01/28/13

St. John ~ Day 2

Today because there would be 6 cruise ships docked at the port we decided it would be the best day to take the car ferry to St. John and visit a beach there! Little Princess was over the moon because we were headed to a beach, Little Man because it involved a boat ride!

(The dock at St. John….I LOVE this picture!!!)

They were up and ready long before we could leave haha! They played with as much patience as two 5 year olds (and one 6 year old and one 3 year old ) could muster! When we left they asked every two seconds if we were there yet. If it had not got so annoying so fast it would have been cute When we got to the ferry they were so exited to stand at the top and watch the cars load as well as see where the boat went.

(all 4 kids on the boat ride to St. John…)

(the cutest thing we saw all day….I love these girls!!!)

As soon as we landed in St. John, the questions started up again! Especially since we drove through the parking lot at Trunk Bay and then went on to Cinnamon Bay!! The views from the amazingly narrow roads (which PS they drive on the wrong side of the road here) was to die for seriously to die for, and the open air taxis were so funny! The locals I saw called them safari trucks, and that is what they look like.

(Cinnamon Bay)

The beach, OMG, white as white sand, blue as blue water and the view breath taking! I was not the only one who thought so, Little Princess who had sworn off the ocean saw that water and the sand and that was it she was IN LOVE and I do mean in LOVE. Her husband will have his work cut out for him as she will always love the ocean and the beach and he better be prepared to take her to as many as possible! She took one step in the ocean and all of her talk of sand castles for weeks went totally out the window, she only left that ocean when we pulled her out of it, seriously. Her exact words were “I don’t want to leave the ocean Mama.” I had to promise her we would go to the beach again tomorrow to get her out of the water.

(totally and completely unprompted)

Little Man was a different story, he was not a fan of the ocean at all. He had to be dragged into the ocean for the first time and then approached it again at his own pace. Once he and the ocean were ok with each other then he was all for it but it took them a bit! He eventually found the same love affair his sister did but it took him so much longer.

I loved watching them and their cousins LOVE the water and their time with each other! We then did a bit of shopping oh St. John and came back to St. Thomas where we had dinner and then all of the kids (and a few of the adults) headed to bed!

(lord only knows what she was explaining to her uncle here)

I have to say it has been fun watching my husband and his brother hang out like brothers! I swear I have never seen them act like this before and I love it

01/22/13

A Traveling We Will Go

( I wrote most of the posts while I had no internet or while waiting to do other things….I will post one a day until I post every day of vacation hehe!!!) I thought maybe I should blog this vacation! This might be just what I need to get back into blogging!

Seriously the last flight with Little Man and Little Princess gave me PTSD about flying with them ever again. When we agreed to go on this vacation with my husband’s brother, his wife and their kids, I knew there was no way to get to St. Thomas without a flight or two. So, I started talking to the kids every night about flying and what it was like to be on an airplane. The last thing I needed was a screaming little girl and a little boy who refused to sleep! We also didn’t need any food on the floor.

We made sure that both kids had their DSs and many games, new things to do and coloring materials. I loaded the laptop with movies and TV shows. We kept them up late and then got them up early (our flight was at 5:30 am. I tried to warn them about lines at the airport but every line until boarding we were bumped to the front because of them, so the worst part for them until boarding was keeping track of their carry on. They didn’t even have to remove their shoes for security! And Little Princess she even talked loud enough that the TSA agent could hear her when she was asked how old she was!!!! (PS I brought wayyyyyyyyyyy more paperwork than we needed, I had their certified birth certificates showing us as their parents, the adoption decree and their valid South Korean passports…the TSA agent looked at none, and I made sure that she did not need them. )

We ate McDonalds while we waited to board and then boarded! They were so excited that even during the no electronics portion of the flight they were very well behaved! As I type they have on their head phones and are playing their DSs ~ Angry Birds and Princess Dress Up or something like that.

While I we are not to St. Thomas yet I am amazed, this flight may actually mean we will get away more with them as I am going to have a good flight to remember! Maybe they will get to see Disney one day haha! Oh and their excitement over take off made it so that I forgot how nervous I get at take off so it was easy peasy for me as well!

(after arrival in St. Thomas)

Well we all slept through the second flight so when we woke up we could see the ocean out our windows! Once we touched down we saw this amazing island! Aaron’s brother and his family met us at the airport and we were able to get our luggage! Little Man asked when we would see Thomas, I said who and he said Thomas. I about died laughing as he had never said anything but he thought we were going somewhere to meet someone named Thomas. We had a short discussion about how the island was named St. Thomas and how that could be confusing haha!

