Korean Travel Packet

Our case worker sent us our Korean Travel Packet today!  It outlines all that we need to get done and consider before our travel to Korea.  This is really exciting...the people on our adoption forum are counting down the days until 2012 because that means that emigration permit processing will start again, and we will all be closer to going to get our children!

We enjoyed reading through the packet, which basically took us through the whole process from the travel call onward.  Some things we will be considering and doing in preparation to travel:

-Passport for Erika...Kyle already has his
-Gather gifts for the foster mom and various other Eastern representatives
-Complete educational requirements including a couple other books we are needing to read, several online seminars, and CPR classes
-Figure out what all we will bring for Joseph for the trip back home
-Decide what places we will want to visit while in Seoul
-Consider various details about our visits with the Joseph prior to departure back home
-Make loose plans for the girls' care while we are out of the country
-Do research on Korean customs and traditions
-Finish up his room, including placing the new lamp Granny got for Joseph for Christmas...

As we visited with our adoptive families at the Chosen Marathon for Adoption this year, I realized just how fortunate we are to be so close to receiving our child.  Many others we talked to anticipated two or three years until they would travel.  Adoption is a long process with lots of red tape to navigate through, and we are nearing the end.  We are feeling so blessed to know that we will travel to pick up the child that God has chosen for our family...in 2012!

A Christmas Update

We were so excited to get an update on  this little guy today!  The perfect Christmas present for us.  It makes Kyle and I so happy that he seems to be doing well.  This is very good news, especially since there have been some concerns with his development.  He seems to be making big strides lately!  Here is the message we received (this is as November 30th)...

YoSeb  is an active little boy who prefers to be outdoors and enjoys playing ball, with toys that have strings or electronics like cell phones or the remote control. If someone takes his toy away from him, he shows his temper. Then his foster mother talks to him and brings his favorite toy to him to calm him down.  He is not typically shy and if he is in a good mood, he is fine with strangers.   He is doing better developmentally and can stand alone and take up to 2 steps unassisted.  He can say “omma”, “mam-ma” (food),  and“ pa-pa”.  If we say to him “ po-po”, he gives a kiss.  He attempts to wave.  He can do “ jam-jam” (open and close hands) and clap.  He stares at person to copy the behavior.

YoSeb drinks formula twice a day, morning and evening.  He prefers to eat rice rather than formula.  If he is sleepy, he sways his body back and forth. If he does not take a nap, he goes to sleep after bathing around 8 pm.  He wakes up immediately if he hears sound while sleeping.  If he takes a nap, he goes to sleep from 10pm and wakes up 3 am for a feeding. Then he wakes up for good at 10 am.  There is another foster child, aged 17 months, at the foster home that he like to play with.   On YoSeb’s birthday celebration, he grasped money from Tol table.   The foster mother will send the pictures taken during the party.

As of Nov. 30, weight 11.15kg, height 77.8cm.