It's a Girl!

The Park family welcomes Isinino into our home! (Ee-see-nee-no) I won't go on telling you her length and weight and what time she was born, because she would say "Mom, that's embarrassing!" Lol, teenagers.

So many have been asking about this anticipated arrival, and yesterday marked the day we moved our newest member of the family into our home. Although we have known her for several years since coming to Canada and she has become our daughter/big sister quite naturally already, it was right that she would call this officially home. Isinino has just finished exams this week and is looking forward to her final year of high school next year. 

Some say you need documents to validate parent/children ties. We say we are family because God brought us together. Adopted? Fostered? I'm not sure a label is necessary. Besides, would my son go on referring himself as my C-sectioned child? Nope, we are simply family and Kehlen and Mikhala are so thrilled to FINALLY have her move in permanently. She still has her biological family, some in Canada, some in her birth country, which we openly maintain contact with. But for now, God knew she needed us and God knew we had a special place in our hearts for her, so let the good times roll: times of laughter, nurture, building for future, and lots and lots of hope.

We've already enjoyed sharing many memories and we look forward to further discovering all that God has in store for this wonderful jewel. Tonight Harold is being treated to a belated Father's Day celebration, and they are going on a bike ride to get ice cream.

 (At Isinino's high school track meet)

(At Kehlen's Korean School Family Sports Day - missing, Kehlen the athlete :)

Preparing for a New Arrival

This post was intended to be submitted on the 17th, but I was whisked away with family for a much cherished family getaway. We spend a few days in Pinawa, enjoying nature, games, and good food. This was a multi-celebration: our 8th anniversary, the new transition of jobs, Halmoni (Grandma) visiting from Vancouver, and of course celebrating the best Daddy in 'da house!

But Wednesday morning is different... Ahhh, smell the scents of drywall, lumber, and good ol' human sweat. Ok, maybe don't smell, but you get the point. We are in a crunch to complete the remainder of our basement project because word is out that we are anticipating the arrival of a new family member into our home by the end of this week! Talk about friendly chaos, playing fruit basket upset with our bedrooms, family members, and visiting Omoni (Mom Park). It's a team effort and unique memories are being created as drywall competes for space with Lego and diapers.

Today is laundry day, as in working on our laundry room, and as in making our clothes dirty so we have something to launder when I hook up our machines next week. Yay! We've had a wonderful relationship with our next door laundromat (and owner) for the past 2+ years, but it's time this mama gets set up proper for some serious laundry business as our family increases over the next years. We are also working on creating another bathroom downstairs, yay, no more 'gotta go' dances for the kids.

I'm no Micah Holmes and Harold is no Arthur Stewart, but doing renos become so much more doable when you crunch the numbers. It's slow going, but so worth it, and actually looking pretty awesome for rookies.

And it will be worth it! 

Ok, now back to work :)

Season Finale June 16th - and the start of a new Park-King series!

We call this time in our life a "Season Finale" but also the start of a new upcoming "Park-King Series." Coming soon to a Theatre (I mean, Church community) near you. 

Over the past year, God has given us a heart for mobilizing and equipping Canadian church communities and their families to thrive in caring for vulnerable children through adoption and foster care. Through God’s guidance, and while we are in process of adopting children into our family as well, we are taking the next steps in research and development to pursue what our hearts have been awakened to. 

While we are still discovering what exactly this all entails, we do know it will involve taking part in a movement across Canada, with vulnerable children, families, churches, organizations, and government. We do know that God has been at work within us every step of the way, so to this end, we are just simply taking another step of faith. The "Producer" has been good to us, giving us just enough info, the right people and resources for now, and we are accepting the new roles.

As such, Harold has resigned from his role as Pastor, effective June 16. It was not an easy decision, although it was an obvious one for us that we both knew was right. We will miss our home church of 8.5 years, which has been a huge blessing to us all. We will still be living in Winnipeg, but are making intentional steps in clearing our slate for this next season. Can't do both. So to all our Southlanders out there, we love you and will be cheering for you as you run the race marked out for you.

It was 8 years ago that we (Harold and Wendi) covenanted before God in marriage, with a wedding text found in Joshua 24:15 “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Service is a word of action, implying the fulfilling of someone else’s will. As our family seeks to serve God, we have been brought to the realization that God is calling us on from Southlands Community Church to a new ministry. 

We'll keep you posted for each new episode, officially starting June 17th. 

For those of you who like the spoilers, read below... The rest of you, check in with us next week for more :) 

Episode 1: Preparing for a new arrival (June 17)

Episode 2: It's a _______! (OK, can't spoil this one totally, check in June 24)

Episode 3: Exploring Orphan Care in Canada's Wild Wild West (July)

Thank you to all for taking interest in this blog and investing in us through encouragement and prayer. We'd love to hear from you, let us know how we can do the same for you.  

(Here is our self-made fashionista Mikhala taking her Mommy for a walk.)