They loved seeing their cousins, and the AMAZING view from the resort room! Little Princess would not let the beach thing go though, so we made some choices about the coming days!!! I am so excited!!!

Hope you enjoyed these pictures because there are so many more coming! (The last two were taken on our balcony…yes 7 days of this view and I may not leave haha!!!!)

11/10/12

Updates

I think maybe a small catch up post is necessary!

I didn’t realize it had been almost a year since my last posts. I am currently on a two hour car ride so I have some time to type things out on the iPad

I am just going to start with September this year! Little Man and Little Princess were back to preschool and so excited to go back to the same teacher and some of the same classmates. Little Princess was a little nervous as we found she has an astigmatism and so glasses were in order over the summer. Little Man was just ready to see all his friends again! All went well and both were doing so well at the start of school, we were so happy to see both enjoying school!

Little Princess is back to gymnastics and in t he big gym, she loves it for that reason! Little Man tried tae kwon do but he could not handle it very well and it was suggested we try again in January when he and Aaron can take the class at the same time, so he will be back in January!

In September, the whole family started Korean school, to say that they love Korean school is a massive understatement. They love school and look forward to it when they are at home, but they ask constantly about Korean school and when they get to go! Aaron and I love it as well but Korean is not an easy language to learn, so thank God we have a very patient teacher! Little Princess has always been obsessed with all things Korean and so we hope this co nines to foster that love in her! We need to get her on Skype with unni so they can talk in Korean and I can impress unni with my counting skills haha! Little Man is obsessed with learning his hangul letters and writing his Korean name in hangul!

I think that about catches us up or basically gets us there haha!

This picture is an iPhone picture from when they went to vote with me and got to vote as well (they had special kids ballots obviously their votes were not counted)! I wanted to Remeber this as 4 years ago they were t heir when I voted as well!

10/18/12

Hello again!!

Hello! Sorry it has been so long, my blog was taken over by hackers and it took a few months to get it all straightened out. It is all good now!

I would love to start blogging again but I think that part of what is stopping me is not knowing who is reading what I share about Little Man and Little Princess’ lives. Like many bloggers I know I am going to go to password protected posts so I know who is reading.

I am happy to give the password out if you leave a comment here and I know you If I do not know you please leave a little bit about why you would like to follow our story! If you are not one for passwords, I will try to share a post or two a month of just photos and a small but about their lives!

Now for why you are really here:

06/5/12

I Remember When

(then)

It has been awhile. I know. But today I started thinking about writing again, today I looked at my two miracles and realized that this last year has been so big for us and I have so many I remember whens going through my head. Like:

I remember when I was up all night because Little Man insisted on sleeping right next to me or screaming, now while he loves to cuddle he will not fall asleep next to me any more (and he is no longer a momma’s boy either, it is all about Daddy).

I remember when the two of you would talk in your own little language and just laugh and giggle all day while no one could understand a word the two of you said! Now finally Daddy and I get to hear the amazing stories you have in your heads and the little inside jokes you have with each other! You may not always see us smiling but we love being observers to your world!

I remember not only Little Princess’ first year of gymnastics but the last year of dance and how every class I would ask did she do anything and every time I was told nope maybe next time. We prayed you would dance for your recital and for the first time ever you did and I cried, big happy tears. Today you went back to the gymnastics class you have been begging for and did most everything for your teacher, you even talked to her loud enough even i could hear your answers, something you are still working on with your preschool teacher.

I remember so much about your time with us. So many people have told me just wait you will want to go back. I am not sure I do, while I loved that time with each of you, I am loving more watching what you are becoming, the little man and little woman you will be someday.

I am trying to savor what each day brings instead of hope to go back or wish to move forward. I hope one day when we talk about what I remember I remember all the fun and laughter and never say I wish we could go back! And thank you both for the adventure we continue to be on! I love you more than life!

(now)

01/30/12

All grown up

If you are friends with me on Facebook you likely already know about this, but today my baby made her first decision about her hair, she asked to get it cut short some time ago and well this mom in love with braids and pigtails said in no uncertain terms NO. I thought about it though, I let her decide what she does with it every day and every day she requests to wear it down, I had to beg to get her to wear it up. So I started thinking, it is just hair it can grow back. So this morning she and I talked about it and decision was made to cut it. I may cut Aaron’s hair and Little Man’s hair but do not touch mine or Little Princess’s save the occasional bang trim, which I am going to leave up to the professionals as well from now on!

