Party of Six

Gilbert Days Parade 2011

2011-11-19T16:35:00.001-08:00

Had fun at the Gilbert Days Parade. Thanks for sharing the day with us, Grammy and Grampy! Leah, we are so proud of you!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

Had a GREAT time Trick or Treating with the Barz Family!!!

Leah did my costume/makeup for Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers Zombie concert last weekend. Thanks, Leah!!! You ROCK! Oh, and here's a link to RCPM's Zombie Lesson. My first attempt at iMovie:

Day at the Park

2011-01-19T18:34:00.000-08:00

Jake's 3rd Birthday

2010-08-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate Jake's 3rd Birthday!

Leah, Baby

2010-07-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

I recently revived an old desktop PC that crashed several years ago. ALL these amazing photos of Leah have been rescued. Here is a sample. Enjoy!

A visit to Aunt Ann's

2010-05-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to Cordes Lakes on Saturday to visit Ann. Here are a few photos from our time with her. We had a great day. Thanks, Ann!

Swim Season Is Here...Almost.

2010-05-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Mother's Day with Grandma Dottie and let the kids spend some play time in the pool. It was way too cold for me, but they seemed to enjoy it.

Happy 4th Birthday, Sean!

2010-05-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate Sean's 4th birthday!

May Day

2010-05-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

The first day of May, 2010. We were fortunate enough to be invited to Samuel's 3rd birthday party today in Oro Valley, AZ. Here are a few pictures of our day. I posted more on facebook for family members. Enjoy!

Daddy Daughter Dance

2010-04-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

Daniel took Leah to the Daddy Daughter dance at Power Ranch Elementary tonight. This is Leah's first dance, complete with a coursage of white roses. So beautiful! Her daddy is very handsome, of course!! Have fun!

Prescott in April, 2010

2010-04-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! Prescott, Arizona, is one of our favorite places to visit. A perfect park at the Courthouse...reminds me of the town in the film Back to the Future. (Sans the infamous Whiskey Row.)
What a great venue for my favorite AZ band, Roger Cline and the Peacemakers! Nothing like a great American sing-a-long with all the RCPM fans...along with my family and friends. They had an Earth Day/Mountain Bike festival going on at the same time with plenty to keep the kids active. Most of the band photos (see slide show post of RCPM) were taken by Leah. My 8 year old somehow managed to get us into the photographer's area. Not sure I wanted to be THAT close, but it was fun. Nice work, Leah! HOW many shows have I been to and have managed only a handful of band photos? She even caught the sombrero for a picture...unbelievable. Here are a few pics from our trip. The nature shots were taken at Lynx Lake on Sunday. I was able to hike with the little ones while Daniel and Leah took out the Canoe. LOVED this trip! Thanks, Daniel!!

Nice shot, Leah!

RCPM and Prescott: April 2010

2010-04-26T20:13:00.000-07:00

Playdate

2010-04-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Having fun on a playdate with the Barz family

Boyce Thompson Arboretum Slide Show

2010-04-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Boyce Thompson Arboreatum

2010-04-13T16:54:00.000-07:00

Enjoying spring at the BTA!

Sunny Days

2010-03-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

Smile, Sarah! Bee watching. Teamwork!

We had an amazing week of clear days and sunshine. Lots of fun in the park and around the neighborhood. Enjoy the photos!

Happy birthday, Sarah Kay!

2010-02-28T12:05:00.000-08:00

I started this blog on Sarah's 1st birthday. Seems like the perfect time to resume. Remember Sarah on that day?

Sarah turned three this week and is very proud to be riding a big girl bike.

Here are a few pictures from her birthday party. Sarah was thrilled to have both her grammies and her grampy here to help us celebrate.

Playdates!

2008-12-02T13:25:00.001-08:00

Hello, everyone! Yes, it's been a while since our last post and these pictures are way overdue. It has FINALLY cooled off enough to enjoy our parks and the zoo with all the little ones. Most of these photos were taken during playdates.

Jake is settling in quite well. He smiles and laughs most of the time and is now walking along while holding onto toys or furniture. He LOVES cars (just like his brother) and is especially fond of swinging in the park and riding on the teeter totter. He enjoys trying to take whatever Sean or Sarah are playing with and laughs mostly when Leah is playing with him.

