First ER visit

 Don't panic.  It wasn't David.  Our social worker is visiting tomorrow, so let us keep this on the mum.

Mary and Allie were horsin' around at the pool, and the diving rock won.  Mary ended up with a little gash in her chin, but it was deep enough to require four stitches.

Sweet Mary.  She was brave but a little scared.  Someone else was going to sew her up, and she burst into tears and said she needed DADDY.  She had no idea he could sew:)

Emmy was working, and she dropped in for a visit.  She spoils her rotten.  She took her to the gift shop afterward and told her to pick out whatever she wanted.  What am I going to do with that girl?

All better!!! Love that sweet girl!

First hair cut

Ok well, I'm sure this was not David's first hair cut, but it was for me.  He was CHILL!  I told Mandy and Katie, I've joined the dum dum nation, and again those little suckers saved the day.  (We wouldn't have made it home from Korea without them.)

He did want to sit in my lap, but he sat still and even smiled a few times.  

High 5!!! Ms. K loved meeting him:)

What you think mom?

Signing all done!

He's getting more comfortable/confident with us.  We are seeing more tantrums when he really wants something, but overall for his circumstances and age, he's pretty easy going.  His biggest "new" battle is bedtime.  He was doing so well, and now he cries, and cries when it's bed time.  

2 weeks ago we could barely get him to set one toe in the water.  Now look at him!

The other kids are doing well with him.  Garrett is still being a stinker at times, but some of that could be boredom.  I did not schedule much for us this summer because I didn't want to be running around in the car all day with a new toddler.  They don't seem to be tired of David yet which surprises me, and the girls especially really love playing with him.

Just caught him...

being a dad.

It's what he loves most.

So thankful for him and my amazing DAD and DIL!!!  I'm surrounded by greatness:)

Happy Birthday Daddy!

The hubs turned 29 today:)

We celebrated his youth by making a cake.  I really haven't cooked in a couple of weeks, so it was quite the conundrum to have to hunt for the ingredients in my pantry. (My sister and mom unpacked my food a few weeks ago.)

Don't let this picture fool you.  It is full fledged summer, and we've had a lot of together time.  It is definitely touch and go with all of them, and this was a sweet moment.

Brother bear is doing better.  He's so sweet to David, and loves it when David engages with him, but it doesn't happen too often.  

Chocolate was a hit!

We dropped in to see him at work, and had our first family photo.  It's too bad about the scenery, but what a day to celebrate.  We are so thankful for his life and for the daddy and husband he is.

It's been 2 weeks since we brought David home.  It feels like 2 months honestly.  This past week has been hard.  Some days are really good and some days are really NOT so good as we learn to adjust to one another.  David is really clingy most days, (although today was GOOD!)  and it's hard to meet everyone's needs when he is this way, so I'm praying for patience and endurance.  I know it's just going to take time, and patience is not my strong suit.  

Have a great Father's Day Weekend!!

Last month is HISTORY.

May was CRRRRRAZY.  I just passed through the single busiest month that I can remember.  I'm not exaggerating.  We moved the beginning of May.  School ended for the kids the week after we moved.  We left for Korea a week after that.

It took half the town to make it all happen.  My sweet friends helped in so many ways, that I will never get all the thank you notes written.   

My friend Mommy Lion moved in with her kids to keep Mary and Garrett while we were gone.  The kids love each other and they had a blast with the longest sleepover they've ever had.  Garrett had a REALLY hard time when little lion left because he didn't want to sleep by himself anymore.

Fresh manis by Becky.  Becky has been babysitting for our family for quite a few years.  She moved in too to help shuttle kids around that last week of school while I unpacked!  She absolutely could not wait to meet David.  I wonder how many kids she'll adopt:)

These two go WAY back.  They are like brother and sister..still.

We bought them these in Korea obviously.  I hated they had to leave right after we returned, but I'm so glad they could stay the whole week.

