We have a Referral!!!!!!!

Introducing.......

Our son Joshua JoonSeo

Joshua - Means "YAHWEH is salvation" or "The LORD saves"

JoonSeo - Means "Bright" and "Benevolent"

Psalm 113

Praise the LORD.
       Praise, O servants of the LORD,
       praise the name of the LORD.

Let the name of the LORD be praised,
       both now and forevermore.

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
       the name of the LORD is to be praised.

The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
       his glory above the heavens.

Who is like the LORD our God,
       the One who sits enthroned on high,

who stoops down to look
       on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust
       and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes,
       with the princes of their people.

He settles the barren woman in her home
       as a happy mother of children.

Praise the LORD.

We got the call on August 30th after waiting only 5 months. After getting the information medically reviewed (required by our agency) and then waiting for some missing test results, we officially accepted the referral last Friday September 17th! I was able to share the news with my family that evening. This past week has been super busy as I have prepared the acceptance paperwork and took photos of our house to send to our agency. Everything should be sent off by the end of this week!

 

We are so excited!

I600A Approval Received!

We finally got our approval notice from US CIS! Thank you so much for your prayers.

Tomorrow I am taking my first Korean language class! The class is offered by the Korean Embassy in Washington, DC at the KORUS House (pictured below). Opportunities like this are definitely one of the benefits of living in this area. We had a family come to our waiting families meeting at our adoption agency that had taken the classes. They highly recommended the classes and felt that learning the language really helped their transition. So I am excited to start learning. I probably only know about 10 words in Korean, and half of those are food words : )

So I definitely have lots of learning to do!

First Half Marathon

Sorry it has taken so long for me to post some pics from the race. I forgot my camera so I had to wait to get some pictures off of my teammate's Facebook page. The race went great and was so much fun! I was able to meet my goal of jogging the whole way without stopping to walk. I finished in just under 2 hours and 45 minutes, so not fast at all, but I was happy with it. Here are a few pics:

Our hotel

With my teammate Rya at the hotel on race morning

With Rya and our mentor Laurie

The Maryland R 'n' R TNT team

The Start Line! It took over 30 minutes to reach it from my starting gate.

I ran in honor of my sister Debbie and our honored teammate Al, and in memory of my teammate's son Ben

For Debbie

Showing off our purple nails

Had to get a picture with Elvis

My teammate Ann - notice she also wrote my sister's name on her visor

Somewhere during mile 13 - almost done!

Showing off our medals (everybody gets one!)

Proof I really did it!!!

 I am planning on signing up for other races in the future. At this point, I don't have any plans of trying to tackle a marathon - half was perfect for me! My next event is the Army 10-miler in October.

I want to say thank you again for all the support and generosity. The National Capital Area Fall Team in Training team has raised over a million dollars towards life saving research and patient services! Thank you for being a part of it! Go Team!

Race Day!

Well the day has finally arrived. I will be running 13.1 miles today in Virginia Beach!

I want to express my thanks for all the love and support I have received on this journey. I have been amazed by the generosity of so many who have donated. I exceeded my minimum fundraising requirement and have reached 85% of my personal goal. I know those who have been affected by cancer are especially appreciative of the support. I have gotten to hear a number of stories from survivors, in addition to my sister, who have all expressed how much the support means to them. I think more than anything, it helps them know people care.

I have also been just as appreciative of the words of encouragement I have received as they have given me strength to continue onward.

John was able to find a last minute hotel room at a military base fairly nearby so he is going to be able to come and cheer me on. We are planning on heading back to DC after the race today since we couldn't get a hotel room in Virginia Beach for both of us (Team in Training took care of my room for Saturday night and I stayed there since I had to be up early today).

I will be running in honor of my sister Debbie and in memory of my teammate's son Ben who lost his battle with cancer at the age of 12 one year ago this weekend.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Hawaii and other Happenings

John and I had a wonderful time in Hawaii. Some of the highlights:

The luau at the Hale Koa Hotel (Hale Koa means House of the Warrior in Hawaiian)

Seeing a full rainbow for the first time in my life (rainbows always make me think of God's faithfulness)

Watching sunsets on Waikiki Beach

Hiking to Makapuu Point, Koko Crater, Diamond Head, and Manoa Falls

Snorkeling in Hanuama Bay

Seeing all the beautiful scenery

We have recovered from our jet lag (much worse coming back) and I am back into my regular routine at work. I must say it is getting more and more difficult to focus on work. Thoughts of our little one and adoption in general occur often.

John is back at school as of this past Monday. This second year shouldn't be as bad as the first year in terms of the amount of work, but unfortunately he has to go to Florida for 10 weeks for his clinical training :(

We receive an answer to our prayers regarding our I600a application, so thank you for your prayers! John got an appointment for this past Monday for new fingerprints. Then they sent both of us new appointments for this past Tuesday so I went again for a second set of fingerprints. Since John was there on Monday, he didn't have to go again Tuesday. I am really not sure what is going on. I think we have at least two I600a applications pending at this point. I am just hoping and praying we get one of them processed and approved!

For Lisa

I returned from my trip to some incredibly devastating news. I will share about our trip and post pictures another time. This post is for Lisa, who lost her precious little one last week. We prayed for a miracle, but her baby is with the Lord. Something I never shared before in any detail was that after we lost Johannah, John and I had a service for our baby so that we could say good-bye. We went out on the Choctawhatchee Bay with our dear friends Dan and Monica and held a service on their boat. We read a poem, sang "It is Well with my Soul," prayed, and read Psalm 42. I wrote in my journal that I chose it because it expressed our heartache over our loss, but also the hope we have in the Lord.

 

As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?

My tears have been my food
day and night,
while men say to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go with the multitude,
leading the procession to the house of God,
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving
among the festive throng.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.

Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.

By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?"

My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
"Where is your God?"

Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.

 

 There are no words to adequately express this heartache and my sorrow for you. My thoughts and prayers are with you Lisa.