Our little man

Well, we are home and (sort of) rested. Brandon had a rough night but is now sleeping (and has been since 8:30am). It was really hard for us to see him so scared and sad. To know that there was nothing that we could do to take away his pain, all we could do was just be with him. This morning when we got up he was playing peek-a-boo and smiling so that made me happy.

What I know so far...

**He HATES getting his diaper changed (I cannot stress enough how much he hates it)

**He will pretty much eat anything we give him. So far he's had rice, a french fry from Chick-fil-a, cereal, cheerios and sweet potato puffs (Gerber).

**He will not let us put him down when he is sleeping. I held him from 8:30 to 12:30 and Patrick relieved me and still has him.

**His foster mother and family LOVED him a lot; tons of pictures and an awesome diary that she kept for him. It's in Korean so we will have to get it translated some day!

**He is just the most amazing baby I have ever seen in my entire life. I still can't believe I get to be his momma, I am the luckiest woman in the world!

Here is a video from last night:

Gotcha Day

8:30am -- Woke up after a not so great night of sleep. Checked flytecomm and saw that Brandon's plane is directly over Nebraska! Should land in Chicago in about an hour!

10:06am -- Korean Air flight 37 has landed at Chicago O'Hare Airport!

12:00pm -- Just left the house! On our way to Des Moines. I am excited and scared, still doesn't seem 100% real. We packed too much but that's ok, we are prepared.

12:49pm -- Entering Iowa

3:00pm -- At the airport. Waiting... 1.5 hours until his flight is scheduled to arrive. Still doesn't seem real but I'm excited.

3:33pm -- Brandon's plane takes off from Chicago!

3:45pm -- Greeter (Trish) arrives with son, sign some papers and wait!

4:32pm -- Flight 7161 from Chicago arrives!

Gotcha Video

Adoption Timeline

2008
9/29 - Submitted app to Holt
10/17 - Fingerprinted by State
10/21 - Sent 1st set of HS paperwork
11/10 - Sent 2nd set of HS paperwork
12/1 - 1st call from our SW Bonnie
12/9 - 1st home visit
12/11 - 2nd home visit
12/22 - HS approved; sent to HQ

2009
1/6 - HS rcvd by HQ; officially waiting
1/9 - PIP I & II classes
1/10 - PIP III & IV classes
1/12 - I-600A sent to USCIS
2/26 - I-600A re-sent to USCIS
3/5 - Referral through WC!!!!
3/9 - Official match date
3/17 - Mailed acceptance paperwork
3/31 - Legals received
4/1 - I-600 sent to USCIS
4/13 - EP submitted in Korea
4/18 - PIP V
4/24 - EP granted
5/4 - Fingerprinted by USCIS
5/14 - I-600 approval
5/18 - NVC In
5/20 - NVC Out
5/22 - P3 sent to Holt-Korea
6/19 - Visa Physical [date listed in paperwork, not known at the time]
6/26 - Visa Interview
7/7 - Received travel call
7/10 - Gotcha day!
8/12 - 1st Post-placement visit
10/14 - 2nd Post-placement visit

2010
1/13 - 3rd Post-placement visit
2/17 - Recieved Consent to Adopt paperwork
3/4 - Lawyer filed paperwork with Saunders Co Court
3/5 - Recieved court date - April 12th
4/12 - Court appearance [Brandon is legally our son and a US citizen!]

Brandon is coming home!

We got our Travel Call today (9:32am to be exact)!!!

Brandon will arrive in the US at 10:35am on Friday (7/10) in Chicago. Then he will catch a flight to Des Moines, IA at 3:35pm and arrive at 4:39pm!!!

He will not be flying into Omaha like we had hoped but Des Moines is only 2.5 hours away so it won't be too bad (I hope)!

We are both so excited and still in a state of disbelief that this is actually happening! We cannot wait to meet him!

Praying for safe travels for our little man!

Brandon's Room **updated video**

I thought it would just be easier to make a video of Brandon's room so, here you go!

Enjoy!



Video courtesy of Anna Gottschalk

ps - since I know you want to know, no travel call yet...

Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog! After 2 unsuccessful tries at starting a blog, it appears I have finally succeeded! This blogs started as a way to document my life as a pastors wife (failed), then to document my life as an expectant mom (failed - details to come) and finally a way to document all the steps we had to go through to adopt our son from South Korea!

I am married to a Presbyterian pastor and we live in a small town in Nebraska. When we got married, we both knew it was part of our family plan to adopt but we tried to start our family the good old fashion way first. In 2006 we lost our daughter due to complications from a rare disorder 14 hours after her birth. We had no idea she was sick and were just devastated. After another unsuccessful pregnancy (different problem this time) we decided to stop trying for a while and sought to adopt from South Korea.

God is good! He not only cleared the way for us to adopt but he brought us our son just 2 months after our home study was completed. We are just days away from the long awaited call with news of our sons arrival in the US!

Thanks for checking out my blog, I hope you will stay awhile and get to know us!

Jen

We finally have VI!

After almost 5 weeks of calling and hearing "no, P3 hasn't been returned yet" I finally heard the news we have been waiting for. Brandon's visa interview is scheduled for 1:00pm tomorrow (June 26th). The best part is that is almost right now, as it is already tomorrow in Korea! This is the final step before making the travel arrangements and I couldn't be happier!

To answer a couple of questions I have been getting:

1. No, he doesn't actually have to go to an interview. I believe that some people in charge of the visas sit down with all his paperwork and make sure that it is all in order. At the end of it, he should be issued his visa!

2. It could still be another week or two before we get the much awaited travel call. Our agency needs to find an escort and arrange travel for him so it may take them a while to get all of that complete. I hope and pray that it doesn't take them long, next Tuesday would be nice! ha ha...if only I could request when!

More news as I hear it!

Jen

News, Laptops, Prayers and Help

Just wanted to pop in to say that we have no visa news yet...boo! :-(

On a similar and scary note, 3 families on the Holt BB just had their travel calls put on hold because their little babies are sick. Please pray for their little ones to get better soon. I also ask for prayers that my little boy will stay well and get his visa soon!

Another adoptive mommy is hosting an amazing giveaway/adoption fund raiser. If you would like to be entered for a chance to win an Apple MACBook Laptop, please head over to Sunnymama's blog! Good luck!

My baby is 10 months old!

Today Brandon is 10 months old! It is really hard that he is still not here with us. No news on the Visa front yet but I am praying it will be soon!

I am borrowing this from a fellow blogger and adoptive mommy because it is just so perfect for how I am feeling right now (thanks Rach)!

May you be safe while you are waiting

May you be safe and sleep soundly
through the night
May you be safe as you wake
in morning light
May you feel our love
from so far away
May it comfort and protect you
throughout the day

We will pray for you, our little one
Until our time of waiting is done
We will pray that the Lord
will keep you safe from harm
Until the child of our hearts
becomes the child in our arms

- Anonymous

This is my prayer for you tonight, little man. I cannot wait until you are here in my arms. I really hope you will be home with your Papa and I soon!

Love,
Mama

Baby shower (March 21st 2009)

I just realized that I never blogged about the baby shower my family and friends gave us when we were in Pennsylvania back in March.

It was an impromptu shower as we had received Brandon's referral less then 2 weeks before our trip but it was so AWESOME! Lots of family and friends came to help us celebrate! Special thanks to my Mom, sister Janice, BFFs Laura and Sharon and everyone else who helped plan such a special day! Sharon made these cute gift bags with lots of Korean goodies in them (we didn't get picture of the finished product but they were so thoughtful and cute)!

Here is the cake my mom had made (yummy Costco cake!):


And the "spread":


This bib was so cute (and true too)! It was part of the enormous gift given to us from my cousin Steph and her husband Dan and her daughter Kate. To say that Steph and Kate went crazy in Gymboree and Target is an extreme understatement! My family is just the BEST (and not just because they spoil my son!)


Me with my God-daughter Isaballa (left) and her sister Arianna.


Brandon's first Phillies shirt from his Aunt Missy!


