The In-Laws

My wife's family got to meet me for the first time about two months before we got married.  It was quite a leap of faith for them to make.  While my parents got to meet their future daughter-in-law early in our relationship, her family just had to hope that her judgment was good. 

My mother-in-law, Jeonghee, is a prominent woman in Korea's Presbyterian Church.  She is an extremely generous and passionate woman.  My wife's father, Kyungtak passed away in 2009. While many Korean parents frown on their children marrying non-Koreans (in their defense, I don't think I would be keen on hearing my kids were permanently going to move half way across the world), Hyounsoo's parents were fairly open to it.  Despite bungled communications, they managed to put up with me for nearly two months and with the rest of my immediate family for about three weeks immediately before our wedding.

My brother-in-law, Changbeom, and his very lovely wife, Kyungah, have two children, Hyekyung and Junha.  During my first visit, Hyekyung showed her affections with hugs, kisses, and frequent requests to play.  Her younger brother's attention consisted more of giving me half chewed food and biting my arm.  Needless to say, I preferred Hyekyung's affections to Junha's.  About a decade later, there is not much risk getting bitten.  I get to see Changbeom and his family about once or twice a year depending on my travels.