Running the Adoption Race

Starting to jump through the paperwork hoops again. We need to apply for tourist visas, but don't have a proof of travel yet, so I'm not sure how we're supposed to be doing that. We have 6 or 7 documents to assemble/notarize but they shouldn't take very long, so I'm not worrying about them yet. My husband will be visiting the lawyer on Friday re: our will, and I'm doing my best to figure out what to pack. We will be getting Hep A vaccinations probably in the next week or so. We decided that was the only precaution we needed to take--no vaccinations are required to travel to India--there are just suggestions.

The kids are very excited to have Sweeti home, and are also excited to spend time with their grandmother while their parents are gone. I'm reading "What to expect--toddler years" to refresh myself as to what a year-old child is like and what toys would be best--etc. Also, a book on brainy games to play with your baby/toddler from the library, a book on toddler adoption, one on attachment and Fodor's guide to India.

It's nice to see the finish line in sight after running such a long race! Thanks again to all of you who have been there cheering on the sidelines and giving us cups of water along the way!

Overwhelmed!

The reality of what this means is now sinking in. I'm checking into airline tickets, but don't have exact travel dates--so can't book or know for sure what will happen. Right now it looks like about 22 hours in the air with flights from Bemidji to Minneapolis, then to Europe for a connecting flight to India. Likely European stops are either London or Amsterdam. Then in India, we will likely have to fly from Bangalore, where Sweeti is, to Delhi, where the embassy is once we have Sweeti. Then from Delhi, back through Europe, to Minneapolis to Bemidji. I'm concerned about many things about this trip. Planning it, booking it, paying for it, surviving the excitement of it all on the way there, and the unknown issues of traveling it all back with a new child I really won't know too well yet. Will they lose our luggage? Will we make the connecting flight? Will I be able to sleep on the plane?? I know, "Take it to the Lord in prayer!"

I'm getting Sweeti's things set up in the room she will share with her big sister. Luckily, our daughter was not short of baby/toddler clothes--so Sweeti is all set up. We just don't know what size she is. Her measurements at 15 months of age put her in the 3-6 or 6-9 month range of clothes. I don't know how much she has grown since then. So, her closet starts with a few 6-9 month things, and goes to 18 months for now. I figured it'd be easier to take stuff off hangers and put them away once she's here, than to dig through the boxes to get the right size. (Deciding which sizes to bring to India--now that's the problem.) The crib mattress is in our daughter's room, but the crib is still in the garage. Now we need to remember how to re-assemble it!!

Exciting news!!!!!!!!!!

We got a call this morning from our agency. I'm not sure what all the details are, but our first court date occurred--maybe Sept. 1st when scheduled, maybe a few days later--then yesterday, our second court date occurred. And, in something that has precedent but is very rare----the judge decided to skip the 3rd court appearance and granted us guardianship yesterday!!!

Yes, guardianship. The orphanage will be applying for her passport this week--when the written order comes through--and we will be able to travel and pick her up in about 6 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!! (Exactly 6 weeks would be election day which will be a problem--but we will work around it.)

We've got tons of forms now to fill out that I don't understand. Our agency says they have another family due to travel around the same time--and they got their NOC in January (that we just got in July).

We are elated with the news that we will have our baby home for Christmas.

"Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom His world rejoices,
Who from our mother's arms
has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today."

ELH 63

Non-Update

Non-update, since there is nothing to update. The 2 friends I've met through an internet group that are also adopting from Ashraya have heard from the orphanage since our Sept. 1st court date, but we have not. One got her date, and has her second court date scheduled for the end of October. The other has had her first court appearance rescheduled twice since 9/1, but hasn't heard if the second of those dates actually occurred. This family had already had cancelled dates before 9/1, so this must be their 5th or so time on the docket. Not very encouraging. We continue to wait and pray, trying to refrain from discouragement or jealousy of those whose cases are moving more rapidly.

"But while watching, also pray,
To the Lord unceasing.
He will free thee, be thy Stay,
Strength and faith increasing.
O Lord, bless In distress
And let nothing swerve me
From the will to serve Thee."

ELH 253:5

Shoe Bomber!

Today we woke up before 6 a.m. and as soon as the kids were on the bus around quarter to seven, we raced on over to Fargo (approx. 100 miles away) to the Government Building. We had 7 minutes to spare when we hit a detour and an extremely slow and long train that actually got to the last car and then started sliding backward on the track blocking the roadway for awhile. So, we were a few minutes late, raced in the door (good we had been there before) and went through the security checkpoint. Well, the alarm went off when I walked through the security system, and I had to be wanded. Turns out my shoes set off the alarm. When the security guard was convinced I was not a shoe bomber, we got in the elevator and arrived on the second floor at the USCIS about 10 minutes late.

However, no one was there and we got our fingerprinting done within 15 minutes.

When we got back home, we had a video in the mail of Sweeti at 6 months of age. We watched it with the kids when they got off the bus. It was fun to see her think and move and hear the sounds of her baby home. It was especially interesting to see how the caregiver interacted with her.

Delays

We found out that the Bangalore courts are short judges, and that the adoption cases are getting backed up. So, it is unlikely that our court date occurred. Ashraya (Sweeti's baby home) is trying to get another judge just to hear adoption cases to get caught back up.

We also discovered that it has been common for first court dates to be postponed 3-5 times.

We know that Sweeti will be home in due time---but it is hard to be patient!