Saturdays

Weekends around here the past few months have been kind of difficult. Throughout the week, the kids and I keep ourselves pretty busy with activities just about every day of the week. So, we don't notice Matt's absence as much. But, weekends are a different story. Friends are busy with their families and we notice that a big part of our family is missing. Saturday is just another day around here...with no scheduled activities. I'm trying to make the best of it though, so we spend a fair amount of time on Saturdays tending to little projects that have been put off. Today the kids and I gathered 4 big trash bags of items to donate, did school with Natalie, had eggs and pancakes for a late breakfast, I touched up some paint around the house, and the kids had a tea party lunch in Natalie's room (except Adelyn who would have been a holy terror had she been invited to the tea party). Anyhow, I took a video for Matt mostly (hi honey!) to show him (and whoever else stops by) a glimpse into our day. Enjoy!

안녕하세요

In case the title didn't give it away (which says "hello"), I'm learning to read and write in Hangul, the Korean alphabet. It's been a lot of fun (I'm a nerd) learning the basics of a new language. I don't have any lofty plans of becoming a fluent Korean speaker. However, I do plan on making Easton's transition into our home as easy as possible for him by learning his native tongue. He will likely be around two years old when he comes home, so he will definitely be speaking by then. More than his ability to speak though, will be his ability to undersatnd what is being said. All my children can understand what I'm saying much quicker than they can verbalize it back to me. So, I think it will be so helpful to be able to talk to Easton (at least in simple phrases) while he learns English.

During the kids' nap time, I bust out my notebook, pen, and a start practicing my writing and pronunciation. There are some letters in the Korean alphabet with no English equivalent, so I'm pretty sure I look and sound ridiculous as I'm contorting my mouth into various positions trying my darndest to make a sound I've never made before. But honestly, I love every second of it.

While Easton is my son, there's so little I can do to actually feel like his mommy (엄마) right now. He's thousands of miles away! I can pray for him, send an occasional care package, and soak up as much knowledge about all things Korean. So, in a strange way, learning Korean helps me to bond with him.

I've also been trying to get the kids involved. I've taught the older two to say hello and checked out a few books from the library about South Korea. They took it upon themselves to complete a craft from one of the books--they made Korean fans.

The other day I got out our globe and the kids and I were looking at Afghanistan, South Korea, and Kansas on it. Turns out the three locations our family is in right now make an almost perfect triangle. It's crazy to think how spread out we are right now. I am so excited for the day all SIX of us will be together on the same continent, in the same country, in the same state, in the same city, in the same HOME.

Trick or treat

A pirate, a cow (who moos on command when feeling spirited) and an angel
Addy's first year actually participating. She was a huge fan.

Trick or treat!

"Mom, someone just gave me candy!!!!"

Like my sweatpants? I dressed up as a tired mom.

I meant to put up these pictures a few days ago, but I got distracted by the Great Vomit and Diarrhea Germ of 2011. Despite the kids being a little sickly, they were determined to go trick or treating. Frankly, so was I. When else do strangers give me (I mean the kids....) copious amounts of chocolate out of the goodness of their hearts? The kids had so much fun. Adelyn participated this year and got such a charge out of being able to pick candy and put it in her bucket. Colton was a trooper despite being the sickest one in the bunch and kept telling me how much fun he was having. Natalie (our little actress) took her costume very seriously and got into character as an angel. Sweet girl. She happily bounced from one house to the next. We missed Daddy and Easton this Halloween but look forward to trick or treating as a family of 6 next year.

Care package for our sweet son

Today, the kids and I went shopping and picked out some things for their (adorably cute) little brother Easton. It was a great opportunity to get them involved in the process of bringing him home (evenutally) and teaching them what exactly it means to adopt. Natalie gets that Easton is her brother and will join our family permanently. Colton and Addy...not so much. Colton did, however, take his role as big brother very seriously when it came to picking out the coolest bibs and jammies for his little bro.

Matt, I so wish you could have been part of this. I would have loved to have your help selecting things to send our little Easton. Plus, you would have gotten a kick out of me sitting on the large flat rate priority box (yep, I sat on it) in order to tape it closed. Guess we enjoyed the shopping a little too much. :-) So, here's what we sent our little guy:

-a recordable storybook called Guess How Much I Miss You. A very sweet Korean friend of mine translated the book and wrote out the translation on each page and I recorded myself reading it. This is my favorite thing we sent!

