We're Here!!!!

Wow! We finally made it to Seoul, South Korea. We just arrived at the SWS House a few minutes ago. I can't believe that I am half way around the world from my house, family, and friends, but just minutes away from my baby. This is the closet we've ever been to him!!!!
The flight from LA to Seoul was very nice. We flew Korean Air on a 747 and it was a smooth flight and the food was pretty good believe it or not. Joey and I both slept for about 7 hours of the flight. I was so excited when we got on the plane and I saw New Moon on the movie list. I haven't seen it yet so couldn't wait to watch it. As soon as we took off I played the movie. The next thing I knew, I was awaken by a very pretty Korean stewardess who asked me if I wanted the Korean or Beef dinner. I was so confused because I was dead asleep. We both chose the beef dinner and it was actually really good....maybe we were just really hungry. I also noticed the credits rolling on the screen. I fell asleep before the movie even started!!!

We arrived in Seoul at 4:40am. We went to get our luggage and wouldn't you know it....one of our suitcases didn't make it on the flight from LA to Seoul!!! It's the bag with all of our toiletries, my make-up, brush, gifts for Ryan and his foster family!! Needless to say I had a moment of freak out and almost started to cry. They are sending it whenever the next flight to Korea leaves. Who knows if it will even make it in time before we visit Ryan and his foster family tomorrow. Oh, and our PJ's are in there too. Oh well! Nothing we can do about that. I just hate that I may not have the gifts with me tomorrow when we meet Ryan and and his foster family. And I will have no make-up to wear! Gross!

Next, we walked out to find a cab and this guy asked us if we needed a cab ride and we of course said yes. We followed him to his black cab van and he drove us from Incheon to Seoul. It was just under an hour. He dropped us off at the Renaissance Hotel because it's just a short walk from there to SWS. Well, I guess the black car van drivers charge WAY more than the yellow cabs do. We were charged $170 dollars when it should have only cost about $80-90! Damn guy ripped us off. We walked into the Renaissance hotel and the nicest guy helped us and told us NOT to take the black van cabs and to take the yellow ones instead. Then, he drew a map to SWS which was supposed to be just a few short blocks. Well, we took a wrong turn and ended up walking WAY out of our way in the freezing cold with all our luggage. We asked someone for directions that barely spoke English but lead us in the right direction and we finally made it here.
I am so tired right now and it is so surreal that we are actually here in Seoul, South Korea. The SWS Guest House is very nice. I just keep thinking that when Ryan was first born, this is where he spent the first few weeks of his life before being placed with his foster family. I am looking forward to getting our tour of this place so I can see more of it.

Not sure what we plan on doing today. I think we are going to take a nap and then venture out....in a YELLOW cab to find a place to eat. I'm SO tired right now I can hardly type.

Mom and Dad...please give Cooper a good neck scratch from us! We will update later....tomorrow we meet Ryan. I can't even imagine how happy my heart is going to feel when I hold him for the first time. I can't wait!!!!!

This is the view out of our room window and then the plane we flew here on!

Today's the Day :) :)

Today is the day I thought would never come. It still hasn't hit me that we are leaving for SOUTH KOREA today!!!! The fact that I just wrote that last sentence is still shocking and surreal to me. I've been surprisingly calm...haven't had to bust into the xanax yet! I'll save that for the flight! I was even able to get some sleep last night believe it or not. I did however wake up at 5:50am and have been up ever since. I'm kind of glad our flight doesn't leave until this evening because it is giving me the opportunity to take it easy this morning instead of feeling rushed.

I just want to say thank you to all my friends and family who have been so supportive throughout this entire process. Joey and I both appreciate the support and love we have received and couldn't ask for a better family or friends. Thank you to everyone who follows our blog....please stay tuned for updates from Korea!

See you on the flip flop! XOXOXOXO

Leaving Tomorrow!

I can't believe that I am typing the words "leaving tomorrow." It's crazy! I knew this day would eventually come but it is still hard to believe that this is actually happening. People keeping asking me if I'm excited and my only answer to them is that I am 'everything.' There isn't one adjective that best describes how I am feeling because I have so many mixed emotions. Yes I am very excited to finally meet my beautiful son and to become a mommy but I am also sad for his foster family who has loved and cared for him for 9 months now. I will be forever grateful for all they have done because I have never doubted for a second that he wasn't being loved and cared for the way he deserved to be.

