Home on the Horizon

We’ve been in New Delhi for five days now and we have our sights set on HOME. On Wednesday we went to the U.S. Embassy for the visa interview for Evelyn. There are no electronics allowed in the Embassy. Not even a watch. No backpacks either, so we entered with a carefully packed purse and our all-important file of papers. 

I had a few tearful moments as we made our way through the embassy. There were long lines of Indian people at every point, but as American citizens we bypassed them all. Past the mass waiting on the street, past the first security check, then the second. Past the first waiting room and still we were ushered past another waiting room to a window where we were the only ones. As citizens we had all these privileges and all this access. It made me think that as children of God and citizens of heaven, what access we have to God! There was such a sure feeling of “I belong here.” We submitted our payment and papers and left an hour later with Evelyn waving a miniature American flag, which quickly became a safety hazard in the confines of the Suzuki Swift that Ubered us back to the hotel. 

At the end of the day today after a big hassle we received our exit permits and also learned the visa is ready to pick up. In a moment of panic, we learned our exit permit application was supposed to generate a payment email. We never received the email, so after making calls to no answer, we sent David to the FRRO office to get it sorted out in person. This meant that I was on for getting Evelyn to sleep. We started praying. For the permits and for sleep for nap time. Evelyn cried a while with the same posture of outstretched arms and eyes on the door, but this time it seemed that seeing him go helped her understand what was happening and after not too long to make me lose my mind, she settled and slept in my arms!! I was singing “His Mercy Is More” to Evelyn when she drifted off, and I couldn’t even finish singing it because I was in tears that for the first time I felt the weight of comfort in my arms. She slept and rested well until David returned. 

I’ve shared the challenges I’ve had to connect with Evelyn but today felt like some great strides. She also let me feed her a few things and she played with me, pretending to stir and cook and feed me. She has shared with me some kisses and high fives, but still startles if I reach my hands out to her or cross the path between her and David. 

When I am seated comfortably and she doesn’t feel the risk of my scooping her up, she is an absolute goof ball. Dave and I both had the same thought one night that for all that Kira is like me, Evelyn might just be like Dave. Kira had a slow, careful study of the world around her. Evelyn is engaging with her new world by feeling, grabbing and throwing everything she can. In our adjoining hotel rooms both phones are unplugged, both alarm clocks have been unhooked and placed out of reach, and the garbages are in the closets. The other night I was laying Kira down the sleep on one side and described to my family that the other side of the room sounded like Kari babysitting Jack Jack in The Incredibles. I learned later that Evelyn had stuck her foot in the trash can, threw shoes in the bathroom, tossed all the diapers out of their package around the floor and then tried to take her own diaper off in about a minute and a half. So she’s a busy girl taking in her world in a way that is making us eager for our home and our (fenced) back yard. 

Tomorrow is our last day here. We will taxi to the airport around 11 pm for our 2:40 am flight. Flights out of India to the U.s. all leave at these crazy times. We will fly 15 hours from Delhi to Chicago, then to MSP. I might cry when we land in Chicago. Home is finally in our sights!

And just a note to say thanks for reading. I’ve always been a journal-er, and writing down what I’m experiencing helps me a lot. And it serves for Evelyn to read in the future. So thanks for following along our journey in all its details!