On Monday night, February 11th, my caseworker L called me to have our last minute travel conversation. I was leaving at 3:30 am to get to the airport and be on my way to finally bring Munni home!!!
After the pleasantries, she started the conversation by saying, "I have to tell you a couple of things..." Now, when you are leaving in less than 8 hours, those kinds of words can make you nervous. She told me:
1) Munni's passport still wasn't in.
2) The Embassy was closed on Monday due to President's Day
3) Due to the big adoption conference, it would be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.
My tickets were scheduled for us to leave Tuesday night, the 19th. In addition, we were supposed to fly to Delhi on Friday, get the TB skin test on Saturday, have them read the test on Monday and start the Visa interview and either get the Visa later Monday night or Tuesday.
I told her, "Well, that isn't good but I'm not surprised." We both agreed that we needed to pray. A LOT. I knew and she knew that there was a reason I was supposed to get Munni on Valentine's Day. From the time I got back from the first trip to Hyderabad, Mer had been so encouraging to me when I would doubt I would get Munni then. She kept affirming me that indeed that was God's plan for us. Having someone else be so certain was a great confirmation to me. I called Mer as soon as I got off the phone with L and asked her to please pray it would all work out.
Boy did it ever!!!
Here's what happened:
1) When I touched down in Hyderabad and got to the hotel on the night of the 13th, M had left a note for me at the front desk. We would be heading to the orphanage at 10:15. She didn't mention anything about the passport but I was getting excited!!!
2) Valentine's Day morning, M and I had breakfast together before going to the orphanage. She told me it was a miracle- Munni's passport came in yesterday!!!!!
3) When we arrived at the orphanage, A told M that Munni's file only needed one more signature so we could go right down to the orphanage to get her!! Originally I was told we would be spending several hours in the office before I would be allowed to get her!
4) After I got Munni, we went back to the office and signed all of the final papers for 2/14/2013 :) Munni passed out the chocolates I brought. All you mamas out there, chocolate is great gift to bring as well as the saris!! They LOVED the chocolate!
5) Munni and I were interviewed by the news channel! Hopefully someone out there who saw it felt a nudging in their heart to adopt.
6) M was able to get Munni and my tickets changed for us to leave that night instead of Friday.
7) M was able to get us an appointment with the Embassy for Friday.
8) We got Munni's TB skin test on Friday and successfully started the visa process on Friday. While at the Embassy, I begged and pleaded for someone to be there on Tuesday. I used all of my "How to Win Friends and Influence People" tactics I could remember. But most of all, I prayed that God would weigh upon their hearts. They told us someone would call and let us know.
9) Late Friday M got a call from the Embassy asking if Munni had started the Medical. She took it as a sign they would be there on Tuesday.
10) Saturday morning M told me to plan on going to the Embassy on Tuesday.
11) On Monday, we got her skin test read and it came back positive. They took two chest X-rays and the doctor signed off on two different reports that she was free to leave. THIS IS A HUGE MIRACLE. I didn't realize how miraculous this was until several weeks later. If he hadn't done that, she would have been stuck there for almost another year. That would have been devastating and I honestly believe there would have been irreparable damage done to our relationship. In addition, it's quite possible she could have died since the TB was now in her eye.
12) Monday evening I met L for the first time in person in Ind*a!!!!!!!!! She, M, Munni and I had dinner. It was the best dinner!!! L kept telling me she couldn't believe the change in Munni, that it was as if she were looking at a different child. She had seen Munni for years and was worried about her.
13) Tuesday morning I woke up at 4 am. I was anxious. I checked my messages and there were a ton from the people who were watching my dogs. Something had happened to Lola and it wasn't good. I will blog about this later, but suffice it to say that it started the day in high stress. I tried to pray and I tried to skype Mer. I left her a message to please pray.
14) At 9 am Tuesday morning we went to the embassy. We got there and not only was someone there, but they were expecting us. M told me it would be several hours. She went to the bathroom. 5 minutes later, the Embassy woman called, "Munni Williams?" I jumped up and ran to the window. She handed me the super secret immigration packet and told me not to open it and to give it to the immigration people when we landed in the US. Then she handed me the Hague certificate and told me, "Congratulations on the adoption of your daughter!"
I completely lost it and started bawling. I couldn't help it! The flood gates were opened and tears kept flowing. I thanked her profusely! I picked Munni up and we headed outside to the bathroom. M was coming out of the bathroom and saw us and saw that I was crying. She looked worried for about a second and I smiled and choked out the words, "WE GOT IT!!!!" She started crying and hugged us. From the time we entered the Embassy until the time we left, only 25 minutes had passed. I didn't find out until a couple weeks later that Erin, a dear friend and another adoptive mama, had written to the Embassy and asked them to please help me. She knows them well due to her case and they love her!!!
15) Munni and I boarded the plane to come home on Tuesday night :)
16) Munni and I arrived in Cincy on February 20th- the original scheduled date.
Time after time after time the Lord has showed me that HE IS FAITHFUL and that NOTHING is impossible for him. There are times in my day when for a moment I will stop and think about all he has done in order to bring Sweet Munni home. It brings me to tears every time. I think about all of the people who have been praying for us and encouraging us. I know those prayers were heard!! One of the best things I have ever done was to get the tattoo of the verse he whispered to me when I was in my darkest hour, questioning whether or not I would be able to adopt Munni. The situation had seemed hopeless and that's when he told me, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" - Genesis 18:14
After the pleasantries, she started the conversation by saying, "I have to tell you a couple of things..." Now, when you are leaving in less than 8 hours, those kinds of words can make you nervous. She told me:
1) Munni's passport still wasn't in.
