Our last days in Seoul...this trip : )

I could also title this post "In food Heaven" because on Saturday and Sunday we truly were : )

In January of this year, we were fortunate to be matched up with an college exchange student from Korea named Yooseok. He's been a blessing to our family over the months we've known him, but one of the best gifts he gave us was the opportunity to meet his family while we were in Seoul. His parents and sister invited us to spend two days with them, and it was a wonderful two days!

First, they invited us to their home for a spectacular lunch! Look at all this food! It was sooo delicious! I miss it already! 잘 먹었습니다! (I ate well!) His mom is a wonderful cook! I'm going to try one of her recipes in a week! Hopefully I can come close! Yooseok knows to lie to me if I don't! lol!


And see the longing in my younger son's eyes? He's in heaven, too! This baby loves food!


And it turns out it was his sister, Seoyeon's birthday! And we got to celebrate with them! So thankful I knew how to sing "Happy Birthday" in Korean! lol! Isn't the cake beautiful? It tasted just as good! They were so sweet to include us in her birthday celebration!


And then Micah and Asher decided to visit Yooseok's room! I think Micah missed his hyung and wanted to go through his drawers to feel a little closer to him! haha! I missed getting a picture of that but not of Asher trying to pocket Yooseok's coins from his desk! And Asher MinOh might have also left some strawberry remnants in hyung's room! I like to think of it as little"hello" from Asher to his hyung!

And then our biggest surprise of all...


Jeramy got a hanbok...


and I got a hanbok! We were stunned! Yooseok later told me that my hanbok is actually one of his relative's wedding dress! To say that we shocked and completely overwhelmed by their generosity is an understatement! They also had a hanbok for each of the boys! This is a gift I will treasure forever. I wish I had been able convey to them adequately in Korean how much this gift meant to me. Thank you just isn't enough sometimes. And the fact that Jeramy's and my hanbok fit perfectly makes me wonder if Yooseok somehow secretly took our measurements and sent them to his mom! haha!


Next, they took us to Children's Grand Park. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom when we were in Seoul and the park was filled with them! And you see the cooler that Yooseok's mom is holding? Yummy kimbap for our dinner at the park!

And then we had what I like to call "fish on a stick". I don't remember the name for it! But it was good! Asher liked it, too. Micah, of course, wouldn't even try it!

As you walk to the other side of Children's Grand Park you come across a university. Hyung's university! We knew this and wanted to take a picture in front of it! So here we are...how come his sister looks so cute doing the double victory sign and I just look like a dork? Hmmmm...

To finish off our night, his parents treated us to a traditional Korean dance show. It was beautiful and spectacular! Asher was transfixed the whole time and made nary a peep. Micah didn't make a peep either, but it's because he slept through the whole show! How he did that with the drums and music, I'll never know but he did!

So while his parents had to be exhausted from the long Saturday with us, they still invited us out to lunch on Sunday! They even bought toys for the boys and a beautiful scarf for me! They took us to a beautiful, traditional Korean restaurant.

While we were eating we played a game called, "Who can keep the baby from bothering the other diners?" Guess who won?

The baby, of course!

I forgot to take a picture of the food beforehand, but this is the after picture! So much food still left! It kept coming and coming! And again, I ate well! His dad said this is where they go for special occasions so we were quite honored that they brought us here!
I have rarely met people who are as generous as these three! I was so overwhelmed by a kindness I will never be able to repay. They are a beautiful family, and I can't wait to meet again! Next time though, I promised that my Korean would be much better! Also, the picture will be complete because Yooseok will be home (hopefully! lol!) when we visit Seoul again in a few years!

Our last day in Seoul...

was sadly enough spent eating McDonalds! He ate a whole happy meal by himself! I think I'm in trouble!

At Incheon Airport, sucking down my $7 mango smoothie...good thing you're cute, kid!

And finally...back home in Chicago! Waiting for Nana to come pick us up!

What a trip! Blessed beyond words doesn't even come close to describing our experience in Korea this time! It was more perfect than I could have ever imagined! We still have so much more to do and see there! See you in 3 years, Korea!