The Raffle Winner...

Last night we prepared all of the raffle tickets for the Nexus Google Pad.  We decided to place them in the beautiful jewelry box which we received from our adoption agency in Korea.   It was such a blessing to look through all of the names and thank God for all of the support we've received!

This morning both boys picked one ticket from the jewelry box and placed them in front of Hailey.  She grabbed Aidan's ticket.  We opened it up and read the winner...  Marlene Eckert!  Jordan's ticket also had Marlene's name on it!  We are thrilled that Marlene won the raffle.  Marlene has been a tremendous support throughout our adoption journey and we're so grateful for her friendship.  

I met Marlene almost twenty years ago while I was dating Mike.  We were both volunteering for The Make A Wish Foundation and became instant friends.  We worked together to help fulfill a child's wish.  It was an unforgettable experience that bonded us together.  Marlene was the videographer in our wedding and we have remained friends for all of these years.  

Last year Marlene served on my Guatemala team and we hope to travel again to Guatemala in the future.  This photo was taken at an indigenous Guatemalan performance.

Congratulations Marlene!  Thank you for your support and prayers for our family for so many years!  And thank you to everyone else who has prayed for us, encouraged us, brought meals, sent gifts and participated in our fundraising efforts.  We are beyond grateful.  And now the real journey begins....

$3,000 Raised Through the Raffle!

"Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord.  No deeds can compare with yours.  All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, O Lord.  They will bring glory to your name.  For you are great and do marvelous deeds, you alone are God." - Psalms 86:8-10

TONIGHT WE MET OUR GOAL!  WE HAVE RAISED $3,000 THROUGH THE GOOGLE NEXUS 7 FUNDRAISER!  We have reached our dream of completing an international adoption without going into debt.  We are thrilled beyond belief.  Here is a little bit of history...

In September, 2010, we made the painful decision to withdraw from the El Salvador adoption program with America World Adoptions (after waiting to adopt for over three years).  After much prayer and counsel, we felt led to apply for the Korea program with AIAA (Americans for International Aid and Adoption).  Our biggest concern?  The cost!   We lost the $15,000 invested in the El Salvador adoption and our savings was depleted.  However, as we prayed, God gave Mike the gift of faith.  I'll never forget Mike's words when he said, "$35,000 is like 35 cents to God!"  And he was right!

Over the past two years, God has provided all of the funds needed to complete our adoption.  We have received three grants from Show Hope, The Village Church of Irvine and Finding Forever Families.  We have successfully completed two raffle fundraisers.  We have received generous donations from family members, friends and even strangers.  And we've even been blessed personally to cover much of the costs through our own financial resources.

Tonight we received an unforgettable phone call from a friend who chooses to remain anonymous.  This friend told us that she'd recently been given guardianship of some money (from someone who passed away), and she was deciding where to donate the funds.  As she was praying yesterday, God placed our family's adoption costs on her heart.  She was also considering other ministries, and believed that God would confirm where to give the funds in a direct way.  Last night this friend felt God nudge her towards our family, and she decided to visit our adoption blog.  He prompted her to give us the funds if the amount that we needed matched the funds that she needed to give away.  Just an hour before she visited our blog, we had announced our remaining balance:  $820.  She had $816 to give away!  Needless to say, she knew clearly that this was God's confirmation!  We are once again amazed by God's perfect provision!

Since the raffle donations given to Lifesong for Orphans require a few days to process and we want to ensure that all donors are entered in the raffle, we will draw the winner next Sat, Sept 22.  The winner will be announced here on the blog and on Facebook.  We can't wait to see who the winner will be!

The remaining funds will be used for our post-placement adoption costs.  Over the next few months we will be scheduling four meetings with our social worker in our home.  Those visits are now paid for.  We will also need to pay the adoption finalization hearing in an Orange County court and the final paperwork process (through INS) to apply for Hailey's US citizenship.  This entire process should take about six months and Hailey will legally become Hailey Jane Ramsey.

