More than Words

Okay, I'm still trying to go with the song titles for the Post Titles, but since I don't listen to music, it's becoming quite challenging :P

Since I was up at the crack of dawn...or earlier...I got packed, checked out, apparently forgot to pack clothes in my small suitcase I traveled with to the new hotel (oopsies), and had breakfast. Definitely weird that I was so early. Generally, I'm not late these days, but I'm certainly not early. In fact, if I get somewhere too early, I feel uncomfortable and I sit in the car until it's closer to appointed time. And honestly, I probably set my alarm and get a 7-10 minute nap.

Another pic of the soup of the day=what I DON'T eat for breakfast, and my last day to have the amazing gingery peachy jelly that I've had every morning.

 Then, I looked across the room and I spotted her. The first person that I randomly saw and thought...oooh, that's me!! Now, I don't have QUITE that many white hairs yet, but when I do...I think I'll look like this beautiful lady. HAHA. Then Fran pointed out that she could see Sami, which makes sense since Sami's my mini me...so of course, I added a pic the pic of me and Sami to her pic

 AND VOILA...triplets :) And my FB fans were quite sweet and said they saw the resemblance.

We got on the bus and drove an hour or so to Eastern Welfare Town, a place that the late Dr. Kim set up as one of the homes for babies (Jacob's Home) and special needs children/young adults (Eastern Rehabilitation Center). It also used to be the place of Esther's Home, for pregnant single women, which has since shut down.

We saw older children preparing food in the kitchen (can't post pic). They learn skills and have jobs to help prepare them for future. They can stay until 20 and they have a transition facility I believe before they're on their own? Sorry, we've been given a lot of info the last 5 days!

This is a room where 4 kids sleep with one adult who is in charge for 48 hours and then they switch. I asked where the beds were and felt very embarrassed when they said they slept on the floor. 4-5 special needs kids in this room (and what you see is the entire size of the room). The caretakers at these facilities we've seen are VERY special people.

Music Therapy Room

My sister was adopted thru Catholic Social Services.

haha, principal's office everywhere!

super cute art work...origami in the frame

used to be Esther's Home

 Then we visited Jacob's Home (one of the buildings on the grounds). There were a few kids in the room when we ALL entered, and they just BURST into tears (just like my girls would've done). But eventually a few more kids came in, and this little one brought me a book and we started looking thru it together. I started signing the words I knew (and I think I made up a few), and she copied everything I did. It was so sweet. We brought tattoos and did those, and we did Snapchat and took selfies. After that, she would totally not give me my phone back, lol...just like any kid!! I was trying to get it from her to show her some things she could do, instead of just hitting the screen, but she would have nothing of it. It was hers. The videos of us are priceless. I took a polaroid of us and gave it to her and she kept trying to put it on her arm...like the tattoo. Finally, they had to go to lunch and we were initially going to help them eat, but they were too distracted. We had a few more minutes but we left because the director said normally there are so many tears when we leave, it was just easier this way. She also said one kid ate really quickly and then ran back to the room to play more and we weren't there. Here's the saddest part. These kids most likely will not be adopted. They've been abandoned and the law changed after 1988 (look up Bryant Gumbel and his remarks during the Olympics) so if a child has not been relinquished, he or she will most likely never be adopted. AND Esther's Home was also shut down (and all facilities like it) because the govt decided facilities like that were a conflict of interest? I mean, those are my own words, but it's kinda like that. So so sad...so now, pregnant moms can drop babies in Baby Boxes, but then those kids can't get out of the system :(

We left for lunch and had pizza near the US Army base in Pyeongtaek. It's owned by an adult adoptee.

 Then we made the 4 hour drive to wherever we are now. HAHAHA...seriously, the names...there are always like 15 letters, the majority of them vowels...anyways, we stopped at the rest stop in the middle and I've heard that trips take a long time because people want to stop at all the rest stops :)

OH MY GOSH...the mini trucks are SO SUPER CUTE!!!

We finally arrived and walked around...it was gorgeous out!! Ate and got some ice cream...I've never had mint apple at Baskin Robbins, but it definitely gives my pistachio almond a run for it's money.

thank goodness for the stretchy mirror!!!

And now I'm in my room watching and rewatching my videos of my girl from Jacob's Home :) And the very very strange videos my children sent me today which shall also not be shared on FB, hahahaha!!! But Juju's got some (weird, weird) moves!! Tomorrow is temples and traveling to Busan.