New blog address...

In case you didn't see it on the last post, check us out at www.aseoulfulhome.blogspot.com

Last Post, but keep following on our NEW blog!!!

I had said all along that once we had been home a year, we would close this blog as Olivia's journey home is officially over. We have been in this house as a family for a solid year tonight!

It has been a WONDERFUL year and we thank you for following our journey from beginning to end. I am going to be turning this blog into a book, but would love for you to continue to follow our journey as we enjoy life as a family of four (hello....Oscar!) and pray for our next Korean cutie to come home to us! Please hop on over to our new blog home at www.aseoulfulhome.blogspot.com
I hope to see all your faces (and MORE) in the corner as a follower. If you have been following us and never clicked "follow" (I am guilty of the same) please click follow so I can link to your blog or just know who is reading about us.

HOME

Exactly a year ago, we were somewhere over the Pacific with a terrified little girl. We had been in the air 6 1/2 hours at this point. We had a long way to go!

I just wanted to get home. We were all tired and ready to begin the adjustment phase. I love to travel, but when it is time to be home, I AM READY. I don't want the travel part in the way (especially the 5 1/2 hour layover in Atlanta)

However, I was looking forward to our homecoming which still blows me out of the water to think about. What an amazing end to an amazing trip.

Yesterday was another day similar to a year ago as far as wanting to be home! We weren't sure we were going to be discharged, but at lunch, I told John, "let's take our chances...load the car!" We were weary of being in that small room and could see how much better our girl was. She NEEDED to be there as far as the rest of the week. I hate to think what might have happened had we not gone to the hospital Monday night. The care there was amazing. I know I have not ever had great things to say about that hospital, but I take all the bad that I have said and will replace it with praise to the nurses and doctors that cared for Olivia. They were all so kind, efficient and helpful. It is so nice to know that we have such wonderful care right here close to home. They even called today to see if we needed anything and to see what Olivia had drunk today, how many wet diapers, etc.
Olivia finally made the turn and we were released from the hospital around 7:30 last night. Late yesterday afternoon, I felt like we had a bull in a China Shoppe with an IV attached. She was everywhere! I knew she was feeling better because the day before, she didn't even have the strength to walk! Yesterday however, Olivia was pulling out the drawers and getting in them.

It was pretty funny, but clear that it was time to go home. She ate some food and drank some juice, but promptly threw it up. Once we got home, we had pizza since that is what we ate our first night as a family. She ate a full piece and kept it down!
Today has been a quiet day here. We have taken it slow and played as she wanted. I have no clue why, but I am exhausted! My time to be productive (while she was napping today) wasn't so productive. Hopefully tomorrow I can use the time better!
Though Olivia is not quite 100% back to herself, she is getting there! We will continue to go at her pace for a few days. She tires easily, and she is definitely not going at her normal speed. Thank you for all the prayers, texts, phone calls, gifts and love that you have sent our way this past week! It means so much to us!!!

Family Day and Feeling a bit better!!!

A year ago a sweet, terrified girl was placed in our arms. (Question...do you go on Korean date or US date? I think I have done a bit of both this week.)

She would have nothing to do with us and gathered her belongings (her jacket and blankie)everytime I would move them. We will celebrate tonight by having Pizza Hut. Unfortunately, she probably won't eat again this year. Normally, she loves pizza, but she just isn't quite up to it yet. I can't believe its been a year! What a wonderful year it has been!
Olivia Rae, you were truly made to be our daughter. We love every ounce of you more every single day! You are such a blessing!!

On another note....bringing us up to date, we are hoping to see home tonight. Olivia has made the turn and is becoming more her spunky self. Yesterday we saw her little eyes for an hour or two and today she has been up chattering since 9 a.m. Last night was the first night she slept beside me instead of on me and was able to get rest. She still has an IV, and her temp. was just 99.5, but we are so hopeful that today will be our day! It is great to see her personality come back out and her silliness! Here are some pictures that we have taken....sorry for the poor quality. My good camera had to be shipped off for a 'malfunction' so we have the cell phones.

I want to play my new piano, but I just don't feel good yet. (yesterday mid-morning)

She has done great with her breathing treatments! (last night)

Mommy and Olivia playing the piano that Nana sent yesterday (along with the rest of the toy store!) ;)--early evening yesterday

Olivia initiated eating this morning...then threw it all up 10 min. later. Small steps though!

Ready to color, but not feeling my best!!! (yesterday mid day)

Playing "drinking games" with daddy...just juice people. :) She loves to clink the glasses and say "cheers!" (yesterday afternoon)

BALLOONS!!!! (late afternoon yesterday)

Mom, this is a strange way to take a bath! (last night)

I love these balloons! (today)

And currently, Miss Olivia is eating some of Nana's delicious banana muffins!!! Thanks Nana! (just now!)

