Sneak Peak into India.

The driving in India! And is really does sound like that day and night!!


The shopping in India!


A very common sight in Bangalore!


The overwhelming poverty in India....

#4's.....

....first home!

Home.

Well almost! We are close, we are about an hour north at my inlaws! Our other kiddos should be here soon!!!

Flight went well, she slept for 10-11 hours :)

Be back during nap time.

Just in case there was any question....

.....we have adopted an Indian Child!! She had her first (I assume) experience with KFC :) In India they always give you some red (hot) sauce that I always put to the side and she was eating it like soup :) We then convinced her to put it on her rice and she gobbled it up!!



We had our first day at the Embassy. She did extremely well!! She took a nap while we waited roughly 2 hours in lines :) So glad I bought James to carry her!! She kinda shuts down while we are in the taxi.....I wish she could tell me what she was thinking.



This is the last post for a bit I would assume :) Tomorrow we have a 9 am appointment to be "interviewed" for her visa. Then we should get her passport/visa when we are finished there. We then plan to do a bit of shopping in New Delhi. Then we are going to spend the evening with our driver and his family before he takes us to the airport. We leave 12:55 AM India Time and arrive home at 5:05 AM so in less then 5 hours we will be home......ok maybe not....more like 16!!

Some pics from the last few days!






She is a smart little cookie! And I think her lack of language is definitely from orphanage life and not because she has any issues! She has been mimicking and repeating most anything we say!! I don't think it will be long and we will be wishing she wouldn't yak so much :) She is a busy toddler....so I am looking forward to having 3 older siblings to help entertain her!! Be ready guys!!!

New Delhi.

We arrived safe and sound in Delhi!! #4 was amazing on the flight!! She could not have been better!! I think she fell pretty hard for her Daddy!! They played, drew, watched tv and listened to the ipod!! She never once tried to even get out of her seat!! So we know she can make it 2 hours!! next we try for 15!!

Tomorrow we have a busy day in Delhi doing her visa and a dr appointment. So we are taking showers, getting some jammies on, ordering pizza and calling it a night!!!

There are 2 other families that went to pick up their children from the same orphanage as #4. So before we all left they had a little party for them. They have the kids and Moms cut a cake together and the Mom gives a bite to the child. Here is #4's bite :)



Her and James are outside and she is giggling up a storm! She then runs inside to get a kiss!! Beyond Blessed!! I can't wait to see the 4 kiddos together!!

Well.

She is definitely on India time :) She is sleeping very sound in between James and I.....who are very much awake!! She is so cute doing that toddler butt in the air thing!!

Kym......I sent you a message to your work email. For some reason I do not have your home!! I thought you might be here before you checked work e mail!!!

Going to try and go back to sleep.......off to Delhi in a bit!!

The t shirt says it all.

She was SO very much "Worth the Wait"!!!!!
God is Good!!!

Well we have a 3 year old sharing our bed :) She is doing better then I expected, praise the Lord!! She has looked through her bag of toys, changed her clothes, watched some youtube and had some snacks!!

I have in my hands.......

...an adorable little girl's passport!!! Praise the Lord!!

So we will be on our way to New Delhi tomorrow! We should be there dinnertime(ish)......India time of course!!!

Today.

Today was spent very much like yesterday.......we played at Ashraya for a bit then we went to KFC for lunch. and back at the orphanage to see #4 again. She seemed tired still so she and James just wondered the property quietly.

We talked to the couple of the ladies that run the orphanage, we went over the visa process and got all of her things from the file we did not have for the immigration process. We also got a couple of pictures that we had never seen. They gave #4 a book of India folk stories with the workers and children's names written on the front cover! It was very cool!!

Different from yesterday we walked the other side of town. My first real experience with the children beggars. 3 girls followed us for a bit. 2 stopped but the last one was very persistent. Touching and saying something over and over. I told her no over and over. Before you think I am completely heartless our agency recommends not to give anything for fear of everyone wanting something. Anyhow she then proceeded to pinch me and pull my arm. WOW that too was a lot harder then I expected. Hubby was no help in that situation!!!!



I have this picture before but it hit today what it was. This is a baby bed with a bell on it right off the road :( It made me very sad to think of a Mother dropping her baby off here.

Oh oh!! And I got my first kiss today........

Some pics from today.

