The Last Day of School...

Well, today, I put the kids on the bus for the last time as a Kindergartener and Fourth Grader! I truly couldn't be prouder. Because I'm a psycho mom, I made the kids where the shirts they wore on the first day of school. Actually they didn't even fight me on it, they thought it was a neat idea!!

So here is the first day of school for Taylor...
And Drew...
And here they are on the last day of school! Drew really fills out his shirt, and Taylor looks so much more grown up!


Drew's class party was today, and it was a joy to be there celebrating with he and his classmates!
They got to play Freeze Tag!
Mr. Ickes joined in a game of Kick ball!
One last photo of the Kindergarten Kean Class of 2020 enjoying a popsicle snack! We were teasing that Mr. Ickes was hanging himself in that tree after this year! This was his first year teaching, and the kids LOVED him! It was really a great year!
They had a little time at the end to enjoy in their classroom, while they munched on pizza, fruit, cookies and chips. I don't think anyone went home hungry!

And one last photo for Drew and Mr. Ickes. He will be remembered for the friendly rivalry he and Drew had regarding the Browns and the Squeelers... Err...Uhh..I mean Steelers. Mr. Ickes is a BIG Browns fan!

It was a great year. One that the children have grown tremendously through. I look forward to the fun we will have this summer, the wonderful weather (Okay, I live in Ohio... a girl can dream!), and the time we will have together!

God is Good!

Taylor's Awards and End of Year Party

Tomorrow is the last day of school! I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT!!!

Taylor's awards program and end of year party were today. Tomorrow is Field Day! Drew's party is tomorrow, since Kindergarten does not participate in Field Day! I will have Last Day of School photos and Drew Party photos on here tomorrow!

Until then, here are some photos from today!

Taylor received two awards. One for helping in the cafeteria, a job she LOVES! And she also received an award for being on Honor or Merit roll each grading period this year! YEAH TAYLOR!
The kids enjoyed pizza to kick off our party! They ate well... pizza, chips, cookies, brownies, snow cones!! We had 3+ hours with the kids, and I thought for sure we would run out of things to do, but we didn't!
Taylor's giving one of her BFFEAEAE... Maddie a hug while they wait in line for a game.
They played Limbo! Of course with our being vertically challenged it should have been an advantage! Taylor did well, but did not win. She had fun anyway!
We had a water balloon toss! We told the kids the first ones to "throw" the balloons instead of toss would be done for the game. Sadly, it was the parents that began throwing the balloons at the kids, and things went crazy! The kids had fun, though and everyone was wet!
We had a few sack races. First as individuals, then as teams (3 legged). I haven't laughed so hard in a long time! We played several other fun games, too. We played a game where the kids had to find a piece of gum in a plate of whipped cream, without using their hands. The first to blow a bubble wins. They had a great time! And I have many funny pictures of Taylor's classmates. Unfortunately, I didn't get any of her, dadgummit!
And lastly, a photo of Taylor with her teacher, Mr. Legg. It has been a fun year, and Taylor has grown in so many ways! She keeps reminding us that she is a "middle schooler" now, even though Woo doesn't have a middle school!

More photos tomorrow!

God is Good!

New Family Tradition

Well, as you will see over the next few posts, we had a busy, but fun weekend! On Sunday, we attended the Asian Festival in Columbus. I heard about it last year, but Toby wasn't yet home, and we had plans that weekend, but this year, we knew we wanted to attend. It is every Memorial Day weekend, and it is a free event. It was a lot of fun! Here are a few photos from our day.I think Toby was ready to take a nap here. We were hoping for a nap on the ride down, but that didn't happen!
Yeah, Taylor is still wearing her Kutless shirt from the night before! I did manage to get it off her and washed today!
Daddy got a little cuddle time!
Here the kids are watching some dancers. It was fun, and we enjoyed some great food while we were watching! Daddy is wearing a craft Toby made. Not intended to be a necklace, but that is what Toby wanted. What a dad!
It was a fun day, but it was long. Drew took advantage of a moment when Toby was not in the stroller, to relax a while!

