Pre-Departure Report

Below is some information from Victoria's Pre-Departure Report. She is still at 26#. Our little pumpkin is toilet trained and knows some English. Whew!! I hope she's not disappointed when this mama doesn't serve "all fresh home made food". And I'm not sure about the 8:30 dinner. The boys won't like it that she's eating while they're going to bed. ;-)

Eating Habits:
Victoria Rani has all fresh home made food.
Her mealtimes are as follows:
8.00 a.m: Fresh milk with Horlicks – (Pasteurized milk)
9.00 a.m: Breakfast – Dosa a pancake made with ground rice and lentils and
idli’s steamed with the same batter, Chapathi/ Uppma, a snack
made with broken wheat etc.
11.00 a.m: Snacks – biscuits, sweets or fruits
2.00 p.m: Lunch - rice with dhal/ greens/ veg or non-veg
(Chicken/mutton/fish)
4.00 p.m Milk and snacks
8.30 p.m: Dinner – Rice with veg/non veg.

Sleeping Pattern:
Victoria sleeps with her foster mother in the same room. She sleeps around 9.30
pm and sleeps well at night. She also has a nap in the afternoon.
Toilet Habits:
Victoria has body bath daily and head bath twice a week. She is toilet trained.
Health:
All her medical reports are attached in the file. Please refer to physical reports
and doctor’s report for medical information.
Personality:
Congratulations on having Victoria as a new member of your family. She is a
friendly child and loves to play with the neighbors children and the foster sisters.
She understands English and also the local language – Telugu – which are more
often used by her foster family. She is very much attached to the foster family
and knows the names of each of members in the foster home.
She is interested in drawing, colouring, and also loves dance. She can repeat A
to Z and 1 to 10.
All her responses are normal and age appropriate.

Tickets Are Purchased!

Big sigh! And a deep breath for continuing to plan our itinerary. We are scheduled to depart on Monday, October 26th, pick up Victoria on Friday, November 6th and return home on Wednesday, November 11th. We are currently in the process of booking hotel rooms and assembling other details of our trip.

Families generally allow 3 days to complete the embassy processing in Delhi. However, we are running into Veteran's Day. We plan to process in 2 days, which can be done. We're just taking a bit more of a risk. Pray that we will be able to get it all done in those 2 days and not have the extra expense and head ache of extending our trip.

We are so excited to go explore India, to meet our daughter for the first time and get back home to our boys.

Passport is in!!!!

VCT finally received Victoria's passport and we received a scanned copy of it yesterday!!!!!!!!!!! Praise the Lord! We knew this day would eventually come and now it's finally here!!!! We are working with our travel agent to get airline tickets and hotels booked. Prayerfully we will be able to purchase our tickets on Monday. We plan to depart in about 2 weeks.

There is simply so much to do! I am thankful that Will and Logan are on Fall Break so I can spend more time with them and I won't be subbing either. God works all the extra waiting for His good!

Passport Should Be On It's Way!

We are still awaiting Victoria's Indian passport. Holt asked about it and found out that her passport was mailed from the passport office to VCT on Monday (our Sunday night). When VCT gets it, they will scan a copy to Holt and Holt will e-mail us a copy. And they'll finally call us, too!!!! Yes, I think we're truly about to get "the call"!!! My heart jumps when the phone rings, and yes, I've been short with some people when it hasn't been Dean Hale or Mary Reynolds.

This past weekend was very difficult. I truly did not want to go another weekend without any news. However, God's mercies are new each and every morning. Sunday morning was amazing in such an intimate way with the Lord and a dear friend gave a Word from God over Victoria and I. Once again, I marvel at how He works and His love for us.

Today a friend came by and dropped off some gifts for us. She gave Victoria two beautiful dark dolls. One looks so much like Victoria. She also had a Bible for her and some good ol' cash for the boys. What a fun blessing!

The boys are on Fall Break for two weeks beginning next week. As much as I wish we were in India right now, I'm looking forward to having time off of school, too and being able to spend those two weeks with them, albeit doing a lot of packing and planning.

Making Progress

Mary at Holt called on Monday and said Victoria's passport should take a minimum of 15 days and that VCT filed for it on Sept. 3. It should be here NOW!!! We also got ICPC approval today, so now all we're waiting on is her passport. Fed-Ex also delivered the original court order and birth affidavit to us today. An exciting day of progress, but still waiting on the final call!!!

We're headed up to Michigan this weekend for Christy's wedding. Looking forward to hanging with the family, but I may be talking to our travel agent during the ceremony. :)

Verbal ICPC

Found out today that we have verbal ICPC approval. Holt should be receiving the written approval soon. And prayerfully Victoria's passport, too. I'm believing we're going to get "the call" within the next 2 weeks!!! Pray that all our travel plans, including Melissa's parents', fall together once we can book our tickets.

So much to think about and prepare for. We're putting together a "surprise jar" for Will and Logan while we're gone. Every other day or so they can pull a paper out of the jar on which will be written something special for them to find or do.... We're trying to make this time an adventure in their little lives. It hit me last night that we will be leaving them for about 18 days - and soooo far away. UGH!! I'm thankful they will be making priceless memories with their grandparents and I know our trip will be so busy and exciting that we'll soon be back home with them. And I will refrain from crying until we are down the road. God is faithful to keep us close while we're far apart.

Written Guardianship!!!

Oh, my, I should have updated this a couple weeks ago! The judge in Bangalore issued written guardianship of Victoria to us on Sept. 3rd!!!! It is very surreal as we read over the 5 page document.

My favorite part: "The petition is allowed. The petitioners 1 and 2 (that's Billy and I) are hereby appointed as the guardians of the minor female child Victoria Rani born on 15.07.2005 with permission to remove the said minor out of jurisdiction of this court, out of India to the USA..."

Hallelujah! Glory to God! She all ours!! The document even refers to Will and Logan. :)

It took us longer than expected to get the written document, but we are getting so close to traveling now! VCT should have Victoria's passport in the next 2 weeks. We are also waiting for ICPC (stateside approval) which will take 1-3 weeks. After these 2 documents are received, we will book our travel and leave within about 2 weeks. In summary, we should be leaving within 6 weeks to get our girl!

Our suitcases are downstairs being filled up, documents are being assembled and photocopied, ideas are being put in the surprise jar for Will and Logan and many prayers are going up!

We sent Victoria what is prayerfully her last card, stickers and pictures. We took a picture of a doll and blanket we're bringing to her. My sister-in-law Julie helped me pick out the doll which has a little puppy and purse with it. It seems so "Victoria".

We are also able to take a gift for another child in foster care in Bangalore from his family here in America who is adopting him. It was like Christmas for me as I opened my friend's package to see what her son would be receiving. A truck, M&M's, disposable cameras and pictures of his forever family.

This wait will come to an end as some point and we'll have Victoria home sweet home.