Sean is talking more everyday. He carries his cars everywhere...bag, purse, basket...anything. He asks to go "bye-byes" about every 30 minutes or so and is starting to answer the questions in "Dora the Explorer". (I'm not sure if that makes me proud or worried.)

Sarah is climbing up slides, ladders, climbing walls...just about anything that has a foot hold. She is starting to talk, which is adorable. She is soft spoken, making her angry words sound a little comical. "Mine!" is quickly becoming a favorite of both Sean and Sarah. The word seems to always apply to the same object. The toy cars (100 or more of them) are getting daily time-outs as I remove all of them from the battlefield. I solved the problem with a simple division into two bags of cars. This will work until Jake becomes savvy to car ownership.

Leah is looking forward to the arrival of Kaylee next month. Her best friend is moving back to AZ from Reno soon. She started girl scouts (Daisies) this week and is thrilled that she knows all the girls in her troop. Oh, and she is FINALLY riding a two wheeler with both skill and speed! Leah is very much enjoying first grade, riding her bike, and playing with the neighborhood kids. We are very proud of her in every way.

We are looking forward to Christmas, but are mostly enjoying the clear cool days that are ideal for playdates. Enjoy the pictures!

Love,
Chris

Playtime!

2008-10-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! Fall has finally arrived with temperatures dropping below ninety. After a LONG summer, we didn't waste any time getting to the park. Enjoy the pictures!

Chris

Mesa Youth Museum

2008-10-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone!

Yes it's STILL too hot in AZ for the outdoors. If you are feeling the same cabin fever that we are, take your little ones to the Mesa Youth Museum for some craft time and playtime. The children's zone is for children four and under and PERFECT for us. Sarah and Sean enjoyed the kitchen room, along with the car and slide. Jake's favorite room had lots of colorful building blocks on light tables. He was fascinated with the way the blocks lit up.

Roar!

2008-09-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone!

We recently visited the AZ Museum of Natural History. We've been members for a while and it just gets better. They will have a Mars exhibit next month. However, the current Feathered Dinosaurs exhibit is worth the trip as well. Sean and Leah are big fans, but Sarah is pointing and roaring right along with her brother now. The second video clip with Sean was taken during the "monsoon storm" that occurs every half hour or so. The dinosaurs are roaring right along with the thunder and lightning.

Jake's First Week

2008-09-07T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! It's Sunday morning and we have a house full of happy children. Jake has settled in well and his bother and sisters are making him feel right at home. Jake is never without a toy or a bottle. If he cries, there is a child's hand to help comfort him. Sean and Sarah are anxious for Jake to join in. Sarah wonders why he can't play ball with her but that hasn't stopped her from trying.

After a weekend of living in the Sonoran desert, we decided it was time for a haircut for Jake. He was sweating so much that his hair was always wet. Father and son went together for the big event and both returned covered in hair. I'm including a picture taken right afterwards...he seems pretty happy!

Jake spent most of the week in a carrier with mom or dad. He is now crawling around with confidence, but still let's us know that he prefers that we are in the room.

We had a small Labor Day celebration on Monday and learned that Jake is a pretty social little boy. Where Sarah wouldn't allow anyone else to hold her for weeks, Jake enjoys being with both grandmothers. A special thanks to all our friends and family for the food, gifts, help with diaper changing, and just the general support. You allowed us to focus on Jake's transition and make this as easy as possible for all of our children.

Stay posted for more pictures!

Love,

Chris

Bringing Jake Home

2008-09-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! Yes, I am posting a week after the event, but I am now the mother of 4 small children and beg your understanding. We left Eastern Social Welfare Services at 1:30pm, after a short meeting and prayer by the director, Dr. Kim. This is the moment we all look forward to yet fear just a bit. The word that comes to mind is simply "Bittersweet". Yes, we are bringing him home and he will be our son. On the other hand, his mother of the past year is the one who places him in our arms. Jake's foster Mom handled it with a dignity that I will never forget. She is a better person than I am, I think. Her last words were of his nap schedule for the day, when to use the pacifier, and when his next bottle should be. Words of advice that we used to the letter. She even packed a pair of socks for the trip, in case his feet were cold. Words are hard enough to find in these situations, even without the language barrier. "Thank you" falls so very short.

