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Stephanie Drenka

Adoption•Life

May 21, 1986: My Adoption Day

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Last October, I made a plan to spend my Sunday evenings scanning old family pictures for posterity (and a blog series). But, life kicked in, and free weekend hours were few and far between. With a rare quiet evening tonight, it seemed like an opportune moment to restart my project. And what better place to start than the very beginning? In my case, “the beginning” was May 21st, 1986… the day I flew from Seoul to Chicago O’Hare International Airport and arrived in the loving arms of my mom and dad.

I watch the video of this day every year on May 21st. It’s difficult for me to replay it too often and see my loved ones who are no longer with us. The memories of my adoption day are priceless, and one of the reasons I am drawn to photography. Pictures are powerful. No matter where I am in life or what hardships I’m facing, seeing my infant self surrounded by love and family is the ultimate reminder of what really matters.

Sunday Scans

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Comments

  1. Valery says

    Monday, May 21, 2018 at 11:46 am

    That handwritten note has me tearing up – it just makes it feel so much more real, for some reason! So beautiful.

    Reply
    • Stephanie Drenka says

      Monday, May 21, 2018 at 11:48 am

      My grandma’s handwriting <3 I cried when I saw it!

      Reply
  2. Jaclyn says

    Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 12:26 pm

    This post ???❤️ These pictures are so incredibly powerful. So much love here!!

    Reply
    • Stephanie Drenka says

      Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 8:36 am

      my favorite memory (that i don’t remember haha). really glad to have the photos and videos to relive!

      Reply
  3. Jessica Camerata says

    Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 8:33 am

    Well thanks for the morning cry! Wow this is such an incredible video to have!

    xo Jessica
    My Style Vita

    Reply
    • Stephanie Drenka says

      Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 8:34 am

      awww <3 morning cries are so therapeutic hehe. hope the rest of your day is bright and smiling!

      Reply
  4. Whitney says

    Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 12:20 pm

    I just watched this over lunch, crying ♥️So beautiful

    Reply

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Instagram post 2188866997366635192_218735928 Celebrating the last day of #NaNoWriMo and #NAAM with a mug of makgeolli 🇰🇷 50,080 words written ✍🏼 This memoir is nowhere close to being finished, but it exists now. And that's more than I could say on November 1st. #nanowrimo2019 #adopteevoices #amwriting #writersofig #nationaladoptionawarenessmonth #qwerkywriter
Instagram post 2173537144174249691_218735928 A picture taking a picture of my picture of @kendallkendrix 😂📷 #auroraexpanded
Instagram post 2157431005271529801_218735928 공주 vibes 🇰🇷❤️
Instagram post 2154050873827668211_218735928 i blinked, and our trip was over. almost like a dream. ended the week unexpectedly alone at a hotel (#standbytravel) and had a strong sense of déjà vu this morning. i'm remembering what it was like to be alone in a hotel room 11 years ago after returning from a visit to the adoption agency and learning i had two older sisters. i was filled with emotions and lost in thought with no one to talk to. getting ready for today's flight home, my heart somehow feels both full and broken. i couldn't stop crying after i said goodbye to my sister at the airport yesterday. every time i leave my birth family, it's with more questions than i started. so many things i wish i knew how to say in a language that would have been mine, but is foreign to me now. even though my dream came true when i found them, there are no real happy endings in adoption stories. but there is a chance to write a new chapter. #stephaniewashere #nanowrimo2019 #amwriting #writersofig
Instagram post 2150430543108152661_218735928 we leave for jeju island today ✈️ grateful for every second i got to spend soaking up the sights in my birth city. #andong #koreanadoptee #stephaniewashere
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