New shoes....size 6 for any Grandmas that want to know ;)

She then went and showed the "Ammas" and told them that she got news shoes from her Mommy and Daddy.........in not so many words :)

Aww India....

The trip itself went well. We had no issues whatsoever in the airports. I was so thankful! I prayed and prayed while we were in line that we would have whatever papers they requested......and we did.
One thing I noticed, no one smiles in airports. I was driving hubby crazy smiling and telling them "Thank You!" Whatever.

When we arrived in Bangalore it took awhile for our luggage to come out. 35 minutes of "dear Lord please let it be here!" We had it checked from one flight to the other, so we didn't have to "mess" with it in Germany.
As we left the Bangalore Airport we were thankful our driver was still there holding our sign :) I had heard before we left that the driving in India was different......till you are there in the middle of it it is hard to believe it really is that different. But they really use the horns. If you aren't going the speed they would like they beep and flash their lights for you to get out of the way. Lots of driving in the middle of the roads. And stop signs and speed bumps on the "highway".

Our motel was about 45 minutes from the airport. I wish it had been light out to see the things out the window. But we saw enough to know we were definitely not in the states. The poverty was a lot more overwhelming then I anticipated. I could not help but think how different #4's life really is going to be coming to the states. Our poorest of families are very rich in comparison.

We arrived at the motel in one piece...Praise God! And had to wake up the security guard to let us in :) The motel is very nice! The bed is perfect and we will be buying a new mattress come tax season lol!! If you are planning a trip to India bring toilet paper (none in the motel) and pillow cases there are none on the pillows! We are using the hoodies we wore on the flight!

OK I have bored you long enough....I know you are only here to know more about #4 ;) Well 9:30 could not come quick enough! That was the time scheduled to call the orphanage and arrange a time to come meet her!!! They said 10 am would work!! So we gathered up our donations of shampoo, wipes, lotion, tooth brushes and toothpaste and heading for our walk to the orphanage! It actually was a lot closer then I thought. A kind lady....I really should know her name.....ask "James and Jennifer" we said "yes" she pointed to a building and said "this is Ashraya" It is very pretty property....trees everywhere!!!
We walked in the first door and she came a running! Immediately put her hands up and wanted me to pick her up! Do I have to say that I started bawling like a baby. James whispered in my ear "did you find something you want"......boys :)

Even though she was hugging.....it was more of an obligatory hug. Not much emotion. They took us to the "school" room where all the other kiddos were having lessons. Eventually they pulled out everyone's photo albums. It was very sad to watch the kiddos that had no album. I assure you we are not done adopting! I knew that part would be hard......but it was so much worse then I expected!! Anyhow photo albums....she came up and showed me hers. I think she actually had no concept that we were in fact "Mommy and Daddy" in the pictures........she called James "uncle" which is a common thing for them to call the men that come in!

We were there for a bit when one of the children came to sit on my lap and she came up to the child and put her hand on my shoulder and informed the little one that this is "my Mommy" :)
It took her a little while to accept the fact that James was "Daaaaddy" but she did and they were off playing at the park!

After a bit it was lunch time. Man this kids can eat!! #2 you may have some competition in the eating area!! She had 2 big boys of rice "somthings" and some mangos!! The thing about being at Ashraya is I'm not sure our part. Sometimes it seemed that we were supposed to be her caretaker other times they had her do whatever everyone else was doing. Eventually they told her in Kannada (?) to give me her bowl. I assume because she handed it to me and then opened her mouth for a bite. They eat everything then wash it down with water.

After lunch was nap time. They told go eat and rest and come back about 3:30. I told her to have a good nap and I would be back. A big smile and she was down and hopping into bed!!

James and I went to McDonalds for lunch.......I was looking for something familiar.......yea that wasn't it either! Similar I guess but definitely not "American"!!! We then took the time to walk around the streets and look into some of the shops! Oh more then once did I think "man we aren't in states". Your shoes break.....leave them in the street. Change baby's diaper........leave it in the street. Have to go to the bathroom.........yes leave it in the street! There are NO bathrooms or garbage cans in India......at least the area of Bangalore we are in. No wonder you can't drink the water!!! The side walks are very broken up .....I fully expected to break my ankle yesterday! James was offered a pretty green pill??? And mothers would tell there kids to "tell auntie Hi" when we walked by! Very different. Eventually I told James Please can we go back to the room!

