Three Years Ago

Three years ago we were in Korea and saw this sweet face for the first time. It was such a beautiful day.We had arrived in Seoul the night before, got up bright and early for breakfast and coffee at Starbucks and then headed out for our first metro experience (during rush hour no less). We did some shopping and sight-seeing and then we met the social worker at SWS and took a taxi to her foster mother's apartment. I don't really remember being nervous. I remember being excited. I didn't think of the long wait or the unknowns with her health (which turned out to be nothing). I didn't get to hug her. I didn't get to kiss her. I didn't even get to hold her on this day. But when I am old and gray and my memory is far worse than it is now, I know that I will look back on this day as one of the most memorable of my life.

I didn't plan to post the video again, but Camden randomly asked to see it earlier this week and as he watched it with teary eyes in a rare moment of tenderness and said to me, "I just love it when you met her", I decided to just go ahead and show it again. And, really, how could you not fall in love with that giggle?

And 3 years later, she is a complete joy. A few things about her:

She likes to talk. And talk. And talk some more.

Pushing her baby in her stroller with an "ipod" in her hand and a phone to her ear is the epitome of a good time.

She loves to eat, but isn't really a big dessert fan. If you put food on her plate, she is going to eat every single bite. When she doesn't like something, she shivers through it but doesn't ask to quit. (I try to let her off the hook if I notice the shivers.)

And she's still slow as molasses when she eats. We eat, then clean up, then sit and watch her eat.

It may have taken until she was nearly 4.5, but she finally knows her ABC's (this is a whole other post in itself).

ABC's aside, she has a crazy memory. The girl can remember Bible verses, catechisms and small details like nobody's business.

She asked me yesterday if we could sell Camden and get a baby sister.

Loves Dora and Sesame Street on TV, but Fancy Nancy is her favorite book character. She adores all the fancy words.

She quotes "Little brother, don't you dare. Hands off my underwear" almost every day - some free book we received in the mail and made the mistake of reading to her a few months after she came home. It was literally one of the first sentences she said, and she's still saying it. :)

She loves to pray. But not in any sort of spiritual way - it's her way of being the center of attention. She prays and prays and prays, throws in every big word she can think (whether it makes sense or not), copies every prayer she's ever heard anyone say. It's hilarious. And LONG.

She is such a people pleaser and has a very tender heart. In fact, she is broken hearted when she knows I am disappointed and generally is much harder on herself than I am on her.

She rarely disobeys or test me. Now this is a completely different story for Brian - she constantly tests him. I don't mean little things. I mean outright defiance and disobedience for whatever reason.

Really, really loves to sing. Music is definitely not her gift, but she loves to try!

Is still a mama's girl, and I love it. I hear "I love you the mostest" several times a day.

Tells me often that she cannot wait to go back to Korea.

And this picture is really for my grandma who bought her not one, not two, but three fancy party dresses. Rory chose this one to wear today.