Kendi Mae, Home One Year!

Kendi, September 7, 2009. Scared, tired, and sick.
Kendi, about one year later. Happy, healthy, and adjusted!

Hard to believe it's already been a year since "Lil' Bit" came home for good. It was one year ago today that we were in Chicago, picking Kendi up from her escort (the Amazing Susan PD from AAI!). Here's the welcoming committee, very early morning waiting at Tulsa International Airport for take off!

It felt like FOREVER until Susan PD came walking out with Kendi. I kept looking for a woman holding hands with a little girl. Instead, Susan snuck up on us because she had Kendi tied to her back, Ghanaian style!! The picture below is one of my favorites. I remember what I was feeling inside when my mom took this picture--completion.
Kendi slept it off in a BIG way! She really did not want to open her eyes. That was (and still is) her way of coping with overwhelming things. Sleep. If she slept she could still be in Ghana where everything was "normal."
First family picture is below. Lots of emotions going on in those six bodies!

We came home to a welcome party for Kendi, which she slept through completely. After everybody went home, she awoke to her home...her family...her new life. She was scared to death of the dogs, and assumed the boys were going to take everything that was hers (as life in Ghana had taught her). Here is the fam (minus mom) after everybody went home. Look how tiny and scared (and bald!) she is!

That Kendi--the one that was here the first day in America--is long gone. Now we only see the "real" Kendi--the one that blossomed in care in Ghana, and has continued to show us her beauty for the past year in America.

She has grown so many ways. Physically, she's about 6 inches taller. Only a few pounds heavier (currently 23 pounds). She came to our home knowing a few words in English, but now amazes us daily with her 6 and 7 word sentences. She is one smart cookie. She has grown emotionally, from a child who had no clue what "mommy" and "daddy" meant, to a child who now understands the special bond that is supposed to exist between one male and one female caregiver. She is a sister and friend that we thank the Lord for each day.

We "Gotcha!" Kendi Mae! And we'll never let you go!!!!

10 Years!

Today I sat for hours and went through ALL of the documents we have collected since we got married in 1998. Tax returns; house buy/sell documents; car titles; letters; mother's day cards; school work; passports; birth certificates; adoption paperwork; adoption paperwork; and more adoption paperwork! Four adoptions worth of paperwork is a LOT!

One of the things I ran across is a letter I wrote to "baby" on August 3, 2000. On July 31 of that year we got the news that we were infertile. Without extraordinary efforts we would never conceive a child (short of a miracle). And I remember immediately thinking, "That's okay. We'll adopt. We always planned to adopt anyway." I told the fertility specialist this. She looked at me without a hint of sympathy and told me, "Nobody would ever allow you to adopt. You're overweight and Eric is a diabetic. The only way you will ever be a parent is through fertility measures, and I can't make any guarentees there."

At the time I was just a young wife without a clue about adoption. I walked out and got in my car before beginning to sob uncontrollably. I called Eric and told him between sobs that I was never going to be a mom. We would never have children.

No bio kids? Sad, but not life-shattering. No kids? I could not imagine. My biggest goal in life was to be a mom. I had been gathering children's books for my future children for years. It was not an option NOT to be a mom, but this woman had just told me my dreams would never become reality.

Thank goodness for the internet. I went home and started researching. Of course, it didn't take 10 minutes to realize that the fertility specialist was full of crap, and that we had a wide variety of options with adoption. Within a few days we were knee deep in adoption research, and we've never looked back.

That was 10 years ago. It took 10 years to build our family. Lots of heartache and tears. Lots of signatures. Lots of waiting and hoping. Lots of LEARNING! The Lord not only blessed us with four children, but He also awoke within me my life's greatest passion (after being a mother) and provided me with a way to play out that passion in my everyday life.

If you happen to be on the front end of your journey with the gift of adoption, pay attention! Don't take one moment for granted! When you go through difficult trials, remember that He may be preparing you for a future that you haven't yet even imagined. When you adopt a child with needs you had no clue about before homecoming, consider that HE chose you to parent that child and HE will equip you to meet that child's needs. And maybe--just maybe--that child is opening your eyes to thousands of children that you would have otherwise looked away from.