I am also nervous to fly. I've never been a huge fan of flying so to travel so far for so long makes me very nervous. I know it will be okay and I will get through it, but my stomach turns when I think about being on a plane for 18.5 hours total...holy cow!!!! I have heard so many wonderful things about Seoul so I am very excited to go there to see for myself just how wonderful it is. It will also be so nice to see where Ryan has spent the first 9 months of his life too:)

Our lives are about to change forever. In one weeks time SO much is going to happen and it will be hard to take it all in. Not only are we traveling half around the world, we are also adopting a baby AND becoming parents for the very first time. Wow! One week from today we will be arriving home with our son and I can't tell you how excited that makes me. We will be greeted at the airport by close family all eagerly waiting to finally meet Ryan. This is actually happening. I still can't believe it. God has finally answered our prayers and we are so blessed.

So today I will enjoy my time alone with my little doggy who's world is about to change also. He has been the center of our live for the past 2 and half years and has been there to make us laugh and to offer some cuddles when times were rough. I know he is just a dog but he has brought so much joy to our lives and I know he is going to be so great with Ryan. He loves kids and I think once he gets use to the change, he and Ryan will be best buds!

Off I go. I need to finish a few things before we leave tomorrow and try to take in this moment. I can't believe this is actually happening. I am so "everything" right now!

Wordless Wednesday: Our Bags Are Packed!!!!

Travel Call!!!!

Travel Call! Travel Call! I can't believe this day has finally come. Our travel call came this morning at around 10:30am. I froze when I looked at my phone and saw the number I had waited to see for what feels like so long now. We already booked our flight and will be leaving this Saturday at 7:15pm. We fly to L.A. and arrive there at 9:00pm. which will be midnight our time. Then we have a 3 hour layover and leave at 12:30am from L.A. and fly to Seoul. It's 13 hours from L.A. to Seoul....Yikes!!!! We will be headed home on Friday the 26th. We leave Seoul at 11:40am and arrive in Atlanta at 10:20am with a 2 hour layover. From Atlanta we fly to Detroit and arrive at 2:30pm. It's going to be one heck of an adventure but I can't wait! I'm not sure where we will be staying yet. We are waiting to hear back from our agency to let us know if there is availability at SWS or if we have to get a hotel. We are also waiting to hear when we will meet our son for the first time. I'm assuming we will meet him on Tuesday which will be exactly one week from today (Korea time). SO exciting!!!!

Today has been crazy and I am so exhausted from not getting any sleep the past few nights and I am so excited that we will finally have our son home with us. He has already brought so much joy to our lives and he isn't even here yet.I can only imagine the joy that is about to come. It's been quite the journey but one with a very happy ending. We are so lucky.

Anxious...

I am incredibly anxious and have been since last week. Ever since I called D.C. last Tuesday and was told that Ryan made his Embassy Appearance, I have been SO anxious. When I called D.C. on Friday I talked with the nicest and funniest lady. She said the same thing as the others. That there still hasn't been a Visa Interview. This is what she said to me..."No interview but I see his picture and Oh...My...God....he is so cute and he has NO hair. He looks like a little worried old man." She was hilarious and just kept saying how cute he was and how worried he looked. She also told me that I should start calling D.C. every day starting this week (even though I already do) to see if the Visa Interview has been scheduled. I can't sleep and hardly have an appetite. Every time I think about getting our travel call my stomach turns and my heart starts racing. For the first time I feel like now when the phone rings it could possibly be our social worker calling to say Ryan is ready. I just hope that call comes this week.
So I will be walking around with my phone clutched in my hand all day and every time someone calls me, my heart will skip a beat. Most of my family and friends have actually starting text messaging me before calling to warm me. Funny! Let's just hope that one of those calls is the call we've been waiting for for such a long time now. I'm ready. We're ready. Cooper is ready too. Hopefully I will be updating very soon with very exciting news. Until then, I will pray like heck and try to keep as busy as possible.

Flashback Friday....7 Years!

On this Friday seven years ago my husband and I were in the very early stages of our relationship. He invited me to the Old Shillelagh (an Irish Pub) in Detroit with a group of his friends to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. We had just started dating and had only been on one date a few days prior. I was hesitant to go being that I was going to be the only girl with this group of guys. I'm so glad I did because it ended up being so much fun and the start of a wonderful relationship and now wonderful marriage. We even shared our very first kiss that night :)

My husband deserves a special thank you for being such a loving, supportive, and PATIENT husband not just during this process, but always. He is the best!!!! Thank you for the greatest 7 years of my life...so far!