Jake did very well, smiling and laughing for most of the 15 hour trip. He did cry a little before his nap on Daniel's shoulder, but that was it until he was tired again. He played in the Children's Play Room at the airport before the flight. I think this tired him out, since he slept a great deal of the first half of the flight. Of course, there is plenty of activity to distract a 1 year old on a large aircraft. I am including a few pictures. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all smiles. However, just like any child, when Jake is tired he will cry.

These pictures and videos show Jake during the van ride to the airport, playing in the airport and having a snack at the airport. Finally, you will see him on the airplane. We could not have asked for a happier child on this trip. Jake is obviously a content and fun-loving boy.

Korea, Day Two: Secret Garden

2008-08-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone!

We are leaving in a moment to do a little shopping. Yes, it was actually Daniel's idea to shop. He is full of suprises.

We will meet with our new little one at 1:30pm and then leave for the airport. I will share our experience with you when we are back in WI-FI range and Jake is asleep. We are preparing as many things for him as we can fit into carry-ons...foods that he likes, books, toys, my video i-pod...we want to make this flight as easy as possible for him. I'll let everyone know when we arrive on Friday in LA. I should be able to blog and make calls after immigration.

Yesterday was a full day for us. We had an incredible meeting with Sean's foster Mom. I am including her picture here but will not use her name for privacy. The baby in the picture is 7 months old and will be going to NYC soon. The young man is her son. After loading us up with gifts and sharing photos, she told us of Roo Da's time with her. She has had many foster children, yet she remebers him well and carries his picture. We look forward to meeting her again with Sean. We left with each other's address and look forward to corresponding with her and her family. Okay, it's campy to say...but, HOW COOL IS THAT? =)

We also met with both the director and the founder of ESWS. The current CEO will be in PHX for our celebration in September. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch here at Eastern, including traditional Korean foods such as Kimchee and Be Bim Bop. (Yes, Terri, I now know what the bowl looks like!)

Afterwards we met with Jake and his foster Mom for a visit. He does have stranger anxiety, but not to the degree that Sarah does. He has the most fun-loving personality, and is both smart and cute. Yes, I am biased, but it is a fact. =) We can't wait for you to meet him!

The travel log should begin here, but I will have to fill in the details later so we can be on our way. The pictures are of a palace with a Secret Garden. SO BEAUTIFUL! Yes, we rode the subway everywhere today...look at us, getting around Seoul and only getting a little lost. =)

Enjoy the pictures!

Korean Fun 101:Korean Folk Village

2008-08-27T03:58:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! I'm just hoping to spell correctly at this point. I think we have slept 5 hours in the past 50 hours, so my wits are a bit dull. We had a great day and wanted to get in as much as possible. Daniel is STILL out walking around the area while I write this blog. He is having the time of his life.

We set out right after meeting Jake today for Seoul Station and the train ride to Suwon. Just a bus ride from there, we visited the Korean Folk Village. I'm including a few pics here. Remember how disappointed I was when I visited Seoul last year that there was "just too much city"? Well, I found the trees and it was beautiful. (Okay, the mosquitos are the size of a half dollar, but we left when they arrived. In fact, this is mosquito season. Did you notice the bites on Jake's face in the pictures?)

We "strolled" through the Namdaemun market afterwards. Found out that it is around the block from Seoul station. Okay, so we were AT Seoul station and still took a cab. We knew it was close, but the intersections (rotaries) are a bit intimidating at 6pm. Namdaemun is kind of like a park-and-swap, except the stands are in front of shops and there are two humans for every square foot of space. =)

Dinner was at Tony Romas. I needed that comfort food after putting in such a long day. =)

Enjoy the pics. They were all taken at the Folk Village. If you know your Korean history, this village is modeled after lfe in the early Joseon dynasty, circa 1932.

More tomorrow after we see Jake again. =)

Love,

Chris

Meeting Jake!

2008-08-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! Okay, I cried for maybe a minute when we saw Jake coming down the hall...but I pulled it together. Yes, he's adorable, of course. We visited for over an hour and had a wonderful time. Jake is very happy and very chatty. It did take a few minutes for him to warm up to us and the fact that all of these folks were staring and smiling at him. However, he took to Daniel pretty quick, and even did the "reach" for him as they were leaving. Yes, it made Daniel's day!

