The last couple months have been hard on a lot of waiting adoptive parents as week by week, day by day, adoptions from Korea remain at a stand still. I check the internet regularly for any good news only to find forum posts by discouraged waiting parents not knowing when they are going to see their child.
Today was different. Today was a day of elation and encouragement as many families were given word that their child has been submitted for an emigration permit and that likely in a month they would have their travel call! A lot of happy tears and cheers filled the message boards as one by one families received word. What's more, it appears they are not going strictly chronological but are prioritizing older and special needs kids first. Sometimes you wonder in all the bureaucracy if people are keeping the best interest of the kids in mind. Well, finally there is some evidence that they are.
Our turn will come, but not for a while yet. Meanwhile, we celebrate with those that will soon be united with their sons and daughters.
March is shaping up to be a good month as we just got a new picture of Sam!
His is now 16 months old. One of these days we're going to get him to smile. He's been very serious for all his pictures.
There is also good reason to believe that the adoption holdup will soon be over. Sources say that the Korean government will start taking submissions for emigration permits early March. Some say it will be this week! If that is true then we're keeping our fingers crossed for a trip to Korea this summer.
We're sending more stuff to Korea! Sam will look very handsome in the clothes we have for him. Aunt Julie gave us the "busy beaver"outfit. She says the beaver looks like me. Grandma Sandra got the baseball outfit and other clothes. She also got a squirting book for the bathtub. We got him some Gerber puffs and squeezable fruit pouches. I guess its what all the cool toddlers are eating these days. Also, not pictured, is a toy telephone, another small album with pictures of us, and a letter for the foster family.
All sorts of critters roam Sam's room.
I wrote earlier how its nice to see that there are some speaking up for us in the wait for the Korean government to let the adoption process move forward. Sometimes I forget that its really the orphaned children that need a voice in all this. Whatever happens I'll be fine. It's the orphans that have much more at stake.
Voice of Love is a campaign with the sole focus of advocating on behalf of the orphaned children in South Korea. Watch to learn more:
Like the man says, if you know someone that's been adopted from Korea or anyone else that has a connection to Korean adoption share the message! Their website is here: http://voiceoflove.org/
Voice of Love is a campaign with the sole focus of advocating on behalf of the orphaned children in South Korea. Watch to learn more:
Like the man says, if you know someone that's been adopted from Korea or anyone else that has a connection to Korean adoption share the message! Their website is here: http://voiceoflove.org/
It is encouraging to know that in this wait there are people behind the scenes advocating for us. I read that those with connections to the ministry in Korea are writing letters. Many are praying - MPAK - Prayers for Children. I appreciate the words of encouragement we receive from people at church and family and friends.
I wanted to share this excerpt from a letter written by an adoptive parent waiting like us for the process to start back up again. It does a nice job of capturing what we feel. It was sent to the Korean ministry of health and welfare.
Maybe tomorrow will be the day...
I wanted to share this excerpt from a letter written by an adoptive parent waiting like us for the process to start back up again. It does a nice job of capturing what we feel. It was sent to the Korean ministry of health and welfare.
.... I don't think anyone over in Korea understands what it means to fall in love with a picture and know, in your soul, that child was meant for you. I think they see us as desperate people who just want ANY baby. That's not the case. I look at the pictures of my son and in my heart, he is our son. I couldn't love him more than if I gave birth to him. If you understood.....I mean REALLY got it...there's no way you would make these parents wait even one more day. Do you understand the thousands of adoptive parents out there who literally wake up thinking of their children? Do you know that we wonder what our children are doing? We look at what time it is in Seoul & HOPE today is the day MOHW will begin processing the EPs. It is as if our lives are held hostages through this experience....
Maybe tomorrow will be the day...
It feels like its been so long since we've heard any good news on the adoption front. We are still waiting to hear when emigration permits will be issued again. We last heard that they should be issued in February. Well, February is waning and there has been no news on EPs.
But we got a really cool update on Sam today! We normally get a short health report on him every month, and we were beginning to wonder if we'd get one for this month. Well, we got a progress report that included a lot more information than we normally receive. I'll give you some highlights from that report...