If we would have chosen a route other than Cambodia for Taevy's adoption, I never would have been asked to work for a start up agency my Cambodia coordinator was starting. If not for taking that job, I would have never seen Samren and certainly wouldn't have been adopting again 10 months after Taevy's homecoming! If I wouldn't have traveled to Haiti for my adoption work, I would have (at the very least) taken longer to truly KNOW that parenting a black child was a total non-issue. I wouldn't have been open to Africa. If it weren't for Samren's special needs (failure to thrive, malnutrition) I would have been scared to death at the first sight of Bright--on death's door from starvation. If it weren't for the terrible, awful agency experience we had with Bright's adoption, I never would have been involved in beginning AAI's Ghana program (and maybe AAI wouldn't even have a Ghana program???). If the Lord would have given me 3 completely healthy kids and a healthy husband, I never would have thought about parenting a child with HIV--and wouldn't have known her when I saw her, if it weren't for my work with AAI.

It all goes together like a beautiful puzzle. One thing leads to another. I don't have any idea what the next 10 years will hold for our family. If the last 10 years has taught me anything, it's not to even try to imagine!

I THINK I AM GOING TO FLIP!!!!!!

Seriously folks, I am about to pee my pants I'm so excited! My hands are shaking and the adrenalin is pumping!!!!! This has been the best good news day EVER for our family! I'm waiting for "the call" to come for the kidney transplant now! LOL!

So. You know about the visa. VISA ON FRIDAY!

And you know that we already bought tickets for Kendi's escort and Kendi. She'll touchdown on US soil at 12:30pm on Sunday September 6th!

And you know that last week I mentioned that the IRA we had cashed out was actually about 66% higher than we thought it was going to be. We got the check today!!

And you know the plan was for me, my mom, and Taevy to drive up to Chicago to pick up Kendi. What I didn't say was that we were secretly hoping there might be a way to get us there with the FF miles I've saved up. I just didn't know if it would be possible and didn't want to get my hopes up.

So this morning I called NWA to see what they could do. I could get my mom, Taevy, and I there for 25K miles each, plus a $100 fee for each of us (because we weren't booking outside of 21 days). Yuck. Plus, I couldn't book Kendi's ticket on FF miles because it was a one way ticket. Her ticket was going to be $165. So $465 plus a night at the hotel for the 4 of us to fly to and from Chicago. Yikes. The check big check I mentioned above hadn't come in yet. And that is about $100 more than it would have cost us to drive (and have hotel/food for 2 days).

I called my mom. She really wanted Taevy to go (as did I). She was calling my step-dad to see if they could afford to pay for Taevy's ticket ($100) so she could still go. While I was waiting for my mom to call back, I asked Taevy to bring in the mail. Ta-da! Check! Big check! The check that says we can afford to go ahead and get Taevy's ticket even though the thought of $500 for one day still makes me go a little dry in the throat.

I called the NWA reservation line again. It is ALL about who you get folks! While I'm on hold I wonder why I can't buy Kendi a round trip ticket with FF miles? That would save $65 at least. I ask the ticket agent. SURE, she says. No problem! So for 100,000 miles I've gotten us all tickets, and the ticket fees will be $100 each (I expect). The women eventually says, "I'm sorry, but there is a $30 ticket fee for each ticket." Hello? What? ONLY $30? Yep! So for $120 I was able to purchase all four of our tickets to get Kendi and bring her home!!! It will cost less than 1/2 of what it would if we had driven!

Wow. I am just so hyped. Bright is about to come home from school, and my brain is complete mush as far as continuing to teach the other kids today. School's out! And as soon as Bright gets home we're leaving to go pick up Eric for a celebration day before we head off to cheer/football practice tonight!

I feel so unworthy of such a day full of blessings, but I'm so thankful. I will never forget how He took care of every detail on this day!!!

