We're Home . . .

What a great trip! Isaiah was amazing on the flight home! He just sat on my lap for most of the 12.5 hour flight and barely fussed at all. Truly, I think he fussed lass than most of the adults on the flight!

We are home and and currently catching up on sleep . . . that's why I haven't posted in a couple days. We arrived home on September 10th and have been trying to catch up with the current time zone ever since . . . 14 hours difference will mess you up! Other than catching up on sleep, we have been introducing Isaiah to friends and family. Everyone is loving having him home! It is great to have the family back together again!

Isaiah is adjusting well to life in his new home and Michael is proving to be a very happy and helpful big brother. He is very interested in the new arrival and is giving him lots of hugs and kisses, we just have to remind him that Isaiah is a lot smaller than he is and he can't give him the bear hugs that he is accustomed to giving Dad! As for us, we are loving having Isaiah home and having the whole family together for the first time!

Second Meeting . . .

We had an amazing time with Isaiah today . . .
He was happy . . . laughing . . . smiling . . . it was truly a magical experience. We were able to just play together for a half hour! As you can see we had a blast!

However, we don't have him yet. His foster mother took him home and we will get him in the morning before we depart for the airport. I am not sure why plans changed, it seems that the caseworker didn't feel it was necessary for Isaiah to spend the night with me in order to bond. We apparently were doing a good enough job of that in the half an hour that I had him. I was initially disappointed, but I didn't make a big deal out of it and figured his foster mother wanted to have a little more time with the little cutie. . . and I can understand that! This will be the last post until we are home! I hope you all have enjoyed the blog! I have enjoyed sharing our trip with you all!!! I am looking forward to seeing all of you soon!

More fun n Seoul . . .

We had a great day . . . we had the meeting and lunch with the founder of Eastern Social Welfare Society (the adoption agency in Seoul) and the current President of Eastern. They like to meet every family that comes through their program and explain all that they do to assist the orphans, unwed mothers, and disabled children in Korea. What an awesome program!!!

After the meeting we went to a palace in Seoul (Gyeongbokgung Palace), originally constructed in the 15th Century. We showed up at the changing of the guard and walked right into an engligh-speaking tour. Very cool . . . see the pictures to the right. We then went to a Buddhist Temple and just happened to show up as a service was beginning with drums, gongs and chanting and the rest (what great timing) . . . very interesting . . .we then hit Insa-Dong (a market in Seoul) and topped the day off with a traditional Korean dinner at Tony Roma's!

The question was posted . . . what route did we take to get to Seoul. Well, here's the answer . . . we were fortunate to have a direct flight both ways . . . and the flight out took us into Canada over the Hudson Bay and the Northwest Territories . . . across Alaska . . . down through Russia . . . across China . . . then we took a sharp right to avoid flying over North Korean airspace . . .they will shoot down any aircraft that violates their airspace . . .then we approached Seoul from the west.

We get Isaiah tomorrow at 4 PM! We will have him in our room overnight (pray for a quiet night) . . . I really don't care though, I am just so happy to have him! We then fly out of Seoul at noon on Wednesday and arrive in O'Hare at 10:30 AM (you gotta love time travel . . . straight outta Back to the Future). We will post again if we are able to . . . we'll see!

Fun in Seoul . . .

I apologize that it has been a little while since we posted. We have been so busy running around Seoul . . . The pictures above are as follows . . .Dad on the stone bridge of the Korean Folk Village. Downtown Seoul at night. Downtown Seoul area during the day. Dad at Dunkin' Donuts in Seoul. We have been eating a mix of traditional Korean food and good old American food. Seoul has most American restaurants - it is very Westernized in this area. Most of all we have been enjoying the people, they are some of the friendliest and most helpful people that I have ever met anywhere I have traveled! Perfect strangers that we meet on the street have been going out of their way to help us get around. We are off to see more of the area . . . talk to you soon!

A few more fun pictures

Here are some additional pictures that I thought were fun . . . In the first shot is of the tail end of a rainbow that we saw in downtown Seoul. Enlarge the shot and you can see it over the center building. . . Super Kool! The next shot is the best shot of Isaiah's whole body and him tryin' to stand up . . . keep workin' on it buddy! The last shot is our room . . .Mom wanted it posted . . . so she gets it . . .
I miss you Pickle . . . I Love You!!!

First Meeting with Isaiah!!!

We were able to meet Isaiah this morning at 10 am and he is doing very well! He is a very happy baby and is quite a snuggler! He is quiet and was content with Dad and I holding him. He laughed and smiled and interacted with us. We get to have our next meeting with him on Tuesday at 4 p.m. where we get him for good! We are excited for the next meeting!!! He will get to hang out with us in Seoul the night before we take off for home. . . just three guys out on the town! What a happy playful and happy baby! Grandpa enjoyed the first meeting with Isaiah!
The woman in the video is his caseworker
in Seoul (she was Michael's
caseworker too)!

Meeting Isaiah !!!

Isaiah with his foster mother . . . he has been living with her since he was a couple weeks old. He is now five months old.







Father and son . . .

We Have Arrived . . .

We have arrived in Seoul! The trip was great, just long . . . 13.5 hours on the plane. We are exhausted since we have been awake for the last 24 hours . I am posting this and heading to bed. Great news! We get to meet Isaiah at 10:00 AM tomorrow (Seoul time). Too Cool. . . I will post pictures tomorrow of Isaiah!

I love you Pickle! I miss you!