Busy, Busy, Busy!

We've been meeting ourselves coming and going lately! For those that didn't know, Dad ended up back in the hospital Wednesday. He had an infection that they wanted to combat intravaneously. While there, they also discovered the early formations of gout, a blood clot, and he had a blood test that showed liver problems. By the time we went to visit him Friday night, things were looking much better and he was able to go home Saturday.

On Saturday, we went to Wichita and enjoyed a fun day with friends. First we met up with Todd, Tisha, Noah, & Mavery and went to Exploration Place. None of us had been before and it was a lot of fun. The kids had a blast with all the hands-on things to do. It was also fun to see the boys interact (although they seemed to mostly just pester each other!!!!) and to meet each other's girls for the first time. Here are some pictures.






After a quick nap for Cindy, we stopped by the zoo. Then we met up with Dustin, Lanette, Chris, Lilly, & Claire for dinner at the Hangar Steakhouse. Kaden wasn't feeling well, so it was kind of a hectic eating experience and I didn't get any really great pictures, but we still had a great time!

Then Sunday afternoon, Ryan and I went on a date for the first time since Cindy's been home. We went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. It was good, but they had to cut a lot out of the book to make it fit into movie format. Since we're big fans of the books, that was a bit disappointing. But it was still very entertaining and makes us look forward to the last 2 movies!

Today we met up with Mark & Nancy and their kids to go to Piester's. We had a picnic and then they went fishing while I brought Cindy home for bed. It was nice to be out in the fresh air. I would love to live out in that area. Anyone who thinks our part of Kansas is not beautiful should visit Piester's!






Hopefully things will slow down a bit now. I need a vacation from all our mini-vacations! Oh, and before I forget, I need your help. I am particpating in a digital scrapbook contest. It is a battle of the creative teams and I am "battling" on behalf of Randi Oh Designs. The first challenge was to create a layout using "white space". Here's my entry for Team Oh.

To vote for The Oh Girls team, the one I'm on, please click HERE. Then select The Oh Girls near the end of the list and hit "Vote". It's that easy! I'd appreciate the help. If we win, we get gift certificates to spend on digital scrapbook products. In these budget tight times, that would be wonderful!

If, For Adoptive Parents

I went to a shower Monday night for some friends who are adopting a sibling group. One of the gifts they received is a book entitled "Meditations for Adoptive Parents" by Vernell Klassen Miller. They read one of the entries and it really touched me. I hope you will be blessed by it as well.

If, for Adoptive Parents
by Vernell Klassen Miller

If you can freely give children your heritage and graft them into your family tree, and if you can point them to their first roots with honesty and gratitude - then you can parent with confidence, knowing you are offering a lifelong gift.

If you hope your children will mature into the likeness of Christ (even more than you desire them to resemble yourself) - then you have chosen the highest goal of parenthood.

If you listen to others describe the births of their children and feel just as proud of the way your children came, then you know the true meaning of "childbearing."

If you look stereotypes, false reports, and myths in the face and wonder what on earth they are talking about; if you can listen to thoughtless words of friends with patience, and say to yourself, I will overlook that: they don't know how it sounds (yet be able to discern the time to speak); and if you can read research and psuedo-research and sense any bias - then adoption has done more than bring you children. It has sharpened your ability to identify with minorities.

If you can step into a type of parenthood upon which society places a "role handicap," and not assimilate that perception into your own; if you have ever looked into the eyes of your child and known that he or she was always yours; if you have at the same time given thanks for another woman with whom you share the title of "mother" - then you can help your child build strong self-esteem.

If your heart swells with pride at your child's successes; if you hold that child when he or she fails; if you do not blame the failure on genetic origin nor blame yourself but "own" it because your child is yours; if you pray desperately for the salvation of your children, saying (like Moses did) that if they cannot join you in God's kingdom, you cannot go either - then you have learned to pray. Then parenthood has seeped into your soul, even if it didn't emanate from your body, and you will never not be a parent again.

If you rise each morning resolving to be an ideal parent but break your best intentions before noon, forced to acknoweldge your humanness and humbly press on; if you offer your spouse and children the same forgiveness you receive from God; if you can point your children past your own sins toward God and his family - then you have truly become a parent. Then your family will be a beacon in a dark and lonely world.

