Our Today

This morning started with the boys sleeping at opposite ends of the bed...

You can barely see Reuben there.

On our morning walk Reuben found this Y-shaped stick that he wanted to make into a slingshot.

So I found some elastic and tied it on.

And then I pretended to know what I was talking about

and taught him how to sling a shot.

It worked, because the little rocks were making it from our front steps out into the street.

Two points for Mom!

Then Paul painted our western wall.

Because it needed it.

Reuben supervised.

And I made pesto with this bowlful of basil I picked from our backyard garden.

 

Then we met up with Paul's sister's family at Turkey Run for

a picnic and Charlie's first hike.

See him on Paul's back?

He loves the mei tai!

And Turkey Run!

And the sunshine!

And summer!

And family!

In solemn praise of the moment.

 Meanwhile, Reuben is in the creek with a stick,

as is to be expected.

 Asleep a half hour in,

somewhere on trail 8.

 He woke up and got to hike too.

 

I love the plaid shorts.

And Charlie.

 All the cousins,

minus Peter.

So sad that he had to go to school today.

Mondays are Paul's day off and I think

Peter should get the day off too.

Someone asked us today,

I think it was Jared,

if we'd had any surprises with Charlie.

And we realized the surprise has been that

his adjustment into our family has gone so well.

His fun and expressive personality has been emerging

this last week and it's been so fun.

It seems that he is feeling comfortable with us.

He is going to sleep better,

which means quicker and with less crying.

He comes to Paul or I when he's in a group

and has a choice of adults.

He has so quickly learned the sign language

for 'more' and 'milk'.

His walking is picking up speed and smoothness.

And he's just so cute!

We give all praise to God

and thank him for his blessings,

his love,

and his grace.

And for this Charlie Jae-min.

School

You just never know what God is going to prompt you to do.

One of those nights in Korea when I couldn't sleep, from 2:30-5:30am, I spent the time talking to God and asking him for wisdom and discernment with my parenting.  Then the Lord talked me through the idea of enrolling Peter in the local school, including putting him in the third grade with his same-age peers instead of in the fourth grade where he is academically.  By 5:30am I had a great peace that this was what we should do.

Yesterday was

Drop Off Your School Supplies Day.

 We found his room

(there's only one third grade class)

and unloaded his goods into his desk.

And today is

The First Day of School.

 And our school table,

I've discovered,

makes a great laundry-folding table.

Mr. Bingley

Our trip to Korea to welcome...

Mr. Bingley Sir Charlie Jae-min 

to our family...

August 1

At the Chicago airport,

getting ready to go.

(I am married to such a handsome man.  Ah!)

August 4

Meeting him for the first time.

He was wearing a little bow tie.

Getting to know each other

at the adoption office.

Remember this picture with the bunny?

I got to meet the bunny...

Most of the children have their picture taken with him.

Continuing to get comfortable with Paul.

Pre-travel physical.

We remembered this nurse from Reuben's adoption.

Healthy guy.

Almost time to say goodbye to his foster parents.

Back at our hotel the same day.

(Oh, the humidity and my curly hair!)

Playing in our room.

We all shared a bed.

It's the Korean way.

Children sleep with their parents until they are two.

August 6

In the Seoul airport,

heading home.

Waiting to board our plane.

First time in a car seat.

He slept 8.5 of the 12.5 hours on the plane

and had no problems the other 4 hours.

Hallelujah and Praise the Lord.

On our drive home

we stopped at F.O. Dairy

for Paul's favorite grilled cheese with

Havarti Pepper cheese and roast beef.

I think we also got some coffee to keep the driver awake

for a few more hours.

August 7

Meeting his brothers for the first time.

Peter and Reuben were so excited to meet him and give him gifts they had picked out with Nana.

Feeling shy and staying close to me.

Reuben asked that we get him a Korean soccer shirt.

Peter wanted a Korean Gatorade

and Reuben wanted a Korean Coke.

Different cans than in the US.

Meeting his Nana.

In the toy basket.

A Reuben sandwich.

Proving his big brother skills.

He loves being a big brother.

But, in distress one day this week he sadly said,

"I'm a big brother but I still can't zip my jacket!"

Meeting Winnie.

She has been so full of grace as he checks her out.

 

First family photo.

We mostly call him Charlie.

Sometimes Jae-min still comes out.

Mr. Bingley on Sundays.

And often we catch ourselves starting to call him Reuben.

His legal name will be

Charlie Jae-min,

named after my dad.

We are rejoicing that he's home with us.

He is fitting right in

and accepting us as his caregivers.

We love him

and think he is so so cute.

I don't have much time for blogging,

as you've noticed.

My days are long and full

and I love it.

 I won't be in this space as often as before.

Remember that one time when I was a knitter?

Ha.

Charlie.

I love him.

We're Alive

I want to blog and post pictures, but my time is filled up with all these boys.  Playing and loving and bonding and sleeping.  We've had many days of bliss.  Except when it's time to go to bed.  I need you to write the book, How to Put the Adopted Child to Sleep.  Because you're not supposed to let him cry it out, that would not promote attachment, of which we are striving.  But how do you get a feisty, time-confused, yet tired one-year-old to lay down and sleep?  It's a wrestling match every time.  Unless he happens to fall asleep in the baby carrier, stroller, or car seat.  But, praise the Lord Most High that this is our biggest issue.  We went to the doctor for his initial visit and all is wonderful.  Except he maybe didn't think three shots in the thigh was too wonderful.  Oh man, Paul just caught me not going to bed.  I was so close.  Glasses off, quilt pulled back, but I so wanted to leave you a message and a least one photo...

Love.  There's a whole lot of love around here.

Home

Our day of travelling went SO WEL..444444

jAE-MIN is here at the keyboard with me.4
4
e
4HHHhe sticks pretty close to me and I love iiiiiiiit.

He's a busy guyqSSSSSSSSW


i CAN'T WAIT to have time to post pictures and write more about our tripp777777777777777777777777.

Seoul to Chicago

Heading home...


The time stamp on this post is showing a different time zone than I'm currently in.  Really this is posted at 7:38 am on Saturday in Seoul. 

Mr. Jae-min!

Our meeting with the foster family went so well.  Both the foster mom and dad came.  They were so sweet and sincere and love Jae-min very much.  They sent us home with so many special gifts.  Jae-min was her 18th foster child, and her last.  We cried and hugged and said good-bye.  Oh, it was so sad.

But, Jae-min has taken to us amazingly well.  He very cutely fell asleep on Paul's shoulder as we walked back to our hotel.  Then we all napped for about an hour until Jae-min woke up startled, which startled Paul, and then me.  This was the first (and only time so far) that Jae-min has cried.  He let me hold him and soothe him.  What a relief that he has not rejected us.

Paul spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping while Jae-min and I got to know each other.  Mostly this involved opening and closing the dresser drawers and some cupboard doors over and over and over again.

We are about to go to bed.  Oh!  He's walking!  That unstable, big knees plopping walk of a beginner.  So cute.

Tomorrow we are meeting WooSeok and his mom and also Inbum for lunch.  I can finally give WooSeok his high school graduation present, which I'm kind of sad about because I've liked wearing it.

Good night!  What a good, good, wonderful, amazing, thank you God night.