Getting ready to leave Korea very soon, this am in fact. My daughter gave me kisses three times yesterday. She is slowly warming up to all of us. I met several adoptive families in the lobby last night for pics. One family just had Got ya day! They picked up their one year old son and bought him a cake. Of cores we had to get pics of all the kids. I will add pics when I get back to the US. The mom and dad of the one year old picked up a cake. They gave everyone a piece of cake,with the exception of my daughter. Well my one year old did not like that and crawled over the seat and grabbed moms so fast. It was sweet! Yesterday we went to Seole Tower. It was neat for Justin to see, but I think he got tired because he had to hold the baby the whole way. She would not let him out of her sight, but has long has she is in his arms she is a very happy baby.

US food and bathrooms and baby kisses.

My daughter is so sweet. Today she gave my a kiss twice! I love her! She is growing more used to us every day. She loves my husband more than anything! She cries and clings to him. I joked with him that she has an off switch and he needs to let the rest of us know where it is. She is sleeping more, thus a much happier baby. The foster mom said several things. Some I agree with and some I wander about. She said the baby was a genius, that I agree with. She loves to imitate us, she drinks from a straw, and she reached for her hair Beret after only hearing the term once. She has the sweetest personality. I will forever be thankful for the sacrifice Ally's 15 yr old birth mom made.
We went in the subway in Korea and I had to use the bathroom. Well the Korean bathrooms are not the same has US restrooms. They have what is more or less a porcelain urinal for women to squat over. Needless to say I waited until we got back to the hotel. Another big difference I notice is the food. Ice cream is the equivalent of 9 US dollars for a small thing of Ben and Jerry's, butter is 5 US dollars for three sticks, and baby food is 3 dollars a jar! Much of the food they serve is different. McD's serves corn instead of fries and one of the menu options is shrimp burgers. Today we shopped for a while in a traditional Korean market. I saw bird, octopus, and bugs being sold for food!

day 2

Wow, I love being a mom. Ally is getting more used to us every day. She loves Justin. I think she takes to him because of this skin tone. She is sleeping right now and I can't stop staring at her. She is amazing. I love it when she laughs. She cries when she is tired, but when she is awake she is all over the place. We took her shopping today. It was a great experience. The people in Korea are very cordial with each other. Every one has an umbrella because it rains all the time it seems. We have met several other families hear at the Somerset that are going through the same thing we are. We all have baby's that miss their foster moms and cry because they are getting used to a new life.

We have our little girl. We meet the foster mom and the Dr. at the Holt office. They told me what she likes to eat. I gave the foster mom her gifts (how do you thank the person who took care of your baby for the first year). I love Ally so much. I talked with the Dr. and the good news was that he did not think she needed Nero surgery. We still have to see a family Dr. and eye Dr. God is so good. One of the things that will always stay with me is seeing the little ones being brought in for well baby checks. The babies just kept coming. When the translator said "please pray for our mission" I told her that we pray for birth moms and foster moms every day. The foster mom just hugged me when I said that. When the foster mom started to cry I lost it! She handed Ally to me in the Taxi and even the cab driver had to wipe tears out of his eyes. We took a taxi back to the room. She slept until she came back to the room. Then she cried for two hrs. Slept for an hour, then cried another two. Once she finally realized that she was going to be OK and that she was loved she took to all of us. My little girl makes me want to be a better person. I love her laugh. She really took to my husband. Tonight she is laying right on his chest. I can see it in his eyes much he loves her. I don't think I have ever loved my husband more than I do right now seeing him hold our daughter. Our sweet little girl. Well I will blog more later. I am praying that she sleeps on the way home.

One tired mama!

Wow I am one tired mama! We had a 15 hr flight. It will all be worth it tomorrow. I can't wait to meet my little girl. Because Katy at Holt had our arrival time wrong we will meet Ally before we take the tourer of Korea. The people hear are very kind. I learned how to say hi in Korean. Our hotel is nice. We have a little crib and make shift nursery made up for Ally. Thanks so much to all my friends for the many prayers. I met another adoptive mama today on the plane. We go back to the US on the same day. We found a BK to eat and on our way back to somerset it started to poor.

Three Short Hours

In three short hours we leave for the air port and begin the journey to pick up our sweet little girl. I feel so blessed. God is so good to put this little one in our family. one of the main goals I have in life is to make sure that my two children always know how wanted and loved they are. They make me want to be a better person. I am excited for the Chance to begin making memories with the new addition of my family. So many people are praying for us and that means so much. The house is clean and the bags are packed. Justin said that I am nesting. We are so excited.

We have a date!!

We leave Dayton Airport on Aug. 24 at 7 am!!! Time to bring the baby home. God is so good!! We will arrive at Atlanta at 9am and leave at 1pm for a 13-15 hr flight to Korea! We take a tourer and then we meet Ally!

Grace for the moment.

wow, we received the one piece of paper we have been on the phone about since mid June. Praise The Lord!!!!!! The I-600 arrived in the mail Sat. I had to see the piece of paper for my own eyes. Now we really are just waiting on a call. This has been such a journey and a blessing at the same time. Only God could take something so difficult and turn it around in to something so beautiful. I sleep with my phone next to me and I jump every time it rings. Needles to say that I have been very anxious, but God is good to give us grace for the moment. I have to remind myself to read the verse be anxious about nothing several times a day.