Beautiful boy

yep - we're in love. Still scared to death - but totally in love.

the photo shoots

I decided it was time to take some "posed" pictures of the kids. They were actually quite happy to oblige. Especially Ayden. He LOVED getting dressed up...LOVED his tie and belt....not so thrilled with the hat...but went along with any antics and requests pretty willingly...and he is crazy photogenic! (He thinks he looks like Greg - our pastor - with his tie!)

I have so many absolutely wonderful shots from these two quick attempts...you will get to see them for many posts to come!

The language skills in our house have exploded. We experienced a ten minute "shared" story of a squirrel in a tree a couple nights ago. Both kids were telling us with excitedly about a squirrel that is in our front yard who was in a tree with a cat watching guard at the base. I wish I could have gotten that on video...it was priceless.

We got the call Friday night that our official referral for our little Alec James has arrived at our social workers office. We will have it in our hands Tuesday along with about 20 more pictures! Thursday we go to INS for fingerprinting and submission of our request to bring him home. We anticipate about 6-8 weeks for that to be accomplished. Then he can travel HOME! So....we excitedly introduce

Mr. Alec James Jeesuk Bryant...

Some friends of ours in our Korea family group also got a sibling call the other day....quite a shock and surprise to them...he is about 6 months old...and they are bringing him HOME! So our girls - who are only a year or two apart and our boys will grow up together. What a wonderful blessing that will be for our kids. AND they have 5 kids too - so we can laugh and cry together about our chaotic households!

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Our older kids are doing great too. Erin has met a very very special man. I will wait until she gives me the green light to tell more - but I will tell you that I have NEVER heard my daughter sound so happy. And excited. So stay tuned for more about Mr. Aaron! (Erin and Aaron!!!...that is a blessing for me since I get all my kids names mixed up!)

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Sam and Ali anxiously await May as that is when they will find out if they focus on pink or blue! Ali is feeling great now...and is feeling her little one "moving". Exciting to say the least. They are anxious to start their life together. They are being very patient though and taking each step at a time....I am very proud of them. Sam's graduation is the first hurdle....which will be here before you know it. Then this summer we can get them settled in their own space. And there will be a wedding too....we just don't have a date. We are so glad that Ali is a part of our family. We all love her dearly.

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Shannon and I have been working hard. Maybe a little too hard...but sometimes there is just no option. The house is paying the price for that since we focus our time off on our kids....it looks a bit like an F2 bomber hit (Sam's description). Oh well....the bathrooms are clean (thank you Grandma Pat!)

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And our final HUGE news. Ayden is potty trained. He is. We went shopping yesterday and he held it while we tracked down bathrooms in stores and he came home dry and VERY PROUD! What an amazing little man he is. Of course Ava can't be left far behind - so she too is working on getting the hang of it. I think she is a couple months away from it - but I bet by the time we bring Alec home - I only have one truly in diapers. How cool is that?

Happy Sunday everyone. Our daily prayers include all of you and the journeys we are all on. Love, Kim

Our family keeps growing!

Sam and Ali are having a baby!

We (especially the grandparents to be!) were all a little shocked in the very beginning...but the shock was quickly replaced with excitement! September 23 is the special day we will anxiously await. Ali is feeling so much better....second trimester is so much more fun. They hope to find a house this summer to begin their life as a family. More to follow as we find out if it is "baby girl" or "baby boy"!

Ava's Gotcha Forever Day

Seeing this picture did bring back memories of that first night she was officially our daughter March 21, 2008...and we did see this face a few times. And we still do! But not very often. Such a serious little thing....

and so very beautiful.

one year ago today

Quite the year it has been.

Today was the first day we met you...

From baby to toddler.

From "shy" to "outgoing and funny"(and just a tiny bit naughty!)

From "scared" to "safe and secure".

From a beautiful land far away....to home.

The final party....

Ava once again had a fabulous time celebrating birthday #2! (notice the scared people holding tightly to birthday girl's arm hoping she doesn't fall off her chair!) Savana celebrated her birthday this week too - so we had a double birthday party!

We had balloon animals and hat creations, sidewalk chalk artwork and good old fashioned fun!

Ava loved all her gifts...especially the new toothbrush! Thanks so much to family and friends for joining us to celebrate this landmark birthday!

Happy Birthday Ava!!

Ava started her birthday celebrations on Sunday at Grandma & Grandpa's house...


with lots of hugs....

fun new toys to share...

more hugs and help with socks....

tickling.....

cake.....
candles.....

and great lighting for photography!

Today on her actual birthday (although in Korea - yesterday was actually today - therefore truly her birthday!) she celebrated with cookies at daycare.....shopping for new shoes.....dinner at Chili's.....more shopping and then present opening at home! She has not put down her new doll...in fact is sleeping with her.....good choice Daddy!

We love love love you Ava Grace Jinah. You make us smile every day...we cannot imagine our lives without you in it.

With love, your family

The weekend

could not get here fast enough this week. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed trying to balance everything and everybody....and this was one of those weeks. Between getting Sam back on his feet, trying to catch up on work, cleaning up this very messy house, feeding everyone, looking at an old house that Sam and Ali would love to buy to fix up this summer, helping Shannon do our taxes and gathering dossier paperwork AGAIN it seemed like alot.

Ayden had his post surgery check up and of course everything was great. He is a VERY healthy little kid. He gets colds -but they never get him down the way the rest of us get them. He is a tough little cookie. Ava is too actually - she seems to show more symptoms when she is sick - but it doesn't really slow her down either. She is just a happy little person.

We have all our paperwork sent off for our little Alec (AJ). I will be able to post pictures of him after we get our "official" referral from the agency. He is very beautiful of course- has Ava's mouth and nose. I hope we get updated pictures - the only two I have are from about 4 months of age....and he turned 1 on February 28. We are terrified -but so looking forward to having him be a part of our family. I am anxious to hold him....and take him to the park!!

March 2009

Today we took a quick family picture to send along with our paperwork for Mr. Alec....the kiddos were especially cute today....and almost cooperative for a couple pictures! We actually have to send a dozen or so pictures so I have been on a trip down memory lane today....what a year we have had! Hard to believe that we are about to celebrate one year home with our sweet Ava. It has flown by...and she is such a little person now....not that little baby we brought home last Easter Sunday. And the hair! She had none! Now she has a head full which looks absolutely darling in ponytails!

We enjoyed a weekend hanging close to home with snow coming down yesterday and a fire in the fireplace. Makes you wonder is this little snowstorm considered "a lion"? Can we look forward to "a lamb" at the end of March 2009? We hope so!