Pictures of our Happy Boy

Here are the pictures I promised...

 Walking with daddy at Cheonggyecheon stream.  It runs 3 1/2 miles through

downtown Seoul - It is beautiful!

Ty and Mommy

 Ty praying that this new family works out! :)

He is enamored by the mirror...it's hilarious!

Check out his new kicks...MSU sneakers!

 Heading out on daddy's back for a day on the town

Hello everyone!

Chris is already determined Ty will be the next big Korean golfer!

 Ty's first swim ever, took a little while but then he loved it!

 What kids doesn't like TV...thanks Lib for packing him a few of your DVD's

 Check out my new toy, it speaks Korean! 

Ty running down the hall...his favorite thing to do in a boring hotel

Yes, his shirt says LEGEND!

All ready for bed...night night!

When Ty wakes up from his nap we are heading to 63 City Building, it houses Sea World.  We are hoping he will enjoy the penguin and seal shows. 

Update on Ty's adjustment:

Ty is way bigger than we anticipated.  We brought 12 month and 18 month clothes and the 18 month clothes are fitting him, but not for long.  His shoe size is about a 6 -7!  He's a big boy with a big heart!  We are still amazed with this little guy.  He sleeps like a champ (13 hours last night), smiles all day long and wants to hug and cuddle with both of us.  While we are so happy we also worry about his lack of grieving.  It is so like Chris and I to worry when things are going well, we did the same with Libby while she was in the NICU.  We decided we need to rejoice in the fact that he is one HAPPY kid who already loves us!  It is hard to put in words how much we adore him.  He has melted our hearts and we know he was mean't to be a part of our family.  Just wait, he will melt your hearts too!

A Rainy Saturday

It rained all day today and the temperature dropped from 75 to 50 degrees!  Thus, my big plans of going to the Children's Grand Park were nixed and instead we did some indoor shopping at the Lotte Department Store and took Ty swimming for the first time. 

We decided to us our Ergo carrier for this outting.  Good choice, by the time we entered the department store Ty was out cold on Chris' back.  He slept the whole time we shopped and woke up just in time to enjoy some Korean food at the market.  It is amazing how the kids in this culture have adapted to the busy lifestyle of the city.  They can sleep anywhere! 

Next, we decided to try swimming.  I had asked his foster mother if he had ever swan before...the answer was no.  When we first got to the pool, which felt like bath water, Ty was very hesitant and wouldn't go near it.  We let him do it in his own time and soon enough he was on my lap in the water.  After about 15 minutes, he was standing on his own in the water.  Give him a few more experiences with pools and he will be swimming like a pro this summer at the pool. 

The hotel we are staying in is not super kid friendly.  It's the Westin right in the center of the business district.  We chose it because we used Chris' hotel points and are staying for free!  Unfortunately, our room in small and our 20 month old wants to run up and down the halls.  This would not be a problem if we weren't on the executive floor and there wasn't a high class wedding taking place in the ballroom down the hall.  Ty went running down the hall in his pj's and Chris had to chase him.  He almost joined the wedding.  Hey, he could have been a wedding crasher if he wasn't the only white guy at an all Korean traditional wedding! 

Ty continues to be a super easy kid.  He smiles, plays, sleeps and pretty much makes life super easy.  Chris and I can't belive how well he has adapted...he has seriously never cried yet!  This kind of scares us, why isn't he grieving his Foster mother?  We know all kids are different and that we were told his temperment was so easy-going but we did not expect it to be this easy.  Oh well, we'll take it and hope he doesn't have any attachment issues.

I will post pictures tomorrow...too tired right now.  So, I'm off to bed to join sweet Ty and Chris.  Tomorrow it is suppose to be another rainy day... hope we can find something fun to do!

A Beautiful Day

Okay, that couldn't have went better in my dreams...this kid is amazing! He was smiles from the minute we met him til the minute he left with us.  All his foster mother kept saying is he's easy going, happy and a sweet busy little guy.  All those things were evident during and since our meeting.  Ty took to both of us immediately.  Of all the toys we took the cell phone was the hit, go figure.  Also, as I tried to write answers to the questions we were asking his Foster Mother, he tried to steal my pen.  He successfully got it and drew us a picture.  Chris says he's going to be an artist.  On his first birthday he chose the pencil, which means he's going to be a scholar!  (I'll explain later about the Korean 1st birthday tradition)
DJ the social worker at Holt told us this was one of the easiest meeting she has had in awhile.  It made her happy to see Ty take to us so easily.  I know this is still new and things may change rapidly but I'm holding out hope that his laid back nature will help him through this transistion easily. 

As we drove home he played in the cab.  After awhile we gave him a bottle of milk and within 5 minutes he was sleeping and has been every since (over an hour now!)  How nice it is to be able to see him so peaceful.  Thanks for all the prayers, it appears they worked!

We still have a full day ahead of us once he wakes up.  We plan on heading to the park and shopping! He is bigger than we thought and the shoes and some of the clothes I brought are too small! 

Okay I know you want pictures so here you go...

 His Foster Mother

 Looking at his photo album

 DJ, the social worker...lovely lady!

Notice the pen in his hand...he had to have it!

Foster Mother saying goodbye to her last baby!

 Drinking a bottle in the cab

 Out cold in the cab on Daddy

Up to bed

 Taking a nap

Once he woke up his personality started to shine...



Almost There

It is 5:30 in the morning and I just slept for 8 hours!(Chris is still sleeping)   I have so much to share about this amazing city.  The people of Seoul are like none we have ever met.  They are kind, compassionate, polite, and above all beautiful people inside and out.  Chris and I are constantly in awe of this city and its people.  I will be doing an extensive post on this later... it deserves way more time and concentration than I can dedicate to it now.

