I turned 28 on the last day of January. This was the first year I celebrated my birthday in my birth city. I now live just seven miles from the place I was born.

A couple of weeks ago David and I tried to find it. The address I had from my adoption paperwork didn’t quite work with today’s streets (in 봉천동 관악구). We thought we may have found it but couldn’t be sure. We didn’t know enough Korean to find out how long the hospital had been in business.

I was born at 33 weeks and weighed 2 pounds, 11 ounces. My 20-year-old unwed birth mother could not pay the incubator fees, hadn’t heard from the father in a while, and chose to put me up for adoption. As we were walking around the neighborhood, I thought how scared she must have been to be alone and in labor so early. I’m thankful for her bravery to choose life.

Even more, I’m thankful for my family who chose me, love me, and call me theirs… And for a Heavenly Father who orchestrated it all.

I never intended for Korea to be a place of pilgrimage. And I wouldn’t have believed it if you told me I’d be living here one day. Finding more information about my roots is not a void I am trying to fill. However, while I’m here – why not? I filled out some inquiry paperwork for the Korean side of the adoption, and we’ll see what (if anything) comes back.

I’m still figuring out my place and purpose here, but I am grateful for the adventure!