Updated Pictures of Us

Hi,

Well we talked Mommy into posting new pictures here. So enjoy these pictures. But be forewarned...there are more pictures coming!!

Saying Goodbye to a Friend that I never met...

I chatted with Julia on one of the adoption boards that I'm on. She emailed me privately on something a couple of months ago. She and I exchanged the addresses to our blogs. She is a woman who was adopted from Korea in 1983. I am a parent to three kids from Korea. I read all of her blog. Her words resounded in my ears and my head. She is a light in the darkness.

I learned tonight that she lost her hard fought battle with cancer. Her last chapter has been read...unfortunately there was no editing like we had hoped. I'm so sorry that I met her so late...I wished that I had gotten to know her better and much sooner. Now her light shines amongst the stars.

Julia, I'm so sorry that we met so late. I hope that I can count you as a friend of mine since you certainly seem like the type of person I would have liked to gotten to know better.

I told Jeff about the loss of Julia. After telling him, I had to see my kids and give them each a hug and a kiss to let them know that they are loved. They were sleeping peacefully during the whole thing.

If you haven't done so already, please register yourself as a bone marrow donor. You never know who's life you may save.

Lighting a candle for you sweet Julia.

With a heavy heart tonight,

~Jen

Hide and Seek with Ryan

Ryan: I'm going to hide right now
Me: Okay you hide
Ryan: I'm going to hide in my room
Me: Okay you hide in your room and I'll come look for you after I count to 10
Ryan: I'm heading upstairs to hide in my room now (as he heads up the stairs)
Me: (counting to 10 slowly)
Ryan: (toot toot toot from his wooden flute from his room)
Me: Found you sweetie
Ryan: Tomorrow I'm going to hide
Me: Okay where are you going to hide?
Ryan: In my room again

~Jen

KAAN Conference 2008

안녕하세요 or Annyong Haseyo to those of you who can't read the hangul!!

This post for those of you who have either adopted from Korea or are Korean adoptees or are touched by one way or another to Korean adoption.

I wanted to tell you about a wonderful conference for Korean adoptees, adoptive parents, social workers and more. It’s called the KAAN (Korean American Adoptee Adoptive Family Network) Conference and their 10th annual conference is being held in Chicago at the Wyndham O’Hare starting July 18th and going to July 20th for more information about the conference go to KAAN Conference Home Page.

They have various sessions going on for the adult adoptees (see KAAN Conference Adult Adoptee Sessions for the young adult adoptees aged 18 to 21 and the adult adoptees over age 21). The kids and teens have their own program while you attend your sessions (see KAAN Conference Kids and Teens Program). It doesn’t matter if you have young kids like I have (4 year old, 2 3/4 year old, and a 15 month old) or older ones or just starting out in the process with a referral since you still will find something to take away from the conference. For me, I loved the sessions on the First Mother and the Q&A with the adult adoptees. This year’s conference looks spectacular again…just check out the schedule for it at KAAN Conference Main Session Schedule. My husband, Jeff, went to the sessions that interested him. It’s a great way for adoptees or parents to network as well I found. You don’t need to sign up for which sessions you want to attend ahead of time which I found to be really nice.

BUT in order to go to this wonderful conference and get it at the reduced registration rate, you need to get your registration in by May 31st. So head to KAAN Conference Registration Form and follow their simple directions. Jeff and I registered for the full conference last year and I’m so glad that we did since we both got something out of it. Please don’t be late, register and attend this conference…you’ll get something out of it. We certainly did. Do you want to know why we went?? Just look at the kids at the top of my blog page...that's why!!

~Jen

Another Birthday, Another Day of Sorrow

We celebrated my son's 4th birthday this week. He has been with us for a little over 3 years. So much has changed. So much is the same. I often wondered when he came to us what his life in Korea was like with his foster family. After meeting his foster mom in Korea, I know that he is still missed so much and so very much loved. He talks about Korea and his foster family often. He saves his money to go back there someday. She won't forget his birthday. She knows after my letters and pictures that he is loved. I can only imagine how she is feeling on his birthday this week.

His First Mom's loneliness and all of her other emotions that she probably is experiencing this week is overwhelming at times for me to even think about. When I do, the tears flow. How does she get through each second of the day? How does she begin to get up out of bed to start her day? For me, I have little choice in the matter since three little ones need me to feed them, bathe them, clothe them and more. But for her it must be so hard just to get through the day. I imagine her wondering how her child is doing and if he is loved and being taken care of. I imagine her wondering what he looks like now, what are his likes/dislikes, does he think of me, and so much more.

So in this happy time, we have sorrow as well for a woman who gave birth to him that we haven't met living half a world away. Even though we haven't met her, she is a part of our family now. We also have sorrow for the foster family who is a part of our family as well. We love them both as members of our family.

Happy 4th Birthday my buddy!!! You are loved by three Mommies and missed by two of them more than either one of us will know.

~Jen

Updated pictures are coming

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

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