Long Time No See

Sorry I have been absent this week. I have been purging things in our house and trying to play catch up on chores which have been neglected. We had a WONDERFUL Welcome Home Shower on Sunday Sept 26th at Mike's home church Coloma Baptist where his dad is still the pastor. It was a great day and what a wonderful turnout. We got to see many friends we hadn't seen in quite some time. Thanks to everyone for making it a memorable day. Enjoy the pictures!!

HAPPY CHUSEOK!!!!

We wanted to wish everyone in Korea "HAPPY CHUSEOK" especially Miles HaeWon's Omma, Appa and sisters and brother. We also want to wish Miles HaeWon himself "Happy Chuseok." Chuseok is often referred to as Thanksgiving in Korea. It is a time to give thanks for the autumn harvest and reaffirm familial and community ties. Many people return to their hometowns and visit family and loved ones. Offerings are made of newly harvested food. Crescent shaped rice cakes called songp'yon, chestnuts and fresh fruits are some of the favorites. Families will also visit the graves of their ancestors to pay their respects and clear away the weeds and prepare the graves for winter. This is referred to as Beolcho. This year the Chuseok holiday is Sept 21-23rd.

We always want HaeWon to remember his foster family and important holidays and events in Korea. This family is very special to us and we have enjoyed reading their blog and keeping up with them as well as being able to share pictures and news from our life in Missouri. Love To All.

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This!!!

Okay let me just brief you all on what has been going on at the Trussells!! I woke up this morning to apple juice dripping from my hair down my cheek. I then got up and Miles was wet so I went to change him and he peed all over my nightgown and it was running down my leg. We went back to sleep for a couple more hours and he woke up again. We then went back to sleep and woke up for good at 7:30. At 8:30 he threw my hairbrush in the toilet and by 9:30 I was ready to call the paddy wagon to pick me up!!HAHA!!! I am just considering this a MINOR setback and am not going to lose my cool. I am starting to get my groove back which is good news.

Grandpa and Grandma Trussell came up Monday evening for Mike's Jr. High Softball game. It was a good game and the Lady Wolverines beat Gallatin. Miles was good at the game and wanted to wear the girl's helmets and carry the bats around.

Our dear friends Jennifer. Jake and Nick Sprague came to visit last night and brought gifts for Miles, Winston and dinner from KFC. It was so good to visit with them and introduce them to Miles. We all became friends when we first moved to Cameron and we lived in the duplexes next to each other. Jennifer also gave me a pedicure and got me whipped back into shape. Thanks so much guys for a fun night. Miles being the little hamhock that he is was making faces and showing everyone his chewed up food to get a laugh. What am I going to do with this boy. Gotta love it. We will work on table manners in a few weeks. We did a self portrait but since Miles had just woke up from his nap he looks less than thrilled. He has been grabbing my cheeks and giving me kisses-"Can you say Melt My Heart!!" Hope you are all having a good week. It is off tonight for the homecoming bonfire at Maysville!!

How Tricia Gets Her Groove Back

I have been neglectful of the blog the last few days and I apologize. We have been very active lately. Our activities have included a softball game, a Wolverine football game, a party at our friend's house, and a trip to the vet for brother.

I have really been struggling with "Getting in the Groove of things." I feel like I am forgetful and very scatter-brained (more than usual that is). I think the lack of sleep has taken its toll on me. The last two nights have been much better. Miles has slept and has only woken up once in the early morning hour each night for a drink. This is PROGRESS!!! He had some nights where he was waking up 3-4 times crying hysterically and we just were not sure what to do to make him happy. Don't get me wrong, we are extremely grateful for him and love him dearly it's just that with no sleep and Mike and I both having allergies and colds it has been rough!!! I am sorry if some of you have called or sent messages and I haven't responded. I am going to try to get on that this week.

Most days my hair is up in a clip and I may or may not wear makeup. I am trying to get the house in order and keep up with the laundry. I have bags under my eyes and I am thankful for the inventor of undereye concealer. I have not had time to touch up my toenail polish and it is half chipped off (UGH!!! This is a HUGE pet-peeve of mine). I am hoping that we are getting in a schedule and some sort of routine because today I put Miles in his carrier on my back and did some yard work and laundry and felt good about this. Winston is liking being the human garbage disposal as there are many more crumbs than before.

