A Korea recap

What a whirlwind trip that was.  I have to say that we only experienced part of Seoul, and that part involved the subway and shopping.  That was about it.  Oh Yeah and the Humidity!!  Wowzers, it is humid there right now. So where to start.  There was a 14+ hour flight there.  I do not enjoy flying, triggers some major (read MAJOR) anxiety.  Not really sure why, but it does.  Thanks to a prescription I was able to get through the flight.  It certainly helped to have S with me (his hand is recovering).  We left here at 8am, flight was at 1:35pm Sunday and we arrived at about 5pm Monday in Seoul.  It was a little disorienting and I think being sleep deprived didn't help.  We found our way, on the AREX train (grabbed a coke, of course) and away we went.  When we got to Seoul Station (our stop) we had not yet learned the lesson about exits from Korean subways.  That made our walk to the hotel about 20 minutes longer than necessary.  Nonetheless, we made it.  Did I mention it is humid there right now?  Lugging 4 suitcase, I certainly got some exercise in!!

   We got to our room and it smelled like smoke, oh and we couldn't get the lights on.  We figured out that you must insert your key into a slot to turn anything on in the place.  The room was actually an 800sq foot apartment.  So for energy conservation purposes I guess they had that key thing.  Pretty interesting idea.  S went to see about getting a non smoking room only to learn that they don't differentiate, so it is what it is.  Oh well, we were tired.  We didn't even eat dinner.  Stopped at the 7-11 and grabbed a snack and crashed.  S was up at about 4am, I pretended to to sleep longer. 

  Tuesday morning we decided to head out and explore and shop.  We had learned we would be meeting and taking custody of M at 1:30 Wednesday so we wanted to get all our shopping done so we could just stay in and focus on him the rest of the trip.  We headed to the subway and fumbled along.  The subways are amazing.  The important thing to know~?~?  there are many exits and if you don't pick the right one then you end far from where you intended.  We went to an amazing market with huge buildings, wall to wall merchandise.  Like floors upon floors.  It was like a maze.  Shoes and purses...thousands of them.  Each booth appeared to be individually owned, some maned with people who were sleeping or reading the paper, having breakfast.  Some with no one there.  All that merchandise just sitting there and it appeared totally safe.  Very different than here.

The advice we had gotten was don't stop at the first booth, because you may find a better price further in.  So we explored, and explored and explored, until my feet hurt and I was sweaty.  Air conditioning not nearly as readily used in Korea as the US.  We found some souvenirs we had been searching for and gifts for the kind people who were watching over our other cherubs at home.  Then we were in search of Hanboks, traditional Korean formal wear for the munchkins.  We thought M would probably have one in his stuff he brought home, so I wanted to get them for everyone else.  They are beautiful colorful satin outfits traditionally born for formal occasions like the 1st birthday and weddings.  I felt these were true tokens of Korea for the kids to cherish. 
WE COULDN'T FIND THEM....ANYWHERE.  I was pretty bummed.  We decided to head to the COEX which is another, more "mall like" shopping venue in hopes of finding them there.  So back to the subway and stare at the map.  Thankfully a nice woman approached us and told us which train to take and where to go.  At the Coex it was a completely different shopping experience.   Indoor and air conditioned, designer stores.  Crazy clean.  We found a couple little toys for those kiddos at home, but no Hanboks!  Again I was so disappointed, and exhausted.  So we decided to give up for now, head back to the hotel, eat and maybe come go to a different market we had heard of later in the afternoon.  Because we were out of hotel by 6:45am, it was now only a little after lunchtime.    So...back to the subway.  And again while staring cross eyed at the map a middle aged gentlemen asked, in very good English, where we were headed.  We told him and he said after looking at his watch "I will take you, just stay with me."  On the subway ride, the man (never got his name) told us all about how grateful Koreans are for the assistance America gave their country and what it is like to live in Korea.  He had traveled the world and had even been to Virginia!  He was so kind and proud and I really enjoyed all that he shared with us.  I figured he would maybe know about Hanboks, so with renewed determination, I asked him where we might go.  He asked "Do you have a guide to go with you?"  No, I said.  He again looked at his watch and said, ", I havew time, I can take you."  As we exited at the SAME stop we had originally stopped at, he said we needed exit 14.  AHH, the error, we had taken the wrong exit earlier.  On the way through the hallway, he stopped and bought some Korean rice cakes to share with us.  Now, these are NOTHING like what I think of when one says rice cake.  For starters they are not crunchy, or flat, or any of that.  they were green and looked a bit like the end of green pepper that had seen better times.  They were sticky and sweet with a sugary icing in the middle.  Yum, wish we could have brought some home for the little ones here to taste.   He took us up the stairs and pointed to a large building.  He said goodbye and headed back into the subway.  One of the things he shared was that senior citizens can ride the subway for free, what a great thing to offer them. 

And in this building...HANBOKS!!!!!!!  Gorgeous ones, beautiful colors in adult and kids sizes. 

OK, that is all I can fit in today...more soon.  This post has already taken hours to write.
 

