Introducing Tate ShiWoo Jones!!!

We are in KOREA!!!  We got the call to travel to get ShiWoo this past Monday, the 23rd.  We flew out Wednesday the 25th, and now today, the 27th, we finally got to meet our little guy for the first time!  We had sent over a little toy photo album this past winter which we knew he had received and played with.  When we walked up he just looked at us for a moment with a look on his face like he was trying to figure out who we were and why we looked familiar.  We were able to spend an hour with him, his foster mother, and our social worker who translated for us.  We were just taken with him.  He's just shy of 22 months old and about the cutest little thing and such a sweet boy.  He chatters and moves about to play with various toys.  He loved this large toy car.  In the first picture we were playing a type of peek-a-boo with it. 

From what his foster mother told us, he loves people and even initiates with others.  He chatters all the time, and is a happy, easy-going little boy.  It was very apparent that he's been well loved and taken care of by his foster mother - a blessing we could never repay.  We're unbelievably grateful for all she's done.  We brought Liv home with the clothes on her back.  Today, the foster mother brought 2 full shopping bags with his blanket, 2 stuffed animals, a couple toys, his clothes, and 2 albums with all the pictures they'd taken - such a gift!  We couldn't believe she sent all that with us. 

We will have the weekend on our own.  Then Monday afternoon we'll take custody before we fly home on Wednesday, the 1st.  Please pray for this transition for him.  I'm sure he'll feel the separation keenly.  Pray for wisdom and discernment for us in how to best help him and love him well.  Also, please pray for our flight home with him.  It's a lot to have a toddler for 12+ hours on a plane.  Since he's under 2 we did not buy him a seat because we paid an outrageous amount for ours to fly over.  So he'll be on our laps.  I'm not going to lie, I'm a little nervous about it.  Your prayers will be greatly appreciated!

I'll try to post again in a couple days once we have him as long as we have internet.  We're in a hotel now, but we will transfer to the guest house at our agency since a vacancy opened up - quite a bit cheaper.  Thanks for celebrating with us!