When in Rome... or Korea, in this case...

In Korea, the 100th day after a child's birth (baek il) marks a milestone and is cause for celebration.  The number 100 means maturity and perfection, fullness and completion; therefore, a baby who reaches this benchmark has fully matured into a human being.   Making it past the first 100 days was a sign that the baby had survived.  Historically, many newborns didn't make it to their first 100 days because of poverty, lack of medical aid, or a weak immune system.  So, when a baby survives the first 100 days, you celebrate!


Today, marks Braden and my 100th day in Korea.  We too have matured and survived.  We have done more than survive.  We have jumped into the deep end with no life preservers to save us.  It's either sink or swim, and I have chosen to swim; if not for me, for the sake of Braden and the experiences he will gain from our living abroad.   It hasn't been easy, there were definitely days I wanted to pack up and move home.  Heck, even as I write this I fantasize of home; but when I think about what I have done in such a short time, I am reminded of the many milestones newborns make so early in life.

I'm going a little insane.

My greatest satisfactions are:  being together as a family, the amazing friends we have made and who have made life in Korea more bearable, and the experiences I have given to Braden.  When it gets tough; really, really tough and I want to throw in the towel, I think about what Braden said to me not so long ago when I asked him, "Are you glad we moved to Korea?"  Without hesitation and with complete honesty, he said, "Well, yes!  Because when I lived in New York I missed Daddy and cried sometimes."


So with that, I take the good and the bad and do what I can to continue to survive; continue to make this an experience of a lifetime; continue to stay sane, in this ever so insane world we find ourselves in.  I will not only survive my first 100 days, but the next 100 years, if I have have to.  God willing, we won't have to. {smile}  Happy Baek Il Day!



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