Mommy needs to take pictures off of her camera from today. You'll get to see me and my sisters all dressed up in our Hanboks and other wonderful clothes. However right now Mommy is busy with various things, making us lunch, trying to make my birthday cake and pick up our home for my birthday party this weekend.
Tonight we're off to see Gina for dinner. She owns a local cafe and all the kids just love her. The food is so good so it's a favorite of mine (and Mommy and Daddy's) to grab a bite to eat.
Gotta go since Mommy is working on lunch and she's almost done and I gotta go back to entertain my sisters!!
Did you hear that I'm 4 years old yet???
Jen
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
What I do Well as a Mom...What I don't do so Well
What I do well as a Mom:
(1) organizing breakfast...with three little ones breakfast here can be chaotic especially if I don't remember what each one wants for it. I don't eat until about 10 when things calm down here.
(2) when I make a meal that is for us, I may need to cook two meals...one for Bella and then one for the rest of us. Bella has dairy allergies and might be allergic to more than that. We are going to be retrying her on egg, pork, tomato, and blueberry.
(3) creating an atmosphere here at home where my kids feel comfortable to sing in Korean (they know London Bridges and Happy Birthday), say hello and thank you (informal) in Korean, and ask to go by their Korean names. Meanwhile I'm still learning Head Shoulders Knees and Toes and also know how to sing London Bridges as well.
Things I don't do so well:
(1) I wear my heart out on my sleeve and get emotional easily...sometimes that's okay but not always.
(2) I need to learn to ask for help when I need it from others who offer to help. As a mom, I feel like I need to "do it all" to prove to everyone that I can do it with 3 kids under the age of 4. But sometimes even this mom needs some me time just to regroup.
(3) Working on my kids' lifebooks...with three kids time to myself is difficult and I'm up until 1 am most nights as it is.
~Jen
(1) organizing breakfast...with three little ones breakfast here can be chaotic especially if I don't remember what each one wants for it. I don't eat until about 10 when things calm down here.
(2) when I make a meal that is for us, I may need to cook two meals...one for Bella and then one for the rest of us. Bella has dairy allergies and might be allergic to more than that. We are going to be retrying her on egg, pork, tomato, and blueberry.
(3) creating an atmosphere here at home where my kids feel comfortable to sing in Korean (they know London Bridges and Happy Birthday), say hello and thank you (informal) in Korean, and ask to go by their Korean names. Meanwhile I'm still learning Head Shoulders Knees and Toes and also know how to sing London Bridges as well.
Things I don't do so well:
(1) I wear my heart out on my sleeve and get emotional easily...sometimes that's okay but not always.
(2) I need to learn to ask for help when I need it from others who offer to help. As a mom, I feel like I need to "do it all" to prove to everyone that I can do it with 3 kids under the age of 4. But sometimes even this mom needs some me time just to regroup.
(3) Working on my kids' lifebooks...with three kids time to myself is difficult and I'm up until 1 am most nights as it is.
~Jen
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Prayers and Marrow Donors Needed for an Adoptee
Hi,
There is a beautiful woman named Julia who just happens to be a Korean adoptee who needs a multitude of good thoughts and prayers at the moment. She is waging a battle against cancer. There aren't too many bone marrow donors that are minorities let alone Asian. And boy she could use some healing right now. I have met her briefly in email and through her blog. She is a bright shining light and I have enjoyed getting a glimpse into her life through her blog and through Margie's post on Julia
I'm including links to various websites for you to read, learn, and then act. You never know who's life you may just save by becoming a donor and if you can't become a donor, pass this along to someone who might be a good candidate who might be interested.
National Marrow Donor Program where you can join for free through May 19th
More Minorities Especially Asian Americans needed to help save lives
Asian American Donor Program
Bone Marrow Facts and Figures from 2007
For those of you reading this who are pregnant, please also consider donating cord blood. You could save a life by doing so.
Go to Cord Blood Donating FAQs
~Jen
There is a beautiful woman named Julia who just happens to be a Korean adoptee who needs a multitude of good thoughts and prayers at the moment. She is waging a battle against cancer. There aren't too many bone marrow donors that are minorities let alone Asian. And boy she could use some healing right now. I have met her briefly in email and through her blog. She is a bright shining light and I have enjoyed getting a glimpse into her life through her blog and through Margie's post on Julia
I'm including links to various websites for you to read, learn, and then act. You never know who's life you may just save by becoming a donor and if you can't become a donor, pass this along to someone who might be a good candidate who might be interested.
