A nice day for a picnic...

Today we went on a wonderful picnic with friends... Camye asked for my phone to take a few pictures of her creations. I thought this was so cute!:)


Mia in her little dress from Amy H's daughter Avah, Avah came home right after Mia did. Mia and her Avah look alot alike!
I just loved the name Avah.. Especially Spelled like that.... We are naming our Avah... With the same spelling!


Avah H. Is a little bigger than Mia. So when her mama sold her Matilda Jane.. I jumped at the chance!:):)



So cute!!!! And so affordable!!:):)


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Voice of Love

My friend Grace's Video <-------will blow your mind..

Life ...

We are slowly recovering from pure craziness with Mia. I am so thankful that spell is over with and she is doing 100% better. Almost better than she has done since she came home.. She seems so secure. Daddy rocks her to sleep and puts her in her bed. Her security is skin, we are pushing this 'Annyeong Kitty' that is super soft instead of my arm. We do have a sleep study coming up in the next few weeks to determine if she has sleep apnea.
While we were in the hospital, my great friend from church brought over 2 great meals... It was a huge blessing.





And it was excellent food.. When in doubt what to do to help someone.. Take them a meal. Especially if they have a gazillion kids and Gods keeps saying... Just one more.;)

I am back to myself. I was so stressed over the K*rean adoption process which is moving again.. Praise God!! Everything was suffering... But I am back to cooking, cleaning, scrubbing and baking... It feels so normal. Portfolios for the kids are all organized and almost ready. I am feeling a freezer cooking session coming right up! The kids are up on all their reading.. I found a fantastic math curriculum.

But then my friend Danielle... Had reminded me that we had tickets to see Jordan Knight in Pittsburgh. I almost cancelled so many times that week. But I hadn't seen her in awhile... These concerts are always such a blast. So I went... I did struggle at first. Well... Let me back up.. First I had to figure out something to wear. It was between my Kohls 6.99 tees or my adoption fundraising tshirts I have been buying from everyone. So I went shopping and found something concert worthy. While I was at the concert I was checking adoption forums and emails and private messages on Facebook... The entire time.... I felt guilty while Avah waited in an orphanage for mom and dad to hurry and come. I couldn't stop thinking about my friend Amanda's little boy.. If he was hungry. My thoughts went on and on. And finally.. I thought to myself.. If I am going to be any shape at all when Avah does come home... I need to relax and pull myself together. So I finally loosened up and the song You've got the Right stuff.. May have helped.;)






It was a lot of fun!!!

Back to reality... Adoption stalking!!!;)


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How Can You Help?

To my local friends and family:

I get lots of questions about our adoption. Most people want to know if their is anything they can do.

We will taking some donations to Mia and Avah's baby house and also to Avah's orphanage

.

Here are the items we are collecting.

1. Children s toothbrushes

2. Band-aids

3. Desitin creme (this costs $17 a tube in Korea)

4. Chap stick

We obviously can not take thousands of items. But we can take a lot with us. If you are interested in donating, please just bring it to me anytime before April 20th.

Thanks so much!!:)

Guess who is Home!!!!!

Yay!!! Still having some pain!! But she is home!!:):)


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Still waiting for results...

We are still waiting for tests to be run to figure out what is going on. She keeps having random fits of pain.


Daddy-Appa and Oppa-Paul came to visit...


She loves her Oppa...


He helped cheer her up some. Watching out our window.. With the not so nice view!!


We found a playroom. Playrooms always cheer you up! I found out every floor here at Children's has a playroom.


We picked out a few toys to take back to our room because I couldn't bare the thought of catching any more germs.


She even felt up to letting me wash her hair.


The amount of smiles she gave today are probably pictured above... Not too many. She is really really sick but her UTI has cleared up!


Back to sleep... This is what she did most of the day!

Thanks Daddy and Paul for coming up!! Thanks to Mr.Dave our new minister for visiting! Thanks for Miss Leah's second visit and for the chocolate.:):)

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My precious baby...

Little Mia has been so sick. We headed back to Childrens Hospital after just being there on Thursday night.

I told them I wasn't leaving with out blood work, kidney ultrasound, an urinalysis, IV antibiotics and she needed to be admitted. Guess what they are doing all of it.:)


Sleeping so sweet!!


Waking up with a smile.


My precious little girl.:):)

My take...God has something great going on in Avahs adoption... Satan wants me to desperately change my mind. This experience has only helped prepare me for Avah and her needs by familiarizing myself with Children's hospital! Praise God!:)

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~Mia Misses Omma~

Mia has been very sick with a bladder infection, she was almost asleep tonight when she looked up at me and said, "Momma, where Omma and Appa?"

