A year ago today, Appa, Little Bug, Kim Emo, and myself got on that pretty teal plane to fly halfway across the world. As I thought about what I wanted to write today, I realized I have very few specific memories from the flight over. It was pretty uneventful, and that in and of itself is something I know I should be grateful for. I took less than five pictures the entire 14 hour flight, for Pete's sake. Anyone who knows me knows that means absolutely nothing noteworthy happened.
Instead, these are the precious memories that bubble to the surface as I look back a year later at our day spent in the sky.
*An hour before we left for the airport, I stood next to Appa in our front room, marveling at the calm. Outside Kim and Little Bug played in his red wagon and soaked up the bright cheery sunshine. Our small arsenal of luggage was carefully packed and standing in wait. Unlike the first time, things were just so peaceful in those last moments of normal. More than anything else, it is that calm and warm sense of peace and sunshine that stick with me from that day. I was so supremely grateful for that sunshine.
*It took until we got to the gate and were waiting to board that Appa and I both realized in horror that the travel clothing we had dressed Little Bug in were simply too small for him. The pants were up to his ankles and his Thomas shirt was barely covering his belly. If Appa noticed it, I knew it was bad. If you know how classy Korean people tend to dress (and how bundled they dress their babies), you can imagine how awesome we looked.
*When the plane took off, I caught my sister's eye. This was her first international travel, and I knew she was a totally pumped. I mouthed "here we go" and felt like my stomach was going to explode with happiness knowing that we were just hours (okay, a lot of hours) away from Seoul and my son.
*A middle-aged woman sitting near us offered Little Bug a loaf-like thing wrapped tightly in tinfoil less than an hour into the flight. We accepted gracefully and under her watchful eye, we started feeding Little Bug this thing we didn't recognize from a person we didn't know. I still have no idea what it was; it looked and tasted like a mixture of date bread, meat, and dried fruit wrapped in a tight sausage-like preparation. But he didn't die and we won some smiles and appreciative nods from more than one Korean grandma on that plane. Totally worth it.
*Little Bug spent a combined total of hours snapping and unsnapping his seat belt with total joy. Who needs iPads and toys when kids have ice cups and seat belts?
*I watched "The King's Speech" with Colin Firth. Anything with Colin Firth is worth noting.
OMG the foil wrapped loaf story about killed me. Happy Adoptivus!
ReplyDelete