>>
>> A
>> A LOT
>> A LOT OF YOU HAVE SHARED HOW YOU HAVE BUILT YOUR FAMILY,
WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH
ADOPTION, FERTILITY, MAYBE IT'S
PICKING THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE THE
MOST TO BE AROUND YOU ALL THE
TIME.
TIME.
TIME. TODAY, I'M SHARING MY PERSONAL
STORY AND IT IS IN SHOW HOPES
OF SHARING HOW LOVE AND RESPECT
CAN TRANSCEND CULTURES AND
LANGUAGE.
LANGUAGE.
LANGUAGE. >> IT SEEMED LIKE YOU WERE THE
BABY WE SHOULD HAVE.
>> IF YOU ASK MY MOM, GOD
ALWAYS HAD A PLAN FOR ME.
>> IT'S BEEN HARD FOR YOU.
>> Reporter: BORN WITHOUT A
NAME AND GIVEN A SIX DIGIT
NUMBER.
NUMBER.
NUMBER. I
NUMBER. I EVENTUALLY LANDED IN
MISSOURI, JUST AS I TURNED SIX
MONTHS OLD.
MONTHS OLD. >> EVERYTHING I CAN SAY IS, WE
LOVE YOU, WITH ALL OUR HEART.
>> Reporter: AND, I WAS BORN IN
THEIR HEARTS.
THEIR HEARTS. MY PARENTS CHARLES AND SHARON
RAISED ME LIKE EVERY OTHER
COUNTRY KID, WITH COWBOY BOOTS
AND BONNETS SEEMING TO GO HAND-
IN-HAND.
IN-HAND.
IN-HAND. I THINK MY PERM SAID IT ALL.
>> TODAY IS JULY 2, KOREA TIME.
>> Reporter: IT IS A TRIP TO
KOREA WITH AN ADOPTION AGENCY
THAT CHANGED OUR LIVES IN WAYS
WE CAN NEVER EXPECT.
BY ACCIDENT, I FOUND MY BIRTH
MOTHER, MY BIRTH FATHER, AND
THREE FULL-BLOODED SISTERS.
>> THAT WAS HARD.
>> IT WAS.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS SCARED
OR WHAT, WE FELT LOST.
BECAUSE YOU'RE OUR ONLY CHILD.
>> Reporter: IN KOREA, I WAS
CHILD NUMBER THREE.
>> MY BIRTH MOTHER WAS ABLE TO
KEEP IT A SECRET FOR MY FATHER
BECAUSE HE WAS AWAY AT SEA ON A
SHIP.
SHIP.
SHIP. >>
SHIP. >> THEY WERE POOR AND ALREADY
HAD TWO GIRLS, SO SHE TOLD HIM
I DIED AT BIRTH.
WHEN HE RETURNED, SHE WAS
PREGNANT AGAIN.
PREGNANT AGAIN. THIS SET IN MOTION SEVERAL MORE
TRIPS BACK AND FORTH.
INCLUDING A TRADITIONAL KOREAN
WEDDING WITH MY HUSBAND, JIM.
AND TO WHERE MY TWO MOMS GOT TO
MEET.
MEET.
MEET. AND
MEET. AND THEN, ONE DAY, MY SECOND
OLDEST SISTER DECIDED TO MOVE
TO SEATTLE.
TO SEATTLE. >> SHE'S A SWEETIE.
>> OUR STORY IS STILL
UNWRITTEN.
UNWRITTEN. >> I HAD MY SISTER HERE, SHE'S
COOKING FOR US AND HOPEFULLY
YOU GUYS WILL GET A TASTE.
>> Reporter: BUT THERE'S PLENTY
OF GRATITUDE AND LOVE, AND FOR
ME, A BITTERSWEET REALITY THAT
I AM EXACTLY WHERE I NEED TO
BE.
BE.
BE. >>
BE. >> WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU TO
BE IN THE U.S., LIVING WITH
YOUR BIRTH SISTER?
THE YOU DIDN'T GROW UP WITH?
