Tuesday, December 29, 2015

A few favorites of Christmas

A few of my favorite people!  Christmas morning-no makeup- just me as I am in the morning.  Kids in pj's from Christmas Eve.  The most special gifts were ones kids had created themselves this past week.  

All my boys! They outnumber the girls now.  Good thing we have some strong (and stubborn) girls in this family!  

Sister love.  Of course that is a complicated love as all love is in life.  At this point in life these two seem to get along just fine.  They have the same housekeeping standards, love to craft for hours, and are starting to have more of those sister "secrets" than in the past.

We are on our last few days of break. I am not at all ready for all the schedules and running around. Still trying to soak in these last few days of "freedom"!

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours!  The day was good here. It was a quiet day at home filled with happy kids and family time.  Kids were up early but patiently waited for their little brother to wake up.  He is spending a good amount of night time awake so he was happy to sleep in:)  Everyone seemed happy with their gifts and quickly disappeared into their rooms for some time to play.  There was then time for a brunch like breakfast followed by "The Grinch"  movie.  It was cold and windy here, but there was still some football games outside.  I still can not believe I am the Mom of all these kids.  We are a great distance away from attachment with Luke Jee Seong, but I love to watch as we learn about each other as a family!

Thinking of so many friends and family today!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Time for Gingerbread!

As we adjust to five kids I decided we would decorate a gingerbread house this week.  There are plenty of leaders in our
house now, so I really had to just clean up the mess and keep a few of the design disagreements to a minimal.  

Luke was happy to play with some silly play dough like substance that Brianna had made.  It kept his little hands out of the bigger kids project.

I love these days of break. No schedules no running around just being together.  I have noticed I haven't even filled the van up with gasoline for quit awhile. That is a good sign of good family time happening!

We are getting ready to start the Christmas activities with mass this evening.  This will be Luke's first time at church so we will see how that goes. Then time to get ready for the man of the hour! They were still writing lists to Santa this morning??? Not sure what to think about that???

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Home for a Week

A week ago today we came home from Korea with this little man.  Since then our lives have not been the same!

Each child in this house believes the best new play buddy has arrived just in time for Christmas!  I would say that each child has done very well with the adjustment that has happened in our lives!

He is so very loved and seems to fit right in. We made a gingerbread house and there was no way he would not be part of all the action.

As with any adoption loss is part of what a child must go through.  We have seen it come and go in phases.  Brianna has become his second Mom for sure.  He is often found in her arms!  I am thinking at his 37 lbs she is getting some strong arms!

Little by little Luke Jee Seong is meeting people that are going to be part of his world. We are taking this slow but letting his world expand a little at at time.  Grandma and him have had some getting to know you times.

I can't believe it is almost Christmas.  I am as ready as I am going to get minus our card which is in the works.  In some ways, me being gone, has made it a simpler holiday and I am more than ok with that.  My Christmas gift is here and he is stealing my heart!  To have him to kiss and hold is more than I could have ever asked for!

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Prichard number seven is officially ours!

Introducing Mr. Luke Jee Seong.  Today was a day filled with so many emotions and now he is with us.  He is a little boy that is full of energy and a lot of spunk.  My heart broke for his foster Mom and how hard it is to say goodbye.  

He has already taken to Riley and loves to play with him.  There are have been many laughs that go beyond the language barrier that we have.  

As in true kid fashion he found the snacks we had bought right away when we walked in our room.

It has been a long wait and we are so anxious to be home as a complete Prichard family.  Tomorrow we will have another long day of traveling and then it will be time for everyone to slip into their new roles in our family.  

That hair cracks me up and I fear Daddy may have to do a little trim sooner than I had hoped.

I feel very grateful for so many who have helped us through this adoption. We wouldn't know what to do with each one of you!

He found a Christmas tree today and found it to be so much fun.  Thinking of that tree at home and all the fun we will have:)

Tomorrow we have the day here and then we fly.  I miss my other kids and am anxious for us all to be together. We heard him say through translations that he asked about Brian!  Soon very soon!

Monday, December 14, 2015

One more day...Korea

The day is almost here when we become a family of seven.  Riley and I flew 7000 miles today and 15 hours.  We are both beyond tired and after some yummy dumplings are almost ready for bed.


We did make a couple of stops after we landed and found along the way some sights of Christmas in Seoul.  

There were a couple gifts that I wanted to give to Luke from Korea so Riley and I needed to get that done tonight.  

Tomorrow we will get Luke.  The time has come after two years of waiting.  It will be a day filled with many emotions for sure.
Need to get some rest before I once again am keeping up with a three year old. It has been awhile but I am so excited for it!

Good night from Seoul!

Friday, December 11, 2015

Almost time....