May God go with you, and may you experience JOY!

Matching Grant

We received word awhile back that we had received a matching grant from God's Grace Adoption Ministry. With Cindy's birthday and everything else going on, it's taken me awhile to get this information posted. Sorry!

If you would like to help us with our adoption expenses, this is a great way. GGAM will match your donation! So a $25 gift becomes $50, a $50 gift is $100, etc. Plus, by sending it directly to GGAM, your gift is anonymous and tax deductible. All donations must be received by August 1 and earmarked for us.

The address is below and also in the sidebar of the blog. Thank you in advance!

God's Grace Adoption Ministry
P.O. Box 4
Modesto, CA 95353

Just Checking In

Not a lot has changed since my last post. I feel like I'm still playing "catch-up" on housework from the big party! Other than that, the 4th of July and Dad's knee surgery today are about the only major events that have taken place. Now that we are past the adoption process, I guess the saying "No news is good news" can be reinstated!

To close, here's a photo of me with the kids sporting our patriotic wear on Independence Day. Have a great week!

Cindy's 1st Birthday!

Wow, what a weekend! I am absolutely exhausted. We had a great time, but it was definitely a whirlwind.

We started off Saturday by welcoming Ryan's brother Ronn and his wife Yvette. Then Ryan's parents arrived a few hours later. Kaden was very excited that he got to stay up late to wait for Mam Maw & Pap Paw. He was so cute when they came in!

Sunday morning, on her first birthday, Cindy was dedicated to the Lord. Although humourous at times thanks to Cindy's antics, it was a very special ceremony because my dad officiated. He then preached a beautiful sermon on adoption. You can hear it here (click on 6.28 and start at 8:20 or listen to Ryan's brother first!).

After church, the whole family gathered together at our house for bulgogi, one of our favorite Korean foods. It turned out really spicy this time around but it was still very yummy. After lunch we put the kids down for naps and got busy with the party decorations. It was during this time that "the incident" happened.

I knew our memory card was very full because I hadn't gotten all of my pictures from the entire months of May & June off of it yet. I had backed up the May photos, but hadn't done June yet. I went to delete the May photos first and accidentily hit "select all", so I lost everything. Thankfully, I found free software online to recover most of the photos. I lost some of the dedication photos and about 10-15 others, but the majority (over 200) were saved. Phew!

Cindy woke up just in time for her party. I think she was overwhelmed by the people and attention at first, but then she warmed up to the idea very quickly when it was time to open presents. She made out like a bandit with lots of great gifts. She got a stroller, dolly, tea set, purse, movie, puzzle, book, clothing, teddy bear, phone, bugs on wheels, stacking toys, and probably several other things I'm forgetting! During the tol ceremony, she chose the thread and the knife. According to Korean tradition, this means she will have long life and be a good cook. Finally, the festivities ended with the ever popular cake and ice cream. Cindy dove into the cake with no hesitation! She had more purple frosting than cake and got it everywhere. Unfortunately, she did get sick later on, so no more sugar overloads for her.

Here are a few photos and there are hundreds more at DropShots plus I still need to get some from all the friends and family members!

Cindy in Grandpa's arms during her dedication.


Tol Table


The birthday princess. (Can you tell we've put some weight on the girl? LOL!)


Playing with her Pooh Bear phone.


She picked the thread first and we had to take it away to get her to choose a 2nd item!


Yummy Cake!

Post-Placement & Photos!

We went to the big city today and had Cindy's 1-year photos taken. It started off great, but when she decided she was done, she was DONE. Luckily, we did her individual photos first, so she's just grumpy in the family photos. We finally ended it when she was reduced to tears!

Anyway, here are a few of our favorite shots. All in all, it was a successful portrait day.

After our photo session, we met our social worker at one of our favorite restaurants. Korea requires 3 post-placement visits and then we can finalize her adoption in 6 months. We updated them on Cindy's adjustment, health, attachment, developmental milestones, etc. Our SW agrees with us that Cindy is a perfectly happy, healthy baby girl! It's hard to believe that she will be 1 year old in just a few more days. Time is going so quickly already.