We met up with 3 other couples for dinner last night at a place called the Coex.  Its a hugh shopping mall, kind of reminds me of the Eaton Center in Toronto.  It was so nice sharing stories and learning about their experiences.  It's also nice knowing that we are not in this alone and that there are people here in Seoul to help us along on our journey.

So, in 5 hours our 3 1/2 year journey to get Ty will be over... He will be ours!  As I write this my heart is pounding.  It the craziest feeling knowing that our lives are about to change forever in the best way possible.  I envision this meeting going well (let's hope I'm right) and Ty being this happy go lucky little dude!  We have so many plans for this weekend in Seoul with him.  We want to take him to the zoo, some of the many parks, the river walk, and the markets.

So for now I say goodbye as a family of 3, my next post we will be a family of 4 and we will be complete!  We love you Libby Lu...we are off to get your baby brother!

Ty Ty Land...aka Seoul, South Korea

We are here in Ty Ty land!  It still seems so unreal that we just traveled halfway around the world, 14 hours and 20 minutes in flight to be exact.  We are comfortable in our very posh hotel room and Chris is already sound asleep in the Heavenly Bed. 

The flight was awesome, yes I said awesome!  Flying first class in the 777 planes is like laying in your bed all day watching movies getting room service.  I watched 3 movies (Footloose being my favorite!), read my nook, slept for 3 hours (on a perfectly flat bed), and chatted it up with the flight attendants for while.  Go figure, one of the attendants lives in Northville less than a mile from us! 

Before getting on the plane we met another couple in Detroit traveling to get their second Korean child.  Sweet people from Kentucky.  We may get a chance to meet up with them this week, it all depends on our schedules.

Tomorrow we go on a Seoul city Tour and then spend the evening doing whatever we want.  We better enjoy it, it's our last evening without a toddler!  From what I can tell from our hour ride from the airpot to the hotel, Seoul is a booming Metropolitian city.  I reminds me of a mini New York, so cultural and hip! We can't wait to get out and explore.    Friday morning, just a little over 24 hours from now, we get Tyler!  It's still hard to comprehend and I don't think we fully will until we are on our way to Holt.  So Thursday at 9:30 Eastern time we will be getting Ty.   So for all those Grey's Anatomy fans, while your watching say a little prayer that all goes well. 

Tomorrow I plan on taking lots of pictures during our tour and I promise I'll post some.  Unfortuntealy my phone doesn't work so my blog and facebook are my two means of communication! 

Off to bed!

A Day of Wonderful Surprises

Today was my last day teaching kindegarten for awhile.  I plan on returning for the last week of school to send my little ones on their way to first grade.  Between now and then it's all about Ty and Libby.  I usually work a half day, from 12:00-4:00, but today I worked all day.  I now remember why I decided to do sharetime, it's way easier!  When I got to school this morning I was surprised by the thoughtfulness of my co-workers.  They are so excited about our adoption that they had a luncheon in Ty's honor.  It was great, they put Korean flags up, had fortune cookies and different kinds of pizza and salads, and sweetest of all an adoption poem posted for all to see. (see pics below)  It really touched my heart that they took the time to put this together...thank you!!!

This all made me realize yet again what a lucky little guy Ty is.  He is so adored and he hasn't even had the chance to charm anyone yet!  Just wait til he gets here...he will have everyone loving him up!

Korean Flag

 A few of the fortunes from our fortune cookies...

Some of my wonderful co-workers!

Today we got our Forever Family Day appointment.  Next Friday, April 20th at 10:30am we will meet Ty for the first time.  We will spend about 2 hours with him at Holt, along with his Foster Mother, and then he is ours forever!  It's had to believe that in 1 week Ty will be in our arms!

After school Chris, Libby and I went to one of our favorite restuarants, China Cafe, to enjoy a nice dinner. After we ate we each got a fortune cookie, seems to be a pattern for the day!  Our fortunes were awesome especially Chris':

Chris' was the middle one... he had to stop and think for a minute to make sure Korea was East.  It's confusing because we fly West to get there but it's definitly East.  Mine was the small packages.  Funny, I think an old post was titled exactly what my fortune said!  Lib's was about an opportunity...believe you me she is always ready for any opportunity that presents itself!

We have a lot to get done between now and Tuesday.  Pack, clean, soccer games, Red Wings games, etc.

Lib is on team Brazil...she got 2 goals! 

We worked together to make this sign... Hope our Wings can make a run at the cup!

And here are a few old pictures I have to post...

 Libby in the Easter dress she refused to wear on Easter Sunday.  It was just too fancy for her!  Didn't she look beautiful!?!

Silly Girl

Lib and I at the Ann Arbor Hands on Museum.  We had a girls day...Museum, Zingerman's Deli, and Shopping.  Love spending the day with my gal

Now I have to get packing and stop procastinating.  I think I'm still in denial that we are leaving in 3 days! 



Poor Ty Guy

Today we fully expected to get our Forever Family Date (the date we take custody) but instead we got an accident report with pictures.  Poor Ty fell and hit his eye on the corner of a table.  He needed 5 stitches and got a good shiner.  He looks like a hockey player...fits right into our family.  The only upside to this was we got a few more pics of Ty.  He looks older, like a little man now!

Tomorrow we will get our Forever Family and Seoul City Tour dates...can't wait! 
I spent today putting the finishing touches on Ty's room and decluttering Lib's.  We got rid of tons of stuffed animals.  Lib was so cute, she made 3 piles:  keep pile, Ty plie, and donate pile.  Thank goodness the donate pile was the largest!  I hope Ty likes Sesame Street cuz he's getting every character!