2 Years Later...

Two years ago, Nate and I sat in a hotel in Strongsville, glued to the computer as we watched our son's plane "travel" across the computer screen on his way to Chicago from Seoul. I got very little sleep that night, and I guess very little sleep since but that's okay! The following morning, Nate and I would take a trip that was roughly three years in the making. A trip to wrap our arms around our youngest son, who had been born in our hearts so long before! The joy and excitement of that day truly ranks up there with the birth of both our other two children! While there was no physical pain, the time waiting for the plane to unload, for him to go through customs, and for him to finally come through the glass door, which we had been staring at him through for what seemed like hours but was likely only several minutes was painful in different ways! But the relief of holding him in my arms, healthy, warm and forever ours was no different than holding our squirmy babies in the years before!

I was going to post some photos, but as I was looking through some disks, I came across the video that we were sent while he was still in Korea, in the care of his loving Foster Mother. While I created several videos like this one while we waited and this one of his homecoming I had kinda forgotten about this jewel of a video. I wish I could upload it, but it came as a DVD and I don't know how to get it into a raw file to upload... if anyone knows how to do that, let me know!

Anyway, as I sat and watched this video, I was moved to tears. This little guy, who at the time we first watched we knew very little about, is so much like the crazy 4 year old that has been home with us for 2 years now. His facial expressions, his giggle, his little voice when he tried to communicate. It is all identical. And the personality that he showed in the video is him to a T! I'm sure that's how it should be, but it is just something to watch the video again, now knowing him as my son, knowing him as well as I do, and see that same little spunky spirit!

We are hoping to celebrate our Forever Family day tomorrow in some way. We still don't know exactly what we will do. We had hoped to go to an Akron Aeros game like we did last year, but as was the case last year, they are calling for LOTS of rain and we don't want to chance it. We've talked about bowling so that may be what we'll do. No matter what we do or where we go, as long as we are together, as our Forever Family, that is all I could ask for.

So I'll close with these thoughts, while it has been two years since Toby has come home, we are still not at the magical date. That is the date in which he has been a part of our family longer than he wasn't. We still have a few more months until that date. They say that at that point, you can get a true measure of how well your adopted child is "bonding", and settling in to their new lives. Well, I know we aren't at that date yet, but I can say I am not worried. Toby is doing TREMENDOUS!!!! I could not ask for him to be doing better... well maybe if we were completely over the nightmares and I could get more sleep, but other than that, he is doing amazing. He is speaking in complete 5-7 word sentences. He is counting to 5 which is a huge accomplishment. He knows his shapes and colors and is showing more interest in writing and learning letters and numbers.

He makes amazing eye contact with us, tells us often how he loves us all, and loves to be held and cuddled.. all the time :) He loves spending time with our extended families and all our friends.

No new videos this year, but I thought I would link back to these other videos of his Finalization Day and the video I created last year containing his Year of Firsts.

And as I close each post, with the meaning of Toby's name... God is Good!!!

I am thinking of you...

Our baby boy is going to be three tomorrow! I'm sure your heart is aching as the day nears. He is a beautiful, fun, caring, special little boy.. just like you, I'm sure. Not a day goes by that I don't think of you. That I don't look into his eyes, and know that halfway around the world there is a young girl, you are 20 now, who is missing him very much. I hope that God fills you with peace, knowing that he is loved and cared for to the fullest extent of our hearts. He has brought us so much joy! But knowing the pain you carry is still heartbreaking. I pray for you often and ask God to watch over you, and bless you because of your decision to give our little guy a life, even if it meant loosing part of you in the process. He will always know how much you loved him, and the sacrifice you made.

And to his first "Omma", who cared for him as her own for over 2 years! Your kind, caring, fun loving personality is present in our home every day. Our baby will always carry a part of you. I'm sure that he is who he is, because of the love and care that he received in your home. Words will never be enough to thank you for the sacrifice you made, in loving him with all your heart, then letting him go. He was loved, no doubt, because he can give love so freely. He knows what it means to cuddle, and snuggle, and look into our eyes with such a deep, caring spirit. That is all because he received that from you first. You are a part of our lives, forever. We love you so very much, and pray for you often. That God will allow you to watch him grow and know and see how much he is loved, through our communications.

Three years ago, one mommy gave him life... then his next mommy taught him to love.. and I pray that we can teach him how to love life, and find comfort in the fact that he has lots of people, around the world, that love him!

Happy Birthday Toby! Your life is one that I pray God will bless in many ways, most importantly through the ways you can bless others!

God is Good!

(Birthday pictures will be up tomorrow!)