Finished at the Embassy today!

Walking to daddy... isn't that the most adorable smile you've ever seen?

Sleeping Beauty

Telling Ms. Roy, the Orphanage Director, goodbye at the hotel in Kolkata

Wow... we have had such an amazing experience in India! We are tired, but so so happy! It has been so busy! We received Jadyn's Visa at the Embassy today so we are ready to travel home soon. We are looking forward to seeing everyone, but we are trying to soak up every minute of this experience that we can. What wonderful memories we are going to have to tell Jadyn about some day. India is an amazing place. It looks even more beautiful now seeing it through our daughter's eyes.

I can't begin to tell you all of the wonderful experinces we have had... but the best of all, of course, was meeting Jadyn for the very first time. I will never forget the moment I saw her. INSTANT LOVE! She is such a loving and sweet baby girl. We feel so blessed that she has bonded so well to both of us. We are both able to hold, snuggle, and love her all the time. She just looks back at us with such love too. It is truly amazing! She makes the most adorable expressions... she has all of these different little smiles that just melt your heart. Everywhere we go people smile and say how cute she is... of course we already new that. She has such a sweet little disposition. During the long day at the Embassy today she just slept and then woke up smiling. The doctors visit was a little scary for her though... when we had to undress her she cried and that was the first time we had heard her really cry loud. Thankfully, she didn't have to get any shots. We were so relieved because we hated to put her through that. Her weight was just over 15lbs which is what we thought.

We rode an autorickshaw yesterday to get the visa photos and shopped in the crowded streets of New Delhi. (Anila's brother helped translate for us and helped us bargin at the markets). Even though it is very crowded and busy, we have never felt unsafe. It's all just like a scene from a movie. You've never seen so many people in one place! It's true what everyone says about the traffic and the lines in the roads being just a guideline, and the honking too. However, Anila told me that the honking is not intended to be rude, as it often is in the US. It's just a way of letting people know you're coming. As I've watched, I've seen that this is totally true. They are never angry when their honking. They just don't give to one another at all when driving. They just keep right on going into oncoming traffic.I've never seen so many close calls in traffic, but I've yet to see an actual accident. It's all just like organized chaos.

We also ate at McDonald's last night, which is not like ours in the states. Shane was dissapointed... no hamburgers... just chicken sandwiches. Today, for lunch, we had VERY spicy Indian food, which was really great, but you really pay for it later (heehee!). Anila showed us how to eat everything and told us all the names for everything. It is considered very mannerly to eat with your hands, and when you're done with the meal they bring you this little basin of warm water with a lime in it to clean your fingers. You use the lime like soap on your fingertips to remove all of the spicy smells.

Tomorrow we have a free day since all of our business is done at the embassy. We were surprised to be finished with everything so soon. PRAISE THE LORD! We decided to treat ourselves and stay at the Sheraton Hotel until time to travel. The Clark was okay for a couple of nights, but the room wasn't that great and it's in a VERY noisy area. We felt that we really needed some rest before we make the long journey home again. We wouldn't trade our expereience there though, it gave us a great chance to see a whole other side of New Delhi that we wouldn't have otherwise. By the way... I would highly recommend the Sheraton in New Delhi to those who will be traveling soon. Great rooms, great service, just great all around.

We might do a little more shopping tomorrow and then on Thursday our plane doesn't leave until 11:00 p.m. so we are hoping to be able to make arrangements with the hotel to stay a little later. I will try to post again tomorrow and put up new pics... got the message mom : ) We love everyone very much. Keep us in your prayers as we finish up this incredible journey and begin our new lives as a family of three. (I love saying that... family of three!)