The Pickle Family Album

More Florida Favorites!

2010-06-23T04:32:00.001-07:00

Crabs and Dolphins....the boys love nature...

Finding Treasures...Isaiah's favorite thing to do!

Fishing..the boys caught 3 fish and had a blast...

Our Beach Vacation

2010-06-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Walks along the shoreline looking for treasures..we saw a shark, many dolphins, crabs, lots of birds, shark teeth, and many beautiful shells!

Sunsets from our deck or from inside our house . . .God is an amazing artist! We enjoyed them every night!

Our Private Backyard Beach . . . it was paradise.

The hammock was my favorite spot..

More pictures to come later...

Charecter Breakfast & T-Rex at Disney

2010-06-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

Disney Vacation

2010-06-19T11:37:00.001-07:00

We had a fun time at Disney with all the rides, parades, shows, and great restaurants...our favorite was T-Rex and our character breakfast. The boys loved the huge dino's and the characters. Michael fell while at Disney so we had to go to immediate care. He will always remember Disney as the place he hurt his lip. All in all we had a fun time.

Boys Just want to have Fun!

2010-05-03T04:14:00.000-07:00

From a broken computer, to a new computer I had troubles learning, and from being sick all winter we have not posted in forever. I am very sorry. It is hard to catch up with so much time passed. The boys are now 4 and 2 and are full of life as always. They keep me moving, smiling, laughing, and always on my toes.

Swimming

2010-05-03T04:06:00.001-07:00

Michael took swimming lessons all Winter at the YMCA. He made great progress we are so proud of him. Isaiah was a good sport watching his brother swim!

Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)

2009-10-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Chuseok with a bunch of our adoptive family friends. It was a very fun celebration with a lot of great Korean foods, a Korean game and an attempt at a picture of the children in the traditional Hanbok. Best of all getting together with the wonderful family friends God has brought into our lives due to the miracle of adoption.

Apple Orchard

2009-10-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

We have enjoyed Fall. We went to the Apple Orchard three times this season. We always have a great time!

Fun in the sun!

2009-10-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

We went to Florida in September. It was an AWESOME trip. It was beautiful, relaxing and great family time. We fell in love with the area. The beaches were beautiful, quiet and natural. The boys loved the ocean, especially Michael. He spent most of the time in the water with Daddy. Isaiah spent a lot of time in our beach cabana eating snacks and napping. We went to some great museums, saw dolphins most days, found lots of sea treasures, and enjoyed God's beautiful creation all around us.

Summer of 2009

2009-09-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

I can not believe I went all summer without a post. I am very sorry. I wonder if people out there still check, you might think I was never coming back. I am back. Thinking about this summer and everything we did makes me feel tired.

We did the usual summer activities. We went to many parks, we swam, we went to the zoo a bunch, we had fun summer play dates, family parties, camped in our back yard, Michael took his first sports classes through the YMCA this summer. We went on a vacation to Galena with family, we went to the Bears training Camp, we went to Florida for a awesome beach vacation, we bought a mini-van, my Grandmother moved in with us, and we got all new floors in our home. We had a great summer that seemed to go by in a blink. Below are some pictures from this summer. I will soon post our Florida vacation. Pictures above are to capture our new floors!

Bears Training Camp

2009-09-20T17:18:00.000-07:00

We went to the camp with some good friends of ours. We had a lot of fun. The boys got some awesome signatures, went for a run with Staley the Bear's mascot, ran around and watched the Bears of course. I also got a treat by spending some time with a friend I don't get to see very often. Thanks Rachel for all you did for us!

My Boys this Summer

2009-09-20T17:00:00.001-07:00

Galena Summer 2009 with Family

2009-09-20T16:55:00.001-07:00

Korea Fest

2009-09-20T16:48:00.001-07:00

We went with some of our adoptive family friends. We had a fun day. We will go again next year!

Camping in our Backyard

2009-09-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

We all had a great time camping in our backyard.

Michael's First Sports Class

2009-09-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

He was very cute as one of the youngest in his class. He had a fun time. His favorite was running the races.

2009-09-20T16:03:00.000-07:00

Anniversary

2009-06-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

We celebrated 7 years of marriage yesterday by going to Galena and having a date day. We feel so blessed God brought us together and blessed our marriage with two beautiful sons. God is good to us, marriage is a gift.

Virginia Vacation

2009-06-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

We went to Virginia on a family vacation. My brother had a baby girl we wanted to meet which was a good excuse to get out there to see him and his beautiful family. We had a great time just hanging out together and we did some fun sightseeing as well. See below!