Anita
P.S. I didn't mention that our TV has been going out. It turns off constantly and we don't know why. It's unfixable. The extra money from the IRA is going a new TV. I know it's extravagant, but TV is Eric's only "thing." He can't do a lot of things with his vision (play basketball with the guys, etc.). But he can enjoy a TV if it's large enough. I'm so happy that he'll have a TV he can enjoy, that actually works!

VISA APPROVAL!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! That's right! We have a visa pick-up date for Friday morning at 8am! Kendi will have a visa on Friday!!!!!!! Makes part of me wish I could hop a plane right now to go and get her, but knowing she WILL DEFINITELY be home three weeks from today is comfort enough!!! Yee-haw!!! My baby is coming home!!!!

For anybody who's keeping track, we decided to pursue her adoption on February 11th. We got her official referral on April 3rd. We're very blessed by this timeline with a Ghana adoption.

Anita

A Good News Day!!

This morning I woke up to an email from our in-country coordinator saying that the embassy had called him and asked him to come for an appointment on Monday at 1pm. Could this mean the waiver has been approved? I think so!!! I think he is going for the regular visa appointment on Monday! This means we could have Kendi's visa next Friday, in plenty of time for her Labor Day Weekend homecoming!!!!!!!! I'm trying not to completely count on Monday being her visa appointment, but I can't think of what else it would be. Our coordinator was under the impression that the waiver has been approved, but they didn't use those exact words. So...for those currently or planning to adopt an HIV+ child from Ghana--we think they did it in 10 business days!

To top it off, the old IRA we cashed in to help with the cost of plane tickets is being cashed out today (finally). Check will be in the mail tomorrow. AND....over they phone the number they gave us was 66% higher than we thought it was going to be!!!!!! Praise God. That's a good chunk of debt we can pay off.

I'm praying that some of my AAI friends have very good news days tomorrow so we can end this week the right way!

Anita

Tickets

Check! The tickets have been purchased. Coming home September 6th. Now we just need a visa!

Anita

On the Road Again!

Just got confirmation from the consular section in Accra that they have sent my approved I-600a to the DHS section (DHS was even copied on the email). So our application should be going through the adjudication process again! Trustfully, it will not take the full 30 days, but either way it feels good to be moving again.

She will come home. She will come home. She will come home...

Anita

June 8th, Meant to Be?

***UPDATE!!!!!! Not 5 mintues after I posted this our USCIS officer called to let me know she approved our I-600a today!!!!! It is going out in next week's mail!!!***

Maybe June 8th is meant to be. A few months ago a good friend of mine said she would be praying for a June 8th I-600a approval--even though that was a pretty randome date (1 month after our May 8th USCIS fingerprints). There is now a very real chance that our I-600a could be approved on June 8th. A few months ago we had no idea when I would be going to Ghana and when I would be filing our I-600. I'm filing the I-600 on June 8th.

Two years ago, on June 8th, Bright was issued his immigrant visa in Ghana.

June 8th. I like you June 8th. I hope you come through for us again, June 8th!

FINAL!!!!!!!!!!

Kendi, in the arms of one of her EH Aunties. One day she will have hair! We have faith!

We got Kendi's adoption decree, and it is FINAL!!!!!

For those that don't know, in Ghana you can get a "full and final" adoption decree or a "2 year interim" adoption decree. Ghana's judges are favoring interim adoptions more and more these days. It's not a big deal. It just means that you need to send a post placement report to Ghana after two years, go to court again (not in person) and get the full and final decree. In the mean time, most states would probably let you readopt in the state before the 2 years, but some may not. Getting a final adoption decree basically saves us a bit of time and money two years down the road. YEA!!!!!!

I almost cried when I saw her name with GILLISPIE at the end. I've known our adoption passed for two weeks, but seeing the decree is icing on the cake!!!!

Anita

Introducing...

Kendi Mabel Anadene Gillispie. She turns 2 years old on June 5th. And she is now 100% GILLISPIE KID!!!

When at first you don't succeed...