We are so grateful for all of the prayers, emails, gifts, cards, meals and support that we have received during our amazing adoption adventure!  Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

Reflections on our first week with Hailey

As I type this post, it is already Friday morning in Korea.   One week ago today Hailey Jane was placed in our arms and our lives were forever changed.  While our adoption journey has crossed four different countries and five years of waiting, those painful years seem to have disappeared.  She is finally ours and she was worth the wait!

We were very concerned about Hailey's attachment and transition to our family after our initial meetings with Hailey and her foster mom.  Hailey was very shy, she resisted being near us and shed many tears during our time together.  We watched her cling tightly to her foster mom, and wondered how she would feel in our arms.  To our surprise, Hailey has attached very quickly.  Mike carried her in the Ergo carrier in Korea and she absolutely loved it.  During the first few days, Hailey clung to our chests while quickly revealing smiles, giggles and laughter.  She was most comfortable being held, and is just now sitting, playing and standing on her own.  Haley also loves being with the boys and has wondrously bonded to each of us.

While the flight home was long, Hailey surprised us again as she smiled at the flight attendants and waved her little hands at fellow passengers.  She seemed to be content and at home in our family.  When people asked us on the plane about Hailey, they were surprised to learn that she had only been part of our family for two days.

There have definitely been some adjustments at home.  Hailey screamed in horror when she first saw our dog and cat.  However, after a few days, she has begun to smile when they approach her and the tears have subsided.  She absolutely detests the dreaded car seat.  She never used a car seat in Korea, so I'm sure she feels trapped and detached.  However, she has become more comfortable with her new surroundings every day.  She is sleeping and eating well (with a few adjustments).  She smiles when she meets new people and has shocked us with how comfortable she has become so quickly.

We have all had our moments of exhaustion.  Our backs are sore (imagine bringing home a 27 pound baby from the hospital) and we are all adjusting to various life changes in different capacities.  The boys started school the day after we arrived home.  They have been tired, but their teachers have been wonderful.   Unfortunately we have been battling the stomach flu for the past two days.  Yuck! Thankfully Hailey's little Korean system seems to be immune to it!  We are so thankful for all of the gifts, cards and meals that we have received this week.  My mom has been a tremendous help and Hailey has attached quickly to her as well.

Our precious Hailey is worth it all.  She is a treasured gift from God and we are so thankful to be part of the miracle of adoption.  In the next few months we will schedule four "post-placement meetings" with our social worker in our home.  In approximately six months, after completing all of the required paperwork, we will file for an adoption finalization in the Orange County Court.    We look forward to celebrating the day when Hailey Jane Ramsey will become a US citizen and an official member of the Ramsey family (although she's already ours in our hearts and souls).

Korea, Land of the Morning Calm

Korea is known by its' people as "The land of the morning calm."  We have been intrigued by the Korean culture this week and have immensely enjoyed every experience.  We have found Koreans to be calm, respectful and generous.  We are amazed by how quiet the volume can be in a crowded subway, bus or airport terminal.   Their tremendous respect for elders and the value placed on honor is reflected in the low crime rate, the quick response of a young person to offer their seat to an elder in the subway and the calm pace of life.

Korea is also filled with contrasts.  The young people dress casually, often with trendy, bright colors and punk hair styles, while the older generation dress conservatively.  We noticed this strong contrast while visiting The Yoido Full Gospel Church, where the young worship leaders wore jeans and t-shirts and the older pastors wore suits.

The landscape in Korea is stunning. The lush, green backdrop and surrounding oceans and rivers compliment the ancient temples and palaces nestled amidst grandiose metropolitan buildings.  We were shocked to learn that in 1971, when the nation was plagued with poverty and military rule, there were very few trees in the countryside.  Koreans were so desperate for fuel that they were forced to cut down most of the trees.

The "overnight success story" of South Korea following The Korean War, with its' rapid development from third world to first world, is a wonder to millions around the world.  However, Loren Cunningam, the founder of Youth With a Missions (YWAM), credits the success of South Korea to the unprecedented growth of the church.  In "The Book That Transforms Nations," Loren shares the incredible account of the churches' direct impact on the culture.

