What a Day!

Today was Noah's day!  Three years ago today, we arrived home from Korea with a little boy who would rock our world in ways we could only imagine!  :)  He is a perfect fit for our family and a joy in our lives!  Today is also a day that I think about Noah's foster family.  They loved on him for 9 months when he lived in Korea and gave him the best possible start in life all the while knowing that they would be saying good-bye to him.  I cannot imagine how they did it, and still continue to do it (I think!).  We are forever thankful for his caring foster mother and her family who supports her in this role.

I have not had a chance to upload pictures from our day, those will come soon.  We started our day bright and early with our traditional Saturday donut breakfast.  Ever since I can remember, Daddy and Noah head to the store every Saturday in their lounging pants and pick up some donuts.  After breakfast, we headed out to the Mall of America for rides and lunch.  Noah likes to eat on the third floor, under the movie theater, so that he can watch all of the roller coasters.  Lately it has been impossible to find a table there and today was no exception!  Plus, the line for McDonald's, where Noah wanted to eat, was a gazillion miles long!!  Luckily, he likes the baby corn dogs at Famous Dave's so we were able to talk him into eating there.  Then, we headed to the rides.  Again, it was crazy busy there!  He rode his favorites and then all four of us rode the ferris wheel.  Chloe tolerated it but I am not sure she liked it!

We headed back towards home and ate supper at Culver's.  Then we headed to a place called Jumps and Downs, which is in a strip mall and it has about 6 big inflatable jumpy-things!  Noah bounced to his heart's content and left exhausted!  We got home about 7:15pm, after waking at 6:30am, so we had two tired little kids tonight!  (Chloe did have a nap in the Ergo while Noah rode rides, so that helped immensely!)  We didn't even get to our cupcakes, so the festivities will continue tomorrow!

Brandon and I are exhausted, too!  We are getting to old for Noah's Day-o-Fun!  :)  Tired or not, we wouldn't trade it for anything.  In the words of Noah, "Well, that was a good day!"  Amen.

Until Next Time,
Stacy

Take a Walk with Me...

down memory lane!  This week is a special week for us in the Urban Household!  Three years ago, we were in Korea meeting a very special little boy who would make us Mommy and Daddy.  I had wanted to post a couple of times this week, but we have been sick, so I'll just post a few pictures here today.  It is crazy to think that it has been three years!  It seems like no time at all and forever, all at once.

On March 21, 2008 we met Noah for the first time.  Here are a couple of pictures from that special day...can you believe how little he looks??

After a weekend of sight-seeing and spending time with some new friends, we met Noah again on Monday, March 24.  This time, we got to play with him in a play room while his foster mother was in another room. Noah did well with us, until his "Omma" came back into the room...then he only had eyes for her.  Here are some of our favorites from that day...

On Tuesday, March 25, three years ago today, we received Noah and got to have him over night with us before leaving Korea the following morning.  It was such an emotional time, one that neither of us will forget.  Adoption is a beautiful process, but it comes at such a high price of pain and loss...for Noah, his birth mother and his foster mother.  Here are a few pictures from our first night together....

Our last moments before becoming Mommy and Daddy

...and then there were three.

Tomorrow we celebrate our day as a family!  Noah has oodles of fun activities picked out for us!  Stay tuned for news of all of the fun and adventure!  :)

Until Next Time,

Stacy

Ah, It's Friday!

Just thought I would post a quick update...seems like not much is going on right now, but yet we stay so busy.  We melted a lot of snow this week and the river is going to rise...pretty soon there will just be one road out of town for awhile.  So glad that I don't have to commute in that this spring!  Yuck!  It was so nice to be outside this week...we introduced Chloe to bubbles and sidewalk chalk!  She likes no-snow MUCH BETTER than being stuck in a snowbank!

Lakeville's School Board voted last week to close a school in the district and my beloved Crystal Lake was the unlucky school.  I am so sad that the learning community that I have been a part of for 9 years is going away.  There is a lot of uncertainty about where people will be working next fall and if many will still have jobs.  On some days I am glad to be at home and not in the midst of the chaos, but other times I wish to be there going through the pain of closing a school with my friends.

Today Brandon and I took the kids to Children's Home and we were the parents on a parent-panel for three couples going through the pre-adoption classes.  It was fun, the kids were great (I believe Noah called himself a "Rockstar" :) and it was fun to answer questions about how we brought Noah and Chloe home.  Lately we seem to be asked about adoption a lot.  We have met some wonderful people, some of whom have become friends.  It is fun to know that our experiences are helping others make decisions about adoption and to let them see what life is like beyond the paperwork and the wait.  Adoption is a special process and I wish that many more could experience the joy...it takes your breath away.

Arriving at the airport-March 19, 2008

Three years ago tomorrow we left for Korea to bring Noah home!  Where has the time gone?  I remember the time like it was yesterday, but yet, I can't remember what it was like to not have Noah here!  It is also the day that we met Mike and Annette who were also headed to Korea to bring home their son.

Hangin' at O'Hare-March 19, 2008

We have become very good friends over the past three years and now have four beautiful Korean children between us!

March 26 is the day we came home and began our life as a family of three...I'll post "then and now" pictures later.  So fun to look back and remember how little he really was!  He has grown so much this year!

This week we had Chloe to the pediatrician for her 18 month check up.  She is now 22 pounds and 31 3/4 inches tall.  She is at the 50th percentile for her height and 20th percentile for her weight.  Such a peanut!  :)

Tomorrow Brandon and I are going on a date!  Who-hoo!  Lunch and a movie, perhaps?  I can't remember the last movie we saw in a theater (or even rented, for that matter!)  Good times!

Well, that's all for tonight...thanks for reading!

Until next time,
Stacy

One Year Ago...

Brandon received a phone call at work that we had been matched with a little girl!  He called me at work, in the middle of the afternoon, and told me the news!  So excited!  All of our months (13 of them!) of waiting were over!  We opened an email and saw this face....  :)

...and knew that our daughter had found her way to us!  We love you Chloe!  Happy 18 months old today, too!

We're still here!

Can't believe I went the whole month of February without a post!  Things have been crazy around here!  I'm sure you're all here to look at pictures anyway, so here are some recent ones...I'll be back later to write more!

Until next time,
Stacy

Noah got to go ice fishing with Grandpa Grunklee and Daddy!

It's still cold!  (We were going outside!  It's not quite this cold in our house!)

Watching the fish at the zoo

Time for a tea party!

Having fun with Daddy!

Wheee!

All dressed up in her Korean Hanbok!

Playing with cousin Abel.  

Chloe was fascinated with Uncle Corey's guitar

Giving Great Grandma Grunklee a ride

My beautiful daughter and my beautiful niece!