Custody trip - day 4 - Forever Family Day

Today was the day we dreamed of almost 4 years ago when we began our adoption journey.  Never on my wildest dreams did I imagine it would have gone as well as it did today.  Thank you to each and every one of you who prayed over this day for us. We definitely felt the Lord's comforting presence throughout our day.  We know that before we ever dreamed of Richard entering our family, God had this plan for his life, and we are so thankful to be able to be a part of his life.

 We began our day at our agency's office where we met with his foster family and had the opportunity to gather last minute information to help his transition easier.  We fully expected an emotional roller coaster today (we even had a barf bag ready just in case), but he handled everything so well.  After saying our goodbyes, we headed back to our hotel.

 On the subway ride back, he was very quiet.  I could only imagine what was going on in his little head.  He was thrilled when we broke out a new toy (transformer), and it became his toy of choice the rest of the day.

 Once back at our hotel, he had a quick snack and that's when the fun began. He started to show us his beautiful smile and let us see that amazing personality of his.

 Daddy and Richard really enjoyed lunch.  Apparently he really, I mean really, likes ketchup.  He did a great job imitating daddy's walrus chopsticks.

 After lunch, we can ventured onto the playground next to our hotel.  He had a lot of fun but became scared by an older child.  He immediately called me (omma - Korean for mother), made eye contact, and ran to me for comfort.  I was thrilled with this type of response for our first day together.  Up next we played a few attachment games which he really enjoyed.

 We explored the base we are staying at some more, and he spotted the indoor pool.  I didn't even know there was a pool so we didn't bring any swim gear for any of us.  We quickly ran to the exchange and grabbed him a pair of shorts.

 He had a blast running with daddy in the halls.

 Splashing from the side of the pool was a hit. He went in a few times, but he wasn't crazy about it.  So sticking to the edge was perfect!

 After getting out, I wrapped him up in warm towels, and he snuggled with me for a long time.  He would look up at me with his beautiful eyes and it brought tears to my eyes.  I sang to him, and we just sat there for the longest time, knowing this was a moment I would never forget.

 We choose a buffet dinner in our hotel so we could let him chose what he liked the most.  Pasta, steak, potatoes, and bread were his favorite.

 And dessert was an even bigger hit!

Finally it was funny for bed. His foster mother said he likes to sleep with a toy, so when I told him it was time for bed, he grabbed his toy and climbed in bed.  Less than five minutes later he was out.  This day was one I will never forget, and I hope we have many more just like it as we enjoy our last few days in Korea.