bumps in the road...

Our agency just informed us of some changes happening with Korean adoptions. These changes may slow our progress as well as affect the future of adopting from Korea. Below are just a few of the changes.

· There is pending legislation in Korea attempting to stop international adoption. As of today, the legislation has not moved forward.

· There is a big push for domestic adoption in Korea and the government is offering incentives for Korean families to adopt domestically.

· The Korean government has established a system that would now hold children in need of adoption for five months before they are eligible for international adoption. The five month period would be a time where Korean citizens could choose to adopt the child. (Children with known medical issues would be exempt from this system.)

· The birth rate in Korea has decreased significantly and more birth parents are choosing to parent their children. Thus, the number of children eligible for adoption has also decreased.

In spite of the above mentioned changes, our agency believes that those of us who are already in the process will not be affected. Another change has to do with the rising costs the Korean agencies are experiencing and their need to substantially increase fees in order to effectively continue their adoption programs. Because of this, all fees for Korean adoption will be increased by $5,000, effective August 15, 2006 (that means us).

Personally, we think it's wonderful and appropriate that Korea is finally encouraging domestic adoption. We continue to have faith and trust in God's plan for us and as always, we appreciate your prayers for wisdom, perseverance, and of course... patience.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
-Romans 8:28

Art Appreciation

We wouldn't normally consider ourselves very "artsy" or even all that cultured. We do however, appreciate great beauty and creativity. We occasionally visit a museum and for the last 4 years, we've made the annual trip to Laguna Beach for the famous Pageant of the Masters. This weekend, we did just those two things.

The Getty Villa in Malibu just re-opened after a nine year and $275 million renovation and expansion. Parched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it was once lived in by J. Paul Getty himself. It features his Antiquities Collection from Rome, Greece, and Etrusia. The Getty Villa was modeled after the partially excavated Villa dei Papiri in Italy.

The Pageant of the Masters is a unique show of "living pictures."
It re-creates classical and contemporary works using real people posing to look exactly like their counterparts in the original pieces. An outdoor amphitheatre, professional orchestra, original score, live narration, intricate sets, and sophisticated lighting, make this night one that we look forward to every year.

"The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection."
-Michelangelo