Korea Court Trip - Day 2

The morning started at 3:30am as we were still dealing with jet lag and couldn’t go back to sleep, so we got up. Todd headed to the gym downstairs while I had my quiet time and got ready for the big day, the day we met our Lyla! It was a nice slow morning that was needed before such an emotional day.
The coffee shop downstairs in our hotel opens at 7:30, so we headed down then to fuel up. Then we grabbed our bags and headed to Holt.

We knew the general area we were going to but our directions had us get off the metro an exit too early. We thought we were at the adoption agency, but when we figured out the correct location, it was another 20 minute walk. Thankfully we were planning on getting there super early so we had time but it was still stressful! We were so happy when we finally saw the Holt building!

When we walked in, we were directed to the 2nd floor where we were greeted by our sweet Korean social workers who had us sign some paperwork and lead us up to the 6th floor. We walked into a large room and when I saw the kids running around, I realized that we were about to meet Lyla! I looked for her all over the room and spotted her Foster Mom sitting in the floor with Lyla in her lap. Tears filled my eyes as we said our first hellos. Lyla was so happy and smiley, just as we pictured her. We went to open some food and toys we brought for her but my hands were shaking so bad that Todd had to open everything.
I gave her a yogurt bite and she ate it, then I gave her the stuffed dog that Madilynn picked out for her. Her foster mom told us that she loves dogs and her favorite toy is a little yellow dog that barks that Mamaw and Papaw got her for Christmas. She also told us that Lyla loves to be tickled and Todd got some great laughs out of her as he tickled her with her puppy.
We opened the puffs and she loved them! Food seems to comfort her as she would get upset if she couldn’t see her foster mom but would calm down a bit when we gave her a puff.

Then she tried to escape the room we were in and her foster mom told us that she feels trapped and likes to be out and about. She loves to run and be active. She also told us that she has ridden in a car seat (which most Korean children have not) but doesn’t like it. She also does not like the stroller but loves the baby carrier.
She played with the little soccer ball we brought and loved rolling it or handing it to Todd. She liked the stickers we brought as well as the bubbles. She colored with us for a few minutes as well.  She is so happy and has an amazing laugh. Her smile lights up the room.
She then tried to escape again so we went in the hall and hung out with her there as she played with the little soccer ball. Then she wanted her foster mom to hold her because she was getting tired. She usually takes a nap at 11:30 and it was close to her nap time. But we got to watch her snuggle while we asked her foster mom a lot of questions. She told us that she naps for about 2 hours, sleeps at night from 10pm-8am. Co sleeps with her foster mom (her foster dad sleeps on the couch. Haha.) She takes 3 bottles a day. Some formula and some milk. She likes to eat everything but only a little at a time and all day long. She is shy with new people but will open up after she feels safe. When she likes something, she doesn’t kiss it, she rubs her forehead on it. She likes red and pink. When she is upset, she flings herself backwards.
We headed back into the room and had to get a picture for the court. She cried while we held her for the picture but hopefully they got a good one. Haha.
Then her foster mom went and filled her bottle up. Lyla was so happy to get her formula mix out and get a bottle. She cuddled right up in her foster mom’s lap and drank her bottle as her eyes started to close. Her foster mom tried to hand her to Todd while she was drinking her bottle but she was not having it! She loves her Omma so much, which is such a great sign. You can see that she is definitely attached to her foster mom, which means her little heart is able to attach and will be able to develop an attachment to us as well. But it also means that she will grieve hard at this big loss in her life. Her foster parent have loved her so well and I can’t imagine the heartbreak Lyla will experience. That is adoption, hard but beautiful, love in the broken places, heartbreaking and family forming.
When it was time to leave, Lyla loves getting into the baby carrier and smiles nonstop as we rode the elevator down to say good bye. That little girl of ours is amazing.

After we left our meeting, we both felt the weight of how much Lyla's foster family means to her and how hard it will be when she has to leave them. We are praying that God is preparing her heart for this transition and this great loss she will experience. We are also praying that Lyla knows we are safe for her.

We then walked around for far too long trying to find lunch. After meeting your child for the first time, you should not be allowed to just leave by yourself, because you should probably be in a counseling session, not roaming the streets of a foreign country. hahaha.

But we finally happened upon a Korean restaurant and ordered kimchi soup.

After lunch, we sat in a starbucks in silence as we were still thinking over every second of our visit with our sweet girl. We couldn't walk anymore, or think about the metro system until we sat down for a while. haha. After we were a little more energized, we stopped by a clothing store to buy a white dress shirt for Todd because I forgot to pack his shirt for our court appointment. But thankfully it was something we could easily find!
Then we met up with a couple that we met at breakfast our first morning here. They are from LA, but have cousins here and they showed us around the university area. It was so fun and the coolest experience to walk around Seoul with a local. They took us to areas we would have never been brave enough to find on our own. They took us to have Korean fried chicken for dinner and it was amazingly good!!!