One Year Ago Today.....

One year ago today I received a phone call that would change my life....
One year ago today I heard the words "we have a baby boy for you"....
One year ago today I saw a picture of your face for the very first time....
One year ago today my hopes and dreams of one day having a child of my own were fulfilled....
One year ago today I became a mother....
One year ago today I was excited, scared, laughing and crying....

Maddyx, as I remember this very same day just one year ago, when we found out that you would soon be a part of our lives forever, I cannot believe what a difference a year makes.  And just how far we've come.  Today, I held you in my arms and we slow danced together in the living room as I quietly sang in your ear.  While I sang and we danced, you so peacefully rested your head on my shoulder and drifted to sleep in my arms.  These are the moments that I cherish more than anything in the world and never want to forget.  Thank you for these moments.  These moments are ones that only you and I can share. 

And one day, if you choose to be a parent and have a child of your own, I wish for you to have this very same moment with your child, and to feel the very same love for that child that I feel for you.

Thank you for choosing me to be your Mom. I am the luckiest Mom in the world. I am forever changed because of you. I love you so very much. I will never forget this day. Ever.

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Happy Anniversary!

Today my hubby and I celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary.  Six great years!  Really, I truly mean it.  Six years ago today we were surrounded by our closest family and friends for an oceanfront ceremony in Wailea, Maui.  It was one of the best days of my life.  He is the man I continue to *choose* to love each and every day, and he also remains my very best friend. 

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On this day we also celebrate the birthday of Kasey's Korean born sister and my best friend Tawnie, who we lost too soon.  We chose to get married on her birthday as a way to remember and celebrate her every year.  She is the reason we met, and she is also the reason we chose to adopt from Korea.  Happy Birthday, TT.





























And while we're celebrating, tomorrow morning is the one year anniversary of the referral of our beautiful son, Maddyx Eun Hyeok Kang!  What a day we have to celebrate!

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Kasey and I will be going to one of our favorite San Diego beachfront restaurants tonight, while Maddyx hangs out with Grandma and Papa.

Christmas 2010 - Part Two....Presents!

Happy New Year!!  I hope everyone had a nice kick-off to 2011.  Our New Year's Eve consisted of a quiet date night at home after Maddyx went to bed.  We enjoyed  a delicious dinner of filet mignon, some amazing potatoes and very yummy warm spinach salad (all thanks to the Pioneer Woman!).  Not to mention a bottle of champagne and some red wine.  After eating all of that delicious food and drinking our yummy beverages we were sawing off zzzz's by 11pm!  I guess there's always next year to see midnight. 

So the real reason I'm here is to finish posting a few more photos I took over the holidays.  I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit overwhelmed with all of these pictures, and all of the work that has to be put in to editing and posting them.  I keep starting the project and then I just can't bring myself to finish.  So I'm cutting them way back.  I need to get better about picking one good shot of each event.  This wont be happening tonight.  I apologize.  But I did cut back.  I swear.

This is Cooper on Christmas Eve.  I'm convinced he owns the place and we just pay rent.  What do you think?

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The Man I'm always talking about.  Doesn't he look so cool just walking around in this pic?

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Christmas morning.  First gift opened.  Still doesn't totally get the concept of gifts.  We're happy to assist.  After all, we do work for him.  And pay rent to Cooper.  What the heck has happened to our life.  I've lost control!

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Priceless expression...right?

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For the record, I had every intention of having super cute Christmas pj's for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning photos.  I mean, I LOVE PJ's more than anything!  Seriously!  I dropped the ball.  That's all I can say.

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And then......the police car!!  OK, so he wasn't all that excited about this gift.  But he'll learn to love it.  I hope.

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Look how cute he looks driving it!

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Oh yeah, he's feeling it now.

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Alright, maybe not.  So he much prefers just hangin' on the outside of this car. Current status: He just pushes it around.  From the outside.

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Most favorite gift of all!  Yes, the bow.  Go figure.

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More gifts and the awesome sideways smirk.  Just loved this look too much not to share.

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OK, now he's getting the hang of this.....

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Oh yeah, he likes it!

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More Christmas morning fun at Papa and Grandma's house.

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We found another bow!!  Alright people, next year just send him a box of bows, wrapped in bows.

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And then.  And then we attempted to get ONE decent family shot.  Just one was all I was asking for.  Was that too much to ask for?  By the looks of this, and the next three.....I think so.  Enjoy the outtakes.

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Doesn't it make for a great photo when EVERYONE is looking in a different direction?

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Can you find me in this photo?  Yea, that's my hand.  And that's all you see of me.  By the way, who is taking these photos?!?!  Well, that would be my little brother...who is actually somewhat talented in the photography department.  Can you tell?  Yea, neither can I!

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 And this, Folks......is the best we got.  Which at it's best, is NOT GOOD!  I mean seriously, I have bed head and M has no neck.  Oh well, they're memories.  Right? 

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