This is the phrase I hear about 💯 times a day. It means “ Daddy, Water” and sometimes I think it’s the only words that Eve knows. She of course says it when she wants water, but she also says it when she wants my attention or wants to be nixie and get me to do stuff. So when I hear it I proceed to get her water cup (it’s pretty and pink) and hand it to her. At that point she usually turns her head as to avoid me or pushes my hand away and says “naaaaaay” (or no). It sounds cute but after a while it’s not. 🤨 Of course we are into the first few days of meeting each other, so all of our interactions are precious and instrumental in building a lifelong bond.
So Tuesday morning we just ate breakfast in the hotel room - some simple snacks and those apple sauce squeeze packets (does anyone else feel super weird eating those???). We then met our guide and we’re off to the US Embassy. I was most nervous about this visit because our guide wasn’t able to go in with us and we weren’t allowed to bring phones, electronics or almost anything else except our papers and some toys for Eve. There was a HUGE line but that ended up being for Indian natives applying for work visas in the US, among other things. We were sent to the front where two other adoption families were waiting. The one was actually from our hotel and super friendlly! After just a little bit I was called to the counter and had to sort through my papers, presenting the right one as the lady behind the counter asked me. From there we answered a few quick questions and were off.
We technically didn’t get the visa today because we need the results of Eve’s TB test before they issue it. So tomorrow I’ll go pick up the medical results and drop them off at the US Embassy and then wait for the visa (I’ll be with our guide and Anne and Eve can stay at the hotel. So that’ll be nice, especially since she threw up again just a little bit while driving this morning- the drives are just too much for her little body).
Otherwise our Tuesday has been pretty uneventful. Anne and Eve spent some time with a puzzle and building a bead necklace. The poor little thing sleeps a lot (Eve, not Anne...) because everything she’s going through right now is so traumatic. We were thinking of sight seeing today with our down time, but we feel it’s best for her if we stay in our hotel and rest.
Like I said I’ll be running around tomorrow to get the medical report and finish the visa. Also, I have the FRRO appointment to give us clearance to leave the country so pray I don’t say anything too stupid. 😁 Also, remember that umbrella stroller we were looking for? Well I was able to order one on Amazon and it‘s scheduled to deliver tomorrow to the hotel- I hope that’s allowed!
Please pray that Eve maintains her health and eats something soon. She is drinking water, but she hasn’t eaten anything since before we gave her chocolate.
Gotta go, I hear someone saying “Papa paanee!”
PS: In case you feel like crying, I wanted to share that in India it’s VERY common to have people walking along the streets in the middle of traffic trying to sell something. They will walk up to your window in stopped traffic and just stare at you, knocking at the window. It seems one needs to ”just ignore“ to get through the experience, but we serve a God that knows how many hairs are on my head. Surely He cares as much for me as for that person on the street? What really broke me today was we saw multiple girls doing this - like 8 or 10 years old, walking in between the cars looking for money. One such girl walked up to Anne’s window and just stared in. Usually they stare at the adult, looking for money. However, this poor little girl was not staring at Anne for money... she was staring at Eve...for a long time.... I don’t truly know why, but I think she might have been wondering why Eve was in the car and she wasn’t. Oh how I wanted to open the door and let her in too. At that moment all I could do was prayer for her.
😔
