Another amazing day brought by God! It is going to be hard to get it all in, because there were so many wonderful details. First, I had set the alarm clock for 5:20 and asked for a wakeup call, but was still a little nervous that I wouldn't wake up. I wasn't sure if I had set the alarm correctly, and wasn't sure if I would hear the phone since it is in the livingroom, but I just left it to God. And duh, I woke up five minutes before the alarm. I am so totally not an early riser, so this is incredible in itself.
Noah woke up just fine, we got ready and headed downstairs. I was expecting the driver at 6:00, and it was maybe ten minutes before that. He wasn't there, and my stomach dropped, but again, I just left it to God without trying to instantly develop contingency plans. And of course, he was there within five minutes.
Absolutely no traffic to the Embassy, which I understand is incredible, even at that hour.
So, we actually arrive well before the 6:45 appointment. I got in the residentia line, which for those coming after me, is on the right side of the Embassy front door. There is a big canopy on the left side, and that is where most of the people wait. They are applying for visitor visas. But the resident line is on the right, going down the sidewalk, and there is no canopy and fewer people. Because of our early arrival, we were I think the seventh people in line.
Oh, cell phones. You are not allowed to bring any electronic equipment into the Embassy. I knew that, but thought that you could check cell phones with the security guard, which is what other adopting families have done before. No, they don't do that anymore. But there are a few guys out front, entrepreneurs, who will guard your phone for a small fee, I think it was 50 lemps. I love that someone thought to do it. I noticed that all the other people in line were going up to these men, giving them their phones, writing their names in a book, and getting a claim ticket. I asked the lady in front of me in line, after she had just surrendered her phone, and she said it was ok. So, I did it too. I figured, the worst that could happen was that I was going to have to buy my friend Laura a new phone, and I'm happy to say that I got it back afterwards just fine.
So then an employee from the Embassy walks up to everyone in line asking for their appointment papers. It is a young lady I remember seeing from last Monday when I was there with Jerry and all three boys, and she remembered me too. She said right away, "Good to see you again. Where are the other boys?" Glad to know we stand out like that. Then again, given the fact that only ten Honduran children were adopted into the U.S. in 2012, I guess a couple of gringos and three Latino boys would stand out, especially three such adorable, intelligent, and wonderful boys as ours. Anyway, so she asked if I had one of those appointment papers. I didn't, since our appointment had been made on email. So she looks up his name on her clipboard with all the names of people that had visa appointments that day. And his name is not there. Not under his birth name, not under his current name. Again, my stomach dropped a little, and I said, "I'm sure we have an appointment. I got an email from them yesterday," in the calmest voice I can muster. "No problem," she said. "I'll just ask inside." So was so kind, and I felt like I had found a friend. Again, I just gave it to God, and I think you know how this one is going to turn out.
The residential visa line started to grow considerably. Nowhere near as long as the visitor visa line, but much longer than it had been when we arrived. The security guards started waving groups in at 7:00, and because we were so close to the front of the line, we get waved in in the first group of about seven people. That God, again.
Security goes fine, though I think the guard was surprised at the amount of snacks I brought in. I just wanted to be prepared, you know. They do have two vending machines inside, one that takes dollars and one that takes lemps, and there was also a lady inside that had a nice snack cart, and of course there were the sidewalk vendors selling candy and gum, but still. Noah is an eater, and I wanted to be prepared.
So, we get through security, and then into the big waiting room on the right. The group of us line up, and go to the counter one by one. This is just a preliminary check, I think. The lady looked at our passports and confirmed that we were there for an adoption. She took one of our passport photos that we had brought in, and then tells me to sit and wait; someone would call me. So, we sat and prepared ourselves for a long wait. Get out a snack and a book for you know who.
Everyone else from our group of seven took seats over in one area, but we weren't there. I asked my new Embassy friend if we should be over there with them. No, those people are getting fingerprinted. Noah doesn't need to do that. Not a problem at all. I guess the Embassy has changed their procedures a little. There weren't any numbers being called; people just waited in groups, and then shifted as necessary. So it was probably a lot quieter in there without a bunch of numbers being called.
Oh, I did have to laugh that there was a tv showing a Discovery Channel special about tornadoes. It occurred to me that this was a very odd sort of travelog for the U.S. "Come to the States and get hit with one of these!!"
