoyoung. She was so sweet and treated us to a day of fun, culture, shopping, and lunch. She even visited us at our hotel room after we picked up Jaelah with a little gift. Oh, and she was very smitten with this little man.....Seoyoung attends college in the US. We have corresponded with her on facebook and through emails since coming home. We had sent her some pictures of the kids and she sent us a reply asking us for our address. You see she was returning to Korea for the holidays and wanted to send us something special. And this is what came....
It's Pororo!!!!!! If you know anything about Korea and children in Korea you know who Pororo is!!! He's this sweet little guy who has other friends and ALL the kids in Korea love him. He even has his own tv show. Well, when we were with Seoyoung for the day I had mentioned that because of Jaelah's age we were searching for some Pororo stuff for her, you know so some things would be familiar to her. That day we never found anything Pororo (although we found other stuff at Namdeum market that we did end up buying) and Seoyoung had felt bad about it.

And this is why I LOVE the people of Korea......because 7 months later this very thoughtful college student went home and remembered that we were looking for this cute little penquin to make our daughter's transition just a little bit easier. And she sent it to us!!!! With the sweetest note inside.

And this little package made 2 little ones very very happy!!!!

Jaelah yelled PORORO and hugged that little penquin extra tight.

To think that a young girl half a world away that we had spent only one day out of entire lives with would think of our children and remember one little thing about that day and then act on it makes me tear up. But through our experience this is the type of people in this magical land.

We feel blessed to have Seoyoung in our lives. Our children should feel blessed to be so loved and cherished by such a thoughtful friend.

A Brand New Year!!!!

2011 was a year that tested us like no other. A year full of excitement, promise, tears, heartbreak, more tears, and feelings which we had never experienced before. Lets begin at the beginning....

It was very late in 2010 when we saw this little face

And heard the words "congratulations, she's all yours". A whirlwind then ensued. Plans were made, paperwork was completed, and the beginning of 2011 held so much promise....promise of this little girl joining our family.

We celebrated her first birthday without her...
And shared our news with everyone....
And then it was time.....the wait was over and in June we boarded a plane to bring our daughter home!!!!

2011 brought us "home"...to a land halfway around the world which we consider home. It was different this time. It felt familiar...the sights, the sounds, the people were all familiar. It honestly felt like we had never left.

2011 brought a little boy back to his birthcountry...and an experience of "what ifs". It allowed us to share this beautiful country with him and watch as he mingled in with it all. It allowed us to join together and grow our family with all of us there.

2011 allowed a Papa to experience his grandchildren's birth culture first hand. It allowed him to soak it all in and experience one of the greatest joys in life....the "delivery" of a new grandchild.

2011 brought us back to our extended family in Korea
It allowed us to stand on a street corner as each woman in a little child's life encircled the other. From social worker responsible for bringing us together, to forever mother, to foster mother...in that one moment as all our arms connected we encircled a little girl with love.
It was a year full of anticipation and cherishing the last moments with just the 3 of us.

2011 tested us in ways unimaginable and it was a VERY difficult summer.
It brought this little girl to her forever family, but the trust and sadness was overtaking her. The blankness in her eyes was transparent and has just now become a light.
It brought a little boy big changes....starting preschool
And a new family member arrived.....Little Fella....Jae-min's little fish
It was huge in tantrums, tears, rages, and blood curdling screams
It found us at the farm frequently to just get out and about
Then a very small light began to shine....it brought a few more smiles and light in eyes which were once so so distant
It brought our happy Jae-min back to us...a more mature and more confident little man who has been through sooooo much, but he was back!!!
It brought a friendship like no other. From screaming every time she saw Martin, to now feeding him one pellet at a time their relationship has transformed.
It has brought a brother and sister relationship full circle. One minute their fighting and the next we have this....
Yes, 2011 began with such anticipation and became really really hard. There were days when I just wanted the year to end in hopes of a better tomorrow. I can say the end of 2011 is much better than the middle. We have more laughter, more smiles lately. We still have stuff we need to help Jaelah work through and we hope 2012 will bring her a sense of peace and trust.

To think last year we stood at the beginning of a year full of so much promise never realizing what we were headed for.

Here's to 2012 making this little family of ours feel secure, trusted, less anxious, and loved. We've been down a long road....its our time for things to turn around!!!

Christmas

Christmas 2011 was filled with laughter, chaos, smiles, excitement, wrapping paper EVERYWHERE, and one little boy who totally "got" the holiday and one little girl who went along with it all.

Santa left the desired Elmo and scooter....as well as a dollhouse and Cars pillow. Jae-min was ecstatic for his scooter and has been scooting around the house ever since. He even "scooted" to bed on Christmas night!!!!
Jae-min awoke first and did well laying in bed with us for alittle bit. Then it was fair game....lets go wake up Jaelah!!!! She was not to thrilled with the entourage coming into her room with cameras. Come on sister.....Santa Came!!!!
Jae-min couldn't wait to get his little feet on that scooter. And our "safety police" even was looking for his helmet. We explained he could use the helmet he already had. "oh, then here I go"
Jaelah loved this doll cradle we got for her. I think it was her favorite gift!!!
Jae-min got lots of Cars gifts and loves every one of them.
Jaelah got lots of fun stuff too and took the day in stride.
Then a magical thing happened. While we were making lunch it started to snow!!! The kids were so excited and got to try out their new shovels from Grammy and Papa. We had so much fun throwing snowballs and catching snowflakes.
The night ended with a brother and sister sharing the couch to watch Frosty the Snowman.
We had a great time celebrating with family. Thank you for all the gifts and the memories. Merry Christmas!!!

Okey "Dokey"!!!!!