With all this said, I would not trade it for the world. I am just trying to find our "new normal" and get my groove back. When he wakes up in the morning and wraps his arms around my neck and has his bedhead and gives me a kiss, I melt. There will be plenty of time for pedicures when I retire right????HAHA

I Wanna Be A Cowboy Baby

Miles HaeWon loves his horse that Grandpa Trussell made him. At first he would just rub the mane and tail but now he is actually going for rides. I love to watch him strategically get on it.

Weekend Recap

We had a fun and active weekend. We went on our first shopping outing to Target and T.J. Maxx to get some needed supplies and then we went to a football game Friday night. Saturday I went to the all town garage sales and Miles stayed with Mike all morning. It seemed weird to be out and about without Miles. Strange how things can change so much in one week. Sunday we had a visit from both sides of the family. Grandma and Grandpa Trussell came over for a couple of hours and Papa and Grammy Miller also came for a visit. Paige and Christian also got to come up with my sister Christie. This was a first visit for all the Miller cousins. We ended the evening with a big walk around the park with cousins Brody and Andrea. What a great weekend!!! We have decided Miles is happiest around other people and is used to being very social. Brother Winston also got a bath/brushing and toenail clipping this weekend. This always helps his self-esteem. It also lets him know he is still a VERY BIG part of our lives and we love him very much also. I hope you all had a great weekend also.

One Week Home

We have been home one week and one day. There are many things we have learned about each other and ourselves such as

We are old

We require alot of sleep

We require more sleep than Miles

We can function with no sleep but not very well

He has a VERY strong will and is very independent

He loves ring around the rosey and wheels on the bus

He loves canine brother but sometimes tries to sit on him

Canine brother loves him but especially loves the food remnants dropped on the floor

Miles has a shoe fettish

I also have a shoe fettish

Did I mention we are old

He and his dad both like football

Miles loves peaches and bananas (he tried to bite into one at the grocery store today peeling and all).

Mike really can change diapers if need be even though he lied all those years and said he would get sick and throw up.

Miles is a social butterfly

We are a family and families stick together through thick and thin

We are so glad you are with us Miles and we love you very much.

Diaper Bag Vs. Purse

Okay, so as most of you know I am a first time mother who is rather sat in her ways. After all I have had 3+ decades to get this way. SOOOOOOO with that being said I am going to need a little work on diaper bag necessities vs. purse necessities.

1) I don't need three shades of lipstick-one should do because a 15 month old does not care about how good my lips look!

2) My blingy sunglasses probably are not going to last much longer because I sat on them twice today trying to get something that fell on the floor.

3) There is not much point taking a diaper bag if you forget the extra diaper. I put one in the bag with a few wipes and I used it after our walk. I then forgot to reload before our trip to the park UGH!!!! I had to ask a friend to borrow a diaper and was a little embarrassed.

4) I had a little tub of snack yogurt puffs to take with us and it was still sitting on the counter when I returned.

5) Instead of one set of keys I now have two except one plays noises from Toy Story.

This is all going to take some getting used to but with a little help from my dear friends I am going to get this all squared away. I am trying to still carry a fashionable purse as well as a pseudo-diaper bag but I may have to start combining and for now ease up on the fashion end of things. What do you all think? Oh well, that sweet little smile makes all the sweet potato stains on my white shirt worth every second!!

Out And About

Today was the first day with just Miles HaeWon and I by ourselves. We are slowly trying to get in some kind of routine. We played outside with bubbles and sidewalk chalk and went for a trip to the Post Office for stamps. This evening we took a long stroller ride in a different neighborhood. These things are what I have learned about my little man so far:

1) He LOVES the song "Wheels on the Bus". He does the hand motions and lights up with the sweetest smile.

2) He prefers to be outside and begs to constantly go out. This is fine with me because I like this also.

3) He is independent when it comes to feeding himself. He likes to control the fork and spoon and wants a big one-not a baby one!!

4) He has "bedhead" in the morning. His hair flies everywhere but it makes me smile.

5) His face can light up a room and his laugh is infectious. He wrinkles up his nose and kind of snorts.

We are getting to know each other better each day and he and Winston are getting along fine so far. More food for Winnie to clean up (it's a tough job but someone has to do it!)

No pictures today-proud papa took the camera to school to show everyone. Promise to share some new ones tomorrow.

What Have We Been Up To????

We have just been hanging out close to home and enjoying the great weather here in Northern Missouri. Miles and his "Brother" have enjoyed their new stroller.

Big "Thank You" to Rene Trussell for the Welcome Home Signs. That was such a thoughtful idea!!

A Little Bit of Heart And Seoul!!!

