Four Months Down!

We're getting closer and closer--doesn't it seem like I just posted "Three Months Down?!" In fact, I emailed the social worker at our agency in New York to ask a few questions about the grants we are applying for, and she said that with the current wait we should get a referral in June! As in, two months away! Those two months will go so quickly and then we will finally see who our baby is. Knowing that also causes a bit of panic because there are so many things we still want or need to do. I revisited the list we made back in December of "waiting projects" to see how we're doing.

*Learn Korean (at least enough to feel comfortable traveling there)

-We've been listening to Travel Talk Korea, which is a language program that lists different phrases and words you might use while traveling. It's nice to become more familiar with the sounds of the language. We do know a few phrases that we plan to try the next time we visit the Korean restaurant. We still have a long way to go before we would feel comfortable with our language skills to travel. Actually, I'm not sure that we will ever get to that point. ;)

*Build our collection of children's books about adoption and Korea.

-We've purchased a few books, but at the rate we are adding to our list, we'll never get them all!

*Read as much as we can about attachment in adoption, raising adopted children, and the Korean culture.

-Working in the Interlibrary Loan department of my library definitely has its advantages! We've been able to order a few books and movies. Most recently, we received My Lovely Sam-Soon, which is a Korean TV drama. We've heard that TV dramas are the best way to learn about the modern Korean culture.

*Find a circle of adoptive parents in the area to get together with.

-This is done! Thankfully, a local adoptive parent that we know told us about a group in the area that meets once a month for parent discussion nights and playgroup for the kids. The next discussion night in May will deal with mothers--how to talk about birth mothers and also how waiting mothers can cope. I can't wait to attend and meet other people who have adopted or are waiting to adopt.

*Knit a baby blanket or make a quilt (maybe both!)

-I did buy some beautiful bamboo yarn. My mom and aunt Donna, who's visiting from Arizona, are going to show me how to crochet the granny block. I plan on making yellow and white squares for now, and adding either blue or pink when we get our referral.

*Prepare for what we will send as a care package to our child once we get our referral.

-We have a few ideas, but nothing definite. This will probably wait until our referral.

*Apply for as many grants as we can.

-We've been working hard at that! We applied for six grants total--two online and four that we had to mail. We are praying that God will bless us with one or more to help with the large program cost when we accept our referral.

*Save lots of money!

-This is going well, too. Thanks to the full-time job I started in October at the library, we are able to save anywhere from $700 to $1,000 a month! Obviously this is a huge help.

*Enjoy our alone time as a couple.

-We've been doing The Love Dare, hanging out together, playing games, going for bike rides and walks, and enjoying our new hammock!

Baby Kinley, we can't wait to include you in our photos and love you to pieces!