Hospital Party

First off we are sorry that we were unable to blog after the party due to the lack of internet and the great time we spent with my (Michael) family in Chungju.
So this was my post that I typed while on the bus. Well what a wonderful day to be in Seoul South Korea. Got up early to try to skype with the boys only to find that Eastern's wifi was on the fritz. Once we finally gave up on the internet we cooked some breakfast. Also during breakfast I was taking all the photos off the SD card from the digital camera we sent the foster family. While transfering the photos, there was an error and it said that the file name of a folder was too long to move over. When I started researching the problem, I found that the file name was actually a secret message to me from the foster dad asking that we always teach Abeni about them and to never let her forget that they were a part of her life. Wow, speaking Korean has its priviliages, except it was too early in the morning for tears.
Well at 10 am it was time to head down to the first floor of Eastern to meet a social worker and driver who took us to the Hospital Party. We drove, what seemed the long way around Seoul, to the Hospital. On the way to the hospital we talked with the social worker and the driver and really got to talk freely about random things. We didn't want to get to deep into conversations with them just becuase we hadn't figured out their motives in their questions.
We got there about 15 minutes earlier than Abeni's foster family. Once we got to the floor that the party was being held, we were greeted by a life size Winnie the Pooh, Garfield and a Korean Frog/Soldier character. Then we went to sign in to the party. And together the social worker and I explained our story to them and how were invited to the party. Once we were signed in, Ari and I were ambushed by the Hospital director and the head nurse of the pediatrics. Also, many of the other staff were taking pictures as if they were paparazzi.
Finally Abeni and her foster family arrived. We were so excited to see them (when I say "we" I am talking about every hospital worker that learned of the story in the 15 minutes we were there before Abeni"). Abeni got a huge smile on her face when she saw Ari. Well we and Abeni's foster family were then funneled through a walk way to pick up some of the snacks that were for the premies and their families. There was some milk, fruit and some juice boxes for the siblings. And there was a large case of tetra pak baby soy milk. Yum, my favorite, but not sure on how to get it home. We made it into the audatorium and were sat down. Between Abeni's foster father and I, I think we took about 400 pictures (but I will only post a few here). There was a little presentation at the beginning of the party where the Hospital Director and the head Pediatric Nurse each got up to give words. During the Hospital Director's speech he decided to include the special Americans who came to partake in the festivities with our Adopted Child and the Foster Family. He had Ari and I stand up and had everyone else clap for us. After his and the Nurse's speeches that gave out some "Good Wishes" sheet that has a prayer like saying on it and another bag of goodies. In the bag, was a book that has parents' stories about their babies' premature stories in it. It also had a really cute Bear hooded towel with the hospital's name embroided on it, and johnson baby lotions and soap. It was such a great experience. I have to also mention that Abeni's foster brother was so excited to meet the life size cartoon characters. Well during more of the party Ari was able to hold Abeni for a few minutes with out tears and was able to even get some more smiles and giggles from her. I on the other hand, as soon as I touch her she screams out in terror. Which is weird for me. Even as a missionary here, I never had a child cry or try to get out of my arms. I must have become hard and scary in my old age.
On our way back to Eastern, we decided that it was time to ask hard questions about Eastern, the current bog of the Adoption process and why the insistance of closing the international adoption program. We also got into our situation with the Embassy and them calling Eastern on why Abeni's paper work was taking so long, even though it was the Embassy's mishap.