Lunar New Year!

This week in Korea they are celebrating the Lunar New Year, the year of the dragon! We love learning more about Korean culture and were so excited to get the boys dressed up in their hanboks, although it took some bribery (again!) to get some pictures of them. So handsome!

So Much to Be Happy About

The days continue to fly by and I am loving life with two little boys. Matthew keeps me laughing all day long with the hilarious things he says, and Nathan is becoming really vocal and is able to let us know what he wants now (and believe me, he really lets us know!). I may just have to post a video of him saying/shouting his new favorite word - NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

The boys have been working on some new skills:

Like somersaults...

Eating (Mexican food) with chopsticks (a friend got us this great set of Pororo training chopsticks)...

Nathan has had an upset tummy for over a week now and our sleep is back to being pretty interrupted, but I feel like no matter how bad nights are now they don't come close to being as terrible as they were those first few months after Nathan came home. This actually really helps me not be too crabby even when we've been up a ton in the night. I have realized what a short phase of life this really is and I know one day I'll miss having little ones to cuddle with at night.

Something else making us happy today - Matthew had an MRI and it went really, really well. It was his first time being sedated and we weren't sure how he'd do, but he was so brave and only cried when he saw us coming to him in recovery. I was so proud of my little guy!



We don't have the results of the MRI yet but we know at least that there's nothing really bad going on, which is a relief for sure. After hearing Matthew say almost every hour for the last three months that his head hurts we were starting to wonder what is going on. We think now that it is probably sinus stuff (we see the ENT again on Friday to hopefully get this stuff taken care of soon).

We are so thankful to see this precious smile every day :)

How about these studly brothers??? I am learning that I can get them to pose for pictures and smile for me...as long as I have licorice! Or, as Matthew likes to call it, "RICOLICE!"

Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That

We are having a great week so far! The boys have slept through the nice twice this week and when they do wake up they are easy to get back to sleep! YEY! I wasn't sure we'd ever make it to this point but I am loving it and appreciating it so much :)

I am still running and had a great four mile run yesterday. In two weeks I will be running an 8k race, not worrying about the time but just aiming to run the whole thing. I am feeling pretty good about it and glad to have the energy to be back out there again!

I am so. stinking. excited. about going to Korea. Seriously, I still can't believe it. We really kept saying ,"Is this real? Are we being scammed?" But we got the paperwork, and it's from a major, huge company, and it's for real. Crazy! We are hoping to go in the Fall and I just cannot wait. This gives me some time to do a few things:

1. Learn to use chopsticks

2. Learn at least some basic Korean (I know a few phrases but would love to know more). We'll see how that goes!

The boys are doing well, no sickness at the moment and Matthew's sinus stuff seems to be clearing up finally (so thankful about that!). We have had a few doctors appointments coming up for Matthew and hopefully we can have him nice and healthy very soon :)

One of my favorite things lately is seeing the boys playing together or even just being together. Nathan absolutely adores his older brother and Matthew is starting to see just how fun it can be to have a younger brother. Many times throughout the day I find the boys sitting together (so close together it's hilarious!) and I just smile.

It is hard for the boys to learn how to share (as it is for all kids) but it is amazing to see glimpses of them actually learning it! When they willingly give each other toys or are genuinely happy to share something with each other it is so great. There are many challenges in parenting but also so many joys! Seeing my boys learn to love each other is one of my favorite things ever.

An Amazing Gift - We Won!!

If you would have asked me four years ago where I most wanted to go in the world, I would have said, "Switzerland."

If you would have asked me anytime in the last couple of years where I most wanted to go in the world, I would have without hesitating answered, "South Korea."

We wanted to travel both times that we adopted, and both times it just did not work out, and both times I was so sad. I have longed to see where my babies were born, to walk the streets and eat the food and meet the people who cared for them for many months.

We told ourselves that somewhere down the road we would take a trip to Korea with the boys, but part of me always wondered, "How? When? Will we ever be able to afford that?"

But something amazing has happened. An only-God-could-do-this kind of thing.