How sweet... We made this little video for them.

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Isn't she so sweet?

What a doll baby!!:):)



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Ungraceful Club

This seems to be a popular topic in the adoption world, right now.

Am I graceful waiter?

Or my favorite...I was a much more graceful waiter than you are.

Or relax, they will come home?

Here is my take on the situation:

December 2010...God lit my fire to get Mia home ASAP. Why? Because he knew Avah was coming home too. If things hadn't happened the way they have for me. Mia wouldn't be home and Avah possibly could age out. Yes aging out at age 5 years old!!!!!!

I know God's timing is everything. HOWEVER...

Grace.

Does it make it easier for my friend Amanda adopting her 5 year old who weighs 14 pounds?  Does it matter that she knows he doesn't get fed on Sundays or have his diaper changed? Should she just patiently wait and not fight with all her might to get home ....expedited....? Should we wait gracefully if 4 children choked to death on their bottles because they didn't have the strength to move their head to the side? Or how about when he does get his diaper changed on the 6 other days..its once per day? He isn't held. Or touched. Shouldn't she get to act and scream and eat loads of Reese Cups every day? if she wants....

Even Jesus overturned the tables in the temple. Is she wrong? For wanting to spit nails..am I wrong for throwing something? Or snapping at someone? Or not even being able to read good news because all I see is bad news?

DON'T judge other waiters...if you are waiting or IF YOU HAVE WAITED in the past. We are not on the same playing field. 2012 was supposed to be the magical number quoted by Korea to shut down international adoption.

If you waited 8 months in the past...you knew that going into. KNOWING..is awesome.
I have friends going on 2 years!!!!

If I knew Avah would be home on August 15th.
I wouldn't like it.
But I could accept the known.
You cant accept the unknown.

Every adoption is different. Every single one. They cannot be compared.

So I will say this..Blog all you want about how you were such a graceful waiter for your children. How others should handle this situation? Judge however you wish. But we will fight until our children are home. Not something you have ever had to do. Because you knew.

The Wait is what you make it.
HA....laughable.
MY dear friend Amanda....would agree. Little Keith...is waiting everyday...for his daddy to show up and hold him again.
My friend Jen who is waiting for sweet Coralie....probably asking, Why aren't they coming?
My friend Grace who is waiting for sweet shy little Sarah, may tear up when she hears Cora say this. But we think Sarah knows....she has had a recent improvement.

See that little girl...up there. Avah....I will bring her home. I may act ugly. I may say things I regret. You can blog all you want about us not being as holy or graceful as you. I don't care.

How about this....I don't want to be a graceful waiter. I don't even think that is scriptural.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it, anything you find offensive.

*****DISCLAIMER: I can not be held accountable for anything written on this blog, because I am officially quitting the graceful waiting club. Not that i was ever a high ranking member.

To be a member of the UNgraceful waiting club.... Here are the rules.

1. You must write, delete, rewrite and redelete comments on adoption forums...because your thoughts are all over the place.
2. Chocolate...you must eat pounds and pounds of it...all sorts of types.....DAILY
3. Crying once a day is considered a good day.
4. Prayer on your knees...sobbing....with the water running so your kids cant hear you is essential.

There you have it!:)

Have a good day!!

-Little Girls Room-

I have a wonderful...fabulous....thoughtful...Godly friend, Tina. She is one of the most wonderful friends, I could ever imagine.

She came up and showed off what she can really do. She has been hiding behind medical transcription for 20 years. She is an artist!!!





LOVE LOVE LOVE!! SO ADORABLE!!!!!


Mia keeps saying, "I lobe my room and Abah's room. See my name and Abah's name in Hangul."






Close up of the cherry blossom tree....ignore the quality of my Iphone photos....


Gorgeous....I ordered 2 kil.sook prints on December 29th....hoping and praying they come in. They go below the branch.:)


I love hearing Mia say. I love my room, Mama. And I Love Miss Tina.

Miss Tina may have announcement soon as her husband told me on Facebook that they were working on getting her a little friend soon.


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~A Shout Out~

Life...what an adventure.

Daily, I am reminded of his goodness.

And my failures.

My sins.

Driving the nails in.

Of his Awesomeness.

Every.single.day.

This is a shout out to all the moms. 

The moms who send their kids to school.

The moms who home school.

The moms who have 10 children.

The moms who have 1 child.

The moms who have lost a child or more.

The women who are mothers at heart...waiting for their child.

The women who may never have a child of their own.

