Calling All Bloggy Friends

I need help! 

See my adoption timeline on the right side of this page? 

 Why is it a jumbled mess? 

I have spaced it out. 

 Retyped it. 

 Deleted the gadget and put a new one in it's place.

  It keeps jumbling up and taking out the spacing!  Who can help

 me with this? 

 I'm kind of an orderly person

and that mess over there is driving me NUTS!

If you can help me, I would greatly appreciate it!

Hallelujah {EP Approval!}

We were notified this morning that Griffin's EP was approved last Friday, March 25!  Fabulous!  Five weeks was a long time to wait for one little approval.  Ok, it's a BIG approval but still a tough wait.  Anyway, we're approved so now what's next?  Here we go...

• Travel Certificate - Holt Korea applies to the Ministry of Foreign affairs for the travel certificate after the EP has been approved.  Typically takes about a week to gain the approval.
• Visa Physical - After the EP and travel certificate have been issued, a doctor appointed by the US Embassy will examine Griffin and make sure he's good to go.  I should be notified when this appointment is scheduled.
• P3 - The P3 is the packet that Holt Korea submits into the Embassy for the one way travel visa.  This packet contains a bunch of important documents and takes 5-8 business days to be approved.
• Visa Interview - Griffin's foster mom will physically take him to the Embassy for a visa interview.  Here's what I imagine him saying..."Listen, can we just hurry this thing up.  Seoul is groovy and all, but I really just want to see my mama."  This happens after the paperwork has been submitted into the embassy.
• TRAVEL CALL!!!!

I'm think 4-6 weeks, but WHO THE HECK KNOWS!?!  Really, it's any one's guess.  I'm just hoping sooner rather than later.

Let's Be Real

조화

Let's be honest about something.  This is a blog about my REAL life.  This isn't a motivational blog that is intended to deceive everyone by holding back my true feelings and emotions.  Waiting for any child is no fun.  Waiting for a child that is half way around the world is really difficult.  Waiting for my child while the Korean government twiddles it's thumbs sucks!  I don't really know WHAT the Korean government is doing, but I don't understand why it has taken five weeks (and counting) to approve an emigration permit.  These children are not pieces of paper or numbers.  They are little humans that, although they don't know it, are waiting to be united with their family.  I understand the process is basically the same for everyone, but it doesn't make it OK.  Or efficient! 

So, as you can tell, I'm struggling.  I knew this would be the most difficult part of the wait, but EP's were being approved anywhere from 10 days to 2 or 3 weeks earlier in the year so I know it can be done.  Anyway....last week the wait started to get to me and this week I'm in full blown on edge, can't sleep, eat everything in sight, sad, depressed, angry, cranky mode.  I know this and I'm trying to deal. 

Last night I knew I just needed some Bible time.  I got ready for bed, grabbed my bible, and started thumbing through the concordance looking for a word I was feeling (bad) or a word that I wanted to feel (good). 

PEACE(FUL)

calm repose; eternal rest (after death); free of strife or discord; harmony

in personal relationship, especially with God

Uh, yeah.  I could definitely use some peace in my life.  Now, which verse should I look up?  There were probably 30 or 40 listed but I decided to check out

"May grace and p be yours. . . Rom 1:7"

Love the word grace.  Add it to peace.  Perfect.  So, I turned over to Romans 1:7 and this is what it said

"......May grace and peace be yours from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Wonderful!  But I decided to read on and this is where it got good.  The title to the next few verses was "God's Good News."

"Let me say first of all that your faith in God is becoming known throughout the world.  How I thank God through Jesus Christ for each one of you.  God knows how often I pray for you.  Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by telling others the Good News about his Son."

WOW!  I keep reading.

"One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.  For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord.  I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.  In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other."

I have TWO children now that I must share the Lord with.  It's my responsibility to help them grow strong in the Lord and to encourage them in their faith.  I have to quit being angry and whiny and prepare myself for this added responsibility that is my son.

Waiting still sucks, but at least now I know why I'm waiting.

Wordless Wednesday {Love Them}

A Celebration

My wonderful, sweet, fabulous friends threw me a baby shower yesterday.  I jump at any chance to wrangle my girls all together for a fun time.  I love them and they're SO fun!  We had some yummy food and drink, ate some delish cake, played a Korean word game, and opened gifts.  Of course, my favorite part was just seeing everyone and talking and laughing.  Griffin got some super cute stuff too!  Toys, clothes, shoes, a quilt, bibs, lots of great gifts!  It was a perfect shower and a wonderful celebration of my sweet son.

My cousin, grandma, and aunt.  Love them!

Vashni, Leslie, Lynda, little Emily, mom, Jen, Kristin, and Amber

The super cute cake.  Kris said that the stork

was supposed to be an airplane, but I love it!

So many wonderful gifts!

Oh my goodness!  My BFF, Kristin, and I have so much fun together!

Emily loves "birthday cake!"

My SAHM, playdate girls.  Thanks for coming Kyta and Emily!

Kinley loves the piano.

Hostesses and friends.  My rocks.

My friend and cousin, Amber, made this amazing banner.

It said "WELCOME GRIFFIN" and all the pictures

were pictures of Korea.  SO COOL!  It's going to hang in his room.

Lots of fun stuff!

The quilt my grandma made.  Love it!

And have no fear!  My husband has two legs.

He's just goofy like that.  That's why I married him!

This is my favorite.  Kristin had this made for Griffin. I love it!

It's his old name over his new name.  So, so special!

