Our Final Day

Yesterday was our last meeting with our sweet Miss May. The day began with breakfast as usual, then the boys headed back up to our room and I headed down to the bookstore in the mall attached to our hotel. I still hadn't gotten books with characters from Korea for Maylee. I found several fairy tale books and picked out a few. Then I found one that shows the main character, a little girl, who shows many characteristics as compared to animals. Although the whole book is in Hangul, I was able to get the gist and loved the message.

Finally, when we all went to the bookstore many days ago, Joe had found an toy that says the Korean alphabet, numbers, songs, and sayings and then also has all of these in English. I got this as well, knowing that it will be so nice for Maylee to hear words that she understands when she comes home, and will also be able to hear the same things in English to help learn our language quicker. The boys (of course) noticed a poop symbol on the top of the toy. This plays a song in Korean, complete with fart noises. I'm already done listening to it.

After hanging out in our room for a bit, we decided to head to Holt early. We wanted to make another visit to HomePlus, a store similar to Fred Meyers. We shopped for snacks to bring to our meeting and some for our flight home. Maylee LOVES snacks! Food is definitely the way to our girl's heart, so we felt as though they were essential to our visit.

We headed up to our meeting room a bit early and Maylee was already there. Before we had even gotten into the door, FM was excitedly handing us photo album, after photo album. We settled in and started looking through them. So many photos of our girl growing up! Although we wanted to pour through every page, we also desperately wanted to interact with our girl as much as we could in our short time together, so we ripped ourselves away from the photos and began playing and talking to our sweet girl.

This was our first meeting with Foster Dad and Maylee's foster sister and it was so fun to watch the whole family interact with one another. I love the bond that our daughter shares with her sister and it breaks my heart that so so soon they will be separated. I hope with all my heart that we can continue their bond in years to come. I opted to take a lot of videos at this meeting, hoping that they will help our hearts be patient for the wait to come.

This meeting was even better than the last two. Maylee is still not okay with us holding her or hugging her without initiating, but she was happier and more at ease with us- laughing and playing and singing and dancing the whole time. She continued to call Joe appa and my mommy. She gave the boys big big hugs and interacted with them more than in our previous meetings.

Our girl has sass and I love it. She is so independent and smart and funny and adorable and she knows what she wants and has no problem telling you so. She loves to pretend she is putting on makeup, stacking blocks, and sharing with her sister. She has the best smile, which warms our hearts, as we have not seen many happy faces in past pictures. But she does smile all the time and it is the best.

During our meeting last Wednesday, FM had asked that we bring Maylee some new shoes. We found a couple of pairs throughout our market visits, but they ended up still being too small. We decided to give them to her foster family for their next foster children- they are already preparing for a new little one after Maylee and her sister come home, so they were very happy to have them. We made a plan to run to Namdaemun Market after our meeting to get new, bigger shoes and then would drop them off at Holt, to be given to Maylee the next day.

Because Joe and the boys will not be coming on the custody trip, we decided to give our big gifts to FM and FD this time. We gave Maylee's FM a locket that matches one I have. We took some pictures during our meetings, which we will put into the lockets. We gave FD an engraved pocket watch that matches one that Joe has. It says Maylee's name, birth date, and "Always thankful Forever Family". They were both so thankful for their gifts. Foster Mom said several times throughout our meeting, "We are family now!" and we are. They will always be our family, They will always be in our lives.

Our meeting came to an end so much faster than we would have liked. Everyone seemed so sad for it to end. FM and FD left as slowly as they could, we did too. Trying so hard to stretch every last second as long as it could go. We stayed behind in the room a few minutes longer to clean up and pack our things. When we left the room, gave the Holt Korea staff hugs and said our goodbyes, we headed to the elevator. Who was still in the hall waiting for us? Our family's other half! We rode the elevator together, sharing our final seconds. When it was time for us to go, Maylee waved her tiny hand and blew us kisses.

Leaving her is so so hard. Harder still with the passing minutes. And we know she is loved and cared for. We know she will be happy and safe. We know that these final weeks with her foster family are essential and special, just our final weeks of a family of four will be essential and special. We know she will be home with us soon and forever. These days are fleeting for all of us.

As hard as it was to leave her, having a job to do helped. We quickly headed to Namdaemun and found two new pairs of shoes. I wish I would have taken pictures of them, but they were similar to the original pairs, as I loved them so much. Instead, the Mary Jane's were a plum color and the boots were a tad different, but still pink and fleecy. It was raining hard while we were there, so we didn't stay as long as we had planned, but instead headed back to Holt. After dropping them off and having our last goodbyes with the Holt staff, we found a cab to take us back to our hotel.