Over Christmas break, a friend of mine posted on facebook that she was entering a contest at Frommers.com (Frommers has a very well-known travel guidebook series) to win a trip for two to South Korea. All of us adoptive mommies who saw that started entering - including me! You could enter once a day for a few weeks, so I went on as often as I remembered.

I thought about it a few times since the end of the contest but figured they'd drawn the winner and that was that.

Until today.

Brad gets home from work and checks his personal email. He calls me into the kitchen saying, "Is this a joke? Do you know what this is?" As he started reading I was really confused...

"Congratulations! You have been chosen...your prize is a seven night trip for two to South Korea..."

My eyes grew wide and then I scared the children as I started SCREAMING at the top of my lungs!!!!! We won!!! We seriously won a trip to South Korea! I could not believe it!

Neither could Brad. He was pretty skeptical at first, wondering if it was a hoax. We started researching Frommers and the company that sent the email (the publisher of the Frommers guidebooks). We were astonished as we realized it was legit. I can hardly believe it even now.

We are not sure when we will be going, but at some point in 2012 we will be heading to South Korea for our week-long trip! We have already decided that just Brad and I will go (food allergies being one factor, taking two toddlers on a trip all over South Korea and having to pay for two more plane tickets being other factors). It will be hard to leave the boys but honestly I am beyond thrilled for the opportunity to see their home country.

It is a dream come true. We will go on a tour around the country, seeing different parts of Korea and I believe even stopping in one of the boys' birth cities! The emotions that come with that statement are pretty powerful. What an adventure this will be!

We were chosen out of over 300,000 entries! I don't believe in "luck" or "chance". I do, however, believe in a God who gives good gifts "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (James 1:17) I don't know why we have been blessed like this, but this is indeed a good gift, and we are so amazed to know that we can experience the culture and land where our sons were born. It is an unbelievable thing and I cannot wait!

Just a Few Pictures

Good-bye, Bottles!

It is one of those things that isn't really a big deal, but for some reason it just kind of is.

The time has come, and last night we officially said good-bye to bottles.

*sigh*

I know that most kids are done with bottles much sooner (Matthew was just over one I think), but when Nathan came home he was still taking about 4 a day. Our pediatrician was so wonderful about it and encouraged us to keep that during his transition (I would have anyway, but it was nice to have her support!). At Nathan's 2-year check-up this week, though, she suggested it was probably time to let that go. We agreed, and have been working towards that, but I still had a moment of "My baby is growing up!".

I remember how at first he wouldn't even let us give him one. Slowly but surely we won his trust, and even got to the point where he would run to us as soon as he got his bottle yelling, "Mama!" or "Dada!". He just wanted to be held and snuggled! Amazing.

So, we kept the bottles around to help with bonding. The wonderful news is that we feel that our bonding and attachment with Nathan is going really, really well. The sad news is that it's time to move on from bottles.

Thankfully, we can keep the holding and snuggling part :)

What They're Into

As I typed that title, I thought to myself, "Hmm...what aren't they into these days???"

Yes, these two little fellas sure do keep me busy! They are busy guys (as they should be!) who love to explore. It is amazing to see them continue to develop and grow.

One of my favorite things is the way Matthew's imagination is coming alive. He has a new favorite game to play, and surprise surprise, it is about trains :) He likes to pretend that his bed is a train and he always wants to take me to the beach on the train. This is where the sibling thing comes in very handy - all I had to do was suggest that Nathan might like to go along and ta-da! I didn't have to ride on the train every five minutes any more! Nathan loves this game, and they both get on their beds, pile up stuffed animals (the passengers, of course) and pretend they're on their trains! And of course they always have to wear their conductor hats!

Other favorite games at the moment:

A new fishing game from Nana and Papa this Christmas

Mr. Potato Head from Brad's parents (or, as Matthew calls him, "Mr. Potato Chip")

And here is what they want to play all the livelong day. Stinky and Monkey Stinky (their two beloved blanket toys) talk to each other, dance, sing songs...and they always want me to be their voice. Some days I think if Matthew asks me one more time, "What is Stinky saying?" I might lose my mind! But it is so cute to see how much they both love their blankets.