Vacation- Animal Park

2009-06-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

On vacation in Virginia we went to an animal park. We took a bus out into the beautiful countryside and the animals came up to the bus. It is a very close encounter with some very neat animals. Isaiah got to ride the Water Buffalo below. A camel posed for a picture and we all enjoyed feeding the animals from our hands and cups.

Vacation- Park

2009-06-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

We went to a park that was near my brothers home. It had just rained and Michael found the rain spout. He liked getting wet and Isaiah enjoyed the tunnels and slides.

Vacation-Car Wash

2009-06-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

The new van was very dirty from the long trip to Virginia so the kids got in on the action to help wash the car and had a great time.

Vacation- Creek Time

2009-06-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

On our vacation with family we went to a beautiful piece of property to let the kids play in a creek and have a bonfire. We all had a great time.

Questions about Korea

2009-05-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today Michael asked out of the blue as I was pulling him out of the bath, "Mommy I have a foster mommy." I said yes Michael, when you were born in Korea. Michael interjects, "When I was a baby." I said when you were a baby she took good care of you until Mommy and Daddy could come and bring you home to become a forever family, we will always be your forever Mommy and Daddy. Michael looked at me and said,"I sure like you guys." Now that he is 3. (Yes he turned 3, I have not posted in forever, sorry)He has made a few comments about his adoption. I wonder how his little mind processes these conversations? I like that he is talking about it. I sure love him!

Isaiah is One!

2009-04-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

Isaiah turned one last weekend. We had a big traditional Korean Birthday party for Isaiah's first Birthday. Lots of Korean food, family, friends, blessings, and the Toljabee. Isaiah chose the thread for the Toljabee which means he will have a long life. Thank you to all our family and friends for being a part of a special day. We are so thankful for our precious sons.

Sleepy Boys and Play time

2009-04-06T08:12:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the Park

2009-04-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

It was nice a couple weeks ago and we went to a park with the boys and their cousin.

Play Group at Discovery Center

2009-04-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

We always have a great time with our friends!

It's Official Another Pickle!

2009-03-13T05:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to court to finalize Isaiah's adoption. It was a big day! He is now a U.S. Citizen and best of all he is officially a pickle, our son. Even though he has been our son from the moment he was placed in our arms, it is now legal. Thank you God for this precious gift! We celebrated with breakfast.

Fun on the Farm

2009-03-13T05:12:00.000-07:00

Michael is so excited to plan his birthday party. His party is going to be a "farm theme." To make the invitations we needed a photo shoot. These are some of the pictures.

Little Reminders

2009-02-23T07:43:00.000-08:00

Our family prays before every meal. This past week I was rushing about at lunch time getting things done when it came time for me to actually sit down to eat, I dove right into my food. As I was enjoying my first bite I looked at Isaiah who had placed his food down and folded his hands to pray. Wow, I thought our 10 month old remembered. I forgot to pray and our baby knows we always bless our food. Our kids are always watching us and they can remind us of little life's lessons. Thank you God for the faith and example of little children. These little gifts from God.

Visiting Dad at the Firehouse

2009-02-23T06:29:00.000-08:00

The boys always like to go see Dad at his firehouse, especially Michael. Daddy is always wonderful with the boys letting Michael check out every gadget, every bell that rings, and turn on all the fire lights. Michael even wanted the radio on in one of the vehicles to listen while he pretended to drive.

Photo Shoot

2009-02-14T06:15:00.000-08:00

We wanted some pictures of Isaiah in his hanbok for his first birthday coming in March. Michael wanted to put his hanbok on as well, and did not want to take it off. Isaiah was very happy to get his off. I got a picture of Isaiah relieved to have all those clothes off.

50's in February

2009-02-14T05:54:00.000-08:00

The boys have enjoyed getting outside in this beautiful weather!

Fun before the Flu!

2009-02-07T06:17:00.000-08:00

We spent the last two weeks battling a terrible flu around our house. Before we got sick we went to the birthday party mentioned below and had a play date with our little friend Ali. The boys sure enjoy playing with Ali. Michael is almost 3, Ali is a year and a half and Isaiah is 10 months. They all play well together. Yes, Isaiah keeps up with the older two crazy kids.

Birthday Party

2009-02-07T05:47:00.000-08:00

The boys were at their cousin Marissa's birthday party at Rocky Rocco's. They had a great time. Unfortunately we did not get a picture of Marissa, but we did get the boys with their cousin Sammy. Always good to see family. Michael loves his Uncle Eli. He follows him everywhere when he is around him. Eli his pictured trying to get the boys to look at the camera. Aunt Catie helped Michael with the games so I could hold Isaiah. Thanks Catie, Michael had fun!