More Gotcha Day Photos

More Gotcha Day photos we wanted to share. The couple we are with outside are from the Los Angeles area. They are a lovely couple who were there adopting their daughter from Eastern. Hello Richard and Judy we- SO enjoyed our visit with you all and hope things are going well with your transition.

Gotcha Day!!!

Gotcha Day will always be very special to us. It is the day we became a forever family. We will however, always have a special place in our hearts for his wonderful foster family in Korea. The love they showed Miles HaeWon his first year is such a blessing.

At Last

Well I bet you all wondered where we were and what was going on (then again, maybe not!!)HAHA. Well folks we have entered the parent realm and chasing around a toddler takes LOTS of energy as many of you well know.

We made it home after a VERY long day on friday. I think the worst part was customs and immigration at O'Hare in Chicago. Those people were not friendly and the lines were long!!! I know it is very necessary but after being up for 20 plus hours and in a different time zone nerves were frazzled!!

I'm not gonna lie-the transition has been ROUGH!! The time change, grieving for foster mother, language barrier and cough/allergies has made for a difficult time. He has had a cough and sneezing so something has triggered allergies. Mike's allergies have started up also so nightime is hard. We are trying to find some kind of normal whatever that is and get into some kind of routine. We have managed to get a few smiles and giggles out of him which makes us feel better. He has attached to Mike BIG TIME and wants very little to do with me right now. This is to be expected with adoption and is common.

Maybe it's the drastic difference with the blonde hair and non-asian features or my moWere stressed personality but Mike is number one (he is not asian either so what's up with that?) We are just taking it day by day for now and expecting the unexpected. We will share some pictures from Gotcha Day and other random photos from the last few days.

Mike and I are so thankful for our friends and family and I am overwhelmed at their kindness. When we got back the house was spotless, food and meals were in fridge and baby stuff organized. We are SOOOOO grateful. Thanks also to Lady Wolverines Jr. High softball team for the welcome banner and balloons (we loved it)!! We are forever grateful to all of you. We will be more social in the weeks to come and start venturing out more. Please continue to pray for our family through this transition and we are trying to remember this too shall pass. Stay tuned.

Land Of The Morning Calm

This is what South Korea is called. I am writing this entry on the last morning in our hotel room before we board a plane to head back to the U.S.A. I have to say in the short amount of time I have been here I have truly fallen in love with these people and this city. They have a soft-spoken manner and a humble quality you rarely find anymore in people. They respect their elders and hold them in high regard. They are truly appreciative when we have made an effort to learn some of their language even if it is spoken incorrectly. They value education and strive for excellence. I have felt very safe and in a sense I am sad to leave so soon. Now don't get me wrong they have their share of problems like everyone else. Smoking and drinking are BIG concerns here. They party until the wee hours. And it is strange you see all ages out late at night.

Yesterday was Gotcha Day for HaeWon. It was a day of many emotions wrapped into a few short hours. We me with Dr. Kim the director of the Eastern Social Welfare Society and had a wonderful visit with her. She gave us background on the country and the plight of orphans after the war. We learned a lot we did not know. We ate a WONDERFUL authentic Korean buffet with several other adoptive families from the United States and got a chance to visit with them. We then met HaeWon's foster mother, father and sister for what would be our last visit. It was bittersweet and many tears were shed on both sides. They TRULY love him and hope he has a wonderful life. They are a kind, loving, christian family and we will be eternally grateful to them. I somehow have a sense of guilt for taking him out of his homeland and the only life he has known but yet we already are so in love with him and excited to share our lives with him. He is going to be such a blessing to us. He grieved very hard last night for his "omma" and this is expected but very difficult for Mike and I. We look forward to seeing everyone and introducing you to our precious son.

With that being said we know this is going to be a difficult transition period for our family and we will probably be staying close to home and getting acquainted with each other. We will have to get him and ourselves into a routine and get sleep patterns established. Mike and I will be the only ones to hold, bath and feed him etc.. for the first several weeks at the strong advice from our adoption agency. This is essential to form attachment and bonding. Please understand and also know how appreciative we are to each of you who have prayed for us and supported us through this journey. It is nothing personal just very necessary. We will share some of his adoption story but most will remain private as this is Miles' story to share when and if he chooses. Once again, nothing personal this is just out of respect to him. We will be posting pictures and will continue to blog. Our flight should get into KCI Friday afternoon at 3:00 pm American flight 591. We are just expecting delays with weather and this being labor day weekend but that is the plan now. Love To All From the Trussells-Mike, Trish and Miles HaeWon and Winston (who we miss dearly and can't wait to see!!)