Still sick

We are entering day 4 in the hospital. Our nurse came in a bit ago and said that they are full on the pediatric floor, and she felt that Olivia is her sickest baby up here. I thought she had turned a corner yesterday as she ate 2 french fries for her Grampy and drank a few sips of a milkshake. She stayed awake for sometime yesterday too. Before then, we were only seeing about 5 minutes or so of her little eyes open per day. She has been so sick. She not only was awake, but we saw some life out of her....my friend Danyell was at the hospital with her mom and brought Olivia a balloon and bear. Olivia had fun looking at them and playing for a few minutes. Its the first time I think she has been aware of her surroundings all week.
Our doctor said her lungs still sound 'gunky,' but that she is improving. Her temperature finally broke last night and she is currently asleep on my shoulder. The minute she is set down or brought off of our shoulder she coughs uncontrollably. They have turned her IV down to try to get her to drink on her own. However, she now hasn't had a wet diaper since 7 last night. I tried some juice a few minutes ago, but she refuses. I wish she could understand that to go home, we have to get off this IV and she has to drink on her own. Poor baby. Hopefully today will be better. Our nurse said a bit ago that she doesn't see us going anywhere for a few more days, but I am hopeful that we will be home soon. What a week!!!
Just to continue with our celebration of being in Korea a year ago and meeting our girl, here is a picture from Feb. 16 in Korea. Regardless of being in the hospital, I am holding my girl....that is all that matters. She is in my arms and she knows I am not going anywhere. She knows she is loved. I don't care where we are!

Not the plans....

Yesterday, was Feb. 14th in Korea, so all day I would think, "right now we were....." We really haven't made plans for our family day, and John is now saying next year, we will definitely have plans. Unfortunately, Olivia's croup, turned into Pneumonia. I got her home last night and called the doctor as he asked to give him an update. He said he thought we would be best to go ahead to the hospital. So, luckily, he called in orders and we bypassed the ER. We first went for a lung x-ray. We go to her room and they began checking her out. The hospital now has a pediatric floor that opened two months ago. This little guy was waiting on her pillow.

She really hasn't eaten since last Thursday, but they were concerned that she isn't drinking. She was only getting a little. So, I thought an IV of fluids and we would be on our way. She was so dehydrated that they couldn't find a vein big enough. It took 5 different people, 6 or 7 tries and one shot of antibiotic before she had the IV at 11 p.m.

We got there at 7. She was such a good sport. She would cry and say, "owwww!" but that was the extent of it. She just closed her eyes. I have found that this is how Olivia handles things that she doesn't like. She closes her eyes and stays quiet. She feels miserable! They came in and got her temperature and it was 105. Later, they came to tell us that she had pneumonia not in just one, but both lungs. Our doctor only heard it in one lung earlier in the day at the office. She is a really sick little lady. They went ahead and did an RSV swab and returned in about an hour to tell us that that, too came back positive. When she saw the doctor yesterday he jumped back when he saw how red her little ears were. He said that they were fire engine red. When he did rounds this morning, I asked if he thought we would go home tomorrow after he said that we would be there again tonight. He crossed his fingers. He later came back and said we should probably expect at least 2 if not 3 more nights. She is still pitiful. Grammy and Grampy couldn't stand not seeing her, so they stopped by for a bit. When you come in you have to put a gown on because she is on 'isolation.' Grampy had a lot of fun blowing up the gloves and being silly. There is never a dull moment in our family! Nana wants to come so badly, but we told her no because she takes care of Mickey's grandfather who is 104 years old. We can't chance getting him sick.

I put my shoes on to come home to grab a shower (seeing as I am still in my work clothes from yesterday!) and she sat forward and said with her little lip turned upside down, "me go." I told her mommy wasn't going anywhere and unzipped my boot and sat back down. Luckily, we have both been able to be there the whole time. She is definitely wanting her daddy right now.

We are giving her gatorade through a syringe, but she really isn't interested. The IV is providing fluids and an antibiotic, but we are trying to motivate her to try on her own. Everyone there has been so nice! So....pray for our little lady.
Now ask me how much I wish I were in Seoul?!?! Yep, put me on that big blue plane....with a healthy Olivia. I hate that she is sick. Lastly, I asked the doctor when he thought she could return to school (MDO) and he said that with her being such a preemie and having lost so much weight (back to 21 lbs at 2 1/2 yrs) and that she has now been so sick, that he would advise her not going until flu/RSV season passes. I thought, ok....that is March. Wrongo....he said April. :( So, I am saying end of March beginning of April. :) She was beginning to show progress with her 'buc buc' (puke bucket) and all. No really, she reached out for her teacher the other day. She loves them both and often calls them by name. She needs the socialization with peers, discipline from someone aside from family and language/speech with kids her age, as well as her anxiety to know that WE WILL come back. However, I need her to be healthy. I guess I have to choose the more important one which is health. So, it looks like MDO will be on hold until late March/beginning of April. I hate that, but she will get back in the swing.

Korea....day 2 (a year ago)

We just called mom and dad and reminded them that a year ago they were currently hiking a mountain in the COLD. (We took the tram up) :) It is noon in Korea. Then I realized I was a day off. We had done that the day prior on the 12th. It is now the 13th there. So, we were visiting the palaces. What an amazing day. We got to see them perform. We got there just in time. It wasn't many more hours until I began receiving sweet messages of friends waking up at US time to pray for us as we met our sweet Olivia for the first time. I think I truly saw my REAL friends in this process. I know you don't get many in life, but with the ones I have, I am set. That is a day I will NEVER forget. As I have snuggled her most of the day today, since she is sick, I have thought a lot about that first meeting and how terrified she was as were we! What a year, what a blessing!!!!