I-600 approval!

We are one step closer to our girls! Our I-600 (visa petition on the US side) has been approved! Our agency was waiting on this approval before they could send all our paperwork to the US Consulate in Seoul, Korea. More processing continues on the Korea side but we are getting closer. We talked with our agency yesterday and they said they doubted that we would get the girls home before Christmas, but then again... anything can happen!
In the meantime, we are preparing their room here at home, still working on some things inside the house, and getting really excited about the baby shower that some dear friends are throwing for us next week!

Thanksgiving & Birthday

Every four years, Morgan's birthday lands on Thanksgiving day and this was one of those years. It was a perfect combined celebration since this year, all of Morgan's side of the family were going to be here. We try and alternate Thanksgiving between my family and his every year. It was four days of fun and food with 10 of us adults and 4 kids (soon to be 6 kids!). Morgan's parents graciously offered to host Thanksgiving dinner at their place and I had brunch for everyone here the next morning. We have so much to be thankful for, not only this year but every year. We hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving!

My Own Child

My Own Child

I did not plant you, true.
But when the season is done,
When the prayers for sun
And for rain are counted,
When the pain of weeding
And the pride of watching are through,
I will hold you high
A shining sheaf
Above the thousand,
Seeds grown wild
Not my planting,
But by Heaven my harvest
My own child.

-Author Unknown

Sent with love

We mailed our girls the two baby blankets and dolls that we've been sleeping with for the last month. Our agency suggested that we do this so that they can get to know
"our smell." Those little blankets are not only the softest little things but they have helped to keep me perfectly warm at night. In a way, I will miss them. They have been a reminder to me that soon, we will be a family of four!

Blog Change

Now that we are joyfully expecting TWO precious girls, it only seems fitting that we slightly change the name of this blog. At times, it's been somewhat tough to get my head around all that has happened in the last couple of months. God has delivered in such a BIG way and it has been awesome to witness it and be a part of this blessing!

"Thankful" doesn't even begin to describe what we feel in our hearts. We can't wait until the day we get to see our girls and can actually hold them! Looking back on this incredible journey, we have seen God's gentle guidance, His tender love, His promised faithfulness, and His gracious imprint in all of the details. To think that we prayed for one baby and He saw fit to deliver TWO!
"God does immeasurably more than what we can even perceive or imagine." Ephesians 3:20

With that said, our "Journey to Faith" has really been a "Journey of faith." Over the years, Morgan & I have learned (and are still learning everyday) to trust and rely on God rather than ourselves or the things of this world. Through this adoption process, even when things looked bumpy, we had to remind ourselves that we are not in control. God has led us here and everything will work out in His perfect timing. Knowing this has given us such peace and comfort. Although not over yet, this journey has been another great example of God's faithfulness and in the midst of it all, we have had the privilege to know Him more intimately.

Korea Travel Guide

We're still waiting for all the paperwork to be approved by the Korean government and hope to travel by the end of the year. We have just requested our copy of the Korea Travel Guide. We've heard from our agency that this is the best guide out there. Although we think of this trip as more of a mission rather than a vacation, we still want to experience all we can while we're there.

I was just thinking the other day about my own journey from Seoul when I was not quite 3 years old. Most people don't know that I was born in Seoul and my family came here in the Spring of 1973. Because I am so Americanized and can speak English waaaaay better than I can speak Korean, people just assume that I was born here in the United States. Although I don't really remember a thing about Korea, I'm sure the trip will be filled with lots of emotion as I retrace my own journey and document this trip for our girls.

From what my parents tell me about our flight to the U.S., I cried from Seoul to Honolulu.
God bless them as well as the poor people on that flight!
Let's hope payback isn't due :)

lol

We received a few new pictures of the girls this week and this one just cracks us up everytime we look at it! I just had to share this in hopes that it brings a smile to your face, too. This picture was taken just a few weeks ago.

Even from across all those miles, they can make us laugh out loud already. How special they are and how blessed are we.

Grace (left in pink) and Faith (right in yellow).