One Year Ago Today

At this time last year, Tony and I were in Seoul for our first trip. We were there for just under one week, during which time we had the opportunity to see Oliver twice (one-hour sessions each time). We landed late Sunday night and had our first meeting early Monday morning -- which worked out okay with us thanks to a combo of jet lag and nerves!

A few spelling and grammar errors aside, I documented our journey fairly well via this blog. Therefore, there’s no need to re-hash what has already been posted. Instead, feel free to check out the posts or just the photos on these below pages. I just cried my way through them!

On Our Way 

The Moment

Our Second Meeting

Court

Eating in Korea

Home & More Photos

One year ago today Oliver became real. Not a photo, not a reason to complete a slew of paperwork, not a reason to clean out the spare bedroom…but a real person. With personality! How amazing, terrifying, emotional and overwhelming that first meeting was. To be truthful, some of those first moments are a bit fuzzy in my memory. Did he call us “Mommy and Daddy” or “Umma and Appa”? What did the Foster Mother say? I can’t recall. There was so much going on, emotionally and physically, that it is a bit of a blur. I suppose many of the bigger life events are that way.

After all of that waiting, planning and traveling, we finally met. I wonder how our emotions compare to new parents meeting their just-born child in the hospital room? Maybe they are very similar, even with such different circumstances. A mix of “oh my goodness how amazing” and “oh my goodness what do I do now”! 

Meeting Oliver meant that we finally had a tangible little person to think about, a voice to hear in our minds, a touch to recall. Today, his laughter warms our hearts, his joy and happiness are contagious, and we feel so very blessed to be his parents. Naturally, to mark this occasion he was up extremely early (he woke when I got up to work out), was in a sweet mood for a bit, but then got rather cranky and challenging. Just a reminder that life with a toddler is full of surprises, love, tantrums and unpredictability! 

Here are two Meyers style selfies taken this morning. Such a different way to start the day than one year ago. I am so happy!

The forehead bruise proves Oliver is a regular kiddo, often getting bumps and bruises.
We are thankful that we have not yet had to get stitches or had any serious injuries! 

My little guy! Such a sweetie (when he wants to be, which luckily is much of the time).

Love.