Try, try again. We'll be trying court again next Thursday. Your prayers for a successful "try" are so very coveted.
Anita

Adoption Update

It's been a little over 2 months since we decided to go forward to adopt Kendi Mabel from Ghana. It's funny...when you're adopting NOTHING is fast enough even when you can objectively look at things and see that 2 months in international adoption is not a long time. But for my heart it FEELS like a long time. Here's what's happened so far, and what is hopefully going to happen soon...

Decided to adopt Mabel: February 11th
Homestudy visit: February 23rd
Homestudy approval: April 3rd
Homestudy to USCIS: April 6th
Welcome Bag Received by Kendi Mabel: Today!
Dossier in Ghana: Today!
Fingerprint appointment: May 8th (got notice today)
Traveling to Ghana: Sometime in May (details below!)

I am pretty disappointed that our fingerprinting appointment is 3 weeks away. With our previous three adoptions our letter always said "come on any ______" (day of the week). This one gives an actual date and time. It's looking more and more like we're going to be waiting for our I-600a appointment in order to be able to pick up Kendi. Normal processing time for Oklahoma City USCIS is 60 days from the time your application is complete--which means July 8th. =-(

On the up side, I am going to hold my baby again within the next month or so! I have the distinct privilege of traveling to Ghana sometime (probably) mid-May in order to escort two little ones to their new family. IF we are lucky enough to have Kendi's adoption decree by then, I will be able to file our I-600 with DHS in Ghana while I'm there. Talk about killing two birds with one stone! But we'll see if that happens. Regardless, I will get to see Kendi again and that will be wonderful (until it's time to leave her).

On the financial end, we are still awaiting the provision for about 1/3 of our adoption expenses (about $5500). Let's just say a LOT of grant organizations are seeing my handwriting right about now. Our poor pastor--all of those reference letters! I go back and forth between worrying a lot and feeling completely at peace. So human of me! I have seen it so many times in the adoption world that the Lord DOES provide. I know He will. Just can't wait to see how!!

As always, prayers for Kendi's quick homecoming are so appreciated.

Anita

We have our referral!

It's official!!! Miss Mabel Anadane has been referred to us as of today! When she joins our family she will be Kendi Mae Anadane Gillispie. She will be 2 years old in June and is a total firecracker! She says mainly one word... "ma" but says a LOT with that one word! She can say "hold me", "give me a hug," "leave me alone," "I'm hungry," "I'm tired," and a ton of other things just with that one little syllable--as anybody who has met her can attest to!

Kendi Mabel has some special needs that will walk with her throughout life, but we think she is wonderfully and perfectly made. She is a survivor!

If all goes well with the various government offices and agencies, we will hopefully be able to bring her home sometime this summer.

Anita

P.S. Yes, this is her real profile. Is that not the cutest profile EVER?!

The Final Countdown!

Monday is our homestudy visit. If all goes well we should have a completed homestudy about 4 weeks from now. I'm really looking forward to that day, so that we can formally accept #4's referral (assuming she will be ready for referral by that time).

We got some new pictures of her this week. She is too precious. She was finally wearing some girl clothes, which makes a big difference since she's so bald! I can see that her hair is growing in more but my mom laughed at me. She doesn't see it. LOL!

I am down with some sort of nasty bug, which is interfering greatly in my homestudy visit preparations. I've resolved just not to stress about it though. Taevy came down with it yesterday. I hope it stops with the women of the family. If not our guys should be down right about the time the social worker shows up on Monday morning!

Anita

Shock and Awe

I am so shocked that I can't even use exclamation points. Well...maybe I can!!!!!!!!!!!!! Something amazing has happened. Our Fleece has been answered. God has given the sign we so humbly requested when our faith was too small. God has provided. And we will be adding a 4th (and final!) child to our family!!!

Do as I say....

Not as I do! This is what NOT to do if you are an adoptive parent.

First...do not give your ONLY copy of the adoption decree to USCIS even if they tell you they need it. Let them have it long enough to make a copy. Don't give it up!

Second...keep your child's birth certificate in a safe place. Do not under any circumstance LOSE your child's birth certificate.

Third...Readopt your child as soon as you can so that hopefully it won't matter as much if you lose your child's original birth certificate!

