Lennox - Progress Report at 16 months

We received a written update on Lennox yesterday! Here's what he is up to at 16 months :) 

He likes to eat sticky rice, seaweed soup, stirfry anchovies, and seaweed snack. He also likes grapes, bananas, and apples. He does not like meat or cheese. 

After playing, he cleans up after himself. He likes to copy the foster mother when she cleans, makes a phone call, or brushes her hair. 

He is 21 pounds and 29 inches tall. 

He takes 7.5 ounces of formula three times a day. 

He likes to take a bath, and the foster mother gives him one every day. 

He takes 1 or 2 naps a day, and he sleeps at night from 11pm to 6am. 

He walks well. He likes to walk up stairs holding onto the rail. 

He can throw a ball well, and he can put tiny objects into the proper container. 

He brings objects from another room upon request. 

He identifies some body parts. 

He can vocalize his wishes or needs at the dinner table. 

He loves to imitate. 

He shows toy preference, and he exhibits independent behavior. 

He is very active and curious, and he receives lots of love and care in his foster home. 

So fun learning these little things about him! Anyone up for keeping me stocked on stir fry anchovies and seaweed when he comes home? Yuck! :)

Weekend in Natchez!

We arrived in Natchez later than I had hoped on Friday night so we checked in and then went for a late night DQ run! 

We stayed at this neat little cabin-style room on Lake St John. It was such a neat atmosphere! 

Up and ready to go spend the day in Natchez on Saturday!

Our first stop was Rosalie Plantation - Brooke's favorite :) Brent and I joined her and her friend, Kinsley, on a tour of the plantation. It was so interesting to hear all of those interesting stories about the house. It was originally built by a Mr. Little - distant relative, maybe?! :)

Later, we headed to Fat Mama's Tamales - my fave :) 

Once we were full of tamales and Natchez nachos, we headed over to where some vendors were set up to get the kids faces painted! 

Then it was time for a guided carriage tour! 

Patrick Swayze filmed the movie North and South here :)

I'm always in awe of the Great Mississippi River when I stand up here and look down on it. So beautiful!!

After letting the kids play down by the river for a bit, we headed to Dunleith Plantation - my very favorite place in Natchez. I could seriously spend days at this place. 

We ended the day at the Pig Out Inn - eating the most delicious BBQ sandwiches I've had in a long time. :)

It was too windy on Saturday for the hot air balloons, but they did fly on Sunday!

We let the kids play around the lake where we were staying on Sunday morning before heading home...it was sooo cold! 

File Requested!

We are so incredibly thrilled to share that Eastern (the orphanage/agency in Seoul) requested our file this week! What does that mean? I'll explain :)

When we were matched with Lennox, our acceptance papers and some other documents about our family were sent to Eastern, but the majority of our file has remained at our agency here in the US. Well, this week - Tuesday, to be exact - Eastern contacted our agency and requested that our entire file be sent over! They will now translate our file and prepare it to be submitted to the Ministry for Emigration Permission (the permit Lennox will need to be able to leave the country). Our case worker told me yesterday that Eastern is hoping to have our file submitted for EP in 4-6 weeks, but because of a move that the Ministry is making in Nov/Dec, they can't guarantee that. 

And just to be clear, we are still looking another six months or so of waiting before we travel. Here's a guess at a timeline and the steps that remain from here on out - to give you a better idea of what still has to happen:

File Requested ---> October 15

4-6 weeks ---> EP submission 

8-10weeks ---> EP approval

1-2 weeks ---> Court Submission

2-6 weeks ---> Recieve Court Date

3-6 weeks ---> Travel

So, as you can see, there is a huge range in what could happen from here on out. And this is if they do get our file submitted in the 4-6 weeks they are hoping. If not, that would push everything back a couple months.We could possibly be making our first trip as early as late February, but more likely April or May. I foresee that the Ministry move and the holidays will cause some delays in the process. But we are praying that we move through these last steps smoothly and efficiently! And as quickly as possible!

We are just so very thankful that we are finally making some forward progress after sitting idle for such a long time. It's finally beginning to seem real! 

Journey to Lennox - The Struggle

I'm up with another sick child tonight, so I thought I'd write. 

We are still waiting on that phone call to let us know that Eastern (the orphanage/agency in Seoul) has requested our file. This is the first week that we are kind of maybe letting ourselves think it could possibly come. More likely that it happens closer to November, but you never know. And to be honest, based on the predictability (or lack thereof) of this process, we could still be waiting on that phone call come Christmas. I'm trying to be more positive than that, but it just seems that anytime we start to think they are getting into some sort of routine, they throw us a curve ball. 

