Our adoption journey started in 2020 with a desire to expand our family through adoption. It has been a long, perilous, and emotionally draining road. Our journey started with a desire to adopt from Ukraine and included an initial referral trip to Zaproizhzhia, Mariupol, and Berdyans'k in eastern Ukraine, January 2022. Later in 2022, after it became clear that the war in Ukraine wasn't going to end quickly, we made the difficult decision to pivot away from Ukraine and pursue an adoption from India (thanks Chloe!). We have accepted a referral for a little girl from the southern part of India and are working hard to bring her home as quickly as possible.
Today was a day to rest and recover from the late flight from Coimbatore last night. Alyssia didn't do well on the flight so please be praying that she does better on the homeward flights. We arrived at the hotel very late. The hotel staff was so accommodating! Absolutely wonderful experience our first night in Delhi. We awoke this morning to a quick rush to get the paperwork from the hotel and finish filing the last two items we need. After that our in country coordinator and Jim went shopping for baby food and some other items that might make the long fight from Delhi to NJ easier. We also moved up our flight to Monday late. There is a risk we will not get the FRRO (exit permit) in time for the flight and will have to fly out Tuesday and Tuesday's flight is very full, so please be praying the FRRO office finds favor with our petition and grants us the exit license on Monday morning so we can fly home Monday evening.
In case you are wondering, the photo is of part of Jim's breakfast this morning. He also had a cheese omelet.
Oh, Alyssia is adjusting to life as a Kuiphof very well! She is a jabber box, crawls like the wind, and loves taking "walks" holding daddy's hands. She tries one handed, but that usually results in her spinning around hanging by her one supported hand. In time! She loves cell phones and mirrors.
Yesterday was in a word, unbelievable. We were told Sunday night that we would be getting custody on Monday after the passport office visit. We wanted to surprise folks back home so we didn't tell anyone and instead video called with family from our hotel room last night (morning in the US). There were lots of tears of surprise and joy.
The day was long but straightforward. We had the passport visit at 10a (ish) when the gov. offices open. After that we went to the orphanage, about an hour drive.
Bonding is something that all adoptive parents and children must do. It is the process by which attachments are formed and the basis of those attachments is trust. Some kids take longer than others to bond. In the 300+ adoptions our in country agency advocate has seen she said all kids cry for a few minutes, and within the first 48 hours the critical trust bonds begin to form.
I think Alyssia was bonded to us before we even met. Once she was in Charissa and my arms, she wanted no one else. The care taker said she was jumping once she even saw us. Our prayer was that she bond with us quickly so we could comfort her on the flights if needed. God certainly didn't need to answer our prayer, nor answer in this way, but we are grateful He did. I never would I have thought it would have happened SO quickly.
Thank you all for praying and for the support! You are helping to give this precious little soul a home. Thank you!
We made it to the passport office and signed the passport application. It should be shipped tomorrow! The photo is at an intersection where we samples fresh coconut milk. The palm trees are plenty in this region.
It is a good morning in India! Thanks 31 hours without sleep and 10mg of melatonin, we slept well. We arrived at our hotel last night about 1030 India time, exhausted, but glad to be to our first stop. Today we plan to rest/relax, tomorrow we have Alyssia's passport appointment, and Tuesday we are planning to have the custody ceremony at the orphanage! The attached photo is out or hotel room, I believe looking east(ish). Please be praying that her passport comes "in record time," ie in a day or two instead of two or three!
We landed 30 minutes ahead of schedule, tired but safe. We exchanged contact information with Esha and said good-bye, well it was a protracted good-bye at the foreign visitor registration desk. We had to leave her on the plane dealing with an upset passenger who didn't get the right meal, 12 hours earlier (please always be nice to flight attendants). We cleared customs without issue and after an adventure navigating the "helpful" airport guides and taxi sales people we found out way to the correct terminal for our flight to Coimbatore. Clearing security, with only a minor snag around a nail clipper (which made it through Grand Rapids security), we found out way to our gate seating area. I figured out how to get our cell phones working and we are settled in for our 3 hour wait for the next flight.