2) The Embassy was closed on Monday due to President's Day
3) Due to the big adoption conference, it would be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.
My tickets were scheduled for us to leave Tuesday night, the 19th. In addition, we were supposed to fly to Delhi on Friday, get the TB skin test on Saturday, have them read the test on Monday and start the Visa interview and either get the Visa later Monday night or Tuesday.
I told her, "Well, that isn't good but I'm not surprised." We both agreed that we needed to pray. A LOT. I knew and she knew that there was a reason I was supposed to get Munni on Valentine's Day. From the time I got back from the first trip to Hyderabad, Mer had been so encouraging to me when I would doubt I would get Munni then. She kept affirming me that indeed that was God's plan for us. Having someone else be so certain was a great confirmation to me. I called Mer as soon as I got off the phone with L and asked her to please pray it would all work out.
Boy did it ever!!!
Here's what happened:
1) When I touched down in Hyderabad and got to the hotel on the night of the 13th, M had left a note for me at the front desk. We would be heading to the orphanage at 10:15. She didn't mention anything about the passport but I was getting excited!!!
2) Valentine's Day morning, M and I had breakfast together before going to the orphanage. She told me it was a miracle- Munni's passport came in yesterday!!!!!
3) When we arrived at the orphanage, A told M that Munni's file only needed one more signature so we could go right down to the orphanage to get her!! Originally I was told we would be spending several hours in the office before I would be allowed to get her!
4) After I got Munni, we went back to the office and signed all of the final papers for 2/14/2013 :) Munni passed out the chocolates I brought. All you mamas out there, chocolate is great gift to bring as well as the saris!! They LOVED the chocolate!
5) Munni and I were interviewed by the news channel! Hopefully someone out there who saw it felt a nudging in their heart to adopt.
6) M was able to get Munni and my tickets changed for us to leave that night instead of Friday.
7) M was able to get us an appointment with the Embassy for Friday.
8) We got Munni's TB skin test on Friday and successfully started the visa process on Friday. While at the Embassy, I begged and pleaded for someone to be there on Tuesday. I used all of my "How to Win Friends and Influence People" tactics I could remember. But most of all, I prayed that God would weigh upon their hearts. They told us someone would call and let us know.
9) Late Friday M got a call from the Embassy asking if Munni had started the Medical. She took it as a sign they would be there on Tuesday.
10) Saturday morning M told me to plan on going to the Embassy on Tuesday.
11) On Monday, we got her skin test read and it came back positive. They took two chest X-rays and the doctor signed off on two different reports that she was free to leave. THIS IS A HUGE MIRACLE. I didn't realize how miraculous this was until several weeks later. If he hadn't done that, she would have been stuck there for almost another year. That would have been devastating and I honestly believe there would have been irreparable damage done to our relationship. In addition, it's quite possible she could have died since the TB was now in her eye.
12) Monday evening I met L for the first time in person in Ind*a!!!!!!!!! She, M, Munni and I had dinner. It was the best dinner!!! L kept telling me she couldn't believe the change in Munni, that it was as if she were looking at a different child. She had seen Munni for years and was worried about her.
13) Tuesday morning I woke up at 4 am. I was anxious. I checked my messages and there were a ton from the people who were watching my dogs. Something had happened to Lola and it wasn't good. I will blog about this later, but suffice it to say that it started the day in high stress. I tried to pray and I tried to skype Mer. I left her a message to please pray.
14) At 9 am Tuesday morning we went to the embassy. We got there and not only was someone there, but they were expecting us. M told me it would be several hours. She went to the bathroom. 5 minutes later, the Embassy woman called, "Munni Williams?" I jumped up and ran to the window. She handed me the super secret immigration packet and told me not to open it and to give it to the immigration people when we landed in the US. Then she handed me the Hague certificate and told me, "Congratulations on the adoption of your daughter!"
I completely lost it and started bawling. I couldn't help it! The flood gates were opened and tears kept flowing. I thanked her profusely! I picked Munni up and we headed outside to the bathroom. M was coming out of the bathroom and saw us and saw that I was crying. She looked worried for about a second and I smiled and choked out the words, "WE GOT IT!!!!" She started crying and hugged us. From the time we entered the Embassy until the time we left, only 25 minutes had passed. I didn't find out until a couple weeks later that Erin, a dear friend and another adoptive mama, had written to the Embassy and asked them to please help me. She knows them well due to her case and they love her!!!
15) Munni and I boarded the plane to come home on Tuesday night :)
16) Munni and I arrived in Cincy on February 20th- the original scheduled date.
Time after time after time the Lord has showed me that HE IS FAITHFUL and that NOTHING is impossible for him. There are times in my day when for a moment I will stop and think about all he has done in order to bring Sweet Munni home. It brings me to tears every time. I think about all of the people who have been praying for us and encouraging us. I know those prayers were heard!! One of the best things I have ever done was to get the tattoo of the verse he whispered to me when I was in my darkest hour, questioning whether or not I would be able to adopt Munni. The situation had seemed hopeless and that's when he told me, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" - Genesis 18:14
I am in complete awe. It is a God sized testimony. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteYou did experience miracle after miracle -- His eye was on your sparrow!
ReplyDeleteNancy
One of the best parts of sharing others' adoption stories for me, is hearing how time and time again, mountains are moved for families to be made. There is something so absolutely RIGHT about that!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your journey!
Julie
Amazing
ReplyDelete