The time is almost here to fly back to Korea.  I am excited to go back.  I am excited to bring Luke home.  I am excited to complete our family at five children and two very outnumbered parents.  It will not be an easy journey. It is a fast trip and the truth is we are going to upset our little boys' life for awhile.  Time, trust, patience, and a bunch of siblings to play with should help.  I have been thinking so much about his foster Mom.  How she must feel after having him for so long with her.  How hard the word goodbye is in so many parts of life.  Riley will be joining me for this adventure.  I know he is ready to help me with his little brother.  It wasn't easy telling the rest who we had chosen to go.  There were tears shed over that decision that Brian and I made.  I can say the child who cried the hardest about not being able to go is the same who helped me pack his clothes tonight.  She is also the one who wondered if she can help with his first bath in our home and pick out his pj's.  It is all going to be okay once the fog of jet lag ends and hopefully Christmas gets at least mostly finished:)  We have waited two years for this and I know when we see him they will just slip away into the background.  

Wishing for Stillness


Tuesday, December 8, 2015

The Tree and Travel

December 6th was about getting our tree up and decorated.  To say it is a "Charlie Brown" tree is a nice way of saying it.  That being said the kids love it and were happy to pick just some of their "favorite" ornaments. This will help guarantee that the tree will not fall over due to so much weight!  
As for me the next day was filled with work. My list is long this week as I prepare to get Luke. I want to make sure my businesses are well taken care of before I leave.  It will be soon that Riley and I will be on a plane to Korea.  My mind is so filled with emotions, dreams, and thoughts of reality as I become a mom of five.  One also can not forget the Christmas "to-do's" that are consuming a lot of my mind!

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Dec 5th Looking for a tree

Yesterday was the time we had to go find a tree.  It proved to be a little more challenging this year as the forest service has cleared a bunch of the little ones out of our usual spots. They were all in stacks in the forest.  However, we did succeed.  It was great weather and when the kids were bored from looking for a tree a sledding hill provided great entertainment.  

Dec 4th


Part of our holiday traditions has become Katie playing in our communities Christmas show.  This year Deck the Halls was her chosen piece with a little improvising in it.  I LOVE Christmas music and when it comes from my daughter it is that much sweeter!

Friday, December 4, 2015

December 3rd



Time to decorate. Our main elf is Brianna.  She loves to find all the goodies from the following years and create her own space of joy in our home.  I love how she gets everyone involved.  Truthfully, Brian would have waited for a warmer day to put lights up but Brianna gave him no choice!   With all the snow we have had they do create a magical feel.  


Thursday, December 3, 2015

Wishes and Korea


Day two of December brought with it many wishes along with some dreams that are finally going to be fulfilled. Trying to not procrastinate to long this year I asked the kids to make lists for Christmas.  They took Brianna's lead and created not only lists but a little bit of art work.  I do believe Katie helped her older brother "decorate" his!

Today was a day of big news on finally getting to bring our little guy in Korea home!  We learned that I will be going back to Korea very soon to bring him home! He will be home for Christmas!  That was my wish list and now it is reality.  I can't believe that the time has come for me to be able to kiss him and welcome him into our family.  I know that there is so much to this transition as well as deep grieving that will take place. I also know that all of us must adjust as our family grows for the last time.  Sometimes I can hear his laughter as we played with him in October and very soon I will hear his voice again.  This month it has been two complete years of waiting. There have been many emotions over those past two years, but I know when I get him all the hard waiting time will melt away.  I can't wait to be able to share photos of a little boy that melts my heart!

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

December Daily December 1st

December has come and with it a goal for me.  I am not always the best "December" person.  It seems like a lot of extra pressure and so many obligations.  However, this year I decided to join Ali Edwards in her December Daily project.  I love her style of storytelling and wanted to do this for my family.  The goal is one story per day on what this month means for our family.  A photo or two that represents what the season means to us with holiday themes as well as everyday moments.  I am not sure what the month will hold for us but hoping by Dec 25th my kids will have an album of our story!

"Snow" much fun!

Thanksgiving was filled with all that is good.  Our house was full of family and the sounds of eight cousins running around.  There was plenty to eat and a feeling of thankfulness for all that we are blessed with.  There was also a LOT of snow!  

There was a mad rush to find all our winter gear, realize how tall we have gotten when we put on our pants, the forever problem of looking for matching gloves, and at least fourteen inches of snow to play in.  There were trees to climb and steps to sled down.  I love to watch them all play, laugh, and be together.