Again, a day that was busy, but so much fun. Just being together as a family enjoying the things around us! And we did the entire weekend of fun for under $100! You can't beat that these days!

God is Good!

The Indians game and Concert!!

On Saturday afternoon, we headed up for an evening in Cleveland. Our plan was to spend the night at the Indians game and then enjoy a free Kutless concert afterward. For those of you that actually follow the Cleveland Indians, you know they haven't started off too well this year. So we thought we wouldn't have a hard time getting tickets...
So here is Toby hanging out with Dad while mommy tries to get tickets. Then the ticket lady tells me "SOLD OUT". What.. huh.. are we talking about the same Cleveland Indians game? "Yes" she says! They had some $65 per seat tickets remaining... "FORGET THAT!" So this is how Drew took the news...
Not well at all!
So we hung out in the concourse area between the Progressive Field and the "Q" Arena and waited for the concert. The kids really had fun, just running around, playing with Aunt Katy and Cousin Sara, and listening to the game...
So Nate and Taylor worked Merch for the concert, and Taylor got a free shirt from the Bass player...

And we enjoyed a wonderful show from Kutless...
Toby had a blast! He was dancing and screaming (good kind of screaming, and his ears were protected!) It was a lot of fun!
And the kids were lucky enough to get autographs after the show!



As we left, we all agreed that even though the night didn't turn out quite like we expected, it was a lot of fun! It always is when you're with family!

God is Good!

Family Photos

My younger sister got a new camera this weekend, and wanted us to go out to the Ohio State Agricultural and Technical Institute to get some photos with the blooming foliage! It was fun, and we got some great photos!
If I know my boys, they are likely talking about how to throw a baseball! I love this photo!
Yeah, once again.. it's impossible to get everyone to look at the camera!
Mommy and her baby!
The older boys had already headed back to the van, but we got this nice photo just before we left!


God is Good!

TRAGEDY!!

I received a call from a friend this morning, asking if I had heard about the tragedy in the Steven Curtis Chapman family. I hadn't, but quickly began searching the internet. Sadly, it was true. At the Chapman home, the family SUV was being backed out of the driveway, and hit their youngest daughter, Maria. She was rushed to the hospital, and then air lifted to another hospital, but it sounds as though she didn't survive the transport.

I can not imagine the heartache this family is dealing with. It seems that the family may have been witness to the accident. Please pray for the Chapman family, especially the young member that was driving the SUV. Pray that they will be comforted by their church family, and that God would provide a peace beyond any understanding. That they may continue to be raised up in prayer by the many families they have touched through their organization Shaohannahs Hope.

Here is a photo of us with Steven Curtis when we had the opportunity to thank him for the grant we received to bring Toby home.

Here is an amazing video Steven Curtis Chapman created, singing Cinderella. It will bring tears to your eyes! I just can't even imagine...



And here is a link to a site where you can leave your condolences for the Chapman family.

God, you are Good, but I know this family is hurting. Please be with them, comfort them, help them grieve, let them know that many are holding them up, when I'm sure they can't imagine how they will lift their heads from their pillows this morning. AMEN!

Some Great Books

With the summer reading program at our library in full swing, we are reading up a storm around here! It is fun to see the kids so excited about reading! I saw a post on an adoption board about books about adoption, so I thought I would list some of my favorites here, in case any of you are interested in speaking with your children about adoption!

Here is a book we got from the library, and I hope to buy as a gift for Toby on the anniversary of his Forever Day in July! It is a very sweet book that touches on foreign adoption, the differences in appearance of adoptive children and their parents, as well as the questions they have about their biological parents, like "Does my birthmom's hair stick up like mine?" It is very sweet, and I look forward to many discussions with Toby as he grows up because of this book!

