Today is your day....

"Today is your day" is the email that I received a month ago today. Can you believe it? It has been a month since we prepared to go to Seoul!!!!! We were all in a panic trying to find plane tickets, a hotel, and pack. We had been off that day for snow, and I am so glad John and I were home to share the great news together.
A month later, we are home and making daily gains. We have had good days and bad, but that is definitely to be expected. A month ago, we were given a scared baby who had no clue who we were and could care less who we were. Today, she comes to us readily with a smile and a giggle--most of the time. We were in Target today and she got down for a minute. The second she saw another lady come near, she clung to my leg! Yes, selfishly, it made me happy to know that she would come to me rather than go to the other lady. I still worry about attachment. John and I were talking today that sure she has been with us three weeks, but is she going to think
tomorrow, "hmm....those people over there look fun!" and be done with us? It's only been three weeks! Who knows? That is why we will continue to work on our attachment until we know she is secure. We will continue to do what is best for her and be the only ones taking care of her, holding her and feeding her.

I look back to getting that special email a month ago and I am kinda sad. I am sad that the excitement of going over to Korea is over. I think it is like Christmas for me. We look forward to it for so long and then it is over. I have to remember that just like Christmas, it isn't 'over'. It is just beginning!

My sister, Annelyn, and Moose got Olivia a welcome home present, so we thought what better time to get it out then right here at the month marker. She somewhat knows her surroundings (though sometimes still getting turned around) and she is familiar with her current toys.
Yesterday, John started to work on it just as nap time was ending. So, here he is with screws everywhere and a toddler trying to 'help.' It was not going well. In the meantime, I needed to run an errand. We were both stuck. It was the first time that I really needed a third person for thirty minutes! I can't call anyone else in yet because Olivia isn't ready. So, it is just us. Obviously we survived, but no one said it was pretty! John left the project and ran the errand and Olivia and I played here. Well, later in the afternoon, my parents came over and dad and John ended up finishing the afternoon project. Notice Olivia goes from her clothes to her p.j.'s! :)

Here is the kitchen!!! She loves it!!!!!


"some assembly required!"




She is sitting on it to play with the light that John had to take from her. She loves buttons! off, on, off, on, off, on--you get it, right?!


Everyone got involved and helped--even Oscar! :)




She would take the 'faucet' and pretend to put her hands under it and then scrub her head as if she were washing her hair. It was too funny! We all got a kick out of it!


It is a 2-part kitchen. This is the 'glass' part to the bakery section. That part is going to stay upstairs for a while. :) She thought it was fun to press her nose up against it! Silly girl!!