I cried as long strands of hair fell to the floor but smiled in joy as she had her first blow dry and realized this might be good for her hair when I saw how think it was now! When we got home I took some pictures because well she asked and I rarely tell her no. And tried out her bows just in her hair and with head bands! She LOVES her new do, I on the other hand am still getting used to it. And the best line came from Little Man the first time he saw her after her hair cut “Where did sissy go?”

What do you think of my big girl?

01/9/12

The Faith of a Child

If you recall from my last post we moved in December and I am not ashamed to say I still have more boxes in the garage than I thought I would at this point BUT it is fun finding things I forgot I had!

I may or may not have mentioned a small book hoarding issue Aaron and I have and have been working on. One way we have been trying to work on it is he has a nook and I have my iPad and iPhone with nook and kindle apps. And it has helped, I even started getting my magazines on my nook app and LOVE it, I get to keep them all AND not have to figure out where I will store them Anyway the only way we will buy an actual book now is if it is not digital yet, which is most of my history books though that is getting better OR it is a cook book, yes I still have that collection and yes it is growing! The only other way we get books is from friend or family, they will hand them to one of us and say you would like this and well we will read it most of the time, if we remember where we put it.

Anyway my MIL gave me a book and said read this when you get a chance but for once I want it back when you are done because I want to pass it on. This is not typically how my MIL gives me books, just so you don’t think she is some sort of Indian giver, but this book was special, to her at least. So I tucked the book into a bag I had brought along to her house and promptly forgot about it. For months I carried it around with my crocheting unknowingly. When I unpacked the crocheting bag in my new office/craft room/sewing room, I found the still untouched book and put it on my nightstand where it sat for still another month.

Two nights ago I could not sleep (I know anyone who knows me is not shocked) and I picked the book up and promptly stayed up until 3 am reading it. All of it. And then stayed up another hour thinking about that book and how so much of it was staying with me on so many levels. The title of the book is Heaven is for Real and it is by a pastor named Todd Burpo. The book is about the almost death of his then 3 year old son and how his son visited Heaven for “3 minutes” in the words of Colton Burpo.

Anyway, Colton’s experience was one that held me in awe. mostly because the way he says Jesus looks is EXACTLY how I have always pictured Jesus. The fact that if this book is tire and you should know I think it is, then God/Jesus answers our prayers even when we are angry and yelling them at him, as evidenced by the fact that Colton is still alive.

But the part of this book that still has me in its grip is the fact that Colton had the faith of a child, and it showed. He just believed things and watched them happen. Anyway all I could think about was my unwavering faith that our first adoption would be of twins, not just any twins boy/girl twins and the boy would be older. I had faith when I was almost laughed out of the first meeting with a social worker; our country of choice closed and the country we switched to had almost no twins leaving the country, especially boy/girl twins; and the fact if it was gong to happen the twins had to be born already by the time we switched countries. I knew some how some way that is what was meant to be, I never wavered, even though the social worker thought I did. I was in my 30s, not a child anymore. And there were times I screamed at God, yelled at Him during that process for numerous reasons, but I didn’t waver.

I didn’t walk away from this book with some sort of better understanding of heaven though some of what he said makes me want to go myself to talk to my grandma just one more time. I walked away from this book questioning my faith on some level. My faith, the same faith that brought me the two most precious gifts EVER, the faith that made Aaron and I God’s Plan B for them (His Plan A was their birth family), has not been that solid since the day we took custody. Matter of fact it has gone so far down hill that I am searching for fragments of that faith now to cling to as we move forward, make different plans, and ask God for more blessings.

I am making my final and most lasting goal for this year to have the faith of a child. If I see none of my other goals through this one I want to see through. My verse for this year is Matthew 18:4 “Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving, humble is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” My goal is to come back to all that in my walk with God, it may take time but I am sure I will get there again. And if you would like to read this book, it is a very easy quick read, let me know I will get you a copy if you cannot get your own. I will be giving my MIL her copy back to pass on

The picture at the top of the page was taken by me, but is of the child of a good friend. It worked so perfectly for this post I asked for and received permission to post here I love the image of a child praying!

Do you have a verse for your life this year if so please share in the comments??

01/1/12

Welcome 2012

(I never got a chance to send our 2011 Christmas Cards, I thought I would share the card with everyone here so all their fun was not in vain!)