OK, I won't bore you with the extremely long list of loot that Brandon scored! :) Ha ha! All I can say is a big THANK YOU to everyone, you guys are truly the BEST!

You may have noticed that there are NO pictures of Patrick! Poor Papa was sick in bed with what eventually became pneumonia so he didn't get to enjoy any of our shower! :-(

Up next...picture of Brandon's room!

No news, but a new picture

So I have nothing new to report but we did get an updated picture of Brandon!

Here he is at 9 months old!

May WBC

We received Brandon's 9 month well baby check today! He is just over 18lbs and is 27 inches long! He is in the 10-25th percentile for weight and the 25-50th percentile for length.

In addition to the 2 bottom teeth he had last month, he now has 1 tooth on top! He is standing but not walking yet...we are sort of hoping that he can wait to take his first steps when until he gets here!

No more news on WHEN he will come home. If you could, please pray that it is soon!!!!

Moving?

Sorry I have been so quiet lately, we were on vacation in Florida and just got back on Wed night!

On Thursday we put our house up for sale and already have a showing today and tomorrow! It is such a crazy time right now waiting for Brandon to come home that we thought it would be fun to sell our house and move! Ha!

Seriously, there is a house in our town that Patrick just fell in love with when we moved here 4 years ago. It recently went up for sale so we are trying to sell ours so we can buy this other one. The thought of leaving this great house we live in now does make me sad but I am ok with trying to sell ours and just see what happens.

We have been going crazy packing up the clutter and organizing the house! I will be glad to sit down and rest tonight!

On the Brandon front we are nearing the end. Travel call could come in days, weeks or months (hopefully NOT months). In the time we were gone on vacation his I-600 made its way in and out of the National Visa Center and to the embassy in Seoul! The embassy has sent his P3 to Holt-Korea which is a list of things they need them to return to get his Visa issued. We are not sure how long it will take them but are praying they send them back quickly!

Ok, need to get back to cleaning!

9 months old and EP!

**Update**

I just called the National Visa center and we are logged in!! I tried to wait until tomorrow to start calling but I just couldn't stop myself!

*****

Happy 9 month birthday baby boy! I'm sorry I can't be with you but hopefully soon!

Yes, today my little man is 9 months old and I cannot wait to celebrate with him. Big things have been happening lately and I am so overwhelmed. When I emailed Lisa at Holt that we got our I-600 approval she informed me that Brandon has actually had his EP (Emigration Permit) since 4/24! Woo hoo!

So tomorrow I will start calling NVC to see if they received the I-600 approval and once they process it, everything we need to bring him home will be in Korea.

Praying that this goes QUICKLY!

Jen

I-600 and a new picture

Yesterday we received a great surprise! We got a picture of Brandon and his foster mom with the care package we sent him! Yay, he got it! Because of the picture layout I couldn't easily crop his foster mother out (I don't think we are supposed to post their pictures) so I just blurred out her face. I am so excited to have her picture to be able to show him who and how much he was loved while we waited for him to come home!

And then today in the mail came great news! Our I-600 has been approved (5/14) and has been sent to the National Visa Center. Only a few more steps and then it will be sent to Seoul. This is a big step and moves us so much closer to getting him home!

Praise God, He is the only thing keeping me from going crazy during this waiting period!

Never been so glad to be fingerprinted!

We just got home from the Omaha USCIS office where we were (finally) fingerprinted for our I-600! I have been waiting for this day for over a month and am so glad it is finally here. Now we just need to wait for the I-600 approval (I am told it will take 2-3 weeks). I am praying we are on the short side of that wait (or even a little earlier, 3 days would be nice! ha!).

So, after we get the I-600 approval then USCIS will send it to the National Visa Center (NVC) and we will be logged in and out of there. NVC will then send our approval to Korea!!! Please join me in praying for a quick processing of all of this, the sooner this gets to Korea the sooner this baby will be home in our arms!

