I am writing this post because, if I don’t, my mother will badger me until I do. It’s self preservation.

Awhile back, I wrote about Anne Tyler’s book, “Digging To America.” Part of the story line is that every year two families that met at the airport while picking up their Korean adoptees have an Arrival Day party. At the first party, they thought there should be a theme song for the girls and all they could think of was “She’ll Be Coming Around The Mountain.” Everyone sings the song (complete with “toot toot”) and the two little girls enter from the other room (symbolizing their original arrival). Though I found it amusing, it causes my mother to laugh hysterically whenever she talks about it. I pointed out to my mother that it would be a cold day in a very hot place before I’d ever do anything like that. This made her laugh harder. I imagine she had just pictured me wearing a party hat singing, “She’ll be coming around the mountain when she comes.”

Regardless, it does illustrate an important fact. We can stay in touch with the families who were at the airport with us. Every time we see C and I, the two little girls who arrived with my son, my mother points out that she has no idea what happened to the children who arrived with me or my sister. Wouldn’t it be nice to know?

As long as no one makes me sing, “She’ll be coming around the mountain,” I’m glad that my son will still have contact with C and I. It’s been fun watching them grow too. Just in case she held on to the misconception that I’d ever be singing the song, I told my mother that if I had to pick a theme song, I’d probably choose “I’m leaving on a jet plane.” It’s much more dignified.

(The picture is of my son and C, who arrived on the same plane as my son.)

If you would like to comment, but not on this site, please e-mail me at adoptkoreablog@adoptionmail.com.