Day 5 - 3rd visit with Finley

Today was an exceptional day with Finley.  We are not yet calling her Finley here, still Diksha.  We played outside mostly at the orphanage.  There were 2 other boys at the orphanage that we were able to play with.  Finley would play with me and then act as if she didn't want to have anything to do with me.  Bobby and Erin were present and the didis came in and out, but tried to give us some space today.  Finley only had two melt-downs today.  The second melt-down ended with her going to sleep in my arms, which is so sweet it brought tears to my eyes and pretty big for our bonding.  I was able to place her on a bed in her room (which incidentally was 3 flights up!).  So today's visit ended on a good note. 

Bobby escorted us to a popular Buddhist temple that overlooks the Kathmandu valley.  It was so very fascinating.  I will get some pictures posted.  It seems to take a long time to load pictures here.  We were so tired and hot when we were done, that we could barely function.  I think Bobby just took us there so he could laugh at us.  

   

I was able to get an appointment at the embassy for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 3:00 which should only take a few minutes. Hoping to be able to wrap up the stay in Nepal a couple of days sooner than expected. 

I spoke to another single mother from the US via email that will be arriving in Kathmandu this week for adoption.  Hoping we get the opportunity to meet her!  Please include her in your prayers, as she will be traveling alone. 

Can't wait to post pictures of Finley.  Holding off until adoption day.  I feel more confident each day that I see her that she will adjust with a little time.  She is so special and I pray for the birth mother that found it in her heart to leave her at the orphanage, not knowing that one day she would be loved more than imaginable!

Miss and love you all!

Girls begging outside temple

Day 4 - 2nd orphanage visit

We took a 30 minute ride to the orphanage today.  Who really knows how far it is, because the traffic in Nepal negates any rationale of estimation for distances.  Traffic is insane.  I believe the intention is for traffic to travel in opposite directions than the US, but really becomes a free-for-all, with added bicycles and pedestrians and round-abouts.  As another side note, I have never seen so many people crammed into a small van in my whole life (15 or more).  That is just everyday life in Nepal.  The people here have been really helpful and are wonderful hosts.


Finley has been brought into the city to the orphanage in Kathmandu (her orphanage is 8 hours away).  This orphanage is made of two houses, containing over 100 children.  Some are adoptable, and some have living relatives that cannot currently care for them.  Finley's surroundings are new to her as she has been here in Kathmandu only 1 week.  She has an attachment to the orphanage coordinator and his wife.  I am told that they have been familiar with her since she came to the orphanage.


Finley initially had very little to do with me, but today there was much progress.  Since she is unfamiliar with most people in the orphanage, she didn't play a lot.  I took a beach ball and she did kick it several times.  On one occasion, I was able to console her when she was crying and she did not want me to put her down.  That is progress.  However, I feel there is a lot of bonding to come.  She has a very quick response to Nepali language when spoken to.  She has an emphatic "No", that even translates to English!  The ladies at the orphanage (didi) were so sweet.  Everyone is encouraging the bonding process.


I have been escorted by Bobby (New Beginnings contact) and Indra (my Nepali lawyer) to the orphanage and in navigating the city  I don't think I could manage without them!  Erin has been a great travel friend.  I haven't known Erin that long, but she is very flexible and is turning into my personal photographer when I'm with Finley.  I am blessed to be so well taken care of.


Tomorrow will bring another orphanage visit and hopefully a brief visit to the Embassy.  We may also visit a well known Buddhist temple, trying to document everything in pictures for Finley.  The wi-fi service is inconsistent at the hotel, but I will continue to update as much as I can.


Thank you for your continued prayers and support.


Love to you all from Kathmandu, Nepal.

Some pictures from Day 3:

Day 1...

Today we are beginning the lengthy but well awaited journey to bring Finley home.  Erin and I will be flying out of LA tonight to go to Bangkok and then to Kathmandu, Nepal.  We will arrive on Sunday the 29th.  Hopefully, I will meet Finley for the first time that day.  This trip is only possible by the undeserving grace of God. He is sooooo good.  A BIG thank you to my many friends and family.  Your loving words of encouragement and prayer are sustaining.  Thanks to my sissy for driving us to Birmingham at 2:00 a.m. this morning.  Love to you all.

Waiting for long flight on Thai airlines from LA.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, " Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you  hope and a future."