-a soft photo album with pictures of our family

-honey apple body wash ('cuz I love the stuff and that's what Easton will be bathing with just like all the other little Walker crew)

-two pair of mittens

-a cute bear hat for the winter

-a soft blanket sleeper with a monkey on it

-a super soft and snuggly plush blanket (I may have rubbed it against my face in the store...twice)

-a wooden knob puzzle

-a few Cars bibs

-diaper rash ointment (it's incredibly expensive in Korea for some reason)

-two packages of Gerber puffs

-a turtle bath toy

-and two totes for his dear foster mother to carry home all the loot in

I am SO excited to be able to spoil him a little and hope he enjoys everything we sent! We love you Easton!

Sad but thankful

Today started off on a very sad note as Matt shared with me that a fellow solider, who he has been serving alongside with in Afghanistan, made the ultimate sacrifice for our country on Saturday (along with many others). Matt attended his first (and hopefully last) memorial service in Afghanistan today and paid his respects to 4 of America's finest heroes. After we talked, I cried for those families and prayed for peace, healing and comfort for them that only the Father can provide. About two and half seconds after that, I started feeling sorry for myself of all things. I'm not proud of that, but hey, I'm keeping it real. I actually started to think, "Oh, poor pitiful me. An Army wife. My husband could come under hostile fire and not return from his deployment." Here's the thing, though. And it's a biggie!



IT'S NOT ABOUT ME! My life is not my own. It was bought at a price. Thank you Jesus! If this life was all about me and my comfort and my happiness, believe me, I'd make a few changes. But it isn't. Hallelujah! I've done that whole "living for myself" thing (and still frequently fall back into that pattern) and it's actually pretty empty. Most sin is pretty disatisfying once the novelty wears off!


I was put on this earth to glorify God and to enjoy Him. I can't do that well if I'm throwing myself a pity party. That certainly doesn't bring God any glory what.so.ever.


So, instead, I choose to be thankful today. I'm thankful first and foremost for the unparalleled grace and mercy of my beautiful savior. I'm also thankful for my wonderful husband: that he is alive and well, that he is willling to serve, that he is a brother in Christ, and for being my partner in this life. I'm thankful for Natalie, for Colton, for Adelyn, and for Easton. I'm thankful for Easton's foster parents who are selflessly lavishing love on him each day knowing that someday they will have to say goodbye. I'm thankful for my family, my friends, my freedom, my health, and every single day God gives me to live for Him.

My heart is heavy as I reflect on the numerous soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years. I'm so sad for those families. I'm angry at the state our world is in. It's pretty ugly. I long for eternity. And I choose to be thankful in all of it.

'Tis the season (for throwing up)

The arsenal. No, not all at once. Are you crazy?!?!

Crackers, Pedialyte, a vomit tub, and big sissy reading to him. What could be better?

Sick lunch menu for Adelyn: crackers and plain ramen noodles. Yum!

Well, a happy happy Halloween to you! On this lovely fall day we find ourselves battling the worst of all ghouls--germs. Lots of them. They've been steadily invading our house the last several days. Colton is on day 3 (or is it 4?) of throwing up. Today Adelyn has joined the fun. And they both have explosive diarrhea. Fun times. Adelyn also has a pretty bad cold complete with coughing, a rattling chest, and copious amounts of green snot. Natalie is the last holdout...only time will tell. Despite the fact that the kids are sick, we're actually having a pretty pleasant day. Maybe it's because I inhaled a little too much Vicks Vaporub when I put it on Addy's chest a while ago perhaps? Or, more than likely, it's because sick days can actually be pleasant. Colton has let me read him a 100 page storybook about trains...twice. Adelyn keeps crawling in my lap to hear a story, and Natalie is happily plugging along with her schoolwork. Sick days force us to take it easy, stay close to one another, and of course clean up a few bodily fluids as well (that's the less glamorous element of this otherwise pleasant day). My point is, if today wasn't a sick day, I would have dropped Colton off at school, taught Natalie, went to Walmart, cleaned the house, etc. Instead, we're enjoying one another's company.

On another note, the kids are insisting on trick or treating tonight still. Would it be in poor taste for them to throw up on someone's doorstep and then ask them for candy?

Introducing Easton Si Hu Walker

LOVE!

Love this sweet smile

That's quite the hairdo Easton!

I think he's 4 days old in this picture

Without further ado, I'm thrilled to share pictures of our adorable new son. His birth mother named him Si Hu, which we will be keeping for his middle name. He is 9 months old and perfect in every way. All glory to God!