"If you visit South Korea today, you'll find hundreds of thousands filling churches every morning at 5:00 am to pray and read their Bibles for two hours before heading to work.  Weekly all-night prayer meetings and spiritual retreats to fast and pray are common. As a result of all this fervor, believers and churches have multiplied, quickly changing the spiritual landscape.  Biblical influence has permeated every area of Korean society.  Signs of healing are the great strides the nation has made in technology, education and literacy.  Whereas a bicycle was a luxury in 1971, South Koreans are now at the forefront of technology and manufacturing, exporting automobiles and electronics.  In fact, Koreans use the Internet more per capita than any over country.  South Korea's push to get everyone online is part of a bigger picture - a commitment to making sure everyone gets an education.  Ten of the eleven largest megachurches in the world are in Seoul." (page 78)

This is our final blog post from "The Land of the Morning Calm."  We have posted a few of our photos which we believe capture the heart of Korea.  Tomorrow we will pack our bags and return to our "home, sweet home" and our next post will be written from California!

Visiting the Palace with our Princess

What a day!  Today we cherished every moment with our precious Hailey;  the laughter, the tears, the smiles, the stares, even the diaper changes and spit ups!  She is ours, and I still can't believe it.  Hailey slept for almost 12 hours last night (snuggled between the two of us).  She woke up once in the night and was happier than we'd ever seen her.  She loves to touch and hit Mike's face, and decided to try hitting my face too!  She was cracking herself up, hitting our faces over and over again and putting her fingers in my mouth.  After a little while, she settled down with her bottle and went right back to sleep.  Needless to say, the midnight play session was one of the most treasured moments of the trip.

Since Hailey enjoyed our walking excursion yesterday, we decided to visit the Gwanghamun palace.  After all, Hailey is our little Korean princess, and she deserved a trip to the palace!  The Gwanghamun palace is the most well known palace in all of Korean.  Hailey did really well and loves being carried in the Ergo carrier.  She hardly fussed the entire day.  It was so memorable to visit such a remarkable, historical site as a family of five.  The palace grounds were breathtaking and we were able to capture many special memories together.

At the end of the afternoon, we stopped by The Kona Beans Cafe, located just around the corner from our guest house.  Again, Hailey did great.  She's happy anywhere, as long as she's on a lap!  She loves to taste whatever we're eating.  We received lots of stares and smiles in the restaurant, and the Korean people have been extremely gracious and accepting of our multi-racial family.

Hailey's favorite place to be is leaning into our chests.  She seems just as content with either me or Mike, and we are grateful for that.  I've had many moments to reflect on our adoption journey this week, but I've felt especially pensive with Hailey clinging close to my chest.  All of the pain, confusion, frustration and loss seems to melt away as I feel Hailey's sweaty little head cuddled against me.  There is no doubt that God divinely placed her into our family.  He spoke clearly to our hearts to follow Him on this amazing adoption adventure over five years ago.  Our adventure has been filled with twists and turns, and we have finally arrived at "the end of the red thread."  Hailey has been pulling this invisible thread to our hearts for five years, and we have found our treasure.  

We have learned so many lessons throughout our adoption journey, but one of the greatest lessons for me has been to follow God's calling, no matter the cost.  This spring I was extremely frustrated with ongoing changes in the Korean adoption program, including paperwork updates and additional costs.  I sent an email to our adoption agency telling them they we were considering withdrawing from the program.  As I reflect on that difficult time, I can't believe that we could have missed Hailey.  Fortunately our adoption agency was patient, and as Mike and I talked and prayed through that confusing season, we felt that nudge from God to "stay the course."  I'm so glad we listened to His still, small voice.  As I'm typing now, I can hear Mike and Hailey gigging together as he's putting her to sleep.   I honestly can't believe that my own frustrations and disappointments could have robbed me from one of the greatest treasures of my life, Hailey Jane.  We are so grateful that God has led us step by step on this journey, we would truly be lost without Him!

Tomorrow afternoon we will fly back home to America, where Hailey will be greeted with her new world.  The past week has been unforgettable week, but we are anxious to get settled back at home and begin our lives as a family of five!

She's Ours!

