WE'RE HOME!!!!

Hey everyone,

First of all, to those of you waiting for an update of some sort last week......I apologize. I had tried to upload a few photos while we were in Korea but for some reason it wouldn't let me so I did my updating on my Facebook profile. Now that we're home I keep telling myself I need to update my blog but can't seem to find the time. We are still recovering from jet lag and are so very exhausted on top of having a precious but grieving new baby. I'm just going to post a few pictures for now(because I know that's what you all want to see anyways) and then I'll write an update soon........hopefully!!! :) We are doing well though, had an AMAZING time in Korea and are very happy to be home, finally a family of five. Averi is doing well, she's still grieving pretty hard for her Foster mom but we expected this and are compforting her the best we know how. We're just loving on her, kissing her and telling her how much we love her and that she is now with her forever family. More details to come........thank you all so so much for all your comments, messages and prayers. We appreciate them very much!!

Date night with the kids the night before we left

View from our window

First meeting with Averi....she didn't like us so much. :)

2nd meeting.....still didn't like us very much.

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Goodbye Ceremony.....very emotional!

Meeting her brother and sister for the first time, finally all together!!

I tried to get one of the three kids but this is about the best that I could get, I'll keep trying. :)

SHE'S COMING HOME!!!!!!!!!!

Praise the Lord!! We have waited a VERY long time for this day to come and we could not be more thrilled and overjoyed!! We FINALLY get to meet our baby. Wow!! I still can't believe the time has come.

We received our Travel Call on Tuesday morning. We just purchased our tickets yesterday and we'll be leaving SF on Tuesday the 28th and will be returning on Monday, August 3rd. There's so much to do: packing, cleaning, getting the kids ready, spending time with the kids, making phone calls, making appointments. I think I'll get it all done even though I'm running in circles. My brain isn't working properly at the moment. :)

We'll will try and update everyone while we are there, whether it be by blog, email or Facebook, I'm not to sure. I think we'll have access to a computer while we are there. We are staying at Eastern Social Welfare Society which is the agency on South Korea. So all of our meetings with Averi will be in the same building.....Oh, our meeting with Averi. We will meet her for the first time on Thursday at 10am!!!!! So, in less than a week we will have our baby in our arms.......Yipee!!!! Somebody pintch me!! :)

Our prayer was that we would meet her before her first birthday, well.....she'll be 1 on August 14th. Thank you Jesus!!!

Praise God!!

Thank you all again for your support and prayers. Please, if you have any questions feel free to ask or send me an email. I promise I will try to update soon.

NEW PICTURES!!!!!!

Oh we just love this precious little girl. I cannot believe how big she's getting and how much she's changed. We think she is adorable!!!! :)



The Director of our agency was in Korea again this month and came back with a few new pictures and a video. We were so excited to receive that package in the mail, we have watched it many many times.



We also got a little bit of information on her as well. They say she sits well, crawls quickly, tries to pull herself up, babbles and says "omma and appa." She loves music and plays well with toys. She weighs 8.9kg which I think is around 19lbs and is 67cm tall. They also told us the foster mom loves her very much and cries everyday when she thinks about her leaving her.....this just breaks my heart. She is also very close to the foster daughter who is in high school.



We were hoping to travel in June but unfortunately it'll probably now be in July. :( We just found out that her paperwork in just now being processed in Korea which could take a month to get approved and then she still has to get her visa and passport. :( I'm bummed and very sad but I know there is nothing we can do but continue to wait for her. I know she'll be home in God's perfect timing but waiting is still VERY difficult. I had been told that this part was the hardest but didn't realize just how hard until now. It's in God's hands...not mine and that is so comforting. He knows exactly when she'll be home. I'm just getting alittle anxious and stir crazy, well.......ALOT anxious and stir crazy! Haha!! :) I need to post this verse all over my house and give everything over to Him.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

Please pray with us that she comes home quickly!! Thank you again for your support and prayers.

9 MONTHS OLD!!!!!

Today our sweet baby is 9 months old.

Hurry home precious girl so we can hug and kiss on you. My arms are starting to ache for her, but I am so thankful that she is being loved on by her wonderful Foster mom.

No updates but we're still praying that we'll travel in June!

My baby girl is 4 years old!!!!!!!!!

Olivia turned 4 years old on the 9th. WOW!!! Time goes by so fast. What a sweet, precious girl she is. She is such a joy to be around with and infectious personality. We are so blessed and thankful to have her in our lives. We cherish every moment.
Here's an update in pictures with some of the things we've done in the last week or so. Enjoy!! :)

WHEN WILL SHE BE HOME????????

This is a question we've been getting alot lately and I only wish we had an answer. There are a few things that have to happen first before she is allowed to come home.

First there's the Korean Emigration Process: Once the acceptance forms are signed and sent to Korea, application is made for permission from the Korean government for her emigration and Korean Travel Certificate. This procedure normally takes two to five months.

Once ESWS(our Korean agency) receives the acceptance papers, they will begin the process of applying to the Korean government for emigration permission and a Korean travel certificate, and to the US Embassy for a visa. As of today we have had no update regarding this process.....hopefully soon!!!!

We also had to apply to USCIS(U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) for their approval of the family and child, and for the admission of Averi into the United States. This consisted of filing the I-600 form(Relative Immigrant Visa Petition)

On March 27th we received a Notice of Approval of Relative Immigrant Visa Petition from USCIS. This does not mean that her visa has been issued, but rather that WE have been approved by USCIS. With this approval and the Korean travel certificate, her visa will be issued and she'll be ready for travel. YAY!!!!!

I know this all sounds kind of confusing, I'm still a little confused by all that goes on. So hopefully this kind of make sense. You can check out our timeline to the right to watch our progress. We'll update it when we hear any new news.

We received a few updated pictures and a short VIDEO of our precious girl about a month ago(I know, I'm just now posting about it). Our director was there in March and was able to hold and kiss her for us. She said that she looks healthy and happy, but a little shy of strangers.

We were able to send Averi a little care package with another family who were traveling to pick up their son. We sent her a little blanket, a small stuffed animal, a photo book with lots of pictures of our family(in hopes that her foster mom will show them to her everyday) a disposable camera(again, hoping that lots of pictures will be taken of her) and a small gift for her foster mom. We're hoping to get an update soon and maybe with a picture of her holding her new blankie!!!

While we're waiting we are trying to stay busy by redoing the kids room. Cleaning, organizing, rearranging....shopping!!!! :) There is LOTS to do before she comes home.

Oh......and also, some big news!!! Danny and I have decided to travel to Korea to pick her up. We have been so set on having her escorted that I'm not really sure what changed our minds but we really feel strongly that we need to go get her. We(I) am very nervous yet very excited!! We'll be able to meet her wonderful foster mom and thank her for all she's done for our baby. We'll also get to see the orphanage she lived in and the country she was born in. I know it will be a wonderful experience and we'll have so much to tell her as she grows up.

Sorry for the long post, it's been so long that there was quite a bit to update you with. As soon as we hear any good news or if we get another update I'll post again. Until then, thanks again to all who have been so supportive and interested in what's going on in our lives.

Have a very blessed weekend!!

Doesn't she have the BEST hair!!!!!!!