If you do what I did you will have to

First...apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for your child rather than a Social Security Card--because you won't have proper paperwork for a SS card.

Second...you will have to hire someone to travel into the bush in Africa (or wherever your child may be from) in order to beg the officials in the country to look through thousands of court dockets to find your child's adoption paperwork. THIS COSTS MONEY. Then you will have to beg the officials to PRETTY PLEASE make you two certified copies of the adoption decrees. THIS COSTS MONEY. Then you will have to find someone to carry it back with them from said country and mail it to you in the states--or spend more money to have it mailed to America via FedEx.

Third...you will have to hire someone in your child's country to get another birth certificate for you. This means another round of looking through TONS of paperwork. Yep--costs money. You will have to scrounge for every peice of biographical information you have on your child in order for said paperwork to be found. IF you find enough information you can then MAYBE get a new copy of your child's birth certificate. Then you can find yet another person to carry it to America with them--or pay FedEx.

Do you get the gist? These were costly and time consuming blunders! If we are very lucky we will be able to get Bright's SS card in time to file taxes this year. And as soon as the hubby's bonus comes through we're readopting!

Anita
P.S. I just reread this and it sounds like I'm saying it costs "paying off" money. I mean the money paid to the person who has to do all of this work for you--hours and hours of work! Oh--and actual fees for certified copies of docs. ;-)

Two-Hundred Eighty-Five Days + A Lifetime

Hi all,

Just wanted to let you know that we've got Bright for good this time! It took 285 days from referral. Like the rest of our journey to him, it couldn't go by the book even on the final leg, but it all worked out fine. We were in St. Louis (which is over half way to Louisville, our intended destination) when Kristen's (our escort) mom called to let us know they got through immigration fine in New York. As she was hanging up she said, "Okay, so we'll see ya'll in Nashville!" "Umm...you mean Louisville?" UGH! Somewhere along the way the final destination was miscommunicated or misunderstood. So we drove 15 hours and a few hundred miles out of the way to get to Nashville, where Bright was.

But wait! That's not all. Couldn't be that easy! LOL! Kristen's flight was also getting in not at 11:30pm, but at 9:02pm. We were still a few hours outside of Nashville at 9:02pm. Goodbye airport reunion. They put Bright in the carseat and started driving towards us, as we drove towards them. Eventually we met at a Quality Inn and Suites location. Not exactly how I had envisioned our reunion, but at least we've got 'em!

Yesterday morning we headed out of Nashville at 8:30am and started the long drive home. Bright wasn't thrilled with the carseat but he did pretty well unless he was tired. When he's falling alseep he insists that he and I touch in some way. Not so easy with our seating configuration. We got home at around 10pm.

I don't know if we are having a honeymoon, or just very blessed, but I am amazed at how well Bright is doing. He still prefers me (the way it should be!) but he's also allowing Eric to hold him and feed him. He's even initiating kisses with Eric and both kids! We just stand in awe, as it's not "supposed" to be this easy with a toddler adoption. =-)

Well, he's at the bottom of the stairs crying for Mama, so I will wrap this up.

Bottom line: Yes, it was long. Yes, it was hard. Yes, it was SO worth it!

Up and down and up and down and finally UP!

Hi all,

I'm writing Bright-less tonight. He has had SUCH a rough last few days full of sitting on my lap in cramped spaces for hours on end. I just felt too bad about making him come back to the hotel only to have me sit at the internet for over an hour (another cramped space). He's lonely and bored! And I have lots of AAI work to do. So he's having an extended play date at Hands of Mercy tonight. ;-) He was So happy to walk into the gate today and have space to run and play with his "brothers and sisters" there!!!

So...it was another early day today. Left at 6:30 from the hotel. Got to Hands of Mercy to pick Paul up at about 6:35. He wasn't ready so it took until almost 7 before we left. Traffic is a HUGE problem in this area. So some people try to avoid the "Americanized" road and travel on the "bush" (dirt) road instead. But there are two different bush roads you can take. Paul recommended one, so off we went. Many minutes into that trip the traffic got jammed so Paul and Percy (Edward's brother) decided we should go all the way back and use the other bush road! It was 7:20 when we turned around and I was supposed to be at the embassy at 7:30. Yep--pretty frustrated, but I kept my tears in.

