Starting Over?

I feel like I’m starting over. A new place. A new time. A new blog. Why? It is time to go private. (I've thought about doing this for nearly a year now.) I’ve had a public blog for over two years. When I started blogging, the purpose was to document and share our adoption journey. Document for us. Share with others…family and friends, to be specific.

When I first discovered adoption blogs…specifically ones related to Korean adoption…I was immediately hooked. These were people who had done what we were doing or were somewhere in the process, like we were. I felt a connection with a group of people who were previously complete strangers to me…who I now call friends. Some I have met in real life, others are friends via blogs, Facebook, email, etc… The friendships and connections that developed through blog-land are incredible. Weathering the ups & downs of the adoption journey was so much easier because of the advice and support we received through my blog.

I’ve continued to blog for the same reasons I started…to document and to share. However, my blog is less and less about our adoption journey…and more and more about being…a family…a regular family. Don’t get me wrong…we are forever a family formed through adoption…and we wouldn’t want it any other way. Our journey as an adoptive family doesn’t end now or at any particular point. I obviously still love to blog…and plan to do so…but feel the need to pull inward just a bit.

I had planned to maybe start my own website…but just don’t feel fully up to that right now…especially this busy time of year. I debated whether or not to stick with Blogger (creating a list of invited users, requiring you to sign in to read/view my blog) or switch to WordPress, where I know I could password protect my posts. I chose the latter. This way I can pick/choose which posts to password protect and which ones to make public. It seemed like the best balance for me…for now.

Of course…this switch hasn’t been exactly easy…learning a new blogging platform. And trust me…I do not have it fully figured out yet. Like…Why the comments from my old blog aren’t showing up on each old blog post yet despite seeing them in the comment menu on my dashboard? Or…How to change/add the categories in the right sidebar? Or…How to password protect my old posts? If anyone knows these things or has suggestions, let me know. But…I will get there…and I hope you’ll stick with me. If I waited until I had all the features completely mastered, I'd never make the switch. Change and challenge are both good things, right?

I’ve had a lot of loyal followers over the 2+ years I’ve been blogging. Your comments and support have been incredible. I hope you’ll continue to follow along. Thank you.

The new blog link is: http://myseoulsearching.wordpress.com/
To request the password for future private posts, please email me at: myseoulsearching@gmail.com

Namaste — Janet

Love Friday (98th Edition)

• LOVE how our Little Romeo is moving in for a smooch here with Baby R. Even more...LOVE her reaction. Wink. (I didn't have the camera out & ready when he was smothering her with hug after hug.)
• LOVEd having Thanksgiving at my parents' home yesterday. So nice to have family nearby now.
• LOVE that I ordered our holiday cards next week. Cannot wait to receive them and send them out.
• LOVE that one of Little D's favorite sayings right now is, "Hip-Hip-Hooray!" (BIG on the "Hooray!" part.)
• LOVE that Little D's two-year well-child-check went well this week. He is right around the 50th percentile for height & weight. We are grateful for a healthy, happy child.
• LOVE that Little D has been offering up all kinds of spontaneous hugs to us lately. So cute to see him get the idea all on his own, come running, and throw his arms around us. One of the BEST feelings ever, if you ask me.
• LOVE having plenty 'o Thanksgiving left-overs in the house...including pie! Mmmm.
• LOVE new words I've heard from D lately: turtle, tail, boo-boo (as in "owie"...not a new word for him, but a current *obsession*...he thinks he has one ALL the time), wheel, sit down, and my personal favorite: far away (which he says with lots of emphasis on the "far"...just like you'd say it in a story book...which is where I'm sure he heard it from us).
• LOVE that this is ALMOST my 100th LOVE FRIDAY post. (Stick around...I suspect there just might be something fun for the 100th one...we must celebrate, right?)

Wordless Wednesday: Post-Snow Snack Time

Look Who's Two!

Yesterday we had a little party for Little D's SECOND BIRTHDAY. It wasn't as big of a production as his Tol (last year), but still wonderful. We invited a few close friends with little kids and my parents...decked the house out in some construction-themed decor...and partied like two-year-olds. It was fun!

Little D greeting his first (and youngest) guest...Baby R.

D was smitten with her...again.

He kept bending forward to get eye-to-eye...and give her hugs.

