My son arrived from Korea exactly two years ago today.


My son on 06-22-04.


My son at zoo on arrival day 06-22-05.


My son recently.

Today is his Arrival Day. On one side, I’m having a hard time believing that it’s been two years and, on the other side, I keep marveling at how much he’s changed. Two years ago today, he came to us a little baby who couldn’t crawl or talk. Today, he is a little boy who doesn’t stop talking and moves so fast that I barely keep up. Last year at this time, he could say “mama” and “dada” and “cat”. Yesterday, he told me “I like it…bare feet. I wear sandals now. No socks. No shoes.”


Halloween 2004 - From Tiger...


Halloween 2005 - To Lion...

We aren’t doing anything special today because both my husband and I have to work. Instead we both took tomorrow as a vacation day and we’re going to the zoo. My son loves animals and he loves to run around so we figure it’s back to the zoo. We bought an annual pass this year so we’ll probably be there a lot.

Next year, he’ll be old enough to pick what he wants to do on his special day. If he understood the concept a little better this year, I’m sure he would have picked something that has to do with cars. Have I shared that my son is obsessed with cars? First and foremost, he loves his racecars (miniature NASCAR cars), then he likes his “Papa Cars” (PT Cruisers because that’s what my parents drive) and next he likes “Van Cars” (my mother-in-law drives a red mini-van). We suspect that he has the auto industry in his future. He knows what everyone drives. As we are driving, he’ll see a Saturn Vue and yell out “Baby Nick’s car” or a Cavalier (which he knows by the Chevy sign in the back) and he’ll yell out “Purple Car” (because we used to own a purple Chevy Cavalier). It’s actually a little scary.

I don’t remember my Arrival Day celebrations very well. Only one really sticks out in my memory and I’m really not sure why. I remember going somewhere with lots of trains – big trains and little trains. I’m not sure why this particular memory sticks out more than all the rest, because I really never had a big fondness for trains, but it does. Isn’t that funny?

As the tradition continues, I can’t wait to see what sticks out in my son’s memories. Where will we go? What will he remember?

If you would like to respond, but not on this site, please feel free to send me e-mails at adoptkoreablog@adoptionmail.com.