I'm Okay!

Sorry it took me so long to update after my post about my back! I am fine now. After a lot of testing, that resulted in nothing, the pain just went away on it's own Tuesday afternoon. I had the doctor stumped. She said I had classic gallbladder symptoms and was so surprised that the sonogram didn't show anything. She was prepared to have me do more extensive tests, but since the pain went away, we didn't do them. What caused it? Who knows! I'm praising God that He healed me, but am cursing the pile of medical bills headed my way for no good reason. -sigh-

We got some great news today. We received a $2,500 matching grant from God's Grace Adoption Ministries! I will be posting contribution information soon. We only receive this amount from GGAM if we are able to raise the match from our family and friends. So, we will be sending out letters and spreading the word. What a blessing!

Cindy is teething big time these days. I'm very tired of being a giant teething ring. I guess my arm is just nice and squishy for biting. A friend brought by some teething tablets earlier that I will a try tomorrow. I hope they work. She's cutting 4 teeth at once, so the biting has gotten really bad. She also screams very loudly at the top of her lungs and wants to eat 24/7. So I have a really big headache!

I am way behind in my scrapbooking these days. It's been forever since I posted any here and my slideshow in the sidebar is pitifully out of date. I have no idea what layouts from 2008 I have or have not posted, but here is a link to the pages I've done for 2009 so far. I've got a TON more to do yet!

Good News & Bad News

Let's start with the good news! Guess who "officially" crawled today? Yes, Cindy! She got up on her hands and knees and took off. As long as I keep her out of dresses and in shorts, I think this will be her preferred method from now on. She's also putting herself in a sitting position very easily now and is pulling up and crusing the furniture. She even climbs up on our coffee table. So, everything that had her delayed in Korea has been conquered in the month she's been home. Wohoo!

Okay, so that was the good news. Now we move onto the bad news. I haven't blogged in awhile and there is a very good reason. I haven't been able to sit long enough to use the computer without being in excruitating pain. After just a few minutes sitting, my back feels awful. I noticed that it felt better each morning, but after eating, the pain would start again. I finally gave in and made a doctor's appointment.

After explaining where the pain is and how it's triggered, my doctor was 99% sure of the problem. I am having a sonogram on Monday to confirm it. If you haven't guessed it already, it's my gallbladder. She's fairly certain I have gallstones and will need to have surgery to have my gallbladder removed. My parents are getting ready to leave on vacation, Cindy's birthday is just a few weeks away, and Ryan has no paid leave remaining. I do not need this right now!

Plus, we are taking the kids to the zoo tomorrow. I have no idea how I'm going to survive the car ride. It's not so bad once I'm standing, but the sitting in awful. We'll see how it goes. I've been instructed not to eat anything with fat. When you add that to the list of things I've already cut from my diet, that doesn't leave much. Speaking of my diet, the doctor thinks my rapid weight loss is actually the reason I developed the stones. I can't win for losing!

Also, poor Kaden isn't feeling very well right now. He also saw the doctor today and he has a virus. It has caused him to get canker sores all over his mouth. He has them on his tongue, roof of his mouth, throat, cheeks, etc. I have a feeling the rest of us will contract this soon. When it rains, it pours, right? But, despite the pain, Kaden is still as witty as ever. His memory amazes me. Earlier Cindy was dropping her toy over and over again and I was saying, "Kaboom!" Kaden says, "KaBoom! and the stains are gone!" He's only seen that commercial once or twice, but he remembers it. He knows the slogan for several brands. We really don't even watch that much T.V., but he has a memory like an elephant.

11 Months Old!

Cindy is 11 months old today. Just 1 month until her big Tol celebration! It will be so much fun!

She is really into standing these days. She crawls over to the couches, the coffee table, Kaden's chair, the end tables, etc. and pulls herself up. If there is no furniture nearby, then she uses one of us! Here are some cute pictures of her pulling herself up lately.

As usual, there are tons more cute photos to be seen at DropShots. You should know the password by now, but if not, just e-mail me at starwarsfans98 at gmail dot com.