National Marrow Donor Program where you can join for free through May 19th
More Minorities Especially Asian Americans needed to help save lives
Asian American Donor Program
Bone Marrow Facts and Figures from 2007
For those of you reading this who are pregnant, please also consider donating cord blood. You could save a life by doing so.
Go to Cord Blood Donating FAQs
~Jen
Saturday, May 10, 2008
What makes a Mom, well a Mom??
Something that I saw this morning on an adoption forum and got upset by it.
Apparently NBC is doing a contest called America's Favorite Mom. They break Moms down into different categories but the one that really has me really unhappy is the one called "Non-Mom Moms". Then it was changed to "Non-conventional Moms" now it's changed to "Adoptive Mom". Why the differences? Why pitting one Mom against another?? Those of us who are moms, aren't we just Moms??
They still forget to include Foster Moms and First Moms (as Maggie pointed out in an e-mail and I apologize to those of you reading this who are foster moms or First Moms or even adoptees).
Isn't a mom one who takes care of you whether you are in the womb or out of it?
A mom is one that cares for her child(ren) whether they are in their home or outside of it. A mom is one who no matter the distance will remember her child's birthday. A mom is one who is sad when their child is sad and is happy when their child is happy.
This mom has changed who knows how many diapers between the 3 kids and I'm not quite done yet.
This mom has bathed and clothed and fed and stayed up at night when they are sick one child for 3 years, another child for 2 years and one child for under a year.
This mom spent 3 mostly sleepless nights in a hospital room next to her daughter's bedside when she had a 104+ temp due to an infection which ravaged her little body when she was 10 months old.
This mom has taken her 3 kids to the doctors' office for checkups and sick visits.
This mom plays with her 3 kids day after day after day.
This mom doesn't get time off from her job because Stay at Home Mom is on the job 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
This mom is up until 1 am most nights working on housework and up at 7:30 the next morning.
This mom cooks and cleans for her family.
This mom teaches her kids manners and by age 2 had them saying please and thank you (although admittedly they need reminding every now and then).
This mom teaches her kids about Korea, tells them "their story", watches Korean children's videos and listens to Korean children's music and can sing London Bridges in Korean.
This mom is tired of the non-adoption community telling her that she is a "non-mom" or an "adoptive mom" and wishes that she could just have the classification of "mom" since that is what I am...a mom.
For those of you who need to see the definition of the word mother, here it is from Dictionary.com's website:
Please read definition 1C and 1D that pertains to the "adoptive" moms. 1A and 1B could refer to the First Moms, and 1D could refer to the Foster Moms as well. All three of us fall into the meaning 9 of Maternal love and tenderness.
On the America’s Favorite Mom website that I gave you above, look at Jennifer Keller and her bio. They separate out the biological child from the adopted children she is a mother to. I don’t know about what the adult adoptees think but why the segregation?? It doesn’t seem right to this mom.
While I sit here and think about me being called a "The Non-Mom Mom" this morning, a "Non-Conventional Mom" this afternoon, and a "The Adopting Mom" this evening, I wonder if the media will ever get it right and just refer to me as what I am, a Mom. And while they are at it, refer to my children for who they are my children.
~Jen, a mom to 3 kids
Apparently NBC is doing a contest called America's Favorite Mom. They break Moms down into different categories but the one that really has me really unhappy is the one called "Non-Mom Moms". Then it was changed to "Non-conventional Moms" now it's changed to "Adoptive Mom". Why the differences? Why pitting one Mom against another?? Those of us who are moms, aren't we just Moms??
They still forget to include Foster Moms and First Moms (as Maggie pointed out in an e-mail and I apologize to those of you reading this who are foster moms or First Moms or even adoptees).
Isn't a mom one who takes care of you whether you are in the womb or out of it?
A mom is one that cares for her child(ren) whether they are in their home or outside of it. A mom is one who no matter the distance will remember her child's birthday. A mom is one who is sad when their child is sad and is happy when their child is happy.
This mom has changed who knows how many diapers between the 3 kids and I'm not quite done yet.
This mom has bathed and clothed and fed and stayed up at night when they are sick one child for 3 years, another child for 2 years and one child for under a year.
This mom spent 3 mostly sleepless nights in a hospital room next to her daughter's bedside when she had a 104+ temp due to an infection which ravaged her little body when she was 10 months old.
This mom has taken her 3 kids to the doctors' office for checkups and sick visits.
This mom plays with her 3 kids day after day after day.
