Does anyone like Kimchi?

It is with great happiness that I would like to share some exciting news with my adoptive friends....We have chosen South Korea to adopt our child from:)  After careful consideration the South Korean program shows much promise and renews our faith in parenthood.  The process is very different than Poland, it is actually a much easier process.  We are in the homestudy phase (again) and have aquired our documents (again) with lightning speed. Having to do this a second time, I feel like an old pro!

Korea is not a Hague country so We are going to need to file an I 600a.  Thank goodness we only had a few documents to notarize and NOTHING Apposilled....what a relief.  The proces is very different as I said.....Referrals come in between 3-6 months and the children are around 7 months at the time of referral.  However, due to red tape, the child stays with a foster family for approximately a year before they can come home.  During that time, we can send care packages and recieve monthly pictures and updates....I know I know...it WILL NOT be easy, but after the nightmare we encountered with the Poland program....two years in the dark, we feel this is doable:)  So our baby would come home at the age of 20-24 months:):)

Our agency has a wonderful reputation and our contact person is a breath of fresh air.  She is Korean and has been so wonderfully supportive.

 So Kara and I are in the same place, changing from Poland to Asia, (although they are adopting from China) and from her last post about race and culture, I have the same concerns for my Korean little one growing up.  He or she will not look like us and my biggest concern is them feel left out or isolated.  I plan On embracing his/her Korean culture without forcing it upon them.  I will leave that up to them as they grow up and make their own decisions....

I am so happy for Laura and Brian and hope you reunite with your new son soon!!  God Bless all the Adoptive families on your own  personal journeys to parenthood.

The long and winding road....

Well, my husband and I have certainly had a long and winding road thus far......and it was sooo hard to let the dream of Poland go after two years and several heartbreaking referrals.....I cant believe 2 years have gone by waiting for our children ... not to mention two years of infertility before that....and the adventure continues as we explore new avenues....The one thing I know is that we are not giving up.... with 140,000,000 orphans in the world, we will not give up until one of them is in our arms. 

Adoption is not for the weak of heart ......Pregnancy seems so much easier....books have been written on what to expect for you body, morning sickness, swelling...you have a due date.....you get a smile from everyone when they look at your belly.....No smiles for adoptive moms to be to be unless they are from within the adoptive community because people don't know what to say....or even don't want to ask...  Adoption is not so clear and expected......you just spin your wheels for a few months proving your worthy to parent..... then wait wait wait wait in complete darkness and pray that the Lord doesn't forget you and your burning desire to parent a child. 

So to all the adoptive mothers out there, I applaud you, we are a special breed chosen because of our strength and desire to love