After waiting for five years, two months and three days, we finally have our daughter!  Happy Gotcha Day, Hailey!

Today we woke up feeling excited, nervous, emotional and scared.  We were so uncertain of how Hailey would respond when leaving her foster mom.  There were so many questions running through our minds.  We had a wonderful morning talking and praying together as we prepared for the big moment.  Our boys have been amazing this week and they were prepared for Hailey's reactions, whether it be laughter, screams or tears.

It was such a strange feeling to walk out our door, knowing the next time I  passed through the entry, Hailey would be in our arms!

When we arrived at the adoption office, Hailey and her foster mom were waiting for us on a couch.  She looked so adorable in her aqua outfit, which matched mine perfectly!  I just wanted to scoop her up! Hailey seemed very calm when we walked in and didn't cry when seeing us.  The social worker commented that she appeared to be ready, and that tears and grieving would be normal.  We were presented with more gifts from the agency, and Hailey's foster mom gave us formula, food, clothing, shoes, etc.  Wow!  We're actually considering buying another duffel bag since we have so much to bring home!  We signed some official paperwork and received Hailey's passport and documents.

We are now Hailey's official guardians since our adoption will not be finalized until approximately six months.  Korea requires three post-placement visits with a social worker, then we will complete the finalization in court in Orange County.

These are the first photos taken with Hailey after leaving the offices:

Hailey's transition has gone fairly smoothly.  There have definitely been a lot of tears, but she is warming up to us quickly.  She LOVES to be snuggled and insists on being nestled into our chests.  She also likes the Ergo carrier, and we decided to venture out in the afternoon for a stroll.  Hailey is very curious and loves looking at everything.  We went to "COEX," the largest underground mall in Asia, located in the Gangnam District/World Trade Center (just a few blocks from the guest house). We tried "potato pizza" at Mr. Pizza and it was delicious!  We found out that Hailey likes pizza.  Actually, she likes to eat whatever we're eating!

We are so grateful that Hailey is attaching so quickly.  We've captured a few smiles, adorable baby words and even some yelps of laughter.  She loves watching the boys and seems to be taking in her new world, faces, sounds and smells very quickly.  We will post more photos soon.  We have been overwhelmed by all of the support that we have received this week from friends and family all over the world!  Thank you for celebrating Hailey's Gotcha Day with us!

Our Last Day as a Family of 4

Today we spent the day touring the stunning streets of Seoul.  We rode on the Seoul City Bus Tour, which allowed us to exit at designated locations and hop on again at a later time.  The headphones on the bus described the various points of interest in the preferred language of choice.

Our first stop was a flea market in the heart of the city.  We were searching for an authentic Korean diaper bag for Hailey, but instead of diaper bags, we encountered Korean antiques, ancient remedies and even American military relics left over from The Korean War.  What a cross cultural experience!

Our next two stops were the Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung Palaces, built during the Joseon Dynasty in the 1400's.   The buildings and grounds were spectacular and Mike captured some unbelievable photos.

In the afternoon we witnessed "The Changing of the Guards" at Deoksugung Palace.  The bright colors, loud drums and perfected marches demanded the attention of all who passed by the busy intersection.

We are so grateful for the incredible opportunity that we have had to tour Seoul this week.  We know that every experience will be etched in our hearts as we remember Hailey's country of birth.  Our personal encounters have drawn us in love with Korea and we will be thrilled to share our stories with Hailey one day.

We ended our day in Namdaumun Market, the largest traditional market in Korea.  The sites, sounds and smells touched every sense and although we were tired, it was another unforgettable cross cultural experience.  We did achieve success and finally found a bright, traditional bag to use for Hailey's diaper bag.

While it was a privilege to tour Seoul, our thoughts continued to focus on Hailey.  We are concerned about her timidity, but we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is ours.  After trying to adopt a child for five years in four different countries, we know that God supernaturally called Hailey Jane to our family.  There have been so many unbelievable confirmations that have led us to this moment, and we are ready to welcome Hailey into our hearts with unconditional love.  While we have prepared the boys for a difficult transition, we can't wait to finally bring Hailey home and experience the miracle of adoption together.