Kelsey Ee Rang
Korean Translation: (Ee=Laughter) (Rang=Brightness)
We named our daughter 'Kelsey' which is Scandinavian and means, 'from the ship island.' Her Korean name Ee Rang means 'laughter' and 'brightness'. We felt since she was coming from so far away, her name was befitting a child traveling overseas for adoption. Her adoption process took over a year because we were waiting for a 'referral'. There were two different obstacles regarding money that gave us the confirmation we needed that God was behind her adoption. At one point, about halfway through the process we received a notice that a fee increment took place and we needed to submit an extra $100 ASAP. This may sound hard to believe now, but back in 1988 this money wasn't available to us and I remember being very distraught over this. I called my husband who was away on field-duty and he told me he was helpless at the moment to do anything about it. So... I turned to prayer... and wonder of wonders, next day's mail brought a check to us for the exact amount! His grandfather had sent it out on impulse for no apparent reason.
Six years later, my husband joined the ranks of an active duty military service member, and we sold our home and moved away from family to our new duty station at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. It was there that we adopted our daughter Kelsey through the Louisville, HOLT branch.
rooms by age group. Children are taken care of well by experienced Bomos, receiving a great deal of love and attention.
Two months went by as we waited on the Holt referral list for a healthy infant girl. The wait was hard. We went from #10 to the #3 spot during those 2 months. Another notice arrived by mail from the HOLT office that spoke of an increase in the processing fee the agency was charging. This new fee would take place the first of the year to those in the process who had not yet received a referral. This fee was much more and came at Christmas when our pockets were bare. I turned to the Lord again in prayer, asking him how we could have gotten this far only to be turned down. As New Year's approached and we hadn't yet moved up to the #1 spot on the referral list, I had no idea how we were to pay for this increase. On New Year's Eve Day, the day before the increase was to take place, we were called into the Louisville Holt office to meet our new daughter.
"EeRang is a healthy, lovely girl developing normally both physically and emotionally.
It would be desirable for the child to be adopted by good parents fo the sake of her optimum
future. I feel confident that she will become a normal, happy child. I earnestly hope that
she will be adopted into a good home where she can develop to her greatest potential."
We signed the referral 2 months shy of EeRang's Birthday and requested of our social worker that her visa be expedited so that she could celebrate her First Birthday home with her family. We heard later, it was because of the dedication of one person in Korea who hand-walked all of EeRang's paperwork through the Embassy and obtained her visa that she able to travel home just five days before her first birthday! Holt's only request was for us to travel the 2 hrs to Memphis, TN to get her.
Kelsey arrives at the Nashville, Tennesee Airport on February 20, 1987
February 23, 1988
I pray that you will be blessed with joy and be a source of great happiness for your parents. I hope you will always remember that you are unique and that there is no one in the world quite like you--grow and learn to your fullest potential. My prayer for you is that you will grow up to know the Lord as your Savior.
Lovingly,
Dear Kelsey,
I want to welcome you home to your new family. Already, you are a very special part of your mother and father's lives. Although you may have grandparents through your mother and father, I would like to consider myself your "Grandma" too. I'll always be interested to know how you are doing and hear about all of the exciting things that are filling your life.
Grandma Holt
Our visit to IISAN, KOREA
Kelsey has been a challenging child to parent. Her need to be in control has made it difficult for us to guide and direct her. Her challenges may have something to do with attachment, although it may not. She may just be a strong willed child. As a child she has been full of laughter and brightness as her Korean name states, however she has never reached out for hugs and kisses as other children do. Kelsey has been a daughter that has strong determination and many talents. She is a very focused, self motivated student in school. Her 5th grade classmates named her 'student to most succeed' and her teachers have called her a perfectionist. She was nominated for the Honors Hall in Middle School and is taking Advanced Placement Courses in H.S. She is looking forward in her Junior Year to stepping off school grounds and attending college level courses at our local community college. She has appeared in numerous productions through Creative Theatre Experience and Capital Playhouse Theater. She is very graceful and coordinated and has a beautiful voice.
Kelsey's need for control has been especially challenging during her teen years. She often appears to unknowingly sabotage the value system in which we try and live under and doesn't appear overly concerned about representing herself as a good role model for her younger siblings. Much of this is likely normal, teenage behavior. On the flip side, Kelsey adheres to our rules, obeys curfew and accepts discipline and punishment without rebelling other than giving us her verbal talkback. At age 16, she was working two jobs to save up for a car. She has definite goals of attending college and would like to be a Pharmacist.
God has indeed taught us many valuable lessons through this daughter of ours. Number one is to love unconditionally. Loving someone who may have difficulty loving back is very difficult and takes practice, patience and sacrifice. Regardless of what Kelsey gives of herself to us, we've accepted the responsibility of loving her and raising her to the best of our ability. We are not alone. God also has a stake in our childrens' lives as well and he has been our greatest source of strength and comfort. We've learned that there are all types of disabilities, but by far, the hardest is a disability which involves 'the emotions of the heart'. We are grateful that Kelsey was selected to be our child. She has taught us many things about ourselves and our faith. As Christians, we hold out hope in God; that he may bring about a full and complete healing in Kelsey's heart someday. We must allow Kelsey to grow in her own time, in her own way, molded personally by the gentle hands of God.
You cannot force anything around you to grow simply by casting
out seeds of wisdom. New growth must be nurtured, protected,
cared for and faced toward God's sun.~ The Little Monk by Harry Farra
Kelsey and her Husband 2007
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