The last few days have been very exciting and unpredictable.  My original travel friend, Tammy, is unable to go to Nepal due to family illness.  My sister is unable to travel, as well as the other 10 back-ups.  Now what to say to that?  Well, in the 11th hour and after much prayer by many, the path leads to a new friend named Erin.  Erin, who is obviously a faithful person, decided within 12 hours that she would join me in my adventure to Nepal to get Finley.  So yesterday I was able to secure air travel to Nepal.  We will be leaving on May 27th.  That is just a week and a half away!  Not anxious, but nervous and really needing to get my "to do" list checked off.   We will leave from Birmingham traveling to LA.  From LA on the 27th we fly to Kathmandu, Nepal by way of Bangkok.  We will arrive in Kathmandu on May 29th.  Now, even with an 11 hour time difference, that still makes for a very long flight!  Those of you that really know me, know that my simple math skills are terrible, so I have referred to the flight summary of the itinerary to determine that is approximately 24 1/2 of total flight time.  Bags are packed and have been packed for weeks.  Meeting with Erin tonight to go over technical stuff.  Stay tuned for updates!  Love to you all. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is a sweet day.  I have received so many warm wishes from family and friends.  Thank you.  I have felt for many years that I was already a mother, but I just didn't have a child yet.  I can't really explain it.    My heart goes out to the mothers that still don't have their children, but hang in there.  God does have a plan.  I am all too aware today of the tremendous gift that I have been given this Mother's Day.  Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful mothers around me, especially the Pipeline mothers, & to all the women waiting to be moms.  Love to you all.  

Planning for departure

I have spent the last couple of days doing some preliminary planning.  Of course, not as simple as one would hope.  But who cares?  The largest hurdle of the approval is over.  So after a detailed meeting with my social worker at New Beginnings, I am paperwork equipped for travel!  I now know all details of maneuvering in and out of the airports related to visas and customs, etc.  Just wish I took better notes!  I also have some good information on flights in / out of the country, thanks to a nice lady named Patty at the travel agency.  I have had several people to ask if I have someone to travel with me and I do.  My friend, Tammy Kellebrew is planning to make the trip with me.  Looking forward to leaving around May 27th to go to Nepal!  Bags are packed, overpacked actually.  Everything is labeled and in it's own ziplock thanks to my friend and organizational guru, Connie.  Once again, thanking God for all good things.  

A Really Great Day!

Today has been an amazing day full of emotions and a lot of crying.  I am overwhelmed with thankfulness--the goodness of God and for the love and excitement of my friends and family and for so much more.  I have been waiting for this day for over two years, but it is really a journey that I have been moving toward all of my life.   I do realize this is just the "real" beginning, but I feel as if I've already completed a long, hard race.  I look forward to sleeping sweetly tonight without waking to check my email 10-20 times / night to see if there is an approval from New Delhi.   Excited about what is ahead!  Glory to God in orchestrating this process.  No doubt all this is His timing...  Sweet dreams. 

Finally Approved!!!!

At 5:56 a.m. today, I received an e-mail from USCIS with an attachment titled "Preliminary Determination of Orphan Status."  I could not get the encrypted file to open so I had to send to another adoptive mother, Nachama, who so graciously opened the file and returned it to me.  At 8:30 a.m., I finally was able to read the document I have so anxiously been awaiting.  It states in the 2nd paragraph, "Having reviewed the petition, supporting documentation and the results of the Form I-604 investigation, I am pleased to inform you that USCIS has preliminarily determined that the beneficiary child named above qualifies as an orphan, as defined by section 101(b)(1)(F) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended."  Now I get to meet Finley.

Thank you all for your prayers, concerns, thoughts, and encouragement along this journey.

Psalm 103

In Christ,
Lydia

Timeline...

§           February 18, 2009 –First step!!!  Read through Nepal info printed from NB website.

§           March 3, 2009 – International Adoption Application for Nepal received by New Beginnings.  Officially secures 10^th spot among 1^st 10 families.  Forms mailed to references to complete.

§           March 31, 2009 – Added adoptive baby to waiting list at NMMC Child Care Center

§           April 15, 2009 – Finley is born.

§           July 20, 2009 – I 171 H – Approval for Advanced Processing of Orphan Petition

§           August 10, 2009 – Dossier reached Nepal

§           September 25-26, 2009 – “Finley” named – Camp Bluebird

§           October 21, 2009 – Finley is found near gate DOCSF orphanage

§           July 30, 2010 – Received referral packet with 1^st picture of Finley

§           August 4, 2010 – Accepted referral

§           August 6, 2010 – Adoptions from Nepal stopped except families who had received referrals (pipeline).

§           August 12, 2010 – 2^nd photo of Diksha (Finley) received with measurements.

§           December 6, 2010 – Not Clearly Approvable, requiring investigation.  

§           January 11, 2011 – RFE Received – dated January 10, 2011

§           January 12, 2011 – Indra agreed to be lawyer for rebuttal.

§           March 22, 2011 – RFE Rebuttal received in New Delhi.  Countdown begins….

§           April 14, 2011 – all families approved for VISAs.  Thomas family is the only one awaiting a ruling.

§           April 27, 2011 – I-171H Approval of I-600A received

§           Still waiting for an approval…