New Lens {Imma wanna be}

I LOVE photography!  I don't want to be a photographer.  I just want to take beautiful, quality photos of our every day life.  And I really admire people who take amazing pictures and just do it for fun and not for a living, because it ain't easy I'll tell ya.  Cameras are complicated!  I have a Canon Rebel XTi and have always used the lens that came with it, or 'kit lens.'  I learned that term from my new photography friend.  Ok, I don't think she thinks we're friends, but I love her photography so I emailed her a few questions.  And she emailed me right back with lots of helpful info.  And that makes her my friend!  And awesome!  You can check out her blog here.  Anyway, my new friend recommended I purchase a new lens, so I did.  I found a great deal on Amazon (love me some Amazon) and it came in the mail yesterday.  I took some advice from my new photography friend, did some reading in my camera instruction manual, and tried it out.  There was LOTS of trial and error, but I think that's what helps me the most.  Having to figure out on my own what each of the settings do to enhance or ruin a picture.  Lighting is the kicker.  My flash usually ruins a picture so I am learning how to adjust the settings on my camera to get the right amount of light  for an indoor or outdoor picture.  Not easy!  So, here are some of my victories and failures.  And some I just couldn't bare to delete.  By the way, my subject is a total natural.

Just ok but trying to work with light from a window.

I know this one is blurry but oh my...she melts my heart.

Ok.  Blurry again but that face...

I kinda like this one.  The right side of her face is a little blurry, though.

And the chocolate on her face was from her daddy's chocolate shake.

This one isn't great, but I can see the difference in the two lenses here.

Maybe a little dark?

I think I like this one?  Not sure.

I think I got my settings right on this one.

A little dark again...

Not quite as sharp as I would like.

I like this one.

This isn't a great pic but look at those lashes!

So, now I need all my photography friends to tell me what I did wrong.  Seriously, I REALLY want to hear it.  I want and, obviously, need the advice.  Please, please, please help!

Two Names

I have a necklace that I wear all the time.  I call it my Kinley necklace.  It's a very simple, silver disc with "kinley" on the front and "grace" on the back.  Well, now I have two discs and two names for my TWO kids.  I love the necklace even more now. 

My necklace is from Posh Mommy.  I love all their stuff, and you can check it out here.

Well Baby Check and Movement

We received Griffin's 10 month well baby check today.  I wasn't expecting it until next week so it was a lovely surprise.  Our little guy is growing and getting big.  He now has 2 bottom teeth (first teeth!) and is standing on his own.  This one is bitter sweet.  I want nothing more than for Griffin to develop and grow as he should, but I'm missing so much.  And a baby's first steps are so special.  The way it's looking he'll probably be walking before we get to Korea, and that's ok.  I'm happy he's doing so well.  Pretty amazing for a 30 week, not quite 4 pounds preemie!

In other adoption news, the EP batch that was ahead of us was approved on Tuesday.  This is wonderful news!  It's our turn.  We're next!  I pray we don't wait as long as the last batch did, 5 weeks and 2 days.  As of today, we've been waiting 3 weeks.  I'm praying for an EP surprise next week!  Travel calls are coming about 4 weeks after EP approval, so we've still got a bit of a wait.  But we're closer than ever before!

Going for Simplicity

So I haven't been blogging much but I've been super busy.  I sort of went into overdrive this week getting Griffin's room ready.  I had been putting off painting his letters for his name and some frames for one of the walls in his room, so I decided it was just time to git er done!  Wow.  Did I really just type that?  Moving on....

I knew from the beginning that simplicity was what I was going for with Griffin's room.  Cool colors.  Modern.  Simple.  So, I gradually started putting the pieces together.  First some sheets and blankets I liked.  Then a super cool wall hanging to match.  Then I decided I wanted a wall of pictures from our trip and of Griffin and his foster family.  I want Seoul and his foster family to always be in site.  So, I bought the letters and some cheap frames and got to painting.  Lots of painting.  I won't mention the fact that I painted everything blue that I wanted to, hung his name on the wall, and then decided I didn't like the color.  I ended up mixing colors and got exactly what I wanted.  It was fun and kept me busy.  Here are a few pics.  Warning:  I'm not a photographer.  Duh.  And the pictures don't do it justice. 

Still need a crib skirt but my mom is working on that.

No bumpers needed since he'll be almost one when we bring him home,

and the last thing I need is him using them to climb out a la Kinley.

I threw in some orange frames because the second set of sheets has all the

same colors as the first, plus some orange.

Yes, that's a modem on his changing table and no, we're not going to pay

someone to put a hole in the wall of another room.  It's staying.

Love this! 

I hope I can teach him all those things.



I'm pretty much done with everything.  We have a black chair in his room that I think I'm going to paint orange.  That will be fun!

I think Griffin is gonna love it!

No News is Good News?

Well, that's not exactly true with international adoption.  Hearing news usually means things are moving along.  And we've heard nothing.  Not that I was expecting anything.  EP approvals are taking anywhere from 9 days to more than 4 weeks.  We've only been waiting a week and a half.  When we found out our EP was submitted on February 18 I read somewhere that EP submittal to travel call was 4-6 weeks.  Now I'm hearing different.  Ten weeks is a good possibility.  When I heard this today I was disappointed but not devastated.  I'm OK.  He'll come home when he's supposed to.  Obviously, I wanted him home, like, three months ago but....I'm working on my patience.  I want to be a graceful waiter.

So, that's the update for now.  There is still an EP batch in front of us that needs to be approved so I'm not expecting anything for AT LEAST two more weeks.  Please keep us in your prayers.  This is definitely the most difficult part of the wait.

 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1