Our day began with a 1/2 day tour (led by Holt staff), and we were grouped with other adopting couples.  We visited Deok Su Gung Palace, where the King died slowly due topoisoned coffee.  Interesting, huh?  We also visited two markets: Insadong (antique and art district) and South Gate Market.  We bought a scroll that says love in Korean, a porcelain Korean family (the little boy is praying), a plate signed by the artist, and coasters that took the artisans 20 days to make.  You’ll have to visit our home to check these out!  No pics of these, yet.  Anyway, while touring, we forged a relationship with one of the three other couples, the Scotts, who are from the Northeast.  We ate dinner at the Lotte and have made plans to see another palace with them today.

Between times….

At 2:30 p.m. we had our second meeting with Jadon Min-su.  There won’t be pictures of this meeting, partly because we didn’t take any, and partly because it was a difficult meeting.  Though adoption is joyful, the union is made through losses.  He was relinquised by his birth mother, given to his first foster mother, and is now with his loving second foster mother, who has had him since he was 4 1/2 months old.  Little Jadon Min-su is confused, scared.  We are strangers to him, and he senses that something is going on.  He is about to go through another transition, another loss.  Daily, he hears the soothing rhythms of his Korean language–something we can’t offer.  Again, another loss.  Though we know that his strong attachment is indicative of a future healthy attachment to us, it’s still hard now.  When God called us to adoption, He never promised this would be easy, nor did he promise that this would happen quickly or when we wanted.  We know God handpicked Jadon Min-su for our family.  We know this through his personality, his favorites, his busyness.  We know, in time, we will be a bonded family, but for now, there is grieving.

Please pray for us today.  Today will be especially difficult for Jadon Min-su, and we’re worried about him on the flight back home.  Pray for us that we will be emotionally strong and be able to give lots of smiles and positive reinforcements in our outward emotions.