Happy Airplane Day

On the Wednesday before Memorial Day 2001 we got a call from the agency we were working with to adopt a baby from Korea. We had done all the paperwork, background checks, inspections and notarizing and were expecting our boy to travel in July or August. They called to tell us he had passed his physical and was cleared to travel earlier then expected. This was great news! When might he arrive? Saturday. Umm, like in 3 days? We were not quite prepared, emotionally or otherwise. But we got the room painted, the crib assembled, house cleaned and got a friend to drive us to and from Dulles airport for the delivery. On Saturday morning, 7 years ago today we got our ride to the airport where 20 or so friends and family met us, along with another expectant family, someone from the adoption agency, all the other people who had reason to meet the Korean Air flight from Seoul and the other 10,000 people who are flowing in and out of Dulles at any moment. We waited, dazed, tired, excited for the arrival to be called and then the first people to come through the doors. When he left Korea the day before he was 4 months old to the day. The family that brought him over were some of the last people to come through immigration and customs that morning. But there, amid the “white zone is for loading and unloading…” and “unattended baggage will be confiscated and subject to…” announcements and all the rest of the airport hubbub we became parents. And this guy became our son. Happy airplane day 2008.

(Note cashmere romper. That is about as sensible a baby gift as a Porsche or a crackpipe. He wore it twice, for a total of 180 minutes. Thanks Heather!)