This next picture doesn't show the toy at all, but it was so cute I couldn't leave it out :) Nathan is holding this egg that came with a little toaster we got him for Christmas. It was one of the biggest hits with the boys. It is in two parts and has velcro so they can pretend cut it apart. They do it over and over and over again...


Another favorite toy is this bead sequencing toy. They put the pegs in and then put beads on. When they get older they will be able to follow the included boards that show them different patterns for how to put the beads on. Right now it is just for fun and good for hand/eye coordination, too. And of course for learning how to share :)

I am enjoying having new toys so much! We have a ton all at once because of Matthew's birthday, Christmas, family celebrations, and Nathan's birthday (all in one month!!!). It has been great to have new stuff to keep the boys' attention and they have been playing so well together for the last couple of weeks. I can even *gasp* leave the room to do housework! Amazing!!!! Thank you, new toys!

{Inspired}

Sometimes I feel like shouting at the top of my lungs, "I'm back!!!!!". For months, I have been in survival mode. No hobbies, no creativity, no desire or energy to do anything beyond the basics each day. Two little ones during the day and heading to bed at 8pm each night doesn't leave much time for doing any of the things I love! That mono sure was a bear.

But I think the worst is over! I still have bad days here and there, but I am feeling so great, pretty much bursting with energy! I think it took feeling awful all the time for me to really appreciate the gift of feeling well. I won't soon take that for granted, and I am so grateful to be able to get back to doing some of the things I love.

Top of the list right now...organizing! I don't know what's gotten into me, but I just cannot stop organizing my home. We have taken 5 or 6 trunkloads of stuff to the resale shop, and it is so much easier to keep things clean now that we have purged all the stuff we were holding onto "just in case".

My most recent project - our bathroom closet. I really wish I had a before picture. Then again, it might be just too embarrassing to post online! It was awful, and every time we opened the door something would fall out on us. Very frustrating. But not anymore! Now I love to open the door and easily find what I'm looking for.

Being more organized has helped get me back to something else I really enjoy: scrapbooking. It has been a crazy long time since I've done any, so I just decided to not stress, start with recent pictures, and do what I can. I'm going for quick and simple these days, and I love how these pages turned out.



I am super excited about another passion that is returning to my life - running! After training for the half marathon in May, I pretty much quit completely because of Nathan coming home and the mono. I didn't really have the energy to even miss it, and I knew there was just no way I could keep it up in my zombie-like state. I knew I was getting the running bug again because suddenly I just wanted to read everything I could about it! That's how it always starts for me - I get my hands on a Runners World magazine, and suddenly I'm reading blog after blog written by mommy runners :)

The next step for me is always to choose a goal or a race. I had one in mind, but I wasn't really sure if it was realistic. Last year I ran an 8k race (about 5 miles) in February and loved it (well, not while I was actually running it, but afterwards I felt great!).

I really wanted to do this race again, but it's just over a month away and I haven't run for six months. Usually after that amount of time off I can barely run a mile! This week I decided to get out there and see how it went. I managed to easily do 3 miles! I was shocked. I guess running around after two little sweeties all day has kept me in shape a little bit :)

So, I think I am going to aim for the 8k. I have set up a training plan for myself, and Brad is even considering running it too! He went out and did a 3 mile run right after I got back and I am excited to maybe run this race together (well, not together exactly, but at the same time). I can tell it's been a long time since I last ran - I am SO sore today!!!! But it's a good sore.

It feels good to be getting back to life again!

Celebrating Nathan

My baby boy Nathan turned two years old today! It was such a happy day and I found my eyes filling with tears at the most random moments. All day long, Nathan's birthmother was not far from my thoughts, and I prayed so much for her as I am sure she too is thinking about the day when he was born. I wish so much that I could look her in the eyes and tell her how much I love him and want him.

This year's celebration was way better than last year's! I mean, last year we had fun, we had a cake...but we had no birthday boy!

And this year I got to spend the day hugging and kissing this little boy :)

We had a really fun day. It was Brad's first day back to work after the holidays, so it was just me and the littles. We lounged around for most of the morning, cleaning, playing, and watching cartoons. After lunch I decided we needed some fresh air, so we headed outside to play in the snow. This was Nathan's first experience with American snow! He has been sick every other time it has snowed so I figured I'd better take advantage of his one healthy day :)

We started the process of getting ready...