>> ACTUALLY, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE
THE BEST FRIEND IN MY LIFE, NOW.
>> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> [ LAUGHTER ] I WAS
INSPECTING YOU TO SAY THAT.
>> [ LAUGHTER ], I KNOW.
A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE WE TOLD
YOU THAT STORY, AND WE HAVE
SOME BIG NEWS.
YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> SO, TELL EVERYONE WHEN
YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED,
>> I'M GOING TO GET MARRIED ON
THIS SATURDAY.
THIS SATURDAY. IN MINNESOTA.
IN MINNESOTA. >> AND WHO ARE YOU MARRYING?
>> MY FIANCI, HIS NAME IS
STEPHEN.
STEPHEN.
STEPHEN. THERE'S A PICTURE.
>> HE'S PROBABLY WORKING RIGHT
NOW, RIGHT?
NOW, RIGHT? PREPARING?
PREPARING? >> HE LOVES MUSIC.
YOU BOTH LOVE MUSIC.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. HE PLAYS GUITAR,
>> AND YOUR LEARNING?
>> I'M LEARNING, YES.
>> I LOVE THIS.
SO ALSO, OTHER THINGS HAVE
CHANGED, WE HAVE JJ NOW, WHERE
DO YOU THINK ABOUT BEING HIS
AUNT?
AUNT?
AUNT? >>
AUNT? >> HE IS SUCH AN ADORABLE KID.
HE'S THE MOST HANDSOME BABY.
[ LAUGHTER ] I'VE EVER SEEN.
I'M SORRY, JJ.
HE GETS THAT FROM HIS DAD, I
THINK.
THINK.
THINK. SO
THINK. SO JIM, WHAT YOU THINK?
YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR ALL
THIS, THIS ADOPTION, IT HAS
EBBED AND FLOWED, THE JOURNEY.
WHAT YOU THINK?
>> JUST BEING SUPPORTIVE TO
YOU, AND BE THERE FOR YOU IN
ANY WAY I CAN.
>> WHAT DID YOU THINK WOULD TO
KOREA TOGETHER?
KOREA TOGETHER? IT WAS GREAT.
LOVED IT.
LOVED IT.
LOVED IT. AND SPENDING A WEEK WITH YOUR
BIRTH FAMILY AS WELL WAS
INTERESTING TO SEE ALL THAT.
>> WHEN WE WENT WE WENT THROUGH
THE ORPHANAGE AND ALL, AND WE
SAW A LOT OF BABIES WHO WERE
GETTING READY TO GET ON THE
PLANE TO COME TO THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES.
STATES. WAS THAT WEIRD?
>> THAT WAS INTERESTING
PERSPECTIVE GOING TO EXPERIENCE
THAT AND SEE FIRSTHAND, SEE YOU
THAT WAY.
THAT WAY.
THAT WAY. AS A BABY.
IT WAS GOOD TO SEE THAT.
A GOOD PERSPECTIVE.
>> I LEFT IT.
I THINK IT CHANGED OUR
MARRIAGE, TOO.
MARRIAGE, TOO. TO BE HONEST.
SO, I HAVE TO ASK, OUR PARENTS,
WHAT DO THEY THINK OF HAVING
TWO DAUGHTERS, NOW, IN THE U.S.?
>> [ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> GOOD.
>> GOOD.
>> GOOD. >> YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALK, ALL
YOU HAVE TO DO IS SIT HERE AND
SMILE.
SMILE.
SMILE. I'M GLAD THAT YOU ARE HERE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> OKAY, WE HAVE A TEXT
MESSAGE?
MESSAGE?
MESSAGE? OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY. MICHELLE [ INAUDIBLE ] [
INDISCERNIBLE - MULTIPLE
SPEAKERS ] I HOPE SO.
I WOULD LIKE TO RETIRE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> OH, MY GOODNESS.
I COULD USE SOME ADVICE ON
TEETHING AND SOLID FOODS.
THANK YOU SO