The Game of Go Fish

Well we had Katie and Ryan playing Go Fish before dinner last night. It was pretty funny to watch.

The kids don't know enough to keep their hand away from prying eyes and when they had to draw a card, they would announce what card they got. It didn't matter to them if they got a card that they had in their hand or a brand new one. Katie and Ryan would announce with glee that they got Thomas or they got Percy (can you tell that we were playing with a Thomas the Tank Engine deck of cards here???). They were playing for the fun of the game. As for me, I was just trying to teach them the game and the idea (yet again) that they need to take turns and not to cheat.

I filled in for Jeff who was cooking dinner. I got beat by Ryan who won the game. Katie and I came in second. I would like a rematch please when they are a little older.

Bella wanted to play but it was decided that she is too young yet to join the rest of us with this type of game.

~Jen

I'm a Big Sister Now...

Ryan got on here before me already said the big news that has been buzzing our family--we're getting a baby sister. She is so cute. We can already say her Korean name.

Here's a picture of her

My little sister at one month old






My little sister at 3 months old


Mommy, Daddy, Ryan and I will be picking out a blankie for her just like Mommy, Daddy, and Ryan did for me before I came.

Well Ryan and I are very tired out after being up so late last night so we're heading to bed for our rest time.

~Katie

We're Adopting Our Sister-from Ryan

Our family has accepted the referral of a little baby girl who lives in Korea right now with her Foster Mommy. Mommy and Daddy received her information yesterday, got it reviewed by the doctor early this morning when the office first opened. Mommy talked it over with us this morning and with Daddy and we have accepted this little girl into our hearts and soon our home.

I told Mommy this morning that I would help out with bringing the diapers, toys, and blankie. Mommy also printed out pictures for me to hold just like I did before Katie came home. She is pretty.

I also told Mommy that I love Daddy, Mommy, Katie, Maggie, and our baby sister. I also mentioned that I love Trevor, Tristan, CJ, Emma and everybody. Mommy was happy to hear that.

Well Katie wants to post as well so bye for now and she'll be posting a picture!

~Ryan

Mommy and Daddy are college sweethearts. On Father's Day 1993, they got engaged less than a month after Mommy's graduation from college. Daddy graduated the following year from college and a few months later they were married in the church Mommy had been going to since she was little.

Before they got married they had to attend what is called a Pre-Cana. They had to answer questions about finances, who was working, and how many kids they would have. Mommy wanted a boy and a girl.

After they got married they moved to New Jersey from upstate New York. Daddy worked for a very small company as a computer programmer and Mommy worked for a big publishing company. She went from Assistant Editor to Associate Editor within one division of the company in less than a year. This was something totally unheard of with this particular company.

Daddy's work wasn't doing well and Mommy and Daddy decided to move back to upstate New York where they bought a home in a kid filled neighborhood.

Mommy and Daddy couldn't have children of their own so they turned to adoption to start their family in the fall of 2002. In 2004, they switch from domestic adoption to international adoption. It was on Mother's Day of that year that they started filling out the adoption application, questionnaires, writing up their biographical information and more. That was the same month that I, Ryan, was born in a far away place called Korea.

After Mommy handed in the paperwork in mid August 2004, they had their homestudy interviews. In a month, they had their referral--medical, developmental and pictures of a baby selected just for them. It was my referral.

Mommy and Daddy went out shopping at Toys R Us afterwards to look at a couple of items there deciding what to get. After that they drove to Nana and Papa's house to have them see the pictures of me.

Mommy and Daddy accepted the referral of me on their 10th anniversary after they got it reviewed by a pediatrician they had selected for me. That's when their waiting began.

They had more paperwork to fill out for USCIS and went there to hand in their I-600 form and get fingerprinted. They waited to get a call from the adoption agency about when I was travelling to join them. Every time the phone rang, Mommy would race to the phone to read the Caller ID number. Finally the call came in before 9 am April 12th, 2005 that I was ready for travel and would be arriving in the afternoon of the 14th at JFK Airport. Mommy cried with delight that her little boy was coming home but she was also sad for my Foster Mommy, my Omma, as well.

On April 14, 2005, I travelled with 3 other boys to JFK Airport. I was a little shy and nervous but warmed right up. Mommy fed me at the airport while Daddy, Nana, Papa, Uncle Kevin, Grandma and Grandpa all watch and took pictures and video.

Daddy went through the contents of the diaper bag with the volunteer greeter. Daddy signed some paperwork and I was now physically in the hands of my parents. Daddy showed Mommy the contents of the diaper bag including the photo album and extra pictures my Omma sent with me as well as the Hanbok for my first birthday that she bought. Mommy cried when she saw both of the items. All she was thinking was how much I must be loved by my Omma and how much I would be missed.

I took my first limo ride from the airport back home and cried for about an hour in the car seat (it was also my first ride in that as well). Mommy and Daddy soothed my fears and apprehensions and after awhile I noticed music playing in the background and loved hearing various types of music but soft jazz seemed to soothe me the best.

I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning and finally went to bed with Mommy and Daddy at around 2 am. Poor Mommy slept very little the night before and then I kept her up playing. I was on Korea time and only napped.

When I woke up Grandma and Grandpa were here. They stayed through the weekend to help Mommy and Daddy out. Nana and Papa also came by with Uncle Kevin. They loved to see me smile.

After about a week I was on East Coast time and Daddy stayed home with Mommy and I during that time. He went back to work and Mommy was busy feeding, playing, changing my diapers, and having me nap.