We got to the embassy around 8am and of course there was no problem getting in. I feared there would be. We sat for over 2 hours before being called back. Adoption cases do NOT get priority processing here! Be ready to wait. In my exhaustion last night I filled out a few spots on the form wrong so I had to redo it but he let me turn it right back in. Then I found out that I got the wrong visa photos yesterday (the ones that took 2 hours)! Interesting, since I followed the instructions on the embassy's paperwork that said it should be a 3/4 view with right ear showing. Nevertheless, I had to get them redone. He said I should come back when everything was done. I took this to mean the medical as well.

So Paul and I headed out at 10:30 to get the visa photos. Peice of cake this time. In and out. Then we walked to the clinic to do battle over the vaccinations. The doctor talked to her boss who called the embassy and they all agreed that getting an exemption for the vaccinations was "not possible" here.

This was the low point of my day. Bright had had it! And Paul and I were going back and forth about the Ghanaian way to do things vs. the American way. American way says when I toddler throws a fit you don't give in. American way says that you don't constantly feed a kid to keep him happy. Ghanaian way says you do anything you have to to keep a kid happy at all costs no matter what. In Bright's case that means him constantly having food to eat. Paul couldn't handle watching him cry so he said he would take him "outside." I took this to mean outside of the room. But nope. When I got done waiting for that particular part to be completed I couldn't find Paul and Bright anywhere. Walked up and down the 3 story building. Nobody saw a man with a baby. I walked around outside the building. Nobody had seen him. I was in tears because my friend and my baby were missing and we were wasting time (!) when I hear Paul calling me from across the street. He had taken Bright to get some food because after all, anytime Bright cries he must be hungry! Urgh! ;-)

The stress of everything hit me at that point and I was MAD. I was mad he took Bright outside of the building. I was mad that he was spoiling him (more) even after I told him we needed to stop constantly feeding him (he had gone through a ton of snacks already). I was mad that I couldn't get a vaccination exemption. And I was scared to death for my baby because the doctor said that he needed 11 vaccinations TODAY and that he would be "fine."

So up to the third floor we went. I got to see the same woman who had been so rude to me the day before. But today, because I was crying like a crazy woman she was a bit nicer. Ghanaians just can't handle seeing someone cry. They are so embarressed for that person to have lost such control over themselves! LOL! Anyway, as God would have it, the doctor there decided that Bright only had to have 3 vaccinations and that we could do the rest in America. Thank you Lord!

Went back downstairs to talk to the "other man" about how to get the actual report. He was so kind and prepared it for us on the spot! So by 12:30 Paul and I were walking back to the embassy with medical report and the right visa photos. Feeling pretty good at that point.

When we walked up everybody was like, "Anita! They have called you twice! Where have you been!" [I'm the only white American I've seen at the embassy so everybody knows me by name at this point. Kind of cool actually. They are all very nice.] It was okay that they had called me. I just went right back. The man took the medical and the photos and then said I should go and eat lunch and come back in an hour or so. He would see me and make sure I was called back for the interview.

Paul and I went to eat at The Buka Restaurant (African cuisine). Not recommended unless you like real African food with lots of spice. ;-) After lunch Paul had to do another errand for AAI so I went back to the embassy myself, with Bright.

Around 2:30 they called us back to the window. It was Jehan--the person I had corresponded with by email from the US! She is *SO* nice. Totally loved her. Unfortunately, she said that they couldn't get the visa done by next week. It would be two weeks because they had to verify the validity of Bright's mother's death certificate. She said there is a small chance it won't be done in two weeks, but she said it was so small that she gave me a pick-up appointment time for June 8th.

So...note to all Ghana a-parents...the consulate does NOT send your case to DHS until AFTER your final visa interview! I recommend that unless you have time to hang out in Ghana you should have a representative do everything for you before you come.

