I'm really pleased with myself that I cut this whole year into 4 and a half minutes HAH. I wish I had thought about turning the camera during most of these, but I'm definitely an "in the moment" kind of video person and it just didn't occur to me until after. Oh well! Here's highlights … Continue reading Sam’s First Year Home Video
Highlights & Homecoming Video
Took me forever, but here's a non-fancy highlights video from our first meetings with Sam to his homecoming in Nashville:
Adoption Awareness Month
This is a story full of colons. Prepare yourself. It's not my prettiest work. If you follow me on Instagram, this isn't new information to you. But as we end National Adoption Awareness Month, here are some thoughts: This is an interesting month. For decades, adoptive parents have been the voices sought after for adoption … Continue reading Adoption Awareness Month
9 months home
There's something magical about the 9-month mark with a biological child. You've probably seen the 9 months in/9 months out photos circulating from new mothers. It's a time when personalities are starting to emerge, tangible preferences arise, first words are imitated, foods are explored, and babies are no longer content to sit still in one … Continue reading 9 months home
The first 6 weeks
The first week at home was somehow magical and devastating at the same time. The first night home, I was up. Even with the sleep deprivation of the two prior days, jetlag and the anxiety of the unknowns in our new life left me wired. So I did laundry and unpacked things while Sam slept … Continue reading The first 6 weeks
The Journey Home
One moment we are in the comfortable lobby of an adoption agency, the smells of coffee and smoothies drifting in from the café run by single mothers next door. A woman in her 60s is holding a curly haired boy. His hand grips her shoulder as she gently places him on the ground and holds … Continue reading The Journey Home
Final Approval
It's done in Korea! (Well, legally at least!) We were granted Final Approval by the judge, which means we are Sam's forever family in the eyes of the court! This is a roller coaster of a day. Obviously I am elated, ecstatic, overjoyed (screamed really loud in the car and hurt Josh's ears when I … Continue reading Final Approval
Adoption Posts at NMB
Realized I never linked to the two adoption-related topics I covered at Nashville Moms Blog, so here they are! A Boy with Three Mothers — An Adoption Story by Whitney Sewell on May 8, 2018 in babies, family, motherhood, parenting Once upon a time, in a land far from my own, a baby was born to a woman in a mother’s home. Like … Continue reading Adoption Posts at NMB
Court Day
This was the first day we needed an alarm to wake us up! After the rush of meeting our son was over and the many miles walked to explore the city, we were finally sleeping soundly. Still, 5:30am came too soon. For court day, we had breakfast first and then put on our court clothes. … Continue reading Court Day
Exploring Seoul
Thursday was our free day, so we took full advantage of the opportunity to be true tourists. We started the day at Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest of the five grand palaces built by the Joseon dynasty. It opened at 9am, and after purchasing tickets (we did the combination ticket), we started walking the palace grounds … Continue reading Exploring Seoul
Five Sewells 