Loyet Family Odyssey

The last few days have been incredibly busy finishing up the requirements to bring Tarini home. We arrived in Delhi Sunday night and went straight to the hotel and slept. First thing in the morning, Eric, Tarini and I went to the embassy to file our paperwork. We got there early and went through the first of many security checks. Everyone in Delhi is on high alert after the recent events and so cars are checked, bags are checked, and we are checked. At the embassy, if we bring water or snacks, we must take a sip or bite in front of the guards if we want to take them in.

We got in the line for US Citizens, we were the only ones, and proceeded to wait. After a while, Eric went to the next checkpoint to see if we could go in and was told he could but Tarini and I could not. They said we must wait "a long while". So we waited for hours, all the while confused as to why we were not allowed in to our own embassy. After some time, another couple joined us and their little girl immediately called out to Tarini. They had been at Basundhara together and knew each other. We had a lovely conversation and before long a guard came and took our names and birthdates. Then more waiting. :) After awhile we were all ushered by a guard on a long walk to a separate building. More security and waiting. Then we went to an office to file our paperwork and wait some more. We were told that the guard would take us to a particular window, but when he came he only took us to the door and told us to "go". Well, we had no idea where to go, but managed to find it anyway. More security and checks and we were finally after four hours of waiting in our own embassy. We quickly received more instructions and were told to come back in the morning at 9:15 for our visa interview.

We needed to go have a medical exam for Tarini's visa and so went on an adventure to find one open that would see us. Our driver did not understand us very well so communicating complex things was impossible. We finally got him to take us to a doctor that was open but on the other side of the city. On the way we stopped at a nearby doctor that was supposed to be closed and they were open. They agreed to see us that afternoon and we gathered all of the required documents and fees and waited some more. We spoke with a lovely couple we had met in Newark, they had picked their daughter up in Chennai. Turns out that they are living in St. Charles, Mo very near to where we are originally from, so it was a nice surpise. The doctor saw us and then we were on our way back to the hotel to rest.

As the afternoon wore on, Tarini seemed very uncomfortable and so we contacted our doctor at the International Adoption Clinic in Cincinnati. After much discusion, she surmised that Tarini was probably vomitting from the drainage from her respiratory infection and motion sickness. And was stuck in a vicious cycle. Tarini seemed to worsen as the evening wore on, and we had to change the sheets. The hotel staff suggested we try the on call doctor here and see if he could offer her any relief. We called him and he wanted us to take her to the hospital but we didn't want to subject her to that, so he came to us. At 5:30 in the morning, He examined her and we discussed her condition over the last few days. He agreed to give her an anti emetic and instructed us to give her small amounts of water and force food if necessary. Not exactly the best thing for bonding in the first week, but we wanted to do whatever was necessary to help her. She rested the remainder of the morning and then we took her down to breakfast. She had juice and plain bread and then we headed to the embassy to finish the processing.

There was a mixup with our driver, and so were running late, as we were about to get there on time, we discovered that they were paving the road in front of the embassy and we had to go around. We were able to jump out of the car and rush in, this time they let us in and we went to the appropriate window to finish up.

As we stood at the window, we caught our breaths and talked about the frenetic pace of the last day and a half. We were told to wait in the loby and our names would be called for the visa interview. While we were waiting the couple from MO arrived and after they filed we chatted awhile.

Over the loudspeaker we hear..."Tarini, please bring your parents to window 15" and we look at each other and smile. What a nice reminder in all of the chaos that our daughter is finally in our arms.

We walk to the window and begin our interview. The gentleman interviewing us asks several questions about our agencies, the process and how things went. Then, he asks us how our experience at the embassy was and if there was anything they could do to improve it. We told him of the day before and how we were not allowed in and were told very little and had to wait for hours. As we spoke, he stopped typing and looked at us and listened intently. After we finished, he started apologizing for the treatment and explained to us that it was unacceptable that we were not allowed into the embassy as American citizens. He wanted to know the who and whats specifically and told us that this would not stop at his window. He then proceeded to tell us that he had approved Tarini's visa and that he was going to have it printed and processed immediately so that we didn't have to "wait one minute longer". We then went into the US Citizens waiting area and sat down. We met a couple from Ft. Myers, FL who live in Jaipur India and are missionaries. They prayed for Tarini's healing and then before we knew it we were called to the window to receive Tarini's visa packet.

Our paperwork was rushed through so quickly, that we were ready to go before the dozen or so others in the room who were waiting before us. We were humbled after the events of the day before and felt so blessed to be walking out with her completed visa less than an hour before we arrived.

Sidenote...we have been carrying sick bags everywhere we go for Tarini and have been going through them rapidly. After we left the embassy, she didn't vomit again and when we returned to the hotel she laid down to rezt. After about half an hour, she perked up and was the same amazing little girl that she was the first two days she was with us. She has made an amazing recovery and we are so blessed by all of the prayers that everyone has said on her behalf. Thank you!

We are going to go to the Taj Mahal by train today and will post as soon as we can. We are off to Bangalore tomorrow to visit with friends and colleagues.

See you soon.