FREE AT LAST!!! Thank God Almighty we are free at last!!!

Amazingly, we are done!!! No amount of exclamation marks can truly demonstrate the relief and happiness at the process being done. For now. Post adoption checks will take 6 months once we get back home. Not a big deal really.

After a lot more grovelling and running around every day to the passport office, we finally got Sofi's passport. It took 10 days. Issued April 18, 2011. Creepy crawly Krishin Kumar caved in after alot of pleading, sucking up, name dropping, actually showing up daily, until I think he realized that I don't take no for an answer. I have climbed up and down the passport office stairs many many many times, being sent to one person or another.  I think the Regional Passport Officer got sick of seeing me too.  And the fact they could not fault our paperwork.  Yet, we are the lucky ones.  Many people fared much worse than us. Even the day the passport was issued, I showed up at the designated time of 4:30. Hovering around the counter, asking again and again if they could check my receipt number, only to be told it had not come down yet.  At right around 6:30, someone came to collect the remainin stragglers who were waiting, we followed him upstairs after he took from us the only receipt/proof we had that we had even filed an application... And upstairs, we were told there was only 1 more passport for that day. A miracle - it was Sofi's!  I practically kissed the bearer of fantastic news. I felt really bad for the others pleading their cases, only to be fobbed off.

Thinking ahead, we already had an appointment at the US Embassy for Wednesday April 20th. I turned up with all my papers, and little Miss Sofi, who by now is quite the little Miss!  We went to American Citizen Services and, luckily, as usual, we got the red carpet treatment. It never ceases to amaze me how nice everyone is when they know we are there for an adoption case. It's all, don't wait in line, just go to the front, type of thing. They are soooo nice. Unlike everyone and every system in India and the UK who are simply horrid and obstreperous. We were asked when it suited us for our visa interview.  Since we still had a housefull of lovely guests who were pampering and spoiling Sofi, I felt it best we wait until they had all gone. So we were given out preference of Monday, April 25th at 9 a.m. But with the caveat that they told us if that was not convenient, just come at 10 or whenever the baby was happy to come, go straight to window 25, and do not wait in line. What lovely people! So considerate and caring. A relief from the rest of the experiences we have had. We showed up Monday morning, whisked to the front of the line, and presented our papers. All agreed to be in order. Gave an oath the papers are accurate. Told to come back in the afternoon at 2:30. Did that. Miracle of miracle, le viola! all done! Sofi's Indian passport is duly given the US visa.  We are free to go.

We are not going yet though. Sofi is in playschool and enjoys it.  She has the full and undivided attention of me and her ayah Pratima. So we are ok until school is out May 13. Then we will head off. It is getting super hot. But Sofi has made friends. I am making friends, at long last, and things are ok. We will do some medical checkups on ourselves and start planning our move back to the US after me being gone so long.

We also met the President of Sofi's orphanage yesterday, Tuesday April 26th. He spent alot of time with us. Charmed by Sofi as everyone is! He was kind enough to comment that his father (former Prime Minister of India I K Gujral who is sadly not in the best of health) always made a point to visit my paternal grandfather, known to us all as Bupuji, because he had a very high regard for Bupuji.

I also duly registered my wish to adopt a 2d daughter from Jalandhar and was received very well! So, after all the papers are in order, we should be back in 2012 for #2! My lovely 2d daughter is out there somewhere already but not ready to come to me. All in good time.

Sofi is parrotting more and more words. She is increasingly cheeky and cute and the biggest love of my life. I thank God and my lucky stars she came to me. I am very lucky.