Our Day In Court

Yesterday was a nerve-wracking, terrifying and amazing day. We all slept in- I made it to 5:30 and the boys were 7. We are finally finding our internal clocks here in Seoul. We knew we had all morning, so we didn't rush anything. We relaxed in bed, watching cartoons, took long showers and headed up to breakfast around 8:30- the latest we have gone since arriving. The restaurant was far more crowded at this time, but we still had no problem being seated right away.

Court ready!

After breakfast we went back to our room. We still had about two hours before we needed to head to Holt, so we continued being lazy. But this is when my nerves began to kick in. We were going to court. We were going to meet the judge who ultimately gets to decide if we are the right family for our sweet girl. She would ask us questions, to which we had some idea, but there were so many possibilities that it would be impossible to have prepared answers for all of them.

I quickly realized that, to get through today, I would have to find a way to stay busy. So I shifted my focus to getting ready. After I was ready to go, it was time for the boys. Baths, dressing, combing and bow ties later, they were ready as well. Just in time to head down to meet our taxi.

The ride to Holt offered a great, yet horrifying distraction. Although it is law here that children under 6 be in a car seat, apparently that is in no way enforced, so since arriving in Seoul the boys have just been sitting in the regular car seats with the regular seat belt to keep them safe. Obviously, not my favorite. I sit between then with my arms acting as a second seat belt on every car ride. This drive was so much worse than any other we have experienced here. The driver was the worst! He almost side-swiped other drivers several times, was driving 40 in a 70 speed zone and crossed lanes of traffic in a straight line- like we were perpendicular to the cars on either side of us. Eek! So scary.

Once we arrived at Holt, and took big sighs of relief that we had made it, we walked to a McDonald's which is a couple of blocks away. This was an important day, and we wanted to help the boys to behave at their best throughout it. The number one thing that affects Nolan is a hungry tummy, so we knew eating just before leaving for court would be very helpful.

After eating we headed to Holt to meet the other families also attending court. The lobby filled up quickly with the six families that were meeting at Holt to ride to court together. Three other families would meet us at the court house, as their hotels were close. The drive to court was faster than we had expected and playing an "I Spy" game with Nolan helped to pass the time.

When we got to court we were told to take out our passports and were ushered through metal detectors, then into an elevator. After finding our floor, we were told to take a seat in a hallway with chairs lining it. I am so thankful for the other families waiting with us, because our conversations before entering court made time go by without too many nerves hitting. But then, we were told we would be next.

As we entered the courtroom, an overwhelming feeling of calm came over me. We have been waiting for this day for 14 months, and it was here. As we sat down, Nolan noticed a computer and the microphone. He spent the entire meeting trying to touch them. No one seemed to mind and the judge began asking us questions immediately. Some were ones we had prepared for, a couple we had not expected, but were easily answered. Then the judge directed a question to the boys. "Are you ready to welcome a sister?" Liam's response was wonderful! "Yes, but I am a little afraid of dolls, so kind of."

The judge and translator laughed at his answer and then went right back to questioning us. It lasted maybe five minutes and we were asked 8-9 questions. As the judge asked the last question, we could tell in her tone that the mood had changed a bit. The translator began, "Up until this point, everything looks good and in order........" - cue long, ominous pause. My heart rate sped up. Then she continued, "The judge wants to know that she will not be abandoned again, so she needs you to swear that you will love and care for her forever. We both answered, "Absolutely" and that was that. It was a painless process and the judge was professional and warm. We shouldn't have worried about this piece for a second.

The Court Crew

We walked out into the hallway, surrounded by other families who, although there for their own court appearance, for that moment were there for us. There is no feeling in the world like being surrounded by people who feel every single thing you feel, as the exact same moment. It is strange and incredible how quickly these bonds are made and how tight they hold.

Although we were the third family to go out of nine and we were told we could leave after our appearance, we opted to wait and support our friends as they went before the judge. When we had all finished, we had a very quick question and answer session with our Holt chaperone/translator/goddess. At this point we were told that custody would be around four weeks from court, if there would be no public notice and six weeks from court if there was. We are so hoping for four weeks!

We all left the courthouse together, walked to nearest subway station, and all piled on the same train. Once back at our hotel, we needed a long rest. Although we didn't DO much, it was yet another emotionally draining experience. Joe and I reflected on the questions asked, our answers, how amazing our boys had been the entire day, and our overall experience.

Yum!

After a bit, we decided to celebrate making it through our biggest outing in Seoul with another round of Korean BBQ. We were told of a place right across the entrance of our hotel, so wandered that way, got lost, found it, and were then promptly told they only take reservations. We then headed down to the mall to find something else, because it was far too cold to wander the streets and we were all too hungry to wait. We found a Korean BBQ restaurant in the mall. It was good, but nothing like the real things we had experienced the day before.

Round Two: Korean BBQ

With court behind us, today we get to enjoy a guided tour of Seoul. This tour will be led by a student volunteer (usually in their early twenties) who wants to practice their English. This will be the first time we will have access to someone who knows the city very well, and can easily communicate with us, so we know it will be a wonderful way to experience Seoul.