My thoughts on our tip to Korea

Seoul, South Korea is wonderful!

From the moment we arrived everyone we ran into was helpful. I mean without being asked. Men would help us deal with our suitcases. The staff at the hotel we stayed at helped us with any request we had, they let us use the computer in their business center, when I don't think we were really suppose to. The Door Man translated part of a letter I received from our agency in Korea so that the cab driver knew exactly where to go. And I just have to say, I love the bowing. It is the perfect way of saying to someone you know or not, Thanks, Nice to see you...so much better than our old standby of "How are you doing?" when we don't really want the answer.

Seoul was clean. I never felt unsafe or as if anyone was looking at us oddly. We got more attention the day we had Hope, but I think that was just because she is so darn cute ;-) . It was easy to get around to the places we wanted to go. Did I mention that the Seoul city bus tour started right outside our hotel? Sooo convenient. Took us everywhere we wanted and then some. It was a great trip, but I think I should take some of the credit for it ;-) .

I did my research. I did most of my research by gathering info and opinions of other adoptive families that have gone to Seoul to get their babies. And so I think armed with that info I made some really good choices. I must say by far the best choice I made was to ask my sister to go with me. (ok, now I am in tears so you have to take that into account as you read the rest of this post).

I knew, that she would take care of me. I knew she would keep a level head, when I could not. But I truly had no idea what kind of selflessness she was capable of . There was no time that she put her needs above mine or Hope's. Even with her broken foot, no feat was too hard, no request for help was too much. She was there to encourage me, support me, and truly help me in every way. Whether that meant walking Hope up and down the aisles of the plane, when I could not walk anymore, or giving me encouragement while I consoled a grieving baby in the middle of the night. All the while taking pictures and video of this once in a lifetime event.

And she did not stop once we were home. Keeping track of what we were all going to eat for the next meal, and making sure I ate it (at least some). Helping with the big kids's comings and goings. Laundry, keeping the kitchen tidy, and helping me to keep things running. All the while her own family is without her for 10 days. I know a lot of time went in to preparing her 3 boys and husband to be without her for soo long. I can not say Thank You loud enough, or enough times for her to truly know what it meant for her to be with me on this journey.

It is my fervent prayer that one day my girls will be blessed by their relationship the way I know my sister and I have.