Mamma lion and my our other friend K, pretty much kept things cracking' around here the whole week or two.  I was so foggy after we got the call and when we returned that I just had a hard time making decisions.  They kept me on track.  They dealt with workers in and out of the house after we moved in.  They put together furniture.  I could go on and on. 

The Lord truly has provided everything we have needed through our friends.  I can't list everyone, but they took care of all our kids and so I didn't have to pack and prepare to leave them behind because their lives just continued where they were.

When we returned home, my sister had organized meals for a couple of weeks and just showed up every day to make sure I wasn't on the verge:)  Friends gave rides to the kids all week took them to swim lessons, etc.

I'm thankful for my friends and my family.  Last night, I was able to go out with a group that has been getting together for years now.  They make me laugh.  They have supported us through this journey too like so many others.

So thank you friends for loving us.  Thank you for cheering us on and for praying and supporting us on this long journey.  We've only just begun, but I'm so encouraged every day.

And don't worry Beth Ann...I left plenty for you to do:)

Faces

Hubs commented tonight that David likes to make faces.  He doesn't just have many expressions..He intentionally makes all kids of faces...to make you laugh:)

This is random blogging.  The video is of him swimming!  He's learning to balance in the water with his many floatation devices.  He LOVES the water.  It took him a while to LIKE the pool though.

So here are the faces we are seeing.  His hair is combed over because he had just gotten out of the pool.  It too makes him looks so different.

He does this scrunchy face a lot.  

The "come get me if you can" face.

Without prompting he walked up to Mary to hug her..

He LOVES LOVES LOVES Mary....but who doesn't ..I mean really?

This little man had a better day today.  Yesterday was hard. I found him outside on the couch crying because he'd been in trouble over something.  He looked all flustered.  I asked him what was wrong, and he said, "I hate my job!"  I asked him what was his job, and he said, "This..This is my job!"  I didn't really understand, but it just told me he's frustrated with the way things are rolling right now.  Today David was really happy with Mary and I was able to play with Garrett more.  It made a big difference.

Mary had a perfect day because David finally "let her" in.  Allie was at soccer camp tonight, and they needed a little break.

Finally, the help me face.  He came to us, often saying this phrase that we quickly figured meant..help me now!  We taught him "please", "all done", and "more" in signs and he can do all of them, and it's cut down on the frustration.  He's such a quick learner.

Let's play

It seems like all we've done this week is play at home.  The girls went to VBS, which left a lot of time for the boys and I to play.  It's been a while since I've sat down and played because we've been so busy the past couple of months.

Garrett loves the Wii and we haven't discouraged it much lately because we felt like it would be good to keep him distracted technologically babysat while we managed a new toddler.

When we pulled out the trains, he came running.

They were a big hit with David.

Again, David is just doing great.  We had been calling him KwonHee, then KwonHee David, and now if you call him David, he turns around.  If asked, "Where's David?", he points to himself.  He's saying a couple of new English words every day.  And those cheeks??  Nothing but kissable.  I've never seen a kid who is so "lovey."  He gives kisses ALL THE TIME.  He'll grab my face with both hands and smack me right on the lips!  

I finally tricked him into drinking milk (yes Mommy Lion it was chocolate milk.)  I don't know why he went from drinking 4 bottles of formula a day to not wanting bottles or milk.  It's baffling.

He seems so much more secure even though it's been a week.  We finally realized rocking him wasn't the way to get him to sleep because he can't be transferred.  Now, if I just sit at the end of the bed and pat his bottom, he falls asleep in about 15 minutes.  The past 2 nights he has slept all night without either of us in the room.  He has a little cold, so I don't know if it's making him more tired, but he's sleeping well.

We took him for his initial medical evaluation, and he was laid back as usual.  The Dr. said he looked great and was very age appropriate.  

I am so relieved that we have traveled, are home and settling in as a new family.  I'm so thankful the kids are out of school because it's really helped David.  He loves kids, and it would have been hard if they were all away.  There are so many things about the timing of all this, that only God could have planned better.  I'm still amazed.