Anyway, within a very short amount of time, I hear someone call "Noah Angel Anderson," so I scoop up the little guy and all our stuff, and go to that counter. The man at the window looks at our DS-230 form, and everything is filled out correctly. Yay for that. He asked if I had some other form I-864 or something. I didn't have that since it didn't seem to me that Noah met the categories for filling that out. The feeling in the stomach. Let it go. He tells me it is not a problem, and gets me one, and I fill it out right there. It was a very short form, so it took less than five minutes. He asks a few questions about the adoption, and then asks if I had any photos of Noah with our family. No, I didn't have any of those, and you know I got that feeling in my stomach again. It didn't say anything in the info packet from the immigrant visa section about photos. Give it to God. The man at the counter, who by now I consider my second Embassy friend of the day, said it wasn't a problem. It would have been nice to show a relationship, but it is not a problem not to have them. A couple more questions, and he somehow gets his stapler through the enormous stack of papers that is our file. Ok, I'm all done with that, and he tells me to go to counter C to pay the visa fee of $320, then come back and give him the receipt. He tells me to interrupt him if he is with someone else. (Can you believe it??)
It was a bit of a challenge locating that window -- I had to ask for help since all the windows have numbers not letters. It was over in the Citizen Services Room. Anyway, I paid that fee in crisp new bills from our bank at home, and all was good. I got my receipt and went back over to my friend at the window. He takes the receipt, and I go back to sit down. Get out some more snack and some blocks.
Again, without too long of a wait, I hear "Noah Angel Anderson," scoop up the kiddo and all our stuff and head to that window. Now it is time for the interview with a different official. He asks about where Jerry is, and I told him he left on Saturday with our other children. He asks how long I am going to remain in Honduras. "That is up to you," I say with a smile, "Though it would be great if it were soon." He said something about the fact that I was in the Peace Corps!! So I guess they really do read the file!! Yes, I was, and we chat about that for a while. He asks where we will be living, and I tell him. But why were you married in Arlington, Virginia? Do you have connections there? So I tell him about living there for several years, on and on. This is all very pleasant conversation, not an interrogation by any means, and I feel like I have made my third Embassy friend of the day. Then the best words of all, "Ok, the visa is approved. Take this pink slip and return at 2:45 to pick it up."
I was totally done in two hours.
Stunned but incredibly happy, I make my way outside, get my phone back, pay my fee, and call Ileana. She.could.not.believe.I.was.done.so.soon!!!! She was barely out of the shower! Traffic was very heavy by this time of the morning, so I have to wait a while for her to pick us up, but it was not bad considering how smoothly God had orchestrated everything so far that morning. We get in her car, and she and I are just both praising that amazing God once again.
Next stop: McDonalds near the Cascadas Mall, back in our 'hood. I think by now, Noah thinks he owns the place. He just loves the play place there, and he super-enjoyed trying chocolate milk for the first time. They didn't have any white milk, but I was so happy I didn't mind at all. Third child: getting chocolate milk at age 2. It is so early that they were still serving the breakfast menu. McDonalds in Honduras has a very good traditional Honduran breakfast, which I really enjoyed. Too bad they don't serve it in the States. I ate that, chugged down a few Coke Zeros, and watched the little guy loving life in the play place. I must have had the goofiest expression on my face: something like glee, shock, and amazement that after three weeks, we are all done. Unbelievable, except it is true!
We eventually head back to the hotel, and I get down to business of changing my airline reservation and making a reservation for him. I was bracing myself for a huge charge, but his ticket, bought one day in advance, was less than $600. My flight was actually cheaper than the one I had already booked for early March, so I got a refund, which I applied to Noah's ticket. Of course, I had to pay the change fee of $150, but I was expecting that. This is just so amazing.
Ileana went to the Embassy for me to pick up his visa, and catches up with us somewhere in the hotel later in the afternoon where Noah is feeding me some of his chips. I keep saying "Que rico!!" over and over. "I could hear you," says Ileana. "I just couldn't see you."
We both just looked at the beautiful visa, and the sealed packet that I am to give to immigration in Houston, and we just praise God again. He has really been showing off for us today!!!
I am just so amazed that we fly home tomorrow!!!! Ileana will pick me up tomorrow morning to take me to the airport and walk me through immigration there. It is another step to take, and even more so since Jerry has already flown home. They are very strict in this country about one parent leaving the country with a child and require that the other parent has signed a power of attorney allowing this to happen. A good practice I think. So we plan on getting to the airport about three hours early to make sure we have time for this and all the rest of the international check-in.
I'm sure the flights will be another adventure, but I know God will be with us taking care of us, especially through our very short layover in the huge Houston airport. I'll have to document it Stateside!!