Jake (Byul) is crawling well and can stand on his own. He is not walking yet. We can easily tell that his foster family loves him a great deal. He has two foster sisters and an amazing foster mom and dad. We have lots of wonderful photos of his first year that were given to us today...we can hardly wait to share them with you. Until then, here are a few pics and a short video. I promised Daniel that I would make this quick so we can begin our sightseeing. =)

By the way, we will meet with Jake tomorrow at 1pm. We will leave with him at 1:30pm on Friday. This will be a tough trip for the little guy...he is getting over a cold and will miss the comfort of his foster family. We are stocking up on his favorite foods and will have plenty to keep him entertained on our trip.

Until my next blog, have a wonderful day and enjoy the photos!

Love,

Chris

Hello from Korea!

2008-08-26T16:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! We made it! We are currently blogging from Eastern Social Welfare Services. They have a great business center...easy to use and very convenient since our cells are not working yet. Well, you can call us...we just can't call out. =)

We do not know when we will meet Jake yet. You can bet I'll take lots of photos and blog immediately following our visit. We will travel to the Folk Village just south of Seoul today. We want to take advantage of the amazing weather we are having. It's like Phoenix in November. =)

I'll have more to share later on today. =)

Love,

Chris

Leaving for Korea

2008-08-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! I'm blogging from the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX in Los Angeles. Our flight leaves in just over an hour for Seoul, South Korea, where we will meet Jake and escort him home this week. Daniel and I are feeling a little guilty about our short week away, but we are very much enjoying being a couple for awhile.

We've had a pretty easy trip so far. Spent most of our wait time and flight from PHX looking at Korean travel books and making our "wish list" of things to do.

We will arrive in Seoul's Inchon airport around 6pm on Tuesday. Seoul is 14 hours ahead of us, so we will make it home earlier than we will depart on the 29th. =) It is about an hour ride to Eastern Social Welfare Services, so I will try to blog again when we get settled. Daniel is anxious to get out on the street to try the food vendors and experience the city streets at night.

Happy Birthday, Jake!

2008-08-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! As most of you have heard, we are traveling to escort Jake home next week. Jake celebrated his first birthday with his foster family on Sunday. We will celebrate with him in just a few weeks. Daniel and I will leave early Monday morning and arrive in Seoul at 6pm on Tuesday. Keep checking back on this blog and I will update as we go. We will meet Jake on Wednesday morning and will also meet with Sean's foster mom on Thursday morning. Our return flight brings us back to Phoenix on Friday afternoon (August 29th).

Until then, here are a few picks from the summer. Enjoy!

Jake at 9 months

2008-06-11T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! We just received Jake's 9 month photo. What a cutie!

Enjoy!

Introducing Jake!

2008-05-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! We are thrilled to announce a soon-to-be addition to our family. Byeol Jang was born on August 17th, 2007, in Seoul, Korea. He was 7 lbs at birth and 19 inches long.

We completed our homestudy this week. It will take a while for fingerprinting, US and Korean Visas, etc. Jake should be joining our family sometime in August, if all runs smoothly. Dillon Southwest has been amazing with our last two adoptions, so we anticipate another wonderful experience.

For those of you doing the math, you are right: there are only six months between Sarah and Jake. To be honest, we never imagined that we would be fortunate enough to be matched with Sarah, let alone ANOTHER child. During the last week of March, we received an e-mail from our agency with Jake's photo asking for help in finding a family for him. We were not finalized with Sarah, and I had already reached the age limit with regards to Korea's requirements, but I made the call that same day to see if there was any possibility that we could welcome him into our home. Six or seven weeks later, we finally got the answer we were waiting for. We'll keep you posted as we find out more and we will update as we travel to escort Jake when it is time. Until then, enjoy the pics. They only go to 5 months. Should we receive new photos before we travel, we will post those as well. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Sean!

2008-05-31T21:11:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! Sean turned two on the 15th of May. We had a party for him a few weeks ago. Thanks to all who helped us celebrate! Enjoy the pics!

Lexington,Ky:Day 3

2008-05-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

ONE sunny day!
Time to swim!
My girl.
Watch me twirl!

Hello, everyone! Happy Mother's Day! Yes, I am posting this the day after while Leah sleeps. Her allergies are worse today and I am looking forward to getting her back to AZ where she can breathe again.