Today, however, we did hear of a few cases (that were requested last month - around the third week of Sept) that were actually submitted for EP today! That means there are still trickles of movement, and we are just praying this is a really productive week! We need some good news!

Despite the fact that we are inching closer to our file actually seeing some movement, I will admit that I have been fighting bitterness toward this whole process lately. Bitterness, frustration...whatever you want to call it. I know it isn't the attitude that I'm supposed to have. We have been in this process for 17 months, waiting for Lennox for almost 11, and now we haven't received a picture or update in 3 months. A rep from our agency is there now, so we hope to receive a picture and short video sometime in November. I'm so desperate to just see his little face and see how much he's grown! 

It's very hard not to become angry and frustrated when you feel like you have no control over such a crucial situation. Brent and I feel like our parental instincts have kicked in already, yet our hands are completely tied. All we are able to do is wait for him. Love him from afar. And pray that The Lord will bring him to us. We cover him in prayers daily. The boys pray every night that he can come home soon. Just this weekend Beckett asked, "Can we please just go get him on Friday? I miss him." Oh I wish, sweet boy. We all miss him. And long to have him in our arms. But praise God, in our struggles, we find His strength! 

As soon as we get notified of our file being requested for EP prep, I am going to start working on the bedroom that Levi and Lennox will share. Start making Lennox his own place in our home. I really do think that will help lift my spirits! It's like I've been pregnant for 11 months, yet have done nothing to prepare our home. Once I can start doing that, it will begin to seem more realistic. I'm so excited to create Lennox his own little space! 

As frustrated and discouraged as I've been lately about this process, I continue to praise God for the blessings of my three boys at home! They bring me so much joy and happiness. I am asking God to help me balance my desire for Lennox to come home, yet enjoying every single day with my guys while we wait. My boys will never again be exactly like they are today, and I do not want to wish our time away! 

Hopefully soon I'll have new pictures to share, and I look forward to the day I have exciting news to post! We are trusting that The Lord has His hands of protection over Lennox, and that He is working this out for good! We may never know why it's taking so long, but I believe The Lord is in control. So thankful Jesus carries us when we are weak, and we do not have to depend on our own strength.    

Also, please say a prayer for our family to soon be on the mend. We've been passing around the stomach virus for 5 days now.  I think we are all exhausted and ready to move on! :)

The Pumpkin Patch {2013}

On Saturday morning we took the boys to the St Paul pumpkin patch! It's a small pumpkin patch -  just in the courtyard of a local church - but the kids love it anyway! Levi and Brody got their faces painted - Levi picked a pumpkin and Brody picked a "bat face". However, we got tickled bc it looked more like he had on thick rimmed black glasses! Ha! 

The boys played in bounce houses, picked their pumpkins, and had fun decorating them! 

We even got a few cute pics of all of the kiddos! 

I loved this one of Levi and Eden! 

So THANKFUL for Fall!!

Last week...

Soccer is going great! Brody is giving 100% at every game, and I am so proud of him. He's on a team with several of his friends from church and his best friend from school. I definitely think that has a lot to do with his excitement level for each game. We are super excited to be back watching him play ball again! He has a big ol' fan club there every game cheering him on! 

And this little monkey can't wait to be out there playing. Next year, Beckett man. Next year. 

We have had quite a week with the sickies around here. On Wednesday night, Beckett came down with a stomach virus. Thursday and Friday, he seemed ok, but today he has started having tummy troubles again. Poor guy. Guess we will spend our Sunday at home.  Levi got a few mosquito bites on his face on Wednesday evening while we were outside playing, and by Thursday, his right ear looked like this: 

It got even bigger throughout the day, so we got him started on an antibiotic that night for cellulitis. His ear looks much more normal today. However, today while we were at the pumpkin patch, he did something to his leg while jumping in the bounce house. He's been limping a little on it this afternoon. We just can't catch a break! Thankful we aren't dealing with anything more serious, but all of these little uh-ohs sure do stress a mama out. 

We stopped for fro-yo at the Creamery after school on Friday! My fave so far is Toasted Marshmallow topped with crushed pretzels and sprinkles. ;) Brody likes plain vanilla with sprinkles and cherries! 

Here's our boy's first grade school picture. He has the sweetest little smile, but I got so tickled at the hair! Looks like he had a wrestling match right before pictures! Ha!

Levi and I have gotten into a bad habit of stopping for a couple iced doughnuts about once a week after we drop off the big kids. So bad for us, but OH SO GOOD!!

Aunt Tara gave Brody a nice short haircut last week! Brody's hair grows so fast and us really wavy crazy looking when it starts to grow out, so we've decided to just keep it short for a while!! You can see how much we took of by comparing his school pic to the ice cream pic above it!