On Monday afternoon I received a telephone call, that the Seo family was in the parking lot at Bear Creek Golf Club. What a perfect spot to stop! They didn't have a GPS and wanted to know how to get to our house. We did things the easy way and Kevin and I went to fetch them. (Having been fetched a time or two myself...that is soooooo nice!!!) We arrived at our house, had a quick tour and quickly settled on the patio with a cold drink. There were so many things we COULD do but weary travellers often just like to sit. They found the shady patio with the breeze blowing JUST glorious... Everyone got a chance to try out the hammock, but it is not very relaxing with a five year old providing the rocking motion. I've been corresponding with Kevin's mom Jung-Ah since Christmas so we already knew each other. I think quite well....so it was nice to just relax, and it wasn't awkward at all. I didn't think the language barrier was a problem.
It was neat to getting a little glimpse into Kevin's life....switching from BEING the little brother to HAVING a little brother. Interesting to observe:)
After sitting for a spell....the ball and gloves came out for a game of catch and Kevin's dad got right in there! It was fun to watch the boys all playing and the moms just standing on the patio...typical Canadian afternoon:) The sun and breeze made it so nice. I presented them with a 3rd and final photoalbum and they loved seeing the people and places of this season in Kevin's life. In return I received a lovely Korean tea set with 5 little teacups. It's so lovely!
Then it was time to prepare supper. The boys and the dad kept playing outside and the moms went in for a bit. Kevin's little brother found a couple of Transformers and was sooooo pleased!! Kevin had ordered mac n cheeze lasagna and caesar salad. He spent the afternoon helping me make it, which tired him out considerably! (I explained that this feeling is common for moms who have had a busy day and then still have to feed their families....I think the point was lost on him :):) For dessert we had ice cream sandwiches (OICY!!) and off to baseball we went.
Baseball is such a relaxing past time....you just sit and watch while the kids do all the work. We enjoyed meeting some of the other parents and I know I will miss that part.... We talked about kids playing in Korea and Mr Seo asked who organized the baseball league. We also talked about playtime there and said it was impossible for kids to play this type of recreational ball in Korea. They are too busy with other academies and study programs. I wonder if space is an issue too? So, I think Kevin is very lucky that he will get a chance to be involved with hockey in Korea!! It will be a good balance to have some study academies and some sport academies! Kevin wishes he could stay until August to finish out the season. Typical Kevin! I don't think he will miss the chores though:):)
After baseball everybody was exhausted so we stopped at our house and picked up Kevin's toothbrush and he joined his family at the Gare's bed and breakfast. Kevin was pretty excited to tell us this morning that he got to stay up until 10 or 11pm. Way later than he would stay up here! :):) AND he got out of having his afterbaseball shower! I'm sure there was some strategy involved here. I think everyone slept well, and ate well, and arrived at our house at 8:30ish. (I think it was the second time they arrived since we were all still sleeping the first time...oops!!)
Kevin changed into his Niagara Falls clothes, we packed the last few things into the suitcase, I taped up the box of final belongings...and....off to the school we went. To see the building and fortunately, to meet ALL the teachers. They were in meetings all day and we arrived just before they were scheduled to begin sessions!! I think they liked being able to see his family too and say a final goodbye!! Then we stopped at the Post Office to mail away the final box...it still cost over $100 by surface mail....
Their impressions? They think we are very fortunate to live in such wide open spaces. Homes and yards are ideal places for children to live and play and grow. They think our country is VERY big and very wide, and very beautiful. Such space is unimaginable in a small country like South Korea. They think the school is wonderful. A beautiful big building, with a big beautiful play area. Wide areas and open air. Seeing it first hand really brought all the photos alive. Mr Seo said it was sad to say goodbye. There must be a lot of emotion involved with the anticipation of seeing your son, hearing about his life, then seeing the reality of it for a day, and knowing what he is leaving behind.
Are we sad? We thought we would be sadder. In our own ways, amongst each other, we have expressed the things we will miss. It is a different kind of goodbye when you release a child back to his family. You've been given the privilege and special honour by parents who entrust their child to you...sight unseen. And then you give him back. It is good for the Seo family to be together as a foursome, and it is good for the DeBoers to be a foursome again. The bonds of family can stretch to include someone else but they never quite assume the same shape. You are changed when you open up your life and let someone else in and it is not the same when they leave. Our kids learned some lessons about life, camaraderie, and sibling relations. Those are priceless.
My work here is done. Our part in raising him is finished and we've done all that we were instructed to so, and a little bit more. We knew at the beginning that there would be an end, and a whole lot in between. One has to embark on such a journey with the intention that there will be no regrets when it is finished, no things left undone, or unsaid, and especially unpacked!!