We are here

After an incredibly long flight, we made it to Seoul. Such a difference from good ole VA, but the weather is similar...read:humid!! We brought a wireless travel router so we would have Internet in the room, but alas it doesn't work. I'm sure everything things I'm quite odd wandering around with an iPad looking for wireless service. Found it in the lobby, so hear I sit while S is trying to rest. Neither of us have eaten today, time difference had him up at about 4am and me at 5. The good news is we were off to conquer the subway by 7. At first it was very confusing but I learned quickly if pulled out my paper map and stood still long enough, someone would stop and help! So grateful for that. We met the nicest man who bought us rice cakes (nothing like the dry ones in the US) and went out of his way to take us to the area of shopping we couldn't find on our own. Tomorrow is the big day...still seems surreal. By this time tomorrow MR will be in my arms. Can't wait. Cannot.wait. For now, food....it has to happen if we are going to make it til tomorrow. It is so hard, I don't eat spicy food, so I am terrified of what I will get. FYI, the outback in our hotel doesn't appear to serve outback food at all. Very interesting. We have seen: McDs, Burger King, Baskin Robbins, KFC, TGIF, Uno's, and about 3 trillion coffee shops! So that's where we are...until my next lobby break....

It's go time...

Well, we have arrived at that important moment...Travel Call!! We leave this weekend and will be back at the end of next week. Stress??? You betcha! T fell off of her bike earlier this week, biting through her upper lip. What, did it infected you asked? Well OF COURSE it did. Back to the doctor yesterday for antibiotics. Today, my last day of work, S has a horrible headache, something that never happens. He has been in bed basically all day. Nothing is helping and that is stressing me out and giving me a headache. My dog went stupid yesterday, giving me a bit more gray hair. But we are almost there. We have some more things to grab, and that is on my agenda for tomorrow. Then we are out of time. Did I mention my ridiculous.irrational. Insane freak of flying??? Oh no, well there is that too. So I am terrified, nervous, excited, thrilled, you name it. Most of all I am thankful. Thankful for this opportunity, thankful for the amazing support we have gotten from our friends, family, co workers, etc. REALLY THANKFUL for my neighbors who are entertaining my kids tonight so I can update my blog!! I hope the next time I post we will be on the other side of the world meeting a sweet, sweet boy!

APPROVAL!!!!!!!!!

Aaaahhhhhhh! We have approval! Approval, people! Know what that means? Well, probably not, so I will tell you. The K.orean gov't has given permission for M/H/#4/OUR SON, to leave the country. Now we need the US embassy to do their part and away we go. So we have been told to expect our travel call in 1-3 weeks!! I am so excited. I can't stand it. We have brought the suitcase up, pulled out some clothes and today I bought DIAPERS!!!!!! Not sure I have been this excited for diapers since baby T came along. Plus, I have posted more than once a month too!! Yay me! We still have some things to buy, like a high chair (got rid of ours). And some gifts. But we are pretty ready. So.excited.

Tick tock and travel plans

I hate to rush time along, but I am super excited for July to get here.  Time is moving faster than I expected, I'm sure it will slow down the closer we get.  I think we are inside a month now...I hope.  We have contacted a great booking agent and reserved a hotel for the anticipated dates.  Lots of travel this time of year to Seoul, so hotels are often booked.  Hoping to avoid some stress of trying to find a room last minute.  Made the decision about airfare, so things are falling into place.  S is gone for training the rest of this week and again Mid-July.  Part of me wishes we would get our call and it lines up perfectly with the plans we have made, but truthfully the sooner the better for me!!!
We finally started to actually take the paper links of the chain, and I think it is helping the kids see that we are getting there.
Going to try to be better about my blog, I want to be able to look back and read this excitement and anticipation.

I'm horrible at blogging...

People who know me know I have a lot to say. My parents say I never stop talking! But the writing down my millions of thoughts seems to be where I shut up (hey, mom don't wish you knew that years ago??) Anyway, on nights where S is working (like tonight) I often find myself sitting quietly with the tv off. I always plan to blog and instead get engrossed in other's blogs. I have been blessed with a talkative husband and not shockingly 3 very chatty cherub children! Now I often find that I have lots to say, but no time to say it. But a blog? I should be able to ramble on here and later go backand read my many thoughts. Plus, S could read them and then I wouldn't drive him crazy with my constant lost thoughts. Ok, there was a sample of ramblings from my brain. Whats going on around here?? We are waiting. WAITING! Much like we have been doing for almost 2 1/2 years. Somehow this waiting is different, distracting, mind consuming. We are. SO.CLOSE. SO CLOSE. I almost can't stand it. I wish I could go back to being slightly distracted by the everyday, but no such luck. I have started buying gifts (thanks CraftyD) and even have a piece of jewelry being made by an amazing artist. I have his toothbrush and some new pjs for the flight home. I feel like I know all possible flight patterns from the us to S.Korea for July. I have even memorized a portion of the map of Seoul. WAITING, still waiting. That paperchain we made over a year ago that was suppose to represent the next 56 weeks of waiting, well it is finally being taken apart, day by day. But the truth that makes me nervous, I don't want to jinx anything. I'd like to start getting some things into a suitcase but I just can't yet...too real, too scared something could happen, delay us more. So we wait...and know that soon the wait wil be over.

EP....submitted!!!!!

It has happened, the event we have been waiting for since January of this year.  Our boy's paperwork was submitted, which is the 1st step in the final steps to get him home!!!!  I was sitting in training out of the are when I picked up my phone to see a message from S saying something about almost missing the phone b/c he was going to mow.  I opened it and read backwards to the text that said "don't scream out loud in class....J called....he was SUBMITTED!!!  AAHHHHHHHHHHHH.  I almost did scream out loud, but refrained.  A couple tears fell, but thanks to allergies, no one seemed to notice the difference.
So now we wait some more.  As I have told friends and family, now at least the wait is more finite.  Anywhere from 8-12 weeks from approval to travel. 
Stay tuned for the our next news!
I have felt so blessed at the response everyone has had when they got our text, or read my FB post.  He is clearly loved by so many more people here than just the C clan, and it warms my heart that soon he will be here to feel all that love.