This mom doesn't get time off from her job because Stay at Home Mom is on the job 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
This mom is up until 1 am most nights working on housework and up at 7:30 the next morning.
This mom cooks and cleans for her family.
This mom teaches her kids manners and by age 2 had them saying please and thank you (although admittedly they need reminding every now and then).
This mom teaches her kids about Korea, tells them "their story", watches Korean children's videos and listens to Korean children's music and can sing London Bridges in Korean.
This mom is tired of the non-adoption community telling her that she is a "non-mom" or an "adoptive mom" and wishes that she could just have the classification of "mom" since that is what I am...a mom.
For those of you who need to see the definition of the word mother, here it is from Dictionary.com's website:
American Heritage Dictionary
moth·er (mŭth'ər) Noun
1.
a. A female person who is pregnant with or gives birth to a child.
b. A female person whose egg unites with a sperm, resulting in the conception of a child.
c. A woman who adopts a child.
d. A woman who raises a child.
e. A mother superior.
f. Used as a form of address for such a woman.
2. A female parent of an animal.
3. A female ancestor.
4. A woman who holds a position of authority or responsibility similar to that of a mother: a den mother.
5. Roman Catholic Church
a. A mother superior.
b. Used as a form of address for such a woman.
6. A woman who creates, originates, or founds something: "the discovery of radium, which made Marie Curie mother to the Atomic Age" (Alden Whitman).
7. A creative source; an origin: Philosophy is the mother of the sciences.
8. Used as a title for a woman respected for her wisdom and age.
9. Maternal love and tenderness: brought out the mother in her.
10. The biggest or most significant example of its kind: the mother of all battles.
11. Vulgar Slang Something considered extraordinary, as in disagreeableness, size, or intensity.
Please read definition 1C and 1D that pertains to the "adoptive" moms. 1A and 1B could refer to the First Moms, and 1D could refer to the Foster Moms as well. All three of us fall into the meaning 9 of Maternal love and tenderness.
On the America’s Favorite Mom website that I gave you above, look at Jennifer Keller and her bio. They separate out the biological child from the adopted children she is a mother to. I don’t know about what the adult adoptees think but why the segregation?? It doesn’t seem right to this mom.
While I sit here and think about me being called a "The Non-Mom Mom" this morning, a "Non-Conventional Mom" this afternoon, and a "The Adopting Mom" this evening, I wonder if the media will ever get it right and just refer to me as what I am, a Mom. And while they are at it, refer to my children for who they are my children.
~Jen, a mom to 3 kids
Thursday, May 8, 2008
About Mother's Day...
While I'm not sure what Jeff and the kids have in store for me for Mother's Day this year, I'm thinking about so many things this my third Mother's Day with my human kids here in my home (my 11th for my furry-human kid).
(1) I have 3 beautiful kids who call me Mommy (or in Bella's case Mama) plus one Sheltie kid and I love them all. While things can get crazy in our home with all of them, I wouldn't want to have it any other way.
(2) Hugs and kisses from my little ones are the best especially first thing in the morning or after the afternoon nap.
(3) Asking my kids the question "How much do you love Mommy?" and they stretch their arms out as wide as they can go to show me how much they love me (thank you to their Nana for showing them this one...it's too cute to watch Bella doing this and trying to say what I think is "so big").
The rest of my thoughts are not here. I think most of you who read this blog on a regular basis know where my thoughts are...with their First Mom and their Foster Mom. Tears and thoughts of them flow easily this week.
One woman bore the labor and delivery pains and still bears the daily emotional and physical pain of not having the children that she had within her womb to hold, to touch, to sing to, to read to, to hug, to cook for, to change diapers for, to talk to, to make sure they are loved, to make sure that their needs are being taken care of, and so much more. The other took care of them as if they were her own for many months of their early lives. I am grateful to them both beyond what words can express on paper or on here but my heart speaks volumes to them...just volumes. And I just hope that they know that.
~Jen
(1) I have 3 beautiful kids who call me Mommy (or in Bella's case Mama) plus one Sheltie kid and I love them all. While things can get crazy in our home with all of them, I wouldn't want to have it any other way.
(2) Hugs and kisses from my little ones are the best especially first thing in the morning or after the afternoon nap.
(3) Asking my kids the question "How much do you love Mommy?" and they stretch their arms out as wide as they can go to show me how much they love me (thank you to their Nana for showing them this one...it's too cute to watch Bella doing this and trying to say what I think is "so big").