@ 3:30 we were back at the orphanage.....and someone came a running!!! We spent a few hours very similar to before. And they it was bedtime. This time I held her close told her to sleep well and we'd be back in the morning. I put her in her bed and she was not happy! She tried to climb out. James said "No stay in bed and told her we would be back.........she started crying. So we walked out hearing her cry.

Back at the room I CRASHED.....after a shower of course!!!!
Well I have bored you enough!!! "See you tomorrow"

Another tip for India....bring OFF!!!

Here she is :)

We're here!!!

We are safe and sound at our motel in Bangalore!!!

What a LOOOOONNNNNGGGGG flight!!!! Man oh man!! The first one wasn't bad, it wasn't full :) The one from Germany to Bangalore was PACKED....no room even for our carry on :( So I had my legs on a suitcase all the way here!!!

#1 and #2 on the back of the seat in front of you there were tv screens and you could put it on a channel that was a map and would show you right were your plane was! It was pretty neat!! It also told you how high up you were and how fast you were going :) We were at 40,000 feet and going 671 MPH WOW huh?!?!

#3 We watched the American Girl movie and guess what.......Daddy liked it!!!! We will rent it when we get back!!!!

We love you kiddos :) Maybe next time you can come too ;)

Well its 4 am here and I am BEAT!!!! it is soo hot here!! And its funny because our driver was telling us how cold it was!!!

Love you miss you all!!! THANKS to all of your "peer pressure" I am so thankful James is here!!!!!

We will go meet #4 in about 5 hours!!!! I will write again after that!!!

Sittin' @ the airport:)

My heart is pounding outta my chest :)

Our flight leaves in ONE hour!!!!

#1, #2, and #3......behave for Grandma and Grandpa......love you!!!!

Time to go.

SO our living room has looked like this for DAYS!!!!!

You can "see" the computer right in the middle of everything :) Always the potential for an new e mail ;)

I have packed packed and repacked this stuff!!! We originally wanted to carry on everything. But 3 people in 2 very small suitcases just wasn't going to work...even with the bunny slippers taken out lol :) And one of the airline was an 18 pound limit for carry ons. Not to mention all the liquids I wanted to take. I thought they just had to be 3 oz or smaller I didn't realize that they had to fit in 1 little bag per person not counting #4 :)

So we will end up with one BIG suitcase checked, and one smaller suitcase and 2 backpacks to carry on! Sheesh....lotsa of stuff!!

Ahhh.

Well yet another Mom in India picking up her child has said, "you will have you hands full!" But at the same time told us how beautiful she was, she was playing, and like the company of her husband. (screeching brakes here) WHAT? Husband? Noooooo?!? This child already is getting on my nerves lol :)

Well we leave on Monday.....flights have been confirmed. WOW. So just WOW. We will meet #4 more then likely on Wednesday.

I am hoping to be able to keep up this blog so follow along as we prep and leave on Monday to get our baby :) WOW Thank You God!!!!

Just when you think........

.....God has blessed you beyond measure! You get an e mail from your travel agent stating, "if you switch to X flight you can save some money"

WOOHOO......flying into Frankfurt, Germany instead of London, not switching airline carriers, flying at a better time AND saving money!!! Praise God!!!

Trip Plans. UPDATE w/ new flight plans.

Our Travel Agent.
Quick to get to our emails :)
Called to change flights to get a better rate!
Really just one more thing to not have to worry about!! It seemed difficult to figure out 2 adult ticket one way, with an extra ticket on the way home :)
Cheaper then any tickets I was able to find on my own!!

Seriously they were great!!!

Motel in Bangalore
The orphanage recommends this motel. Bonus it is close enough to walk to Ashraya for our visits!

Bed and Breakfast in New Delhi - this couple was EXTREMELY helpful, even when they were booked they helped us find another. Ends up they had a cancellation so they moved our booking back to them. I am very excited to meet this couple and be able to thank them in person for being so helpful!! They were quick to get to our e mails and answer my oodles and oodles of questions!!!!


Our flight plans look like this:
17NOV HOME to FRANKFURT 648P 1015A

18NOV FRANKFURT to BANGALORE 1225P 125A

23NOV BANGALORE to DELHI 1200N 230P


26NOV DELHI to HOME 1255A 505A