Holt adoptive mom Emily Jasman reflects on family, adoption and life as an empty-nester.

This week, I am experiencing something that I haven’t been able to for seven months! My son is home on leave from the Navy and my daughter is home from college. Things are once again right in the world when my two children are under the same roof. Where did the time go? Flash back 23 years ago when my husband and I welcomed a 5-month-old baby boy from Korea. Three years after that, we were blessed with a baby girl from Korea. Now these memories sustain us through the empty nest months. Nick, now 23, and Abby, now 20, became our forever family and I truly believe that God worked in our lives to put all of this in place. It is a rollercoaster ride from the time you get that picture of your child to when they come to you on a plane or you go to pick them up in their countries. In fact, for years my kids thought that babies came on planes. My son asked his preschool teacher what type of airline she came on: TWA or United?
Nick graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2014 and is currently stationed in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He is an Ensign aboard the USS Hue City. Our daughter, Abby, is a junior at South Dakota State University studying marketing and business. The joy that these two have brought us over the years cannot be measured. I cannot picture our family any differently. It would be an amazing dream if we could visit Korea as a family and maybe someday we will be able to do it. I am thankful to their Korean birth parents, who made the difficult decision to place their children for adoption.

As I begin my 30th year as an ESL teacher and my son heads out for possible deployment later this year, I wish that I could slow the clock down. My daughter will head back to school and life will become a bit dull again for my husband and I, but we have planned a trip to Florida and look forward to this new chapter with grown-up children. We have the family we always dreamed of!
Emily Jasman | Sioux City, Iowa
My husband and I are stationed in Korea with the Army for the next year! If you and your children ever decide you really want to visit, we would love to have you stay with us! Although I haven’t volunteered at Holt, I was able to volunteer at another Korean orphanage and see adoptive families and children return and actually sometimes meet the birth mother! So tender and special! Your post was very touching! Thank you for sharing your beautiful story! Adoption is so amazing and it is my hearts desire to adopt.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful children and your story! Blessings!