Our little Korean Casanova was in RARE form...
...greeting everyone as they came to the door (he'd RUN to the door each time)...hugging & kissing everyone...especially the ladies.

Little D and Little O sharing some puzzle time.
(BTW...the table & chairs were mine AND my mom's when we were little girls. Grandpa fixed them up for Little D prior to his arrival. LOVE it!)

OK...this photo is an out-take...but what I love about it:
I was trying to take a photo of the lovely 3-some behind Little D...
...but guess who jumped in front of the camera at the last minute? Yep.

THERE's the shot I wanted. Little H and her parents. SO cute.

Just a FEW trucks here & there...and this was BEFORE the present-opening.



Little D sharing his grandma with Baby R.

THE CAKE!

(No, I didn't make it. I won't even lie about it.)

You have NO idea the amount of restraint it took for Little D to sit back and WAIT for those trucks while we sang Happy Birthday. He made a lunge for them when I first brought in the cake. We promptly moved his chair BACK from the table. I wish I'd had the video camera going for this scene.

Blowing out the candles.

After singing everyone cheered...including Little D. He's his own biggest fan.

"They FINALLY let me have those trucks off the top of the cake!"

Watching Grandma cut the cake...

...and offering his digger (pronounced, "deeeee-goooow") to *help*, if needed.

Baby R and her parents. The construction crew!

Little D was perfectly content to sit & play with those trucks.

Guess what is STILL his favorite "present" so far?...

...Yep, the cheapo flimsy plastic trucks from the cake.

Present time.

Little D had the same helper as last year, A.

FUN to see them both in pics a year apart.

As you might have guessed...fire trucks were a POPULAR theme for gifts for Little D this year. He scored several red-truck items...including books, a fire station, and THREE fire truck puzzles. They are ALL different, which is awesome (and just tells you how popular fire trucks are).

This gift caused him to dance AND do a lap of pure excitement around the room (as he waited for Dada to get it out of the box).

"Hurry, Appa...HURRY!"

What a WONDERFUL second birthday! Thanks everyone.

Love Friday (97th Edition)

• LOVE that a certain special little toddler is turning TWO this weekend!
• LOVE the pinecone bird feeder Little D made at school this week (even if it is SUPER sticky from the honey on it).
• LOVE that we made it through another FULL week of school and work. Two in a row...a record lately.
• LOVEd running errands completely solo for two hours on Wednesday morning while Little D had a blast playing with Grandma & Grandpa.
• LOVE that I won a cool give-away from a blog friend. Cannot wait to receive our special ornament. Thanks to Kimberly...and her cute little elf!
• LOVE that I plan to order our holiday cards this weekend. I seriously LOVE creating cards. I've been scouring websites for weeks...looking (and oooh-ing & ahhh-ing) over all the possibilities.
• LOVE our little boy's LOVE of snow. I think our winter gear will get a good work-out this year.

More Snow Fun

On Sunday we went back out to enjoy ALL the snow that had fallen. The snow was thick, wet, and heavy. Little D had a little trouble walking in it...but it certainly didn't slow him down too much. It did, however, tucker him out...yay!

"Hi, Mama."



"Hmmmm...what's my next move?"

"Snowball fight?"

"Come on, Dada. Let's build a snowman."

"Here, I'll help."

I LOVE my boys!

Time for the park...YES, in the snow. We do this a lot in the winter.

Picnic benches are WAY more fun with snow on them.

" Time to climb some ropes. Kind of hard to do in this get-up."

We did some sledding too...but I took video of that, not photos. To be honest, Little D had more fun walking around in the snow than sledding. But...my DH...just the opposite. I hope to post a silly video soon of him having WAY TOO MUCH fun on the slippery slopes. ;-)

Wordless Wednesday: Furry Outside Friend

{she is NOT doing what it looks like here}

{Ginger!}

We're Getting The Band Back Together

[Last post with children's museum photos...I promise!]

Little D found the "music production room" at the Children's Museum when we were there a couple of weekends ago. When we arrived, all the traditionally cool musical instruments were "taken" (namely the guitar and the bass). So...our little musician settled for...the maraca...


Now...as you might recall from an old post...this wasn't really settling...since we all know the maraca is a totally cool instrument after all. So...Little D was happy to report: "We're getting the band back together!"