We took Cindy to the doctor 2 weeks ago and they weighed her in at 15.5 lbs. Today, at the local health clinic, she was weighed at 17.5 lbs. I guess we are feeding her well! She's averaging a pound a week!

Also, she's doing great learning lots of new things. She "gives five", claps, and waves. She can say MaMa, DaDa, BuhBuh (for brother), and BaBa. She also loves to play shy and then give great big smiles to all the neighborhood kids. There's a video clip of her showing off her new tricks on DropShots.

Time Marches On

It's crazy how slowly the wait from referral to homecoming goes, but then how quickly time passes once your baby is home. I can't believe that in just 2 days, Cindy will have been in our arms for 3 whole weeks. She'll also be 11 months old. It's crazy!

Things are in full summertime swing here. Both kids really enjoy going outdoors these days, but poor Mommy is sick with a bad cold and/or allergies. I haven't completely figured out what it is yet, but it's miserable. I still try to get out and let them enjoy the sunshine, but it isn't always very fun for me.

Cindy is doing well, but has decided to follow in her brother's footsteps. The first week she was home, she slept 12 hours or more each night. We were in heaven. Then week 2 she started getting up around 6:15. While this was a drastic change, it wasn't too bad since Kaden is up at that time as well.

But, we are now on week 3 and Cindy has been up between 4:00 and 5:00 each morning. (That was Kaden's preferred rising time at this age too.) It takes a bottle and a lot of rocking to get her back to sleep, and even then, she only sleeps about another hour. Needless to say, Ryan and I are both exhausted. You would think with so little sleep that Cindy would then take a good nap. But, unfortunately, she just takes a 15 minute "power nap" in the morning and then sleeps 1 hour in the afternoon. So I can't catch a break!

Cindy also keeps us on our toes. I have to vacuum every single day. She will find the tiniest speck of ANYTHING and put it in her mouth. YUCK! She is also "army crawling" all over the place and getting into everything. She's figured out how to pull herself up on furniture (and us) and likes to stand as much as possible. So, I don't think it will be long before she tries walking and then she'll really be a girl on the go!

Kaden is slowly adjusting to big brotherhood. He still has some rough times with sharing and not getting to do what he wants, when he wants. But we're getting there. Hopefully once I'm feeling better and we get Cindy's sleep issues resolved, we can get on a set schedule. Kaden really thrives with routine. He likes to know what to expect and when. So do I!

Compare & Contrast

I know you shouldn't compare your kids, but sometimes you just can't help it. It's interesting how you learn all the ins and outs of your first child, and then think the same things will work for the second. Maybe I'm the only one! I'm learning very quickly that Kaden and Cindy are very different, although they do have a few similarities.

Contrasts:
Kaden hated his car seat for about the first year he was home and would scream at the top of his lungs while in it. Cindy loves her car seat and is unhappy when you make her get out of it.

Kaden took a long time to get on a good schedule, both eating & sleeping. Cindy has adjusted very quickly and is already on a pretty set schedule after just 1 week.

Kaden has thick coarse hair and extremely dry skin that requires daily lotion. Cindy has very thin silky hair and soft smooth skin.

Kaden is a people person and loves being the center of attention. Cindy is outgoing around us, but very shy around other people.

Kaden hated getting his diaper changed and would have stayed in an icky diaper all day to avoid it. Cindy wants her diaper changed immediately!

Kaden goes to the bathroom a lot, and I do mean a lot. Cindy has the opposite problem is you know what I mean.

Kaden loves water and prefers it over just about any other drink. I haven't gotten Cindy to drink any yet at all.

Kaden was enamored with Naboo and wanted to grab him all the time. The poor cat had to move outdoors to stay safe! Cindy is terrified of Naboo and cries if he comes anywhere even near her. Poor kitty just can't get any lovin' these days.

Kaden's personality is a lot like Ryan's and Cindy's is a lot like me. Go figure!

Comparisons:
Both kids are big eaters. They let you know when it's time to eat and they eat it all. Don't let their size differences fool you!

Both kids prefer fruits and grains over meats and veggies.

Both kids go to bed at 7:30, get up at 6:00, and take a nap at 1:00.