Great-Grandma

2009-01-24T08:04:00.000-08:00

We were able to go last weekend to see Grandma. She sure loved to see her Great-Grandsons. Michael gave her a nice high five, but Isaiah charmed her. He sat in her lap and she just light up. It was so great to see.

Dad and his Boys!

2009-01-24T07:52:00.001-08:00

The boys pose for a picture while they enjoy a typical Sunday afternoon football game. While watching the game Isaiah decides to take a nap on Daddy. The boys sure love each other and they like their football.

A day in the life of a little pickle

2009-01-24T07:20:00.000-08:00

It seems in the cold winter months we spend a lot of time just playing at home. So what do the boys fill their time with? Michael this last week discovered the camera, he holds it in front of himself and takes a picture. Isaiah likes the bathrooms. I think in the hope of a bath. Yes, another water lover. He is shown visiting the bear in the kids bathroom. Michael loves the "BIG Bath" with much excitement as Michael calls it. So he is shown with a bubbled bath of fun! They get a lot of time just playing together. They enjoy their horses they got from nana and papa for Christmas. I enjoy seeing my boys have fun!

Winter Vacation

2009-01-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

We had a chance to get away to a water park in the Dells this last month. We all had a great time. We knew Michael loves the water. Michael likes to take two baths a day at home just to get more time playing in the water. He was all giggles and excitement when we arrived. He could not wait to get in and begin playing. We were not sure about Isaiah, but, Isaiah was true to his personality. He was all smiles and loved it. He is a very brave and independent little guy. He was climbing all over the water toys and splashing around. We did not get very many pictures of Isaiah playing in the water, but we did get him playing at the play area at the hotel. The two pictures of the boys not smiling, was at the end of our stay, they had worn themselves out by playing so hard. They were ready to take a very long nap.

My Boys!

2009-01-09T09:56:00.001-08:00

I sure love being a MOM!

Isaiah

2009-01-08T12:58:00.001-08:00

Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

2009-01-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

We had a very fun and blessed Christmas! Christmas is always filled with many parties and gatherings with friends and family we love and hold dear. At the center of it all are our two boys that bring us such joy.

Michael with all that Snow!

2009-01-08T12:26:00.000-08:00

Getting Ready for Christmas

2008-12-06T13:20:00.002-08:00

This past week we decorated our home for Christmas. Both boys took turns wearing the Santa hat. Isaiah seemed to be in a joy filled Christmas mood. That is Isaiah's personality, joy! His outfit does not match the season, oh well.

Christmas Photo Shoot

2008-12-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

Christmas photo shoot. Getting two boys to look at the camera this year was a little more challenging and fun. These are some of the pictures from that day. I thought you might enjoy.

Christmas Tree Hunt

2008-12-06T12:59:00.000-08:00

We went to cut down our Christmas Tree. The boys did great! Michael liked hiking around and Isaiah enjoyed the fresh air. After we found our perfect tree they warmed up in the car while Dad attached it to our car. A pickle Christmas tradition enjoyed every year!

Fall Update . . .

2008-12-06T08:54:00.000-08:00

Sorry, it has been a while. What have we been up to this fall? Isaiah had his surgery and has been recovering. The boys have had lots of time to play together, a favorite place in the house is under the coffee table. Isaiah is a mover. He climbs stairs, walks along furniture . . . and can crawl very fast. Michael is growing fast using such big words and phrases now. He loves his brother but is still learning how to be nice to him. I guess it is a brotherly love relationship.

Isaiah's Baptism

2008-10-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

Isaiah was Baptized over the weekend. He is such a gift from God.

Enjoying Fall

2008-10-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

The boys are both doing well. Michael continues to be a loving brother that is proud of his new role as big brother. Isaiah is still smiling away by day. We are enjoying these little treasures. We have had fun this fall. We have been to the Pumpkin Patch, Pumpkin Daze, the Apple Orchard, and the Lincoln Park Zoo. Below we shared some photos from a couple of the days.

Apple Orchard

2008-10-14T10:28:00.000-07:00

We had a nice time with our other adoptive family friends!

Pumpkin Daze as a Family

2008-10-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

Michael's Gotcha Day

2008-10-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

Michael's Gotcha Day was September 29th. Michael has been home for two joy filled and exciting years. Michael is such a blessing to us. It is amazing looking back at the last two years. The time goes so fast. Michael has transformed before our eyes into a confident, silly toddler that loves to make us all laugh. For his gotcha day celebration he received two books and a puzzle from Korea and chose to go to Chucky Cheese for dinner. God is so good. We are so thankful for Michael and our newest addition Isaiah!

