St. Patty's Day Sensory Box

Today I made a Sensory Box for the boys. I am so proud of how well they like it. I got the idea here: http://theprincessandthetot.blogspot.com/2011/02/st-patricks-day-sensory-bin.html
I already had the box, and I went to Michael's today and found cute little leprechan hats, green pom pom's, green bells, beads and braclets. I bought little green plates to stack things on, and a book on St. Patty's day from Barnes. Oh, I also found a green squishy ball from Michaels that smells like lime - they love it. Anyway, I love the idea, and I am going to switch the box theme every few weeks or so. They played with it for a good 45 minutes. I also had the boys go around the house and find green things to go in the box. They found 3 green cars, a green block and some other things. Fun idea! It was fun to watch jack make patterns on the carpet with all the shapes. Next up I am going to do an Easter box. And yea, they are in their jammies!






Anderson like to stack the bells in the hats


Kinda fuzzy, but Anderson was collecting as many green things as he could hold!

8 months

Yesterday my Annelise turned 8 months old. I am praying I do not miss another "month" birthday! Happy 8 months darling girl.
In USCIS news, our file is with them, and it has almost been a month. Please pray with me an officer approves our file. I spoke with a very kind officer on Friday who "may" be searching for our file. I have been praying non-stop since then that God would allow our file to fall in her hands. She was very sweet, and said she loves to approve Korean adoptions, because they are so easy to approve. So, very encouraging. I think God hand picked her to answer the phone when I called!
Once she (hopefully) approves our case, her supervisor approved it and they 2 day air it to the national visa center, where it goes NVC in. Then within 3 days ( i think) it goes NVC out. From there Korea issues her passport and some other things I am fuzzy on , like p3's happen. Once we get that 1-600 approval from USCIS in the mail, we travel usually in 2 weeks!!!!
God's timing is PERFECT. I have no idea why our 1-600 got kicked back to me before it left the lockbox location, but I know God does. Resting in his perfect timing. I am wondering if it was just so I could have that sweet officer look for our file. Thank you God for watching over this adoption.
And sweet little Annelise, I love you so. Praying it is not much longer before I can meet you.

More shower photos

First things first, here are pictures of what we watched during the shower. Video of my daughter!




Some wonderful gifts:

Car seat! (sorry, turn your head sideways.:)


My sister-in-law Rebekah made this beautiful Asian doll quilt for Annelise. I just love it!


Sweet pink elephant!





Dresses!



Thank you everyone who helped us celebrate our little girl. We are so grateful for all the wonderful goodies for Annelise!

Baby Shower #2!

Beautiful diaper cake Rebekah made!

Me, my mom and sister, Rebecca

My Mom and I

My sister in law Rebekah and I




Me and my other sister in law, Meredith

Wow, my Annelise and I are so blessed! We had our second baby shower yesterday at my sister in law's house, Rebekah. It was so beautiful! I have tons of pictures, but these are the only one's I have now, more to come later today!

Oh be still my heart

Today I got the video of my Annelise in the mail complete with an updated progress report on her and new pictures!! Be still my heart! I started shrieking when I saw the fedex man because I had been waiting on him all morning. I immediately threw the video in the player and watched in awe at Annelise playing with toys, scooching toward toy after toy then eating toys and making smacking noises with her lips. Oh my gosh, she is so adorable!!!! Then I watched as her foster mom gave her kisses and cuddled with her. How it did my heart good to see that! How will I ever repay that kind woman who is loving on my baby? She will forever be in my prayers! Then I showed Daniel the video when he got home around lunchtime and as I put on fb "I visibly watched him fall in love with her." It was amazing. She is amazing and we are so so blessed.
These pictures were taking a little over a week ago. :) I can tell how she is bigger, but in the video she still looks like such a baby to me. I pray it will not be long now until we travel.......

He hears us when we call........

Last night, I woke up about 10 minutes after I feel asleep in a total panic that my child lives in Korea, and here I sit not being able to do one thing about it. I actually started having trouble breathing I was so so anguished. I began to pray my heart out to God. I prayed he would hear me calling for help, he would give me peace, and he would give me His strength to endure this wait. I prayed for him to watch over my daughter while I cannot. I fell back asleep sometime during my prayer.
Today I opened my mailbox and recieved our notice of action from USCIS saying they are processing our 1-600 right now. I called our agency to see how long they thought our approval would take. They did not think it would be long. THEN, the best part. Today our agency received updated pictures of Annelise Bitna complete with a DVD of her!!!! Oh my goodness. I am waiting now for the pictures to come to my email. HE HEARS OUR PRAYERS! God knew just how bad I needed some help. He knew today was the day I would be at my lowest point. He heard me cry out for peace. Thank you God, you continually amaze me with your love for me.
And just so you know, a dvd of your waiting child is VERY rare. And updated pictures with our agency this fast is also rare. No coincidence that today God chose to send me both.

where I am

Since this blog is really my outlet for my feelings about our adoption, here is where I am. I miss my girl. I can't sleep at night. I don't feel complete anymore. A piece of my heart belongs to my daughter who lives in Korea. I think everyday about the things I am missing. Her smiles, tears, bubbles and sighs. I try to distract myself, but I just miss her. It is really hard to explain how I can feel this for a baby I have never met, but I do. I am just tired of all the unknowns. How will she adjust? Will she grieve for a long time? How will it feel to see that? With my boys, I was there from day 1. My daughter has had two other women that loved her before I will get to hold her. How will I convey to her that I will protect her? When will we get to travel to Korea to get Annelise? So many questions swirl thru my head. I pray for peace. Yes, I am so happy Annelise is my daughter. But I am so saddened knowing I will take her away from the only family she has known. I guess I am grieving in my soul knowing what my tiny girl will go thru. Praying one day our family will be complete. And Annelise Bitna will know I am her mommy and she is home.

Surprise baby shower!

Today I had the honor of being thrown a suprise baby shower by my friends! It was so much fun, and the first thing I did when I walked in the room filled with pink and heard everyone yell "surprise!" was burst into tears. :) It has been emotional for me lately, and with our latest 1600 hangup (more on that later) I was having a rotten morning. It was so kind of everyone to be so excited for our family. Annelise got so many wonderful goodies. I will have to take pictures and post them all, and a friend took pictures at the shower, too. Annelise has more bows, outfits, books, bibs, burp clothes, and two of the cutest little girl towels for after bathtime I have ever seen. And even a portable noise machine for travel to Korea - woohoo! And something really special was a gift certificate for a local photographer to take our pictures wherever we want of our family when it is complete with Annelise. I can't wait to have them taken! It was so fun, I am just so thankful for the sweet friends I have. Thanks everyone - It made my whole week brighter!

On the 1600 side I left a field blank, and yesterday got back a rejection letter from the lockbox location. BOO BOO BOO. I was not a happy camper. I fixed it and overnighted it this morning, so hopefully the delay it caused us will not be anything big. Probably a week tops. Praying our 1600 sails thru to approval now.

Adoption has so many big ups and big downs. It really is similar to being pregant, but I am thinking the highs and lows seem greater. So last night was a big down, and today was a big up with all the celebration over my baby girl. We love you Annelise, and there is a big group of family and friends that are just as excited to meet you as we are. Hang in there sweet baby, soon we will be there.