{25 years of GOTCHA}

Yesterday marked 25 years since I flew from Seoul, Korea to San Francisco and met my parents for the very first time. I arrived on an early morning flight and then took another flight with my parents, home to Portland, Oregon. At the airport, I was welcomed by close friends and family.

February 12, 1987

February 12, 2011

My family
Beautiful flowers from my big sis. She always remembers! Thanks Jen!

The following is a letter of gratitude that I wrote to Fuddruckers, the restaurant my entire family and I crash every year for Gotcha Day.

Dear Fuddruckers,

In five days, my entire family will push three or four of your tables together and gather around to devour your delish burgers, have some laughs and walk down memory lane. How do I know this, you ask? Well… let me tell you a story.

On February 12, 1987 I was adopted from Seoul, South Korea. My family of two loving parents, two brothers and sister brought me home to Portland, Oregon. One of the first restaurants that my family ever took me to was Fuddruckers. It was then that the tradition began to feast on Fuddruckers burgers every year on February 12^th, in celebration of “Gotcha Day”.

Over the last 25 years, my parents have made sure that not one “Gotcha Day” would be missed. Even when I was 19 years old and away from home, my parents made a special trip to take my friends and I out to Fuddruckers in Orem, Utah for the annual celebration.

I want to thank you at Fuddruckers for being more than just a place to fill my stomach, but a place where memories have been made and will last forever.

It is this year that Gotcha Day is even more momentous, because I have recently spent the last 6 months looking for my birth family in Korea. Beginning my search was emotional and risky, but I had hope and lots of support from family and friends. I am blessed to share that I made contact with my birth mother, Keum-Soon Lee only four weeks ago. I was able to receive pictures of my birth family, including my four sisters and brother. With this miraculous news, I am planning a trip with my parents, husband and daughter to meet my birth family and explore my birth country for the first time.

As you can tell, this year Gotcha Day will be more than a family gathering at your restaurant, but a time to celebrate all that is to come for my future with not only my adoptive family, but my birth family as well.

Thank you again for celebrating adoption, family and good food with us for the last 25 years!

Sincerely,

Kacie L. Armitage

After 25 years at Fuddruckers, my dad and I think that maybe it is time to move on to something new... like Korean BBQ? I like it!