Happy New Year!!! I am not sure I have ever been so happy to see a year gone as I am 2011. It will not take much for 2012 to be a better year but I am going to make a few goals to help me along this year! I figure the best way to make me try to reach them is to make them public. So here we go…

1. Last year a blogger I admire did 365 Love Letters to her daughter. I want to do the same for BOTH my children this year only because it is leap year it will be 366 Love Letters. This is a challenge for me in a few ways. The rules I am giving myself is the pictures for that week have to be taken that week, so that while I do not have to pick my camera up every day I do then have to pick it up at least once a week. Also, the pictures do not have to be of the kids, they can be of anything as long as a quote or saying or lesson I can give the kids for their life can be added. Also, while I want one set for Little Man and one set for Little Princess if the picture and/or saying works for both of them then I can use the same for both. I will not be posting these on this blog, but on my photography business blog. (Heart & Seoul Photography in case you missed out on that announcement)

2. I miss documenting the crazy things that Little Man and Little Princess do that make me laugh. I want to start blogging here more so my plan is to review my Facebook posts every Sunday from the Sunday through Saturday prior Nd write a post based on what I wrote there. I am sure until I get used to writing again these will be my only posts, but as I get more used to it again I will post more often.

3. I need a new me. I would love to have a trash the dress photography shoot in the snow since I was married on a beach but I cannot fit in my wedding dress anymore. I would love to not only fit in my wedding dress before the last snow fall this year BUT by the end of the year have the dress fall off me even when it is 100% zipped up. I am not so concerned with losing weight, as in watching the numbers fall off the scale but I would like a new dress size AND to see my blood pressure reading be high no longer (even though they tell me at the doctor’s office they would have high blood pressure as well if they had twins hehe I am pretty sure that has nothing to do with my high blood pressure.) I think I am going to try Weight Watchers points program so that if I don’t have to give anything up per say but I have to decide how important it is to me to be able to eat it. But I also need a program that encourages me to eat breakfast and excercise, so I am going to check out a few different programs.

4. Date night….yes after 3 years of one a year I think Aaron and I need one date night or afternoon a month. We found an amazing mommy of a friend of Little Man and Little Princess that I am happy to pay to have her watch the kids once a month so Aaron and I can have more time for us even if all we do if take a walk, or go shopping for gifts. It is time to focus on us again and this seems the perfect way and worth every penny! I am going to try to get the date on the books for every month in the next few weeks!

5. Lastly, I want to have more fun and stay positive this year. Last year went down hill very fast between Little Princess’ leg break and the issues with the house we lived in. In December we moved to a new house (almost literally….our old house was built in 1898 and the house we live in now was built in 2006). I pray that we are all happy and healthy this year and that good things continue to happen for us! But I want to see the good in everything even if it takes me a little longer to see it!

I hope that you had a great new year and that your goals for 2012 are what you need for you If you are still reading thank you!

08/10/11

Birthday Letters

Every year I write letters to Little Man and Little Princess on their birthday! I love this tradition and plan to keep it up until they say “Seriously MOM” and then even beyond that! To read the letters from 2009 and 2010 just click on the year here they should pop up!

Dear Little Man,

Where to begin, this last year has been such a great adventure and I know the next one will be so much fun for you! Once again you grew up without me realizing it, you went from toddler to preschooler!

You have so many loves in your life! We are amazed at how many things you love so many that to list them in this letter would make it so long you would never want to read it! Your dad and I watch in wonder everyday as you take care of all of the women around you! We laugh at all your little girl friends that you get a drink of water, pull out the chair for or just give hugs and kisses! Your birthday party this year is your one male cousin your age and 8 little girls. One day soon maybe you will have some close little friends that are boys! And maybe this will help you when you are a teenager if you are afraid to talk to the girls to know that you charm them all the time right now!

Oh how you ask to go to school but refuse to let daddy or I know if you know your letters or numbers. Daddy and I suspect that you know them but that you only reveal to us what you think we need to know! Just know we are watching you and know that mommy has some experience deposing people and I will know it all before you walk out the door when you get older, so enjoy it now We are pretty sure you see school as time for friends! You will be our social butterfly, please help your sister with this if she will let you!

Another new love for you is the wii, you can turn on the wii tv and know how to get Mario Cart started and you have beat so many of Mommy and Daddy’s scores, you are quite the pro! I also know when I want you to listen I just have to threaten the loss of your wii hour and I have your full attention.

I love to watch your wonder with the world! You have always watched what is going on and liked to see how things will work! Please keep this as you grow older, it will serve you well!

