I let the kids pick what they wanted to do today and they unanimously picked the Trick Eye Museum so I went back and read my blog posting from 2012 to get some general information & directions to the Trick Eye. 

Later in the day I noticed some eerie similarities from that posting back in 2012.....

"Our day started off rough..." yeah, that happened again.   "Boy's 2 & 3 were fighting..."  yeah, that happened again too.  "I thought I was going to pull my hair out and have a meltdown before it even started..." -- same/same.
"but after a little while everyone forgot they were mad, bothered, annoyed, and upset  and we had a pretty good day playing & goofing around here at the Trick Eye Museum!"  - That happened too!
Oh, and as a bonus, this time NOT ONE PERSON complained about walking too much!  I call that a WIN!!

Directions have changed just a tad since the last time we were here as they moved the exit of the subway station:  To get there by subway take line 2 to the Hongik University Station go out Exit 9 walk straight cross 1st intersection, at 2nd intersection  (McDonald's is on left side of the street) cross the street and turn left.  Pass Forever 21 on the right, take a right at the first street/alley in between Bershka & Tony/Molly.  Walk 1 block and you will see Trick Eye Museum on the right. 

Adults: 15,000
Ages 3-18: 12,000
Open 9AM-9PM everyday

Address: Seoul, Mapo-gu, Hongik-ro 3-gil, 20 서교 프라자 B2 트릭 아이 미술관 B2 floor, Seogyo Plaza 20 Hongikro 3gil, Mapogu

Phone: 02-3144-6300

Just when I think things are going well and my boys are little angels......

This happens:

These boys!  I can't take them anywhere!

The Trick eye is on an alley full of food vendors if you just keep walking past the Trick Eye.  Your kids are sure to love you a little more if you head down the alley and buy them a freshly made churros with ice cream!  YUM-O!!

The end.

I am blessed.  I know this better than anyone.  I have an amazing husband, great kids and wonderfully supportive family and friends.  In the big scheme of things LIFE IS GOOD.  (You know there is a BUT coming, don't you?!) BUT, MOVING IS HARD.  No matter how excited you are, how ready you are, moving is hard - PERIOD.  Moving overseas is harder. Watching your kids say goodbye to their friends and their brother is heartbreakingly hard.  Having your vet tell you that he thinks your dog probably won't make it if he flies half way around the world is hard.   Leaving your first born in the states is EVEN HARDER.  Leaving him while he is going through personal difficulties of his own is stab a knife in your heart hard.  Saying goodbye to a Mother that doesn't even recognize you anymore and thinking this  *might* be the last time you see her here on this earth beyond hard.  I've always know life is hard, I preach it to our children.  "Life is hard - get over it.  Life is not fair - suck it up buttercup." These words are echoing in my ears now, right now, when all I really want an easy button.  Is that too much to ask for?  EASY BUTTON, where are you?!?! 

BUT, (there's that word again!) I know if I had an easy button to push I wouldn't be the person I am today.  Life is hard, and it makes us who we are.  There are lessons we all need to learn and if we had an easy button, what lessons would we learn? There is a reason there is no easy button.

Boy 1 didn't hit the easy button.  He could have pushed it and moved to his favorite city with us and went to online school here in Korea, BUT he is writing his own story now and as I watch him from afar I am inspired and in awe.  He is such a strong, self sufficient young man.  He works full time, goes to school full time, has moved to a new city to pursue his dreams and he's not giving up.  I like to believe it is because I told him multiple times to 'suck it up'. ;)  As I watch him I'm in awe!   I don't know if he knows it or not, but he is helping ME right now.  His family, his lifeline has moved to the other side of the freaking world.  He moved to a new city where he knows NO ONE.  Not a single person.  He is out there on his own, TRULY on his own.  Yes, he has met a few new people at work but he went knowing NO ONE.  What 20 year old does that?  He is STRONG.  He inspires me each and every day, and I miss him so much my heart physically aches. 

I share this with you all today because even though I'm living the dream,  I want  you to know behind all the fun post of which market I shopped at, how I'm running into new/old friends, how much joy I'm getting out of eating at all our favorite restaurants in Seoul that I am just like you, going through my own stuff. Even though I make it see fun (which it is in that moment) and seamless, moving is hard, and fun, and glorious and HARD.  However, I know better than anyone that it could be harder.  I know that there are so many people out there that are going through so much more than I am -- I'm talking real struggles and they are one of the many reason I always count my blessings.  
Life could be so much harder. 
Life is good.

Till next time,

Trish

Day 2:

We are rocking the jet lag! Boy 3 is a bit tired, but nothing we can't handle. The kids went to bed by 9PM and slept till 9AM! Me, I woke an hour earlier than normal, but in my book, that is a total win!

So, I'm still ticked about the housing situation, but I am hoping it will work out. Housing is working very hard to make things right and they did tell us that they have a house in mind for us, but they can't 'promise' it to us because, well, you know how their promises go. Oh and said house will not be ready until mid-August, so I guess we need to get used to hotel living. I'm trying really hard to have faith.....

This morning I took it easy. I ran a few errands and then took the kids to the pool to meet up with my friend Betty that I have known from our first tour here! This girl knows my weaknesses and brought a 'Welcome to Korea" basket filled with goodies to help make me feel at home. I'm embracing my inner Ajumma this time around!

After the pool we headed to our favorite spot in Itaewon -- VATO'S!! 
I've been dreaming about Vato's since leaving here.  If you remember, I made a copy cat recipe of their famous kimchi fries, but tonight I had the REAL DEAL.  Just as good, if not better than I remember.    I've decided I'm going to gain about 10 pounds this first week. 

That's it for today....

Well most of us anyway.
As I sit here in seat 17A on my way to Dallas from Killeen with tears stream from my eyes my heart hurts. I just said goodbye to Boy 1. My heart is broken and proud all at the same time. What an amazing young man he has turned out to be. Just over 20 years ago I had no idea how life changing having a child would be. Having Boy 1 made me a better person - that sweet little baby stole my heart. Now saying goodbye to that giant young man broke it. I know I'll see him soon, but damn it hurts!

​Day 1:
After 22 hours of travel we dropped 13 bags (for 3 people - ridiculous, I know!) off at the Dragon Hill Lodge and headed out for our first meal in Korea to no other place but our favorite restaurant, the Mackerel Lady restaurant!! We were greeted with open arms, a big smile, hugs and AMAZING food!!

On our way to and from the restaurant, we walked through a peaceful protest where every smiled and waved to us.  So much different than the 'peaceful protest' in the states.
(Please ignore the massive travel bags under my eyes - remember - 22 hours of travel!)