Our last dinner in Korea

Once back, we headed down to the mall for our final dinner in Korea. We opted for the delicious Italian restaurant, which we had gone to a few days earlier. It's funny- we will miss so very much of what we have experienced in Korea, and an Italian restaurant in the mall will be one of them. The food is SO good!

The best gift ever!

After dinner, we headed back to our room for our final movie night and snuggles in one big bed. Before picking a movie, we poured through the photo albums given to us, finally having the time and energy to do so. I sobbed as we flipped through the photos which ranged from when Maylee was an infant all the way until now. Many were with her second foster mom and what looks to be a foster brother. My favorite photos though, are of her dol ceremony- her first birthday. Our sweet girl looks so adorable in her hanbok (traditional Korean dress), surrounded by others who celebrated with her. Although we haven't been given many photos of a smiling Maylee, many of the photos in these books show her so so happy, with that big beautiful smile we have come to love so very much.

Looking through these photos was such a blessing and so emotionally draining on our last night here. It made me long for her more than before and sad for all the moments we have missed. I am so thankful to both of Maylee's foster families for sending us such cherished gifts. We are so blessed to have them, but for Maylee they will be an invaluable connection to her roots and her memories of her first home, here in Korea. Although she is little, we hope with all our might that we can help her preserve as many of her memories here as possible and these photos will help.


We woke up today to clearest view we have seen since arriving 12 days ago. The mountains that circle this beautiful city are gorgeous and Seoul Tower has been a constant. We will miss so much of Seoul. We will miss the food, culture, people, and most of all our sweet Maylee Grace and her incredible foster family. We are the luckiest family on the planet!


We are packing up the room that has been our home for nearly two weeks. We are so excited to see our pets, our family and our friends. Although we will miss so very much of our time here, we are ready to be home. Ready to make our final preparations for our girl to come home. I am ready to wrap up my time in my classroom, sharing as much time, energy and focus as I can with my students who I miss tremendously while on leave.

We are ready to sleep in our own beds and drive and interact with others without a language barrier and make our own meals and have more clothes to chose from, than what was held in our suitcases. These may seem like silly, little things, but they matter to us today.

Maybe these are the little things that will help our hearts deal with the ocean between us and our daughter. Maybe they will distract us from the struggle we will face as the plane takes us farther, and farther away from our girl. I doubt it will, but at this point, all I can do is hope that we will fill these final weeks with so much fun and love and preparation, and continue to remember that these days are so important to our girl and those who love her here in Korea. I hope.

The War Memorial of Korea

Yesterday was a very special and exhausting day. We got up early, ate breakfast early, then headed out as soon as we could. Yesterday was our last day in Korea without time constraints, and we knew we wanted to do and see a lot. We headed toward The War Memorial of Korea first. 

We had heard really great things about this museum from others who had visited it before, but we had no idea how amazing it would be. We spent over an hour just in the outdoor space. It was 26 degrees, mind you, so an hour straight outside is a pretty big deal. As we walked past the main gate, we noticed a monument that is quite famous. I have seen it in pictures before, but had no idea it was here. It is a huge statue of one soldier holding another at the top of a dome. 

Although it was beautiful, it set the tone for us and even the boys were instantly calmer, ready to learn. Inside the dome underneath the statue, was a beautiful mosaic and an etched plate for each country that helped protect South Korea during the Korean War.  We continued walking down a long path, which led to another statue depicting soldiers in battle. Again beautiful and heartbreaking. As we continued down the path we noticed a small group of planes, then tanks, then a ship, and it just went on and on. There were rows and rows of military vehicles for us to see. The boys were so excited to see and hear about each one. 

We started with the planes nearest the path. Some were small and one in particular was huge. Joe loves history and his Grandfather was a POW in the Korean War, so he had loved explaining all he knows as we went from plane to plane. He told them about the different jobs each of the planes had, why they looked different, how parts worked or why they were there. The boys were so interested in learning all they could and asked great questions.

The one thing they wanted to spend the most time exploring was the battle ship that was on display. It was a replica of a South Korean war ship, which had been attacked. The most powerful thing about this ship, is that each area where damage was done was identified with a hole and a red border. It was horrifying to see just how many there were and how many of them would have been where soldiers would have been. Although the boys were extremely interested, they were also very thoughtful about the impact of all they were seeing. Asking real, hard questions, with real, hard answers.

