Prelude to the Heart Doctor

 

Kyung-Yeon

9 May 1997

Yesterday was quite warm, nearly 70 degrees! The girls got out the swimming pool and all three were out there dipping their toes in it and squealing!

Last night we had our first confrontation. Kyung-Yeon decided not to go to bed when I said. She was pleasant about it, just brought her colors and coloring book out and sat next to me at the table. I told her it was time to sleep (using hand motions) and she looked outside at the still-light sky and said, “No.” I insisted gently, and she went, making a face at me.

When I went in to pray with the girls, she pretended to be asleep, but as I left she opened her eyes. She was angry.

This morning she came straight to me and hugged me for a long time, then hugged me again. I think that was the “I’m sorry.” Today we are back to being cheerful. On the way home from taking the kids to school, she fell asleep in the car. I guess I wasn’t wrong about her needing sleep.

We will try out helping in the classrooms today with an extra little person along.

 

12 May 1997

Here it is day seven already! We had a lovely weekend. The weather was delightful and the three girls played really well together. Garry went up to the Herringtons’ property to cut wood. We almost ran out this year. When he came back, he mowed the lawn (except the part under the pool) and I did the trimming and weeding.

Kyung-Yeon took a shower Saturday night, and then poured baby oil on her hair! So she looked just as greasy on Sunday morning as she did on Saturday afternoon. She went to Sunday School with Nicole, but refused to go with her for second hour, so I kept her with me. Her church manners are sorely lacking, but she lay down on the pew and went to sleep. When it was time for evening service, she was not happy about being back at the church, but she didn’t fight us about it, just let it be known that she didn’t like it.

Last night was very special. I got the best Mother’s Day gift! Nicole was baptized. After the service, many people commented to me about what a precious child she is and how articulate. I even had one request for a pre-arranged marriage with a son!

Her name sounds like Kyoung Yawn, so Garry and Amanda have started calling her “Yawny” and she seems to like it.

Tomorrow we go to Dr. Rittenhouse, the heart specialist. He will set up the date of the surgery, and we will be able to plan around that at last.

Today we go shopping. Kyung Yeon’s grandparents gave her $150 to spend while she is here and she has been anticipating this day. She even learned the English word “shopping”! I will take her to the great American shopping center, K-Mart!

 

13 May 1997

I took her to K-Mart and then Fred Meyers yesterday. She bought gifts for her family: kitchen towels for her mother, a tie for her father, matchbox cars for her little brother, and wallets for each of her grandparents. She bought wrapping paper and wrapped them all as soon as we got home. For herself she bought a Barbie and a change of clothes for her, a beach ball with Mickey on it, a hand-held electronic Cinderella game and batteries, and two pencils. As I drove the cart through the clothing section she said, “No, no, no, no…” the whole time.

Last night she finally got homesick. I knew it had to come. She was sad at bedtime and brought pictures of her family to me. We looked at them together and talked about them. Then we tried to call them, but they weren’t home (it was just after noon in Korea) and only her grandfather was at the family restaurant. She spoke to him and then he talked to me. He speaks excellent English. No one had given them our phone number, so they couldn’t call us! I gave it to him, and at 4:45 this morning he called us! Kyung Yeon’s mother wanted to talk to her. Garry told him we would awaken her if they wanted us to, but he said, “No, when would be a better time?”

Just as we got home from taking the girls to school this morning, the phone rang and it was her mother. That little sad face brightened up and then burst into tears! They talked for about 20 minutes and when she got off the phone, Kyung Yeon was back to her old cheerful self again. I hope they will call regularly!

Today we go to the heart specialist. The interpreter called yesterday and cancelled, so I had to quickly find another. The father of a third grade boy at Grace agreed to meet us at the Seattle office. His English is very broken, so I am a bit nervous, but I know God is in control.