This is a very cute little book about a bird who is trying to find his mother. Many other "mothers" say they can't possibly be his mother because they have differences in appearance, until he meets Mrs. Bear. She looks past that and loves Choco. He comes to find out she has many children, that all look very different. While it doesn't speak about "adoption" exactly, it is a sweet story of how we should love people, no matter the appearance.


I had to throw this one in there as well. Shaoey and Dot is written by Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman. They founded the Shaohannah's Hope Foundation, which provided a very generous grant for Toby's adoption. This story is about an adoption from China, but is still very special and can be related to our situation with Toby. A dear friend from church gave me a copy of this book, and it has been well loved! Thanks Becky!
For those of you that wonder about the Birth Mothers, and what leads them to make such difficult decisions, this book is a great one! This is a compilation of letters Korean birth mothers have written to their children. It is BEAUTIFUL! While I have only read through half of the book, it brings tears to my eyes with each letter I read. I look forward to sharing this book with Toby many years down the road. Letting him know that while these letters may not be specifically from his Birth Mom... I'm positive they are words she would want him to hear!


I have a shipment coming from Amazon this week, with four new adoption/Korea books! I may post again soon on my thoughts/recommendations of these books!

Happy summer reading everyone!!

God is Good!

Happy Anniversary!

Well, it's been 11 years since this photo was taken! Where has the time gone? This is with Nate's parents, I had it on the computer from a video I created for them, no disrespect to my parents!

Anyway, it has been a wonderful 11 years. We got married after 5 1/2 years of dating and it was a beautiful, sun filled day! Everything went beautifully! God has blessed us so much since that day! Ten months after the wedding, Taylor Brooke joined our family! And to think the Doctors told me I likely wouldn't have children of my own! God knows best!! Then 3 1/2 years later, little Andrew Nathanial came into our lives, bursting forth with as much energy as he has today! We bought our first home nearly 6 years ago, and live in a very special neighborhood that we love to call home.

While our joy took a few detours while trying to expand our family, and we have four wonderful babies in heaven, God knew that he had even bigger plans for us, and nearly a year ago, little Toby Joon Suk joined our lives forever! God is so Good!

I look forward to what our future holds, more children... only God knows, a different house... only God knows, new jobs... only God knows! Isn't it awesome that we don't have to worry about these things? God already knows the path our lives will take. We just need to continue to be obedient to His calling, and I know... he will continue to bless us, for many, many years!

So today, as Nate and I take the weekend to reconnect, and re-energize, I know that God has everything in his more than capable hands! I will miss my kiddos tonight, but I know that this time away, will only make me love them, and their father, even more!

God is Good!

One Tired Momma!

Toby has been sick! UGH! The poor kid! He's been spiking a fever at night. He's fine during the day, but running a fever through the night. At about 1:30 Tuesday morning, it was over 104, so I decided to take him to the ER. Because of his kidney problems, I didn't want to chance anything. So after sitting in the ER for over 5 hours (and going on about 3 hours sleep), enduring many painful tests, a failed blood draw, an X-ray of his lungs (yeah, no cough, just trying to bill us for everything they can!) they sent us home, saying it's a virus and will run it's course. Again last night, fever over 104, another fitful, sleepless night. So I call the Pediatrician today and they want to see him... again, sent home... it's only a virus... which can take 5 days to get through the system.

Two more nights of this will put me in a straight jacket!! So if you see me around, and I appear to be drugged, I probably am!

Pray for me... pray for my family... pray for poor Toby, that this crazy fever will not return!

But still.. God is Good!

Happy BIRTHday my sweet Angel

Today is Mother's Day, but it is also Kaleb's 4th BIRTHday. The emotions are undescribable! I have a beautiful new son this year, that God has blessed us with. Yet I continue to mourn on this special day. These past few weeks have been difficult. I'm not sure what the trigger is this year that has made it more difficult than the past few. Several weeks ago, as I was in church, I ran into two families in the same morning that have children that were born the week Kaleb was due. Seeing these "big" kids, heading into their classrooms, so independent and happy, instantly brought tears to my eyes. Now I see these children often in the halls of church, but for some reason this particular day, it was more than I could handle. There is a beautiful song on the radio, "Held", sung by Natalie Grant, that for some reason, I think they are playing every 20 minutes. It seems with every turn Kaleb is there, and I am missing him.