We leave for Florida in 16 days!!! I can't believe it and I can't wait! So much to do between now and then but I know we will get it all done. The most trying of which is that I must get a bathing suit! Yikes! I don't think the people in Florida are ready for my pale self in a bathing suit on the beach! :)

Besides that nothing too much exciting around here, busy getting the house ready for Brandon and trying to get a garden planted. For those who know me, a garden is probably the last thing you would expect from me but I am trying to save some money, eat better,etc. and I figure a garden would be a good start!

We are almost finished decorating Brandon's room and I will post pictures once it's finished!

Update: I just got an email from Lisa at Holt with Brandon's 8 month check up! Woo hoo! He is "cute & fine" and is still pretty tiny! 27.2 inches long and 17.6 lbs!!! He has 2 lower teeth and is crawling and walks with holding! Ugh...I need him to be here with ME! I want to be there for all of this, I am missing so much in his little life, this is so hard!

Behind the scenes...

Did you ever wonder what is going on behind the scenes to get our son home? Well, instead of an original post tonight. I thought I would copy part of the Korea Guidebook so you can see what is going on while we wait for "the call".

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From the Holt Korea Guidebook:
After we receive the acceptance papers from the family, we Fed-Ex them to Korea. These documents indicate to Holt-Korea that the adoptive family has accepted the child assigned to them.

After Holt-Korea receives the acceptance papers from the adoptive parents and the child’s family registration is in order, the next step is to get government permission for the child to leave Korea for the purpose of being adopted by a family overseas. The Holt-Korea office first applies to the Ministry of Health and Welfare for an Emigration Permit. After the Emigration Permit has been received, Holt-Korea applies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Travel Certificate. The Travel Certificate is similar to a passport; however, it is good for only a one-way journey out of Korea.

Each child must have a visa physical examination. This can be done any time after Holt-Korea has received the acceptance papers from the adoptive family. It must be done before the Holt-Korea office can apply for the child’s visa at the US Consulate. Children are given their visa exam at the Holt-Korea clinic, but must also be examined by a doctor appointed by the US Embassy.

After the Travel Certificate is issued and the visa physical examination is completed, Holt-Korea can then apply at the US Embassy for a US visa for the child. The Embassy examines and approves the family to adopt based on the I-864. They also check to see that USCIS has issued their approval of a visa (I-600) for this child and family. It usually takes a couple of days for the visa to be issued.

Many parents assume that, when the USCIS issues a visa approval for a child, he/she will be home very shortly. This misconception is common since the USCIS visa approval process is the only part of the process that adoptive parents are involved in. Please note that there are two Korean Ministries and a District office that your child’s paper work must pass through before it reaches the US Embassy. At the US Embassy, visa approval by USCIS is the last item checked. Visa approval by USCIS is the icing for a cake that also has to be mixed, baked and cooled prior to spreading.

When all the child’s papers are in order, he/she is ready to travel! Most children from Korea fly home to their new families by “Holt-Korea Escort.” When the child is ready his/her name is then put on a preflight list. He/she usually leaves the country seven to ten days later.

About a week before the child leaves the country, the actual flight list is made up. Holt-Korea will inform Holt International headquarters in Eugene of the date and time of the child’s flight. A few days before the child’s departure, the child is seen by the Holt-Korea doctor for a pre-flight physical.

On the day of the flight, the foster mother brings the child to the Holt-Korea office three hours before the departure time. The child is seen by the doctor for the last medical checkup. A new outfit of clothes is provided for each child. A wrist band with the child’s name, case number, gender, and date of birth, and the family’s name are put on their wrist. The worker prepares diapers, powdered milk formula, extra clothes and extra bottles for the flight bag for each child.
It is finally time to leave. A circle is made with everyone present: the children, the foster mother, sometimes the foster father, foster siblings, the caretakers, the child’s social worker and the escorts who will take care of the children on the flight. The Holt-Korea staff prays for the children, their caretakers, and their adoptive families.

Then the children are taken by the Holt van from the Holt-Korea office to Seoul’s Incheon Airport accompanied by the escorts and a Holt social worker, leaving behind the foster mother or child care workers who are waving, crying and praying for the children as they leave for their new families in a new country.

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So that's all that has to happen before Brandon arrives home! Ha!

Just thought you might like to know!

Happy 8 month birthday!