After the ship we continued on looking at the rows of tanks and weapon launchers. The boys bounced around, guessing at how each on worked and what the parts would do. This was about the time when we were losing feeling in our fingers and toes, so we headed back toward the main entrance to the museum. As we reached the building, we walked through a hall filled with the names of South Koreans who had lost their lives in the war. It was hard to explain this to the boys. 

Then we turned the corner and found ourselves in an identical hall. This one filled with the names of soldiers from other countries who also lost their lives. Each American state had their own list, showing just how many men fought and died for our friends in South Korea. About three fourths of the way down the hall, other countries were listed. There were names from many European countries, but also places that surprised us like Ethiopia, Thialand and Columbia. Many of the names had flowers beside them or at the base of the monument. 

Entering the museum was a bit overwhelming. We chose a side and went down the hall. This hall was lined with ever piece of ammunition used in the war. Bullets, missiles, hand grenades, thousands of them. Then we were in another area of vehicles- small planes and fancy cars, one was a gift from President Eisenhower to the first South Korean President. It was an armored Cadillac. Next came a row of communication devices used throughout the war.

Next, we went down the into the dark hall in the middle of the main hall. This area was somber and sad. We walked down a hall and into a dark room with a large black fountain. It was so peaceful, yet incredibly sad. Even the boys could tell that this was a very meaningful and powerful place and wandered the room in silence, only asking questions in whispers. This room led us down a hall and into an area of the museum where the history of Korea, and later South Korea, and their fight to remain a free and independent country. 

We wandered through the maze of artifacts for about another hour, then realized we would never have the energy to see it all. We decided to head to our next destination- Insadong for more shopping and a late lunch. We have heard that there are indoor play cafes all over Seoul and thought we would try to find one. The boys had been so calm and reserved all morning and we wanted to let them get some energy out. 

We found one on the CityMapper app, which was only a ten minute walk from Insadong, so we headed that way. What was supposed to be a ten minute walk, turned into a twenty minute walk and we when we reached the place on the map, we were told there was no play cafe near. Exhausted and hungry, we took the subway back to Insadong, the boys very unhappy about missing out on the play cafe experience. 

Luckily for us, the Poop Cafe was close by! We walked in the door and the boys were so happy that their frustrations and sadness was gone. We ordered four hot chocolates and Joe went out to the Poop Bread vendor right outside the cafe and got us each a chocolate filled poop bread. It was just what we needed! 

We finished our shopping, then headed back to the subway, stopping for roasted chestnuts and another egg bread. We also stopped at a vendor selling hand painted fans. He then handed us a paper filled with awards he has received from all over the world. He then painted Nolan and Maylee's names in Korean on their fans (Liam didn't want one, but picked out Maylee's for her room). He also painted the characters for Insadong and signed and stamped each one with his name. What an experience!

The (Almost) Four Market Loop

Myeongdong Market

Yesterday we planned to make a subway loop that would include four of the most famous street markets in Seoul. We began our day much later than usual and regretted it when we reached our hotel's restaurant. Before that morning we had not waited a single minute to be seated, but at 9 am on Saturday, this was not the case. After breakfast, we went back to our room to gather our things for the day ahead, then headed to the subway.

Our first stop was a return visit to Namdaemun to take a better look at the children's section of the market. I could have spent days there, pouring through shop after shop of adorable kiddo clothes and shoes. Unfortunately for me, and fortunately for my bank account, my boys were not having it. We did spend a considerable amount of time sorting through the shops looking for some special items.

*I have already let Joe know that when I return for custody, I will be purchasing a great deal more, so he is prepared.

After Namdaemun, we decided to walk to Myeongdong. Namdaemun is a traditional street market, with a lot of street vendors, street food, and transitional/handmade items. Myeongdong is quite the opposite. It is more of a modern, outdoor mall. There are still some street vendors and some street food options, however, most are indoors and the items to buy are mostly clothing and skincare products. We walked through the market for a bit, but many of the shops repeat, so it didn't take us long to decide it was time to move on.

Before leaving, we did find a candy store, which the boys had been searching  and they did find some Kogo (Korean corn dogs). Liam got one filled with cheese and Nolan picked a sausage with a crunchy outer coating. We also had to get Oreo churros to share- obviously not Korean, but delicious just the same. Our next stop, Dongdaemun, which was too far to walk, so we hoped back on the subway.