The rest of my thoughts are not here. I think most of you who read this blog on a regular basis know where my thoughts are...with their First Mom and their Foster Mom. Tears and thoughts of them flow easily this week.
One woman bore the labor and delivery pains and still bears the daily emotional and physical pain of not having the children that she had within her womb to hold, to touch, to sing to, to read to, to hug, to cook for, to change diapers for, to talk to, to make sure they are loved, to make sure that their needs are being taken care of, and so much more. The other took care of them as if they were her own for many months of their early lives. I am grateful to them both beyond what words can express on paper or on here but my heart speaks volumes to them...just volumes. And I just hope that they know that.
~Jen
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Camp Mujigae...posting # 2
Hi all of our readers,
Camp Mujigae registration is still open (see Camp Mujigae). I am volunteering for the Rising Stars group which is the youngest group up to age 3 years old. For those of you who read this blog who have kids you have adopted from Korea, please consider attending camp.
Ours is a wonderful one and the other two co-leaders and myself have planned on having a parents' resource table full of information for the new parents.
And for those of you who think that this is just open play time for little tikes, think again. I'm teaching London Bridges in Korea to parents and campers and I'll be without my two star singers as well, my two oldest kids!!! YIKES!!!! And I'm working on learning Head Shoulders Knees and Toes (although I have to admit that I feel a little less comfortable with that one right now).
I'm working on Oral Korean, Hangul and English flashcards, gathering up catalogs and magazines for that table and more.
The other co-leaders are working hard on other fun things to do as well. One of which is storytime with a Korean book!!!
For those of you out of state, please consider attending. I know that we are one of the few in the neighboring states of NY that have programs geared for kids under age 5.
My two oldest love to talk about Camp Mujigae, wear their camp tee-shirts and more.
For those of you who are reading this who aren't in the states or who can't come to this particular Korean culture camp, please enroll your child in camp so that they can learn about their culture, being around other Korean kids, eating Korean foods, and more.
If you have adopted from Korea, please consider bringing your kids to a Korean cultural camp. It'll do them the world of good to learn about their culture, to eat Korean food, to make Korean friends, and for them to learn that you love them enough to care.
Back to Camp Mujigae stuff!!!
~Jen
Camp Mujigae registration is still open (see Camp Mujigae). I am volunteering for the Rising Stars group which is the youngest group up to age 3 years old. For those of you who read this blog who have kids you have adopted from Korea, please consider attending camp.
Ours is a wonderful one and the other two co-leaders and myself have planned on having a parents' resource table full of information for the new parents.
And for those of you who think that this is just open play time for little tikes, think again. I'm teaching London Bridges in Korea to parents and campers and I'll be without my two star singers as well, my two oldest kids!!! YIKES!!!! And I'm working on learning Head Shoulders Knees and Toes (although I have to admit that I feel a little less comfortable with that one right now).
I'm working on Oral Korean, Hangul and English flashcards, gathering up catalogs and magazines for that table and more.
The other co-leaders are working hard on other fun things to do as well. One of which is storytime with a Korean book!!!
For those of you out of state, please consider attending. I know that we are one of the few in the neighboring states of NY that have programs geared for kids under age 5.
My two oldest love to talk about Camp Mujigae, wear their camp tee-shirts and more.
For those of you who are reading this who aren't in the states or who can't come to this particular Korean culture camp, please enroll your child in camp so that they can learn about their culture, being around other Korean kids, eating Korean foods, and more.
If you have adopted from Korea, please consider bringing your kids to a Korean cultural camp. It'll do them the world of good to learn about their culture, to eat Korean food, to make Korean friends, and for them to learn that you love them enough to care.
Back to Camp Mujigae stuff!!!
~Jen
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Daddy's Birthday
Shhhh.....
It's a secret but we're celebrating Daddy's birthday today. We won't mention his age since we don't know it but Mommy made a cake that even Bella can have with her allergies.
In order for us to have the cake we need to be good so we're resting this afternoon. We're going to eat our dinners so that we can have some cake too. Bella is having Bibimbop since the rest of us are having pizza (at least that's what we think we're having).
Well we gotta go get ready...
~Ryan, Katie, and Bella
It's a secret but we're celebrating Daddy's birthday today. We won't mention his age since we don't know it but Mommy made a cake that even Bella can have with her allergies.
In order for us to have the cake we need to be good so we're resting this afternoon. We're going to eat our dinners so that we can have some cake too. Bella is having Bibimbop since the rest of us are having pizza (at least that's what we think we're having).
Well we gotta go get ready...
~Ryan, Katie, and Bella
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