I don't really know how I'm feeling. It sure looks like we'll have Bright's visa in a few weeks, but I don't have a guarentee so there's no release yet. And I don't know what to do about the extra week. Don't know if it's possible to stay here another week, or who might be able to escort him home within the next month or so. Lots of things to work out.

Guess that's about it for now. Too busy to take pictures the last few days. Hopefully the weekend will slow down a bit.

Anita

Well...at least he pooped!

I'm going to try to keep this short because I am completely exhausted. Let me just say, if you can get someone to do the preliminary visa procedures for you--do! This is one reason to use an agency rather than going independant! LOL!

6am: wake up, eat peanut butter sandwich, head to Embassy
7:30: arrive at embassy, wait an hour for visa photos (this doesn't even describe the torture that was..)
8:45: I have to be in the embassy by 9am so I leave Edward to wait for the pictures and head to the embassy with Bright. Get right in! Give Visa Packet I to the guard just inside the door and that is it. Come back at 2 for your appointment time. Umm...what about visa medical? Oh...I can go and do that anytime.
9:00-11:30: We're all walking to the Akai house clinic for visa medical. Lots of waiting. Fill out paperwork. Lots of waiting. Pay money. Lots of waiting. See the doctor for a physical (cursory is way too strong a word). Told to go upstairs for vaccinations. They need to do them all since I don't have a record. Tell the doc that I don't want to do that. I want to sign a waiver. She tells me I have to take that up with vaccinations upstairs. Go upstairs. Vaccinations is rude and says they can't help me. Take it up with doctor downstairs. Nobody thinks they can sign the form and check the place where it says we wish to file for a waiver!
11:30: Decide that I will talk to someobody at the embassy later that day because surely they will know what the waiver is. Walk outside with Bright. Fear that he won't make a stool and we'll be waiting forever at the medlab for him to poop. WRONG! The raisins worked. Explode-a-poop! All over the car, Bright, Bright's clothes, me, and luckily, the diaper. Put the diaper in a baggy. At least he pooped!!! Head to the medlab...wait forever long there to deliver said sample. Leave. Eat lunch.
1:45 Arrive at the embassy for my 2:00 "appointment." Not. It's me and about 50 other people who have 2:00 appointments to get visa interview dates. It's almost 5pm before we get out of there. I wan't go into detail but it hurts to sit AND stand at this point! LOL!

So the good news is that it APPEARS (???) that I can go for the final visa interview tomorrow (or any Monday, Tuesday, Thursday at 7:30). The visa medical isn't complete because of my vaccination issues. Trying to decide what to do about that at this point. Might just give in and let them inocculate my baby to death so I can get him home.

Okay. Gotta go. Paul is waiting.

Love,
Anita

This says it all!!!!

We got it! We got Bright's passport!!!! It was a long shot because they usually don't let anybody in on Monday's but Paul's friend got us in. I waited in the car while they went in. I was bummed about not going in but I thought, "You know what God? You don't need me in order to make this happen." And as it turned out the director signed it on Saturday and it was there waiting when Edward went in! Yahoozee!!!

Also had a successful trip to the embassy today. Got Part I of the visa packet. Not sure why they make you split it into two seperate trips here, but whatever. Go to turn in Part I on Wednesday and then they will give me Part II. Part II contains the Visa Medical so we'll do that on Wednesday and then turn in everything on Thursday. Then we wait for a final visa interview.

Guess that's about it. Feeling better--"just" like a cold today rather than something else. Bright had a major blow out diarrhea on us last night in the hotel lobby and then again in the hotel room. All while I only had 2 diapers left! But he's doing fine today.

Adjustment is going great. I don't think he thinks I am THE Mommy, but he is totally accepting me as A mommy. No tears whatsoever. No fear. Nothing. Just me and a happy baby! Yes, I am blessed. =-)

Well, I better go. This is my first time at the internet with Bright (only acceptable since this is the hotel business center and not a public cafe). Let's just say he's a bit restless and I don't care to tell you how many time I had to turn off CAPS LOCK while I was typing this message! LOL!

Love,

Anita

P.S. Sent more pics to the family last night. Sister Nichole should be loading some of them on the blog soon.