a blessing in disguise {one month together}.

today marks the end of our first month together as a trio of chois. it's a little confusing because choi boy was in our arms on december 17, but we weren't home until december 20. we just might end up celebrating and recognizing both days -- because, hey, who doesn't love a little extra something to celebrate? ;)

i took choi boy to church today for the first time and i found myself incredibly nervous beforehand. i think i was so worried that it would be so overwhelming for our little guy. in part, it kinda was. you would not believe how popular choi boy was! actually, you've seen video and pictures, so maybe you would. ;) but the swarms of people that came to greet us and congratulate us was just an extra reminder of how loved our son is.

we got so many well wishes and congratulations, but from members of the korean congregation, the remark that we heard again and again was about what a blessing choi boy is. in fact, one of my parents' friends called choi boy a "bohk dung-uh-ree," which, literally translated, means a "lump of blessings." :)

and it is so true. we are so incredibly blessed to call choi boy our son. i cannot say it enough. over the last month, people who have met him have commented on his incredibly sweet and easy-going personality and his friendliness and generally happy attitude. and quite frankly, we had nothing to do with that. that's how choi boy came to us and we are so blessed by our happy little guy.

but, as i've been reflecting on this past month, something else has been creeping into my thoughts and i've slowly been ruminating on this thought as it's been rolling through and marinating in my mind.

and it's this:

our infertility was such a blessing.

i know, say what?!

i never ever, ever, ever, ever in a million zillion years thought i'd say that. but it's true.

as dark and awful as our struggles with infertility were, and as much as they will never be forgotten, they just cannot compete with the utter joy we are experiencing right now.

and the crazy part is, were it not for those struggles, we would not have this joy.

sure, we absolutely would have had joy from biological children, but we wouldn't have *this* joy with *this* child.

i do think we would have adopted even if we had biological children, but i know the timing wouldn't have worked out where we would have been matched with choi boy. so, had we not gone through what we did with our infertility, choi boy would not be our son.

and that...

is just unimaginable right now.

choi boy has just consumed our hearts and we are just bursting with love for this little one that could not be any more perfect for us. it truly is a match made in heaven. the Lord knew what He was doing and we are so grateful for that. and we are *so* grateful for choi boy's birth mother and foster family who each sacrificed and gave so much so that we could call choi boy ours.

we are SO abundantly blessed. blessed now...and as hard as it was to see it and acknowledge it, we were blessed back on that broken road that led us to choi boy. (sorry for the way cheesy rascal fl*atts reference.)

i am reminded so vividly of this:
"...weeping may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning."
~psalm 30:5

and since i know that now you really come here for the pictures, i'll share some choi boy joy with you. ;)


having some snack...


and savoring every bite. heehee :)


cheering for the beloved packers with daddy.


trying chick-fil-a for the first time, and much to grandpa's delight, loving it!


thinking about chomping away at spot...


and deciding to snuggle instead. :)


getting cozy in the crib (he slept like this throughout his entire nap!)

p.s. totally random side story...the hubs' favorite girl name is "joy." but he always said it would be so mean to name a girl "joy choi." since then we've jokingly said we would name our sons "roy" and "troy" so we could have a whole slew of kids with rhyming names. who knew the rhyming moniker, "choi boy" would have such meaning in our lives?? ;)