Santa has sent many little elves to homes with youngin's this time of year and we are no exception. Our special little friend began his "job" last year and has returned this year to make sure all is well during this holiday season. Meet little Dokey......Ah yes....Dokey....the magical elf. Well things started out on a great foot this season. Dokey decided to come for his first visit the weekend before Thanksgiving. He came with a note stating that he would stay till after Thanksgiving and then take the kiddos wish list back to Santa....oh and he even brought the kiddos a new movie...Wow!!!

So the kids made their lists and cut out a picture of a scooter (for Jae-min) and Elmo (for Jaelah) and off Dokey flew.
All was well until last week when our little 3 year old (Jae-min) had to ask "where's Dokey?" Hmm, come to think of it we hadn't seen him. I "covered" for Dokey and said maybe he's waiting for us to decorate....still no Dokey. Maybe he's waiting for us to put up our stockings...still no Dokey. Ok Dokey where are you????

Finally finally he arrived with huge cheers from one little boy and a sister who had no idea why she was doing a dance in the kitchen but whatever, if big bro's doing it so will I!!!

But Dokey was looking a little "funny" this year. This first place he perched himself he actually fell over onto his side. When I went to see what was the matter Jae-min shouted "stop! (insert wagging finger at me) You can't touch Dokey or he'll lose all his magical powers". So laying down he stayed.

And then last night after I put the kids to bed I heard one of their toys going off....sure enough Dokey had left his perch high on the curtain rod and fallen into the toy on his way to see Santa causing the toy to sing...LOUDLY. To which a certain 3 year yelled "what was that" Nothing dear just go back to sleep.

So today Dokey and I had a little chat about sleeping on the job, about being more careful, and about being alittle more responsible. I'm pretty sure we have the most irresponsible elf Santa has....a little secret...I've even seen Dokey running into a different spot after the kids wake in the morning because he forgot to leave and see Santa (wink wink) Come on little elf. Show some respect!!!!

This Boy......

This boy is a miracle by every sense of the word....he was born way too early, and way too small, yet has thrived and grown and blossomed.

This boy is a fighter.....from the moment he entered the world till now he has shown such persistence to excel in all he does.

This boy is a charmer.....from his doctors in Korea to his Omma to his forever family this boy has charmed the pants off of everyone he knows.

This boy is a son, a brother, a grandson, a great grandson, a nephew, a godson, and a friend.

This boy made me a mother, made us a family.

This boy was patient as we fumbled through it all (and still do), in hopes that we're getting it right by him......

Yesterday December 2nd marked 3 years since I saw this face....... I will NEVER forget those words on the other end of the phone "I have great news for you. You have a son!!!!" I will never forget sitting at my computer and opening an email and seeing that photo.....that adorable little mouth, and those sweet eyes, and that angelic expression on that sweet face....the face of my SON. It was instantaneous.....in that moment, in that first glimpse I knew I was looking at the boy who was always destined to be mine. It was indescribable the connection I felt. And now 3 years later as I look at that photo I am transferred back to that chilly day and know with all of my being that in one little photo, with one little glimpse I became a mother. It would be several months before I held my baby boy for the first time, but on that day December 2nd I was a mother who was looking at her son!!!
And just look at him now!!!! My love for him has grown immensely (if that's even possible) and each time I look at him I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am his mother. He may have been born half a world away, he may have had to wait until I could come for him, but it was all so so worth it. And now when he says to me "Mamma will you hold my hand?" when we're just chilling out watching tv my heart skips a beat......to know and see how love can travel halfway around the world astounds me. And to know and see how one little photo, how one little phone call could bring so much joy........makes me believe in MIRACLES....because that's what this boy truly is!!!!

The Others.....

I thought I'd update on the "others" to try to catch you all up on the happenings....So here goes...

Martin

This Sept Marty celebrated his 11th birthday. It was a very special occasion because if you remember last year (fall) our sweet Marty went into heart failure and was given 6mths to 1 year to live. And here he is, over a year later, still with his family!!!! Granted he's on meds 5 times a day...for a total of 7 meds daily....but....he's still the same Marty, loving life, enjoying the kids, and wanting to be involved in it all. Except for the collapsing episodes that happen to him when he overexerts himself or gets too excited, he's the same loyal, smart, sweet, loveable, best friend that he's always been. And until that changes we'll keep giving him those meds to keep him with us for as long as we can!!!!
Jae-min

This little (I mean big) guy has been through so much in the past months that it astounds me to think of how much he's grown and changed during this time. He amazes me every day. He's smart as a whip and loves to learn. He never forgets anything and will call you out on something if you say it you better mean it.

He started preschool in Sept 2 mornings a week and LOVES it...and the best part is they LOVE him. They call him Mr. Smiley and he's thriving there. I took alot of time picking out a small school with a loving staff and the pick was a PERFECT fit. I also did lots of preparing Jae-min this summer for the big change and he handled it like a champ....ok ok there were no tears from the 3 year old on the first day, but the mom....well she had some tears streaming down her face.
And this summer this big kid learned how to ride his bike like a BIG kid. Yup, you know this little preemie who came home with all those motor issues....well folks look at him now.....riding like the wind and never looking back!!! He's too funny on the bike because he gets too excited he's doing it and forgets to look ahead...you often see him looking back smiling. I've had lots of exercise this summer and fall chasing after this little man...and have loved every second of it.
The two together.......

Jae-min and Jaelah continue to develop a relationship every day. As we work on making Jaelah feel more and more comfortable I know the relationship will eventually blossom. She loves to do everything he does and will imitate him all the time. They fight like brother and sister and he really tries to reach out to her.....and little by little she's begun to take small steps to reach out to him. And if all else fails he'll just take her for a joy ride!!!!
The question

We know when adopting we'd be subjecting our family to many intrusive questions, but this question never really entered my mind but we've been getting it alot lately.....

Are they twins!!!!
What do you think???