We noticed that the last two stops before Dongdaemun were pretty close together, so we got off the subway a stop early to get a little extra walking in. We came out of the subway station to find ourselves surrounded by the Dongdaemun History and Culture Park. The architecture was amazing and we found several fun things to stop and look at.

After a bit of exploring in this area, we started walking in the direction of Dongdaemun. We noticed one particular street, where both sides of the street were lined with vendors. We walked up one side, then walked back down the other. This is where I found my second favorite pair of shoes for Maylee. We continued on toward our destination, stopping at a vendor with the most delicious peanut shaped deliciousness.

Toy Alley!

We were now on the hunt for the elusive "Toy Alley". According to others who have been there, Toy Alley is the best place to go to find fun things for your children. The boys have spent the last week begging to find it. It took some time, but we found it. Boy, did it ever live up to it's name! Toys everywhere! The prices were not overly low, but they were at least typical for US prices and the boys had waited so long, that we let them each pick two things. We made it less than halfway down the alley, when they had both decided on their chosen items.

We were still planning to make it back to Insadong, but we were all so hungry and exhausted that we decided to put it off a day. I'm glad that we did, because by the time we ate dinner and got pjs on, we were all out pretty quickly. All that walking wore us out!

A Tour Guide Named Hubert

Outside the palace walls

So beautiful!

As part of the travel fee for the Holt Korea program, a guided tour is offered to each of the families while they are in Korea for court. Our tour was yesterday. We were scheduled to meet our tour guide in the lobby of our hotel at 9:30, so we took the morning slow. As soon as we exited the elevator in our lobby a young man walked up to us, asking for Joseph Oliver (I love that they use our middle names). After introductions, we headed down to the subway and from there to the Gyeongbokgung Palace.

A history lesson

It was a beautiful, beautiful place. Nestled right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city is the most peaceful and ancient set of buildings and grounds. Our guide knew so much about this history of site and the people who spent time there. Although he tried very hard to keep the attention of the boys, and sometimes did, he continued to share important facts and events with Joe and I as we wandered from building to building. 

We were there for what seemed like an hour, but what was really two and a half. No wonder we were all starving! Hubert then took us to the restaurant right outside the palace walls, where we had traditional Korean meal which used some of the same recipes eaten by the ancient kings who lived in the palace. It was delicious! Our tour guide suggested I try the bibimbap. I have had this before in the U.S., but it has never tasted this good. Liam had his favorite, Japchae and Joe and Nolan shared a beef stake with a rice cake and veggies. Everyone loved what they had and we ended our meal with a dessert waffle with chocolate sauce, some sort of fruit sauce, honey and frozen blueberries on top. 

Hubert!

While eating lunch, Hubert, Joe and I had a great conversation about the political struggles that Korea and the US are facing in the coming years. Since we discussed our shared concerns, Hubert decided to take us to Gwanghwamun Plaza. According to Hubert, this is where all political action by Korean citizens begins. This is where historical protests have been and where the charge to impeach their last president began. 

While there, we also saw the huge statue of King Sejong the Great and Hubert taught us (I use the word taught very loosely) the Korean alphabet. It was incredibly interesting to be on this square as it was the only area in which we have seen a huge police presence. There were dozens of them lining a building with a large wall and barbed wire. On the ally way next to the building, were several police buses. We later found out that this building was the US embassy and that this police presence is a typical occurrence- thank goodness.

On that note, we have never felt safer than here in Seoul. In the last week, we have only seen a handful of police officers and have not had a single moment of being uncomfortable- unless you count when older women and men insist on touching our children, especially the older gentleman that picked Nolan up and put him on his lap on the subway. Otherwise, we feel totally secure walking the streets of every area, at every time of day. It is so refreshing!

After visiting the square, it was time to head back to our hotel and say goodbye to Hubert. Before he left, we gave him a bag full of items from Oregon as a thank you gift. He was extremely thankful that we had thought of him and given him a gift. We took several photos together and he headed down to the subway, as we headed back to our room.

View from the pool

After resting for a bit, the boys talked us into another visit to the pool. Guess what?! Purple caps! I actually got a picture this time. The boys swam for a bit, then we decided to get ready for dinner. Once again we headed down to the mall for a quick and easy dinner. We love our hotel and we wish that there were more authentic Korean restaurants near by. There is a huge selection in the mall, delicious room service and a few other choices within walking distance, but we are so tired by dinner time and tend to not have the energy or patience to explore.

Today, we planned to make want we called "The Market Loop". Four markets in one day! We almost made it, but I will tell you all about that later.