Ketchup With Us #22 - The Adoption Roller Coaster

 

 For the 22nd installment of Ketchup With Us, Mel and Michele have implored us to tell about an experience on a roller coaster, whether literal or figurative. As much as I love roller coasters, I can think of nothing that was more of a roller coaster ride than Joe Sung Min's adoption. With the two year anniversary of his arrival quickly approaching, the memories are flooding back. What started out as smooth sailing ended up with more twists, turns and free falls than anything we'd experienced.  Read on...

We filled out paperwork as we waited in line.

Finally. Our turn.

We climb slowly up the hill, waiting for something. Anything.

“It’s a boy,” we heard as we hurtled toward the loop. Whee!

Suddenly we stopped.
Upside down.

Visa approved. No more passports. What??

Freefall.

Knuckles whitened. We cried, prayed, worried, waited.
We may never get off this ride.

Suddenly we lurch forward, speeding towards the corkscrew and the exit.

Flying to Seoul, meeting his foster family (we love you, Omma and Appa!), joining his birthday celebration.

The long flight home, reuniting as a family of 4, settling in.
The roller coaster is over, the real ride begins.

   

Summer Vacation

Each year, the kids and I go to New York to visit my family. My 4 sibilings either live in NY (less than an hour from each other) or CT (about 2 1/2 hours away from the NY contingent.)  It is always a highlight of our year - and I'm so thankful for the opportunity for my kids to get to spend some time with their relatives on the Hendricks side of the family.

I am very thankful that the kids are such good travelers - and that Joe has come SUCH a long way in the last year. The long (9-10 hour) drive was no issue at all and he kept busy saying "hello" and talking to all of the diggers, bulldozers, trucks and cars that drove by. And, of course, eating.  My kids can eat.  If car snacking were a competitive sport, they could possibly be undefeated.

We made it to our final destination (Auntie Jen's house) with no issues and Liv was SO excited to see her favorite Auntie and her big cousins. Joe was, well, Joe ... and took a little to get settled in and was soon showing his cousins his trains, construction vehicles and firetruck.

For the next week, we were busy playing, swimming, seeing family, going to amusement parks, animal parks, going out for ice cream and swimming some more.  Obviously, the highlight of the trip for Liv was swimming in Auntie Jen's pool and hanging out in the hot tub (very briefly) with her cousins.  Joe-Joe enjoyed playing with his toys, going for ice cream to the "Ice Cream Train" and going over bridges or through tunnels. Perhaps his *favorite* part was riding on the train at Hoffman's Playland with Auntie Jen not once, not twice but THREE times while Kim, Nuna and I went on some rides. Sadly, this will be the last time that Hoffman's Playland will be open.  Hopefully, the pool will be a little more enticing to him next time.

Here are some pictures from our trip out east.  Enjoy!

My little equestrian

This summer has been quite exciting for nuna.  Last August, she started taking riding lessons and fell in love with the experience.  Earlier this year, she decided that she would like to compete in horse shows over the summer, a decision that caught us a little by surprise and we wondered how she would do with all eyes on her in the arena.  Liv has definitely rising to the challenge.

Riding horses has been an incredible experience for Liv.  She has become more self confident and poised, remains focused (when necessary) and. most importantly, is making new friends and having fun. We are very proud of how far she has come and can't believe how well she is doing having ridden for such a short period of time.

To date, Liv has been in 3 shows and has won 2 first place ribbons, 2 second place ribbons, a third and a seventh.  She loves everything about showing horses: the clothes, the excitement, the people ... and, of course,  showing off her skills. The older girls  in our riding club (Ashland Paint and Plain) who assist her have been wonderful at making her feel included and her instructor, Miss Emily, is nothing short of amazing.

We are very proud of our little equestrian and are looking forward to what lies ahead.  Here are some pictures from her first three shows:

Show #1 - Mother's Day

Getting very excited for her first event - and she wanted to go first

Going through her routine with Splash

Little miss after her first place win in showmanship. Cloud 9!

The riding portion is over - waiting to exit the arena

Showing off her ribbons

 Horse show #2

                                                         Hanging with Splash before her s 1st event of show #2                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Joe Joe loves running around when he gets the chance

Liv and Ciera before she rides

 Show #3 - Father's Day

Joe says hi to EVERYONE he sees

 And a little video of her cantering during lessons.  She LOVES it!

We enjoy seeing her so excited about riding and being so proud of her accomplishments. We can't wait to see what she learns next - and how it will benefit her as a person outside the arena.  More to follow.