Well on our Way . . .

We leave next Tuesday for our adventure - I can hardly believe it! This past few months had been a whirlwind of activity for our family. After selling our house in 2 days, we moved into a 2bd/1 bath apartment for our last few months in the States. Fortunately, we were travelling alot so the walls only closed in a little when we were snowed in in early January while Peter was in India.

It has been amazing to see what God has done over the past few months . . . our most recent hurdle was unexpected but a true test of faith. We could not apply for our Visas until last minute as they start the day they are approved. So we had to quit our jobs, sell our home, move everything to storage before knowing if we could actually go! Yeh, that one was a test for me . . . the woman who likes to plan EVERYTHING! Actually this whole process has shown me that there are times when you just need to relax and let God be God but that is a post all of it's own.

Back to our Visas . . . phew what a crazy couple of weeks that was! Funnily enough everyone got approved but me! Long story but after a week we were all cleared. It felt like I was back on the rollercoaster of international adoption. For all my fellow adoptive moms, an interesting note is that when you apply for a Visa for your child for the first time on their American passport you have to formally renounce their Indian citizenship. You will have to send in their Indian passport and they will stamp cancelled in it. It was a strange emotion for me as although I knew they were already American citizens not Indian citizens, doing this action felt so final and so sad.


We have so much to share but I will break it up in smaller posts as we get more information and photos to post with it. First up is our new home . . . it is a brand new 3bd/2bath home but in India you only rent the shell. As the renter, you provide ceiling fans, water heaters, air conditioners (an absolute must have), all appliances and a water purification system. It is quite an undertaking but we have been fortunate to have an amazing support system that has helped us and is having most of the above installed as I type this. The first couple of weeks are going to be spent shopping for furniture and the basic necessities. Things to note . . . no shower curtains, one of our bathrooms has both a western toilet and an Indian one. We will be covering it up so it doesn't become a play spot for Jaya : ) No cabinets in the kitchen, just open shelves but very colorful - it is cheerful and fun.

Below are some "before we make it home" photos (we are only renting the bottom floor) . . .