Jae-min

No news.

Blah.

Travel call any day now.

As in, I could be in Seoul on Friday.

Ah-ha!

But first someone who knows something has to call us and tell us we can go.

So I knit.

Almost completed a whole dish cloth today.

We did get a Well Baby Check today for Jae-min.

He's still at 18 pounds.

Eleven months old.

He's standing alone, but not walking.

Which is good.  I want to experience his first steps.

Four teeth.

Box of Cheerios purchased for airplane snacks.

For him.

Cheerios are so necessary for this age.

There is some kind of emotional attachment to the big yellow box for me.

I feel ready for this.

I think I have everything essential.

Let me check to see if the phone is still working...

Yep.

People who are in control of my adoption destiny...

Call me.

Please.

Today.

Now.

Thank you.

Prayers and Swords

Paul usually prays with Peter during the Going To Bed ritual.  But he was on the phone, so tonight I prayed with Peter.

I could tell when I hit the mark of praying too long when Peter started making light saber noises.  He was no longer listening to me, but having a battle in his head.

So I wrapped it right up and said good night.

Apparently the battle is still going.  Shwoom, shoom, swshoomm... and so forth are coming from the top bunk.

 

On the way to church tonight, a thirty minute drive, the back seat was humming with the swish and swoosh of axes, guns, swords, and other various weapons as the boys played some imaginary game.  I think maybe they were slicing trees and telephone poles as we drove by them.  I don't really know.  But the sound effects and their boyishness were cracking me up.

Wake Up!

It was a swoosh and a crash and it startled me early this morning.

Out our front door.

 This huge branch decided to break off and fall.

In the morning calm.

No storm.

No wind.

And thankfully, no kids or cars were up and about yet.

We are off to Turkey Run this morning.

It's been a long time.

And, have you seen my large, white ladle?

I can't find it.

What's Happening

I switched my part today.  So that's exciting.  My bangs are sweeping over from the right now.

It would be the opposite of this.

And, Peter had another baseball game tonight.  In the two hours, he batted once (struck out) and didn't touch the ball while playing in the outfield.  Also exciting.

It was in the 90s and my eyebrows were working overtime to keep the sweat out of my eyes.

Um... what else?

We began a new school year yesterday.

 Reuben is doing PreK and K.
Here Peter is helping Reuben sound out words on our new word caterpillar.

I woke up this morning and heard Reuben out here by himself sounding out these words.

So sweet.

Peter is beginning 4th grade.

I love that cape-wearing is a part of our school day.

Could you imagine if he showed up to school in a cape?

I wonder what the teacher would do.

My yarn stash has been restored and I have dishcloth #6 on my needles.  It's purple, so naturally I'll send it to my sister.

 Here we are.

 

Peter's embroidery skills are coming along nicely.

As he was secretly stitching this he said to me,

"Thanks for teaching me how to embroider, Mom."

So much love around here.

Jae-min is not ready to come home yet.  But, yesterday I got to hold a baby that is the same age and size of Jae-min.  It was so good.  So good.

What about Paul?  He's really handsome in this one green shirt he has.  And in the grey shirt.  And that blue one with the snaps.  And the one when he rolls up his sleeves.  He's got all kinds of style.  I love his smile.

That's what's going on in this small life.

Small Life For Sure

I have become addicted to knitting.  Three and a half dishcloths complete!  So fun to carry my ball of yarn and needles with me as I go about my motherly duties.

When I made my initial knitting purchase I made the mistake of buying only one ball of yarn.  I ran out of yarn on Wednesday.  I have had to sit through two ball games with idle hands.

Here's the salt in this very shallow wound...  There is no yarn for sale IN MY COUNTY.  Isn't that crazy?  I have to drive fifty minutes to the nearest yarn-selling store.

Gas is over four dollars.  That makes for expensive yarn.

Know what else?

Paul has been mega sick since Wednesday.  I have a baby in Korea that I need to snuggle.  I want to cut my hair short.  White flour and sugar are trying to bring me down.  And... I want to hang out with my sister. 

In conclusion, I will take the two healthy boys to the China Buffet to meet friends.  Yuck.  But I need to do something.  And just to feel productive, we will stop by the high school to recycle our recyclables.

That feels better.

Colorado

It's already been two weeks since we were a mile high in the Colorado sky.

 We flew into Denver, then drove into, over, and through the Rockies.

There they are up ahead.

 This was my attempt at photographing the woman running with the Special Olympics' torch.

I didn't quite get her.

She was accompanied by four or five police escorts.

 We paused in Glenwood Springs so I could reminisce of good times had here in the past.

My mom and I took a road trip from California to this small Colorado town to visit Colorado Mountain College, where I was considering majoring in photography.

The college is still here.

 Paul reaching the top of one of the monuments in Colorado National Monument Park.

 I don't know what's going on here.

My inner ninja, perhaps.

We enjoyed having several days of just us.

Just us = no kids

I had some down time,

which was an amazing feeling.

Look at me knit.

Professional style.

I don't have any pics showing why we went to Colorado.

If I did, they would look like this...

 

We met with a lot of people -

trying to determine if the Paul and Stacey piece fits into the grand puzzle of this organization.

The Board approved us to join them.

And we probably will.

Just need to settle in with a Jae-min first.

Hoops of Fun

Embroidery Lesson #1