Also, I love how you love to cuddle (and so do many of my friends as their children are off and running and will not sit on their laps anymore)! You give all of your time with me to your sister if you can but I still need my Little Man time and I steal it when I can! Please keep the fact that you think my kisses heal it all I think I have kissed every part of your body all day!

Thank you for just being you! I love you more than life and cannot wait to see what this next year brings!

Love

Mommy (and Daddy)

Dear Little Princess,

Wow what a year! I cannot believe everything we have been through this year and not only survived but come out stronger! I do not know if I have told you how proud I am of you for how you handled that horrible cast earlier this year, never once did you complain and you just rolled with the flow! Not exactly like you but oh the grace you showed at such a young age!

You are such a girly girl and a mommy’s girl. I am hoping age 4 is not when we lose rock mama every night (even if there are a few nights I really do wish you rocked me and not the other way around!) Please don’t let anyone tell you that I didn’t love every moment of making you the twirl dress, hair bows and all the things that made you my girly girl! You absolutely LOVE your princesses, baby dolls, fairies but will happily run around after your brother and play cars all in your princess dress! You love your Mulan, oh how you love Mulan. I just wish that I could find more Mulan things for you, but you will settle for Minne or Tinkerbell if you have to!

You still hate most sports but you love the trampoline (you just have to wait until February baby and then I can allow you back on it), gymnastics, ballet, tap and jazz! I love that you want to dance like mommy did when she was your age! I cannot wait for your first recital in May! I just hope you are not too shy to go on stage!

While you have absolutely no desire to start school in a month, you absolutely LOVE to learn and will eat it all up! You know everything you can about letters and numbers, can read words even your dad and I didn’t know you knew! I love helping you learn and hope some day you are the one teaching me!

I really wish I could help you not become such a perfectionist, I really hope I am not teaching you that. You absolutely refuse to show us something until you can do it right and get very frustrated when you cannot do it 100% right. I think you are the only toddler/preschooler who is obsessed with napkins and making sure you are clean while you eat. You get so frustrated with your fork or spoon when the food falls off and you cannot make it work, while you will eat anything we watch what we give you so you are not so frustrated during dinner! Take it from mommy being a perfectionist is not all it is cracked up to be.

I want to also take a moment to tell you I love you more than life and I want you to remember that when you are a teenager who is being amazingly strong willed and hates me more than life because I am so unreasonable and hard headed!

Cannot wait to see where this year takes us!

Love,

Mommy (and Daddy)

08/10/11

30 Days of Little Man and Little Princess ~ Day 9

Today’s prompt is ~ Something That Makes Your Life Easier.

Wow this is hard for them. They are not even sure what this means when I ask them! They just looked at me like I was crazy! So I am going to go with some of the things that make MY life easier with them! Over the years we have had the double stroller that I swore I would not need but bought within a month of them being home See:

On the day we received the stroller!!!

Then we have what I affectionately referred to as baby jail:

I am not going to admit how old they were before baby jail went bye bye and became a LONG gate to keep them in the living room!

I can say as they got older the things to make my life easier have well become a thing of the past but the current thing that makes my life easier is each of them, they entertain each other sooooooooooooo well and love to play together and can have me playing with them or play just the two of them that I am able to get more done now! That I can say is my favorite thing! So maybe that is what makes their lives easier as well!

08/9/11

30 Days of Little Man and Little Princess ~ Day 8

Today prompt is Something You Hate.

Little Man hates meat. It is about the only thing he hates, getting him to eat protein that looks like anything other than a chicken nugget is well a challenge, but I can trick him with cheese or peanut butter.

Little Princess well she hates following the rules and when we do not give her what she wants right then and there! She also hates the cat, Tinkerbell…which is funny as originally she is the one who wanted a cat

It is so funny to be talking about their hates as they are still so young that they really have no real hates yet or at least I hope not

08/8/11

30 Days of Little Man and Little Princess ~ Day 7

Today’s Prompt is Favorite Picture…

They really only have one picture they ask to look at all the time and it is on their wall. It is from the second time we met them and has Aaron and I, them and their foster parents in it. It is special to the whole family. I have never posted a picture of their foster parents on here before and I am not sure why except to say that I am always leery of posting pictures of people who have not said I can or cannot post the picture, maybe it is the lawyer in me that is coming out. I am going to post it today as I do not have the foster parents names due to a paperwork issue and am hoping that someone sees it and can tell me as they have been foster parents for years!

And just because I can I am including a couple of my favorite pictures of each of them that I have taken, if I included them all you would be here all day looking at pictures

My Everyday Miracles

Where the miracles never cease and always come in pairs!!!