Moving in

As we moved in, we made sure that it wasn't all work and no play!  Olivia had fun jumping from ladders (as long as daddy was there to catch her), and sliding down our mattress as we were trying to put it on.  She had a blast!  She was really good while we moved in.  She played in her playroom around the many boxes and dumped her fair share while I was trying to unpack as quickly as possible.  She was a champ! 

                                    

 

Work....

While mom and I were inside unpacking boxes and organizing, John had to return to work and dad sweated it out on building a deck.  Dad and John had laid out what they were doing, and it became a pretty big project.  John would help when he got home from work, and dad would work during the day.  This was something I knew we needed for Olivia's party.  Together, they built us an amazing deck!!!  Thank you both!  Thanks Buppy for putting some of you in this house!  I can't wait to see how the mantle turns out! :)

Moving

  We closed on our house on May 22nd.  I couldn't begin to think about moving since it was the last week of school.  With that comes kindergarten graduation, moving everything in my room, 19 wild, crazy and excited 5/6 year olds and some hectic, but fun days.  Before moving there was plenty to be done such as painting, light fixtures, delivering appliances, blinds, etc.  So, I was in no rush to get going out of my parents, but also knew everything had to be done by Olivia's birthday party on June 22nd.  Dad and John immediately started painting.  I felt pretty useless that first week, but I played with my niece Annelyn (my sister wasn't out for summer yet) and Olivia quite a bit.  I do not paint.  Murals, yes.  Painting a wall with a rolling brush....no. 
Though I was in no hurry, mom had said that they would be keeping my sister's dog in a week so we had to go.  Mom was not having 4 dogs in the house...totally don't blame her if you knew three of the four dogs.  I mean, we all know my Oscar is perfect!  With that, we had a week.  Still, I wasn't in a hurry. 
Dad and John had just about finished Olivia's Doc McStuffins room when I had this grand idea to rent a uhaul.
                                            
 It was completely and totally spur of the moment!  Dad had just left for the day and I went into her room and told  John that I had one ready to pick up in 45 minutes.  The largest one you could rent, nonetheless!  We got the truck and within a few minutes were at Grandaddy's house which is where all of our stuff had been for the last 5 mos. 
                                               
As we pulled into the drive, we suddenly realized that we weren't moving.  We were stuck!  Thank goodness for Jim Jim (as Olivia calls him) that he was able to come and hook up his truck and pull us out in less than 5 mins. 

 

Bless them, he and Danyell had offered many times to help, but since we had no clue when that would be we really couldn't ask for the help and we were now on summer break which allowed our schedule to be a little more open. 

John and I got inside and I walked through.  I hadn't been in the whole 5 mos. we were at my parents.  I let John, Dad, and Jimmy get all that situated when we moved.  Oh my goodness!  Boxes were in every room as tall if not piled higher than me.  So, we started around 5:30, took a break to go eat and had the whole house loaded onto the truck by 10:30!  I can't believe I don't have a picture of that truck!  It was packed tightly and its the largest one they rent out.  We got started bright and early the next day and then decided to go unload the storage unit that had our furniture.  John and I loaded the truck and I was beat!  Our friends Ashley and Ryan had offered to come help, but Ryan was off work (rare) and I didn't want them to spend their time helping us.  Ashley asked again to help shortly after we had gotten to the new house with everything and I was one tired girl.  Thankfully, they came to the rescue and got here just in time to move the beast of a couch that we have!  She and I worked together and Ryan and John.  Before we knew it, the truck was unloaded.  We didn't stay at the new house for several more nights.  John and Olivia had a 'camp out' the night before we moved in.  This gave me time to clean at mom's and get stuff together.    As of today, we have been here 3 weeks!  I can't believe it has been that long!  We have been super busy, but it is all almost done! 

pics of the inside to come!

 

 

A few updates and packages

We have gotten a couple pictures and updates on Easton lately and have also had the chance to send him a few packages.  I love to open my email to see "PICTURES FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!"  Our update brought a few initial concerns, but I am hopeful that much of it is due to lack of exposure.  He is now 21 mos. old.  I cannot believe it!  We are so ready to bring him home.  (I will come back to that.)  His report said that he is now walking, likes to put things in his mouth, imitates, and is a happy boy, but developmentally behind.  It also says that he is getting better day by day. 

As far as bringing him home.....we have no news of how close we are or where we are from our agency.  However, looking at other people who have received EP, we are close.  I think they are in March of 2012 and we are April 2012.  I find myself checking facebook and my email quite frequently these days in hopes of getting some good news!  For the longest, I haven't done that because there was no movement.  It is so good to see movement in Korea.  We cannot wait to get our arms around him.  As it seems now, we will make two trips.  We will go and appear in court and meet Easton.  (approx. 10 days) We will come home as a 14 day period begins for court approval.  This is new.  I will return to work (jet lag and all) and continue life here at home.  Once we have court approval, we will travel back to Korea and wait for his visa to be issued.  That is another 10-12 day trip.  At that time, we will bring him home and my maternity leave will begin.  When you ask????  Well, could be 3 mos, 6 mos, longer,  who knows?  There is no rhyme or  rhythm to this new system.  I am hopeful that we begin to see a trend of movement and things become more predictable, but for now we wait.  We love you son.  We are coming.....