In May, we celebrated my 1st birthday. It was a small celebration since I just arrived. Nana, Papa, Uncle Kevin, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Doug and my cousin Tommy were there. Mommy made chicken bulgogi for everyone to eat. Everyone loved it. I chose two items from the Tol table: a ruler and a book while I wore my Hanbok from my Omma.

At the end of July, Mommy and Daddy threw me a big party and invited friends and family to introduce me to them and them to me. It was held next to a lake where we could go swimming, boating, play beach volleyball as well as eat and drink. Everyone had fun and welcomed me to the family. I had fun running around and interrupting conversations that were happening on the lawn.

The next day was my Baptism. I wore a beautiful Hanbok that Mommy and Daddy bought for the occasion. I looked quite handsome in it. The members of the church came up to Mommy, Daddy and I afterwards and commented on my Hanbok and welcomed us to the church.

In September 2005, my Mommy and I started Kindermusik classes. Mommy did this as a way of bonding. I was shy at first but like going to classes and seeing other kids around my age.

Flash forward to mid October 2005, Mommy and Daddy started the adoption process again and they were adopting a sister for me from Korea. After filling out paperwork and updating the homestudy, they went to USCIS to hand in the I-600 form and have fingerprints done again.

On December 15, 2005, the three of us plus Nana and Papa headed to family court to finalize the adoption. We saw the Judge and our lawyer. Mommy and Daddy answered the Judge's questions while I ran around the room. Within 5 minutes it was official...we were legally a family. Until that point, Mommy and Daddy's adoption agency had legal custody of me while they only had physical custody. From that point on my name would be known by Ryan Christopher and my two Korean names which my parents loved. We went home to open up presents then we went out to a restaurant to celebrate. After eating at the restaurant, Mommy, Daddy and I went to see Santa and got our picture taken with him.

On March 30th, 2006, my sister arrived. Mommy and Daddy were working on a name for her but when she arrived they were calling her by her beautiful Korean name. A week later Mommy had a name and we nicknamed her Katie.

In May 2006 we celebrated my 2nd birthday. I had a small party with just family again present. Nana, Papa, Uncle Kevin, Grandma, Grandpa, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Moore, Uncle Doug and cousin Tommy.

In late June Mommy and Daddy got a scare when Katie got really sick. She developed an infection that gave her a high fever and was subsequently hospitalized for 3 days. Mommy called Daddy up at work and told him to meet him at the hospital over an hour away from his work. Mommy took Katie and I up to the hospital where they knew that we were coming. Katie had some testing done before being sent upstairs to her room. Katie, Mommy and I were in the IV room where the nurses were trying to get an IV line in so that they could give her medicines to control the infection. After two attempts they finally got the IV line in a vein in her foot.

By the time we got done in that room, Daddy was there. It was after 6 pm and Mommy took Daddy phone to call Nana and Papa up to tell them what was going on but they weren't at home. They had gone to a concert.

They got home after the concert and checked their messages. They immediately hopped in their car and came up to the hospital. Mommy and Daddy were staying with Katie at the hospital so I was going to stay with Nana and Papa until she came back home. Mommy and Daddy ate dinner ate about 10:30 pm and slept as much as they could in the hospital chairs.

Mommy and Daddy took turns staying in the room with Katie while the other one showered or got food. Katie was never alone in the room. Mommy and Daddy knew that if another child came in, one of them would have to be kicked out of the room to make room for that child's parent. Thankfully that didn't happen. Mommy said that Daddy could stay while she slept somewhere else in the hospital. She didn't want to leave the hospital and wanted to be as close to Katie as possible.

Nana and Papa drove up to the hospital with me every day Katie was in there. I spent hours there playing with Katie and seeing and playing with Mommy and Daddy. We also brought Mommy and Daddy a change of clothes and some toiletries as well.

Mommy, Daddy and Katie spent 3 nights in the hospital and the morning of the 4th day (a Saturday) Katie was released. Her infection was more under control and her high temperature was gone. I came home on Sunday just so that Mommy and Daddy could get more rest. We had to bring Katie back to the doctors for a checkup in a couple of days. She hasn't had an infection since then thank goodness.

Katie had her first birthday celebration in mid August. Mommy and Daddy also were celebrating her arrival at the same time. Instead of the beach property which was closed, they had it at a local park with a playground. Mommy made some chicken bulgogi which got rave reviews and we had kimchi as well for those who wanted to could try it. Some people did and liked it. We also had other food for everyone to eat. The kids that Mommy and Daddy invited were kids like us...all adoptees from Korea. We all played on the playground and had fun.

Katie dressed up in her Hanbok that Omma gave to her for her first birthday.

On December 12, 2006, we headed to family court to finalize Katie's adoption. Nana, Papa, Grandma and Grandpa also came. We met our lawyer there. In the waiting area upstairs before we headed into court, I was playing near a door and the person coming up the stairs didn't notice me there. The person opened up the door and tapped me with it. I got really scared and started screaming. After a little while, the Judge came out of the courtroom and said to me with a smile on his face "Ryan, is that you yelling in my courthouse??". I fell silent at that point. Mommy and Daddy told me that morning that I needed to behave in court and in front of the Judge.

After a 10 minute proceeding of Mommy and Daddy swearing in front of the Judge certain things, Katie was legally Mommy and Daddy's little girl. Katie and I were playing behind Mommy and Daddy with the bars. Nana, Papa, Grandma and Grandpa were smiling and taking pictures and video.

After the courthouse, we went home to open up presents and then went out to eat at a local restaurant. After the restaurant, we did the seemingly traditional family picture with Santa.

This is our family....this is how it began.