Both kids love baths but hate getting their hair washed.

Both kids prefer Daddy over Mommy.

So, there you have it. We are slowly figuring this little girl out. I can tell you that she is very strong-willed and holds her own when it comes to dealing with her big brother. I have a feeling the sibling rivalry could get pretty intense when they are older. We are adjusting to being a family of 4, and it's beginning to feel like Cindy has always been here.

New Picture

Back around April 10 we requested an updated picture from Korea since Cindy was almost 10 months old and we only had one from 5 months. We never got a photo. But, ironically, we got one today! She's wearing the outfit she came home in, but I don't know if that's coincidence or if it really was taken just before she left. I'm thinking it must have been taken earlier because she did not have the pink leggings/undershirt underneath the rest of it. Plus, her hair wasn't in piggies. So, I'm guessing this was taken at her last WBC on April 23 and it's just now getting to us!



Speaking of new pictures, Ryan got a really cute one of the kids this morning. Plus, there are plenty of new pictures to see on Dropshots. Here's my favorite:



Things are going pretty well here. We had a few rough nights, but now when/if she wakes up in the night, she goes back to sleep easily and quickly without needing a bottle. She is now snuggling into our shoulders and letting us rock her back to sleep easily without fighting us.

We have been blessed this week with wonderful meals. The women in our church ROCK! It has been such a relief not to worry about trying to keep two children entertained while cooking a meal, especially with Ryan working late hours these days. If it weren't for these generious women, we'd be having frozen pizza and/or the Bear's Den a lot more than I'd like to admit!

Quick Update

Happy Mother's Day! Believe it or not, BOTH kids are sleeping. Wohoo! So I thought I'd take a quick moment to post.

Cindy is doing really well. She still has some moments of grief and we are still learning to read her cues, but we're getting there. She has slept for at least 9 hours every single night so far. But, she sleeps with us so we don't get any sleep at all. For such a little girl, she packs quite a punch. She flails around her in sleep and kicks and punches us all night long!

Also, you would never guess that such a small child could be such a big eater. She's a slow bottle drinker, but she downs the baby food in nothing flat. She loves to eat! So far we've discovered that she likes pears and carrots, but does not care for green beans much. She also enjoyed her cereal this morning. Here's a picture of Ryan feeding her this morning.

It was fun this morning to put Cindy in the dress we had bought her for Easter. She did really well at church even with all the admirers! Pastor Donnie made a neat video of her homecoming photos. I hope he'll send us a copy (hint...hint...hint..) for me to post here. I think everyone in the church was crying, but I was just grinning ear to ear!

Well, Cindy's awake, so I'll leave you with our first "official" family photo in our Mother's Day finery:

We're Home!

We're home. She's wonderful, but I'm exhausted, so I'll make this quick! You can see pics of the big day HERE and I'll post more soon!

Portrait Innovations

To kill time this morning, we took Kaden to get his 3-year-old pictures at Portrait Innovations. We got some really great ones. This should also be our last professional photo of us as a family of 3!

Kaden's Birthday Surprise!

We had a great trip from Kansas to Colorado today. Kaden did really well and has had a blast playing with my uncle and aunt's dog since arriving here! He was having so much fun playing with her, that he almost missed his own surprise birthday party!  There are several cute videos and a TON of pictures on our DropShots account.

For now, here are photos of us holding the "Welcome Home Cindy" sign that Kaden and I made.

Okay, I'm off to bed now for our big day tomorrow. I promise to post as soon as I get a chance, meaning as soon as Cindy sleeps!

New Medical Stats!

The last information we had on Cindy was from March 26. So, I wasn't really sure what to expect when we meet her on Thursday. Well, we got a new report today! She saw the doctor for a "Well Baby Check" on April 23.

At that time she was measured at 28 1/8 inches tall and weighing only 15 lbs., 14 oz. What a peanut! I think she'll be in 6-9 month clothes for awhile because of her weight, but she is technically tall enough for 12 month clothing. It's a good thing it's almost summer. We won't have to worry about any highwater jeans and she can wear both her 6-9 month and 12 month dresses. Fun!

