Third full day of Emersyn!

But first up, my big kids!  How I miss them so!!  Cannot wait to give them a squeeze when I get home!  So thankful for technology that allows me to see and speak to them every day while I'm gone!

Another full night of sleeping and Miss Em waking up happy with a sippy cup full of uyu!

Then it was off to Holt to meet up with Zoey's foster mother, but there was some confusion and she wasn't able to make it today, so we are going back tomorrow instead!  But we had a good chat with DJ while we were there and she checked up on Em...

Emersyn's foster mother knew we would be there and had agreed to drop off a few things she had forgotten to bring on Tuesday. And as we stepped into Holt, she came running out of the waiting area to greet her!

I had no idea she was still there but I must say, it was a nice surprise.  Hui-a greeted her very excitedly and her foster mother began to cry, so happy to see her again!  I let her out of the carrier and she ran to give her a hug.  We visited a few minutes, then they said goodbye again...Emersyn seemed content and looked back to see if I was still there.  She pointed me out to her foster mother who nodded and acknowledged me as omma.  I was nervous about the interaction only because I didn't know how either would react, but it seemed as though there was some sort of understanding and before we knew it, she had said goodbye again and walked out...Emersyn seemed to do okay.

After we found out about the confusion, we took a taxi back to the hotel and my brother headed down to pick up some lunch and bring it back.  More roasted spam kimbap for Hui-a!

She loves shoes and loves being outside and going places, so she heads to the shoe room quite a bit to see what she put on her feet!

Watched a little Pororo...

Made a few phone calls...

before we headed out to explore.

Very tempted to go get a little taste of home...(in the form of Krispy Kreme)!

but went instead to walk and shop in Lotte Department Store!

LOVE seeing all the street food and dying to try some, but we've always just eaten when we spot a cart we may want to try!  I've had actual dreams about Korean street food and am determined to try at least one thing before we go!  But for now, I'll just lick my computer screen. :)  Join me, will you?!?!

We did eventually get hungry and after telling my brother about the bulgogi burger I ate last time, he was determined to track one down for himself!

Let's just say if they had these bad boys in the US, I'd be in trouble!  Come on, who wouldn't want some McDonalds fries delivered to your door?!?!

Honestly, it's not very good, but Dave wasn't leaving till he tried one!

Well, guess who else happens to like McDonalds?!?!?

We finally headed back to the hotel and I decided to take Em down to the playroom in the basement.  There were some little girls who told me they were from Saudi Arabia playing inside already and it made for a very weird dynamic at first!  They all spoke very good English, but were really rough and bossy to Em, who then started to yell at them and try to scratch them in the face??? I know, it's all sounds so awful, and I was doing nothing but having constant panic attacks!  But they finally decided to leave (we tried, but Em refused) and we had the place to ourselves to play peacefully for a bit...this girl plays hard!

We headed back up to our room and Em happened to spot one of the bottles I had brought and decided she needed to drink some more uyu from it while holding on to the stuffed Pororo I had bought her earlier in the day. 

Then she needed to take a stroller walk around the suite with Pororo and her cabbage patch aegi.

And then, it was that time...

BATH TIME!

What can I say?  Girlfriend LOVES her bubbles and water! 

 These pictures speak for themselves!

After bath and dinner, at about 7:30pm, she started pulling me toward the door and putting her shoes on...she was determined to make it outside again! So I gave in and bundled her up and strapped her to my back and we went walking around the courtyard of our hotel.  She fell asleep shortly thereafter and I kept walking just for good measure to make sure she was in a deep sleep. :)

I transferred her to our bed and she slept a good half hour or so before I came in to check on her again and she started mumbling 'Omma' in her sleep.  Before I knew it, she sat upright and remembered where she was and immediately started to cry hard.  She has not yet really cried since I picked her up on Tuesday and it was gut wrenching to hear her.  When I tried to pick her up or touch her, she pushed me away.

One of the items that her foster mother had brought to us today was a blanket she usually sleeps with...she now clung to it tightly and was the only thing that seemed to comfort her in any way.  I kept trying, and eventually she allowed me to pick her up but would not lay her head on my shoulder or relax, just cried loudly into her blanket and cried for omma.

Needless to say, I was heartbroken for her and so sad.  She was not the only one crying.

I finally laid her down in the bed and got in beside her but she again did not want to be touched.  When I would try to stroke her hair or pat her on the back, she would push my hand away.  I just kept whispering to her in Korean that it was okay, and after several more minutes, she reached out and placed one fingertip on my tshirt, just to make sure I was still there.  She didn't want much to do with me through her grieving, but seemed to still want me near.

It did not last long before she drifted back to sleep, but as I lay next to her typing this, she seems much more restless and moving around a lot in her sleep...she is also fighting some flu like symptoms that appear to be getting slightly worse, even with meds, so prayers for my sweet Em right now would be greatly appreciated, as tomorrow is our last full day in Seoul before we head home.

She has done so well since picking her up on Tuesday and has been very brave and strong minded.  I'm not sure if seeing her foster mother again today or having been reunited with her blanket triggered this grieving tonight, but I am so proud of this little girl who has experienced more in her nearly 21 months of life then most people would in a lifetime, and I love her dearly with all my heart.  As sad as it is to witness, I know this is a necessary part of the process in attaching to her new family and I pray that I will know the right things to do to make it as easy on her as possible after all she been through...

I am so thankful for the blessing of adoption...