These other dudes were already totally laying down some tracks when we arrived at the studio, but they were missing one thing: a totally awesome maraca player...enter Little D! I love how the center rocker totally has the Billy Joe Armstrong (Green Day) stance down perfect. So cool.

Here Little D was staring at the television monitor...waiting for his big solo. The kids were standing on "stage" against a blue background...and up on the television monitor (what they are all staring at in these shots) they see themselves in the midst of a virtual background (a concert stage or other kid-fun venues)...making the experience even better.

"Maybe I'll just bang this thing on the floor...for some interpretive percussion." Not a bad idea...they were lacking a drummer after all.

Now that's more like it. Rock on, Little D! ("Billy Joe" was yelling at his bass player that he missed his cue...and for not making up his mind if he is a lefty or righty on the guitar. I totally sensed the tension...the rumors are the band might actually be splitting up again...dang!)

"Finally...those dudes are outta here. I'm going to try this guitar on for size. I always knew I was meant to be a solo artist. Those posers were just holding me back."

If anyone wants "in" on an advanced copy of Little D's solo album...I just happen to be a groupie...so I'll see if I can put in a good word for you.

Peace, Love, and Rock & Roll everyone!

Let It Snow

We woke up this morning to see snow on the ground (yes, it was still dark outside)...and even more coming down. After some play time, books, breakfast, and more of the same...my DH headed out to start shoveling. It appeared to be wet, heavy snow...so the key is not to let it pile up SO HIGH that you cannot even move it.

After finishing the back walk and driveway, my DH came to the door and said Little D and I should come join him. Now...this sounds like it should be simple enough, right?! Well...let's just say getting Little D and myself dressed first and then both of us into all our winter gear...took a WHILE. Little D kept trying to run away from me first (naked, of course...why is this sooooo funny?!) and then put up a bit of protest when it came to the mittens...but besides that he tolerated being pushed, pulled, shoved, and coaxed into multiple layers. I should have taken a photo in the house when he fell over and couldn't get up...just like in one of our favorite movies, A Christmas Story...and this was even before we managed to get his boots on him. (BTW...how can you tell when your kid's foot is fully inserted in the boots? We think we did it. Hopefully it wasn't like walking around in high heels (tip-toe) for Little D.)

Once we got outside...all the work was definitely worth it...to see his face when the snow hit it...priceless. Little D was here for the snow last year, but he wasn't too great at walking in many inches of snow...so he didn't probably enjoy it as much as I suspect he will this year.

First up: A sled ride around the block (on the sidewalks). The snow was coming down SO HARD that I had to keep my camera tucked away inside my coat. I only took a couple of shots before taking the camera back in the house. A very wet snow means even my parka was getting pretty soaked and I didn't want to risk ruining the camera. However...I did manage to capture this...

One VERY happy boy.

My DH said Little D had this same look on his face pretty much the entire walk (ride) around the block. After they came back, Little D got to work "helping" shovel the driveway and attempting to walk in the yard. Thick, wet, HEAVY snow made this challenging, but he wasn't going to admit defeat...so he kept going & going & going. Little Energizer Bunny! Guess who was pretty tired after all this outdoor activity? Yep...the same little boy who pitched a total fit when we brought him back in the house. I suspect we'll be outside a LOT this winter. Might as well make the best of it, right? Good thing we live where we do.

Love Friday (96th Edition)

• LOVE the final days of Fall at the park.
• LOVE that Little D's beloved trucks & diggers always have to go to the park and also go on the swings, slides, etc...
• LOVE that today is my MIL's birthday. Happy Birthday, Nettie.
• LOVE having no big plans for the weekend. Time for fun and relaxation...I hope.
  
  

• LOVEd going to out for dinner tonight at one of our old favorites in its new location. Remember this post I wrote a while back...well...one of our favorite restaurants from the building that burned down opened up in their new location this week. The owner was so happy to see people, like us, from the old neighborhood. The new location is beautiful (still in an old city building)...and the food...still so yummy! We've missed them. It is no longer within walking distance (BUMMER!), but I think we'll still be regulars.
• LOVE that Little D made it to all three days of school this week. Amazing!
• LOVE that we are supposed to get our first snow of the season this weekend. There is something magical about the first snow each year. Looking forward to sharing the snow with Little D this year. He'll be able to enjoy it much more this year, I think.