Friday, February 20, 2009~

Dear Caleb Yung Park~

This is your mother writing to you.  I am writing to you to let you know just how much I love you and how much you mean to us, your family.

You have been with us for the past three years.  You were only six then; you're now a big, strapping nine-year-old wunderkind.  It's gotten to the point to where we can't imagine our lives without you; you are a blessing to us!

It's been a long, hard journey, but in the end, it's been worth it.  Oh, has it EVER!!  You have proven to be a very loving, capable young man with a good head on his shoulders, and we couldn't have asked for a better son!

Caleb, if kids say to you that you are not my son, all you have to tell them is this:  you ARE.  You are as much my child as are your sisters Ericka and Ryanne; you just came a different route.  It was very hard (I think the waiting was the hardest part, as well as the uncertainty as to whether you'd be ours or not); when that phone call came to tell us that you were now our child, it was the happiest day of our lives!

I felt like it was the Fourth of July, my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all rolled up into one big, gigantic holiday celebration!!  Oh, it was wonderful; how we cried at the happy news!!

We then counted the days to where you'd join us.  It seemed to take forever!!  Finally, The Big Day arrived, to where we'd pick you up at the airport.  Oh, it was an exciting day!!  We all came:  Daddy, myself, Ericka and Ryanne, even your grandmother Maudie and your Auntie Mim came to welcome you to America.  There were only six of us, but we made more noise!  LOL

When I first caught sight of your little face, it was the happiest moment of my life!  I felt like I had finally became your mother!  You were scared spitless (that was understandable; you were coming to a strange land, to be welcomed by strangers who were calling you "son", "nephew", "grandson", or "brother"; you didn't know what to think!), plus you didn't understand a word we were saying!

We worried for days as to whether you'd fit in:  we didn't know what you liked, what your interests were, what you were like in school, how your health was, etc.; you were an unfamiliar enigma to us.  As time wore on, however, you learned our way of speaking, and it was then when your personality began to emerge.  We found you to be a delightful boy with a sweet nature, and we found you to be very smart!  We were so proud of you!

Still am!

Now you are nine; from looking at you play on the little league baseball team, running track, or playing touch football with the gang, one would never know for a minute you were adopted:  you act like a typical "American" boy who just happens to be of Korean heritage!  You are a constant source of delight; we can't get enough of you!

I wish you could have become our son sooner; I just wonder what life was like before we entered your world.  You will no doubt have many questions; that's okay.  Go ahead and ask us; we'll do our level-headed best to answer them.  If we don't know the answer to a particular question, we will do our best to find out more information and then answer it, to satisfy your curiosity.

If kids tease you about being adopted, don't let them get to you.  You are our son, first and foremost; you are ours, legally and permanently:  nothing or nobody can separate us.  Ever!!  You can show them the adoption certificate the judge gave to you on the day you legally became ours; if that isn't enough proof, then I don't know what is!

Well, son, I am going to go.  I hope this helps you understand the magnitude of our love for you!  You are our boy, and we are so glad you are a part of our family!  We love you more than words can say!  May God bless you and protect you, and may all of your dreams come true !  You deserve to be happy!

~With all my love, Mom.  X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0X0