Leaving India, Coming Home

Sept. 8, Day 12

Today was our last full day in India, and a free day for us, since all of our paperwork was completed. One of the waiters we got to know at our hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn (BEST HOTEL STAFF EVER), offered to take us all shopping, so we had the chance to visit a local market, where I stocked up on scarves. I was so impressed with the care everyone gave us, especially Reagan.

Thursday night we planned on celebrating our last night by eating at the buffet in the restaurant, but it didn't open until 7:00, so we ordered off the menu. The food was amazing, as usual. Every morning of our stay at the hotel, we ate their epic breakfast, which included plenty of American and Indian food. On our last night, the staff offered to pack a dinner the next night for Marella, since our plane didn't leave until close to midnight.

Sept. 9 and 10, Day 13 and 14 -- HEADING HOME!

I woke up Friday morning with a slightly irritated and swollen left eye, and not feeling super great. Not terrible, just not great. Not really hungry. Went to breakfast, ate a little, chatted with some of the staff, and went back to our room to pack all our clothes. The Hilton graciously gave us a 5:00 checkout, which allowed us to relax, take a nap (in theory anyway), and not feel so rushed.

Also, two of the waiters came to our room with a going-away cake for Marella. PRECIOUS.

By the time we checked out, I was feeling pretty lousy. At the risk of oversharing, I had to sip Coke, and at one point eat a couple crackers, to keep the little food I ate earlier in the day inside my stomach.

We got to the airport early, which was fine since we didn't know how long it would take to get through security with our new daughter. Although there were many steps, it felt pretty seamless, and everyone was exceedingly kind (and I managed to not get sick all over the airport, although there was a time while we were checking our bags that I wasn't so sure ...)

I had hot tea for dinner, and felt a bit better by the time we got on the plane for our 14-hour flight to Newark. Ambitious with two children under the age of 4, one who doesn't really know who you are? Perhaps. But all things considered, it went well. Reagan slept at the beginning and the end, and watched movies in the middle. Marella slept for four hours, woke up to eat a bit and snuggle, and fell back asleep for another four to five hours, and then slept again for another hour right before we landed.

I didn't sleep, more than 30 minutes or so. Sometime during the flight, my nausea was replaced by the feeling that there was a tiny person with a big hammer pounding right behind my eyes, and my right eye started to sting like crazy. Soon after we landed at Newark, a little after 4 in the morning, it swelled almost completely shut (I was so, so pretty ...).

But besides that, I have to say, getting through customs and immigration was ten times easier than I expected. We had her passport and our exit permits, and the whole process took maybe ten minutes. Found our bags, rechecked them, went through security, and we were done.

It hit me right after we were cleared at immigration, while waiting for our bags, that WE DID IT, and I burst into tears (that happened a lot on this trip). This little girl who we prayed for and believed for and hoped for for four long years, was home. With us. In the United States. All the paperwork and loopholes and money spent and tears shed felt completely worth it in that moment.

We had (sigh) almost 12 hours in Newark before our plane to Nashville. I'm not entirely sure what all we did in that 12 hours, but we survived. We talked. We walked. We ate lunch -- which was really frustrating because, after two weeks of not being able to eat fresh vegetables, all I wanted was a salad, but based on the price of salads in the Newark airport, I'm guessing the vegetables are dusted in gold.

But we did survive, even with my one working eye. Reagan did great. Marella did great. I just wanted to sleep.

We were in the air, close to the Nashville airport, when we found out we had to divert to Atlanta to get more fuel, thanks to a thunderstorm in Nashville. By this point, I had been awake for over 48 hours, and had taken three Benadryl within about six hours to try to make my eye stop hurting/itching. I was sitting between Reagan and Marella, with my husband one row up, and allllll I wanted was to be home.

Finally, about two hours after we were originally scheduled to land, we made it! I knew some people would be waiting for us, but honestly, after our epic travel day (which spanned more than 36 hours), I thought I was too tired to have any kind of reaction.

I was so wrong.

That feeling of seeing so many people who have walked this long journey with us, waiting for us, was one of the best feelings I've ever had. I will never forget it. We have been so blessed by so many people who walked with us, prayed with us, supported us, and it felt like it all culminated in that moment.

We did finally make it home and in our own beds. We are now adjusting to life as a family of four. Four!! Reagan is a champ. I'm not sure his little mind really grasped that his sister was going to be here permanently, but he's adjusting well.

Marella loves to eat! So far it's been Denise Palma's yeast rolls, pasta and peanut butter bars, along with bananas. She is fantastic as long as I am in the room, and screams as soon as I leave. She has a fiery personality and I love her so much, my heart actually aches sometimes.

Thank you to everyone who has emailed us, called us, texted us, sent us Facebook love, stood in the gap for us, and believed with us. We did it. One less orphan. She is home.

"I don't want a flame, I want a fire. I wanna be the one who stands up and says, 'I'm gonna do something.'" ~Matthew West, 'Do Something'