Brandon is 8 months old today! How I wish he was here and I could celebrate with him, it is so hard to have this precious little baby, who I already love so much, so far away from me.

Today Patrick and I went to our PIP V class which was pretty much a review of PIP I-IV...except with more families. Nothing too interesting except it gave me a good opportunity to brag about my little man to all the other moms and dads!

So that is all that is going on here, just wanted to keep you all informed!

EP

I only have a few minutes but I wanted to just let everyone know that there is progress being made! I got an email from Holt that Brandon has been submitted for his EP (Emigration Permit), woo hoo! Approval takes 3-4 weeks so we should get both his I-600 and EP approvals by mid to late May!!! Please continue to pray that each step of this process goes smoothly and we get our approvals quicker then anticipated!

An award and an update!

I just found out that I got a blog award, thanks Sunny Mom!!!



For this award you are supposed to list 7 random facts about yourself and pass it on to 7 other people. Since I'm not 100% certain 7 of you even have blogs, this should be interesting! :)

1. I am a mother without a child, my daughter Madelyn died in my arms in August of2006 and her death was the HARDEST thing I have ever been through in my life

2. I love my husband so much, he is so amazing! I couldn't have gotten through the past 2.5 years without him

3. I am married to a pastor; God has a sense of humor!

4. I have won $500 and a Wii from contests on the internet

5. Even though I hate writing my feelings down I have a blog

6. I miss living close to home and wish HERE was closer to THERE

7. I was a math major in college and worked as a systems engineer for 8 years until we moved to Nebraska. Now I only work 3 days/week at an insurance agency!

And now to pass on this prestigious award! :) And I do realize that there are only 4 of you but all the rest of my blog followers don't keep blogs! :)

Lauren @ The Holy Lands

Mary & James @ Heart and Seoul

Rach @ In His Hands

LuAnn @ Daily Grace & Mercy

Ok, now onto the update!

I have been a little stressed out because we hadn't heard from USCIS about our fingerprints. I emailed the Omaha USCIS office last night and heard back from someone before noon today. She informed me that our fingerprint date is May 4th! I freaked out a little at this point because that is almost an entire month away. I prayed (a lot) and tried to calm myself down. Well, God always has a way of reminding me that He is in control so not even an hour later I got an updated medical report for Brandon (his 7 month Well Baby Check)!!!!

He is doing really well and is on track, developmentally, for a 7 month old. He is 26.5 inches long and weighs 17 pounds. According to the US height/weight percentiles he is between the 10th and 25th percentiles for both! He's a tiny little guy and so stinking cute! The WBC says that he has 2 bottom teeth erupting and he is shy to strangers! I can't wait to love on him, he is just the most beautiful baby I have ever seen!

We just got the April monthly update from the Holt Korea program and they are moving along matching families in the regular program! As part of the update they defined some of the steps that need to happen before we get the much anticipated travel call so I thought I would share some of them here:

P3-The packet that Holt-Korea submits into the Embassy for the one way travel visa. This packet contains; I-600, I-864, birth/marriage/divorce certificates of adoptive parents, 1040, W2,legal document of child, vaccination certificate, visa physical examination, medical acceptance letter (if needed), photo of child and IR4.

VI-Visa Interview (there is not a actual visa interview with the child)

Visa Physical Exam-this is done once a month by an outside Doctor and is usually done after EP

NVC log-in-National Visa Center has received your approved I-600 from your local USCIS office and has logged into their system

NVC log-out-National Visa Center has sent your approved I-600 to the Embassy is Seoul

EP-Emigration Permit

I600-Holt-Korea does not need your approved I600 until the very last stage of the process (submitting your P3 into the Embassy). Your I600 will only have an effect on your travel time if one, you delay in filling once you receive your Legals, or two, if USCIS needs additional paperwork once you have submitted or if they are back logged therefore it takes them awhile to approve the form.

Whew! I know that's a lot but did you catch the last one???? "Holt-Korea does not need your approved I600 until the very last stage of the process" Praise God that the step I thought was THE ONE we were waiting on is actually not. There are other things taking place at the same time!

Praise God!