Walks by himself. Goes up the stairs if hand is held. Opens a drawer, takes things out, and plays in it. He loves to play with a ball. He puts a receiver on his ear and babbles at it. If asked, he fetches a diaper. Holds foster mother's hand takes her to what he wants, and points to it. Clearly says "omma (mom), a-ppa (dad), mam-ma (food), kka-kka (cookie)". Hollers louder if the foster mother shouts "no". If the foster mother turns off the light and lies next to him, he snuggles into her arm and puts his head on it and falls asleep. If the foster family goes outside, he opens his arms wide and wants to be hugged to go together, he bursts into tears if they don't take him outside. Isn't shy around strangers and easily warms up to them.
He is an active sociable child who shows interests in Gymboree classes and wants to try them. He looks handsome and smart with round face and chiseled features. His first birthday party was held last October at which time he held 'a pencil' that stands for excellent intellectual ability. The foster family was happy in hopes that he would study well and be a great scholar. He is an easygoing child who doesn't cry or fuss and plays well. He shows curiosity and appears happy if taken outside. The foster family often shows him the photos sent by his adoptive parents and talks to him about them. We hope that he will meet his new family as soon as the formalities of his adoption proceedings are complete.
Hooray! What a blessing to find this in the email inbox today! Sounds like he's going to be a lot like me - excellent intellectual ability and hollers when you tell him no.
In other news we now have a crib and it is adorned with frogs all ready for him. The front is removable so it becomes a toddler bed when he doesn't need the crib.
But we got a really cool update on Sam today! We normally get a short health report on him every month, and we were beginning to wonder if we'd get one for this month. Well, we got a progress report that included a lot more information than we normally receive. I'll give you some highlights from that report...
Walks by himself. Goes up the stairs if hand is held. Opens a drawer, takes things out, and plays in it. He loves to play with a ball. He puts a receiver on his ear and babbles at it. If asked, he fetches a diaper. Holds foster mother's hand takes her to what he wants, and points to it. Clearly says "omma (mom), a-ppa (dad), mam-ma (food), kka-kka (cookie)". Hollers louder if the foster mother shouts "no". If the foster mother turns off the light and lies next to him, he snuggles into her arm and puts his head on it and falls asleep. If the foster family goes outside, he opens his arms wide and wants to be hugged to go together, he bursts into tears if they don't take him outside. Isn't shy around strangers and easily warms up to them.
He is an active sociable child who shows interests in Gymboree classes and wants to try them. He looks handsome and smart with round face and chiseled features. His first birthday party was held last October at which time he held 'a pencil' that stands for excellent intellectual ability. The foster family was happy in hopes that he would study well and be a great scholar. He is an easygoing child who doesn't cry or fuss and plays well. He shows curiosity and appears happy if taken outside. The foster family often shows him the photos sent by his adoptive parents and talks to him about them. We hope that he will meet his new family as soon as the formalities of his adoption proceedings are complete.
Hooray! What a blessing to find this in the email inbox today! Sounds like he's going to be a lot like me - excellent intellectual ability and hollers when you tell him no.
In other news we now have a crib and it is adorned with frogs all ready for him. The front is removable so it becomes a toddler bed when he doesn't need the crib.
Now that we are in process of adopting, we pay a little more attention to others that have adopted. Maybe we can learn something from their experiences. I also like to see what we have to look forward to. Here's a good example:
You are probably familiar with the actress Katherine Heigl - former star of Grey's Anatomy and movies "Knocked Up" and "Life As We Know It". What you may not know is that she and her husband singer/songwriter Josh Kelley adopted a Korean girl a few years ago. They chose to adopt instead of having a child on their own. Think about that... It's something you don't hear very often, but an admirable choice to be sure. To her the choice was only natural since adoption was already a big part of her life as she has an adopted Korean sister.
Their daughter's name is Naleigh. You can read more about their story here: http://www.redbookmag.com/fun-contests/celebrity/katherine-heigl-baby
The experience of adopting Naleigh moved Dad Josh Kelley to write a song - "Naleigh Moon". You can see the video below:
You are probably familiar with the actress Katherine Heigl - former star of Grey's Anatomy and movies "Knocked Up" and "Life As We Know It". What you may not know is that she and her husband singer/songwriter Josh Kelley adopted a Korean girl a few years ago. They chose to adopt instead of having a child on their own. Think about that... It's something you don't hear very often, but an admirable choice to be sure. To her the choice was only natural since adoption was already a big part of her life as she has an adopted Korean sister.
Their daughter's name is Naleigh. You can read more about their story here: http://www.redbookmag.com/fun-contests/celebrity/katherine-heigl-baby
The experience of adopting Naleigh moved Dad Josh Kelley to write a song - "Naleigh Moon". You can see the video below:
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