Day Ten: The Consulate

This was a relative easy day but monumentous in terms of coming home.  After breakfast we met our guide Helen and went back to the medical center to get Caroline's TB results which were negative. Thank you Jesus!!! 

We then took the results across the street to the US Consulate.  Only Americans were allowed inside or those who had an appointment so our guide could not come inside. The process took about an hour but consisted of taking an oath that all our documents were true and checking our information to what we submitted for pre-approval before leaving the states. They also reviewed the health screenings and said Caroline is considered a fairly typical healthy child. 

The last thing they asked was when we do we leave? The guy who spoke English (with an American accent!) wrote down our departure information and said we are good besides printing the visa. We will know by email tomorrow morning if the visa will be ready tomorrow afternoon for pickup. 

So we are almost out of here!!! And we are so ready!!!

Tonight we ate at a Western restaurant and ordered milkshakes... They "shook" the milk 😕

The hotel is on the flight path of the airport and today we were looking for "wag-ees" or airplanes and talking about how Mama, "Daggy", and "Car-o-lie" are going to go on one.

A few last thoughts as we get ready to leave... Caroline's file when we first looked at her referral had her listed as psychomotor retardation. But from just reviewing her file we knew that wasn't right. From spending a week with her we know her mental capabilities are very very sharp.  Her emotional development is more like a 3 year old from being in an institution all her life.  Adoption "school" basically says to expect 1 month delay for every 3 months in an institution. So that's about right. Being in a family will help her to catch up quickly.

When we see our pediatrician we do have a few questions regarding her mobility. She is a little too "clumsy" when walking. Especially when you are holding her hand.  And either her joints seem super loose or she she is still lacking muscle tone to keep her movements smooth. We are not sure.  We are thankful for the progress she has made though. And to us she is wonderfully perfect it is hard to believe she was considered "special needs" at all and deemed to live her whole life in an orphanage. We are so thankful for the mission trip that encouraged the caretakers to think she was adoptable.  That someone internationally would want her. We have seen God show up all through her story and can't wait to see what else he has planned for her life because my bet is the best is yet to come...

We are still working on attachment and might need to for sometime. What to others looks like an outgoing child and not shy at all is masking the fact that she still isn't attached to us although she has bonded and likes us a lot.  She will become too friendly with others and would probably leave with one too (which scares me a lot!!).  The idea is that she sees everyone as a potential caretaker, someone to help her get her needs and desires met. So for now we ask that no one pick her up but us and if you want to give her something you hand it to one of us and then we will give it to her. Basically showing her we are the ones meeting her needs and desires until she attaches more securely to us. If I look overwhelmed with 4 kids 6 and under I probably am.  Just ask what you can do to help I will appreciate it!