Flashback!!

One year ago today, I met such a handsome little fellow.  I fell in love immediately and I love him even more now.

One year ago in Korea.

New Pics

Took Jae outside real quick for some snaps.

So super sweet

Kind of personal, but I was writing my annual letters to send to Korea for the foster moms and birth families and Kaelin wrote to her foster mom.  Her foster mom has requested her to write her own letter this year, so she wrote a few short sentences, I had them translated and then she wrote them in both Hangul and English...thank you Denise.

So after she writes them, she brings me the papers and the whole bottom half of the Hangul letter is decorated.  In one corner, though, is an outline of her hand.  Inside she wrote "This is my hand.  And this is how big it is.  This is my left hand."  Is that not super sweet and enough to cry?

Lisa

Creative Kids

I'm pretty sure Chase was the mastermind behind this, but I think all 3 boys participated.  Chase is our resident, take things apart, figure them out and fix-it guy....at barely 10.

Does this big wheels look right to you?

Apparently, they had finally worn ours out...it's everything except the back wheels, I believe....running it down the hill so many times.  Neighborn H's was broken as well, or I think his sister's, so the boys stripped them and merged them together.  They love the new toy!

Teaching Money to Children

So, a few months ago or so, I entered an essay contest to win cash.  It was 5 essay questions on teaching responsibility with money to your children.  I had read about the couple of past winners and they were all single moms, so while I thought we had no chance, I entered anyways.  So glad we've been doing what we've been doing with our 5 kids!

Turns out we won!  We won $1,000.  In the essays you just had write (without going over the character limit) how you teach this to your children.  Well, we all know where that money is going/went!

http://chaostimes5.blogspot.com/p/tickets-to-korea.html

What memories

One year ago tomorrow is the day we found out we could leave to go get Jaemin.  But, it was actually the kids' last day of school I found out.  I was at the kids' awards assembly when I found out we could leave, so as soon as I got back to work we got our arrangements made and we left the very next morning...Saturday morning at 3:00 am.  I was watching Kaelin and Chase receive their awards again this year and all I could do after I left school was think about that call one year ago and how hard it was in the beginning and how much things have changed and how much I wouldn't change a thing.  And wow....was that trip amazing and life changing for all 3 of us that left this house. 

I can't believe Korea is a memory from 1 year ago.  I would love to go there every year if I could.  I would even choose that over the beach, which is saying A LOT.  I miss you Korea.

Does it come with age?

I mean the intensity of love for each child?  I just got in bed after checking on Jaemin for the night.  I could just lay by him for hours and look at his perfectness.  I can't help but think about another woman, half way around the world, that doesn't get the wonderful experiences I get.  I get all of it and I am SO lucky.  Everyday gets better and better with him.  He smiles more, he shows his true self more and he IS funny!

I get so much out of all of them.  Chelsi had her last night of gymnastics and we had to stop and get a new flat iron for me afterward because mine literally fell apart this morning.  So we walk in to the plethora of flat irons and she immediately notices the exact one I have.  She's that observant and that smart!  I get her too and I am lucky.

Kaelin, well she is always in her own happy little, giggly world.  She's figured out that if she hugs us longer she doesn't have to go to bed quite as early.  She is her own funny, silly self.  I get her too and we are lucky.

Chase is goofy and silly and smart.  He is a great kid and one of my hardest little workers at school.  Cole works hard too, but in so many other ways and is truly blooming as a mature young man.  He has SO much potential that I see.

I have 5 great kids and they're all mine and I am lucky for this and I know it.  If I could just take more time with them ever night while they're little.  I try to take all I can, that's for sure.  So if I don't volunteer enough and do enough running around, socializing etc., it's because I need to spend as much time with them as I can while I can.

So, if you're a first time mom, slow down and love them.  Love them slowly and don't rush them through their milestones and childhood.  Let them be kids and enjoy those kids and the hugs that you can get while they're young.  You'll still get hugs when they're older, but those tiny little hands wrapped around your neck are the best hugs of all.