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Final Korean thoughts




Today we are flying home.  There is so much to digest in the past week. My mind is full of thoughts and emotions.  It has been quite an adventure taking our whole family with us.  When we started the adoption process two years ago we agreed that we would all need to go this time.  This would take some major planning. It has not always been easy and just getting us all here seemed like a great undertaking. I will not lie we have had moments were we looked at each other and said what are we thinking this is so hard.  We have had moments when all kids were fighting.  We have also had moments that have amazed us as we watched our kids embrace this beautiful culture and people.  I have seen our kids be hugged by people who used to be complete strangers and are now a part of our life's story.  I have watched a reunion with my daughter and foster Mom that will forever be one of the best days of my life.  That is a love that is unbreakable and amazing.

We have watched Luke jump out of an elevator (literally) and into all of our hearts. I have seen Riley lie down on the ground and let his two little brothers jump on him and wrestle.  I have seen Luke worry if Brian was getting on the elevator with him or not.  I have been kissed by that little boy who is so full of all that is good with a little bit of orneriness.  I have seen the love of his Foster Mom and how well she is taking care of him.  I have been to court with my whole family.  I have prayed for a birth mom and all her pain.  I have seen women whom I assume look somewhat like her around me.  Adoption has so many sides and feelings with it.

There are so many friends and family who have prayed for us and been there is so many ways.  We only hope we too can be there when others need us.  

There will more more adventures with this story that only a three year old can bring.  We can't wait......








Friday, October 30, 2015

A day of adventures in Korea!

Today was our last full day in Seoul.  We spent the day sightseeing some palaces and then a little time at the market. We rode a lot of subway lines, ate at a cafe, and had a little vendor food.  We have seen many parts of Korea, the beautiful, the historic, and the past and present mixing.  We have also seen what a hard life it is for some.  My mind will never forget older women selling bits of food in the cold subway stairs.  It won't forget how hard it must be to get around a town that runs on subways when you are in a wheelchair.  It is a city that never stops is seems and you can see how hard that must be at times.  

It was chilly out today and the beauty of fall was all around us.  I loved the sound of languages as we walked around town. I love how we learned to communicate without the help of language.  

I love the details of life around us.  These were carved into the entrance of a palace we toured.  There is so much history here.  Brian loves this I love to watch people.  Many school kids were at the palace today how fun that was to see!

Every once in awhile you see young people in traditional dress.  These two were so cute at the palace.  

My girls!  I will not lie there was a lot of bickering today.  Everyone is ready to go home and be in our own space.  We are leaving without number seven but he will be with us soon.  

A artist was painting the beautiful scenes around us.  He had a lot of fans around him at all times.  

Oh the changing of the guard is a huge event.  I actually felt sorry for these men. This has to be a job that gets old as everyone wants a photo by you and you have to just stand still.

The boys were intrigued by these men.  

These two always want me to photograph them jumping.  The joy of being a kid. They didn't care about history just about steps to jump from!

The colors of the palaces were very similar all through Korea.  The detail is amazing.

Well what can we say these smelled so good and the vendor said we got a good deal on them:) I can say from the way they tasted we did get a good deal!

This is the most popular cartoon character in Korea.  I am suspecting that there will be some of him on a certain little boy's Christmas list!

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Court Day and Food in Korea


Today was a huge day in Korea for us.  We would spend most of the day getting to and from court.  Court is a huge part of the process and has had me worried for a very long time.  I kept picturing us all in there.  Four kids in a court room did not sound that relaxing. We made it through, we had our moments, but it is done.  The rest of our adoption story is for time alone to tell.  

Our parenting has been a little unusal for us.  Lots of bribing to get through some huge appointments.  I am not proud of this parenting and it will change once we land on US soil, but they needed a little incentive as it is a lot to ask kids to do in one week.
I can't tell you how many times we have been to this store this week. To buy breakfast food and snacks for the day.  It is fun to look at other grocery stores and see what is different, new, and what is famliar. 
We did the one thing we said we would not do in Korea we ended up at McDonalds for dinner.  We don't even eat there in America.  However, after a super long day the kids wanted something they knew and this is where we ended up. 


A universal sign to kids around the world.  There is a lot of English written signs in Korea. 

This sign made me laugh as Riley had a little soy sauce on his hamburger.

Last night was a traditional Korean barbeque night.  The kids kind of put up a fuss especially after we dragged them place to place to find one that would seat us.  A very sweet Korean woman cooked our meat for us and even started to feed Andy?  Not sure but she was under his charming spell also.

My favorite place to eat...dumplings.  They are open 24 hours seven days a week.  I could eat these everyday and the kids agree!

Sometimes when you travel with your family and you are a teen you just want to get away in your own world.  I have to admit I have these feelings myself once in awhile.  

The screens traveled with us.  Each got their alloted half an hour each night before bed.

We have made it almost. Tomorrow is a sight seeing day.  It has been a full week of lots of emotions, hard good byes, and a love of a country and people that has given us so much.  I think of our new son and how much I already love him.  I dream of him running around the house and his sweet little voice.

Good night until tomorrow!  

 
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