Meeting Sophie

What an icredible experience! It is difficult to put into words. She is beautiful...of course :) Most of all I was overhwelmed by the love and generousity of the foster family. She is very well bonded with her foster parents and their two sons...they asked me to please send pictures as she grows up. The foster family gave me her Hanbok, a whole package of pictures, and a little purse with money (as a wish for her to have a plentiful life).

This is what I learned about Sophie:

• She has 4 teeth
• She can pull herself up and stand
• She likes to hold something in her hand while drinking a bottle
• She is eating some solid foods, but not too many
• She has a temper (according to her foster mom)
• She sleeps with her foster mom and usually naps while her foster mom carries her on her back.
  

Sophie was very leary of me in an appropriate way. She didn't let me get too close to her...but she did let me touch her hand by the end of the meeting. It will take time for her...but I am so thankful to know she has a healthy bond with her foster family.

I am fortunate in that I get to meet with her again today, and possibly Thursday. When foster mom left the room for a couple of minutes during our visit Sophie was bawling...the social worker was in the room and she wasn't able to get her to calm down, and she has been visiting her regularly since birth. So, Friday will be very hard for her...I feel sorry for the people sitting next to us on the plane ride home.

Tuesday night I went to dinner with another adoptive parent, Erin, and her friend. We went to a fusion Korean place and it was good, and interesting. I tried Kimchi and it was spicy but yummy. I also had this dish that was an egg...kind of spread out thin and cooked in an omlete, then stuffed with rice and spices like a burrito, and on the top was this cream sauce with corn in it.

As I said, Wednesday (today for me as I post this), I will meet with Sophie again in the early afternoon and I will take a taxi after to go to a shopping area and possibly a palace close by. Thursday I was invited to have lunch with the agency workers and to meet Dr. Kim, the head of the agency...along with all of the other adoptive parents here.

And Friday of course we come home! I will need to leave for the airport by 8:30 Seoul time so will just spend Friday evening trying to get everything perfectly organized for the long trip home.