But more and more recently, I have been wanting to give a shout out to those moms who work. I know some of you might be surprised, that I am not really the against.women.working, public.school.hating, denim.skirt.wearing, Burkenstock, against.vaccines, or hippy mother.

Honestly, I am not. Although I do find those homeschoolers to be much more interesting, than the Sonoma or Adoption tshirts and jeans I prefer to wear.

Below is my kitchen.....on a typical school morning. Mia took this picture a few weeks ago. 

I almost deleted it. But for some reason, I kept it.

Its a real picture of  how a weekend day runs around here.

Stacks of books.3 laptops.3 IPods, pencils. erasers. Legos. backpacks.worksheets.drinks.diet coke.Lys*l wipes.of course.breakfast all over the counter.

You get the picture.

A mess.

This mess happens while I am sitting right there. This my view every weekday morning.
It stresses me out. I need to grocery shop. I need to make the kids lists. Prepare for bible class I teach. Prepare for Wednesday night bible study. I need to blog. I need to wake up extra early to do my devotion. I need to plan VBS. I need to get the 3 puppet teams more in sync. I need to mail bills. I need to love my husband. I need to clean out the van. I need to call a friend. I need to plan a family vacation. I need clean clothes. I need to diet today. I need to put on makeup. I need to clean up. I need to use some of those beloved Lys*l wipes. I need to take a bath and the list goes on and on. I need to curl up on the couch and listen to my child read. And you all know I need to check the adoption forums to find out when is Avah coming home.

BUT...

what if I had to work a job on top of live out what can only be a direct command from the Savior to my heart...because there is no other way I am homeschooling 5 going on 6 kids on my own. NO.WAY.

If had a job..I would have to do the things up above AND go to work.
If they do not go to work....they may work at home.
Yes some people have to work.
Its not wrong.
Its not sinful.
Its not anything to be judged for.
But something to look at in AWE....she works at home and has a job out of the house.
What?? Like the Proverbs 31 woman..yes it is even scriptual.

I have an incredible friend. Who works...and home schools. Yes she needs an award or something.

We have no idea what goes in everyone's daily life.
We have no reason to judge  another person's life.
God has made each and everyone of us different.
We have different needs and wants.
I need diet.coke. and a new purse on occasion.
No big deal.....

Today, I went to an awesome Home school convention. 

I had realization today....that with life comes change. I have been expecting too much of my kids and myself. We are struggling with Algebra. I need more time to do History and Science...the way my dream home school will run. But guess what...I don't have the time. That was making me so incredibly sad. I love the Charlotte Mason method. I love Apologia Science. But it wasn't happening.

There is a great family, the Queen family that has their own booth at our home school fair. She has many children and has been through about all of it. There website is www.queenhomeschool.com. She knows what it is like to have a high schooler that you need to prepare for college plus also have toddlers at home. 

I know I should have this down, homeschooling down to an art....but I do not.

11 years simply has not been long enough for me to get it all.

I must be a slow learner.

But I have a plan for the 2012-2013 school year....and it makes me Rejoice. I am so thankful for being around my home school friends and being encouraged.

I have a plan...it doesn't involve the curriculum I have heard to be so successful.

But it does involve what will work for each of my individual children.

Randomness

I am sorry my blog stinks lately. I have a blog brewing in my mind some where. It just requires the time to sit down and do it. I love blogging from my phone but realize the quality isnt as nice as when I blog with real pictures from my camera and write better from my computer.

Oh well.. Here we go.

This is my most favorite all time picture! I even think they look alike! I am married to the most wonderful man in.the.entire.universe. Last night I was running Camye to a friends house, dress shopping with Chloe for the masquerade, and then taking her to a ice skating party. So Mia stayed home... I always worry if she is anxious ... Well looking below was what I got about an hour into my errands!! I love it.



This is Mia's best friend... Elle. Mia covered her in post it notes.... Thought it was so cute.


And more Avah Bows are Being mailed to me!!! 20 more! I have sold the first 10... And pretty sure the rest are sold as well.


I am off for a day alone with homeschool mom friends at a Homeschool Fair... No kids.

I believe I will start my day with a White Choc Mocha Frappuchino hold the whip at Starbucks.

Have a great day!:)

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Busy.. Busy...

Okay.. I am so caught up in the EP mess that my blog is suffering.
The other day, I was running Mia to the doctor. I told her to get ready... And she grabbed her shoes, 2 dolls and of course her purse.




We got in the car and she had to hold ALL of it.

She is so sweet!!

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Guess Who They Are Watching!

Yes all five kiddos want to watch Avah's videos over and over.

If you have seen these videos, you can't blame them. She has QUITE the personality.:)