They said she is finally getting teeth. Her bottom two front teeth are coming in. I guess we need to make sure we have plenty of teething gel, drool bibs, and teething rings on hand! I was a little confused by the doctor's notes next to the teething information. It says "Lt TM (yellow TM)". Does anyone know what TM could stand for in regards to teeth? I'm wondering if they mean her teeth are yellowed?

The report also said that the poor girl struggles with constipation, having only one BM in 3 days. Poor thing. They said her oral intake (forumla consumption) is good, and she drinks 7 oz. every 4 hours. But, it didn't say anything about solid foods. So, I'm hoping we can get her to eat cereals, baby foods, and yogurt, and her get to feeling better.

The report also indicates that she is "creeping" but not all out crawling yet. She does not pull her up yet either. She does sit on her own, but not for very long. So, they still have her assessed at 2 months delayed. We'll get her evaluated once she's been home awhile. She's also babbling a lot and saying the Korean words for Mommy and Daddy. They call her a "Mommy's girl", so the attachment could be pretty tough as she'll be grieving for her Foster Mother. I hope she'll eventually accept me as her mother. Kaden and I still sometimes have issues with that. :(

I am getting very anxious now! I can't wait to be on the road and headed to the airport! Luckily, this past week (since the phone call), has gone very quickly so I'm hoping that today and tomorrow fly by. I'll be sure to post pictures and update the blog as soon as I can on Thursday.

She's Coming Home!!!

This morning at 9:30 a.m. we got the call we've waited so long for. Cindy is coming home! We'll pick her up in Denver on May 7. Wow! I can't believe it's finally happening. Thank you so much everyone for all your prayers and support. We wouldn't have made it without you!

I am so excited that she'll be here for Mother's Day and Kaden's birthday. We plan on giving Kaden a big bash once we get to Denver. That way he can have all his presents to play with on the trip home and it will be a special day that he doesn't have to share with his sister. I think it will be great!

Pray for our roof!

As I type a storm is brewing (I can hear the thunder) just to the north of us. Part of our roof is torn off and there are just a few pieces of plastic tacked down over it. That's all that is seperating the possible rain from our attic! It's directly over the kids' rooms. I've spent so much time and effort on making their rooms just right and really, really do not want to have to redo them both. So pray hard please!

Today Ryan had to take his truck into the big city to be fixed. The shop told him it would be a 4 hour wait. So rather than him just sitting there bored stiff, Kaden and I followed him up in the van. We spent a really fun afternoon at the zoo, picked the truck back up, and then came home. It helped the day go by quickly, especially since I was told yet again today that Cindy's packet has not been returned and no visa has been issued. :(

But, this has been a great week full of love and support for our wait. On Monday, my friends on the Holt web forum gave up things for Cindy. Some pledged not to drink coffee, eat candy, etc. until Cindy comes home! That was very encouraging. Then, that evening, I got the surprise of my life! The wonderful ladies in my Something for Moms small group threw me a surprise baby shower. I was absolutely shocked out of my seat. I didn't see it coming! I feel so blessed.

So, despite the fact that Cindy will be 10 months old on Tuesday, I'm hanging in there. We're getting close; I just feel it! I'll try to post pictures of our zoo trip and the surprise shower as soon as I can. I'll also be sure to post as soon as we hear that Cindy has her visa. Also, if you are in the area, you are invited to attend my Mary Kay party this Friday night at 7:00. I'm coming up with lots of ways to pass the time lately!

I Just Don't Understand

I know that it's impossible to understand the mind of God, but I sure wish I had a glimpse of it today. -sigh- I was so excited when I heard that several other people adopting though the same agency as us got their children's visas today. One of them was on the exact same timeline as us. Their Class B Waiver was sent to Korea the same day. So, I excitedly called hoping to hear the words, "Your daughter has her visa."

But, the response I got was the same one I have received for over 2 months now. "The P3 has not been returned." Why? Why in world have they not applied for her visa yet? I just don't understand. It really makes no sense.

Please continue to pray. This is getting harder and harder. I have no hope of her being home by Mother's Day now. I'm beginning to seriously wonder if she'll even be here by her 1st birthday. This is getting ridiculous.