Today marks one month of “officially waiting”!
We received our “Welcome to the Korea Program” letter and information packet from the agency today which confirmed that we were approved, accepted and “officially waiting” as of the day of our last Home Study visit (12/11/09). [But, technically, we confirmed this with our Country Specialist on Friday – Granny Dixon’s 86th birthday - yet another incidence of an important adoption milestone aligning with an already significant date] The wait times are still what we have been anticipating: six months to referral for a boy and twelve months to referral for a girl. Since we did not indicate a gender preference, it’s looking like it could be just five short months until we are introduced to our little K2! (yes, that means the odds are significantly in favor of having another son…so much for that “raspberry jam” paint chip.)
This news also could very well mean that our little K2 is about to be born or has already been born. Think about how wonderful that is!!! I would not be surprised if K2 is another gift from December 2009…a big, huge, lovely gift that for the next six to twelve months we patiently wait to open, hold, hug and kiss. In the meantime, we pray daily for love, courage, strength, compassion, good health and grace for K2’s birth mom, foster parents…and, of course, for K2 as well.
Today we also received a nice, thick, mostly blank, official-looking sheet of paper from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that our I-600A was received. Phew. The letter also told us what we already knew - that they would send us information on when and where to get fingerprinted for the next step in the i-600A approval process. While there was definitely was a feeling of reassurance that we sent the application to the right address on Christmas Eve, couldn't the government been a little more efficient and put all that information in one letter?!? Oh well...gives us more milestones to meet this way I guess.
To help keep the months moving, there are definitely things we can and should be doing that will help us feel like we are being productive. Damon and Drew are still in need of passports…passport photos need to be taken and their applications need to be submitted. It feels like January 2009 all over again actually – a year ago I was urging Damon to renew his passport! He even has an application completed, signed and dated (1/23/09)! If I could do it for them, I definitely would. I am giving them to the end of the month. Seriously, we need to be ready at a moments notice to go get K2, right?! And, I would really prefer not to go by myself.
We also need to get a new crib. Will a child about 12 months old need a crib?! Probably not for long – but the crib Drew used was recalled and we have a voucher for a new one to use by the 23rd of this month. So, K2 will have a nice new crib (and bed conversion kit). It feels good to be buying something new for K2. It helps make this process more tangible and real…and even more exciting, if that’s possible!
And now for the much anticipated japchae update:
Damon and I thoroughly enjoyed chopping, marinating, mixing, cooking and eating the meal yesterday. Damon tackled the julienne cutting of the carrots and peppers. I took care of the spinach, onions, garlic and steak. Together we marinated it all and later threw it all in the wok with the sweet potato noodles, soy sauce, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Yum Yum Yum ~ all three of us enjoyed it a lot!
Until next time…love and laughter!