...and just a short half hour later, we were ready to go outside! I was already exhausted.

I was pretty sure Nathan would love the snow, and I was right! Of course, he was very marshmallow-like in his snow suit :) He and Matthew both kept falling over and Matthew would yell, "I'm okay!" and then he would grunt and groan unable to get back up. It was pretty stinking hilarious.


Oh the smiles we saw from this one today...priceless!




The boys were both so happy to be outside and I hope we can get out again very soon. We have been stuck in the house far too long!

I am so blessed to be this little boy's mama. Seriously, every day my love for him gets stronger and stronger, and when he calls for me or reaches for me my heart just melts. I thank God every day for bringing me my Nathan.

My Word and Verse for 2012

A bloggy friend recently posted with a great idea - to share a word and a verse for 2012. I knew instantly what my verse would be. I have been studying in 2 Timothy and one verse has continued to jump out to me and resound with my soul:

It took me a while to think of how to sum up how God is challenging me to grow in just one word from this verse, but I think I have it figured out.

BOLDNESS

For the past few months, this has been on my heart. As I have been praying about some opportunities to serve and asking God to show me what He wants me doing, I have struggled with fearfulness, anxiety, a feeling that I am not adequate and will not be able to do what He asks. But this verse just spoke to me so loudly. He has not given me a spirit of timidity or cowardice. These fears are not from Him. No, He has given me a spirit of power. As I studied further I learned that this comes from a root word with a basic meaning of being capable, able, the opposite of incapable or incompetent.

Wow.

God has given me what I need to serve Him. I do not need to live in fear of doing what He asks. I just need to do it! I need to be bold, confident in Him, filled with courage because of who He is.

So that's my word this year: boldness. I pray that the Lord would help me to understand more fully who He is, what He desires for me, and that He would enable me to let go of my fears and serve Him with abandon.

If you are interested, I would encourage you to consider what your word and verse might be for 2012, and hop over to Much Ado to link up!

Boys

It's been a fun few days around here! Brad has been off since Thursday and it is so relaxing to all be home together. We are still battling constant sickness - I forgot how Matthew caught everything his first winter home, and I think poor Nathan is also experiencing that. We have almost finished our 6-pack of Kleenexes in just over a week!

Matthew is also a little sicky at the moment. After seeing an ENT (ear, nose, throat doctor) on Friday we were told he has a chronic sinus infection (it has been almost two months) and will probably need to have his tonsils and adenoids removed :( He's on antibiotics again because they can't do the surgery with how sick he is right now, and we will go back to talk with the ENT again at the end of January. I am really hoping we can get him feeling better soon. He has been miserable lately and last night woke up in the middle of the night crying and saying, "I feel terrible, Mama!". Except it was "tewibble" which is even more sad!

It's been really funny lately realizing that I am mom to two little boys. I mean, I did know, but it's funny to realize that little boys are very different than little girls! I come from a family of three girls, so this is all new territory for me! Matthew is entering a "make it crash" phase where everything he plays with has to crash into something else. Very little boy-ish! I always thought I wanted girls, but boys are so much fun too! In fact, people ask me a lot if we want a girl next, but I will be just as happy to have another boy. With so much cuteness, how could I not???

Nathan is turning into quite the snuggler these days. When he first arrived, he wouldn't even let us give him a bottle. Then, after a few days, he would take one but only sitting facing away from us on our lap. He never relaxed into us while he drank it. But just look at him now - this picture is from my birthday, and for the best birthday present ever, he actually gave me a kiss without me asking!


My sister got the boys these adorable and hilarious hats while she was in Scotland recently. Nathan was reluctant to keep it on, until he saw Matthew sitting with his on, posing for the camera! Suddenly he was all smiles! It is fun to see the boys rubbing off on each other (in a positive way).


Life is settling down so much and it is wonderful. We are having so much fun together and life is really getting easier. I love being mommy to these two precious boys!