Fun at Home

2008-10-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

Isaiah has been home for three wonderful weeks. He is such a joy. We have been having fun spending a lot of time together as a family at home. Isaiah is a very happy, easy going baby and Michael is a wonderful big brother.

We're Home . . .

2008-09-12T03:17:00.001-07:00

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 . . .

2008-09-09T04:58:00.000-07:00

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 . . .

2008-09-08T05:26:00.000-07:00

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 . . .

2008-09-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-05T05:37:00.000-07:00

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!!!

2008-09-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

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 !!!

2008-09-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

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 . . .

2008-09-04T04:20:00.001-07:00

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!

We Got The Call !!!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

We got the call today!!! We are going over to Seoul next week to get Isaiah!!! We couldn't be more happy. This is an answer to countless prayers! Praise God! He is so good!

Keep posted, we will try to post blogs while we are in Seoul (as long as we can understand their technology, and it is in English). Thank you to everyone for your prayers; to our caseworkers at Lifelink (our adoption agency), and to all our friends and family who have supported us in countless ways during our wait and in preparation for our travel. God bless you all!

Still Waiting . . . but more patiently

2008-08-27T19:11:00.000-07:00

Many of you (who read this) have been asking if we have gotten the call yet to travel to Seoul to bring Isaiah home . . . the answer is not yet . . . but we are cool with that. . . we are at peace with that. True, this has been a difficult few weeks waiting for the call when it could come any day . . . then nothing. We had been waking up every morning excited that this could be the day . . . then deflated when it wasn't. All this expectation and disappointment had left us feeling empty, stressed, and had been starting to turn what should be a joy-filled wait for our son into a source of stress. I know many of you have been praying that we get the call soon . . . thank you for that. . . you all are awesome and we are so blessed by you, your friendship and your faith . . . and please keep the prayers coming . . . because through your prayers and God's amazing way for meeting us where we are, He spoke to both of our hearts yesterday - and we are cool with the wait. He reminded both of us that He knows the desires of our hearts and He hears all of our prayers and they will be answered in His time (and as we all know His time is not always as quick as our time). . . we are finding a spiritual joy in trusting in God's will and knowing that God has a plan and all will unfold according to His plan. So we remain prayerful . . . patient . . . hopeful . . . and still waiting . . .

Still Waiting . . .

2008-08-22T19:08:00.001-07:00

Yeah . . . we are still waiting, however, we hear that we are really close now. It feels like we have been hearing that for the last few weeks... or months. We hope this time it's true! We have really been trying to be patient, but it is difficult because we know where we are in the process and how close Isaiah is to coming home! When we don't hear anything, or in the time frame we are expecting; it makes the wait even longer.

On the 21st our patience was wearing thinner than usual; so we called the US Embassy in Seoul at midnight (2pm the next day in Seoul) to try and find out what was going on since we had not heard anything in a couple weeks. Fortunately, we were able to get through to a real person in the Visa Office after only two attempts (it was going well so far) and the woman on the other end told us they had just finalized Isaiah's Visa that morning! Great news! Now we are just waiting for the adoption agency in Seoul to physically go over to the US Embassy and pick it up. She told us that should happen in the next day or two. It has been two days and no news yet . . . we are hoping to hear something early next week. The wait continues . . .

Waiting to Travel to Bring Isaiah Home

2008-08-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

We have been waiting to travel to Seoul, South Korea to get our second son, Isaiah, and bring him home! We can not wait to get over there to see him, hold him and GET HIM HOME! We could get the phone call any day now telling us that he is ready to travel home. We have been on the phone with the National Visa Center in the USA, and with the US Embassy in Seoul and all the paperwork is complete on their end. We have also been in contact with the adoption agency in Seoul via our local adoption agency, Lifelink; and they say he is ready to go. We are just waiting for the two agencies in Seoul to get together and finalize the travel documents. Here is the referral photo that we received from the adoption agency in Seoul in May. What a cutie! The woman in the photo is his foster mother who has been taking care of him for the past four months. You can click on the photo above to get a better view.

Michael's First Day at Home

2008-08-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

Michael, our first son, came home from Korea in September of 2006 when he was 5 months old. The photo to the right is Michael on his first day at home. He is such a gift to us, we were excited to begin the journey again to adopt a second child. We started the process to adopt a second child in the summer of 2007. We received the referral for Isaiah in May of 2008 and are looking forward to the day we get to hold him in our arms.