This was our April picture.  I may have blogged it, but honestly with the end of school and moving, I have no clue what has been blogged and what hasn't.  And, it is just more cuteness to look at so I think its fine to put the picture in twice.

I love when I see what I sent from here in his hands there.  There is something

about that makes my heart happy. 

Apparently he loves playing with the cell phone we sent.  I hope he loves the remote control as much as he does the phone.  Don't you think he will look adorable in that hot pink shirt?!?!  Love it!

In the video and some updates, we heard that he needs help using a fork/spoon and he is working on using a sippy cup!  It was reported that he was chasing his foster brother and ran into the wall and has a bruise, so I figured he could use the boo boo puppy.  He also needs more finger foods/snacks.  Last but not least, a new toothbrush and toothpaste.  This was definitely a 'necessity' care package, but I just sent a fun one a couple weeks ago! 

One last picture that our social worker was able to snag while she was with the first family to attend court.  We love her!  She made a special effort to see our kiddo and we got video, too!!

End of School Program

This year, the theme for Olivia's end of MDO program was western.  Pretty sure we didn't have anything to fit that theme, so we had some time to put a super cute cowgirl together.  We found pink sparkly cowgirl boots (Hello expensive!!!  I found them way cheaper online!), a pink hat, and a shirt made with an 'O' out of 'rope'

 

 

The hat size to leg size ratio really cracks me up, but she was dressed and ready for her show.  Now, this girl, as you know is a bit shy sometimes.  So, what does a mama and dad do to help out the stage fright?  Bribery!!!  Even Mammy joined in.  This girl racked up!  We told her that if she would get up on stage and dance and do her thing that we would get her a fish....somehow that turned into 5 fish!  We also promised ice cream.  Mammy joined in and promised a new dress up outfit.  Olivia had been begging to get to sleep with Mammy and Buppie, so somehow, that got worked into the deal, too! 

 

Did she do it?  Well......kind of.  She didn't curl around her teacher and she sang every word to the other classes song.  She danced like she was suppose to and she seemed full of herself up there.  At one point, I could only see the back of her pink hat because they were suppose to be sitting down allowing the other class to sing, but she had her face in her friends face playing. 

(next to pole in back...this was their sit down time.)

 

 I am glad she had a good time.  We are working on the shyness.....she has come a long way!  She said she had fun, so.....all promises have been fulfilled except the dang fish.  Once we are in our house, I guess we will go buy 5 fish.  Oh my!!

Homecoming

Last Friday, we hurried home from work, grabbed Olivia and Nana and headed to Fort Campbell to greet a group of soldiers coming home from Afghanistan.  One of those soldiers is quite special to our family as it is our niece's husband.  He had been deployed for 9 months. 
Olivia was quite nervous about the whole thing at first.  I hadn't ever been there, and it was very neat!  Amber, our niece has told us lots of stories about it, but to see a whole community unto itself was really neat. 

The Sunday before his homecoming, Amber made a welcome home sign with all of our handprints.

 

We had to ride a good ole school bus to get to where Andy would arrive.

 

 

 We hung out inside and Olivia ate some popcorn and squirmed around her cousins.

We headed outside to watch the plane arrive!

 

 

I loved Nana's comment when she saw the plane landing...."one of our boys home, now lets get the other one! (meaning Easton)"

 

And after the boys received some orders, they were released to their loved ones! We stood back and watched a few minutes before bombarding Andy. ;)

 

 

 

 

Olivia wanted to see Andy, but all the uniforms made her very uncomfortable.  At one point, she said "there are lots (making motions with her arms) of soldiers!"

 

Welcome Home Andy!!!  We are so happy that you made it back safely. 

 

 

 

A huge step

This was the statement that we received last week about Korea.  This is what the US department of state posted about Korea signing the Hague.   The Hague convention is a huge step that will help in the long run of adoptions from Korea, but we are all hoping it isn't another bump in the road to delay our current adoptions.  It's amazing how you read about things like the Hague in school, but you never think something like that will affect you in real life.....
Easton, your adoption has been full of surprises!  One day when you read this, I hope you can understand that we wanted you home so badly, but it wasn't up to us.  We are still here, waiting.  We love you little one!!


South Korea

May 28, 2013

Adoption Notice: The Republic of Korea Signs the Hague Adoption Convention

On May 24, 2013, the Republic of Korea ( South Korea ) signed the Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention). This is the first step for South Korea in becoming a Convention partner.  Adoptions between the United States and South Korea , however, are not yet subject to the requirements of the Convention and relevant implementing laws and regulations.  According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which will be designated as South Korea 's Central Authority, there is no set date when South Korea will deliver its instrument of ratification or when the Convention will enter into force with respect to South Korea .