First meeting on Good Friday

Today has been a busy day! Before our meeting with Nash we got the chance to have lunch with the President of our Korean adoption agency, Dr. Jin Sook Kim. We meet other families who are here to bring home their children. After lunch we finally got the chance to meet Nash and his foster mom. I was so nervous and already feeling emotional. When we walked in the room it felt like a dream. I started to cry which started the chain, foster mom also shed some tears. But quickly got it together because I only knew we had an hour and I didn't want to alarm Nash. There was our little guy, in the flesh! Even more adorable in person! We spent the next hour playing with him and following him as he moved from toy to toy. Boy, he.is.busy!!! He loved the toy car and the slide. We managed to get some giggles, waves and a bow (which was the most adorable thing). The hour went by WAY too fast and soon enough it was time to leave. I got the chance to hold him on the way out and steal some kisses. Tuesday will be the day we get him. We will have another play session then a prayer ceremony and off we will go to start our life as a family of 3! So we will see the sights of Seoul for the next 3 days!!!

Don't kill me but I'm having issues figuring out how to post pictures!!!! Argh!!!! Check back later.

We Arrived! First meeting with Nash on Friday!

We made it! All three of us (Bret's mom Sandy is with us too). The flight was long but Korean Air was amazing. The customer service top-notch. Bret and I were joking that we felt we were transported back to the Pan Am days. All the flight attendants were adorable with their matching outfits and hair. Tomorrow, we get to meet Nash and his foster mom. I'm so deliriously tired so I'm hoping we all can get a good nights rest. I hope to get some nice photo ops of the first meeting so check back.

TRAVEL CALL!!!!!!!

This a.m., we got THE CALL!  Tomorrow, we will leave for Seoul!  Sandy, Bret's mom is coming with on this amazing adventure!  Please check back because I'll update as we can!!!  OMG, so crazy!

Ready For the Call!

Getting ready for the final call! We are all done shopping for gifts for foster family and our Korean social worker. My favorite was this tree necklace for foster mom. I meant it to symbolize how ones family tree can grow. I decided to start a private blog for her and her family. My heart weighs heavy when I think of her and how her new life will start without Nash.

EP Approval! One step left......

Today we got the amazing call that Nash's emigration permissions have been issued!  I was told to expect to travel in 2-4 weeks.  I'm hoping it's closer to two but really its hard to guess right now.  So, next steps? Really there is just ONE STEP LEFT.  We will receive the final call, the call I've been dreaming about since the first time I saw our baby's face.  The TRAVEL CALL!  We don't make any of our arrangements until after we get this call but once we get the word....we will most likely be a plane 48 hours later.  Crazy huh?  Stay tuned!  It's really happening, the end is in sight.  I can hold on....deep breathe. 

Nash vs. the Soup (Hint: the soup declared the winner)

I should know by now, when our social worker calls us to tell us she has an unexpected update on Nash it's never good news.  Just in case you all forgot, about six months ago we were informed Nash had fallen and received a few stitches above his eye. Well this time, he managed to run into a pot of soup that was cooking on a hot plate on the floor, it dumped over and he fell on top of it and got second degree burns on his hand, for-arm and foot.  Foster mom went directly to the hospital, where he was admitted so they could treat aggressively.  All is well now and his burns are healing well.  The initial report stated that foster mom felt awful.  I don't blame her, rather I'm not having to read too far in between the lines to know that Nash will be an active boy.  Add this story to my long list of questions I have prepared to ask foster mom about when we meet her.  I'll have to dedicate a section of Nash's baby book just to his accidents! 

It's now been about 2.5 weeks and still no news of emigration permission approval.  The countdown is still on...but I'm finding myself more anxious than ever.  I think we are just so close to the end, to having Nash in our arms forever, that everyday seems like a week.  Until then, I'll continue to: prepare for my leave from work (and yes I'm returning in case anyone from my co. is reading this), continue the baby proofing (note to self-  must.move.knife.drawer), as well as getting everything organized for our travel.  I'm sure I'll dedicate an entry about all the stuff we are taking over.

The ball is rolling...EP Submitted~

Today, at approximately 9:27 a.m., we received a phone call from our agency that Nash's emigration paperwork was submitted for approval to the Korean Ministry!  This is the phone call we have been waiting for.  This signals that everything is moving....and starts the countdown clock to when we might travel. Also begins the speculation on when that might be.  Here are the next steps and projected time lines (really, its super confusing to keep straight so I will outline in a bullet point approach.)

• Now we have to wait for EP approval.  Our agency is stating anywhere from 3-8 weeks for approval.  I don't think it will take 8 weeks.  I really think they feel so awful that we all had to wait so long that I'm hopeful 4 weeks top.
• After EP approval, his paperwork is submitted to the American Embassy in D.C., where he will have his visa interview.  Agency timeline for this step is 1-3 weeks.
• After his paperwork is complete, visa issued, we should get the travel call w/in days! 

So, I will receive 2 more phone calls. One to signal his paperwork is out of the Ministry and onto the U.S. embassy, and the final call, the best call I will ever receive in my life will be the T.C.- travel call. Then, 48 hrs. later we on a plane to bring home our boy and I'll be blogging my updates from Korea! 

Eeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkk!  This mama is bananas excited too BECAUSE Nash's soon to be bestie Simon (Desirae's and Steve's adorable son) ALSO was submitted for EP!  If the stars align, we could be traveling on the same timeline.

Leap Day- I'm alive.....

Hello. Boy, it's been a while. As you can guess, I have not been posting because, well frankly, I don't have any news to report on Nash. February came and went with no concrete info to share. You ask yourself "how can she deal with it". Well, I'm dealing with it by not talking about it. I think about it all day everyday but ranting on about my unstable mental health will not make things happen faster.

I'm hopeful for news to share soon. In the meantime, here are some random thoughts.
Super excited for two new family members who are getting hitched (omg not to each other, gross). Bret's sister Kara and Paul and my first cousin Melissa and Ryan! Congratulations!!! I heart weddings.
Looking forward to supplementing my spring fashion wardrobe with: bright colors, more stripes, a pair of wellies, rockin blond hair and back to getting pedicures.
I also joined the rest if the female population on Pintrest.

Dang, I tried to be fancy with my "Polaroid function on Blogger...it cut off my captions.  This one read: "Weekend get away at Lake Vermilion, Lots of Laughs and inside jokes, Just what the Dr. Ordered"

The boys spent quality time in the hot tub

This picture cracked me up.  Butch the pug is obsessed with sitting on Bret's lap and it looks like he is totally being smushed, but he is happy as a clam and could sit there all day.  The last part was a rant about how I have to cover my couch with sheets because of all the dog hair. Ugh.