So, with that said, I had a wonderful morning. My family knows the pain in my heart today, and Taylor made me breakfast. It was WONDERFUL. Scrambled eggs and toast. She did such a great job. And I received a beautiful card and necklace. We plan on going to church, then to the cemetery to celebrate Kaleb's BIRTHday. It's a gray day! I know God is sad and carrying my hurt with Him. Then we will have lunch at home and Taylor has a soccer game up by Lake Erie, so that will consume the rest of our day!

I thank God every day for my beautiful healthy children that I have the chance to watch grow up. But that doesn't mean I don't hurt and miss the four that are in heaven, especially Kaleb, whom I was blessed to hold with my own arms. The same arms that ache for him each day, even though he'd be a big boy now!

God is Good

Several Videos

Okay, so after a few weeks, I finally got some videos done. It just takes so much time to "upload" them... so they are short and sweet! But fun nonetheless! Check out the next several posts to see the videos!

Also, Nate's band had their first "gig" this past weekend... here are a few photos... (Pay no attention to the empty chairs... the place was PACKED!! All 10 kids from the youth group were there!! We knew it would be a small crowd, but still it was a good opportunity for the guys to play in front of people!






And Taylor is back in Spring soccer outdoors, so I can take photos again. So here are a few from the game this past weekend... she scored a goal by the way!! But they ended in a tie!


God is Good!

Drew Riding a 2-Wheeler!

Well, after much coaxing, (and bribing)! Drew stopped crying and tried to ride his bike. While he still needs some practice and confidence boosting, here is one time when he took off!

Toby Singing

We were all outside while Drew was learning to ride his bike (the reason for the crying in the background) and I caught this "moment" Toby was having! I love when he dances!

Toby Talking

Toby has been in speech for several months now, and is getting so much better. So here is a video of us "talking". Please ignore my annoying voice in the background! Isn't that awful, hearing yourself!

Toby's Birthday Video

A short video of Toby at his Birthday party riding his scooter.

Splash Kingdom

The kids at their Church choir performance - Splash Kingdom

A Reflective Day

Well, today has been quiet a reflective day. Today, 4 years ago, I walked into my doctors office hoping to hear my little guys heart beating. I walked out of that office a changed woman. As I think back on the day, the pain is as if it just happened. I can remember every moment of that day, yet it seems dream like (or should I say nightmarish?). But that is not all that is heavy on my heart today!

I have a friend I have known for nearly 15 years that is in the process, with her husband, of adopting their first child. This friend lost her baby almost a year after we lost Kaleb. Well, she has recently been contacted by a birth mother about adopting her baby. There is much more to this story, but I want to get to my point here, without going on about her details.

As I think of this birth mother, who as I type is likely holding her baby and trying to decide what her future holds, I can't help but feel burdened. I look at Toby and the blessing that he is in our lives and I thank God for the woman who was able to look into his beautiful, thoughtful eyes and say to herself "I can not give you what you deserve in life". How heartbreaking! And I feel guilt! Guilt that I can be so excited about her pain. Does that make sense! My life has been blessed beyond my wildest imagination (God has done immeasurably more than I could have asked for or imagined" Eph 3:20). Yet it came at the expense of a young mother, who every day wonders about the boy with the beautiful, thoughtful eyes!

So this is my prayer. This young, teenage birth mother, may she feel God's guidance, strength, peace and comfort in her decision. That she seek His counsel as she makes her final decision. That if she chooses to let her baby go, to these wonderful, loving parents that are praying for a child, that she can hold her head high, knowing that she did it out of love. A love for her child that is so strong that she must say "I can not care for you as you deserve little one, so I will carry the pain, so you don't have to."

