New Beginnings: First Meeting Summary (and more pictures)

From April 27th...

Oh there's so much to say and so little time (our City Tour begins in 2 hours)!

Our first meeting was WONDERFUL! In fact, the first day with Rai was wonderful! Let me explain...

After Kim, Aaron, and I got lost on the subway trying to find Namdaemun Market, we browsed the various shops for about an hour and then needed to head back to get ready for our meeting. Aaron was such a good sport and had tried to ask for directions in Korean which didn't work out well (pointed us in the wrong direction boooo). I tried to ask in English, but the lady responded in Japanese (didn't realize this at first). We ran into her again and I was able to ask her in JAPANESE! Wooohoo! (My mom would be so proud.) We got on the subway and make it back in time to run to the hotel, pick up our gifts, and run to our meeting.

When we got to the intersection in front of Holt, I told Aaron that some families actually see their children and foster mothers before they walk in. We started looking around for any signs of Rai but no luck. When we approached the office, a woman (crouched over a child in a Texas Longhorns cap) pointed to us and in slow motion we saw Rai look up!!! HE IS SOOOOOO CUTE!!!

We went up the elevator and were in awe of how surreal this moment was. We went up to the meeting room on the second floor and got set up. Luckily, Kim offered to take pictures during our meeting, and we REALLY appreciate the help! We had a video camera on a tripod but Rai found it half-way through the meeting and started pushing the tripod. Kim took the camera off and got great footage of several cute things he did as we tried to rush in as many questions as possible.

During most of the meeting, Rai walk around getting into trouble (drawing on the social worker's schedule, ripping up the cardboard box the batteries came in, pulling magazines and books out of a basket (but putting them back, too), and playing with every gift that was exchanged. He is such a cutie! Because he's 17 months, he was just a ball of energy but the foster mother is, too! She is such a wonderful person! She invited us (including Kim) to dinner and a performance at Korea House (traditional performances). At first, she also invited us to the Suwon traditional folk village, but we just went yesterday. I had no problem going again, but it was moving our pick up schedules quite a bit (Kim's would have been moved back an hour which had me in a panic), so the foster mother (FM) said that she would take us to a flower garden instead on Wednesday. (I think she wanted to take us somewhere new.)

After our meeting, FM took us back to the hotel to put our gifts away and then pick us back up only an hour and a half later for dinner. Poor Kim was running late from her meeting, so we waited (until FM and Aaron went in and told the hotel staff that we would look for her at Holt - passed by eachother on the way). By the way, I panicked when FM and Aaron left the car because Rai CRIED when she left the room during our meeting! When she left the car that evening, I tried hard to keep him preoccupied with a book and it WORKED! Whew! They actually left the car twice, but we survived. Wednesday will be tough!

Once we met up with Kim, FM took us to a traditional Korean restaurant for bulgogi. There were several small dishes everywhere, and we got a glimpse of what we're in for! Kim's description of Rai as a "firecracker" is perfect. He was very well behaved once FM could get him to sit down and eat. He LOVES food and sat on my lap a few times to drink water. He is afraid of anything hot, and I was so glad we learned what she says for HOT so that he understands.

After dinner, FM took us to Korea House where she kept buying us gifts (a lovely necklace, pen for Aaron, and an in-laid box for jewelry) and showed us how to put Rai to sleep (in a carrier on her back). He was out by the time the performance started. FM stayed out in the lobby with him while we went in. The performance, by the way, was wonderful! There were a series of dances (i.e. a fan dance) and folk songs, and at the end of the last performance, the drummers went down into the audience and dragged people (Aaron included) up on stage. Afterwards, they gave the participants drumsticks that say "Korea House" in English Korean. It was such a wonderful experience! Aaron cracked me up. I asked him what he thought at the end of the night, and Mr. "It Was Fine" said "It was pretty awesome!" LOL

Kim and I sat in the backseat with Rai (fast asleep) on the way back and Aaron (who claims to know no Korean) was able to communicate somewhat with FM. It was so cute to watch them.

Today is the City Tour and then we're all taking a taxi back after a full day of shopping! Kim has a meeting at Holt at 4pm, so we'll try to head back at the same time and REST! Wednesday, FM picks us up at 10am for the flower garden and drops us off in time for Kim's pick up. We get Rai forever at 3:30pm, so we might have an hour nap before that if we're lucky. (Aaron couldn't sleep last night, so he needs to crash at least once before we get Rai!)

Thank you to everyone for your advice and recommendations! We're having a blast, and the three of us just laugh at how crazy we will look on the flight back (yes, same flight though Kim continues past DFW to get home) with 2 children and three sleep-deprived parents!