Day 3: From Bliss to Despair to Bliss

We woke today with terrible, horrible, no good news.  Several families have had their passports rejected, have not been given their adoption decrees as promised, and one family even had the officials try to take her child back that she already had custody of.  Our facilitator told us not to answer the door, she was afraid that officials may show up for the girls.  We became TERRIFIED.  I couldn't stop crying and worrying.  Would we get our passports today?  Would government officials come and take my girls?  I could not live through that!

The morning dragged at a snails pace.  I waited for the appointment in the afternoon to go get the girls' passports, unsure if they would even issue them.  It was the longest morning of my life.  I just kept hugging and kissing my girls terrified of what the future would bring.  We spent our time packing up our bags, half in anticipation of getting the passports and getting on our flight the next morning, half in anticipation of having to leave quickly with the girls and go into hiding.  I was soooooo scared!

Then the time left to go to the passport office. I left Melinda and the girls at the hotel (it has been sooooooooo helpful to have Melinda here, there is no way I could have done it on my own). My faciliator and I were both shaking with fear as to what we were going to be faced with.  We arrived and waited for our number to be called.  When it was, we went to the window and the official pulled out my girls' BEAUTIFUL passports.  I could have kissed her!  But instead, we acted naturally like we were never worried at all.  We left the passport office with the most precious documents on earth.  No problems at all!

We celebrated that night with desserts.  We were going to be ok!!