I do not know what is going to happen for my dear friend and her husband. But I do know that there are no absolute winners in this situation. No matter what decisions are made, lives will be changed forever. A beautiful baby has been born, and that in and of itself is a miracle! God will work out the rest!

As I prayed for my friend, God brought me to Jeremiah 32:17 ""Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."

He has it all planned! God is Good!

When Mom's Away...

The kids play!! I was gone for the weekend at Women of Faith conference in Columbus! I had a wonderful time, but I missed my kids (and Nate) a great deal. While I never worried about them, I did hope they didn't just sit around the house all day! Well, while I was gone, I got these photos texted to my phone! I think they had a blast...

Daddy was a super hero for the weekend! Here are the boys on the trampoline at our place!Here are they kids enjoying the park!
This is Toby enjoying the Oriental buffet! We have taken him in the past, and he didn't eat much. We just assumed it was overwhelming for him being in that environment and thought we would try again later... Well... He LOVED it! Nate said he couldn't get him to stop eating! He was so happy to be there, so I guess that is our new restaurant!
And my favorite... The three of them at the park, truly enjoying being together!
I will say, I came home to a different house then I left (and I'm not just talking about the mess)! Whether God worked in me, or them, or all of us, I'll never know. But sometimes separation works miracles! The kids just got along so well on Sunday, they appreciated me (Nate realized how much work making dinner is and says he'll never complain again about what I make). And I know I have a new outlook as well!

God is Good!

This and That...

Well, I haven't posted in a while, so here's an update..

Toby... we had a meeting before his birthday about Preschool. He will be attending our Tri-County preschool through the public school system on an IEP for his speech. This simply means that he will attend a preschool that will assist him with his speech and communication delays. He has a vocabulary of about 50 - 75 words or so, and will "mimic" anything we say, but putting everything together is a whole other thing. He is improving every day, but this preschool will really get the ball rolling. Right now we have been doing speech, every other week for an hour. It just hasn't been enough to get him going.

Drew... is just enjoying being Drew right now! He spends every spare moment "shooting hoops" and just loves being outside. I think he's ready for Kindergarten to be over... I know I am! We have had some struggles with some kids in the classroom and on the bus, and we are working through them, but I have started to pray about who will be in his class next year!

Taylor... still going strong in Soccer! She scored a goal again last weekend, nearly scored a second but the halftime whistle blew, darn it! She is improving each week, and just loves to play! She is looking forward to summer. June is already completely booked with church camp, family vacation and the Alive Festival. She is going to be a busy girl... and a 5th grader before we know it! There will be no Ohio Light Opera this year, as they have no kids parts, but surprisingly she was okay with that... that means she can go to church camp!

Nate...Judgment Come did their recording in studio a few weeks ago. It will be several more weeks until we get copies. School is going well. He is considering taking the summer off. I think he should just plow through and get it done, but I'm not the one doing all that he is doing right now, so I have no say, as it should be!

Me... I'm just looking forward to a few days away, as I go to Women of Faith this weekend with a group from church. We always go down early Friday and spend the day at Easton. While I am not a shopper... I have saved up some spare change this time around, and hope to get a few new things. But whenever I go shopping, and actually HAVE MONEY, I can never find anything. My girlfriend Cher insists that she can help me spend the money... and I know she can!

We are all enjoying this beautiful weather, as a Cardinal flies past our window!! I LOVE SPRING! I've been out in the flower beds and yard a lot, and look forward to doing some more planting in the coming weeks!

God is Good!

Ice Cream Truck!

Well... It's spring!! The Ice Cream Truck has arrived! Look at those blue skies!! Never mind it came before dinner... what's a mom to do. And this mom grew up on State Route 585... no Ice Cream trucks stopping there! So I'm a sucker for the Ice Cream Truck... of course with the prices as they are... UGH! I can buy a whole box for the cost of one treat! But once in a while, you can't miss out on this excitement! I think the photos speak for themselves!



God is Good!