US Embassy

Wow, doesn't that sound impressive? My whole life I've heard news about the US Embassy in this country or that and today I went in to the US Embassy in this country. The woman there is one that I wrote to way back in April when I first learned that I had to change countires.
I was able to talk with her about the issue with my home study and the I-800 having the wrong ages listed if I want to adopt Molly Jane, Yes, it means more paperwork. I have to get the homestudy updated with the social worker okaying me having a child under two and then the US government department of Homeland Security needs to ok it too. It's just a couple of months - she'll be two in May, but it must all be accurate so I'll do it. Then she gave me two more packets of paperwork that need to be filled out prior to taking the girls home on the third trip. - Yes, I did say third trip. She says that my attorney can certainly request they waive the 20 day waiting period, and the embassy does support that, but they have asked before - in fact they have formally requested that it be changed, but they feel they need it to protect everyone. It's the waiting period that someone could appeal the adoption. Like a family member. Myia does have a grandmother that visits her, but she had already formally asked if she would raise her and she said no, so the gov't terminated the mother's rights. I suppose it's possible that the grandmother could appeal it, but I doubt it. If she is like most other grandmothers here she is probably not financially able to adequately care for herself let alone a special needs child.
I took Molly Jane for a walk yesterday. It was 32 degrees, but not raining or snowing and I wanted to see her reaction. I bundled her up (to the point that when we got home the only part of her that wasn't toasty warm was the tip of her nose.) We walked for an hour up and down one of the streets near my apartment. I had hoped to visit St. Gertrudes' church - I saw it on the map, but the map doesn't have all the streets listed - just the main ones, so I think it was a lot farther than we walked. On the way back when we were about one block from the apartment she started to cry, sad, moaning kind of cry. When I got her back to the apartment and unpealed all the layers, she put her head on my shoulder and went to sleep. I guess she had enough city noises.
She is slow to trust. She is just now showing me what she knows and she's playing "games"like covering my eyes for peek a boo, and clapping and her little laugh and giggle! Oh my! This one totally has me. And she now is looking me in the eye and holding my gaze which makes me feel so much better. I think she is just a very cautious personality.
Myia, this separation was good for me...I really miss her. She has some of those orphanage induced rituals - like rocking. She rocks with her legs straight out and she bends at the waist and has this rythmic verbal pattern that she does when she rocks and she grunts with the same throaty growl that Coleen has still to this day. Oh, but little Myia's laugh and sense of humor is so endearing. I'm really looking forward to her being "home" again. I was not unhappy about having one on one time with Molly Jane. Myia is jealous of the cuddling I do with Molly even though she isn't comfortable with it, so I was looking forward to having time to just snuggle with Molly. But I miss Myia, so I'm ready for her to come back.
Tomorrow (Thursday) Myia comes home from the hospital. I hope I get some news about what they found. But I know that even in the States, it takes days before this doctor or that reads the xrays and writes their report. Molly Jane's crib will come tomorrow too. I think it's cute with her sleeping in the suitcase, but it will be nice for her to be able to stretch out more. She sure doesn't seem to mind the suitcase!
It's 34 degrees right now at 9:11 pm. I hope it doesn't snow tomorrow so the roads are clear when the translator goes to get Myia. - Linda