Meeting Levi

We just returned from meeting our son!!!! I know we are proud parents, but he is probably one of THE cutest babies ever! He walked into the adoption agency as if he owned the place with all the social workers oohing and awing over him...such a flirt! We had a great visit, although he was still a little gun shy about this strange couple who was giving him all this attention. :)

Levi is walking and very active, and he chomped on a candy sucker his foster mom gave him the entire visit. I, of course, like a true mom was worried about him choking on the sucker. :) We played with trucks, phones, and a toy piano. He is VERY attached to his foster parents and wouldn't let Adam and I hold him just yet so we just took it easy and didn't push him.

About 30 minutes into the visit, Levi got fussy. The foster mom put him on her back (gotta learn that trick!) gave him a bottle, and he fell right to sleep.

Adam and I miss him already! We politely asked to pick him up tomorrow, and they politely said no. So Monday it is...we receive him at 1:30pm, will have the night with him, and then fly home the next day. Love you all!

Made it

Well, we made it to Korea! The flight was long but uneventful. I have to give credit to Korean Air for a nice flying experience. Each of our seats had its own television with free movies, TV, news, and games. The food was not only edible but tasted good, and the flight attendants were beautiful, sweet, and accomadating. After fifteen hours in flight, they were still smiling without a hair out of place. How do they do it?!!

After going through immigration, customs, and our cab ride to the hotel, we are finally winding down for the night. Its only 7:30pm here, but our bodies are still on Dallas time which is 4:30 am, and we haven't slept. I can't remember the last time I was up at 4:30am!! So....it's going to be an early night for us.

We meet Levi in about 14 hours, 29 minutes. But whose counting, right?

Korea.....here we come!!!!!

We received TRAVEL CLEARANCE today to go to Korea to bring home our son! It's hard to believe it's finally happening!

We leave February 22nd and return home on March 1st. Please pray for safe travel for us (and an uneventful flight home with our toddler who has known us only a few days!). Most of all, pray for little Levi who has no idea about the huge transition that is coming his way. So much change is in store for all of us in the next few weeks, but we are so excited to take the plunge!

Korea....here we come!

Counting my blessings

Do you know the old church hymn "Count Your Blessings"? That's how I feel right now. Here are a few of the lyrics.

Count your many blessings,
Name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord had done!

Why do I feel so blessed? We had TWO baby showers today! One from the church this morning and then one tonight with friends and family. Levi received clothes, shoes, toys, books, money, gift cards, and all kinds of other goodies. He won't have to wear the same outfit twice until he's in college! :) He even received a gold piggy bank with Chinese symbols for health, wealth, and happiness.

So, today I'm one grateful mama who is counting her blessings. Thank you to everyone who is sharing with us in this special journey!

Passports and Panda Bears!

We have 2 victories to celebrate this week...

1. Levi has a passport!!! The Korean government has issued our son a passport which means only one more step in the process. Come on Travel Clearance! (The agency quoted 2-4 more weeks until travel, but really TC could come any day!)

2. Adam has successfully changed his first diaper! (see Panda Bear) Doesn't the Panda look happy, dry, and comfortable. Good job Daddy!

Good News Everyone!

That's right...we have good news to share!!! The emigration permit (EP) for Levi has been issued and approved by the Korean government! EP is the process by which the Korean government allows a child to leave the country for adoption overseas, and this is the approval we have been waiting on for 8+ months.

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What's next? Levi's passport will be issued in 1-2 weeks, and we should have travel clearance in 2-4 weeks from then. So in a nutshell, Levi will be home in 3-6 weeks!!!!

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I have 3- 6 weeks to teach Adam how to change a diaper because ready or not, here comes Levi!

Our Korean Prince!

Here are a few formal pictures taken at Levi's first birthday. He looks like pure royalty! Hopefully, he won't make us refer to him as Prince Levi!

Levi is wearing "hanbok" which is Korean formal attire worn at special festivals and celebrations. Adam and I had the opportunity to try on hanbok while in Korea, and let me tell you, it's not easy to get into that stuff. In fact, it took Adam, me, and a helper to get me into mine. So the fact that Levi is still smiling after all that fuss makes me think he is one easy going kid!