We had a wonderful Mother's Day, including a brunch at Joseph-Beth's Cafe. Here's a clip of Leah while we waited for our meal:

We enjoyed shopping at this amazing bookstore. Lots of Kentucky goodies to choose from and a children's section to get lost in. Afterwards, we returned to the hotel for swimming and a break. Oh, and I can't forget the umbrella that made Leah scream. While running across a parking lot in the storm, the umbrella inverted and scared Leah. She screamed so loud that I thought she had been injured. Needless to say, she now has her own umbrella. We haven't seen rain like this in a while. I guess it's because we stay out of the monsoons at home, yet the storms here look so, well, peaceful, as compared to a dust storm.

The pool is surrounded by glass, which made it kinda cool with the rain. Leah taught me all kinds of tricks. She is getting to be a good swimmer. I'll add some pics. Enjoy!

Lexington Trip:Day 2

2008-05-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

The TWO graduates. Danny graduates on the 1st of June!
What a good looking group!
Dr. Ziemba. That's M.D. and Ph.D., in case you were wondering.

Kris with Rob and Danny. We are SO proud of you, Kris!
(Leah had to get in on one...she was so excited to tell everyone that Kris was HER graduate!!)

Wow, what a beautiful day to graduate from Medical School! No rain in sight and a cool, green sunny day to enjoy. Leah is allergic to Kentucky, as we found out about three am. She woke up with one of the worst allergy attacks that I have seen in a while. Amazing, though, how brave she was when it came to attending the graduation. She couldn't eat anything at the restaurant beforehand (not even Ravioli!), and was sick immediately following our arrival back at the hotel. However, she LOVED the ceremony and waited patiently for Kris's name to be called. Of course, with 99 graduates and Kris Ziemba being the last to walk across the stage, this was an impressive act of endurance by my 6 year old. I hope this video works. If you listen close, you will hear Kris's name (Dr. Ziemba, of course) and Gilbert, AZ. We are SO proud!! Here's the clip:

I am placing additional pics of Kris and the family/friends in attendance. I'll allow for their privacy by not labeling. Well, except for Rob and Danny. Danny graduates this year as well. Yes, he's the handsome one. Thanks for the Salmon dinner, chef Rob! It was fabulous. We enjoyed meeting everyone. Leah loved the attention and also enjoyed meeting Dante, the family dog.

Enjoy, everyone. More in the next blog.

Trip to Lexington, KY:Day 1

2008-05-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! Leah and I left for Lexington on Friday the 9th and will return on the 12th. We're traveling to Lexington to attend Kris Ziemba's graduation from UK's medical school. Congratulations, Kris!!

Daniel is taking off all 4 days to spend time with Sean and Sarah. He took us to the airport on Friday. Sarah enjoyed her first Starbucks drink (Strawberries and Cream), while Sean played with the cool airplane one of the folks at Delta gave him.

The flight was amazing. No, really. Delta has those "choose your own adventure" monitors on the back of each seat. We never cracked a book or brought out an i-pod. LOVED Juno while Leah very much enjoyed Enchanted.

Lexington was a bit rainy when we arrived. Still light out at 8:30pm, we were able to see a few of the beautiful horse farms on the way to the hotel. Leah was excited to get to the hotel. We enjoyed a pizza and coloring session together before lights out. More in the next post!

Look who is walking!

2008-04-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone! I guess there is no better way to start this blog than with the latest on my adorable children. Sarah began taking steps last week and is doing her best not to crawl whenever possible. She can climb almost anything and enjoys playing with whatever toy Sean happens to have at the moment. She worships her big sister, Leah, of course. Swinging next to Leah on the swing set is her favorite activity.

She has said goodbye to formula, but not bottles. "Ma-ma" and "da-da" are heard often but still seem random. Sarah loves books, especially those that pop-up or play music. She now looks at the books more than she is teething on them. She doesn't like the play pool as much as the bath, but still takes all the water toys she can before Sean can get them. Her favorite activity in the park, aside from swinging for hours, is to climb up the slide and slide back down numerous times.

Sarah's finalization date has been set for July 31st. Anyone wishing to join us at Juvenile Court is welcome. I'll provide details as the date approaches.