Tuesday: Family Day!

We started the morning off packing, repacking, and packing again, just so nervous I had no idea what I was doing.  We arrived at the agency at 1130 for a presentation and lunch with the president of the Eastern Social Welfare Services adoption agency, President Kim.  It was a lovely presentation about how Eastern started and the various activities/projects it sponsors. Lunch was provided by the agency we dined with other adoptive parents and the staff members.  At our table was a father and daughter doing a birthland tour. She was adopted 19 years ago and this was her first trip back.  I spent some time talking with her about her adoption and how it had impacted her growing up, what did her parents do right, what did she suggest.

Adoptive Parents waiting for ESWS Presentation to begin by Dr. Kim

Lunch at Eastern

At Hotel, Pororo keeping everyone calm

Afterwards we met with Mrs. Choi, our social worker, and Evan for about 30 minutes, which was great because I still had so many questions that didn't get answered at the earlier meeting.  Evan was in a good mood, we played with a ball most of the time. Then President Kim did a prayer ceremony over the three children leaving that day.  It was highly emotional, I think the only reason I kept it 'together' is that I have cried enough over the past 18 months thinking of this very moment, I really didn't have much left.  It was heart wrenching to watch these foster parents part with their children.  Nothing prepares you for that.  Evan did great until the actually removal of him from Mrs. Choi to hand to us waiting in the van that would drive us back to the hotel.  It was the first of many many tears, screams, pure agony.  After a few minutes I was sure he was going to puke all over us, he was so worked up I whipped out my phone and started the Pororo cartoons - ahh sweet relief.  It was amazing.

At the hotel we watched more cartoons and he was pretty chill.  After a while we ventured outside to blow bubbles and play ball. I think the bubbles were a new experience so it took a while to figure out what was going on but he loved it, and of course what boy doesn't love ball, especially when it can be thrown into a street!

We needed a bath afterwards and took advantage of the jacuzzi in the room, again may have been a new experience, the tub bath, but he eventually sat down and played.

Other than getting puked all over while wearing him in the baby carrier later in the night all went relatively smooth.