The Olberding Family
This was our second trip to Korea as we had been before for our first adoption of our son. We stayed at the guest house of SWS, and we stayed for 8 days. We got to meet our daughter's birthmother, which was a wonderful gift. We were planning on having our daughter escorted to the U.S, until we found out her birthmother wanted to meet us. We met our son's birthmother on our first trip so we definitely wanted to travel this time as well. We also got to meet our e-mail friends in person. My sister's e-pal traveled 4 hours to meet us, and then took us to an indoor amusement park. I met all 3 of my e-friends who I had been writing to for over a year. One toured Insadong with us and then invited us to her home for an authentic Korean meal, with her husband, children and husband's parents. She made a wonderful feast, and she let me help cook.
Everyone was very nice and friendly. People on the subway gave up their seats for me and my son (who was just 2 years old at the time) so I could sit and hold him, even elderly woman.
Our daughter was in foster care, but the baby home was very nice and clean with a very calm atmosphere. Our daughter lived with a very nice foster family. The mother was in her 40's and also the father. They also had a teenage daughter. My daughter was so beautiful, even more than I had envisioned. I just wanted to hold her tight and never let go. It was hard to leave her knowing it would be a few days until we saw her again. She was very timid around us and clung to her foster mother. My husband eventually got her to laugh and smile so that we both got to hold her for a short time. She was shy with our son also, but she gave him a cookie.
Now it is like she has always been with us, we can't imagine life without her. The adjustment took longer for her since she was older and attached to her foster family. We had a lot of difficult days and nights, but it was so worth it. She is so loving and her smile brightens any room, she is very happy. Rachel has neurofibromatosis type 1, which was suspected at birth, but otherwise is healthy. She has regular visits to a NF clinic about 2 hours from our home and so far she is doing great. Right now she is in speech therapy for verbal apraxia which is caused by her NF. She is doing super! She is very bright and a very hard worker in her therapy sessions.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to A Child Waits Foundation. What you are doing is truly wonderful.
Robert & Lichele Olberding